Saturday 26 January 2008


A 5 hour walk round my patch today was very productive, despite the strong, cool westerly wind. A KESTREL hunted just before the golf course, where 11 GREY LAG GEESE flew over. At the lake area there were 27 MALLARD, a GREY HERON and 5 CORMORANT. The Little Grebe kept out of site, if it was there at all. A MARSH TIT gave me a photo opportunity just as i entered the wet woodland, where a single female TEAL was found. On the footpath just the otherside of the woods Celandine was coming into flower, a nice splash of colour at this dull time of year. At migrant alley the sky filled with 100 or so rooks as I walked through, and a couple of hundred winter thrushes fed in the paddocks there. A small group - 15 or 20 SISKIN fed in an alder tree at the streamside. 47 species were recorded, and a further 2, COAL TIT and a superb GREY WAGTAIL were seen in my garden later. The latter was the 50th species to use my garden and n0. 85 for the seen from house list, as well as being the 61st species for the month, a new January high.
Dusk From My Window
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Sky Full Of Rooks AT Migrant Alley

A Welcome Splash Of Colour From The Celandine


Grey Lag Geese Flying Over



Kestrel Hunting




Marsh Tit





Mrs Blackbird






5 comments:

Simon said...

Some great photos Warren. Interesting to see that the Celendine is in flower.

Warren Baker said...

Thanks Simon, spring will soon be upon us - and some great photo opportunities!

Steve said...

That is a very early Celandine Warren. Dont think I have had one before mid Feb. Saw some early Coltsfoot the other other day,

Kingsdowner said...

More good photos Warren - I've cropped the Marsh Tit and put it on my desktop

Warren Baker said...

Steve,
be careful with it - that marsh tit is the only one i've got! I have yet to find any breeding evidence, or indeed see more than 1at any time.