Friday 29 April 2011

April 29th

A pretty cloudy start but not too cold today, Stephen and I arrived at the same time and took a walk round the car park together, there were 5 BLACKBIRDS  around and 2 BULLFINCHES flew over, also a CUCKOO was heard, we headed off again to search different areas, I decided to count a couple of species today and the first of 15 singing WHITETHROATS, was heard as I left the car park, this is the most I've recorded here in one walk.
Eventually one of the Whitethroats posed breifly

A SWALLOW flew low north, the first of only two seen today. A couple of PIED WAGTAILS flew up from the veg garden and as I headed out into the fields I heard several SKYLARKS and a YELLOWHAMMER followed by a LESSER WHITETHROAT. I think there are possibly 2 pairs KESTREL on the estate and a male flew low, Sparrowhawk like, along the hedge, later a female was being quite acrobatic over the winter wheat. A GARDEN WARBLER sang from near the NIGHTINGALE, which I stayed and listened to for a good 10 minutes, most enjoyable! GREY HERONS were again commuting across the fields and LINNETS were flicked along the hedges.

A TURTLE DOVE purred from near the lodge. I didn't make it into the woods today,  probably because the fields and hedges were quite busy, 7 STOCK DOVES fed in one of the freshly sown fields and the Cuckoo which had been singing all morning finally gave itself up as it flew along the stream. The highlight for me this morning was while I watched a Skylark lift up from the field and a HOBBY appeared from nowhere chased it for a few seconds then headed off over the stream, fantastic!
I think this Mistle Thrush had just been having a bath

The Buttercups looked stunning today

5 comments:

Phil and Mandy said...

Good days birding then Alan, we had fun at Dungeness. Nice photos.

Greenie said...

Alan ,
Well done with the Common Whitethroat shot , I have really struggled to get anywhere near one this Spring .
Another good species list .

Ken. said...

Hi Alan.
A good number of birds was seen, and heard today. Nice shot of the Grey Heron showing it's kinked neck off well.

ShySongbird said...

Well done with the Common Whitethroat and Mistle Thrush photos. I have only ever managed to photograph a Common W once and never a Mistle Thrush!

Fifteen C Ws is just a teeny bit greedy ;)

Alan Pavey said...

Hi Phil & Mandy, It was a good morning, I'm glad you enjoyed Dunge, there's usually something to see there!

Hi Greenie, Thanks, I enjoyed this morning there was a good mix of birds.

Hi Ken, Thanks, It's nice having the Herons around they generally flyover reasonably low, to give a chance of a photo.

Hi ShySongbird, I must admit, I thought I was being a bit greedy ;-) I was about to give up with the camera this morning, I kept stopping and waiting for a singing Whitethroat to sit still or show all morning.