Thursday 23 June 2011

June 23rd

Quite a contrast to yesterday, it was a bit breezy and until I got into the fields there was hardly any activity. The birds were certainly quieter, unless their songs were being blown away on the wind! That's a question someone put to me several years ago, you see leaves and feathers and what ever else it might be, blown along in the wind but how does sound get blown on the wind, it's not a solid object that can be moved like leaves and feathers etc. yet the wind certainly has an affect on it? I couldn't come up with a sensible answer!
This is the only bird that posed today

Anyway back to the birds such as they are, the GARDEN WARBLER was again singing just below the veg garden, a couple of MISTLE THRUSHES flew toward the lake and ones and twos of LINNETS were criss-crossing the fields. A CORMORANT flew south, while 3 HERRING GULLS flew north. I noted singles only of REED BUNTING and YELLOWHAMMER but they were in a flock of maybe 20 birds that held CHAFFINCHES, HOUSE SPARROWS, a couple of COMMON WHITETHROATS and a CHIFFCHAFF, all feeding at the edge of the wheat field.
In one sheltered spot I did find a Blue Tailed Damselfly and a Meadow Brown.
A lone Poppy
Blue Tailed Damselfly

6 comments:

Rachel J said...

Maybe the wind disrupts the pattern of the vibrating molecules from the source of the sound before the ripple effect of the molecules gets to your ear? Or something like that – sounds vaguely plausible but school was a while ago and we mostly did the Tudors and Stuarts over and over again... Anyway! Lots of meadow browns at the local GPs today as well as my nice Hobby. Like your poppy pic Al, I noticed on the drive up to Suffolk the other week the roads were all lined with poppies most of the way up. Stunning. Which reminds me: hope Sunday’s productive. Happy birding :)

Greenie said...

Alan ,
That wind has been a pain , especially for photography , for most of this year , but at least the sky was blue at times yesterday .

Unknown said...

Hi Alan,
Sound waves need a medium in which to travel (The air) and if that medium has disturbances such as wind then the sound will be moved I suspect. I am not sure by how much though, maybe somebody downwind of you heard lots of birds!!
I remember growing up in Gravesend we could hear Brands Hatch on a Sunday if the wind was in the right direction.

Warren Baker said...

Its meant to warm up by sunday Alan, more Moths and flutters by then :-)

The sound will travel slower in the warmer air though, as the air molecules air less dense :-) :-)

ShySongbird said...

I thought it was something to do with sound waves but that's the limit of my knowledge on that! :)

Nice to see the damsel, it's too wet here for them!

Alan Pavey said...

Hi Rach, Thanks for that, the roads were lined with Poppies it did look stunning!

Hi Greenie, I think the wind is the thing I like the least! it really puts birds to ground, I remember even a Whinchat diving into the bottom of a hedge here a few years ago when it was windy :-)

Hi Kieron, Thank you, nice answer and I think I understand it!! Cheers :-)

Hi Warren, It certainly was warmer Sunday, I had all day in Suffolk/Norfolk hopefully a post soon :-) I'm glad I asked the question on sound, Thanks :-)

Hi ShySongbird, Thank you, I'm not seeing many damsels although talking to Stephen who walks later in the day, he is seeing quite a few :-)