Friday 6 September 2013

Back on patch this morning after a day out yesterday, and the weather had gone from yesterdays scorching sunshine, to cloudy and dull today, with outbreaks of rain by 10:30hrs.

I was out for a little over 3 hours though, and managed to find 42 species, which is a little below par for a September day, the likes of Songthrush, Long tailed Tit, and Linnet not being seen, as well as the Yellowhammer and Skylark that haven't been seen at all yet this month. I did however find my first MISTLETHRUSH (61) of September, in fact there were 7! All feeding in a harrowed field adjacent to the western end of Ashes lane.

The continued passage of YELLOW WAGTAILS was observed, with 3 on the paddocks at Migrant Alley and at least two fly overs, also on the paddocks and sheep pasture were 300+ STARLINGS, which were put up by a passing SPARROWHAWK.

There are still a few warblers about, at least 3 WHITETHROAT were in the Greenhouse Grounds, along with a couple of CHIFFCHAFF, the Greenhouse Copse had another Whitethroat and Chiffchaff also.

The Scrubby Woods had a minimum of 4 BLACKCAPS, and 2 Chiffchaff, plus the likes of BULLFINCH, TREECREEPER, GOLDCREST and COAL TIT, a male KESTREL was also hunting here, unusual to see one over this side of my patch.

On the lakes the KINGFISHER was seen again, the first time since the 1st of the month, otherwise just 2 MALLARD and around a dozen MOORHENS were the only other wildfowl.

I spent 30 mins back over at Migrant Alley skywatching from my seat there, but in a rain shortened watch not much was seen, a few SWALLOWS and HOUSE MARTINS fed over the sheep pasture before moving on, and a couple of skeins of GREYLAG GEESE went over, HERRING GULLS were the only other passing species seen.

With the poor light and rainy conditions my camera stayed at home, I better get used to not taking it out now the weather is on the change  :-(  I have got a few photo's of the garden birds I took on Wednesday though.
GREENFINCH. There are up to 40 visiting the feeders in my garden
HOUSE SPARROW
House Sparrow and Greenfinch
Another House Sparrow
Immature Starling

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