Sunday 1 November 2009

It was going to be a wet and windy morning, according to the forecasters, so the idea was to have a rare lie in, and get out this afternoon. I was up at 07:30 and when I looked out of the window the tempest that had been forecast was nowhere to be seen! Ok it was a bit blowy with some spits and spots of rain, but not that bad, why do I take notice of them!

However, after getting myself together, I ventured out and within 20 mins the predicted stormy weather arrived, sending me scuttling back home. There was nothing for it but to do a bit of garden birding. All started ok, the usual BLUE and GREAT TITS came in, ROBIN and DUNNOCK picked at the fallen sunflower hearts, and the CHAFFINCH, GOLDFINCH and GREENFINCH'S had started to arrive, JACKDAWS and WOODPIGEONS were venturing nearer the food, and COLLARED DOVES were chasing BLACKBIRDS around. Suddenly all hell breaks loose, birds flying everywhere in all directions, its back again! pesky SPARROWHAWK!

After that initial failed attack, the Sprawk went up into the favoured Leylani tree, to deliver a surprise attack on the next bird to come to the feeders, however I went out and flushed it off, 10 mins later it was back, so I went out and flushed it off, 10 mins later it was back again, so again I flushed it off, this went on all morning, needless to say I didn't see much else in the garden, just a fleeting glimpse of a COAL TIT and a GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER.

The storm passed over at 13:30 and it began to brighten, so I went off out for a quick visit to the lake, via the wet woods, maybe a duck species had taken shelter on the lake, but no, only MALLARD and MOORHEN were seen. A large party of LONG TAILED TITS were seen on the walk back home, along with a couple of GOLDCRESTS and a group of 4 BULLFINCH'S, but that was all there was of interest. A few of the more common species were noted for the new November list, and a start of 33 species is quite a few less than i would of anticipated, - well thats half of the record November total anyway!

Back to work tomorrow, and with the ever darkening afternoons I'm going to need some good fortune to find them birds, but try i will.

7 comments:

Kingsdowner said...

For some reason, I find the image of you shooing off the sparrowhawk every few minutes (in the rain) quite amusing. Sorry.

Ken. said...

Hi Warren.
A good total of species for October(well I think so) well done. As for today, not the best of starts for November for you,although 33 is a good total considering what the weather was like, and this Sprawk(love the name, by the way)it seems to be testing your will power.

ShySongbird said...

Oh dear! It does conjure up rather a funny image, I should know, I've done it myself ;) Hope you didn't get too wet though!

Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safaris said...

Shed load of tempest here at 7.30 am!
Chers

Davo

Sharon said...

It's funny, I would give anything to see a Sprawk (cool name!) in our neck of the woods, and there you are chasing one off every 10 minutes - I have to agree with ShySongbird about the funny image (sorry!)

Kelly said...

...I hate to admit it, but I'm chuckling a bit at the thought of you running out to scare off the sparrowhawk all morning. I had our Cooper's Hawk visit again today, but I only saw him once.

Anonymous said...

Warren the Sprawk Scarer. Sounds like a good title for a fantasy figure ;-)