This afternoon I made a trip to the lake area, hoping to hear a Blackcap in the adjacent scrubby area, but none sang, all I heard was the dick head groundsman from the large house with a chainsaw, and a shot gun! In spite of this racket, there were 2 MUTE SWANS on one of the lakes, a new species for March, despite saying in my last post that it would be unlikely that I would find a new species today!
I went over to migrant alley, and sat for a while skywatching, but no migrants were observed, just a KESTREL, a CORMORANT, a SPARROWHAWK, which I later saw pluck a Starling from a flock that were flying over, without any effort at all. Also in the distance I could see two BUZZARDS soaring high to the north west of my patch. I got home and looked over the feeding station and found a female BRAMBLING at the sunflower feeder, I hope she stays around till at least tomorrow, I can count it on the April list.
4 comments:
Fingers crossed for the Brambling tomorrow Warren. No Blackcap for you yet?
No Blackcap yet steve :-(
The average arrival date is the 29th March, the earliest one i've had singing is the 23rd March. last year I had to wait till the 9 April, the latest date of all. I count the date I first hear one singing as the arrival date, as I have had them overwintering here.
Rarely see blackcaps here, we had a female in the garden back in Jan, but heard my first Chiff Chaff of the year today which was nice.
That last shot is really stunning. Nice post. Good luck with the Blackcap.
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