Tuesday 22 September 2015

Continuous and at times heavy rain fell throughout the morning and into the afternoon, a truly atrocious Autumn day !

I managed just a short patch visit of a little over an hour, in which I walked a circuit of Migrant Alley and checked part of the Greenhouse Grounds, the latter having 2 CHIFFCHAFFS and a BLACKCAP of note, as well as the resident KESTREL sitting on the greenhouses.

Although wet, my circuit of Migrant Alley was rather productive, with a large mixed flock of hirundines sitting on one of the fence lines, obviously grounded by the weather, for I cant see why on earth they would want to delay leaving the country any longer! I counted 122 SWALLOWS, 37 HOUSE MARTINS and 2 SAND MARTINS, plus more birds flying about the place too.

300 meters away on another paddock fence line, I saw a bedraggled WHEATEAR, in the company of 3 GOLDFINCH and 5 LINNETS, at least 6 MEADOW PIPITS were also seen in the adjacent sheep pasture.

A couple of BLACK HEADED GULLS flew over whilst I was there, plus a few large skeins of GREYLAG GEESE flew over again, probably over 100 birds in all, but I didn't feel like counting them as the rain lashed down again. Not a bad hour out though  :-)

Just one image left in the 'blog photo folder',  tomorrow looks to be a brighter day, hopefully I can restock it it with photo's  :-)


BLACKBIRD

6 comments:

Ken. said...

Warren.
As you say "Not a bad hour". What is the latest that you have had hirundines leave your patch, also what happened to your Peregrines, did they disappear after all that work on the tower, I have got that right, haven't I?

Noushka said...

Lovely photo of this young Blackbird!
I hope you are enjoying good weather, here temperatures have dropped dramatically at night!
Keep well :)

Kelly said...

...with the weather you're having, you made me chuckle with this comment: "I cant see why on earth they would want to delay leaving the country any longer." Hope the sun comes out tomorrow for you!

Warren Baker said...

Ken,
The latest house martin record I have for my patch is the 22nd October,that was in 2006, the latest Swallow I have recorded was in 2012,when one was seen on November 2nd and the latest Swift i have recorded here was the 2nd October, that was in the year 2010.

Warren Baker said...

Kelly,
Then sun has shone today!

Warren Baker said...

Ken,
I forgot to say, The Peregrines do occasionally use the Tower still, but not nearly as much as they did when it was a ruin! :-)