Thursday 5 March 2009

A much more peaceful afternoon was had today. The ''Tree Muncher'' in the tree nursery had finished, so the birds in the wet woods were once again audible, and I quickly located the sound of LONG TAILED TITS, and as usual there was at least 2 GOLDCREST with them, and a lone COAL TIT. I couldn't locate the Marsh Tits though, I havn't seen them this month, maybe they have left for their breeding area already, the one that overwintered last year wasn't seen in March either, so it's likely. As I came out of the woods, and was walking the footpath to the lake, I heard the croaking sound of a CARRION CROW, the one they use when mobbing birds of prey, I looked back above the woods, and sure enough a pair of Crows were mobbing a low flying COMMON BUZZARD, it was just above the treetops, I watched it get chased off to the NW, a nice addition to the March species total. At the lake area, a GREY HERON flew up as I arrived, and just 3 MALLARD and 4 CANADA GEESE were visible, but as I walked round the edge of the lake, what flew out, skipping across the water ? A COOT! another one, or most likey the same one as I saw earlier in the week, a Common buzzard and a Coot on the same afternoon. Not so many years ago I would be chuffed to bits with that on my patch, it's still good to get either of these species though. Around the lakes in the woody areas, I could hear SISKIN and BULLFINCH, and a few minutes later a SPARROWHAWK went through low and fast.

I walked back to the tree nursery and entered the cleared field, I scanned the torn up earth for a Wheatear, but it was not forthcoming, still a bit of a long shot this early in march, although a GREEN WOODPECKER was available for a photo shoot, the only bird I saw there! Whilst crossing into the used part of the nursery a hen PHEASANT also stopped to have it's picture taken. Over at Migrant Alley it was also a bit more peaceful, but little was seen despite much scanning of the stubbles, 7 SKYLARK flew up and moved to a fresh bit of the field, and 12 FIELDFARE dropped in from a sycamore tree in a large garden, with an accompanying REDWING. A lone MEADOW PIPIT and a couple of PIED WAGTAILS were recorded, just as rain started to fall from a big black cloud, time to head off home for a hot cuppa!

Above and below, an obliging Male Greenwoodpecker.
Below is the Hen Pheasant, feeding around some young yew trees




6 comments:

Kelly said...

...I like the looks of that Green Woodpecker. The Hen Pheasant is interesting too!

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Warren: I thought all woodpeckers were red, black, white or brown. That was great to see your green one. Male pheasents are such a showy bird.

Chris said...

Hi WArren,
Well I have to say that this green woodpecker would have done my day and I guess it did yours.. You got two fantastic pictures of it... Congrats...Still waiting for the sun mate!! Today we got it but we also got -12°C!!!

Anonymous said...

Our Northern Flickers seem to have the same behaviours as your green woodpecker.

NW Nature Nut said...

That Green Woodpecker is a beauty!

Steve said...

Lots of Buzzards around at the moment. I am working in Croydon at the moment and my trip via M26/M25 I see 1/2 everyday virtually also one from the car near Sittingbourne the other day. amazing that as you say would have been a real rarity only a few years back.