Tuesday 30 September 2014

The cloud came and went during the last patch visit of the month, when some drizzly showers fell mid morning, but when the sun did come out it felt very warm  :-)

With this months species tally on 78, the joint best September tally of the 13 years of recording on my patch, my aim this morning was to try to find just one more new species, the most likely of those would be a Yellowhammer, they used to be on every months list!

I made a four and a half hour full patch walk and recorded 48 species, but alas, the Yellowhammer was not among them, nor was there any other new species to add to the month, so close, but no cigar!

Of the summer species recorded today, just 1 SWALLOW, 4 CHIFFCHAFF and a flock of 20+ HOUSE MARTINS were seen, hopefully some of these will stay around for next months list. The MEADOW PIPIT flock at Migrant Alley had reduced in size, 20-30 were present today, 12 LINNETS and around 50 STARLINGS were also on the sheep pasture and paddocks there.

A LITTLE OWL was heard to call from a large garden next to the Ashes Lane Field, where a flock of LONG TAILED TITS moved along the hedgerow bordering the Pub Field, 2 of todays Chiffchaff being among them.

The Wet Woods, Scrubby Woods and lakes provided most of the species seen today, the best of those being GREAT SPOTTED and GREEN WOODPECKERS, JAY, STOCK DOVE, COAL TIT, BULLFINCH, NUTHATCH, GOLDCREST, MISTLETHRUSH, SONGTHRUSH, Chifchaff and KINGFISHER.

I arrived at Migrant Alley for my end of visit sky watch, but before taking my seat I scanned the fence lines and hedgerows, where I was elated to find a pair of STONECHATS! They weren't there earlier! Having this species take this Septembers list to an all time high would have been just perfect, they are so seldom seen here, but i'd already seen the one on the 22nd  :-)

My sky watch had a few bits and pieces to be enjoyed, with the already mentioned Swallow and House Matrins, I saw a few SKYLARKS flying SW, a GREY WAGTAIL flyover and alight in the Greenhouse Grounds, as has at least one done all month, three gull species were seen, BLACK HEADED, LESSER BLACK BACKED and HERRING GULL, while a single BUZZARD and a single KESTREL represented the raptors today.

The male of the Stonechat pair at Migrant alley today. It would great to have them stay for the October list!

Not much else for the camera out on my patch today though, but yet again this afternoon a SPARROWHAWK gave me good views in my garden, so I just had to take another few images!





Here's a close up of the businesses end !

7 comments:

Marc Heath said...

Wow. Would love to get some photos of a Sprawk like these. No doubt your other birds are fed up of it.

Warren Baker said...

Marc,
''FED'' up with it! good choice of words, the sprawk is waring a bit thin with me too now, I have only used half the amount of bird seed this month, the finches are leaving in droves!!

Pete Woodruff said...

A Stonechat at Migrant Alley Warren, and the photograph....WOW twice!

Mike H said...

Terrific Sprawk shots Wareen would love some like that. Is this the same bird that visits or have you more than one ?

Mike H said...

Oops sorry about the name mispell Warren, rather late !!

Warren Baker said...

Mike,
It's the same Sprawk making the visits, I've had to remove most of my feeders now so the finches disperse a bit!

Warren Baker said...

Pete,
Two Stonechsts, two!! :-)