Persistent heavy rain fell from before dawn until midday, for once the worst of the weather happened whilst I was at work :-)
It wasn't exactly nice weather as I walked home, but it had stopped raining, and as I passed through Migrant Alley, I checked the hedgerow that borders the Greenhouse Complex, below it is a large pool of flood water, I scanned it for a possible wader, but found instead 30-40 SISKINS, with a dozen or so GOLDFINCH, they were drinking and bathing, as well as picking up the wind blown Alder seed.
As I neared home, walking up Ashes Lane, a CARRION CROW gave a raptor alert call, and I manage to find a PEREGRINE going over quite low, thanks Crow, I probably would of missed that :-)
After a quick bite to eat, I went out to the lakes, via the small holding and Wet Woods, all the footpaths were now either streams of water, or deep mud, the consistency of thick custard !
The walk through the Small Holding and Wet Woods was rather uneventful, both GREEN and GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS were seen, and a few bits of song was halfheartedly sung by , DUNNOCK, MISTLE THRUSH, SONGTHRUSH, and Wren, but the ROBINS were giving it all as usual, a STOCK DOVE in the Wet Woods was also singing, if you can call the repeated 'a-ooer' 'a-ooer' a song :-)
Also seen in the Woods were more Siskins and at least three pairs of MALLARD on the ever filling pools, it's hard to see them in the tangle of branches and tree limbs.
I eagerly approached the lakes, hoping for a Duck species or Coot to be around, but all that was on offer were 3 pairs of Mallard on the main lake, with a pair of MOORHEN. The Ornamental lake had just one Pair of Mallard and two Moorhen, and the smallest lake was empty, a big anti-climax, but it's that way most of the time, which makes it all the more exciting when something does turn up :-)
The scrubby woods was very empty, as no mixed feeding flock was found here, just a the regular BULLFINCH and a GOLDCREST were of any note, the SPARROWHAWK put in it's usual appearance, but that was about it for today, the walk home was wet and muddy, and despite much sky scanning nothing was seen to increase the Year/Months list. It will be difficult to add anything more, but if I do, I suspect it will be found on one of the lakes, or just flying over, maybe tomorrow !
8 comments:
I'm sure you'll add something else before the end of the month, I'm pinning my hopes on the sky and the lakes as well!!
Cheers
Al
Alan,
A nice Mute Swan flying over would do just nicely :-)
Hi Warren,
Likewise, I've ever only recorded them twice both flyovers!!
Cheers
Al
Hi Warren
I hope you don't mind me using you as a good example, but you recently replied to a particular blog,and at the end you wrote a final comment, and I totally agree with you. Personally I think that what birders like you do by writing, and recording on their blog daily as to what they see, and don't see is important. By checking back over the years on your blog records can tell what the state of certain species of bird are at, ie declining, increasing, new species moving in etc.
What is the difference between blogers writing their daily sightings every/most days on their blog, and RSPB Reserve staff going out regularly and recording counts of waders, and wildfowl. Isn't what they do virtually the same thing, just on a larger scale?
Hi Ken.
You're exactly right. Recording species in a small area, over a long period of time, can be a very useful way to assess the state of the counryside, especially if the small area is a typical piece of countryside. Keeping yearly, and monthly totals is just a bit of fun that gives an element of competetion - for me anyway!
Well the sun was short lived, I should not have shouted so loudly. Perhaps this bad weather will ground something for you.
Glad you didn't get rained on today. Good luck with a duck on the lake!
You`re right about Stock Doves, Warren. They sound like something from a porn movie -)
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