Thursday 8 March 2012

Mixed species pair Canada Goose / Barnacle Goose
At last a bit of settled weather for my afternoon patch ramble. It felt like a Chiffchaff could call at any moment, but none were heard, it can only be a matter of days now  :-)  I did at last pick up the months first NUTHATCH (56) as I looked over the Scrubby Woods, it turned up as I was following a pair of TREECREEPERS, I hoping for a photo, but they out smarted me by a long chalk!

A scan of the water revealed everything much the same as my last visit on Tuesday, two pairs of MALLARD, two pairs of CANADA GEESE, the mixed race pair of BARNACLE / Canada Goose, and three to four MOORHEN, but a little surprise was another COOT, a third bird had again turned up  :-)

I didn't stay too long today, as I wanted to get some sky watching done over at Migrant Alley, and also to check those fence lines, a bit early, but you never know. On the way I flushed up a PHEASANT and two GREEN WOODPECKERS from the Tree Nursery. In the Greenhouse Complex this ROBIN was singing away  :-)
Robin
A walk around the paddocks and sheep pasture, in some pleasant sunshine didn't get me my first Wheatear of the year, just lots of WOODPIGEONS, JACKDAWS, ROOKS, and another two Green Woodpeckers. I arrived at my seat and began scanning the sky, this time hoping for an early Sand Martin, but again it wasn't to be today, a SPARROWHAWK was seen though, and a COMMON BUZZARD was watched hovering over the field behind the Greenhouse Copse - good to be out again  :-)

I left myself some time for some more garden bird pics, more of the same species, but it gives me some practice with the camera  :-)
GREENFINCH ( two males and a Female)
Greenfinch, Female ( look at the determined look in its eye!)
GOLDFINCH
CHAFFINCH, Female

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

With any luck and these clear nights, it won`t be long before the Chiffies arrive. I bet the first sunny day produces at least 1 singing bird.

Rohrerbot said...

Warren that is one scary look!!! LOL!! That was a good laugh. What I love best about walking near water is that you never know who is going to show up. There are always the "regulars" but once in awhile, you get a surprise visitor and that is exciting:)

ShySongbird said...

Greenfinches always look angry to me and they definitely behave that way at my garden feeders, the poor old Goldfinches are completely intimidated by them!

Dull and dreary here...longing for Chiffchaffs...:-)