Monday 14 December 2009

This afternoon I thought i'd go over into the wet woods to try and relocate yesterdays Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, and maybe even photograph it. I think I was a little optimistic, on both counts!

It was very quiet as I walked through the Small Holding on my way to the woods, only the most common of birds were seen, BLACKBIRDS, BLUE and GREAT TITS, WRENS, DUNNOCKS and ROBINS, all in small numbers. Once in the woods it was still and silent, just right for peering through the static branches, anything moving about would catch my eye easily, trouble is not a lot moved, a few SISKIN, more Blue and Great Tits and the odd CHAFFINCH, that was about it, despite half an hour of looking.

I decided I would take a look at the lake area, I didn't fare much better here, the water had just 5 MALLARD and 3 MOORHEN, with a CORMORANT sitting up on its favoured tree, but as I walked the bank I heard the hooting of a TAWNY OWL coming from the scrubby area, then once again it hooted, a very nice find for December, and a bit lucky I'd say! A few moments later a JAY had obviously located the Owl, and was screeching alarm calls at it, another jay joined in, and I then started to home in on the racket, I was close to the jays, so the owl was near, but I couldn't see it, two MISTLE THRUSHES came in from somewhere and joined the mobbing party, which by now had Chaffinch's, Blackbirds, SONGTHRUSH, and more amusingly two GOLDCREST and a COAL TIT all adding their scolding calls. However, I just couldn't find the Owl, I suspect it flew off low and into denser cover without me seeing, and all the fuss died down. This is only the fourth month of the year I have recorded Tawny Owl.

After all that excitement I decided I would go back and walk the edge of the wet woods, along marchants field, I found what I was looking for, in just the place I saw it last month, a LITTLE OWL, not often I get two owl species on the same day, especially in the afternoon! I also found a LONG TAILED TIT flock with a couple of TREECREEPERS.

As the sun started to go down I went over to the tree nursery to wait for the LINNETS to come into roost, this they did at 15:40, and I counted over 60 of them.

The December list now moves on to 60 species, which is the average total for the month.


Above: The Cormorant on his perch.

Above and below a Treecreeper, not very good photo's but the light in the woods was terrible!

Below: Linnets coming in to roost
Lastly, sunset over the wet woods, with the tree nursery in the foreground






13 comments:

Jann said...

Did you mean tree creeper? Looks just like our brown creeper, which I posted a pic of not too long ago. Owls are very elusive for me.

Warren Baker said...

Thanks Jann. Ive edited my spelling error!

Greenie said...

Warren ,
Well done on reaching 60 for the month , and what a good pair to make it with .

Kelly said...

Wow....two owls in one outing! That must have made you very happy. Love your little Treecreeper photos. Those birds are so interesting. I love them!

Stewart said...

Warren you didn't edit the Twany Owl! :)

I have left Dean a comment on the forthcoming cold spell. I bet you will get something different from a hard weather movement...

Warren Baker said...

Stewart,
Thanks for the Edit prompt, how did I not see that!!

As for the cold weather......well they always ramp it up, a few hours of easterly winds, a sleety shower, then back to Sou'westerlies. :-)

Pete Woodruff said...

I'll certainly be on the look out for your LSW pic Warren......looking in daily.

Sharon said...

2 owls on 1 walk?! I'd give anything to see an owl of any kind here, night or day! Well done on reaching 60!

Anonymous said...

Go for it, Warren.
Any easy species left for this month ?

Chris said...

Hi Warren,
I'm glad you reached the 60 and managed to see two owls! Wow that's fantastic indeed. I love the brown tree-creeper shots, this guy are so hard to take pictures of!

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Warren: Cool photos, that tree creeper reminds me of our Nuthatch but with different coloring.

Stewart said...

You're right there Warren I was just saying something similar at work. I dont believe these hard weather forecasts anymore. ( Prepare for another ice age this week!)

eileeninmd said...

Two owls in one outing is great to me. You saw some wonderful birds. I love the Brown Creeper.