Autumn migration seems to have finished now so all we are awaiting are any movements brought on by colder weather etc. The few times I managed to walk on the patch resulted in the usual birds being seen in small numbers. The feeders in the garden are certainly quieter than this time last year. The highlight of the week was a calling Little Owl on Thursday afternoon at 4.15pm . it is a long time since I have heard or seen any of the above on the patch.
Saturday dawned cold and clear with a slight frost. The most obvious birds were Starling with at least 750 plus on the patch , they were feeding on pasture or in the old orchard . Fieldfares were evident with 75 plus along with 40 plus Redwing .
Meadow Pipits numbered 13 ,most were feeding around the cow feeding boughs, the boughs also attracted 2 male Reed Buntings ,but there may have actually been 3 as I saw another bird in the vicinity.
Skylarks were on the stubble field with 15 plus over and around and a lone Lapwing was feeding nearby.
The best of the rest were 2 Buzzard, Green Woodpecker, 2 Pied Wagtail and a Mistle Thrush .
Sunday was a quiet cold grey day with the same birds around but in much lesser numbers , for example 50 plus each of Fieldfare and Redwing .The most outstanding feature of Sunday was the number of Blackbirds in all the hedges with at least 20 plus been seen and to be honest if I had counted them the number would be more substantial , there must of been an arrival overnight of continental birds to the area .
It is very quiet at the moment so lets hope for some proper winter weather to bring us some birds .
Sunday 24 November 2013
Sunday 17 November 2013
weekly update
The last week was very quite on the two times I managed to visit the patch, with just a few winter Thrush to report.
So Saturday it was a surprise to step out into a colder morning with a hint of frost .There had been an influx of Fieldfare with 200 plus in the area along with 100 plus Redwing feeding in the old orchard and in the hedges.
The star of the show was a male Peregrine which passed over causing panic in the Thrush ranks. 2 Raven were about they seem to becoming more regular nowadays.
A nice flock of 13 Stock Dove was nice to see.
The best of the rest were 4 Pied Wagtail ,2 Buzzard and 5 Meadow Pipit.
Sunday was a still grey morning with low cloud but a warmer feel .The Fieldfare 200 plus and the Redwings 100 plus remained in the area .A Mistle Thrush also made itself known along with a noticeable increase in Blackbird numbers.
Meadow Pipits increased with 29 plus and there were 12 plus Skylarks on pasture. As I crossed one of the top fields a Snipe exploded from the long grass. A Green Woodpecker called as did a Greater Spotted Woodpecker and 2 Stock Dove were in the usual place.
The best of the rest were a Buzzard, a small flock of 10 Chaffinch, a nice total of 12 Pied Wagtail and circa 50 plus Starling.
Colder weather is forecast for next week so lets see what that brings.
So Saturday it was a surprise to step out into a colder morning with a hint of frost .There had been an influx of Fieldfare with 200 plus in the area along with 100 plus Redwing feeding in the old orchard and in the hedges.
The star of the show was a male Peregrine which passed over causing panic in the Thrush ranks. 2 Raven were about they seem to becoming more regular nowadays.
A nice flock of 13 Stock Dove was nice to see.
The best of the rest were 4 Pied Wagtail ,2 Buzzard and 5 Meadow Pipit.
Sunday was a still grey morning with low cloud but a warmer feel .The Fieldfare 200 plus and the Redwings 100 plus remained in the area .A Mistle Thrush also made itself known along with a noticeable increase in Blackbird numbers.
Meadow Pipits increased with 29 plus and there were 12 plus Skylarks on pasture. As I crossed one of the top fields a Snipe exploded from the long grass. A Green Woodpecker called as did a Greater Spotted Woodpecker and 2 Stock Dove were in the usual place.
The best of the rest were a Buzzard, a small flock of 10 Chaffinch, a nice total of 12 Pied Wagtail and circa 50 plus Starling.
Colder weather is forecast for next week so lets see what that brings.
Sunday 10 November 2013
Sunny Sunday
After overnight rain Sunday dawned cold and sunny, alas no signs of any Redpoll today ! .It was obvious that were some birds on the move ,winter Thrushes were more obvious of late with 65 plus Fieldfare and 55 plus Redwing feeding on berries in the hedgerows ,there were more Blackbirds of late many being very flighty ,so some Scandanavian visitors have arrived.
Meadow Pipits at 10 were still here maybe they will stay the winter, whereas it would seem that there has been an influx of Skylarks with 36 overhead or on pastureland .
It was nice to see 2 male Yellowhammer together ,this follows yesterdays male the first for quite a few months. The winter flock of Linnet remains with 140 plus in three flocks on stubble fields. A small flock of 3 Bullfinch were in the hedges .
The highlite for me was the sight of a flock of 67 Woodpigeon migrating high north to south , its great seeing migration in action.
The best of the rest were 2 Buzzard, 3 Stock Dove, Green Woodpecker, 2 Greater Spotted Woodpecker ,Red Legged Partridge,2 Pied Wagtail.
A nice walk with some good birds ,if it could just get a little colder.
Meadow Pipits at 10 were still here maybe they will stay the winter, whereas it would seem that there has been an influx of Skylarks with 36 overhead or on pastureland .
It was nice to see 2 male Yellowhammer together ,this follows yesterdays male the first for quite a few months. The winter flock of Linnet remains with 140 plus in three flocks on stubble fields. A small flock of 3 Bullfinch were in the hedges .
The highlite for me was the sight of a flock of 67 Woodpigeon migrating high north to south , its great seeing migration in action.
The best of the rest were 2 Buzzard, 3 Stock Dove, Green Woodpecker, 2 Greater Spotted Woodpecker ,Red Legged Partridge,2 Pied Wagtail.
A nice walk with some good birds ,if it could just get a little colder.
Saturday 9 November 2013
Redpoll invasion !
It has been 10 days since I have updated this blog but in my defence I have been in Holland with work ,so it was up and at them this morning to see if anything has turned up on the patch.
The walk started off well with a mixed flock of 20 each of Redwing and Fieldfare feeding on apple trees next door , more Fieldfares passed over the walk .
The small wintering flock of Meadow Pipits remain with about 15 feeding around a cattle feeding bough ,also 3 Skylarks were in the same area .On the stubble fields the Linnet flock remains with 140 plus today ,there was also a male Yellowhammer there ,a rare visitor nowadays.
It was when I was nearly home that two finch passed overhead ,the call alerted me at first and I soon saw that they were Redpoll , they dropped onto the top of a Silver Birch tree giving nice views when all of a sudden a flock of 30 plus joined them ,this smashes the patch record. They soon moved off but I have stocked up my niger feeders and Black sunflower seeds so lets see if they return.
The best of the rest were a Buzzard ,Pied Wagtail , Greater Spotted Woodpecker .
With first frost forecast tonight lets see what the morning brings.
The walk started off well with a mixed flock of 20 each of Redwing and Fieldfare feeding on apple trees next door , more Fieldfares passed over the walk .
The small wintering flock of Meadow Pipits remain with about 15 feeding around a cattle feeding bough ,also 3 Skylarks were in the same area .On the stubble fields the Linnet flock remains with 140 plus today ,there was also a male Yellowhammer there ,a rare visitor nowadays.
It was when I was nearly home that two finch passed overhead ,the call alerted me at first and I soon saw that they were Redpoll , they dropped onto the top of a Silver Birch tree giving nice views when all of a sudden a flock of 30 plus joined them ,this smashes the patch record. They soon moved off but I have stocked up my niger feeders and Black sunflower seeds so lets see if they return.
The best of the rest were a Buzzard ,Pied Wagtail , Greater Spotted Woodpecker .
With first frost forecast tonight lets see what the morning brings.
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