I got out at last this morning for a full patch walk, in overcast and breezy conditions, the going underfoot was unsurprisingly very wet, with most of the footpaths ankle deep in water and mud.
The four hour visit was mostly uneventful, without any major highlights, or any new species for the month being found, in fact a very low daylist of just 38 species were found. In the Wet Woods a small party of maybe 10 LONG TAILED TITS were seen, no doubt the same party that turned up in my garden later in the afternoon. The Lakes had 14 MALLARD and 4 MOORHEN on the water, plus a CORMORANT sitting up in a bankside tree. BULLFINCH, COAL TIT, GOLDCREST and a singing MISTLETHRUSH were the best on offer in the adjacent Scrubby Woods.
The Tree Nursery was full of BLACKBIRDS, SONGTHRUSH, DUNNOCKS, WRENS, ROBINS and 2 each of MEADOW PIPIT and GREEN WOODPECKER, while the nearby Pub Field was totally empty of birds, it did have a huge shallow puddle across it, promising for a few Lapwing or Golden Plover, maybe even a Green Sandpiper - but I fantasize a bit there!
I made my way over to the College Grounds via Migrant Alley, finding the usual ROOK flock, plus a small party of 30-50 STARLINGS. At the College Grounds it was a case of ticking off the regular species that are found here, GOLDFINCH, PIED WAGTAIL, COLLARED DOVE, HOUSE SPARROW, and more unusually for this time of year a couple of LINNETS.
My visit was finished off by a look around the Greenhouse Grounds, but little new was seen here apart from half a dozen SISKIN in the Alders, and the KESTREL PAIR sitting on the rooves of the Greenhouses. Whilst there, flyovers from YELLOWHAMMER, LESSER REDPOLL, HERRING GULL, and BLACK HEADED GULL made the list a little better than it would have been, it was just good to get out today though :-)
The camera stayed at home today, but a few brighter interludes this afternoon allowed for some attempts at photographing some garden birds. Just the usual stuff, although I missed the Siskin that came in !
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| The Green Woodpecker continues to feed on the apples i'm supplying |
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| Green Woodpecker |
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| One of 8 Long Tailed Tits |
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| Coal Tit |
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| BLUE TIT, I counted a minimum 21 at the feeders ! |
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| Robin |
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| One of 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers that came in |
11 comments:
Roll on the summer I think. At least your garden often saves the day.
Marc,
My garden was much busier than out on patch this morning, mind you thats where all the food is!!
Wall to wall sunshine all day here Warren...but sadly nothing of interest in or over the garden :(
21 Blue tits! That's more than I've had all year in the garden here.
All the best
cheers
Davo
Green Woodpecker in your garden Warren..... very jealous... superb pics mate!!
Warren....'just the usual stuff' in the garden then I see a pic of a Green Woodpecker....lucky you, lucky garden.
Looking forward to sharing 2013 with you Warren.
I'm still loving your 'usual' Green Woodpecker Warren :-)
Are you trying to make someone jealous- Long tailed Tit pics in garden?? All the best for Christmas to both of you
Grant
Great photos as always Warren. What's happened to your winter thrushes???
Have a great Christmas mate.
All the best
Jase
Grant,
If it brightens up a bit you can borrow my photographic garden studio :-)
Jase,
The only winter thrushes here now are a few small parties of flyover fieldfare, no berries left on the hedges here, although they might use the sheep pasture late in the winter :-)
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