Thursday 11 December 2008

I was feeling much better today, must have been all the get well wishes I recieved!! I went over to the lake area first thing this afternoon, but it was still frozen over, only a thin coating of ice, but enough to keep any would be visitors from dropping in, only a pair of MALLARD and a single MOORHEN were noted. A large female SPARROWHAWK flew low over the ice, being harrassed by a small flock of noisey SISKIN as it went.
Before I got to the lake I checked out the wet woods to see if there were any more Teal, or maybe a Mandarin Duck but there weren't either, just a small mixed feeding flock of LONG TAILED TITS, BLUE and GREAT TITS a COAL TIT and a couple of GOLDCRESTS, the latter species were seen every few minutes, in varying habitats, they seem to be coping well with the cold-ish conditions. As I left the woods to cut through the tree nursery, I heard a TREECREEPER call as well as a NUTHATCH. The tree nursery had a work crew in it, so I went straight on to migrant alley, where there were quite few species out on the maize, the surrounding hedgerows, and the old Raspbeery canes around the greenhouses. 5 LAPWING were joined by around 15 REDWING and 25 FIELDFARE - nice to see some winter thrushes around, SONGTHRUSH and MISTLE THRUSH also found the stubble to their liking as did a single PHEASANT. 3 BULLFINCH were seen, a couple of MEADOW PIPIT, and another flock of Long Tailed Tit. As I neared home a flock of at least 25 LINNET alighted in an ash tree on the edge of the Tree nursery, waiting for the work crew to leave so they could go to roost no doubt.
Later tonight I am going for a walk down ashes lane, I surley must get tawny Owl on my list this year!

1 comment:

Ken. said...

Hi Warren.
Good luck with the Tawny.