Overnight rain eased just after dawn, but more showery rain passed through the area for the rest of the day, even giving some hail and thunder at times.
Another short patch visit was had this morning, but it wasn't without some excitement, when a PEREGRINE FALCON (57) was watched as it flew over Migrant Alley, where it put up all the BLACK HEADED GULLS, ROOKS and STARLINGS, turning the normally neat flocks into a scattering of panicked individuals, it was a case of every bird for itself!
I also added LITTLE OWL (58) to the year/month list, one was sitting in the old shack at the Ashes lane Fields, not seen it there since mid December, so it's good to have it back on patch.
A check of the lakes had some interest too, with 4 GOOSANDERS present, 3 of them males, also a KINGFISHER was seen briefly. A flock of 10-15 SISKIN were around the lake edges, feeding in the Alders and Silver Birch, nice to see a few coming back onto my patch again.
A brief look around the Wet Woods and Scrubby Woods provided views of most of the scarcer woodland species, except Long Tailed Tit, but COAL TIT, GOLDCREST, TREECREEPER, NUTHATCH, BULLFINCH, STOCK DOVE, JAY and GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER were all seen well.
No photo's today, just not getting the breaks in the weather! :-(
2 comments:
Fed up with daily wading through mud and water on the reserve, I gave it a miss today and instead went to the Minster beach Shingle Bank, a short walk from my house. There I briefly joined some birders getting very close views of a Shore Lark.
No early morning reserve visit tomorrow morning either as we have a WEBS count there at 13.00.
Derek,
I sympathise with you, the mud here is just unbelievable, we need a good few nights of frost to harden things up!
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