birdman
Sunday 5th October 2003, 19:24
It had been more than a month since I was able to get out on a walk around my outback.
Fortunately, as I can see it from where I am typing, I am able to get 10 mintues here and there with the binoculars, no matter how busy things are!
Things have changed a little over the weeks, not least the hirundines seem now to have gone. On the other hand, the occasional Grey Heron sighting has become three together regularly.
Anyway, on Wednesday (Oct 1) I was home early enough from work, and the weather was fine enough for me to go out. The biggest difference, of course, has been the shortening of the evenings, and leaving at 6.15, that would give me just about an hour of reasonable light.
For a change, I dedcided to go anticlockwise, although, in the end I actually headed straight on from the pond, cutting through the beet fields to the eastern path, and then followed the normal clockwise route home.
First birds of the evening were a small flock of about 20 LBJs, but they were too quick, the light was too poor and I was too unskilled to enable an id.
There were a few Magpies, and some distant "crows", with a couple of Woodpigeons coming and going.
Reaching the pond, with the water extremely low after this year's hot dry summer, I picked up the usual Mallards, Coots and Moorhens. There were, in fact, 10 or more Mallards. Perhaps they usually hide under the overhanging tree branches, but at the moment they are congregating in the muddy puddles!
Half a dozen Starlings flew over, and then a passerby pointed out a Grey Heron atop a tree, just as the bird stretched and flapped it's wings. It never ceases to look incongruous to me to see herons in treetops!
As I carried on, I noticed a second heron standing in the middle of the field. Equally odd... they should have there toes dipped in water!
Cutting through the beet field, I noticed a murder of crows. I know it's the right collective noun, but it does seem strange to actually use it! Anyway there were a good 10 or so in the next field over.
In the field I was walking through was at least one male Pheasant, head and neck just visible in the greenery. Shortly afterwards I disturbed about 6 or 7 brown pheasants (females? juveniles? both?) who scattered this way and that in irritation!
At the eastern path, and with the light already difficult, I heard a couple of Blackbirds, in fact quite a few thrushes in general. The only sighting, though was a single Mistle Thrush, which flew into a closeby tree. It was difficult to see by eye, due to the lack of light, and was almost too close for binoculars, but I was able to make out the bold patterning on the breast.
And that, apart from an un ided gull flying over, was it sightings-wise.
An angry wren, perhaps, heard, an unidentified Owl/Raptor calling (I'm going to have to take an expert with me one day!), and then as I made my way back past the pond and the rough grass, there were calls from two birds, perhaps Raptors, perhaps Waders, perhaps something completely different. But not enough light to even see a silhoutte!
It was nice to get out again, but Winter's on it's way!
Birdlist follows (* heard only)
Blackbird*
Carrion Crow
Coot
Grey Heron
Magpie
Mallard
Mistle Thrush
Moorhen
Pheasant
Starling
Wood Pigeon
Wren*
Fortunately, as I can see it from where I am typing, I am able to get 10 mintues here and there with the binoculars, no matter how busy things are!
Things have changed a little over the weeks, not least the hirundines seem now to have gone. On the other hand, the occasional Grey Heron sighting has become three together regularly.
Anyway, on Wednesday (Oct 1) I was home early enough from work, and the weather was fine enough for me to go out. The biggest difference, of course, has been the shortening of the evenings, and leaving at 6.15, that would give me just about an hour of reasonable light.
For a change, I dedcided to go anticlockwise, although, in the end I actually headed straight on from the pond, cutting through the beet fields to the eastern path, and then followed the normal clockwise route home.
First birds of the evening were a small flock of about 20 LBJs, but they were too quick, the light was too poor and I was too unskilled to enable an id.
There were a few Magpies, and some distant "crows", with a couple of Woodpigeons coming and going.
Reaching the pond, with the water extremely low after this year's hot dry summer, I picked up the usual Mallards, Coots and Moorhens. There were, in fact, 10 or more Mallards. Perhaps they usually hide under the overhanging tree branches, but at the moment they are congregating in the muddy puddles!
Half a dozen Starlings flew over, and then a passerby pointed out a Grey Heron atop a tree, just as the bird stretched and flapped it's wings. It never ceases to look incongruous to me to see herons in treetops!
As I carried on, I noticed a second heron standing in the middle of the field. Equally odd... they should have there toes dipped in water!
Cutting through the beet field, I noticed a murder of crows. I know it's the right collective noun, but it does seem strange to actually use it! Anyway there were a good 10 or so in the next field over.
In the field I was walking through was at least one male Pheasant, head and neck just visible in the greenery. Shortly afterwards I disturbed about 6 or 7 brown pheasants (females? juveniles? both?) who scattered this way and that in irritation!
At the eastern path, and with the light already difficult, I heard a couple of Blackbirds, in fact quite a few thrushes in general. The only sighting, though was a single Mistle Thrush, which flew into a closeby tree. It was difficult to see by eye, due to the lack of light, and was almost too close for binoculars, but I was able to make out the bold patterning on the breast.
And that, apart from an un ided gull flying over, was it sightings-wise.
An angry wren, perhaps, heard, an unidentified Owl/Raptor calling (I'm going to have to take an expert with me one day!), and then as I made my way back past the pond and the rough grass, there were calls from two birds, perhaps Raptors, perhaps Waders, perhaps something completely different. But not enough light to even see a silhoutte!
It was nice to get out again, but Winter's on it's way!
Birdlist follows (* heard only)
Blackbird*
Carrion Crow
Coot
Grey Heron
Magpie
Mallard
Mistle Thrush
Moorhen
Pheasant
Starling
Wood Pigeon
Wren*