Monday 29 October 2012

Showers fell during todays afternoon patch visit, but the wind was light so it wasn't too bad. I walked over to the Lakes and Scrubby Woods, not seeing too much on the way apart from GREEN and GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS at the Small Holding, and a small feeding flock of BLUE, GREAT, and LONG TAILED TITS, with a COAL TIT, two TREECREEPERS and two GOLCRESTS in the Wet Woods.

On the lakes today it was good to see the COOT has stayed, 8 MALLARD, 6 MOORHEN and a GREY HERON were also seen, plus a KINGFISHER zipped across the water. A walk through the Scrubby Woods provided me with more views of Coal Tit, Tree Creeper, and Goldcrest, as well as a COMMON BUZZARD that flew up from a small Elder bush. SKYLARK, LESSER REDPOLL and SISKIN were heard flying over, and an unseen BULLFINCH called from the dense tangle of vegetation.

Rain was falling as I headed off over to the Tree Nursery, where a couple of MEADOW PITS were seen, another two Green Woodpeckers were also found, a KESTREL hunted over the rough grassy area ( where I expect a short eared or Barn Owl any day now!) A small mixed flock of a dozen or so Lesser Redpoll and SISKIN flew over and headed for the Greenhouse Grounds, this really has been the best Autumn ever here for these two species, I hope they find my garden feeders soon  :-)

A SPARROWHAWK was seen to fly along the edge of the Wet Woods as I turned and looked back that way, which also allowed me to see the black sky approaching, time for me to head home! Still, a nice few species were seen in the short visit.

As the rain lashed against the window back home, I stared out at the garden feeders and wondered where all the finch's have gone, lots of Tits about, NUTHATCH and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, but no finch's. A Sparrowhawk made a lunge at one of the Woodpeckers, dropping out of its ambush place in the nieghbours leylandi tree, but it looked spooked by the Woodpeckers white wing flashes and loud calls, and didn't force home its attack. All went quiet after that for some time, until surprise, surprise, a RING NECKED PARAKEET (106,74) came in and perched right at the top of the Leylandi, not quite in my garden, it would have been only the second one ever, but good enough to join the years patch list, this is the first one ive seen on patch since November 2010  :-)

The year list now moves to within 3 of my target for this year, the 106 species already seen make this the joint fourth best year from eleven, but still seven behind the best year of 2010.

More of the Marsh Tit photo's I took on Saturday today, no chance with the camera this afternoon.
Marsh tit
Marsh Tit
Marsh Tit
Marsh tit

3 comments:

Jason K said...

Nice one on the RNP Warren. Great photos of the Marsh Tit too mate

ShySongbird said...

Really lovely photos of the Marsh Tit Warren and well done on the Ring-necked Parakeet. Good too that the Coot seems to be staying.

Chris said...

Got to see grey herons here too, species 100 ;-) You marsh tit pictures are wonderful... Tell me about the weather mate, it's getting horrible here, big depression from Greenland, it's getting rather cold but we might have rarities from Greenland ;-)