Saturday 19 December 2015

There were some chinks of brightness in the cloud cover this morning, when it was extremely mild for the time of year, even in the moderate breeze.

A sign of just how unseasonably warm it is, was hearing the overwintering CHIFFCHAFF in full song at the Greenhouse Grounds, i've never heard a Chiffchaff sing in the winter before! A pair of GOLDCRESTS, plus a few SISKIN and LESSER REDPOLL were also around, plus the half dozen YELLOWHAMMERS were over by the Greenhouse Copse.


Chiffchaff in the first semi - light of the dawn.


A couple of flyover SKYLARKS were heard as I crossed the Ashes Lane Fields, where a couple of MEADOW PIPITS were heard. Moving on to the lakes I was pleased to see a pair of GOOSANDER had returned  :-) A CORMORANT also visited and the KINGFISHER was seen again.


Goosander pair, they remained distant, but a few record shots were obtained.


Male Goosander


Female Goosander

All the scarcer woodland species were picked up in the Scrubby Woods and Wet Woods, those being TREECREEPER, NUTHATCH, BULLFINCH, LONG TAILED TIT, COAL TIT, Goldcrest, STOCK DOVE, JAY, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, GREEN WOODPECKER and MISTLETHRUSH.


Treecreeper.  I almost got the settings right on the camera! You only get one chance with this species and I fluffed it! Lol

2 comments:

Pete Woodruff said...

Nice to see a Chiffchaff, to hear it singing in December, and to get a decent pic in the semi-light of dawn. Nice to see the Goosanders, and the upside down Treecreeper even if you fluffed the camera settings. In a word Warren....nice.

Warren Baker said...

Thanks Pete, you are very generous!