The walk into work this morning proved uneventful, not surprising as it's hardly light now when I leave, but the walk home through Migrant Alley, in some lovely warm and sunny conditions promised more, however , it too proved very quiet, I think it must have been disturbed during the morning.
As usual I was out again after some lunch, and went over to the cropped Maize at the Pub Field, I was hoping one or two of yesterdays summer birds were still around, and maybe even a passage bird, but I was very disappointed to see that two tractors were busy there, one cutting the vegetation around the bottom of the hedgerow, the other flailing the hedgerow to bits :-( All the Autumn fruit, berries, hips, haws and seeds all being destroyed in a flash, the winter larder that sustains birds and other creatures is now no more. Why cant this hedge trimming be done in late February, when it is less destructive ? Why flail the hedge at all, you can see by yesterdays photo of it that it impedes nor hinders farm vehicles or pedestrians.
There were no birds to be seen here, and as I stood and pondered my next move I looked to the sky and saw 4 BUZZARDS circling, very nice :-) The lakes and Scrubby Woods seemed a good idea, so off I went, I found a BLACKCAP, two CHIFFCHAFF ( one singing) a couple of BULLFINCH and a NUTHATCH, which for this time of day wasn't too bad, the lakes had just MOORHEN and MALLARD between them. A couple of butterfly species were seen, Small Copper and Comma, so they were photographed, then I made my way over for a sky watch from my seat at Migrant Alley, again it was quite poor, with just KESTREL, SPARROWHAWK and a few HERRING GULLS showing up. Small numbers of both SWALLOW and HOUSE MARTIN went through, and a couple of MEADOW PIPITS were out in the sheep pasture, but that was about it for today.
Below are the Butterflies seen today, and also some more Sedge and Reed Warbler images from yesterday :-)
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| Comma |
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| Small Copper |
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| Sedge Warbler |
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| Sedge Warbler |
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| Reed Warbler |
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| Reed Warbler |
5 comments:
I agree, Warren. Disgusting that they`re flailing hedgerows at this time of year, when they`re full of natural & essential food for building up the birds fat reserves. The mind boggles.
Even more disgusting when its Hadlow Agricultural College doing it Dean! Hardly cutting edge farming practices ( forgive the pun!)
Nice Comma shot, like the angle and depth of field in the shot. Hopefully the weekend will deliver a nice present.
Hi Warren.
Ditto what dean says, it is terrible whats happening to the hedgerows and winter feed for the birds, and other creatures. As it happens I to have recently seen this activity going onin the area.
I don't see what purpose it serves going it now.
Nice photo's of the Sedge, and Butterflies. Have a good weekend.
Big bug bear of mine is unecesary hedge flailing and at the college too where they should certrainly be teaching best practice!!!!! Total nightmare; no wonder many of our farmland birds are stuggling. Case in point hardly a berry left on the hedges between Dolgellau and Blackpool (125 miles) noted last weeek...shame on them
Cheers
Davo
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