Friday 10 February 2012

Another hard overnight frost meant there wasn't much point in visiting the lakes this afternoon, they will still be frozen solid, so I walked over to the Tree Nursery, Greenhouse Grounds and Migrant Alley. I dont think ive seen the Tree Nursery so devoid of bird life, just a lone MAGPIE scolded me from the top of a young pine tree, my walking of the shrub rows didn't even produce a Wren or Dunnock, very unusual!

The Greenhouse Grounds did have a few birds about, notably the flock of 30 or so MEADOW PIPIT, which were joined by 6 GOLDFINCH. An adjacent garden had a pair of BULLFINCH in a fruit tree there, otherwise it was down to BLACKBIRDS, SONGTHRUSHES, WREN, DUNNOCK, ROBIN and flyover PIED WAGTAIL.

I walked the drainage ditch that runs along the NW boundary of Migrant Alley and flushed up a SNIPE, always a good bird to find here, and a few minutes later I crossed over to the sheep pasture a found 30 LAPWING resting out in the middle of the field, these were sadly disturbed by the football team that trains over at the college sports pitch, they were out for a x country run, ignorant that their actions were putting the birds under more pressure, forcing them to use up precious energy in these very cold conditions.

A skywatch from my seat was not too productive, just the KESTREL, a YELLOWHAMMER, a few CHAFFINCH, and one each of HERRING and BLACK HEADED GULL. The walk home was enlivened by a flock of 5 LONG TAILED TITS in the Ashes Lane hedgerow, as well as watching the LINNETS come down into their pre-roost tree, I counted 35, but more would join them before dusk no doubt :-)

Another reasonably quite visit then, with nothing to add to the month or year list, but maybe i'll get luicky with the full patch walk tomorrow morning, which promises to be a very chill one!!
A distant shot of some of the 30 Lapwing on the sheep pasture
Meadow Pipit from the Greenhouse Grounds
Meadow Pipit

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

That first Mipit shot is to die for. Excellent, Warren.

Warren Baker said...

Cheers Dean,
Took a lot of sneaking up on it!!

Bob Bushell said...

Well worth a visit, my favourite is first of Meadow Pipit, brilliant photo.

Ornitocampero.blogspot.com.es said...

Rea lly nice pipit first pic.....and in a tree,here usually on the ground!
Saludos.

Rohrerbot said...

The Meadow Mipit shot(the first one) is really wonderful. I would frame that one and hang it up. The shadows and the closeup say something more than just a "bird pic". I like it. A lot. Tomorrow I get to go hiking again! I always look forward to my weekends of exploration...except the getting up early part:) Birds don't wait nor can I:)

- Yvonaut -
Das sind Raphael und Yvonne
said...

Nice shots!
Have a nice weekend
Yvonne & Raphael

ShySongbird said...

Lovely photos of the Meadow Pipit, Warren.