Saturday 23 August 2014

It was good to see so many finches at my garden feeders first thing this morning, with a minimum of 22 GREENFINCH, 14 GOLDFINCH and 12 CHAFFINCH devouring the sunflower hearts at an alarming rate!

My patch beckoned though and I set off out in some early morning sunshine for a walk around Migrant Alley and the Greenhouse Grounds, where a few nice birds were found. The Greenhouse Grounds had a BLACKCAP, a CHIFFCHAFF and two BULLFINCH feeding in the same Elder tree, with 4 WHITETHROAT feeding in some nearby brambles.

Out on the pasture and paddocks of Migrant Alley, migrants were fewer than recent days, but a YELLOW WAGTAIL was seen out among the horses, with another heard, then seen flying over later in the walk. Another WHEATEAR was seen sitting on a fence line, but it didn't stay long and flew off high to the south, not to be seen again. A HOBBY flashed through, upsetting all the SWALLOWS and two KESTRELS were up hunting over the area.

Making my way across the nearby Ashes lane Fields, I watched at least 4 SAND MARTINS and 8 HOUSE MARTINS flying in amongst the Swallows, the drainage ditch that runs the length of the fields was home to another 2 Whitethroat, plus a family of DUNNOCKS.

I had a quick look around the Scrubby Woods and lakes today, but little of note was found, a Chiffchaff had found its song, as had a GOLDCREST, both NUTHATCH and TREECREEPER were heard to call, as was another Bullfinch and a Blackcap gave some quiet sub-song. The lakes were home only to the regulars today, those being the MUTE SWAN family, the COOT pair, at least a dozen MOORHEN and 2 MALLARDS.

I was soon back over at my seat at Migrant Alley, watching the sky, but it was rather quiet today, a SPARROWHAWK was seen up hunting, and 4 BUZZARDS were interacting low over the Wooded Headland to the north of the paddocks, eventually alighting in an Oak tree there. A string of HERRING GULLS went over, but apart from a few local PIED WAGTAILS, LINNETS, GOLDFINCHES, and lots more Swallows not much else was noted.

A few images from this morning.......

Immature STARLING

ROBIN

Common Darter


4 comments:

Marc Heath said...

You seem to be doing very well with the 7d. Assume you rate this quite highly. This is my next wish...... at some point!!

Warren Baker said...

Marc,
I think the 50D is just as good as the 7D. I only got the 7D because of a fault on the 50D.

I dont think the 7D gives such a clean image when using a higher ISO than 400, I reckon the 50D was better in that respect, cant fault the 7D in any other way though :-)

Pete Woodruff said...

We had just two Greenfinch recently Warren, a MEGA record for our garden, and I don't recall the last time I saw anything like twenty two up here in't north.

Warren Baker said...

Hi Pete,
Most of the Greenfinch's here were immature birds, let's hope they survive the winter.