Friday 21 November 2014

This morning the sky was a uniformly dull grey and with a bit more of a breeze than on recent visits it felt a bit chilly.

I'm still hoping to add just one more new species to the months list, but it is a stiff challenge, especially as the weather is not really very wintery, limiting any chance of a flyover rarity, but I am still hopeful of finding a Mandarin Duck on the lakes, or a Lapwing flying over.

It was this that enthused me to get out this morning, but as my walk progressed I slowly came to realise that I wasn't going to get that new species today. I found some bits and pieces of interest though, FIELDFARES continue to fly through, with flocks of 13, 10 and 150, also three more REDPOLLS flew over. GOLDCRESTS were the most audible birds this morning, the Scrubby Woods and lake edges were full of both the calls and song from them, at least a dozen birds were present. A flock of 8 LONG TAILED TITS almost matched the noise of the Goldcrests, a couple of COAL TITS, a NUTHATCH and a BULLFINCH pair were loosely associating with the Long Tailed Tits, but there was no Treecreeper today.

A CORMORANT circled over the lakes, but flew off when it saw me, just the KINGFISHER was of any note on the water today.

I watched a COMMON BUZZARD move from fence post to fence post at the Ashes Lane Fields, where just 2 MEADOW PIPITS were seen.

The KESTREL pair were hunting around the Greenhouse Grounds disturbing the GOLDFINCH flock, with which I also found the lone LINNET again.

Not much to report for the morning then, but tomorrow may be totally different and I might just get that flyover Lapwing or Mandarin duck I need to equal the record November species tally  ;-)

Ive still got a few garden bird images left to brighten the posts, but they are running out fast now, here's a series of the  BLUE TIT feeding on a sunflower seed  :-)







2 comments:

Wilma said...

beautiful photos of the sweet blue tit. Here's hoping you get your bird tomorrow!

Pete Woodruff said...

Excellent set of the Blue Tit complete with seed between its toes, showing to good effect how clever these birds are in your images Warren.