Just before reaching the small holding is a drainage ditch, about the size of a tennis court, and after a few rainy days it fills with water, before draining away over a few days, as I pass it, I always check it out, mostly its been disturbed long before I get there, but today there was a GREY WAGTAIL feeding around the leaf strewn edge, not a common bird on my patch, so a nice record.
On passing through the Small Holding I saw the resident GREEN WOODPECKERS, plus a few GREAT and BLUE TITS, with a pair of vocal GOLDCRESTS, but more of a surprise was finding a Red Admiral Butterfly, sunning itself on a fence post.
The only thing of note in the Wet Woods was a GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, and a calling TREECREEPER, two more Goldcrest were seen as I left the Woods and walked the footpath to the lakes. On the water today were, 8 MALLARD, 5 MOORHEN, a GREY HERON and a CORMORANT, nothing new there for the month, but it was better than most days :-) After checking the surrounding trees and scrub, and finding COAL TIT, LONG TAILED TIT, BULLFINCH and a flyover YELLOWHAMMER, as well as another Red Admiral, there was still enough light to walk over to the Tree Nursery and Pub Field, unfortunately a work party was in the Nursery, something that will happen more often than not now that the rain has softened the ground and trees can start to be dug up.
The Pub Field maize stubbles were full of WOODPIGEON, and JACKDAWS, no sign of a Golden Plover for the year list, but I still live in hope. A lone BLACK HEADED GULL went over, as did several parties of STARLINGS, 3 FIELDFARE, and the odd GOLDFINCH, CHAFFINCH, MEADOW PIPIT and PIED WAGTAIL. By now dusk was falling, so I walked along Ashes lane and waited by the roadside adjacent the Tree Nursery to see if the LINNETS would turn up to roost, which they did, I counted 16. As I waited for them to settle down, I thought I heard the distinctive call of a Lapland Bunting, it just called once, but with the Linnets in the air calling, and traffic zooming past, plus a noisy aircraft going over, I frustratingly have to put it down as wishful thinking, pity that would have been a real class bird to add to the patch list !
The sun was out, so the camera was out!
Above is the Red Admiral ( the one from the Lakes area)Below is a GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER
Below is the CORMORANT as it left the Lake ( look at the blue sky too!)
Lastly, if you can see it amongst the leaves is the grey Wagtail
12 comments:
Hi Warren.
After such a dismal day yesterday, you had a pretty good day today. It is always good to see a Grey Wag, even better when you get a photo to go with it.
Also well done with the Red Admiral.
Your right about the possible Lapland, what a patch tick that would have been!
Nice shot of the Cormorant in flight against the blue sky.
Sounds like you had a decent day at last Warren, shame about the Lapland though.
Oddly enough I had a couple of birds fly over me at Dungie today who's call I don't think i've heard before. I'll get the DVD out tomorrow and see if I can ID them, maybe they were Laplands heading up to Pittswood!
Warren ,
Snap with the Red Admiral , had a Small Tortoiseshell too .
Much better day today .
Shame you couldn't confirm the Lapland Bunting .
Warren,
There was a Lapland Bunt. along the Harty Road this afternoon, just thought I'd mention it.
Whilst doing the WEBS I also had 800 Golden Plovers and a S.E. Owls. Sadly also, one of our resident breeding pairs of Barn Owls was found dead today.
No Waxwings then Warren? Not enough apples pinned to the hat perhaps :) None here either :(
Well done with the Grey Wagtail but a shame about the Lapland Bunting.
I'm amazed you saw a butterfly!
I was out this afternoon too, it was cold but beautifully sunny. I tried to photograph a GSW but you did far better than me, still it made a nice change for me to actually find one :)
The idea of apples pinned to a hat to attract Waxwings is bizarre, but Warren seems to attract birds somehow.
Shame about the Lapper Warren. was it the snow bunting like teuu or the dry rattle call?
Nice cormorant shot - not had any success with yet.
Cheers
Davo
Looks like you enjoyed yourself, the woodpecker, cormorant and red admiral are precious.
Red Admiral for you & Small Tort for Greenie. What can i say other than it was cold enough for Polar Bears, up here.
We have one grey wagtail around here and I would love to spot them ;-) Well done on the woodpecker shot, it is very nice....
Lovely Red Admiral photop Warren...its great to see them still on the wing this time of year when the sun is shining.
Warren, if you want some I'll send you some... I've done three different street downtown today and manage to see 98 waxwings! That was just incredible, for sure, the biggest invasion you got so far!
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