Monday 17 February 2014

Sunshine !

Sunday was like waking up in a different world , bright sunny skies, no wind ,a slight frost. Willow and I were out by 7.30am and we were rewarded with a really great walk on the patch .
Winter Thrushes were still in evidence but in reduced numbers this morning with 120 plus Fieldfare and 50 plus Redwing around . The Starling flock likewise was lesser in numbers with 260 plus present.
On the pasture were 6 Red Legged Partridge, 8 Stock Dove , one flyover Pied Wagtail and a good count of 25 plus Skylark . There was a single bird and two pairs and a flock of 20 plus winter visitors on the usual pasture, it is more difficult to see them at the moment because there are sheep on the grass at the moment.
A Green Woodpecker was calling at the same time as a Greater Spotted Woodpecker was drumming , spring is just round the corner as there was plenty of bird song this morning and the woodpeckers were joining in on the first decent morning in weeks.
On the floodwaters the most notable birds were the flock of Black Headed Gulls which today numbered 90 plus and 2 separate Moorhens bobbing about. A Raven passed eastwards towards Cleeve Hill ,the first I have seen for a few days.
As we ambled over the fields a Brown Hare exploded from its scrape, Willow just smiled and did not bother to give chase. On reaching the old orchard my attention was drawn to a small flock of birds  that were calling and acting in an agitated manner (Chaffinch ,Blue Tit ,Great Tit , Robin) ,a sure sign that a bird of prey is present or an Owl is roosting within one of the old Apple trees, sure enough as I stared at the tree I found myself in a staring contest with a Little Owl ! number 53 in the bag.
This was turning out to be a cracking walk and it was to get better as we rounded a hedgerow we found ourselves face to face with a large dog Fox, it was in superb condition .
We moved to the edge of our patch over some stubble fields and my eye was drawn to a flock of birds that flew into a hedgerow from the stubble, it was great to see a flock of 10 Yellowhammers the largest number seen on the patch ever . The final birds of note were the small flock of wintering Chaffinch that is present at the moment ,although only 15 plus birds it is the only flock we have had this winter, last year we had flocks of 200 plus on occasions. One final thought where have the Meadow Pipits gone ?
The patch list now stands at 53