....................Winter Is On Its way Out....................A new month, and a new list, the best February bird list was that of last year, when 67 species were recorded, i'll do well to get near that one! Looking at the combined February total for the past 8 years, it does give me some hope though, it stands at 78. (same as January)
I was asked in an e-mail what the birds in the coloured fonts meant, well i'll explain my system to all...... If I see a species new to my patch it is highlighted in PURPLE with the new patch total next to it in brackets. If I find a species new to the current year it will be highlighted in RED with the new year total next to it in brackets, and lastly if I find a new species for the current month it will be highlighted in ORANGE with the new monthly total next to it in brackets.
A small change will start this year, if I find a new patch species I will enter all the totals in brackets after it, patch, year and monthly ones. EG: GOLDEN EAGLE (128, 66, 41), A new species for the year will have the years total and monthly total after it. Zimples!!
This afternoons walk got me off to a flying start, in a little under two hours I recorded 40 species, I visited the Small Holding, Wet Woods, and Lake area, and walked the long way back home across the Tree Nursery. Virtually all the very commmon birds were seen, 4 finch species, 4 Tit species, 5 thrush species, and 5 crow species, also both GREEN and GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER showed up, ( I wont highlight and number the new months species on the first day of the month, obviously they are all new!). WREN, ROBIN, and DUNNOCK, all gave a bit of song, and a PIED WAGTAIL flew over calling. 3 species of GULL were seen BLACKHEADED, HERRING and the more elusive COMMON GULL. Other good species for the list were KESTREL, YELLOWHAMMER, SISKIN, TREECREEPER, GREY HERON and 4 LAPWING that flew over the tree nursery, where I also watched the first of the LINNETS coming into roost.
MALLARD and MOORHEN were seen on the frozen lake edge, and STARLING, HOUSE SPARROW, COLLARED DOVE, and WOODPIGEON made up the 40 species, I think that's it!
13 comments:
Wow, I think you might want to right a small paragraph on the side bar of your blog for the new system.. I'm not sure I will remember it ;-) Your picture says it all, it looks like winter is almost over but the weather is still not that perfect ;-)
I like your style....keep up the good work Warren.
Wow, got quite excited when I quickly scanned down (before reading it properly) and saw Golden Eagle!
40 species on day 1, great start!
By the way, I like your meerkat impression (zimples) :-)
I like the numbers best, its just like the BB rarities report...Golden Eagle in purple, it should be in neon!
I guess we all have a method. I just use the camera and then spend hours working in the pictures sorting through to put them in categories.
Golden Eagle!!!! what on earth made you use that one as an example. You`ve spent too long looking at the Rawmarsh Stringers site ;-)
Warren ,
I've read the instructions .
Must remember to wear dark glasses when I read your blog in the future .
Golden Eagle, in your dreams! Mind you give me a shout and I'd be over like a shot.
Any predictions for the first new bird on your patch this year?
I thought the Golden eagle example might get a few eyebrows raised!:-)
Andy, my prediction for a new patch species would be a duck species, maybe Wigeon. Outside chance of a Tree Sparrow.
Hi Warren, I nearly missed this one! I shall try to remember the rules but may have to refer back now and again!
Despite Sharon's comment I am still mystified by 'zimples', I hope you will enlighten me :)
Lovely to see the Snowdrops.
I agree with Chris, a sidebar post of your color code may be in order...but I really want to know what those flowers are..? Are those garden or wild? I want to call them snowdrops but have no real idea.
Yay for signs of spring! Five crow species - that's amazing.
Warren: Neat shot of the Spring flower. Some flowers tried to pop up but the snow has buried them.
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