After the showers of yesterday evening, this morning felt a lot fresher, and the smell of the damp, cool earth mingling with the wet vegetation was intoxicating, I love mornings like these :-)
So it was a pleasure to spend 4 hours out on my patch tracking down the 48 species found this morning. Amongst those, there were the usual encounters with the 'core' species, but I did miss Mistle Thrush, Coal Tit, Long tailed Tit and Yellowhammer today, however on the plus side there were the likes of LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL, GREY HERON, and YELLOW WAGTAIL, that aren't recorded every day, especially the latter! The visit was made all the more exciting for me when I heard the first NIGHTINGALE (94,75) of the year singing from behind the Greenhouse Copse, the first since this day last year in fact! A welcome addition to my year list, made the more satisfying as they no longer breed on my patch, and I have to rely on a migrant passing through now.
Just one more species now to equal the April record tally, and a species nearer to obtaining my fastest 100 species, which I have until May 17th to achieve.
I was also pleased to find one of the COOTS on the ornamental lake, after some time looking I might add, they are good at hiding! The SONGTHRUSH nestlings in the Scrubby Wood continue to be fed by the parents, whilst being surrounded by singing BLACKCAPS, CHIFFCHAFFS, CHAFFINCH, WRENS, DUNNOCKS and BLACKBIRDS, but not, frustratingly by a Garden Warbler yet.
I took a selection of photo's today, some better than others ( as always!)
Above and below a WHITETHROAT, this one resides in the Greenhouse Complex grounds
Below: A Jackdaw at Migrant Alley, no migrants there today though, alas!
Next a SWALLOW that alighted on the lines above Ashes lane, not quite in the right light - shame.
This JAY flew over the Tree Nursery, and I manged to get a flight shot
Lastly a photo of the Greenhouse Copse, where, whilst listening to the call of a TREECREEPER, the masterful vocal qualities of the Nightingale came wafting through.
12 comments:
Nightingale...Result! Do you get many records on your patch Warren?
Ive never recorded one at Shenstone. Infact they are almost extinct as a breeding bird in Woorcestershire
Jase, the Nightingale was a regular breeder on my patch until 2007, one sometimes two pairs bred in the Scrubby woods. Todays record was only the second in 4 years.
You captured the Whitethroat well and that Jay loked like it was travelling!
Nice Jay shot, one of my most wanted flight shots and a good year tick in the shape of the Nightingale.
Anthony, Marc,
The Jay was moving a bit fast! hence the blurr :-)
Great photos & nice one regards the Nightingale, Warren. That`s one species i have no chance of getting.
Fingers crossed for the ton up.
Congrats on the Nightingale. I listened to two today BUT not on my patch!
Excellent shots of the Whitethroat and Jay ... you don't really need an extender, do you?
Here's hoping the ton gets beaten very soon.
Nightingale....now there's a bird I'm not expecting soon - if ever - in our area or anywhere near it Warren. Though I do have an excellent recording I made of one in Norfolk a few years ago, I referred to this individual as one of the top ten best singing Nightingales I could ever have hoped to hear.
Nice one Warren! What a difference those seven miles between us make!
You had a good day there Warren and lovely photos to. I particularly liked the second one of the Whitethroat.
Well done on the Nightingale too.
Very pleased you found one of the Coots and that all is going well with the Song Thrushes :)
Wonderful to find a Nightingale!
Some really nice pics there Warren, well done with the Nightingale it's a great song to add to the many that are out there at the moment.
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