Sunday 28 February 2016

A cold NE wind blew a few light showers across the area this morning, which remained overcast and chilly, the chilliest it has felt all winter in fact.

In contrast to yesterdays excellent visit, todays walk was rather uninspiring, the highlight was finding that the 3 GOOSANDER seen on the lakes yesterday, had increased to four, 2 males and 2 females. The MUTE SWAN pair, the lone COOT, 4 CANADA GEESE and a few MALLARDS and MOORHENS made up the rest of what was on the water.

Out of the wind, in the Wet Woods and Scrubby Woods, the likes of TREECREEPER, NUTHATCH, COAL TIT, LONG TAILED TIT, GOLDCREST, BULLFINCH, STOCK DOVE, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, GREEN WOODPECKER and JAY were all seen well, the trees and vegetation are at there barest now, so finding these scarcer species is made that bit easier!

Out on the fields of Ashes Lane and Migrant Alley, very little was braving the cold north wind, just the FIELDFARE and REDWING, plus a flock of 30-40 STARLING were seen, the only Gulls recorded today were flyovers, those being LESSER BLACK BACKED, HERRING and BLACK HEADED GULL. Not one raptor was seen today though.

Just one visit left for the month now to try and increase the February species total, which at 64 is in joint 6th place out of the 15 Februaries recorded.

I'm on the last knockings for photo's now, just these Dunnock images left !




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