Wednesday 30 November 2011

Apologies for the lack of a post yesterday, there was a fault on the telephone line and I lost my broadband, things are just not going my my this month!!  I didn't get out yesterday afternoon as I was checking my home wiring, thinking the problem was in my home, but eventually contacted BT through a mind boggling automated phone system and got the fault reported, fair play to them though, in less than 24 hours they had the line repaired. :-)

Back to today, and I was off work, not feeling to good, and most of my birding was done from the house, but a short visit over to the Tree Nursery,  Pub Field and Migrant Alley was made around 11:00hrs. I didn't do the lakes as I could hear the chainsaws still chopping away in the garden next to them. I was only out for 90 mins, in some warm and sunny conditions, which makes for poor birding at this time of year, I cant remember a November with so few birds on my patch!  I did see 30+ LAPWING and 20+ BLACK HEADED GULLS on the Pub Field, a couple of MEADOW PIPITS in the Tree Nursery, and at Migrant Alley a YELLOWHAMMER was good to see, along with a GREY WAGTAIL that flew from the nearby Greenhouse Complex, flyovers from KESTREL and SPARROWHAWK were noted. However, my half hour skywatch didn't give me a fly over species that was new for the month, Mute Swan or Little Egret would have done  ;-)

So the month ends on 66 species, the joint second best tally for November, which is not too shabby considering the unseasonable weather, and some of the disturbance I have had here. The combined ten year November list now stands at 85, it was incremented by the Crossbill and Red Legged Partridge, which suggests that this month list could have been higher, but the average November total for the last 5 years is 64, so I cant be too disappointed  :-)

The afternoon garden watch was a bit better than of late, I didn't see any Sprawk attacks whilst I watched, which encouraged 17 species to come to the feeders, although there is a huge drop in numbers birds visiting, probably due to the mild weather, especially finch's, only a peak count of 4 GOLDFINCH, 2 GREENFINCH, and 4 CHAFFINCH were made, the visitors which did turn up in any numbers were the BLUE TITS, at least 20 were zipping in and out, with 3-4 GREAT TITS and a single COAL TIT.. Singles of JACKDAW, MAGPIE, BLACKBIRD, DUNNOCK, WREN, and GOLDCREST, were also seen, along with 2 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS, 2 NUTHATCH and 2 ROBINS. COLLARED DOVES and STARLINGS were the other two species to visit, both with a peak of 7 coming in.

Here's some of todays photo's  :-)

Yellowhammer at Migrant Alley
Yellowhammer again
One of the ever present Blue Tits from my garden

Garden Great Tit

10 comments:

Warren Baker said...

Ken, Phil,

In answer to your question about my Camera equipment - I have a canon 50D, which I use with a sigma 120-400mm zoom lens, thats my normal set up.

However in the summer with good light, I sometime use a 1.4 converter, making the sigma lens the equivelent to a 168-560mm, but I lose the Auto focus on it. I'm still undecided whether it is worth using really :-)

Marc Heath said...

I thought you were doing some real birding yesterday at Reculver as you had not posted. Good its all sorted out anyway

Warren Baker said...

Marc,
Wouldn't mind a Reculver day, but as I dont drive it's not often I get off patch!

Anonymous said...

Pain in the arse, them automated systems, Warren.

Phil said...

I was a bit worried about you Warren. Thought maybe you'd had a run in with that shooting geezer again. Think he might have been on my patch today!!

Jason K said...

Good to have you back Warren. Cracking Yellowhammer mate!

Pete Woodruff said...

I thought I'd lost my Broadband too when Pittswood Birds drew a blank yesterday.

Excellent images of the Blue/Great Tits today Warren.

Bob Bushell said...

I am dumfounded at your Yellowhammer, to get one is hard, but you seem to do alright, Warren, you are a great.

Sharon said...

Absolutely gorgeous photos Warren - love the Yellowhammer ones :)
November's tally wasn't too bad then given the unseasonal weather - are you due snow anytime soon at all?

Ken. said...

Hi Warren.
Thanks for the info on your camera equip.
Like the shots you took today, especially the Blue Tit, all though the Yellowhammer is a good bird to photograph on ones local patch.
Good luck with decembers list.