Sunday 15 February 2009

Conditions had changed from yesterday, instead of frosty sunnny weather, it was dull and dank, but at least there was very little wind. The birds recorded were much the same as yesterday, but a WOODCOCK disturbed from a different part of the tree nursery, early on, was nice addition to the days list. The feeding flock in the wet woods had diminished in size, as well as the number of species in it, just GOLDCREST, LONG TAILED, BLUE and GREAT TITS as well as a single TREECREEPER were seen. Very few SISKIN were seen today anywhere, just the odd pair about in the Alders by the lake, where just MALLARD, MOORHEN and CANADA GEESE were present. In the wild bird crop, at the western end of ashes lane, there were again a large flock of YELLOWHAMMER and REEDBUNTING, the latter were now up to 30+ in number, incredible for my patch! I spent the last 45 minutes of my outing sitting and skywatching over at Migrant Alley, as I sat, FIELDFARE and REDWING were dropping in onto the Maize stubbles, their numbers built up to around 150, but something spooked them all up, and they left for another field, maybe it was the COMMON BUZZARD that scared them all, my first to be seen this month, it gave some good views as it soared over the fields. The months total now stands at 63, the same as last February, which was the highest ever Feb. count, so I could well be in for another record breaking month.

After dinner this afternoon, I scanned over the fields to the front of the house, hoping to add Common Buzzard to the February Garden Bird Count, I wound up the scope to its full zoom, and over on the horizon I saw not 1 but 3 Buzzards soaring high, excellent addition to the list - 39 now!

Above is the Common Buzzard, being pestered by a crow, over Migrant Alley


The JAY above and the COAL TIT below were in my garden this afternoon



6 comments:

NW Nature Nut said...

Is it just me or are your birds just more colorful there? That jay sure is striking!

Ken. said...

Hi Warren.
Well done with the Buzzards, As you say, not 1 but 3, and from home. Now that's what I call a great garden tick. Nice pics as usual.
About the Goldcrests with rings. I have one here that does have a metal ring on it's left, and a blue plastic ring on it's left.
The other one only has a yellow plastic ring on it's right.

Steve said...

A nice collection for today, I got nothing. Excellent photos.

Phil and Mandy said...

Lovely photo of that Jay mate.
We had a good day today 44 species inc Tawny Owl (heard only).

Steve said...

well done with the Buzzards Warren....and the Woodcock, there was another one flushed from New Hythe today....but not by me!! grrrr.

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Warren: I'm sure if I saw the Coal Tit I would have called it a Black Capped Chickadee. They look the same.