This afternoon, in windless, and sometimes sunny conditions, I paid a visit to the wet woods and the lake/scrub area, before a quick scan of Migrant Alley. As Autumn passes into winter, my attention will focus more and more on the lake area, and wet woods, as this is where any new/interesting species for the year may turn up - occassionally!
The wet woods had TREECREEPER, NUTHATCH and GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER all busy feeding, and a party of LONG TAILED TITS were doing the same. At the lake there were 8 MALLARDS, 5 MOORHEN and a GREY HERON, nothing to get excited about, but it's nice to see something on it! The water is very low now, despite the recent rain, the Grey Heron was only up to it's thighs, even though it stood out in the middle of the lake. As I neared the owner of the lakes house, 15-20 GOLDFINCH'S flew from the Feeders there, they alighted in a nearby tree, and as I listened I heard my first SISKIN of the Autumn fly over, it circled round but didn't join the finch's.
I cut across the tree nursery to get to Migrant Alley, and found the CHIFFCHAFF that had been there over the weekend, as well as a couple of GREEN WOODPECKERS and the usual ROBIN, WREN and DUNNOCK.
At Migrant Alley, 15 BLACK HEADED GULLS quartered the newly seeded field, where there were also a couple of SKYLARK, and a few MEADOW PIPITS, it was good to see the LINNETS had returned, around 75 were flitting from the paddocks to the sheep pasture, and they seem to have found the sunflower hearts I threw down ( is that cheating ?) I won't need them for the garden feeders for the next few weeks, i'm not feeding the local Sparrowhawks anymore!
Thats about it for the patchwatch today, the months list moves on to 59, however, that is already a better tally than four of the past 7 years, the mean monthly total for October is 61 - it's getting much harder to find the new species now.
The only photo I took today was of this Speckled Wood butterfly, they won't be around much longer. :-(
9 comments:
...the dark mornings aren't much fun...nor are the earlier and earlier dark evenings, but it's all as it should be. The Yellowhammer (great name) in your previous post is indeed very yellow. He looks more like a spring bird, but by now I assume he is wearing his winter plumage.
Hi Warren.
Well done on hearing the Siskin, sorry it didn't drop in. Your still doing well with your October total considering it is dark when you go to work. It great watching Nuthatch's Feed.
Perhaps your Chiffchaff is one of the ones that overwinters
Yep, it`s that time of year, Warren. At least you have the afternoon to get some birding in.
Enjoyed your account again Warren and yes you are quite right the Speckled Wood/butterflies won't be around for much longer. I had just one Red Admiral today soaking up the brilliant sunshine we enjoyed the whole of the day and looks set to continue tomorrow (Tuesday).
Good Birding
Pete.
Still nice pic Warren, like the yellow hammer too still a bird I would like to photograph.
Hi Warren,
nice to see you last Thursday. Lots of Siskins coming in here, but as yet they haven't come in the garden to feed. I usually get them for a couple of weeks before they move inland and reappear in spring.
Tony
Your Siskin encounter tells me the year is really creeping on! I love the Speckled Wood photo, it's great when they pose on a plant which compliments their colouring and the Ivy certainly did that.
Hi Warren,
Well done on the siskin! Here they are occasionally observed in spring but I do not think they will be around by now. But there are a lot of American warbler. A blackpoll warbler was seen today but on the Westmann Islands... So how many species did you get this year?
A lovely butterfly shot!
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