In the better weather conditions I got round for a full patch walk, where in the 4 hour visit I tallied up 48 species, which could have easily exceeded 50 had the Bullfinch, Pheasant, Meadow Pipit and Yellowhammer been seen, all of which have been around recently.
I was pleased to find the first 4 LINNETS (63) of the month in the Greenhouse Grounds early in the visit, always a sign of spring when this species arrives on my patch, the the months list is now the joint 7th highest February total, joint with 2008.
Another highlight of the visit was finding the 3 regular raptor species to be seen on my patch, the KESTREL pair that were hunting over Ashes Lane and the Greenhouse Grounds, athe SPARROWHAWK that flew over the Ashes Lane Fields, plus no less then 5 BUZZARDS that were up soaring over Migrant Alley.
I got a snatched flight shot of each species, but I wont be keeping of them!
Common Buzzard
Sparrowhawk
Kestrel
The female Kestrel perched nicely for me later :-)
Over at the lakes the CANADA GEESE and GREYLAG GOOSE with its hybrid family were arguing noisily, plus the MUTE SWAN pair, the lone COOT and the usual MALLARD and MOORHENS were present.
Other highlights were ; LESSER REDPOLLS at the Small Holding area, 100 or so FIELDFARES on the paddocks at Migrant Alley, along with 4 REDWING, plus flyovers from a singing SKYLARK, a few SISKIN, PIED WAGTAIL and HERRING GULLS.
As there have been a lack of ''blog brighteners'' recently I'll post a couple more......
Ive got lots of NUTHATCH images, but this pose is different :-)
A more usual pose
4 comments:
Certainly a much better day than yesterday but with a hard frost due tonight and the first frog spawn in my pond, I'm not hopeful of it surviving the inevitable freezing over of the pond.
Glad to see that you finally got your linnets Warren.
Derek,
As has been the case the last few years, the winter months go by virtually ''winter weather'' free then spring comes in cold and wintery!
Cheers Mike,
Hopefully a few will breed here again this year :-)
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