Thursday 25 September 2014

High cloud made the early sunshine very hazy at times this morning, but it was still very pleasant out for my 3 hour patch visit.

The MEADOW PIPIT flock are still using the sheep pasture at Migrant Alley, despite the attentions of two SPARROWHAWKS that were chasing them around, only 4 LINNETS were seen on the adjacent paddocks though.

Meadow Pipit at Migrant Alley,

I was present at the Greenhouse Grounds when the automatic windows opened on the greenhouses, releasing the 15-20 PIED WAGTAILS that roost in them, they were straight away chased by the Sparrowhawks! I stayed a while to chat to the foreman, as we chatted, I heard a YELLOW WAGTAIL fly over, then a GREY WAGTAIL dropped in, saw us, then flew off again!

The KESTREL pair were hunting out on the Ashes Lane Fields this morning, where I also saw a BUZZARD fly out of a lone Oak tree that's there, not surprising not much else was about!

On the Lakes, there was a GREY HERON and a KINGFISHER seen, other than those it was down to checking the MUTE SWAN family, the lone COOT, half a dozen MALLARDS and dozen MOORHENS, Oh for a proper set of lakes ! Whilst there I saw two groups of 6 - 8 SWALLOWS fly over.

Checking the Scrubby Woods I found the only two CHIFFCHAFFS of the day, plus a few singing GOLDCRESTS, a COAL TIT and a NUTHATCH called, while unusually, a pair of BULLFINCH gave me some good binocular views   :-)

An hours sky watching from my seat at Migrant Alley was not too productive, I was hoping for my first Yellowhammer of the month to fly over, or maybe a Peregrine to add to the months list, but none were seen. I did see 4 more Buzzards up together, plus more sightings of both the Kestrels and the SPARROWHAWKS. A few HERRING GULLS flew over, as did a pair of CORMORANTS, also a few more Swallows flew through, but only in one's and two's. It was good to hear a few calling SKYLARKS as they passed through, groups of 15, 6 and 3 flew over heading SW.

Immature Herring Gull


2 comments:

Marc Heath said...

You must have a chance of a Honey Buzzard surely one day mixing with those Common Buzzards. Have you seen this species on your patch?

Warren Baker said...

Marc,
Honey Buzzard is not on my patch list as yet! I keep scanning those ''normal'' Buzzards but I cant even 'string' one of those :-)