Not a lot to report over the last two visits ,was out by 8am on Friday and in general the feel of the patch was very quiet.
Pied Wagtails continue to trickle south , 5 seen heading south.
In the hedges were 8 Chiffchaff but very little else. Overhead 30 plus Skylark and 50 plus Meadow Pipits were followed by just 11 Swallow today.
The saviour of a generally quite walk was a superb Wheatear found in a recently seeded field.
The best of the rest were Greater Spotted Woodpecker, 102 Starling, 3 Buzzard, Kestrel, Grey Heron over. Sunday was more of the same really , with 2 Tawny Owls calling at 4.40am .So by 7.30am I was out with Willow.
On pasture were 40 plus Meadow Pipits today and Pied Wagtails still keep passing over with 7 today. 54 Swallow over with the largest flock being 40 plus. In the fields were 20 plus Skylark and a flock of 60 plus Rook.
In the hedges were just 3 Chiffchaff , Bullfinch , and 3 Linnet. As I was almost home I saw a very distant flock of birds , they looked very like Fieldfare but were so distant I could not make a firm ID. Lets hope that the East winds which are dropping all sorts of goodies all over the east coast , bring something nice over to us.
Sunday 29 September 2013
Thursday 26 September 2013
Thursday Amble
A day off, east winds , low cloud ,you just gotta hit the local patch and it is nearly one year ago when we were graced by a Great Grey Shrike , so with that in mind Willow and myself were out at 8am .
It was overhead that was where the main action was and in a 3 hour slot 6 Skylark ,70 plus Swallow a flock of 23 House Martin ,23 plus Meadow Pipit , 8 Pied Wagtail ,8 Linnet moved south .Not a flood but a slight trickle.
In the hedges were 8 Chiffchaff (including singing birds), a very brief Blackcap, Bullfinch and several Passover Goldfinch .
2 Raven moved south west , and a female Sparrowhawk was about looking for breakfast as was a female Kestrel. The only other raptor was a Buzzard.
The build up of Starling has started, maybe a few have arrived from the continent ? as there was a flock of 300 plus on pasture ,the largest number for quite awhile.
The best of the rest were A Green Woodpecker, Red Legged Partridge. The patch total stays on 83 for the year so if we are going to add to that then the next few weeks will be important .
It was overhead that was where the main action was and in a 3 hour slot 6 Skylark ,70 plus Swallow a flock of 23 House Martin ,23 plus Meadow Pipit , 8 Pied Wagtail ,8 Linnet moved south .Not a flood but a slight trickle.
In the hedges were 8 Chiffchaff (including singing birds), a very brief Blackcap, Bullfinch and several Passover Goldfinch .
2 Raven moved south west , and a female Sparrowhawk was about looking for breakfast as was a female Kestrel. The only other raptor was a Buzzard.
The build up of Starling has started, maybe a few have arrived from the continent ? as there was a flock of 300 plus on pasture ,the largest number for quite awhile.
The best of the rest were A Green Woodpecker, Red Legged Partridge. The patch total stays on 83 for the year so if we are going to add to that then the next few weeks will be important .
Sunday 22 September 2013
Does the law count ?
An odd title I know, but I will come to that in a moment. This last week has been notable for the almost constant passage of Swallows passing south ,only a few House Martins kept them company . The peak came on Friday when I think maybe up to 300 an hour must of gone by as every time I looked out there were flocks of 20 plus passing by. But on Saturday evening when in transit to a social there were at least 800 plus Swallow moving downriver, a great sight . Then on Sunday evening the first House Martins were seen for quite a few days when 40 plus passed over with 60 plus Swallow .
So the patch itself continues to show signs of the approaching change in the seasons. The walk on Saturday was short and very much curtailed and I think it was looking good when 62 Meadow Pipits exploded from pasture land .
Overhead the only Swallow were a paltry 2 , most having passed through the day before, but I was still hopeful as it was only 7.30am .It was then I heard the first hunting horn and the sound of Fox hounds ,I stupidly thought that perhaps they were exercising the dogs ,but no they were actually hunting.They were engaged in the wonderful pursuit of cubbing, this is where they try to kill the newborn cubs, against the law and just plain wrong . Does wealth and privilege mean that you can choose to ignore a law just because you do not like it ? I think not and it makes me puke that these people think they are above the law just because they own a farm or a friggin horse.
Anyway back to the birds , in the hedges were 2 Bullfinch and a flock of 10 Goldfinch , 2 Chiffchaff were with a mixed Tit flock.
The best birds were the first 2 Lapwing of the Autumn which paused briefly before flying off towards the river meadows .There were also a flock of 33 plus Stock Dove , they must be migrants as we usually only see 6 or so .
4 Pied Wagtails passed south west .
The best of the rest were Buzzard, 2 Skylark on pasture ,Green Woodpecker, Greater Spotted Woodpecker and the star of the show a superb Fox which emerged not 20 yards in front of Willow and I and trotted off in the opposite direction to the landred gentry who were intent in killing him . So it was 1 nil to the Fox .
Sunday it was back to normal and today there were plenty of birds moving south . In two hours there were plenty of signs of migration.
A flock of 26 Skylark on stubble was nice and a further 7 passed straight over south. Meadow Pipits increased to 110 plus and 50 plus Swallow zipped over south west.
In the hedges were 10 Chiffchaff , a male Blackcap and a Common Whitethroat. A flock of 9 Linnet were near the Meadow Pipits, we should see them increase as the Autumn moves on.
Overhead a Grey Heron passed to the south west and a Mute Swan passed over. My attention was drawn by a calling Raven as it headed upriver.
The best of the rest were a flyover Pied Wagtail , Green Woodpecker ,Greater Spotted Woodpecker , 8 Red Legged Partridge and 20 plus Stock Dove
So the patch itself continues to show signs of the approaching change in the seasons. The walk on Saturday was short and very much curtailed and I think it was looking good when 62 Meadow Pipits exploded from pasture land .
Overhead the only Swallow were a paltry 2 , most having passed through the day before, but I was still hopeful as it was only 7.30am .It was then I heard the first hunting horn and the sound of Fox hounds ,I stupidly thought that perhaps they were exercising the dogs ,but no they were actually hunting.They were engaged in the wonderful pursuit of cubbing, this is where they try to kill the newborn cubs, against the law and just plain wrong . Does wealth and privilege mean that you can choose to ignore a law just because you do not like it ? I think not and it makes me puke that these people think they are above the law just because they own a farm or a friggin horse.
Anyway back to the birds , in the hedges were 2 Bullfinch and a flock of 10 Goldfinch , 2 Chiffchaff were with a mixed Tit flock.
The best birds were the first 2 Lapwing of the Autumn which paused briefly before flying off towards the river meadows .There were also a flock of 33 plus Stock Dove , they must be migrants as we usually only see 6 or so .
4 Pied Wagtails passed south west .
The best of the rest were Buzzard, 2 Skylark on pasture ,Green Woodpecker, Greater Spotted Woodpecker and the star of the show a superb Fox which emerged not 20 yards in front of Willow and I and trotted off in the opposite direction to the landred gentry who were intent in killing him . So it was 1 nil to the Fox .
Sunday it was back to normal and today there were plenty of birds moving south . In two hours there were plenty of signs of migration.
A flock of 26 Skylark on stubble was nice and a further 7 passed straight over south. Meadow Pipits increased to 110 plus and 50 plus Swallow zipped over south west.
In the hedges were 10 Chiffchaff , a male Blackcap and a Common Whitethroat. A flock of 9 Linnet were near the Meadow Pipits, we should see them increase as the Autumn moves on.
Overhead a Grey Heron passed to the south west and a Mute Swan passed over. My attention was drawn by a calling Raven as it headed upriver.
The best of the rest were a flyover Pied Wagtail , Green Woodpecker ,Greater Spotted Woodpecker , 8 Red Legged Partridge and 20 plus Stock Dove
Monday 16 September 2013
weekend revue
On the back of the rain storm Friday and after reading of the massive fall around Slimbridge after the rain I was out early Saturday morning in the hope that they may be a few migrants in our area.
The first thing that was evident was the number of Chiffchaff with 13 been seen or heard, but in truth there were bound to have been around. It was good to see 2 Lesser Whitethroat and a couple of Blackcap feeding on elderberries . Also in the hedges were 1 Bullfinch , another Reed Bunting on wires above a beet field, the second of the Autumn.
The first gathering of Starling are apparent with 35 on wires , they should increase over the next few days or so.
It was overhead that stole the show with 2 Meadow Pipits south, also 59 House Martin south west, 96 Swallow south , and 50 plus Lesser Black Backed Gulls in all directions !
Around the fields were 3 Skylark ,3 Stock Dove ,Greater Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Red Legged Partridge and 2 Buzzard .
So Sunday I was out again early , but it turned out to be quieter, but Swallows were still heading south west with 48 passing low with haste, with them were 16 House Martin. A larger count of 17 Meadow Pipits over southwards and the first Linnets went south west with a small flock of 4 been seen .
2 Raven passed over low calling as they went. In the hedges were a Common Whitethroat and just 5 Chiffchaff today , sometimes it what you do not see not just what you do that gives you a sight of migration in action. Starling increased to 42, and in the fields 5 Skylark were present .
Also present were 2 Buzzard, Green Woodpecker, and 2 Stock Dove.
The first thing that was evident was the number of Chiffchaff with 13 been seen or heard, but in truth there were bound to have been around. It was good to see 2 Lesser Whitethroat and a couple of Blackcap feeding on elderberries . Also in the hedges were 1 Bullfinch , another Reed Bunting on wires above a beet field, the second of the Autumn.
The first gathering of Starling are apparent with 35 on wires , they should increase over the next few days or so.
It was overhead that stole the show with 2 Meadow Pipits south, also 59 House Martin south west, 96 Swallow south , and 50 plus Lesser Black Backed Gulls in all directions !
Around the fields were 3 Skylark ,3 Stock Dove ,Greater Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Red Legged Partridge and 2 Buzzard .
So Sunday I was out again early , but it turned out to be quieter, but Swallows were still heading south west with 48 passing low with haste, with them were 16 House Martin. A larger count of 17 Meadow Pipits over southwards and the first Linnets went south west with a small flock of 4 been seen .
2 Raven passed over low calling as they went. In the hedges were a Common Whitethroat and just 5 Chiffchaff today , sometimes it what you do not see not just what you do that gives you a sight of migration in action. Starling increased to 42, and in the fields 5 Skylark were present .
Also present were 2 Buzzard, Green Woodpecker, and 2 Stock Dove.
Friday 13 September 2013
The past week
As usual with work I have only managed to get out onto the patch for two very brief periods during the week , but Summer has turned to Autumn now and a constant feature has been the overhead passage of Swallows and House Martins moving overhead in a south to south westerly direction .After the first flock of Meadow Pipits last weekend on Thursday a flock of over 60 were feeding a stubble field , many of these birds will be from Iceland and northern Europe and Britain and some will end up in Iberia for the winter months.
Any way I managed a small circuit of the patch on Friday afternoon and in a 90 minute period 120 plus Swallow along with 30 plus House Martin passed southwards. Only 4 Meadow Pipits today passed overhead calling as they went south.
In the hedges were a late Willow Warbler and 4 Chiffchaff , Green and Greater Spotted Woodpecker and a flock of 100 plus Woodpigeon ,no doubt some of the afore mentioned being migrant moving south . A female Kestrel and 2 Buzzards made up the birds of prey .
The weather forecast is for rain etc this weekend ,so I am going to get up early tomorrow and see if that drops in any visitors in as they make their way to their winter quarters
Any way I managed a small circuit of the patch on Friday afternoon and in a 90 minute period 120 plus Swallow along with 30 plus House Martin passed southwards. Only 4 Meadow Pipits today passed overhead calling as they went south.
In the hedges were a late Willow Warbler and 4 Chiffchaff , Green and Greater Spotted Woodpecker and a flock of 100 plus Woodpigeon ,no doubt some of the afore mentioned being migrant moving south . A female Kestrel and 2 Buzzards made up the birds of prey .
The weather forecast is for rain etc this weekend ,so I am going to get up early tomorrow and see if that drops in any visitors in as they make their way to their winter quarters
Saturday 7 September 2013
All change
After 3 weeks off the patch due to holidays ,today was the first opportunity to cover the patch fully. As I had only managed a couple of short midweek visits when there had been a few good birds around I was thinking that I may have missed a few migrants when I was away.
The weather forecast promised northerly winds and rain showers so I was hopeful when I set out this morning , The weather was bright blue skies and a gentle breeze.
It was obvious that the seasons are changing with the first flock of 8 Meadow Pipits heading over south calling.
In the hedges were 6 Chiffchaff, 3 Whitethroat, also a female Reed Bunting was a nice surprise, not a bird we see a lot around here. It was good to find 2 Blackcaps feeding on elderberries, all these warblers will be feeding up before they head south , some will be well on their way now.
Birds of prey were a male Sparrowhawk, female Kestrel and 4 Buzzard, also a Raven passed over.
Overhead 22 plus House Martins and 16 plus Swallows passed over ( good numbers earlier in the week ,so good evidence that most of the birds we are seeing here are from elsewhere .
Best of the rest were a Bullfinch and 7 Stock Dove, a Comarant passed upriver.
Normal service is now resumed !
The weather forecast promised northerly winds and rain showers so I was hopeful when I set out this morning , The weather was bright blue skies and a gentle breeze.
It was obvious that the seasons are changing with the first flock of 8 Meadow Pipits heading over south calling.
In the hedges were 6 Chiffchaff, 3 Whitethroat, also a female Reed Bunting was a nice surprise, not a bird we see a lot around here. It was good to find 2 Blackcaps feeding on elderberries, all these warblers will be feeding up before they head south , some will be well on their way now.
Birds of prey were a male Sparrowhawk, female Kestrel and 4 Buzzard, also a Raven passed over.
Overhead 22 plus House Martins and 16 plus Swallows passed over ( good numbers earlier in the week ,so good evidence that most of the birds we are seeing here are from elsewhere .
Best of the rest were a Bullfinch and 7 Stock Dove, a Comarant passed upriver.
Normal service is now resumed !
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