My first full patch walk of April took place in cold, dull conditions, with a blustery wind. As I left the house at 06:30 there was hardly any birdsong, just the hardy resident species, like ROBIN, WREN, DUNOCK, BLACKBIRD and SONGTHRUSH were attempting any territorial singing. At this time of year the early morning should be bursting with sound!
I added 6 species to the April list this morning, the first was a pair of GREYLAG GEESE (46) that flew over the Tree Nursery, followed shortly after by two MEADOW PIPITS (47) that flew over the Pub Field. Migrant Alley was mostly deserted, just the WOODPIGEONS, Corvids, and a few flyover PIED WAGTAILS braved the strong cold wind there. In the College Grounds two REDWING (48)
were found, these could well be the last seen until the Autumn, a good winter species to get on the April list. On the return walk across Migrant Alley a SPARROWHAWK went over, as did my first BLACK HEADED GULL (49) of the month, and in the Tall Hedge two YELLOW HAMMERS (50) were perched, bringing up the 50th species for April.
The cold, dull conditions prevailed throughout the second part of my walk, and the strong wind made it hard to hear bird calls as I searched the scrub area around the lake, but the CHIFFCHAFF had found their voice, as had a BLACKCAP, my second of the year, and first one to be heard in song. On the lake it was 'as you were' with CANADA GEESE and MALLARD, all the MOORHEN seem to have moved off to the Wet Woods. As I left, a familiar, busy twittering filled my ears - it was a
SWALLOW (51), that flew low over headed NE.
I had just about finished the walk for the morning, when heavy rain moved in, it lasted for 3 hours, but it moved off as just as rapidly it had arrived, and I got an hours watching the sky at Migrant Alley from 15:00hrs. Not that I found anything new for the day, but another Swallow flying NW was proof that summer is edging ever closer.
The camera stayed at home today so no photo's - not even of a Treecreeper!
Friday, 2 April 2010
Thursday, 1 April 2010
April, probably the best birding month of the year, anything could turn up on, or flyover my patch in this month. This is reflected in the combined total of the 8 previous Aprils, no less than 97 species have turned up during this month of migratory movement, ( the 8 year patch total is only 127! ) so i'm looking forward to to April with great expectation.
Today started well enough, with the first BLACKCAP (77) of the year being found, in the small wooded area at the north end of Migrant alley, that made the last morning at work, before the 4 day break, a bit more bearable :-)
This afternoon I decided to make a very quick scan of all the habitats on my patch, hoping to pick up all the regular species, this worked better than expected, as a total of 43 species were found, the LESSER BLACKED GULLS seen at Migrant Alley were a bonus, as were the flyover CORMORANT and GREY HERON, these species can take a bit of finding at this time of year.
Amongst the more easier species to be found in the Wet Woods and Lake area, were some of the scarcer birds, COAL TIT, TREECREEPER, GOLDCREST and NUTHATCH were all found, CHIFFCHAFF were singing, but they were the only summer migrant found, while on the main lake 16 CANADA GEESE were seen, with 2 more on each of the two smaller lakes, MALLARDS and MOORHENS put in their appearance too.
Of the Raptors, KESTREL and SPARROWHAWK were recorded, the former was in it's usual haunt around the Greenhouse Complex, whilst the latter was displaying over the Wet Woods.
Once home I watched the garden feeders in anticipation of seeing the BRAMBLING that has become a regular during previous months, it would be a good April tick if it came in. I needn't of worried though, it turned up at its usual time - tea time!
So I kick off the month with 45 species under my belt, will I beat the record April total set last year? The mammoth task of 72 species is the target. The average number of species seen in April is just 67.5 so its a toughie!
The year list is still 4 species behind last years memorable record breaking year, in which my target of 100 species for the year was met in May! I think it will be a more difficult task this year :-)
Yet more Treecreeper photo's !
Today started well enough, with the first BLACKCAP (77) of the year being found, in the small wooded area at the north end of Migrant alley, that made the last morning at work, before the 4 day break, a bit more bearable :-)
This afternoon I decided to make a very quick scan of all the habitats on my patch, hoping to pick up all the regular species, this worked better than expected, as a total of 43 species were found, the LESSER BLACKED GULLS seen at Migrant Alley were a bonus, as were the flyover CORMORANT and GREY HERON, these species can take a bit of finding at this time of year.
Amongst the more easier species to be found in the Wet Woods and Lake area, were some of the scarcer birds, COAL TIT, TREECREEPER, GOLDCREST and NUTHATCH were all found, CHIFFCHAFF were singing, but they were the only summer migrant found, while on the main lake 16 CANADA GEESE were seen, with 2 more on each of the two smaller lakes, MALLARDS and MOORHENS put in their appearance too.
Of the Raptors, KESTREL and SPARROWHAWK were recorded, the former was in it's usual haunt around the Greenhouse Complex, whilst the latter was displaying over the Wet Woods.
Once home I watched the garden feeders in anticipation of seeing the BRAMBLING that has become a regular during previous months, it would be a good April tick if it came in. I needn't of worried though, it turned up at its usual time - tea time!
So I kick off the month with 45 species under my belt, will I beat the record April total set last year? The mammoth task of 72 species is the target. The average number of species seen in April is just 67.5 so its a toughie!
The year list is still 4 species behind last years memorable record breaking year, in which my target of 100 species for the year was met in May! I think it will be a more difficult task this year :-)
Yet more Treecreeper photo's !
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