Wednesday 13 April 2011

Bonus!

After yesterdays cold temperatures, it was straight on with the fleece this morning, the wind was less strong and made everything a little more pleasant. I attempted counting the moths on my own this morning, Pete is going to do tomorrow, luckily with fingers and toes I could count all the moths in both traps!! 17 moths of 7 species just a tad lower than the 350 of 27 species on Friday! it would be safe to say the temperature had a lot to do with it.
Once the traps were put away I started the walk, 2 BLACKCAPS were in the car park and 15 LINNETS flew up from the veg garden, which also briefly had a SWALLOW wheeling around over it. The next bird I saw making it's way north along the valley was large and had slightly bowed wings, without the bins I thought, Grey Heron, once I got the bird in the bins it was definitely not a Heron and as it lifted it's wings for another flap the shape and markings became clear, OSPREY (87), I've never had a spring record before and it's only the fifth one I've recorded for the site in 14 years, suddenly it didn't feel quite so cold, Stephen arrived just seconds after it disappeared behind the trees on the skyline, at least it's early in the year so we will have more chances to catch up with another maybe. I continued the walk and watched 2 GREY HERONS fly up the valley towards me. There were 5 GREYLAG GEESE on the lake with 2 CANADAS and the COOT, who was looking a bit lonely. The NIGHTINGALE was again in good voice and 6 HERRING GULLS flew south west.The YELLOWHAMMERS were feeding in the freshly sown field and I counted 6 this morning. Back up by the veg garden a MEADOW PIPIT flew high north followed by the second Swallow of the visit. Getting into the car a TREECREEPER was heard singing, a nice way to end.

9 comments:

Warren Baker said...

Nice one Alan, you just don't know whats around the corner do you !

Been on the lookout for an Osprey myself, but like you I normally get them in the Autumn, if at all.

Simon said...

Aw what a super bird to spot Alan, nice one - I've never seen an Osprey on my patch, which I'm a little surprised about seeing as te Lake's got LOADS of fish in there! I saw the report on BirdGuides this morning and wondered whether it may be you who'd seen it!

alan woodcock said...

Nice one,well done.

Anonymous said...

Well done with the Osprey, Alan. Like Warren, i`m still hoping for my first one of the year.

Rachel J said...

The 'grey heron' Osprey is reminder for me as to why it's always a good idea to double check birds through the bins. I've nearly missed several interesting birds by assuming rather pessimistically I won't find anything unusual by myself and hesitating over whether it was worth a second look through the bins. Noted!!!

ShySongbird said...

I absolutely second Rachel's comment about double checking through the bins, I have assumed I am looking at one bird only to find it is something completely different when looking through the bins!

Well done with the Osprey!! I have never seen one, I must look more closely at overflying 'Herons' in future :)

Alan Pavey said...

Hi Warren, I hope you get one, I feel I'm using all my luck up on Raptors this year :-)

Hi Simon, I'm sure you will get one there soon, it always looks good when I come to watch my wife doing the 'Race for Life'.

Hi Alan, Thanks, it was a real bonus!!

Hi Dean, again like Warren, Ihope you pick-up one this year, I was buzzing for the rest of the walk :-)

Hi Rach, I've done that before, I remember a distant Cormorant that turned out to be a Glossy Ibis back in the eighties!!

Hi ShySongbird, You are not alone, I've probably missed things by being a bit blase about seeing and identifying a bird with the naked eye over the years and not checking it properly. Maybe I should expect the unexpected a bit more often, if you see what I mean :-)

I must have a bit of a problem with Herons and Ospreys as I did the same with the first Osprey I ever saw!!

Bob Bushell said...

Really good Alan. The bird that I can't seem to get, is a Yellowhammer. I don't know why?

Alan Pavey said...

Hi Bob, I thought at one stage I was only going to post pictures of Yellowhammers on the blog!! They do pose sometimes here, I'm sure it's just a matter of time before you get one :-)