Thursday 29 October 2009

This mornings visit turned from a disappointing this.....

Into a glorious this.........

....................................Red Admiral......................
The early fog burnt of by 11:30, leaving a sunny and unseasonbly warm day. However the dense fog meant the best part of the day was a bit of a waste of time. By the time I had walked the first part of my patch I had recorded just 30 species! The 30th being a COLLARED DOVE, thats how slow it was.
As the fog started to lift, so i found a few more birds, I had some cracking close up views of both TREECREEPER and GOLDCREST in the wet woods, and again in the Lakeside scrub, but it was just too dull to get any pics. A KINGFISHER broke the mononity of seeing just MALLARD, MOORHEN and GREY HERON on the Lake, a few BULLFINCH, and SISKIN were seen around the scrub, and with the clearing skies, both CANADA and GREYLAG GOOSE were seen flying over - padding out the list to a more respectable 42.
I had time to revisit Migrant Alley for a bit of skywatching, and I took my usual seat by the tall hedge, where it was warm enough just to sit in a tee shirt, not an awful lot was seen though, a KESTREL, and a SPARROWHAWK, several groups of FIELDFARE and REDWING, a few MEADOW PIPITS, the odd YELLOWHAMMER and a single LESSER REDPOLL that alighted atop the tall hedge, but flew off before I could get a photo!
The morning ended on 45 species, 3 less than yesterday, but not a bad total for october, but that one more new species for the months list still eludes me - just 2 days left now and I fear more fog tomorrow morning. :-(
This Fieldfare settled down in the tall hedge, and unlike the Redpoll, it gave me a chance of a photograph.





7 comments:

Jann said...

But what a pretty fog photo, Warren! I can't believe you're still seeing butterflies...not here! Today it's snowing, winter wonderland outside...anyway, love seeing that fieldfare, what a pretty bird! Awesome day!

Chris said...

Hi Warren,
Nice shot of the fog and beautiful pictures of the butterfly and the fieldfare... here nothing special... it is dark and dark but I still managed to get some wren shots again!

Anonymous said...

The Fieldfare`s a cracker, Warren. Well done with that one.

Sharon said...

Nice fog photo (very "Halloweeny"!) and the Fieldfare is gorgeous, to be honest I don't think I've ever seen one of those, not knowingly anyway!
Be grateful for the sunshine -we've had nothing but rain (it is mild though). Good luck with the remaining 2 days!

Anonymous said...

I had never seen this bird before today.

I don't think the bird on my blog is a Dark Eyed Junco. I posted another picture of it so there are two there now. I did it so people could see the white collar that goes around back of its neck.

Having said that, I keep coming back to the junco and towhee as the legs and the way it carries itself reminds of of a towhee.

Adam said...

Hi Warren

Lucky you with the Fieldfares and Redwings, I've had single figures on patch but no 'flocks' yet and despite kicking through the orchards at East Malling I failed to fine either fo the winter thrushes - amazing!

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ShySongbird said...

Lovely to see the Fieldfare Warren. What a shame you couldn't get a photo of the Treecreeper, another bird which fascinates me even though I have never seen one apart from in books...one day maybe...!!