View into the Wet woodsBroken cloud and sunshine was on offer today, but by the time I left work it was mostly cloud !
Unfortunately most of the places I visit on my patch had heavy disturbance this afternoon, even the lake area was disturbed by a training crew from Hadlow College, god knows how they have wangled their way into the large garden adjacent to the lakes, slash and burn was the on the agenda again. I caught one of the louts ( sorry students) sneaking into the neighbouring area, but he soon shot off when I challenged him.
Anyway, i did look at the main lake just in case, but all that was on it were 11 MALLARDS. With workers in the Tree Nursery and around the Greenhouse Complex I sought refuge in the Wet woods, a most dark, damp and inhospitable place for most people :-) I spent 90 mins checking the upper canopy, desperately looking for that Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, but I dont think i'm going to add it to the list this year. I did stumble across a nice big mixed feeding flock of birds though, I found at least 4 GOLDCREST, two TREECREEPERS, a NUTHATCH, a MARSH TIT, a GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER and a whole load of BLUE, GREAT and LONG TAILED TITS, which proved uncountable due to there constant moving around. Of course, with all that noise and movement it didn't take long before a SPARROWHAWK came zipping through, but the big female missed everything - this time :-)
It got dark very quickly, and I reluctantly had to head off home, it was only 15:45 ! I just hope there is less disturbance tomorrow.
I did get some pics of the birds in the feeding flock, just not the species I was after, but above is a Great Tit and Below is a Blue Tit.
I took this photo of the tower as I walked home, it must be 500m away or more, but if you click on the photo and enlarge it (songbird !) On the right hand side of the tower, in between the middle and top wires is the Peregrine, which refuses to fly over my patch ( whilst i'm there) and so get onto the months list !!
11 comments:
Warren ,
You're 'aving a laugh with that Peregrine shot , even after enlarging it !
I also had lots of small black and white jobs on the lake , but didn't mention names in case it upset anyone !
Greenie,
I suppose you've got to use a bit of imagination - It was nearly a km away :-)
I hope your eventual LS Woodpecker will be a bit more identifiable than the Peregrine - its easier to see a flea on a dog's back!
Your secription of the Wet Wood sounds like the Wild Wood in Wind in the Willows - look out for the rabbits and Weasels!
Derek, the wet woods is a good place to get away from society :-)
I'll try and do better with my photo's mate :-(
You'd of liked it on the Swale NNR this morning then, have a look at my photos, no problems with society out there.
You had a weather syndrome, but, I didn't, there wasn't any birds.
I think I could see the Peregrine Warren.......
Glory be, it's that dratted tower again Warren! And not much improvement on the last time :) I think I can just about make it out...maybe!
Well done on sending the lout/student on his way :)
Lovely photos of the Great and Blue Tits. They got our forecast fog completely wrong we had wall to wall sunshine :)
If you see a bird from your patch does it count, or does it have to be directly over or on your patch?
Warren "i am the law" Baker (in the style of Judge Dread :-)
Finally I'm catching up on my fellow blogger's blogs after a long absence!! Great post and now I know I've got to get new glasses - the Peregrine is eluding me!
Pity about the missing Lesser Spot. I'm still waiting to see one on my local patch. They were around in the Spring and I dipped then and have continued to do so... hey ho - here's to next Spring :D
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