Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
Number 36 has been a long time coming but it's not a bad one to add.
36. Iceland gull
36. Iceland gull
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Garden/Yard List 2018. (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter halftwo
- Start date
KenM
Well-known member
After what seems like an eternity with a couple of “was it..or wasn’t it’s”. A grdn.1st in 35 years on “the furniture” this am, could scarcely believe my eyes! On my relatively smooth skinned Small Sycamore trunk in direct sunlight, before I could aim the camera...a Treecreeper disappearing round the side of the house, no.52.
Richard Prior
Halfway up an Alp
Congratulations Steve, Mark and Ken - to join in the fun I too had a 'garden lifer' for here today:
45 Grey Wagtail
They breed by the Nant Bruyant (noisy stream in French!) less than 1km away, I think this one had been exploring the other stream closer to our place and was flying back to base. A very mild day today before the 'Mini beast from the East' arrives tomorrow, persuaded Wren, Marsh Tit, Fieldfare and Goldfinch to start their breeding song/calls. My very first visual migration here today too, two flocks of Woodpigeon high East. Last year the first Black Redstart came back on the 17th, it'll need its thermals if it does the same this year :eek!:
45 Grey Wagtail
They breed by the Nant Bruyant (noisy stream in French!) less than 1km away, I think this one had been exploring the other stream closer to our place and was flying back to base. A very mild day today before the 'Mini beast from the East' arrives tomorrow, persuaded Wren, Marsh Tit, Fieldfare and Goldfinch to start their breeding song/calls. My very first visual migration here today too, two flocks of Woodpigeon high East. Last year the first Black Redstart came back on the 17th, it'll need its thermals if it does the same this year :eek!:
KenM
Well-known member
Yes...cheers Richard! Over the last few days have had both Blackbird and Long-tailed Tit carrying nesting material, the latter with a big, white breast feather! Coz of the impending “beast” I’d let the feeders empty before disinfecting and refilling for the cold snap, also today a pair of Blackcap arrived, as did the Sprawk putting the Siskins to flight, it all ended well for the Siskins at least....o
Richard Prior
Halfway up an Alp
KenM
Well-known member
Richard Prior
Halfway up an Alp
They're extremely skittish too, flew off in all of a panic when a Roe Deer buck trotted through the field, the Blackbirds gave them (in my imagination of course) a pitying look and carried on digging up the worms, I suppose they don't see Roe deer in the Atlas Mts!
It's all kicking off now, a flock of 21 Starling has turned up to feed in the field, exactly the same date as last year's first one
47 Starling
It's all kicking off now, a flock of 21 Starling has turned up to feed in the field, exactly the same date as last year's first one
47 Starling
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Steve Lister
Senior Birder, ex County Recorder, Garden Moths.
A quick hover and then off to the north.......
59 Kestrel
Steve
59 Kestrel
Steve
Mark Harper
World Birder
Not seen anything new but have seen a few species that I found I had missed off my list.
33. Great Tit
34. Wren
35. Greenfinch
36. Goldfinch
33. Great Tit
34. Wren
35. Greenfinch
36. Goldfinch
Minus 12, but a few warmish days last week saw a retreat in the snow ...and with it, the arrival of the first spring migrants - Rooks and Jackdaws back a week ago, and one of my favourite signs of early spring, trumpeting Cranes in my meadow on Thursday.
Lost count of my tally, need to count up again ...shouldn't take long, still basically just the winter stuff at present.
Lost count of my tally, need to count up again ...shouldn't take long, still basically just the winter stuff at present.
Steve Lister
Senior Birder, ex County Recorder, Garden Moths.
The heaviest snow fall (so far?) of the winter here overnight, with about 10cm this morning, meant no way was I venturing out to do my wildfowl counts. Three hours in the garden instead, with an obvious cold weather movement to the south including
60 Meadow Pipit
Ten of them, along with 320 Redwings and 250 Fieldfares. The pipits are only just arriving back from the south.
Steve
60 Meadow Pipit
Ten of them, along with 320 Redwings and 250 Fieldfares. The pipits are only just arriving back from the south.
Steve
KenM
Well-known member
Five down on same time last year, until a male Bullfinch (just one sighting last year), morphed onto my neighbour's flowering Cherry, no.53.
Am currently on a roll! certainly not had one for many a year, came almost vertically out of the river opposite and almost creased my roof....no.54 Common Snipe. o
Am currently on a roll! certainly not had one for many a year, came almost vertically out of the river opposite and almost creased my roof....no.54 Common Snipe. o
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Steve Lister
Senior Birder, ex County Recorder, Garden Moths.
Seems I am on a roll too, after Kestrel on Saturday and Meadow Pipit yesterday.....
61 Yellowhammer
One flew over, clearly pushed into town by the surrounding snow.
Steve
61 Yellowhammer
One flew over, clearly pushed into town by the surrounding snow.
Steve
Richard Prior
Halfway up an Alp
Speaking of Yellowhammers, every evening a group assemble around the house and trees in the vicinity before going to roost, around a dozen throughout the winter on average. I joked with a friend that the Pine Buntings wintering in Italy weren't that far away so maybe one day one would 'hop' over the Alps to join my yellow ones. My heart missed a beat this evening when I glimpsed something odd arrive with a couple of Yellowhammers........... No, not a Pine Bunting, but only the second-ever 48 Rock Bunting for the garden. Just like the first one last year, it flew off before I could get the camera ready, a lesson learned (again ), but still a perfect end to my day, I had gone down to the lake shore east of Geneva and a wetland near the city and managed to find a Caspian Gull, my first Crag Martins of the year, a Cattle Egret and two White Storks, plus 'boxing' Hares. All in a pleasant sunshine and 9°C, the forecast was for 3° max with snow - Result :t:
), but still a perfect end to my day, I had gone down to the lake shore east of Geneva and a wetland near the city and managed to find a Caspian Gull, my first Crag Martins of the year, a Cattle Egret and two White Storks, plus 'boxing' Hares. All in a pleasant sunshine and 9°C, the forecast was for 3° max with snow - Result :t:
KenM
Well-known member
Speaking of Yellowhammers, every evening a group assemble around the house and trees in the vicinity before going to roost, around a dozen throughout the winter on average. I joked with a friend that the Pine Buntings wintering in Italy weren't that far away so maybe one day one would 'hop' over the Alps to join my yellow ones. My heart missed a beat this evening when I glimpsed something odd arrive with a couple of Yellowhammers........... No, not a Pine Bunting, but only the second-ever 48 Rock Bunting for the garden. Just like the first one last year, it flew off before I could get the camera ready, a lesson learned (again
It's been a few years since I last visited Lake Geneva Richard, brings back memories though, one early Sep.(forget the year), several Arc/Pom.Skuas and a Sabine's Gull! one afternoon seen from the Southern end (causeway/swimming area), also (same time, different year) a Whiskered Tern and 2 migrating Honey Buzzards....as Gen.D.MacArthur once said, "I shall return".
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Richard Prior
Halfway up an Alp
If you bring that selection with you, you will be welcomed with open arms Ken!
Richard Prior
Halfway up an Alp
I wish you'd all slow down a bit - still stuck in a wintry period here, by this date last year I'd added returning Black Kite, Chiffchaff, Black Kite, Blackcap, Black Redstart and Crag Martin, all have been present a few miles away at lower altitudes for a while now.
Still, nice to se an early morning:
49 Grey Heron
so the half century is nearly here!
Mark Harper
World Birder
37. Wigeon
This partially made up for failing to nail a pair of probable Pintail on a very brief view yesterday.
This partially made up for failing to nail a pair of probable Pintail on a very brief view yesterday.
