Friday 2 October 2015

Another day of sunshine, but without the NE wind it felt much warmer today  :-)


Sheep pasture at Migrant Alley. Not quite as tranquil as it seems, there's a new school being built 50 meters to the left, plus a rugby pitch being built in the background shadows  :-(

Four hours out on my patch this morning provided a few more species for the October list, most of them the common regulars that were missed on yesterdays visit, like PHEASANT (46), 2 were seen on the Ashes Lane Field, LONG TAILED TIT (47) a party of at least 6 were seen at the Small holding area where a STOCK DOVE (48) also flew over, plus MALLARD (49) of which 6 had returned to the lakes. A GREY HERON (50) was also at the lakes bringing the months list up to the 50 mark.

More notable additions for the month were a LITTLE OWL (51) that called repeatedly from the Wooded Headland to the north of Migrant Alley, plus two real bonus species for October, WHINCHAT (52) and YELLOW WAGTAIL (53) both were at Migrant Alley, it's not too unusual to record the odd Yellow Wagtail into October, the latest date I have for them is the 19th, the Whinchat has turned up in three previous Octobers, with the latest being on the 10th.

Other noteworthy bits seen today were the hundreds of GREYLAG and CANADA GEESE flying over again, plus the SISKIN / GOLDFINCH flock numbering 40-50 birds were feeding at the Greenhouse Grounds, where a GREY WAGTAIL was once again by the water intake area, making it a ''three wagtail species day''

The 3 resident raptor species were all up hunting, KESTREL, SPARROWHAWK and BUZZARD, but little else flew over of note today, SKYLARK, MEADOW PIPIT, HERRING GULL and MISTLETHRUSH were the pick of what did.

There was not a sniff of chance to photograph the Whinchat, it was far too wary, but I got a few other images to brighten the post..............


Greylag Geese


ROBIN


Yet more Siskins !!


Just look at that lovely blue sky!



Common Buzzard

7 comments:

Wilma said...

The siskins are charmers, for sure. Great buzzard shot, too.

Marc Heath said...

Cracking Siskin shots again, the light is quite tricky by the looks of it but you have done nicely here.

Derek Faulkner said...

No big new housing estates or solar panel farms yet Warren, you're doing well so far, that's what many of us have suffered.
Loving your Siskin shots. My favourite bird was always the Greenfinch but I think the Siskin's overtaken it now.

Warren Baker said...

Thanks Wilma,
How long can this fine weather go on for, i'm trying to stock up on blog photo's for when it gets wet ans windy again :-)

Warren Baker said...

Cheers Marc,
Rarely, if ever, does every fall into line for photography does it :-) LoL

Warren Baker said...

Derek,
No, none of the mentioned here yet, but the concrete is encroaching......bit by bit.....slowly but surely.

Derek Faulkner said...

And it'll keep on coming Warren, we're all suffering the same fate. The government wants a million new houses built over the next five years!