It was pointless visiting the Lakes as they will be totally frozen over, so I spent the hour I had this afternoon walking the tree Nursery and hedgerow Boundary of Migrant Alley and the Greenhouses. The Tree Nursery was still pretty snowy, but birds were scratching out an existence, 8 PHEASANTS picked at the old seed heads, and a few DUNNOCK were scurrying below the shrubs, along with a WREN. A male SPARROWHAWK came in and alighted on a steel scaffolding tube, but before I could get a photo of him the female came in and saw him off, in weather like this it's not unheard of for the bigger females to eat the males, but these two seemed quite ok with each other :-) The only flyovers noted were a SKYLARK and a HERRING GULL.
As I crossed Ashes Lane and entered the Greenhouse Grounds a flock of 6 LONG TAILED TITS were seen, with them was a single BLUE TIT and a GOLDCREST. The boundary hedgerow was full of BLACKBIRDS, but also in there were the odd REDWING, 3 SONGTHRUSH and two FIELDFARE. A JAY squawked loudly as I walked towards the flooded area of pasture alongside the Hedgerow, and straight away 3 SNIPE flew up, two settled back down across the field, and the other only went halfway across the same field before coming down and crouching in the grass, I thought it better not to pursue them for a photo.
A flock of GOLDFINCH were in the line of hedgerow Alders, only a dozen or so, with 5 CHAFFINCH, then a very confiding cock Pheasant walked out in front of me, giving me some good photo's. A bit later a big dog fox came trotting along in my direction, coming just within photographing distance.
A nice hour out, if a little cold, more of the same tomorrow :-)
Below are a few photo's of the Pheasant
Also a distant Fox photo
Checking the feeders before leaving for my walk this afternoon, and I saw this beauty - a male SISKIN, with his Goldfinch allies.
8 comments:
I love the top Pheasant photo Warren. The colours are amazing
Wow the pheasant pictures are cool but the fox is the one mate... Got -11°C at 5PM today and it was the same this morning, so I guess I'm not gonna out for a while ;-)
Well I've heard of man eaters ;) but female Sprawks eating male Sprawks???!!
Lovely Pheasant and Fox photos and great to see your garden Siskin.
We have had freezing fog all day which has made everywhere look like it has snowed again and it is -4C as I type this.
Cor, I love the fox, and those Pheasant pictures are really beautiful.
I got out a couple of hours today Warren....bloody freezing!
Good 'mug shots' of the Pheasant.
That first pheasant shot is fantastic Warren! A visit to 'the pond' today was as pointless as yours would have been had you gone to 'the Lakes'...frozen and deserted. But did see hawks and a golden eagle further N. out in the farming community.
Nothing for the month then, Warren. That gives me hope if i can shake this bloody man-flu off.
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