Tuesday 4 November 2014

Early cloud dispersed during the morning and it became sunny and warm...ish for the time of year.

Whilst the weather was settled, I took the opportunity to do a full patch walk, which despite starting off very unpromising, with very few birds about, I ended up with a good species tally of 48. I found 5 new species for the month, the first of those was a SISKIN (48) which fed on the cones of an evergreen tree over at the lakes, where the second addition to the months list was seen when a GREY WAGTAIL (49) flew over the main lake. Despite the presence of a fly through SPARROWHAWK, there were plenty of BLUE TITS, GREAT TITS, GOLDCRESTS, CHAFFINCH, BULLFINCH and GOLDFINCH around the Scrubby Woods and lakeside edges, with them were single COAL TIT, a couple of GREENFINCH and a NUTHATCH, plus the third addition to the November list, a TREECREEPER (50).

When I crossed the Ashes lane Fields I was dismayed at seeing one of the fields being stripped of its perimeter Bramble and nettle cover, for no other reason than making the field boundary tidier  :-(  The sound of the brush cutter meant little was noted here, or on the adjacent Pub Field.

Over at The Greenhouse Grounds I encountered a flock of 6 LONG TAILED TITS, and watched the KESTREL pair hunting around the greenhouses. The nearby Greenhouse Copse was scanned carefully, and I got lucky when I spotted the first LITTLE OWL (51) of the month.

I was soon on my sky watching seat and the 2 hour vigil provided me with a good few of todays species, with BLACK HEADED GULL, HERRING GULL, ROOK, CARRION CROW, SKYLARK, MEADOW PIPIT, GREYLAG GOOSE, 93 CANADA GEESE with the BARNACLE GOOSE (52) in tow, a GREY HERON, a COMMON BUZZARD and a STOCK DOVE. If the habitat on my patch keeps getting destroyed at the rate it is, I might just as well sit and watch the sky all morning, the landowners / farmers cant destroy that, can they!



 HOUSE SPARROW


5 comments:

Stephen Mills said...

I share your dismay at the way farmers want to tidy things up to the detriment of all our wildlife,Warren.

Derek Faulkner said...

Warren,
Small consolation I know but at least brambles and nettles quickly re-grow the next Spring. One of the good points of having game shooting in an area is that cover such as that is always left through the winter as ground cover for the game birds, it certainly is here on Sheppey.

Warren Baker said...

Stephen,
It seems to happen everywhere, not just on my patch :-(

Warren Baker said...

Derek,
The Nettles and Brambles will try to grow back, but alas, the machines will be back before they do so, unfortunately any insect larva will not grow back and the winter food source has been lost!

Noushka said...

We have the same problem here, not much is left to nature nowadays...
Very sad and silly.Gorgeous sparrow photos Warren!
Strange they don't ever come in my garden, not even in winter! :(