Monday 22 February 2010

It was back to work today, in pouring rain, and the walk home 5 hours later was in pouring rain!

In such conditions an afternoon patch walk would yield very little, except maybe at the lake area, so I got the wet weather gear on, and trudged my way through the muddy footpaths, which actually had become small streams in places! The Wet Woods were as wet as Ive seen them, many of the pools had merged into bigger ones, but as much as I looked I couldn't locate a Teal on them, they are normally quite frequent visitors from Jan - early Apr, but not this year, all that was seen were 4 MALLARD and 5-6 MOORHENS.

As I walked the footpath that runs along to the lake area, the large garden to the right had a team of Tree surgeons working on the large Oak trees that pepper the front lawns of the house - no doubt employed to ''tidy'' the dead wood off, the very best bits of the tree for little creatures at the bottom of the food chain - I dispair at the ignorance of the landowners around here. :-(

Anyway, It seems they will be there all week, so with the noise of chainsaws the lake looks like it will bear little. However, today it did bear fruit, in the form of a COOT! My second this month - I am blessed! The Coot didn't seem to mind the chainsaw racket, but then they dont get phased by much. Nothing else wanted to hang around though, and it had the lakes to itself.

I didn't hang about in the cold and wet for long, there wasn't much about, just the normal TREECREEPERS, COAL TITS, LONG TAILED TITS and calling BULLFINCH'S.

This weather looks set in for the week, so photo opportunities will be few, boy am I looking forward to spring now!

I would like to draw your attention to a new blog that will be interesting. Its all about the birds and wildlife of Sheppy - the island just off kent. Ive got a link to it in my side bar - its called ''Letters From Sheppy''

6 comments:

Phil said...

I admire your fortitude Warren, I've hardly set foot outside all day.

Greenie said...

Warren ,
Re. deleting pictures from blog .
Click on album you want to delete .
Click 'edit' then 'organise and reorder'.
Pictures come up smaller .
Click on bottom right picture and still left clicking slide across to left of row , then to top of row . All 78 pictures should be highlighted blue , then click 'delete'.
Takes a short while , then repeat on next 78 pictures till album is empty .
Much quicker than 1x1 .

Chris said...

Hi Warren,
You are getting bad weather and bad light, and we are getting again this terrible freezing wind. They even forecasted some snow!!! Man, it looks like spring is far far far!!! Still you manage to see few species!! Good and let's pray for a warming up soon!

Lancs and Lakes Outback Adventure Wildlife Safaris said...

Hi Warren - the chainsaw is the worst invention ever - if the numpties had to do it all with a blunt bowsaw they'd soon think twice...and I've got one of the damn things.
Bad weather comin up here too - can't see any year ticks until w/end at least.

Cheers

Davo

Sharon said...

Warren you certainly have patience! One good thing about doing a garden bird blog, you get to stay inside if its miserable outside!
Keep at it, you never know whats around the corner (hopefully nice weather!)

ShySongbird said...

Well done for just going out in that weather Warren! It wasn't wet here but we had a biting, vicious wind! Well done too with the Coot :)