Monday 23 November 2015

There was a slight frost this morning, when some bright skies were enjoyed for a short while.

I undertook another full patch walk today, recording 44 species during the 4 and a half hour visit, which was 4 less than yesterday, however I found 4 species that weren't on yesterdays list, those being a TREECREEPER, seen in the Wet Woods, a CHIFFCHAFF that was in the Ashes Lane Fields, (probably the one seen there on the 20th), a YELLOWHAMMER that was with the mixed feeding flock of SISKIN, LESSER REDPOLL, GREENFINCH, GOLDFINCH and CHAFFINCH at the Greenhouse Grounds, and last but by no means least a COOT (65), yes! At last something has turned up on the lakes! This is the first Coot recorded on the lakes since April  :-) There was also a GREY HERON visiting.

Other highlights included the two raptor species of KESTREL and BUZZARD, plus a GREY WAGTAIL, a couple of MEADOW PIPITS, flyovers from FIELDFARE and SKYLARK, and a singing MISTLETHRUSH.

I took a few images this morning, again, the Redpolls featured, I even had five in my garden this morning, providing me with yet more images for future posts! It's proving a good year for Redpolls  :-)


They have begun to find the sunflower hearts that I put out at the Greenhouse Grounds


They allowed quite a close approach, not minding me as they scoffed !


Not sure how long I can afford to keep the feeding up though!


This Meadow Pipit was at the Greenhouse Grounds too, having a good scratch!



The cocky Sprawk turned up as I photographed the Redpolls at my garden feeders, not what I wanted  :-(

6 comments:

Derek Faulkner said...

Lovely Redpoll photos, very rare bird here on Sheppey and certainly not in gardens.
I did have another rarity fly over though, only the second I've ever seen on Sheppey, a Red Kite.
Lovely sunny day till late afternoon.

Warren Baker said...

Derek,
Red Kites are mainly a spring visitor here. A nice find for you :-)

Plenty more Redpoll images to come yet, they keep the blog going :-)

Lancs and Lakes Outback Adventure Wildlife Safaris said...

Those redpolls are stunners - well done you for providing food. Almost all the hedgerows here have had their berries, inverts and shelter removed in the name of tidiness already:-(
100 pairs of kites in Yorkshire now - still rare in Lancs seems to be little chance of them successfully crossing the Pennines - wonder why?????

Cheers

DaveyMan

Warren Baker said...

Davyman,
to call the 'vegetative strips' here, 'Hedgerows' would take a big stretch of the imagination!

Ken. said...

Warren.
You seem to have Redpolls where ever you look, mind you, mustn't complain, lovely looking bird.
Great photo of the male sprawk.

Warren Baker said...

Ken,
What a change from last year, when I had just one record!!