Todays full patch walk yeilded precisley the same tally of bird species as yesterday, 45, however todays list contained 6 species that weren't found yesterday, 4 of those new to the month, with 2 of these, new additions for the year.
The first new species for the month, was a couple of LESSER BLACK BACKED GULLS (51), they flew over Migrant Alley, where earlier I had noticed 16 SKYLARK, one of them flew up and gave some song, adding some cheer to the gloomy sky. A YELLOWHAMMER was seen to drop down into the scrub at the north end of Migrant Alley, this was a species missing from yesterdays list.
The halfway point of my walk had produced 37 species, but there was nothing majorly outstanding. There was no sign of a Peregrine today, however KESTREL and SPARROWHAWK were both seen, the LINNETS were seen to leave their roost, about 60 today, and 56 BLACK HEADED GULLS, with 23 JACKDAWS on the college sports pitch was notable.
The more interesting species, (for my patch anyway), were to be found on the second part of my walk, on the lake (for once!). The first sighting of CANADA GEESE (52) on the water this year was a pleasing sight, anything but MALLARD, of which there were 8, is a pleasing sight on the lake! With the 4 Geese was real rarity, a COOT (66, 53), I am always pleased to find one here, and even more pleased to get the species onto the year list :-)
A MARSH TIT was seen in the scrub around the lake, I didn't find it yesterday, but Treecreeper and Goldcrest were not found today. As I was walking homewards, across the Tree Nursery, I could here one of those pesky low flying helicopters behind me, I turned round and looked skywards to see it, but it was behind the clouds, however what I did see were 2 MUTE SWANS (67, 54) flying low over the wet woods, a piece of luck for a new year tick!
Above are the Mute swans. Below is one of the Canada Geese on the lake
Just to add a bit of colour to the blog, below are a couple of GREAT TIT photo's taken in the garden.
12 comments:
Great photos Warren, nice to see the Canada Goose on your patch. Lovely Great Tit photos too.
I hear you may be in for more of the white stuff, this coming week!
Hi Warren,I see many of your birds are ringed,I don`t believe I know any ringers out that way.
Alan,
They are ringed by a Mr J. Foad. He lives up the lane from me. he has been ringing for many, many years and does a bit of Garden bird ringing, these are the birds you are seeing in my photo's
Warren: Those Tits are a colorful bird. That was a nice photo of the goose, I really enjoy them. We got a lot of snow and drifting on Friday night so my feeders are snow covered.
Well done with the Coot and Mute Swan.
Thanks Warren,I know the name but havn`t met him.
Look out for rings on those coots Warren, the guys up here been ringing loads some might be making their way back to the continent in the next few weeks.
Cheers
Davo
Warren ,
Forgot to put the sunglasses on before reading your blog .
Got a headache now .
Nice photos Warren.
Thanks for IDing the Lesser Redpoll on Weekly Tweet, it made my day!
Hi Warren,
You are getting there mate... More than 50 species already! We are in the North now and I'm blogging while waiting for the Northern light to come!! They should be there in half an hour and for the moment I've no clouds above the head ;-) Let's hope i will manage to get one nice shot ;-)
gorgeous photos Warren! The great tit is such a pretty, sharp-looking bird. Fabulous...I'm jealous! It's snowing here, blah blah blah.
2 mega`s in one day. You`re being spoilt, Warren ;-)
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