Wednesday 15 June 2011

June 15th, Winter Visitors?

Pete the warden got up early to record the moths and left me a few to have a look through, as he has a school group in today, they will see Elephant and Poplar Hawkmoths, which always go down well for their size and colour. Among the others that he left there were a few year ticks, which included Green Arches, Beautiful Hook Tip, Barred Straw and Dot Moth! I think he ended with 57 species this morning. While I was checking through these two WRENS were really making a lot of noise, then one landed close to where I was sitting with a beak full of food (the Wren, not me!), I moved along a little and the birds continued popped to and from the nest. A familiar call sounded while I was sitting there which made me do a slight double-take as it was SISKIN! they called twice more, before I picked up two birds in the tops of the Silver Birches near to where we record the moths, what was nice is that they were young birds, so must have bred nearby, probably Hempsted Forest if anywhere. This is the second time in three years we've recorded summer Siskins.


Various Wren poses from this morning

I decided just to walk the hedges today, as I had taken so long watching Wrens and checking moths! I did have 3 separate LESSER WHITETHROATS and the REED BUNTING family were in the same place as yesterday. YELLOWHAMMERS were represented also with 3 different birds and I did spy what looked like a young COMMON WHITETHROAT. A couple of CHIFFCHAFFS moved through the hedges quietly and a SWIFT and 3 SWALLOWS joined the half a dozen or so SKYLARKS over the fields. The SPOTTED FLYCATCHER did the same as yesterday, called a lot but didn't show itself!
I'm recording moths tomorrow, so I hope there are some good ones out tonight!
Pied Wagtail

I'm sure it's a while since I posted a Chaffinch!!

4 comments:

Warren Baker said...

Interesting Siskin record Alan. I have only once had a june Siskin, that was a young bird at my feeders that stayed for 3 days back in 2004.

ShySongbird said...

I had Siskins in the garden three or four years ago in the Winter which was very unusual here and I have never seen one in the Summer.

Lovely photos, great Wren captures! I doubt it could have packed any more into its beak :)

Unknown said...

Hi Alan, fantastic to see the siskin in june. We had so many of them this winter but I don't think that any have stayed on. I am looking forward to their return after the summer.

Alan Pavey said...

Hi Warren, It would be interesting to know where these birds bred, I think they are being recorded a bit more regularly now in Summer.

Hi ShySongbird, We are really lucky with Siskins, they seem to have been a feature of the winter here for as long as I can remember.

That Wren was busy and managed several beak fulls like that :-)

Hi Kieron, It's only the second summer sighting I've had in all my years bird watching, They are great little birds :-)