Tuesday 18 June 2013

It was considerably warmer for my patch visit this morning, but low cloud soon moved in, and it became dull and humid for the rest of the day.
View from the bean fields at the new part of my patch
I visited most parts of my patch today, in a four hour walk, mainly trying to find evidence of successful breeding from the local birds, and I was reasonably successful in that. Sightings of a JACKDAW fledgling at the Greenhouse Grounds, early on in the walk, was the 30th species for the breeding list so for this year, it even gave me a chance of a distant photo  :-)
Recently fledged Jackdaw
Not long after the Jackdaw, I added COMMON WHITETHROAT to the years breeding list, when a family were seen flitting from one of the broad bean fields to a small Oak tree, on the new part of my patch. My good fortune continued as I walked along High House Lane, when a recently fledged MAGPIE was seen on the telephone wires, being attended by one of the adult birds.

The final newly fledged species seen this morning was a GOLDFINCH, spied along Ashes Lane, later in the day I took this record photo of a young Goldfinch, in some poor light, at my garden feeders, along with an immature GREENFINCH - in equally poor lighting unfortunately  :-(
New fledged Goldfinch
Immature Greenfinch
So a good haul of species to join this years patch breeding list, but nothing new was added to the months list, I cant expect much more for that now. Other highlights from the total of 46 species seen today were ; Flyovers from the KESTREL pair and a SPARROWHAWK, and seeing two LITTLE OWLS hanging around the old shack at the ashes lane field, with a third heard calling from the Small Holding area. A TURTLE DOVE was heard singing again from the Scrubby Woods, where COAL TIT,  BLACKCAP and CHIFFCHAFF also sang. On the lakes today there were 20 CANADA GEESE, with 2 sets of different aged youngsters, and a pair of GREYLAG GEESE with their four youngsters, the COOTS were also with their 3 young, but the only other water birds seen were a single MOORHEN and a single MALLARD.

Still got a few photo's from the weekend to put on, so here's a few more of the SWALLOW family :-)
Swallow feeding young
Swallow feeding young
Swallow feeding young
Swallow feeding young
Swallow feeding young
Swallow feeding young



7 comments:

Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safaris said...

Crackin Swallow pics again Warren - very envious!

Cheers

DaveyMan

Ken. said...

Warren.
Sorry that I haven't been posting on your blog very often.
Todays total of 46 is a pretty good days walk. It is nice to hear Turtle Doves singing especially on your own patch knowing how scarce they are.
Great sequence of Swallow photo's.

Warren Baker said...

Cheers Davyman!!

Warren Baker said...

Thanks Ken
You pop over over to my blog when you feel like it mate, its not compulsory viewing LoL!

Stephen Mills said...

Some nice shots of fledglings, Warren.
Great to see so many on your patch!

Stephen Mills said...

Some nice shots of fledglings, Warren.
Great to see so many on your patch!

Jason K said...

It's encouraging to see all those young birds Warren. great photos too mate!