Countdown!!

All those winter birds...old hat....here we are on the way to spring....

...all sorts of plants have commenced throwing themselves headlong in to the turbulent world of reproduction....eeek!

Primroses are gathering pace, Snowdrops have been around a while...even Daffodils (not real wildlife here abouts me thinks) are standing up and being counted...and the countdown has begun....can anyone hear the first Chiffchaff (no, not a winter stopover, a real one, a real gad-a-bout off to Africa and back!)...its nearly here...and a veritable horde of travelers in their wake....

....so what have we got on offer today at the pits....

0730-1030 cool, mostly overcast, slight breeze and occasional slight shower (must be because the Met Office forecast dry!)

The village was lively with  song this morning, all and sundry were blowing out the cobwebs and going for it....Greenfinch, Collared Dove, House Sparrow, Starling, Robin, Great Tit, Blue Tit...all jockeying for position.
Woodpigeons soon followed, Dunnocks...two Blackbirds, one female and one male, sat side by side, possibly knowingly! (after all there is usually a report or two of thrushes on eggs or with juveniles this time of year)...anyway, they looked, well...matey...perhaps?
Greenfinches and Chaffinches poured rasping notes on all and strangely a Wren flew quietly by, no tick, no trill.
A Crow flapped over and some Fieldfares appeared with one Redwing in tow.  A small flock of Goldfinch with a few Linnet hung out with them.  A Pied Wagtail upped and downed upped and downed its way across the farm yard.
In the field 4 Mute Swans distantly grazed along with 36 Greylag Geese, a Common Gull and 37 Black Headed Gulls.
Skylark sang me the 12" remix version of last years song....I counted them today, 5 singers and a couple fluttery fluttering around at ground level....its looking odds on that the farmer will yet again attempt to stop any juveniles appearing...wonder when he will be out here spraying or stomping over everything with his tractor...maybe the wet ground will assist the larks this year!?
A Green Woodpecker was over to the west calling.  2 Mallard stood in the mud were once a large puddle flooded.
At the pits a Great Spotted Woodpecker drummed out the rhythm of spring.  A Heron was noted as well as a Song Thrush whistle-whistling....along with...
....4 Mallard, 23 Coot (very low count), 4 Great Crested Grebe, 51 Tufted Duck (high count!), 5 Gadwall, 11 Cormorant, 5 Goldeneye (1m 4f), 25 Mute Swan, 2 Moorhen, 4 Teal, 2 Pochard.
The sun shone briefly...small time, but in that small most greatly lived this star of England...okay, it was a rather brightly shone upon Yellowhammer.
Two Grey Wagtails flew over and alighted for the merest of moments not more than a few feet away looking absolutely rather wonderful.
4 Canada Geese flew NE.  Several Long Tail Tits partied and a quick wander to the quarry revealed more Linnet and the expected Feral Pigeons.
I paid a visit to Reed/Sedge Warbler alley...

...still a no go zone, too deep for wellies....I waded in a little as this was where the 5 Gadwall had landed so I guess they were in the reedbed on the left on an area which is usually a small pool (but obviously very big for now)....to make my effort worthwhile a Reed Bunting called a few times.
Homeward bound....and a Meadow Pipit sat posing in an oak tree for a while.  Nice.