After a bright and frosty start to the day, cloud soon built up and the wind strengthened, by the time I got home from work this afternoon spits of rain were being blown around by the increasing southerly wind.
I decided to venture out anyway, and paid a short visit to the now ice free lakes via the Tree Nursery, which only provided me with a glimpse of a pair of GOLDCRESTS and a GREEN WOODPECKER. I battled my way through the wind and was relieved to get to the cover that the lakes provide, but was rewarded for my efforts with very little, just 5 MALLARDS, 2 MOORHENS and a CORMORANT sitting atop a bankside tree :-(
As I was seeing very little and hearing even less I called it a day, but not before a quick scan around the pools in the Wet Woods, where the visit was made worthwhile by finding (at last!) a TEAL (68) to add to the years list, a superb drake :-)
Teal are found here in the Wet Woods in most winters, they can arrive as early as September, and stay as late as April, but records are getting increasingly scarce now, mostly due to disturbance from the off leash dogs. Lets hope this Teal stays and attracts a few more down :-)
Todays record of the Teal brings the months list to 68, this is equal to the best ever January species total achieved in both 2009 and 2011, so ive got 3 more afternoon visits to set a new January record, although tomorrow looks though it could be a washout :-(
No photo's from this afternoon, and the 'blog photo folder' has run dry again - the only dry thing around here at the moment!
6 comments:
Well done on finding the Teal, a nice addition to the list!!
Exactly the same weather conditions up here Warren.
Well done on the Teal Warren :-)
We have very high winds and heavy downpours.
Good that the Teal made your visit all worth while Warren, but don't talk to me about off lead mutts please.
Well done with the Teal and your total so is a great start to the year.
Warren.
Up unTeal today you only had 67 species now your on 68 good luck with the last 3 days.
Post a Comment