Birding while driving... (1 Viewer)

I decided this morning that with spring in the air I'd change my route to and from work and cut across country, no not off-roading,though I'm partial to a bit of fun in the mud every now and then :-O.
I'm avoiding all the main roads and using, well, lets just say if I meet any other vehicles on these roads it's a bit of a squeeze to get past each other..My route takes me past stud farms and farmland with tall wild, to nicely trimmed hedgrow, wild flowers starting to show and!! I can drive at a nice easy pace.
In the trip to and from work I've seen Robin, Blackbird, Wren, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Pheasant, Rook, Wood Pigeon, Jackdaw, a Kestrel, Herring Gull!! The best was coming home this evening, I slowed to a stop at the sight of a small flock of Yellowhammer atop of a strip of trimmed hedgerow, as I sat and watched I noticed two other birds on the far edge of them..picked up my field guide from the seat and there they were, my first ever Reed Bunting and a pair at that..I've put the old camera in the Landie tonight..yes I should have done this last night :-C :-C , but at least it's there now.
I've added an extra 15 mins to my journey time, more to do with driving that bit slower, but it's been a great way to start and end the day..

Nice one Ray! and well worth that extra 15 minutes!! especially to see a flock of Yellowhammers, lucky so-and-so!! Hope for some piccies if you can manage it? Well done on the Reed Buntings too, lovely little birds, saw my first ones recently too. Happy travelling........but don't forget to keep your eyes on the road too!!!

A great read Ray! Congratulations on your first Reed Buntings, such very beautiful Birds with lovely markings. I'm in the middle of reading a very good Bird book we were given for Christmas....and just a little way in to the book one of the things it advises against doing is........Birding by car! Well, unless you're a passenger...and that's fine so long as you don't tell the driver to look!

Still, the way you describe your way of Birding by car.....sounds a sensible and wonderful way to do it - when you're driving slowly anyway. As you say, what a way to start and end each day, fantastic!

Thanks Ray, good to read about.

Sue.

Hi Ray,
Yes a very nice way to start a day, but do be very careful, as an inveterate gawper, I have had several narrow squeaks. It always special to add a new bird to ones list, and this feeling never goes away.
Happy Birding
George

I bird on my way to and from work. I do be careful though, there's no point in causing a pile up and getting charged with driving without due care and attention!