Monday 28 January 2013

Briefly back on patch

A couple of new birds for the year were added during the snowy period, a BRAMBLING (57) flew west on the 21st as did the first GREY HERON (58)of the year.There were no more visits for a while until yesterday (27th), when I managed a couple of hours out an about, almost the first bird seen was a COMMON BUZZARD as I drove up to the car park, generally it was fairly quiet around the car park as the wind blew. A KESTREL was sat on a hedge and 2 HERRING GULLS flew north. A reasonable amount of thrushes were in the field near the Moat probably 100 FIELDFARE and 20 REDWING. Due to the wind I headed into the wood, which was really pleasant. I soon came across a feeding flock of birds and stayed with them for a while, the flock contained, a single GOLDCREST, 2 MARSH TITS, 10 BLUE TITS, 3 GREAT TITS, 8-10 LONG TAILED TITS, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, TREECREEPER, CHAFFINCH, COAL TIT(59) and NUTHATCH also a JAY was mooching around in the background, I tried a few pics but struggled to get anything worthwhile. Elsewhere a MISTLE THRUSH was in Park Field where a LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL (60) flew north. A SPARROWHAWK drifted over heading towards Hempsted Forest and I heard just 1 SISKIN all morning.
This morning I popped in to the patch for half an hour before work, just as it got light, 11 MEADOW PIPIT flew over the car park a PIED WAGTAIL was down in the fields as I watched across the valley. Standing for about 10 minutes a few COMMON GULLS appeared flying east, I counted 159 in the 10 minutes. Another count which was pleasing was the 6 SONG THRUSHES together feeding with a couple BLACKBIRDS and 3 REDWINGS, certainly the most Song Thrushes I've seen in one place here for a while. Other birds this morning were SPARROWHAWK, GOLDFINCH, FIELDFARE (100+), NUTHATCH and a handful of YELLOWHAMMERS.
Bec picked up the camera while I was at work and took this and the next pic of a Fieldfare

Fieldfare by Bec

House Sparrow

House Sparrow

15 comments:

Millhouse Photography said...

Oooh, lovely pose on that second sparrow, Alan.

Eve Russell said...

Nice Photo's, been seeing a lot of Fieldfares recently as well

Marianne said...

Nice to add some newbies to the year list. Lovely photos. I love the first Fieldfare pic in particular, very 'Lars Jonsson'-esque.

Tammy said...

Great photos, Alan & Bec! I love the bird resting in the snow; not something I get to see here!!

Maria said...

I love the house sparrow, and seeing it int he snow!

ShySongbird said...

Glad you were able to get out again Alan. Lovely photos from both you and Bec. Nice to see the nowhere as common as it used to be House Sparrow.

Warren Baker said...

It was pretty tough going out there yesterday Alan!

Ive noticed more Songthrushes about recently, maybe arrivals from the continent ?

Ingemar Pettersson said...

Hi!
lovely bird photos
Greetings from Sweden
/Ingemar

Jason K said...

Cracking Fieldfare shots Alan!

Helma said...

Great pictures Alan. The Fieldfare is very nice and it is a beautiful bird. You mus also very nice set and especially the last picture of the sparrow I find very beautiful. You see his feathers fanning and then I like to see :-)
Greetings, Helma

Friend of HK said...

The Fieldfare looks very pretty against the snow. Great images.

Eko said...

Mainio Kuvaus-Työ.
Kaikki kohdallaan.
Eko Suomi-Kuusamo...

Lasse said...

Lovely shots Alan !

Marco Luijken said...

Hello Alan,
Very wondrful shots!!
Great to see these bords in the snow. Well done!!

Greetings, Marco

Julie Hargreaves said...

Great set of photos