BirdForum is the net's largest birding community dedicated to wild birds and birding, and is absolutely FREE!

Register for an account to take part in lively discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mouldy" data-source="post: 1753616" data-attributes="member: 25743">winter's last weekend ?Sunday March 7th 2010Bright but cold this morning when we started out just after 8am.Toured the Hedley Hall Woods/ Burdon Moor area.Early on not much to report, a roe deer and a brown hare were best sightings, then a couple more roe deer before the birding proper kicked in on the moor, where skylarks were vocal and abundant, 100+ golden plover, lesser number of lapwings, 35 fieldfare in the ’Benny Hill’ pony field (but Steve made no attempt to enter, wonder why?:-O) along with 3 snipe. 3 redwing flew over, 4 grey partridges frolicking about, a couple of reed buntings and yellowhammers, but best spot of the day was a little owl sunning itself at the end of a tree branch, one had been reported in the area a couple of weeks back but we didn't know where so finding it was a nice bonus. It eventually retreated to its hole when a kestrel came on the scene. A distant buzzard was the only other raptor seen, and a lone rabbit finished off our mammal sightings for the morning, in a field along the old railway track which also contained six horses which on seeing us started to canter over to where we were standing. A feeling of deja vu hit us both, and Steve proclaimed "right well here's my chance to test DS's theory about being the immovable object", and stood there, arms stretched out in front of him, shouting "STOP!!" at the approaching equines. But before you all go admiring his bravery, I must tell you he was standing behind the fence at the time! Back to the valley and a visit to Shibdon pond produced best sightings of kingfisher and goosander, with a few teal and shelduck and a four coot brawl which almost got nasty when one was held under the water for a few seconds but thankfully escaped and duly scarpered.Late morning, bright and calm so we tried a bit of raptor spotting from the brow of the valley, where displaying goshawks have turned up the last couple of years. None today though, but plenty of kites and four buzzards displaying in the air together, 4 redwing flew over, and on the ground the repeated five-syllable call of a red legged partridge close by but the bird itself not seen.Skylark here as well so only a matter of time before it appears on my garden list as we were only half a mile from my home at most. Early afternoon Steve was gagging to get back home to try and get a buzzard or a skylark on his list while the sun was brightening the skies, and I had to get back ’cos sprog1 wanted to go out somewhere so we left it at that, a very pleasant morning with some good sightings to ponder over, cheers Steve. :t:Alan M</blockquote>

Verification