It was the same South Easterly upper air movement that brought some Visual Migration across my patch whilst I was out this morning. Groups of WOODPIGEON were seen going South early on, while most of the morning SKYLARKS and CHAFFINCH'S moved Westwards in small flocks. SWALLOWS moved through in good numbers, anything from just 1 bird, to flocks of 20 went over SW, on one occasion 4 HOUSE MARTIN were seen with them, this went on all day long, until it was too dark to see them at 18:00hrs.
Apart from the Vis. Mig. there were a few other interesting species seen this morning, my first GREY WAGTAIL (74) of the month was at the College Stream, and even better, the first RING NECKED PARAKEET (107, 75) this year flew over the Lakeside Scrub area, I was hoping I might get this species on my year list, I generally see one or two a year :-) This addition to the year list gives 2010 the second best species tally so far, just two behind the record total achieved last year.
I was very satisfied with the morning as I left to go home, but it got that little bit sweeter when I spotted a RING OUZEL flying over the Greenhouse Complex and alight in a large pine tree, where I lost it in the dense branches, this must surely be the same bird as I saw last Saturday. I spent quite some time this afternoon scanning the same area from my bedroom window in the hope of getting Ring Ouzel on my house list, but it didn't reappear :-(
Other good species seen this morning were 2 and 6 FIELDFARE, two groups of a dozen REDWING, a group of 18 SISKIN and 3 raptor species, SPARROWHAWK, KESTREL and COMMON BUZZARD. Yesterdays large influx of GOLDCREST had mostly moved on, just two were seen in the Tree Nursery, and another two in my Garden this afternoon.
A male BLACKCAP was also seen in my garden this afternoon, eating the last of the Elder Berries, maybe it's a continental bird that will stay for the winter ?
Photo's today are of a LONG TAILED TIT, one of 14 that were in the Tree Nursery.
14 comments:
Warren ,
It's no good , I had to smile to see Ring Necked Parakeet in red letters today .
On Friday in Knoll Park , Sevenoaks , there must have been 30/40 flying around , and only 10 miles or so away from your patch .
Its frustrating here at times Greenie :-)
There are loads of Tufted Duck and Coot less than 2km away!!
75 for the month (so far), 107 for the year (so far), must be really frustrating Warren...:-)
Well done mate. And what about that Ring Ouzel, thought that would have been gone the next day. My money's on it being another one.
By the way, I think i'm heading for man flu, wonder who gave me that?
A good one to get, bloody loads down this way in east Kent, but they all count!
Those are stupendous Long=tailed Tits, Ilike them.
Great Long-tailed Tit photos Warren. As for Ring Necked Parakeet, that would be a mega on my patch. They have not really invaded this part of the midlands yet. The nearest breeding pair are about 25 miles away in a park in a suburb of Birmingham.
A week of heavy migration and you think its the same R.O...surely that's a second bird...ahh that old (canker infested) chestnut the 'two bird theory' strikes again!!!
Keep checkin those LTT flocks for sibe chiffies/Pallas's/YBW etc etc, gotta be some working their way down towards you.
Cheers
Davo
...love the photos of the little Long-tailed Tit--always a sweet-looking bird. Glad you caught sight of the Ring-necked Parakeet!!
You told me you was scraping the barrel, Warren. That`s not what i`d say ;-)
Lovely photos of the LTTs, I haven't seen so many this year.
It still seems strange to me that you see parakeets down your way, they just seem so exotic. I did hear there had been one seen at a garden feeder near me a few weeks ago, not sure whether to believe it though.
Just spotted Jason's comment so if they have been seen up Birmingham way then maybe the one here was a genuine sighting!
Keep 'em coming Warren! Still nearly two weeks left to add to that amazing record month total.
I love that long-tailed tit photos!
Congrats on the parakeet! Real nice shots of the long-tailed tit too.
Sounds like a great morning! Hope you get a Firecrest soon.
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