As I walked home from work, I saw that the the annual destruction of the hedgerows, and cutting down of the long grass and thistleheads had began, oh, sorry, I mean keeping the countryside tidy had began. So visiting Migrant Alley this afternoon was pointless with all that destruction - oops! sorry there I go again - I mean tidying going on.
I decided I would go over to the lake via the wet woods, and try to get some of the easier species not yet on my Sept list. TREECREEPER and COAL TIT called in the woods, but they're on the list already, however the MOORHEN I saw there wasn't, nor was the flock of LONG TAILED TITS, that streamed their way through the Oak canopy. I made my way over to the Lake, and could already hear the MALLARDS calling, but the next species was a real bonus and most unexpected - a COOT! Yes the humble Coot, a real rarity on my patch, as regular readers of this blog will know. I always get a single bird over the winter months, but this is only the second September sighting, the other was back in 2004. As I was photographing the rarity, a GREY HERON dropped in, one more for the monthly list, but I couldn't find a Lesser Whitethroat or Blackcap today, the former species may be hard to find this month. As I left the lake area I cut through the tree nursery, and was plesed to have a YELLOWHAMMER join the list. Two hobbies were seen going over towards the stables at the college. Six more for the month list today then, and one a real bonus bird!
Here's the star bird of the day, enjoying one of the hefty rain showers that passed through.
9 comments:
Warren ,
Only in Pittswood could someone eulogise over a Coot in the rain .
I hope you don't include hedgelaying in the 'annual destruction of the countryside' , we start the new season on Saturday .
Hi Greenie,
No I don't see hegdelaying as a destructive thing, indeed done properly it's a very benificial thing.
I hope my Coot stays for the winter!
Hi Warren,
Some hedges around here have already been attacked by flail cutters - the tops are utterly shattered.
Your September list is coming along nicely, then.
Congrats on the coot! I've seen plenty of them this summer at the large pond in the farming area I visit, but obviously they are uncommon at your patch. I think they're kinda cute w/ that flashy white bill. Your Sept. list seems to be doing pretty good so far.
Eyes to the Skies, Warren 3 Mipits S this morning, heading your way. God its quiet up here...
Hi Warren,
Well done for the coot. You still manage to see quite a lot of species. Here I'm getting use to my observation zone again and start to see things, but I'll wait to finish the posts about France to go back to Iceland as the weather is not gonna be ok for birding in the coming month. I'm just coming back from the beach where I had the surprise to see a seal. First time ever that I see one there!
Hi Warren.
Well done on finding the Coot for your September list.
Very cool--congrats on the coot! I really like the photo with the raindrops splashing in the water. It's so ducky. You do get your fair share of rain. We are parched.
Well, for once Warren that is one bird that is very common round here! However, we were a little farther afield one day last week and far in the distance through the trees on a lake I spied an 'unknown' bird and got very excited/worried as I was convinced I had either found something highly unusual or some poor creature with a white plastic bag stuck over its face (stop laughing!). We struggled through hedges and up and down very uneven ground but just could not get any nearer and eventually gave up only to find that by following the main path for about half a mile we were eventually led straight into a bird hide which showed that the mystery bird was the (to me) common Coot!!!
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