Anyway rant over, I did my usual ''walk- stop- listen'' for an hour or so around the wet woods, and was enjoying the sight of a mixed feeding flock, around 20 LONG TAILED TITS, a TREECREEPER, 3 GOLDCREST, 2 COAL TIT and a few BLUE and GREAT TIT were all feasting on invisible things that live on bare twigs. However the next stop produced a species that I have tried to see in the woods on the last few visits, more in hope than expectation - A LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER (70), A male bird chipped away at an old branch, allowing me some grainy photo's, my first of this species.
Records of L.S. Woodpeckers are few and far between, this being just the 10th sighting. The first was in my garden on the 5th July '03, the next wasn't until November '05, when a female bird was seen on 12th, 13th, and 19th. In 0206 a male was seen also on three dates, June 19th, July 29th, and oct 8th, the last two sightings were of a female on 10 dec 2007, and a male on February 7th last year. So this is a good species to add to the list this year if i'm going to have any hope of beating last years 106 total.
I did visit the lake area but all that was found was a small flock of BULLFINCH, 4 or 5 birds, also a small group of SISKIN just 4 birds, a GREY HERON was asleep on the bank of one of the ponds, but only MALLARD and MOORHEN were on the water.
I now know why I drag myself out when I don't really feel like it, you just never now what your missing!
Below are 3 pics. of the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. Not great, but passable - I think!
13 comments:
Hi Warren.
You should feel good about those L/S/Woodpecker shots. It's a hard enough bird to see normally,let alone being able to get a photographic record of it. A nice selection of birds you saw today.
PS. Where does the college get all this rubbish to burn?
As Ken says Warren a bloody good spot mate, and good pics to boot, i would be more than happy with them.
Hi Ken,
The bonfire today consisted of what looked to be an old shed. last week it was just bits of old wood, water pipe and assorted rubbish. Once there was a stack of old metal framed chairs!
Warren ,
Just see what reducing the tablets can achieve .
Well done mate , and good pics too .
Great stuff Warren!
Just like the previous comments, Warren. Well done. A difficult species to see, let alone photograph.
Well done Warren, i would be very pleased with those photos.Its very harsh conditions out there at the moment but like you said if you dont get out there you wont see em.good spot mate.
Lesser Spotted sighting for me are like the '69' bus - nothing for many, many years & then 3 in the last 2 months (or maybee I'm visiting the right location at last!)
Well done on the photos in harsh conditions.
Warren, fantastic mate well done. Great bird to see and to get pictures as well - BRILLIANT. I have only ever had two on my patch and the last of those was 5 years ago!
Excellent record Warren, your actually going someway to making me jealous now! Good shots, better than I think I've ever seen one in the feather.
Adam
Hi Warren,
You again got a nice birding day. A pity that the sun was not there on these woodpecker pictures...
Warren: I do always like to see woodpeckers.
Fantastic record Warren - great photos.
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