Friday 12 April 2013

Shower after shower passed through the area today, one every few minutes meant that it rarely stopped raining all day, that combined with a dental visit mid morning meant little patch visiting was done today.

A wet hour was spent out first thing though, but as yesterday, it soon became apparent I was wasting my time again as far as finding any new spring arrivals  :-(  I made it to the College Grounds without getting too wet, and heard a bit of spring song from the likes of TREECREEPER, GOLDCREST, COAL TIT and CHIFFCHAFF. A heavy down pour soon had me looking for cover, but there was none with the trees still being leafless, all I could do was press myself into a yew hedge and wait for the rain to pass, I did see both KESTREL and SPARROWHAWK whilst I waited though  :-)

The rain passed, but the next down pour could be seen hot on its heels heading in from the south west, so I headed for home, re crossing Migrant Alley as I went, where a passage of MEADOW PIPITS flew over the Sheep pasture, 2 , 2 , 4 , 4 then 6 birds were noted in quick succession, a FIELDFARE ''chacked'' as it flew over, and a few minutes later a CORMORANT also passed over.

The rain started up again as I reached the Greenhouse Grounds, and once again I did my best to shelter from the rain, this time as I waited I noted a pair of BULLFINCH nearby, and a SKYLARK sang as it flew North, two COMMON BUZZARDS flew low over and headed towards the Wet Woods.

Whilst at home, I was just getting ready to go out to the dentist, when I saw a BLACKCAP (63) feeding on my garden 'Blog Log' Not the first one seen this year, as I had an overwintering individual back in February, but this one was no doubt a spring arrival, the latest I have had to wait for a spring Blackcap by 3 days. I grabbed the Camera and took a few shots, then realised there was another one on the fat feeder! Both the birds were males, I think it just goes to show how few insects there are out there when I get two birds on my feeders!

Two more attempts were made to get out this afternoon, but all I got was wet!

I just hope it stays dry tomorrow morning, for my Full patch Walk, when hopefully something will turn up for the year list, a Cuckoo is imminent, and maybe a passage Willow warbler will be heard to sing  :-)
Male Blackcap
Male Blackcap
Female GREENFINCH


9 comments:

Marc Heath said...

Hirundines are arriving in good numbers now but I've only heard of 1 Cuckoo in Kent. The weekend should deliver a few more new birds.

Anonymous said...

Good luck this weekend Warren, I hope you get plenty of spring migrants on your patch as you deserve it after all the rotten weather you've had to endure recently.

PS. Hope the dental appointment wasn't too painful !

Warren Baker said...

Marc,
Cuckoo's are very punctual here, they have always been recorded in the 6 day window of the 13th to the 18th of April for the last 11 years :-)

Warren Baker said...

David,
It only hurt when I had to pay for the treatment!! :-)

Alan Pavey said...

2 Blackcaps! It must nearly be spring now :-)

Warren Baker said...

aye Alan, its coming, kicking and screaming!

ShySongbird said...

Lovely captures of the Blackcaps Warren. I couldn't get a decent photo of the ones in my garden this year. The weather has been the same here, April showers I suppose but we could do without it.

Warren Baker said...

I got lucky with the Blackcap Songbird, it appeared with one of the few bright spells of the day!

Anonymous said...

Good luck for the weekend, Warren.