birdman
Saturday 7th February 2004, 19:35
Bit of a busy day in store, so today’s trip around my outback was in a bit of a rush. As has become the regular Saturday norm, partnyorsha and daughter accompanied me, with my daughter acting as note-taker (until her hands got cold!).
Although there’s a little bit of a cold snap in progress, it was nice to see the pussy-willow budding, and the blossom on the plum trees. Also, the water in the pond was even higher than last week – higher than I have ever seen it - and may soon be in danger of overflowing, although there is an outlet not yet called into service.
The wind was very blustery and may have contributed to the fact that the numbers and species were lower than recently.
We were frustratingly close to some really good sightings, with the usual presence of one of more fair-sized finch-flocks, from which the only succesful id was a single straggling Chaffinch, a possible 10 to 15 Mistle Thrushes that flew into the sun, perhaps the first Brambling of the season, a flock of 30 waders (balance of probability...? Redshank? They were quiet though!) that flew within 30 feet of us at 8 or 10 feet up (and about 1000 miles an hour!!!), and maybe, just maybe a Sparrowhawk.
I'd like to complain about the light conditions, which were difficult sometimes, but the blame for most of these failures rests on my lack of ability!!!
Actually, even without the sucessful id, the waders were good, but the id highlight of the day was probably the Jays or maybe the Green Woodpecker. Neither me nor partnyorsha actually saw the Woodie, although we did hear yaffling at least three times. However, my daughter got a really good view of the “yellow and green bird about the size of a starling”, and consequently decided it was “cool”!
Well, privately I'd hoped that perhaps the Lound Little Egret my have made the short journey to the pond, but no such luck... and in fact, even the Tufties seem to have deserted.
Ah well!
Plain text = Outback day tick
Bold text = Outback year tick
Bold italic text = Outback life tick
(Number in brackets is highest number of individuals identified at one time)
Skylark : 5 (2)
Pied Wagtail : 1 (1)
Starling : 23 (23)
Magpie : 9 (3)
Black-headed Gull : 37 (37)
Moorhen : 5 (4)
Mallard : 8 (5)
Coot : 6 (4)
Woodpigeon : 36 (33)
Blue Tit : 4 (2)
Carrion Crow : 19 (13)
Great Tit : 4 (2)
Mistle Thrush : 3 (2)
Kestrel : 1 (1)
Long-tailed Tit : 5 (2)
Coal Tit : 3 (2)
Blackbird : 2 (1)
Jay : 3 (3)
Green Woodpecker : 1 (1)
Chaffinch : 1 (1)
Although there’s a little bit of a cold snap in progress, it was nice to see the pussy-willow budding, and the blossom on the plum trees. Also, the water in the pond was even higher than last week – higher than I have ever seen it - and may soon be in danger of overflowing, although there is an outlet not yet called into service.
The wind was very blustery and may have contributed to the fact that the numbers and species were lower than recently.
We were frustratingly close to some really good sightings, with the usual presence of one of more fair-sized finch-flocks, from which the only succesful id was a single straggling Chaffinch, a possible 10 to 15 Mistle Thrushes that flew into the sun, perhaps the first Brambling of the season, a flock of 30 waders (balance of probability...? Redshank? They were quiet though!) that flew within 30 feet of us at 8 or 10 feet up (and about 1000 miles an hour!!!), and maybe, just maybe a Sparrowhawk.
I'd like to complain about the light conditions, which were difficult sometimes, but the blame for most of these failures rests on my lack of ability!!!
Actually, even without the sucessful id, the waders were good, but the id highlight of the day was probably the Jays or maybe the Green Woodpecker. Neither me nor partnyorsha actually saw the Woodie, although we did hear yaffling at least three times. However, my daughter got a really good view of the “yellow and green bird about the size of a starling”, and consequently decided it was “cool”!
Well, privately I'd hoped that perhaps the Lound Little Egret my have made the short journey to the pond, but no such luck... and in fact, even the Tufties seem to have deserted.
Ah well!
Plain text = Outback day tick
Bold text = Outback year tick
Bold italic text = Outback life tick
(Number in brackets is highest number of individuals identified at one time)
Skylark : 5 (2)
Pied Wagtail : 1 (1)
Starling : 23 (23)
Magpie : 9 (3)
Black-headed Gull : 37 (37)
Moorhen : 5 (4)
Mallard : 8 (5)
Coot : 6 (4)
Woodpigeon : 36 (33)
Blue Tit : 4 (2)
Carrion Crow : 19 (13)
Great Tit : 4 (2)
Mistle Thrush : 3 (2)
Kestrel : 1 (1)
Long-tailed Tit : 5 (2)
Coal Tit : 3 (2)
Blackbird : 2 (1)
Jay : 3 (3)
Green Woodpecker : 1 (1)
Chaffinch : 1 (1)