Friday 12 April 2013

This post covers Wednesday to Friday. Wednesday was sunny and even what could be termed warm, so 2 singing Chiffchaff near the garden filled me full of hope.As it turned out there was not alot about the main highlight being 35 Meadow Pipits  ,26 which were grounded the rest straight over north
The rest of the list were 2 Red Legged Partridge, 3 Buzzard, 1 Linnet north, 5 Stock Dove, and a Bullfinch being heard.
Thursday was altogether colder and windier but at least 5 Buzzards were about ,perhaps some migrants with 2 passing high to the north .A Greater Spotted Woodpecker was drumming and 4 Skylark were singing. There was a flock of 15 Fieldfare moving east and a flock of soaring calling Lesser Black Backed Gulls were heading in the same direction ( 40 plus).
The highlight of the day was the first Swallow which powered north ,2 Chiffchaff were in the same place as few days ago.
The best of the rest were 2 Stock Dove 8 Common Gull and a Brown Hare.
Friday really felt like spring had arrived being mild with heavy showers. 5 Chiffchaff were scattered about the patch and 3 Buzzards were soaring about. The pair of Red Legged Partridge were again seen.
Just 5 Meadow Pipit today but there were at least 6 singing Skylark. After the first Swallow yesterday a further 6 went north .
There were still 5 Fieldfare and a flock of 10 Redwing and a Raven flew low over calling.
The best of the rest were 4 Black Headed Gull, 3 Stock Dove, and 2 Brown Hare
 The patch list now stands at 66 .