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Garden (Yard) List 2012 (11 Viewers)
- Thread starter Larry Lade
- Start date
Jabberwocky
Well-known member
After almost four weeks with nothing new, I stepped out the back door this morning as around 50 Whooper Swans flew directly overhead in a near perfect V formation.
35) Whooper Swan
35) Whooper Swan
Larry Lade
Moderator
Had about 500 Snow Geese flyover the yard today. Mixed in with them were a few:
20. Ross's Goose, our yard, Saint Joseph, Missouri
20. Ross's Goose, our yard, Saint Joseph, Missouri
dantheman
Bah humbug
Got a bit of updating to do (Snow or Ross's Goose would be very nice ... if just a little unlikely/impossible)
Anyway, the Meadow Pipit paid a return visit the next day (15th Feb) when it was seen trying to eat bits of what were either bits of shredded paper or cat litter (?) that had blown onto the grass from next doors rubbish ... not a particularly healthy diet at any rate!
A mega male Blackbird perched on the fence briefly, but I managed to miss probably the best bird of the year, a male House Sparrow which also perched on the fence briefly.
Left for France again on the 16th feb, totting up my Falmouth list on the train realised I'd missed a few off my garden list - in no particluar order -
Wren
Jay (h)
Woodpigeon
Collared Dove
and decided to have the Barwit, as that was undoubtably what it was (no other apparent other confusion species),
which puts me on a grand total of ... 52!!!!
(I think, no doubt will get an ominous knock on the door from the authorities one night soon to inform me I've double counted again or something ... )
Smashed the 50 for the year prediction ... and there's scope for plenty more! (poor quality pun intended).
Anyway, the Meadow Pipit paid a return visit the next day (15th Feb) when it was seen trying to eat bits of what were either bits of shredded paper or cat litter (?) that had blown onto the grass from next doors rubbish ... not a particularly healthy diet at any rate!
A mega male Blackbird perched on the fence briefly, but I managed to miss probably the best bird of the year, a male House Sparrow which also perched on the fence briefly.
Left for France again on the 16th feb, totting up my Falmouth list on the train realised I'd missed a few off my garden list - in no particluar order -
Wren
Jay (h)
Woodpigeon
Collared Dove
and decided to have the Barwit, as that was undoubtably what it was (no other apparent other confusion species),
which puts me on a grand total of ... 52!!!!
(I think, no doubt will get an ominous knock on the door from the authorities one night soon to inform me I've double counted again or something ... )
Smashed the 50 for the year prediction ... and there's scope for plenty more! (poor quality pun intended).
dantheman
Bah humbug
Now for France ... and the french garden list (confused? ... I am!!)
Was actually on 30, not 31 after the last visit, as counted Wren twice (where were the authorities? :eek!: ... :-O )
Arrived on the evening of the 17th, straight into work unfortunately, with only a few minor additions over the first week -
31) Mallard
32) Jackdaw
33) Lapwing (700 N in various flocks over two days, 2nd record)
Picked up considerably on Friday 24th Feb -
34) Nuthatch 2, 'Space Invadering' somewhere nearby
35) Red Kite 2 N
36) Rook 1 N (2nd record)
37) Tree Sparrow 1 in neighboring garden
And maybe even more so today -
38) Firecrest 1 in the pines
39) Yellow- legged Gull 1 N (2nd or 3rd record)
40) Black Kite 2 N (earliest record)
41) Long-tailed Tit
42) Skylark (h over)
Been rather quiet apart from a few spells of obvious northward migration. Only a single figure flock of Lapwing seen previously, so to get flocks of several hundred low over the garden at a time nice. Had a Kite sp. early on, then two on the friday - one was interesting as I initially noticed it when the call of something else caught my attention - I turned to see a string of 20+ large birds fairly high above. 'Nice, Cranes' I thought, except I rather instantly after realised they were a shallow v of 22 Cormorant winging northward. The call had come from a Rook immediatley after them which in turn was being 'harried' by a Red Kite, a metre or so above and behind, and now and then dipping almost to touch. All disappeared off into the far distance, the Rook swapping roles having a tweak or two at the larger bird ... as mismatched a couple as Donkey and that Dragon from 'Shrek' to my mind ... the avian odd couple indeed.
Today was rather less sunny, and fairly misty/low cloud most of the day, but conditions maybe better towards the Pyrenees, as a good early raptor passage - 106+ Red Kite in the time I was out in the garden (including one flock of 42, with 2 Black Kites at different times and one obvious passage Common Buzzard. Sparrowhawk, local Buzzards, 30+ Lapwing, but very little passerine passage. Lot milder too now - was down to -5.5 C the other night (they had -14 and 6inches of snow in that cold snap - we didn't have any in Falmouth!). Another week and a half to go ...
Was actually on 30, not 31 after the last visit, as counted Wren twice (where were the authorities? :eek!: ... :-O )
Arrived on the evening of the 17th, straight into work unfortunately, with only a few minor additions over the first week -
31) Mallard
32) Jackdaw
33) Lapwing (700 N in various flocks over two days, 2nd record)
Picked up considerably on Friday 24th Feb -
34) Nuthatch 2, 'Space Invadering' somewhere nearby
35) Red Kite 2 N
36) Rook 1 N (2nd record)
37) Tree Sparrow 1 in neighboring garden
And maybe even more so today -
38) Firecrest 1 in the pines
39) Yellow- legged Gull 1 N (2nd or 3rd record)
40) Black Kite 2 N (earliest record)
41) Long-tailed Tit
42) Skylark (h over)
Been rather quiet apart from a few spells of obvious northward migration. Only a single figure flock of Lapwing seen previously, so to get flocks of several hundred low over the garden at a time nice. Had a Kite sp. early on, then two on the friday - one was interesting as I initially noticed it when the call of something else caught my attention - I turned to see a string of 20+ large birds fairly high above. 'Nice, Cranes' I thought, except I rather instantly after realised they were a shallow v of 22 Cormorant winging northward. The call had come from a Rook immediatley after them which in turn was being 'harried' by a Red Kite, a metre or so above and behind, and now and then dipping almost to touch. All disappeared off into the far distance, the Rook swapping roles having a tweak or two at the larger bird ... as mismatched a couple as Donkey and that Dragon from 'Shrek' to my mind ... the avian odd couple indeed.
Today was rather less sunny, and fairly misty/low cloud most of the day, but conditions maybe better towards the Pyrenees, as a good early raptor passage - 106+ Red Kite in the time I was out in the garden (including one flock of 42, with 2 Black Kites at different times and one obvious passage Common Buzzard. Sparrowhawk, local Buzzards, 30+ Lapwing, but very little passerine passage. Lot milder too now - was down to -5.5 C the other night (they had -14 and 6inches of snow in that cold snap - we didn't have any in Falmouth!). Another week and a half to go ...
Last edited:
KenM
Well-known member
Your breathing down my neck Dan!....am getting nervous :eek!:
Friday started with another flyover ''short-tailed Fieldfare'' followed by a ''forestta'' Legret, my first ever displaying Com.Buzzard sandwiched ''between'' a pair of displaying Sprawks, soon followed by two pairs of Stock Dove...then three RRParakeets also displaying (whizzing around the wild blue yonder like demented hirundines) plus ten Redpoll including at least one Common!...and also in the garden..Goldcrest, SongThrush, and Long Tailed Tit (these last three..not of daily occurence). Today..''what a difference a day makes''..24 little hours (just gone a bit lyrical)...almost Bugger all!...Still there's always tomorrow......
..Just think if your ''other garden'' was in the Netherlands...you could ''Go Dutch''.
Friday started with another flyover ''short-tailed Fieldfare'' followed by a ''forestta'' Legret, my first ever displaying Com.Buzzard sandwiched ''between'' a pair of displaying Sprawks, soon followed by two pairs of Stock Dove...then three RRParakeets also displaying (whizzing around the wild blue yonder like demented hirundines) plus ten Redpoll including at least one Common!...and also in the garden..Goldcrest, SongThrush, and Long Tailed Tit (these last three..not of daily occurence). Today..''what a difference a day makes''..24 little hours (just gone a bit lyrical)...almost Bugger all!...Still there's always tomorrow......
..Just think if your ''other garden'' was in the Netherlands...you could ''Go Dutch''.
KenM
Well-known member
Eight Buzzard...now thats impressive!...I can remember meeting a ''warden'' in the Cuckmere Valley(East Sussex)..some thirty years ago..excitedly telling me that he'd seen a CBuzzard a few days earlier...how fortunes have changed for Buteo buteo.
joannec
Well-known member
Indeed, how times have changed. They are a daily occurance for me.
KenM
Well-known member
Wow!!! (had a fem/imm Montagu's interacting with a Hobby many years ago before disappearing high over the roof, during June if memory serves...It would be good if the Circus came to town once more...
chowchilla
Well-known member
Today's heavy rain didn't prevent a Royal Spoonbill from doing a flyover; another common bird long overdue.
As the rain eased off about an hour ago, the bird activity has been typically frenetic, but nothing else added.
67) Royal Spoonbill.
As the rain eased off about an hour ago, the bird activity has been typically frenetic, but nothing else added.
67) Royal Spoonbill.
edenwatcher
Well-known member
A weekend surge!
Saturday began with a bang ...
69. GREAT GREY SHRIKE - presumably the bird present before Christmas, its return was most unexpected.
70. stock dove
71. skylark
72. grey wagtail
73. lesser black-backed gull - the first sign of spring!
74. great crested grebe.
and yesterday
75. goosander
76. kestrel
77. gannet.
That takes about to where we should be at the end of Feb!
Rob
Saturday began with a bang ...
69. GREAT GREY SHRIKE - presumably the bird present before Christmas, its return was most unexpected.
70. stock dove
71. skylark
72. grey wagtail
73. lesser black-backed gull - the first sign of spring!
74. great crested grebe.
and yesterday
75. goosander
76. kestrel
77. gannet.
That takes about to where we should be at the end of Feb!
Rob
KenM
Well-known member
joannec
Well-known member
Yeah, know the feeling. :-C
edenwatcher
Well-known member
78. redwing
The shrike showing well again this morning.
It's a great place to live, especially when having young children restricts the number of birding days out.
Rob
The shrike showing well again this morning.
It's a great place to live, especially when having young children restricts the number of birding days out.
Rob
