Saturday 13 December 2014

The anticipated frosty, sunny start, didn't quite materialise this morning, as it was partly cloudy and very little sun was seen until after 11:00hrs.

It remained dry and bright though, allowing me to undertake a full patch walk, in which a poor tally of just 37 species were found in the 4 hour walk. Most of those were the expected regulars, with the exception of flyovers from a single FIELDFARE, a single REDWING and 2 YELLOWHAMMERS, also flyovers.

The MUTE SWAN family were still on the ornamental lake, along with a dozen MALLARD, 4 MOORHEN and the COOT pair, but the other two lakes were totally empty of birds. The GREY HERON was sitting in its favoured tree again on the edge of the main lake.

TREECREEPER, NUTHATCH, GOLDCREST, STOCK DOVE, JAY, GREEN WOODPECKER and GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER turned out in the Wet Woods and Scrubby Woods for the scarcer woodland species, but there was no sign of a Coal Tit or any Long Tailed Tits today.

The 15 - 20 MEADOW PIPITS remain at the Ashes Lane Field, the KESTREL pair were perched up at the Greenhouse Grounds, where a flock of a dozen GOLDFINCH were feeding in the Alder Trees.

ROOKS, STARLINGS, BLACK HEADED GULLS and WOODPIGEONS were again the dominant species at Migrant Alley.  A bit of a disappointed visit today  :-(

Later this afternoon the sun did come out, so I spent some time taking a few garden bird photo's  :-)

The Sprawk was of course seen again, I didn't see it on this mornings walk!

The Collared Doves were too close to fit in the camera frame, another species I didn't see out on my patch walk this morning.

The Woodpigeons were also too close to get in the frame!

Strange shaped pupils they have

CHAFFINCH

COAL TIT yet another species that I didn't see earlier in the morning

1 comment:

Ken. said...

Warren.
Not exactly the patch walk you was expecting, that' s birding, but still nice count of Mipit' s you are regularly seeing.
Love the close up shot of the W/ Pigeon' s eye.