Tuesday 15 March 2011

I had no walk to and from work today, as I had to attend a training course, in town, which was held in a windowless room :-( I'm told it was a lovely morning out, grrrrr.......

Arriving home this afternoon, I was later than normal, but the sun was hanging on....just, a thin veil of cloud was slowly building, and by 16:00hrs it was overcast with a cool N wind blowing.

My visit to the lakes was just a very short one, a quick check to see if anything new had dropped in overnight really, it hadn't, but the CANADA GEESE had returned, and the COOTS appear to be building a nest in the dead bullrush stems on the ornamental lake! Fantastic! I hope they are successful :-) I only visited the scrubby woods to listen for newly arrived Chiffchaffs, however none were heard amongst the regular BULLFINCH, TREECREEPER, GOLDCREST and COAL TIT. A few REDWING were seen in the leaf litter, it's getting quite late for them now, the mean last recording date for Redwing is the 31 March, but they become fewer and fewer in number as the month progresses.

The reason for not hanging about in the lake area, was so that I could spend some time over at Migrant Alley, scanning the fields and fences for a possible Wheatear, but on arriving I found a gaggle of students from the college putting up paddock fencing, which was a bit of a joke to watch :-) so that put an end to any birding there, I did have a half hour skywatch, looking out for a Sand Martin, but all I saw of note was one of the PEREGRINES from the tower. I ended the watch early when the cool N wind increased and the cloud thickened up.

Not much of a patch watch today then!! I ended up taking photo's of the garden birds back at my feeders, but the male SPARROWHAWK kept the more interesting species away. In all a very frustrating day :-)

Here's the garden photo's though.........

Daffodil above. ROBIN below
and the ever present BLUE TIT !

11 comments:

Derek Faulkner said...

Warren,

You should consider yourself lucky to have seen anything today - the furthest I've been able to see all day is 100yds - talk about cut your wrists time!
Thick mist from dawn to dusk.

Warren Baker said...

That was the gloom that oozed its way over to us about 3:30 Derek.

Alan Pavey said...

Hi Warren, I expect we'll all try again tomorrow ;-)

Warren Baker said...

Alan,
yep! i'll be out there :-)

Marc Heath said...

The first Black Redstart was seen today at Reculver, not by me though so they are on there way.....slowly. As Derek has mentioned the fog this afternoon was a joke. Maybe tomorrow.

Warren Baker said...

Marc,
Good to hear that the trickle has started :-) it takes a little longer to get them on my patch

ShySongbird said...

Misty most of the day here too :( and a walk produced nothing more than Rooks, Great and Blue Tits, a Robin, and a Woodpecker drumming.

At least your Daffodil is cheering and of course your lovely garden birds :)

Can't think of anything more depressing than a windowless room!

Derek Faulkner said...

Jan,

I've windows all round my bungalow but it felt like a windowless room today and a repeat forecast for tomorrow.

Ken. said...

Hi Warren.
You did well getting out and seeing what you did in the little time you had, well done, and here's wishing the Coot's good luck with their breeding

Anonymous said...

"My visit to the lakes was just a very short one"

Mine was even shorter, Warren. I couldn`t even see the bloody thing.

Andy said...

Sorry Warren, I was out early in the morning and it was glorious, sorry to rub it in. Nothing worse than being in a windowless room.
Chiffchaffs in EP building by the day - at least 5 singing this morning. Bring on the rest of Spring.