Thursday 12 November 2009

At last this virus seems to be on it's way out - hoorah!
I had a lie in this morning, well, until 07:30, that is late for me. After a Greenie ( http://www.greenieinthewild.blogspot.com/) style breakfast watching the garden feeders, I felt well enough to get some air, so I walked off over to the lake area.

It was very mild, and quite bright, without a breath of wind, making it easy to pick out the calls of a group of 5 BULLFINCH that were in the smallholding orchard, also a TREECREEPER and a few BLUE and GREAT TITS were feeding around what remains of the windfall crab apples and pears. The wet woods had presumably the same gathering of LONG TAILED TITS that I have seen here on recent walks, but little else of note, the pits are still virtually dry despite the recent rain.

I approached the lake area with my usual eager anticipation, thinking of of such rarities as Tufted Duck, Gadwall, pochard or maybe a Grebe of some sorts, but as is nearly always the case I was met with MALLARDS and MOORHENS, not even a Grey Heron today, but one of these days, i'll get something different!

Whilst I was there, a LESSER REDPOLL, 3 SISKINS and a flock of 50ish FIELDFARE flew over, all very Novembery.

I crossed the tree nursery, where there was much disturbance by the work crew there. They are removing the saplings from the last field, next year will be the final year of their work before the field goes back to grass.

I had a walk round the fields and paddocks, at Migrant Alley for the first time in a week, and it seems many of the birds have moved on. Just two SKYLARKS were present, also 3 YELLOWHAMMERS, a flyover MEADOW PIPIT and the usual PIED WAGTAILS, but the Linnets were nowhere to be found. I didn't stay too long, I didn't want to push my luck and get ill again, however it felt very nice to be out again and getting into the swing of things, it's amazing how rusty you can get after even a week without proper birding.

Tomorrow looks like a write off, very wet and windy weather is set to move in overnight, but we will have to see.

7 comments:

Tony Morris said...

I presume I won't see you at the KOS meeting tonight? gald you're on the mend, I'm hobbling better, but you're still doing better than I am fom the window. Only ever had Bullfinch twice in the garden and not for some time.
Tony

FAB said...

Good to hear you are feeling a bit better BUT I think it might have to be window birding tomorrow. FAB

Jann said...

Excluding the bald eagles I saw yesterday, I rarely see anything now except juncos, chickadees, and the two nuthatches, plus occasionally blue jays. I did find a brown creeper the other day, a lifer! So hang in there, something interesting is bound to show up. Glad you're doing better.

Anonymous said...

You`ll be back up to full speed any day now, Warren.
All the best for the rest of the month.

Ken. said...

Glad to seee you are on the mend Warren. Nice to get out for a while, wasn't it? Not a bad few Passerines today.I hope this doesn't interfere with your November target too much.

Sharon said...

Glad you're feeling better Warren.

Chris said...

Hi Warren,
I'm getting there too today. No fever yet but some kind of nasty things in my nose and throat... Let see what will happen this week end!!! Take care mate!