Saturday 5 March 2011

My 5 hour full patch walk was of mixed results this morning, a good day list of 49 species was tempered by the fact that numbers of birds were quite low, many of the 49 species were only seen in ones or two's, but that may of been due to the cold and overcast conditions.

The winter birds are still to be seen on my patch, over at the Pub Field, at least 30 FIELDFARE, and 3 REDWING were seen, the KESTREL looked on from a treetop along the boundary hedgerow, and the first few BLACK HEADED GULLS flew over towards the Sheep pasture at Migrant Alley.

More winter birds were seen over at the College Grounds, small parties of SISKINS were seen at various points, one of these parties had two LESSER REDPOLL with them. It was whilst walking the college stream that I finally added a GREY HERON (51) to the March list, the first, in fact, seen on my patch since January 15th!

I also added two more species to the March list when YELLOWHAMMER (52), then GREYLAG GOOSE (53) were seen, both flew over as I walked back through Migrant Alley.

The second half of my walk didn't offer up any surprises, the regular woodland species all showed in ones and two's, apart from the Nuthatch which I couldn't locate today, the Siskins, again were seen in small parties at various points. The lakes were as they have been all week, 4 CANADA GEESE, 4 MALLARD, and 2 MOORHEN were seen, along with the pair of COOTS. One other species that was seen in numbers, was the GOLDCREST, 11 were seen overall today, 7 of those were in the Scrubby Wood.

I made my way back for a skywatch at Migrant Alley, and spent half an hour in the cold wind watching a grey sky, incredibly I saw, in just a few minutes, another Grey Heron, then a pair of them, where have they been ? A little later, my vigil produced another species for the March list, as a lone CORMORANT (54) flew over, I also noted that 2 LESSER BLACK BACKED GULLS had joined the 40-50 Black Headed Gulls that were milling around the lambs, they all pick up the umbilical cords of the new born lambs, Yuk! The visit ended with the sighting of 3 COMMON BUZZARDS, high over the Greenhouse copse.

Over the course of the afternoon I had an eye on the garden feeders, where the female BRAMBLING was seen, as well as the missing NUTHATCH, bringing the daylist to a very good total of 51. Yet more Siskins came in to feed as well, first one pair then, two pairs fed on the Sunflower hearts.

Above one of 11 Goldcrest seen this morning, below GOLDFINCH and GREENFINCH on my garden feeders.



10 comments:

Nic Squirrell said...

Top photos as always.

Marc Heath said...

A good tally of birds for the day there and a nice shot of the Goldcrest.

ShySongbird said...

Yuk!! You've put me right off my Chinese takeaway now ;)

Your very nice Goldcrest photo is a lot better focused than I managed yesterday.

Well done on the new additions to the list. The Herons must be like buses :)

Mike said...

Nice Goldcrest pic Warren.

Ken. said...

Hi Warren.
Now that was a very interesting days walk, with a good bird count. Some good species seen there, especially the winter Thrushes, I see there still hanging on over there.
Pam and I came through Hadlow last Thursday afternoon, we had been shopping at Tonbridge. We saw a lot of lambs in a field near the road, somewhere opposite the tower what the peregrines use to use. There was a good number of corvids in the field then.
Have a good weekend.

Bob Bushell said...

I love the Goldcrests, you are lucky.

Pete Woodruff said...

Eleven Goldcrests Warren....not many will be able to lay claim to that I'd suggest, and all after the second 'ice age' spell in a row.

Anonymous said...

Nice Goldcrest, Warren. Also good to know that there`s still good numbers of em around.

Jason K said...

Looks like you've had a great day Warren. Stunning Goldcrest photo by the way

Alan Pavey said...

Great species count Warren and some nice shots there too.