Tuesday 18 August 2009

Back out onto my patch again this morning in just about perfect conditions, warm, still, and partly cloudy. I was looking forward to checking out the tall hedge at Migrant Alley, but this morning I was to be disappointed, there were no migrants there today, just a YELLOWHAMMER. The weedy edges of the Maize crop were sadly also without any migrant species, but the SKYLARKS, LINNETS and PIED WAGTAILS were still there.

It wasn't until the last set of horse paddocks that a passage Migrant turned up, two YELLOW WAGTAILS were feeding around the horses legs, I hope to record this species most weeks now, right into Sept.

The walk around the College grounds and the stream there, gave me some good birds for the daylist, the SPOTTED FLYCATCHER family were back - well 3 of them anyway! Also a WILLOW WARBLER for the third day running, it fed in a mixed flock of birds which included 2 TREECREEPERS, 4 GOLDCREST, and 2 COAL TITS which looked really smart in their new plumage, especially in the low morning light.

Back out across Migrant Alley heading for home and a half time break, a HOBBY was seen speeding low over the Maize, just in time to plunder the hundred or so Pied Wagtails that were being freed from the greenhouses by the Automatic window system. I wonder if the Hobby has learnt this behaviour, and times his morning rounds with the Wagtail fest ?

The second half of my walk was carried out in ever warmer conditions, and the birds slowly became more elusive as the temperature rose. I added a few more woodland species to my daylist, BULLFINCH, NUTHATCH, BLACKCAP, STOCK DOVE and also a GREY HERON which was on the lake fishing. The list was on 48 species, so to try and make the 50 I went back over to Migrant Alley for a skywatch, I did better than I thought I would though, as I added KESTREL, SPARROWHAWK and LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL, as well as a COMMMON BUZZARD, one of 4 that were seen soaring over the high ground to the North. So the visit ended on 52 an exceptional august Total again, maybe i'll do a quick evening stint later!!


Above: a Male Swallow, perched on a telephone line over the college stables.

Above: An Immature Yellow Wagtail, seen in the Paddocks

Above: Something of a rareity! A group of HOUSE SPARROWS
Below: One of the Four Buzzards that were seen.

Lastly, A female Common Darter, ive not had many dragon flies on my patch this year.





8 comments:

Chris said...

Hi Warren,
Looks like you got a nice birding day and congrats for the buzzard!!! I did not see them that much in France, only common buzzard, hen harrier and short-toed eagle...

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Warren: Neat shot of the swallow and the dragonfly. I'm glad you are getting so much activity.

Anonymous said...

I like the photo of that dragonfly, Warren. I seldom see them around here but now and then I do see a damsel fly.

Stewart said...

Warren that Yellow Wag photo looks like a female Rubythroat!!!!! I was back in China there for a second....

Ipin said...

Warren,

I've not had many dargonflys on my patch either!

Anonymous said...

An amazing variety of birds seen there, Warren.
The Swallow appears in academic gown, dressed for a formal college dinner perhaps.

ShySongbird said...

Great shot of the Swallow Warren, I can't manage a decent photo of them and unlike you I never see them perched. What an incredible list of birds you see in one day it never ceases to amaze me!

Jann said...

Another great day for you birding! I love that swallow photo, nice!! They're hard to get pics of.