Wednesday 14 October 2009

As I left for work this morning, I could here a LITTLE OWL calling, it was coming from the Greenhouse Complex area, so as I passed, I gave all the likely prominent perches a scan, and managed to see it on a post, despite the fact that it was completely dark!

That morning event was just about as good as it got today! My afternoon visit took the same route as the last two days, but in the very overcast, dull conditions, very little was heard or seen, I think there were a few dog walkers that got out before me, I can always tell that someones already been through the area because there aren't any Woodpigeons that come crashing out of the tree's as I pass, as they have already been flushed :-)

A big female SPARROWHAWK went through the tree nursery, just inches from the floor, and there were 15 LONG TAILED TITS in a sycamore tree there. Migrant Alley hadn't got much more to offer, only the odd SKYLARK, a few PIED WAGTAILS and the flock of LINNETS, but the saviour of the day, was a flyover REED BUNTING, it repeatedly called as it went over, it must have been headed to where all the other birds from my patch have gone to! Well at least the months list has reached 60 at last.

The garden feeders all came down today, well the sunflower seed feeders did, as they are empty, there are still some peanuts left to be finished up though. I watched the birds coming in to them for about 20 mins, GREAT, BLUE and COAL TIT came in, and I was surprised to see a GOLDCREST briefly come in too, just a short while later, in came the male ringed Sparrowhawk, but a loud alarm call from a great Tit had already alerted the other Tits, and as there weren't any dopey finch's about now, the Hawk had nothing to chase, lets hope it goes somewhere else!

3 comments:

Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safaris said...

you had a goldcrest! A rare thing up this way at the moment. We had a big passage of reed buntimgs recently wonder if youres was one of those on its way to wherever?

Cheers

Dave

Chris said...

Well done on the little owl Warren and I hope this hawk is gonna look for food in other places than your feeders!! here we are starting to face darkness in the evening (around 17h, the light is really darker than few months ago) and therefore birding in the evening is gone until March-April! Only the week end left now!!

Anonymous said...

I use a peanut feeder, Warren. But nothing ever seems to feed from it.

Congrats on your 60th for the month. Admittedly, it does seem to be slow this month.