Friday 6 March 2009

Some welcome sunshine was to be had on this afternoons walk, and out of the cool NW wind it felt springlike. I wandered my patch for two hours, doing the usual circuit of Small holding, wet woods, tree nursery, and Migrant alley, but despite the sunshine the visit was not as productive as yesterday. LONG TAILED TITS were in the small holding, where I looked for the Little Owl in it's usual tree, but it wasn't out today, but in an adjacent hawthorne tree a couple of REDWING were seen. The wet woods were very quiet, just calling GRET TIT, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, and MOORHEN were heard. Over on the lake, a pair of CORMORANTS were actively fishing, the first this month, but there was nothing else but 5 CANADA GEESE. The nearby house with the bird feeders had attracted a few Finch's with 4 SISKIN on the Sunflower hearts. Walking back to the wet woods, to get to the tree nursery, a pair of GOLDCREST were seen, and a TREECREEPER called, the nursery itself was totally empty of birds, not even a Crow! The last 40 minutes of my trip was spent sitting at migrant alley, watching across the paddocks and stubble. However here too it was pretty slim pickings, just 4 SKYLARK of note, and half a dozen FIELDFARE, feeding where 25 were seen when I passed early this morning on my way in to work. No early migrants yet then - Still a bit early really, when I check my records for average arrival dates for the early migrants they were as follows, Chiffchaff (the first singing) 16th March, with the earliest heard on the 10th. Wheatear 13th April, with the earliest on the 15th March. But i'll be out tomorrow morning bright and early, and possibly on into the afternoon, so come on migrants come and visit!

The photo below was taken in my garden, this bunch of crocus had 2 Bumble bees and a honey bee on it.

3 comments:

Kelly said...

...love seeing those flowers. I hope we're not too far behind.

Anonymous said...

The flowers are here now too. We have some crocuses and daffodils making their appearances. Spring is sort of here. It's supposed to snow over the weekend again. :)

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Warren: I just had Crocus pop today but the bees are still asleep I believe.