I took another lot of Sunflower hearts over to the boundary hedgerow at the Greenhouse Grounds first thing this morning, when I arrived I saw 4 PHEASANTS along the hedgerow, I dont want them eating all the seed! There were also plenty of finches about, I tried to get a count of the numbers for each species, but as they swirled around in the wind, it proved a hopeless task, however, I recorded minimum numbers, these were; 35-40 LESSER REDPOLL, 15 SISKIN, 15 GOLDFINCH, 12 GREENFINCH, 12 CHAFFINCH, 3 LINNET and 3 YELLOWHAMMERS. Also around the grounds were SONGTHRUSH, GREEN WOODPECKER, and PIED WAGTAIL of note, but I didn't see the female Kestrel today.
A scan of the adjacent paddocks and sheep pasture at Migrant Alley was made, where at least 250 BLACK HEADED GULLS were feeding, I was busy looking through them, checking for a possible Med Gull, when a dog walker walked through, flushing them all up. As I watched them all swirling around the windy sky, I saw 5 FIELDFARE fly through.
I headed off to the Lakes shortly after, once again I found at least 8 MEADOW PIPITS on the Ashes Lane Field as I walked through. As is usually the case, the only ducks on the lakes were MALLARDS, a few MOORHENS were also about, plus a visiting GREY HERON fished on the small lake. A CORMORANT flew low over, but decided against coming down to fish.
The wind roaring through the trees and bushes at the Scrubby Woods made it hopeless to pick up bird calls, just a small gathering of BLUE and GREAT TITS were found there, along with 2 GOLDCRESTS. The walk home through the Small holding area was pretty uneventful, except for a BUZZARD that flew low over.
Goldcrest - I took this photo this afternoon in my garden, don't be fooled by the apparent sunshine, it was a fleeting glimpse! :-)
This ROBIN was also in my garden
As was this female GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER............................
..........................along with a male, shame about the poor light :-(
Of course, it wasn't long before Mr Sprawk came along!
Shame the light was so poor again, in better conditions I could get some really cracking shots of him. At least I have stuck an apple on that screw, but i'm not sure it helps the photo at all!
5 comments:
Just finished the second Harrier Roost count of this winter where I had a ringtail Hen Harrier go in to roost just as it got dark.
Nice of you to fatten up the pheasants for the local shoot.
Derek, Just one ring tail ? A sad decline for this species.
I wont be fattening up any Pheasants, I'll take a feeder up and hang it in the bush! Bloody irresponsible to put so many Pheasants out in the countryside, they must get through a large percentage of the passerines natural resources, but at least they make good Buzzard fodder when they get run over :-)
I see you did put an apple over the offending screw!
So cynical Warren.
Yes, just the one HH, around 20 years ago we could get up to 20 going into roost - sad times.
Wilma,
Yes I did, not sure the apple works in these images though, LoL
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