Friday 9 March 2012

Yesterdays sunshine had been replaced by thick low cloud, making for a very dull and gloomy afternoon. It wasn't the type of day that you would expect the first spring migrant to turn up, and so it proved, however a few of the winter birds were still around. There were two REDWING in the Alpaca enclosure at the Small Holding, along with small numbers of GREENFINCH and CHAFFINCH, plus a GREEN WOODPECKER, which I tried to get a photo of, but they turned out rubbish and you wouldn't want to see them.....you would? Ok then, but be warned  :-)
Green Woodpecker
Green Woodpecker - Female possibly
Further on another two Green Woodpeckers were seen, and 4 FIELDFARE flew over calling. As I entered the Wet Woods GREAT TITS were calling, and GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER drummed, more Chaffinch flew up from a wet area, but much scanning of them didn't find that much wanted Brambling for the year list. I checked the pools of water deeper into the wood and was pleased to see a drake TEAL on one, it may of been the one with the two females, seen recently, but I didn't want to crash through the woods and flush it off just to find out  :-)

Over on the lakes there was a bit of a surprise with the COOT numbers again, the original pair were still present, as was the third bird that arrived yesterday, but I was well happy to see that a fourth bird had arrived, that makes it the highest Coot count for the eleven years of watching these lakes!  Also seen were the CORMORANT, last seen here on the 6th, two pairs of MALLARD, and 5 MOORHENS, a flyover by 3 GREYLAG GEESE was also noted.
Coot, one of a record breaking four birds that were present this afternoon
Moving off to the Tree Nursery and into the cool wind, it felt quite miserable under the grey skies, in which a SPARROWHAWK was seen circling, nothing much was among the young trees and shrubs, just the MAGPIES and the odd SONGTHRUSH, WREN and DUNNOCK. The nearby Greenhouse Complex was equally as miserly with the birds, but the KESTREL was seen again, after going missing since the 2nd.I did some long distance scanning of the fence lines and paddocks at Migrant Alley, hoping for a Wheatear or maybe a Stonechat, but it was a bit of a long shot today.
Below are the last of the photo's I took from the garden yesterday, amazing what difference a bit of light makes, and a more co-operative subject of course!   :-)
STARLING
Starling


14 comments:

Rohrerbot said...

Thank you Warren for posting those pictures of the Starling. I really think this bird is quite beautiful. The Green Woodpecker shots are really fun. I'm ready for work to be finished today:)

Warren Baker said...

Rohrerbot,
I'm glad you liked the Starlings, they are fantastic birds all round. Unfortunatley there are still some ''olde worlde'' people over here who cosider them pests :-)

I'm always ready for work to finish!!!

Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safaris said...

A grainy shot of a green pecker on my patch would be a real boon Warren, Only ever been one and I missed it by days!
Enjoy the weekend, looks like you've got some warm weather coming.

Cheers

Davo

Millhouse Photography said...

Hi Warren

Thanks four analysis re. the Sand Owl question - yes I think vole hunting on the beach would be a long-shot!

Brilliant to have a Green Woodpecker - I'd love to have one round here - great birds and your shots are nice mate.

ShySongbird said...

I don't think the Green Woodpecker shots are rubbish at all Warren especially as the light wasn't the best.

Good news on the Coots, you'll be needing both hands to count them on at this rate ;-)

The first photo, in particular, of the Starling shows what lovely birds they are. The sunlight on the plumage really shows that, another very intelligent and sometimes much maligned bird of course.

Greenie said...

Warren ,
To break a record on a day like today is really something .
And for it to involve Coots , need I say more .

Warren Baker said...

Davo,
the rate the Green peckers are spreading it wont be long before you're taking your own grainy photo's of 'em :-)

Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safaris said...

Like Christian says, it's a long way to our nearest ones.

Cheers

D

Phil said...

Any Green Woody pics are worth getting Warren.
Well done with the Coot invasion.

Warren Baker said...

Hi Songbird,
Always such kind comments :-) I'm never happy with my photo's, but I can see how they have improved over the years.

PS Have all your winter thrushes moved on yet ?

Warren Baker said...

Greenie,
If the Coot pair breed, they may well stay on patch, but if they fail to breed successfully, as they did last year, they will soon move on, and I'll be ''Cootless'' for months on end :-(

ShySongbird said...

I haven't seen a Winter Thrush in the usual places for a couple of weeks now Warren, not that I've been as often as I would like.

Marc Heath said...

A record breaking Coot day. We are all happy in our little ways, well captured on the Starling shots.

Anonymous said...

Eyes to the skies, Warren. I found out last night that there were a couple of Sand Martins through, up here last week.