Before leaving home I was staring out of the back bedroom window, and noticed a large bird flying across from left to right, over the wet woods, I got my bins on it and found it to be a GREAT BLACK BACK GULL, a real nice species to get flying over my patch - one more for the December tally!
My walk over to the lake area was very pleasant in the sunny conditions and it was nice to get some fresh air after days stuck indoors. I recorded the expected species along the way. LONG TAILED TITS fed in the wet woods, with other tit species, two TREECREEPERS and a NUTHATCH. Both GREEN and GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS were located, and the MARSH TIT has so far avoided the talons of the Sparrowhawk!
As I approached the lake, all was quiet, and the first scan of the far bank revealed just one MOORHEN and only three MALLARD, but then saw a group of 'low slung' ducks swim out from my side of the lake, I got my bins onto them, and at last, something different to see, not one, not two, not even three, but Four GOOSANDERS! Two males and two females, the males looked absolutely stunning in the sunlight, I treid for a photo, but couldn't get one through the tree branches, I moved round the lake for a clearer shot, but I wasn't stealthy enough, and they spotted me, they then flew off, - blast!!
Goosanders are a real treat to find on my patch, they do arrive in most winters on the lake, but are not frequent visitors, the last ones seen were at the back end of last winter on 17th of March, when a pair were present.
The two new species for the month takes the tally to 48..............only 25 behind last december! Where will I find another 25 species!!!!
The sun remained out for another hour or so after I got in, and I managed some garden bird photo's
Above: BLUE TIT. Below: JACKDAW
Below: The old favourite, a ROBIN
7 comments:
Warren , #I take it that Dean will be four short on his count at Cortonwood .
Nice record .
Nearest I've got to wildlife in the last two days was removing a very large Wasp nest from my roof space .
Glad you're on the mend Warren. The Goosanders must have been nice!
Good to see you stepping out and bagging FOUR Goosanders. I'll have to on a sahfari to find any around here, but who knows!
Beautiful garden shots Warren, I love the robin... 25 is not that much, we have a storm over here and I'm trying to send you waxings and merlin but without any success so far! You are still lucky to be able to go out to watch birds. I hve stopped that now for a while the weather is really nasty these days!
Hi Warren.
I am glad that you are on the mend, and what a great way to shake off those flu symptoms by seeing 4 Goosanders on your patch.
What a lovely bird.
Glad to hear you're better Warren - congrats on the Goosanders and as Chris said 25 is not really that much - still plenty of time! Nice photos by the way and thanks for your regular comments on Weekly Tweet :-)
I'll be Googling a goosander; congrats on seeing them!...very nice blue tit, jackdaw, and robin photos.
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