Friday 11 March 2011

Like Buses!!

After yesterdays, I would say wash-out but wind-out would be more appropriate! I set off this morning with high hopes as it was calmish, sunny and really nice to be out. A Collared Dove was calling and there were a couple of Goldcrests in the car park. A Siskin flew over and a couple of Mistle Thushes were singing as again the lake beckoned, once again it was nearly devoid of waterbirds, 3 Moorhen and that was it even the Mallard had deserted! A Bullfinch posed briefly and I may have got a poor photo, Long Tailed Tits were again evident round the lake. I made my way into the wood and found a couple of Coal Tits that were accompanied by my first CHIFFCHAFF (74) of the year, normally I hear them singing first but this one was busily flying round bits of honeysuckle and birch trees and didn't utter a single phrase. Moving on I came across Marsh Tits, Treecreepers a small group of Redwings in the wood and several drumming woodpeckers.
On leaving the wood a couple of Mallard were in the small ponds dug a couple years ago and 2 Greylags flew south, then the second year tick of the morning flew along the stream a GREY WAGTAIL (75), two new birds in a morning, I was pleasantly surprised. Following the stream along the edge of the fields a couple Yellowhammers were again singing about 6 Fieldfares flew up into the alders, I scanned the hedgerows and found my third new bird of the morning a STONECHAT (76), I tried to get photos and was again struggling with spot focus on my little Panasonic but what a nice way to end the walk, 2 Canada Geese did fly over while I was watching the Stonechat. That made 47 species today compared to yesterdays 28!!
An obliging Yellowhammer
Finally got a shot of sorts!

6 comments:

Warren Baker said...

What a great mornings work alan. Nice to see Stonechats are on the move :-)

I wonder what I missed in the lovely sunshine this morning ? :-(

ShySongbird said...

You had a very rewarding visit Alan. I'm envious of all the Stonechat sightings I have seen mentioned in the last few days, we don't see them in this area :(

Nice to see the Yellowhammer too, they used to be a very common sight and sound in the hedgerows along the disused railway line near me but sadly they haven't been for some years now.

Mike H said...

Nice shots today Alan another reason to pay another visit Yellowhammer and Stonechat .

Ken. said...

Hi Alan.
Nice photo of the Yellowhammer.
Have a good weekend.

Rachel J said...

Good year ticking Al.

Alan Pavey said...

Hi Warren, it was a nice sunny morning and a really rewarding visit :-)

Hi ShySongbird, I was lucky today and it's always great to see and hear the Yellowhammers, I think they are here because of the more sensitive approach the National Trust are takng with this site at the moment, hopefully it will stay that way:-)

Hi Mike, I hope you have some luck with the Yellowhammer and Stonechat and hopefully the Marsh Tits to :-)

Hi Ken, Thanks, I like trying to get photos of Yellowhammer they seem reasonably obliging here, so there might be more to come if I'm lucky.

Hi Rach, Three year ticks in a little more than an hour was unusual but most welcome :-)