Monday 19 March 2012

View from the Tree Nursery looking North, across Migrant Alley
Once the early morning frost had melted away, the rest of the day was warm, with pleasant spells of sunshine, more cloud bubbled up for my afternoon patch visit, but it was still very nice out. I decided not to visit the lake area today, instead I had a look around the Tree Nursery and Migrant Alley, maybe an early spring Migrant might turn up ?

I gave the Tree Nursery a good look through, but only found a couple of pairs of BLUE and GREAT TITS, as well as 4 GREEN WOODPECKERS, plus at least 8 SONGTHRUSH flew out of one of the rows of Laurel bushes, with 2 BLACKBIRDS.  WREN, DUNNOCK, ROBIN and MAGPIE made up the rest of what was seen here.

The fence lines and posts at Migrant Alley were first scanned from a distance, and then visited close up, inspecting the short turf of the paddocks as I went,  hoping for a Wheatear or maybe a Stonechat ( more likely the former) but it wasn't to be, however, I did get a new species for the year, when a pair of RED LEGGED PARTRIDGES (75, 63) flew up from the boundary that meets the Greenhouse Complex, not a common species here at all, out of the last five years they have been recorded in just one of the months of 2007, 2008, and 2009, they weren't recorded at all in 2010, and last year they were only found in November and December.

I ended the visit with my usual skywatch, which produced 3 MEADOW PIPITS heading NW, a STOCK DOVE going N, and a SPARROWHAWK up hunting, plus two very distant 'off patch'' Buzzards ( yes Mike Buzzards!)  Apart from those it was just a case of watching the local Corvids, WOODPIGEONS and the flock of 30-40 BLACK HEADED GULLS.
Blackbird (Male)

GREENFINCH at garden feeder



9 comments:

Fylde Amphibian & Reptile Group said...

Can't find our Red Legs or Greys at the mo Warren.

Cheers

Davo

Stewart said...

Hi Warren, your view isnt so bad? Maybe not like the uplands but our lowlands look pretty similar. The moor in my pic is about 12 miles from my house on the coast. Thast the beauty of North Northumberland, high moorland to sand dunes and mudflats in a morning!
On partridges, we have a pair of Greys looking for nest sites around our garden at the minute. Sometimes they stand on our wall looking at the kitchen window. Red legs are quite rare here. I see one maybe once a year if I'm lucky...

Warren Baker said...

Stewart,
My scenic photo was taken at such an angle as to hide the roads ! :-)

I like the remoteness of that shot you took of the moors, I can imagine not seeing anyone there all day, no helicopters, light aircraft,jets, microlights, lawnmowers, chainsaws, kids, yappy dogs......... the wife's coming up to your area in August, see what the propery prices are like :-)

Marc Heath said...

Nice one with the Red Legs, a tricky species for you from what I have read.

Phil said...

A couple of Sand Martins reported at New Hythe at the weekend Warren, so keep 'em peeled. Not much chance of a red legged down there though!

Rohrerbot said...

Trapped today with house chores....I just rained and snowed in the desert all day long. It was crazy. So I fed my birds twice to prepare for a very cold night tonight. That view is really nice IMHO:)

ShySongbird said...

I don't remember seeing that nice view before Warren. Well done with the RLPs!

My favourite today is the Greenfinch.

Warren Baker said...

Hi Songbird
I'm running out of angles now for scenic views of my patch :-)

Stewart said...

Hi Warren, you are right, we didnt see anyone at all nor heard a thing except Skylarks and honking Ravens! You should come with your missus and I can give you a local tour...