Sunday 21 September 2014

Poor relation

As the rest of the country appears to awash with vagrants from the east and places in and around the patch seem to be getting morsels of decent birds ,we however appear to have been ignored by the birding gods
With the promised cold front arriving overnight Willow and I were greeted by a cool clear morning , optimism was high but as  we made our way around the patch it soon was crushed as I realised that the BIG ONE  had bypassed Tirley ,I  had my hopes set on say a Red Breasted Flycatcher but the closest I could get was an influx of at least 15 plus Robins on the patch.
Overhead the numbers were again provided by Swallows with 122 plus moving east in a two  and half hour period . Autumn is the time we see and hear Skylarks moving over the patch and a flock of 8 were on pasture and others were heard passing south in the clear blue sky. After last weeks large flock of Meadow Pipits today I could only muster 3 but again more were heard moving overhead ,although I think only in small numbers.
It might have been the start albeit in a small way of wagtails moving ,but with the rest of the west  enjoying large numbers we managed a whole 2 ,ah the joys of patch birding ! sometimes it is bloody hard work.
We usually see a couple of Ravens on our walk but today there were 6 on the patch .Jays screeched from the trees and 4 were seen today.
The bushes and hedgerows were quiet apart from 8 plus Chiffchaff dotted about.
Other birds seen around the pastures were 3 Stock Dove, Red Legged Partridge, a flock of flyover 9 Canada Geese (plastic birds),  and a Cormorant .The Green Woodpecker put in an appearance.
On the raptor list were a male Kestrel and 5 plus Buzzards .
So with a week off work lets see what I can find this week ,it can only get better as today was one of the quietest walks for a long while