...and no snow on snow on snow either....just sunshine...
Managed a visit to the site.....hurrah and huzzah....not necessarily hoping for anything in particular just so long as there was something to see considering the time of day....
1145 - 1330 SW f2-3 cool sunny
Is there a word that doesnt mean cool or cold but somewhere in between?....it was sort of more than cool but I would not describe it as cold though....ah well....
First bird out of the traps today was a Chaffinch lurking in the tree opposite where I park the car. Nothing was singing or even calling when I arrived, but im not surprised I suppose considering the time. A quick visit was in order so I could get off to the orchard (where I am ringing winter thrushes) to fill up the feeders (see The Ringing Times blog for an update) and then get back to home to collect my son from his last day of school.
Great Tit called when I got to the entrance of the orchard at Five Oak Green by the railway bridge and some Starlings joined in with some whistling and clicking. Robin soon popped up along with a passing Collared Dove. Some Blue Tits were feeding in the hedgerow near the orchard offices.
A Kestrel made one of several appearances during the time I was around the site (either that or there are between 2 and 5 Kestrels!!....probably just the one though).
A Crow crowed and two or three Fieldfares chakked. A Blackbird alarmed itself and set flight.
Off across the fields and immediately out of the ditch flew a Grey Wagtail. I moved this on from another couple of ditches it had decided to hide in.
In mid-field two Skylark gave excellent views in the short crop growing and being about 20 feet or so away. This didnt last for too long as a dog walker was coming from the other direction and the birds soon moved on.....nice....
Several small flocks of Woodpigeon wandered by and continued to do so around the gravel pits.
On the pits:
Gadwall 20, Pochard 6, Tufted Duck 43, Little Grebe 5, Great Crested Grebe 4, Cormorant 21, Coot 112, Common Gull 2, Black Headed Gull 20, Mute Swan 10, Shoveller 6, Teal 7, Grey Herpn 1, Moorhen 1, Goldeneye 2 (very smart looking females!!)
Whilst wandering around some of the pits Goldfinch passed over, a couple of Magpies looked menacing, a Wren sang briefly and a Meadow Pipit gave nice views along the side of the track just a few feet away. Jay called some distance away as did Green Woodpecker.
The return journey was quiet though a Song Thrush made an appearance and some chirpy House Sparrows too.
...and at last we get to the Christmas holidays, hopefully meaning I will get a in a few visits for all the site...though as I write this on Saturday afternoon its raining again.....come on Jack Frost get to work!!!
Need a few of those Duck species to move the short distance over to here Graham :-) I agree with the need for a bit of winter weather, could bring me something nice!
ReplyDelete