birdman
Saturday 7th August 2004, 15:14
Been a bit busy of late, and haven't been able to get Outback as much as I would've liked. Last couple of times have been rather quiet, and I didn't expect much different today.
I was in for a rather pleasant surprise.
Leaving the house at 9:30, the sky was grey, but the sun was heating up the already muggy air, and it would continue to get brighter (but still hazy) and warmer over the next two and a half hours.
The Skylarks seem to be on their summer break, so the only sound from skies was that of a few House Martins, occasionally interrupted by one or more noisy Green Woodpeckers.
Little was out in the open, due to the heat I would imagine. (Before anyone gets the wrong impression, I guess I should point out that "heat" to we Brits amounts to about 25 degrees C.)
However on reaching the pond, it was obvious that the trees were full of birds. Consequently, I know that the numbers I have given for the woodland species are likely to be well understated.
I omitted to mention any Chiffchaffs, largely because none of the candidates were chiffchaffing. The only really good look I got at a silent bird was inconclusive (to my eyes).
Nevertheless, there was obviously a good variety of birds flitting through the leaf cover - which seems to be ju-u-u-st starting to fall in significant numbers!
In fact, is it me, or does just about everything seem to be having a go at raising a second brood this summer. Certainly there seems to have ben a glut of fruit and berries this year, and theres no shortage of insect life either.
A very grasshoppery day today, many, many bees and hover-flies, day-flying moths and butterflies galore, including Peacock, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, (Common ?) Blue, Small Copper, Whites, Skippers and Speckled Wood.
Perhaps the most frustrating bird sighting was of two Birds of Prey. Due to the light conditions, we never did get a really good look, other that when fanned in fight and with the sun behind, the tail was obviously barred with light "scalloped" (as opposed to continuous) tips. They we separated, and clearly trying to find each other, calling almost continually, an steadily repeated mononsyllabic raptor-like "kaaah". Certainly not a Buzzard-like "peeioo". Our first thought was Sparrowhawk, but not enough visual clues, and no similar call for any of the BOPs on my CDs, means that it goes uncounted. We did actually see at least three circling Buzzards as well (same birds?), and again, I did think that one of more may not have been Buzzards due to a folded wing dive, but I have since discovered that Buzzards do dive in this way.
In fact, nothing about the first two birds, other than the unidentifiable call, precludes Buzzard - and as I write this, I have convinced myself that's what they were.
So, as the walk grew longer, and partnyorsha and I grew hotter, there was plenty to keep us interested, and I am sure plenty that we missed!
The numbers...
Plain text = Outback day tick
Bold text = Outback year tick
Bold text italic = Outback life tick
(Number in brackets is highest number of individuals identified at one time)
Mallard : 22 (22)
Greater Spotted Woodpecker : 5 (2)
Green Woodpecker : 4 (1)
Swift : 6 (5)
Woodpigeon : 7 (1)
Moorhen : 2 (1)
Coot : 3 (1)
Buzzard : 6 (4)
Little Grebe : 1 (1)
Jay : 1 (1)
Magpie : 3 (1)
Carrion Crow : 4 (1)
Blackbird : 3 (2)
Robin : 1 (1)
Nuthatch : 2 (1)
Treecreeper : 1 (1)
Wren : 1 (1)
Coal Tit : 1 (1)
Great Tit : 4 (2)
Blue Tit : 16 (3)
Long-tailed Tit : 4 (2)
Swallow : 6 (3)
House Martin : 4 (4)
Willow Warbler : 3 (1)
Blackcap : 1 (1)
Whitethroat : 3 (1)
Pied Wagtail : 3 (2)
Meadow Pipit : 2 (2)
Dunnock : 1 (1)
Chaffinch : 16 (5)
Greenfinch : 2 (2)
Goldfinch : 1 (1)
Bullfinch : 1 (1)
Yellowhammer : 2 (1)
I was in for a rather pleasant surprise.
Leaving the house at 9:30, the sky was grey, but the sun was heating up the already muggy air, and it would continue to get brighter (but still hazy) and warmer over the next two and a half hours.
The Skylarks seem to be on their summer break, so the only sound from skies was that of a few House Martins, occasionally interrupted by one or more noisy Green Woodpeckers.
Little was out in the open, due to the heat I would imagine. (Before anyone gets the wrong impression, I guess I should point out that "heat" to we Brits amounts to about 25 degrees C.)
However on reaching the pond, it was obvious that the trees were full of birds. Consequently, I know that the numbers I have given for the woodland species are likely to be well understated.
I omitted to mention any Chiffchaffs, largely because none of the candidates were chiffchaffing. The only really good look I got at a silent bird was inconclusive (to my eyes).
Nevertheless, there was obviously a good variety of birds flitting through the leaf cover - which seems to be ju-u-u-st starting to fall in significant numbers!
In fact, is it me, or does just about everything seem to be having a go at raising a second brood this summer. Certainly there seems to have ben a glut of fruit and berries this year, and theres no shortage of insect life either.
A very grasshoppery day today, many, many bees and hover-flies, day-flying moths and butterflies galore, including Peacock, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, (Common ?) Blue, Small Copper, Whites, Skippers and Speckled Wood.
Perhaps the most frustrating bird sighting was of two Birds of Prey. Due to the light conditions, we never did get a really good look, other that when fanned in fight and with the sun behind, the tail was obviously barred with light "scalloped" (as opposed to continuous) tips. They we separated, and clearly trying to find each other, calling almost continually, an steadily repeated mononsyllabic raptor-like "kaaah". Certainly not a Buzzard-like "peeioo". Our first thought was Sparrowhawk, but not enough visual clues, and no similar call for any of the BOPs on my CDs, means that it goes uncounted. We did actually see at least three circling Buzzards as well (same birds?), and again, I did think that one of more may not have been Buzzards due to a folded wing dive, but I have since discovered that Buzzards do dive in this way.
In fact, nothing about the first two birds, other than the unidentifiable call, precludes Buzzard - and as I write this, I have convinced myself that's what they were.
So, as the walk grew longer, and partnyorsha and I grew hotter, there was plenty to keep us interested, and I am sure plenty that we missed!
The numbers...
Plain text = Outback day tick
Bold text = Outback year tick
Bold text italic = Outback life tick
(Number in brackets is highest number of individuals identified at one time)
Mallard : 22 (22)
Greater Spotted Woodpecker : 5 (2)
Green Woodpecker : 4 (1)
Swift : 6 (5)
Woodpigeon : 7 (1)
Moorhen : 2 (1)
Coot : 3 (1)
Buzzard : 6 (4)
Little Grebe : 1 (1)
Jay : 1 (1)
Magpie : 3 (1)
Carrion Crow : 4 (1)
Blackbird : 3 (2)
Robin : 1 (1)
Nuthatch : 2 (1)
Treecreeper : 1 (1)
Wren : 1 (1)
Coal Tit : 1 (1)
Great Tit : 4 (2)
Blue Tit : 16 (3)
Long-tailed Tit : 4 (2)
Swallow : 6 (3)
House Martin : 4 (4)
Willow Warbler : 3 (1)
Blackcap : 1 (1)
Whitethroat : 3 (1)
Pied Wagtail : 3 (2)
Meadow Pipit : 2 (2)
Dunnock : 1 (1)
Chaffinch : 16 (5)
Greenfinch : 2 (2)
Goldfinch : 1 (1)
Bullfinch : 1 (1)
Yellowhammer : 2 (1)