So it was all at sixes and sevens today ( to quote Dean ) A walk round Migrant Alley was a quiet affair, two SKYLARKS were seen out on the sheep pasture, along with a few PIED WAGTAILS as well as the usual ROOKS, CARRION CROWS and JACKDAWS, more pleasing was hearing a TURTLE DOVE singing from the Scrubby wood at the north end, lets hope the paths that have been cut through this area do not allow walkers to disturb any nesting attempt, there was already some pillock walking through it as I was passing :-(. The college stables had 8 SWALLOWS flying around it, hopefully all will nest there ( if they are allowed ) and the college grounds provided some of the more common species, but also seen there, were GOLDCREST and COAL TIT, the latter didn't appear on yesterday's brilliant day list.
Another bird seen today that didn't get recorded yesterday was a COMMON WHITETHROAT that appeared in the Tree Nursery, but even with this the day list could only get to 48, I say only thats a good list really! The YELLOWHAMMER continues to sing from it's territory in the nursery, hopefull it will nest umolested there.
The lakeside scrub was a much quieter place, mainly due to the late hour that I arrived there, but at least 6 BLACKCAPS were holding territory there, as well as 5 CHIFFCHAFF. A long search for the first Garden Warbler of the year proved fruitless, but good views of the CUCKOO were had.
In all, it was a less exciting visit than yesterday, but it cant be good every day :-)
The year list of 89 is just 3 behind the total at the end of April last year, so with just two regularly recorded migrants left to arrive - hopefuly, those being Spotted Flycatcher and Garden Warbler, which just 1 pair of each breed on my patch last year, the year list will hit 91. This leaves me 9 species to find for the years target of 100, it's going to be tight!
The April list of 75 however, is now 3 better than last aprils record total.
Above : One of the Blackcaps from the lakeside scrub
Above: At last a photo of an Orange Tip Butterfly, not quite what I wanted, but it wouldn't open its wings!
6 comments:
Warren ,
Nice shot of the male Orange Tip .
You have to tickle them under the chin to get them to open their wings !
Just catching up on your last couple of days Warren. Well down with yesterday's sightings - superb!
You are lucky, I couldn't find an Orange Tip that would stop flying!
Congrats on the Nightingale etc from yesterday...I bet that cheered you up. FAB.
If you don`t reach your target Warren, i`m sure it won`t be for the want of trying. Good luck with it.
Hi Warren,
Well you knew that this year will be a hard one, especially after having seen so many species last year, but you still manage to get the April list better. So who knows what the rest of the year will bring to you... Beautiful orange tip picture you got!
...a very pretty butterfly. I can't believe April is almost over. You have just a little more time. The Nightingale sounds like a wonderful sighting (I can never say the word Nightingale without thinking of the line from Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet!" The teachers pounded those lines into our heads in school I guess!)
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