Above: The old orchard in the Small holding, there are only about 15 of these old fruit trees left now, many have succumbed to storms and chainsaws.I picked up another species for the months list this morning as I walked into work, a COMMON GULL (47), it flew over the sheep pasture at Migrant Alley. This is a species that can easily not be recorded for the November list, as they are seen infrequently, more so in winter, but still a scarce bird on my patch.
This afternoon I was out for barely over an hour, before the light started to deteriorate, and by 15:45 I was back home ! I just had time to check out the Lake area, after walking through the Small Holding and Wet Woods. Just 5 MALLARDS were left on the lake, but 11 MOORHENS were happily feeding out in the middle of the water, unusual, they normally skulk around the edges. As yesterday, I hung about for 20 mins or so, checking out the scrub for a Firecrest, or maybe a Woodcock, unlikely, but it has happened :-) A few BLACK HEADED and HERRING GULLS went over, and a Mallard flew in from the south and alighted on the main lake, it was followed soon after by my first CORMORANT (48) of the month, it stayed for 5 mins fished unsuccessfully, then flew off again.
Heading out through the Wet Woods to get to the Tree Nursery, I heard a the TREECREEPER (49) calling, and then saw it scurrying up the trunk of a large Oak, this is the last resident bird species on my patch to be added to the months list, any other additions will be visiting birds or flyovers, so its going to be a challenge to reach the 67 species needed for a record November tally.
By the time I got to the Tree Nursery, dark clouds rolled in, making it even gloomier, all I found amongst the shrubs were a GOLDCREST, a PHEASANT, and a few DUNNOCKS and ROBINS. A KESTREL was up hunting, and a flock of 15 FIELDFARE went low over, but that was it for the day - and the days will get even shorter!
Below: The walk to my house up Ashes Lane. The turning on the right is the trackway to the Greenhouse Complex.
Below: A gloomy view over my patch. The Wet Woods lies behind me here, the grass field in the foreground is Marchants field, it was part of the Tree Nursery last year. The white caravan is in whats left of the Tree Nursery. You may be able to pick out Hadlow Tower, on the skyline in the center of the photo, best to click on the photo to enlarge it.
6 comments:
At least you've still got plenty of time to try and equal or beat the November tally.
If I remember rightly that tower is where the Peregrine Falcon could(nt) be seen on one of your photos :)
Songbird,
Your memory serves you well, i'll try for more pics if we get a clear day :-)
That's better Warren, the scenic shots make a nice change from the birds on the feeders ones.
49 species already Warren. I need to pull my socks up! I too remember the photo of the tower and the peregrine....or at least I remember the photo of the tower:-)
Hi Warren.
There is a good chance of you hitting that magic number, you keep picking up the odd species here and there. Nice photo's of you patch.
All the time you are out there looking, then who knows what might turn up. Good hunting.
You`re beginning to sound like me now, Warren. Come on, get a grip, we`re only 3 days in.
Post a Comment