Thursday 4 February 2010

This afternoon I received an email regarding my application to have some oak trees along Ashes Lane protected under a Tree Preservation Order. Well..........Its good news!! All but two of the mighty Oaks ( which are not deemed to be under any threat) are going to be put forward for a TPO, this should be in place in about two weeks, after which any objections to the order from the landowners will be heard. Fantastic!

Back to todays patch walk, and the weather at last has relented somewhat, no rain or wind today, and a mild 8c, there was even a glimpse of sunshine at one point.

The normal winter route was undertaken, and the expected species turned up today. A mixed finch flock was at its usual area in the small holding, they are the ones that use my feeders, then take time out here. Just before entering the wet woods a LONG TAILED TIT flock breezed past, all tails and twitters! Nothing was travelling with them today though. The wet woods was ringing with calling GREAT TITS, all trying to out do each other, that was until a SPARROWHAWK (43) came speeding through and alighted on an Oak bough, about time I caught up with one this month. Unsurprisingly I didn't see anything in the woods after that.

Walking along the footpath that leads to the lake, another new monthly species was seen in the large wooded garden there - my old friend the MARSH TIT (44), another few weeks and it'll be thinking about moving off to its breeding habitat. The lake was, as I had feared with the continual blasting of the nearby gas cannon, empty of all but the most bravest of ducks the MALLARD, 9 of them ignored the offending racket.

A quick look at the nearby house with the garden feeders, provided lots of usual garden species, as well as 4 BULLFINCH in an adjacent Ash tree feeding on the keys, and a male pheasant picking up dropped seed from under the feeders.

There was enough time left today to walk over and have a quick look across the Pasture and paddocks at Migrant Alley. A few BLACK HEADED GULLS were present, as was the normal ROOK/JACKDAW flock, but nothing more on the fields. Small flocks of REDWING and FIELDFARE went over from time to time, all headed NE, and a single SKYLARK (45) called as it flew over, giving the months list a bit more of a boost!

Below is a photo of some of the LINNETS as they came in to there pre -roost area.
Below is a ROBIN, lots of these singing today - from pre-dawn till gone dusk.


Before I left this afternoon I took a quick snap of the finch's on my feeders (and a HOUSE SPARROW!)



12 comments:

Simon said...

Well done with the Marsh Tit - they don't inhabit my part of the county.

Sharon said...

Well done Warren - thats great news about the trees, congratulations!

Greenie said...

Warren ( Zebedee ) ,
I think a large red ( or a few ) would be well in order over the weekend . Well done indeed .

Pete Woodruff said...

Please add my congrats re the Oak's Warren....well done indeed.

Chris said...

Hi Warren,
Nicely done about your request for the trees. Let's hope this will definitively go through. I can see the month list is getting quite correct now ;-)

Fraser Simpson said...

Great news about the oaks! A couple of large oaks in a street adjacent to mine got the chop a couple of years ago - the council replaced them with spindly birches!

Kingsdowner said...

Congrats about the TPO - such a result should inspire others to 'make some noise'.

Lancs and Lakes Outback Adventure Wildlife Safaris said...

Excellent news Warren - well done!! You deserve a good February tick - no; make that a complete new patch tick in one of those oaks.
Keep up the good work

Cheers

Davo

Forest the Bear said...

Great news about the trees Warren...lets hope they get protected and provide you with many years of great birding,congratulations!

Anonymous said...

Well done with the outcome of the TPO, Warren. Give yourself a "Ceeegaar"

Monika said...

Congrats about the trees! That's great news. And three new month birds to boot, not bad! But I agree with Dave - a new patch bird is in order for celebration!

ShySongbird said...

Excellent news Warren! Your persistence was rewarded, WELL DONE!!!