Friday 27 January 2012

With long sunny spells, and little cloud or wind, it was a joy to be out this afternoon  :-)
My walk over to the lakes started poorly, as there was disturbance in the small holding, the Wet Woods was a little better than of late, with TREECREEPER, SISKIN, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, plus the regular BLUE and GREAT TITS.

First thing I saw on the lakes as I arrived were 6 CANADA GEESE, the first here for some time, certainly the first on an afternoon visit, also the 3 COOTS remained, and the LITTLE GREBE was again seen. A GREY HERON dropped in, but flew off again after seeing me, and I got to withing 10m of a KINGFISHER, but didn't realise it, the bird flew off as I approached.....another chance of a photo missed! I did get a photo of one of the LONG TAILED TITS that moved through the surrounding Scrubby Woods, but the two GOLDCREST and the COAL TIT with them avoided the lens. A REDWING fed with a BLACKBIRD in a wild rose bush, grabbing at the bright red hips, that's the first Redwing here since Sunday. BULLFINCH were heard calling, and a few Siskin went over, but the hoped for Little or Tawny Owls didn't appear.

All was quiet over at the Pub Field, except for 6 BLACK HEADED GULLS, and the Tree Nursery was similarly very quiet, so I swiftly moved on to the Greenhouse Grounds, where the KESTREL was up hunting, a flock of a dozen or so GOLDFINCH fed in some Alders, and the usual mix of Blackbird, SONGTHRUSH, WREN, DUNNOCK, ROBIN and PIED WAGTAIL were also seen. A 20 minute sit on my skywatching seat at Migrant Alley only produced a STOCK DOVE, and the numerous ROOKS, JACKDAWS, and WOODPIGEONS.

Hopefully the last two full patch visits of the month will turn up something for the year list  this weekend  :-)

Yet another Long Tailed Tit photo - but you cant just let them pass without snapping away at them!!
This female Blackbird fed on worms found in the Greenhouse Grounds
Blackbird, Female
Blackbird, Female


7 comments:

Bob Bushell said...

I love that Long-tailed Tit, it is sensational.

Greenie said...

Warren ,
That afternoon sun was indeed most welcome . Finishing the hedgelaying was pure pleasure .

Tim James said...

Nice Blackbird shots, Warren, and you're right about the LTTs – they are irresistible.

Marc Heath said...

Nice shots Warren. You must get in from work and get straight on your computer. that's speedy work. Hope the sun shines tomorrow!!

Rohrerbot said...

Great closeups Warren! Hope you have a fun weekend and have some nice weather for walking.

Anonymous said...

"Yet another Long Tailed Tit photo - but you cant just let them pass without snapping away at them!!"

If only, Warren. I can`t get anywhere near em.
Good luck for the last weekend of this month.

ShySongbird said...

Lovely photos, Warren. You can never have too many LTT pics :-)