Thursday 4 December 2008

Back to work today, so only an afternoon visit to my patch. By the time I had eaten lunch, it was 14:00 and it was looking dull already, so I decided on taking my telescope rather than my camera ( I hate carrying to much stuff!), so there's no pics today. I thought i'd set up at the hedgerow between the greenhouses and the stubbles at Migrant Alley, and see what turned up. As I arrived there were around 25 BLACKHEADED GULLS, and a scan through the scope revealed 5 LAPWING with them. I scanned further along the fenceline/new hedgerow, and found 2 YELLOWHAMMERS, and 3 LINNET, the latter were the first of the month. Linnets don't always stay around my patch for the winter, this is the fourth December they have remained in the seven years of recording. A few HERRING GULLS slowly flapped their way over, and the odd SISKIN could be heard as it passed SW. In one of the large gardens around 20 FIELDFARE flew up in panic, and BLACKBIRD alarm calls rang out, then the familiar screams of a member of the thrush family were heard, the SPARROWHAWK had caught it's supper, although I didn't actually see it. A flock of 41 JACKDAWS flew to a pre-roost site at the college grounds but not much else was about, the odd ROBIN in the nearby hedge, and 3 PHEASANT that were flushed out from the dicarded rasberry plants flew up and over the grenhouses, and into the tree nursery.
Many thanks by the way, for the kind offers to help with the owl box. I have penciled in Sunday 21 Dec. at around 13:30. Any help and equipment would be most helpful, better to have to many ladders, ropes and people than not enough!! I'll leave directions where to meet nearer the time. free tea and buscuits at my house for all helpers!!

3 comments:

Steve said...

Hi Warren - 21st at 1.30 it is - i will pencil it in. I can bring a big ladder on my roof rack if needed

Ken. said...

Hi Warren.. Hopefully there will be plenty of willing helpers. I only wish I could do my bit, mind you, if I don't have anything on that day I wouldn't mind coming over and meeting you guys. It would be nice to put faces to names.

Greenie said...

Warren ,
I'll be there with ropes and just a short ladder - no roof rack .
You didn't mention what time the tower crane was getting there !