Thursday 17 March 2016

Clear skies overnight allowed for a slight frost early this morning, but this soon lifted in the warm sunshine, although a cool wind still blew at times.

The better weather allowed for a full patch walk today, during which I recorded 49 bird species, a good tally for my patch, with virtually all the resident and overwintering species found, apart from the Kestrel, which hasn't hasn't been seen for a couple of days now, indicating she may be in the nest box, plus the Sparrowhawk, but this was seen at my garden feeders later in the day, so 50 species were actually recorded for today  :-)

No new species were found for the March list, and I still await the first spring Chiffchaff, which is surely imminent now ? The species of the day will go to the MEDITERRANEAN GULL, 2 of which joined the 200+ BLACK HEADED GULL and 2 LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL on the sheep pasture at Migrant Alley.

BUZZARD was the only raptor seen today, at least 2 birds were up soaring over the area, but my list also included LITTLE OWL and even more exciting for me, no less than 4 COOTS over on the lakes, with a pair being found on the small lake, joining the pair already on the ornamental lake, I doubt weather they will all stay to breed though.

FIELDFARE, REDWING, LESSER REDPOLL, SISKIN and a flyover MEADOW PIPIT made up the winter species today.


Struggling to find anything to photograph, I decided to get a few shots of the CANADA GEESE as they bathed and preened on the lake.





A quick drink afterwards


A freshly bathed and preened Goose  :-)

1 comment:

Wilma said...

And a clean goose is a happy goose!