Tuesday 5 January 2010

.... Above a frosty scene at the scrub to the north of Migrant Alley.

This mornings walk to work was bone-chillingly cold, there were reports of
temps down to minus 10C in parts of kent. All this cold is doing nothing for my birding, everything is frozen solid, and all but the most hardiest of our local bird species will have moved away to escape the worst of the cold.

This afternoons walk proved the point, I walked around Migrant Alley, the Greenhouse Complex and the small copse adjacent to it. The only birds seen were a ROBIN, two TREECREEPERS (what hardy little birds these are!) 13 SKYLARK in the sheep pasture, a WREN and both KESTREL and SPARROWHAWK hunting over the immediate area.

I stood and watched the sky for 20 mins or so, and saw around a dozen REDWING drop into the copse, but that was it, oh! apart from the lone LAPWING out on the Horse Paddocks, must be the same bird I saw yesterday.

It then just got too cold, my feet and fingers were burning cold, and it was only 15:30hrs! I saw 15 -20 LINNETS starting to gather at the pre-roost tree by the Tree nursery as I walked home - it looks like a tough night ahead for them.

7 comments:

ShySongbird said...

You were brave to go out at all Warren! It is bitter here too, we have had a little more snow again this afternoon. I feel so sorry for the birds, they are feeding frantically in the garden.

I loved seeing the Treecreeper on the previous post.

FAB said...

Thicker socks and thermals needed Warren!

Ken. said...

Hi Warren.
When your little pinkies cannot take any more,then thats the time to call it a day.
Still you gave it your best shot, and you did see some birds. Well done for trying.

Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safaris said...

Gonna be a cold one tonight - feeders need to full for the morning!

Cheers

Dave

darrell j prest said...

glad you got out..........its a cold night for the birds

Chris said...

Hi Warren,
Same thing here. I went out today but it was -12°c when I left! Freezing cold and very few birds such as starlings, redpolls, redwings and ravens!

Ken. said...

Hi again Warren. Just to say I hope your bird feed arrives soon.