Sunday 29 June 2008

There wasn't much change on my patch from yesterday morning, but of the 47 species recorded today, 5 of them were missing from yesterdays list , BLACK HEADED GULL, COAL TIT, TREECREEPER, LITTLE OWL and SPOTTED FLYCATCHER, so 55 species for the weekend is pretty good going. The Little Owl was seen perched on top of the shack that the Barn Owl was in yesterday, I didn't look inside today, so Barnie may, or may not have been there. It was pleasing to see the Spotted Flycatcher in the college grounds, although no evidence of breeding was seen. A few summer migrants were still singing, LESSER and COMMON WHITETHROAT as well as CHIFFCHAFF, and a pair of BLACKCAPS trying to out-sing each other in the lakeside scrub, where a TURTLE DOVE came to the waters edge for a drink, I tried to get a photo of it but it was too wary, all my photo attempts were foiled today!
Butterflies were species were few, but scores of Meadow Browns were at the tree nursery.

A confirmation of some bad news for my patch was had when I met the farm manager of hadlow farm. A gas pipe line is going to be laid this time next year - right across Migrant Alley. There will be a 50m gash across my best bit of birding area, and the work is expected to last a year!
This could affect sightings such as, Wheatear, Yellow wagtail, Stonechat, Whinchat, Redstart and Black redstart, all have turned up in these fields. Winter flocks of Lapwing my also be affected, limiting the chances of a golden plover. I suppose I'll have to wait and see.

2 comments:

Steve said...

sad to hear about the gas pipeline Warren....try to look on the positive side...I can't think of one but I am sure there must be...

Greenie said...

Warren ,
Now I'm confused . Yesterday it was Tyto , today its Barnie .
Are there 2 Barn Owls ??