Monday, 16 January 2012
Hungry Gulls and a Fox....16/01/2012
Black-headed Gulls (16+) slowly descended on my garden making me feel quite dizzy as I watched them fly around and around my garden until they felt safe enough to land and get their share of the food I had put out for the birds on this cold and frosty morning. I had today put bread out along with the scones, sultanas and seed as I knew the birds would be hungry after such a cold night. The Crows, Magpies and Woodpigeons were not too pleased with the new arrivals! A male and female Blackcap were a welcome sight on the apples that I spike on a tree. A Coal Tit has been a frequent visitor since this recent cold spell started, always a lovely to bird to see. Two Robins, Great and Blue Tits, Dunnocks and Blackbirds are the regulars. A Wren has visited the last couple of days, a very welcome sight.
This afternoon a Fox was in my garden, it ate one of the fallen apples and then inspected around the feeders and after a mooch around crept through the hole in the fence at the bottom of my garden. I have had a few calling cards left recently so to see the Fox was not a surprise, it must have been hungry visiting in daylight though it looked quite a well fed Fox. An absolute pleasure to see.
Monday, 9 January 2012
A wonderful 'Full Moon' rising, viewed from Enville....08/01/2012
The bridleway/public footpath off Compton Road and leading to Enville Hall was a great walk this afternoon. Linnets were heard several times as they flew above the treetops and a Green Woodpecker also heard. Nuthatch x2 scoured the tree branches and a Treecreeper spiralled up a tree trunk both species in search of insects and spiders. The mild Winter has been kind...so far... for insect loving species! Other highlight birds seen were Siskin, Robin, Goldfinch, Chaffinch. Blue Tit, Great Tit, Wren, Redpoll, Long-tailed Tit 12+, Blackbird, Mistle Thrush x5, Buzzard, a flock of Redwings, Great Spotted Woodpecker and a GSW heard drumming!
Temple Pool was quiet with just a dozen or so Mallards on the water. By the pool I found a humongous Fungi that had fallen from a tree, I believe it is a Bracket fungi? It was a whopper and the biggest Fungi I have ever seen! I found a handy house brick to place beside the Fungi for a size comparism.
On the return walk the 'Full Moon' rising was a joy to behold as the haze from the setting sun transformed clouds to a soft pink colour, within minutes darker clouds had enveloped the moon. It was a great sight to see to end an enjoyable afternoon walk in mild Springlike weather.
No 'rare bird species' seen on the walk but there doesn't have to be to enjoy a good walk in the countryside.
Temple Pool was quiet with just a dozen or so Mallards on the water. By the pool I found a humongous Fungi that had fallen from a tree, I believe it is a Bracket fungi? It was a whopper and the biggest Fungi I have ever seen! I found a handy house brick to place beside the Fungi for a size comparism.
On the return walk the 'Full Moon' rising was a joy to behold as the haze from the setting sun transformed clouds to a soft pink colour, within minutes darker clouds had enveloped the moon. It was a great sight to see to end an enjoyable afternoon walk in mild Springlike weather.
No 'rare bird species' seen on the walk but there doesn't have to be to enjoy a good walk in the countryside.
Saturday, 7 January 2012
A Mutation of Thrushes....07/01/2012
Fieldfares and Redwings where the notable birds on my walk at the Fisheries this morning. The flocks were very mobile as they fed in the paddocks and on pasture land, lovely birds to see, berries have now all but gone on the trees and shrubs. Great Tits and Blue Tits were very vocal as the sun appeared from behind the clouds and warmed the air. I was pleased to have sightings of 5 possibly 6 Bullfinches though once they spot you they take flight! A couple of Siskins perched for a few seconds atop a tree and a Wren was busy feeding in the brambles. I had great views for a good 10 minutes of a male Sparrowhawk preening in the sunshine as it perched low on a tree branch. It made a pleasant change from watching one devouring it's prey!! Apart from a couple of Pied Wagtails in a paddock the above bird species were the only one's seen this morning. As I made my way down the track to return home a huge flock of Woodpigeons were feeding in one of the fields and suddenly took flight, I looked to see what had spooked them, it was a Sparrowhawk, possibly the one I had been watching preening!
Friday, 6 January 2012
Hyde Lane, Stourton....02/01/2012
A change of scenery today, Hyde Lane and a new area for me. The afternoon was a sunny one for the most part but quite cool. Not a lot of bird species were seen on the walk towards the canal (Staffs & Worcs) all but Blue and Great Tits which are lovely to see, however a perched Buzzard on a pole was a nice surprise, just as I readied my camera it took flight into nearby trees! On reaching the canal half a dozen Mallards were seen diving fully into the water like Little Grebes. I have never seen Mallards do this before, just upending! They were surfacing with what looked to be acorns, swallowing them and diving down again! There is an Oak tree above the area they were in so I presume that they were softened acorns they were eating or molluscs, they certainly looked like acorns.
On the return walk we took a walk along a public footpath that you reach through a Kissing gate that is next to a bridge over the River Stour, the path takes you through a good woodland area. A Buzzard was spotted perched in trees, possibly the same one that was seen earlier. Other species seen were Jay, Goldcrests, Nuthatch x 2 scouring the same tree trunk, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Bullfinch x 2 (male), Robin, Blackbird, Blue & Great Tit, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, with Siskin heard only! The path leads eventually to Enville Road by Stourton stables though as it was getting dark the whole of the path was not walked. An enjoyable walk with a colourful Sunset to end the afternoon.
With the Fairies lights now switched off and Santa's Little Helpers all tucked up in bed for their well earned rest and daylight hours gradually lengthening it brings pleasant thoughts to mind that Spring is just around the corner!
A heavily cropped image but an acorn (?) is just visible that the duck is about to devour.
Staffs & Worcs Canal
River Stour
On the return walk we took a walk along a public footpath that you reach through a Kissing gate that is next to a bridge over the River Stour, the path takes you through a good woodland area. A Buzzard was spotted perched in trees, possibly the same one that was seen earlier. Other species seen were Jay, Goldcrests, Nuthatch x 2 scouring the same tree trunk, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Bullfinch x 2 (male), Robin, Blackbird, Blue & Great Tit, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, with Siskin heard only! The path leads eventually to Enville Road by Stourton stables though as it was getting dark the whole of the path was not walked. An enjoyable walk with a colourful Sunset to end the afternoon.
With the Fairies lights now switched off and Santa's Little Helpers all tucked up in bed for their well earned rest and daylight hours gradually lengthening it brings pleasant thoughts to mind that Spring is just around the corner!
A heavily cropped image but an acorn (?) is just visible that the duck is about to devour.
Staffs & Worcs Canal
River Stour
Thursday, 5 January 2012
Whooper Swan feed at WWT Martin Mere....30/12/2011
This video took an age to upload on Youtube!! Apologies for the bumpy ride at the end of the video, I reckon I was pushed.lol!
My camera gave up the ghost after taking this video, the on/off switch went kaput! Maybe it was all the wet weather? I am borrowing a Panasonic FZ45 at present until I get my camera fixed. My pics may improve.lol!
My camera gave up the ghost after taking this video, the on/off switch went kaput! Maybe it was all the wet weather? I am borrowing a Panasonic FZ45 at present until I get my camera fixed. My pics may improve.lol!
Monday, 2 January 2012
A trip 'Up North'....29th-31st December 2011
North West to be precise, Burscough, Ormskirk, Lancashire! WWT Martin Mere was a reserve I have had on my 'to do' list. So on Boxing Day on impulse I booked a farm B&B that just happened to have it's land bordering the reserve and what a good B&B it was too! The farm won a woodland farm award in 1985 after planting a large number of trees, they took part in 'Operation Tree Sparrow' in 2004 which helped to create the ideal environment for birds on their land and an official bird survey discovered they had a huge number of bird species thriving in the area! Well done to them! Around the farm were Starling, House sparrow, Dunnock, Blue and Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Blackbird, Song Thrush and Robin, I am sure given more time and better weather I would have sighted Tree Sparrow, Corn Bunting and Skylark. Whooper Swans passed over the farmland early in the mornings, great to see and hear!
It was a very, no extremely windy day on the Thursday (29th)! A visit to RSPB Marshside Nature Reserve would have been much more enjoyable if it had stopped raining and the wind had died down somewhat, as it was you couldn't face the wind as it took your breath!! Birds viewed across the marsh from Sandgrounders Hide were Wigeon, Teal, Little Egret, Little Grebe, Coot, Moorhen, Grey Heron, Lapwing, Canada Geese, Pink Footed Geese, Curlew (1), Starlings and a fantastic display of speed from a hunting Peregrine!! High Tide was at 1.30pm but with the strong wind there was no way I was going to get out the scope and scan the shoreline. The visibilty was very poor but with binocular views it was clear that there were hundreds and hundreds of birds across the shoreline, maybe a visit sometime in the future will be more productive as far as positive species sightings go.
Friday the 30th and the wind had died down but goodness me did it rain...it didn't stop all day! However the weather did not stop the enjoyment of walking around WWT Martin Mere. On arrival a volunteer was most helpful in giving information about the reserve. The first stop was a coffee break then a quick walk around the 'Collection' area. The Asian short-clawed Otters were a real treat to see...when they kept still which wasn't very often.lol! The male Eider Ducks were very vocal but the females were not impressed as they ushered the males away, comical to see. A smart looking duck that I rarely have the pleasure of seeing 'in the wild'!
Views from the Ron barker Hide would have been better in drier weather however the two Marsh Harriers that were gliding low over the marshes and putting the Lapwings and Ducks up were an absolute delight to see. Highlight birds seen were Pintail, Shoveler, Shelduck, Teal, Tufted Duck, Pochard,and Ruff. High numbers of Pinkfeet, Whooper Swans, Lapwings and Wigeon were a joy to see! Tree Sparrows were seen around and on the feeders, I was particularly pleased to see these birds!
I noticed that Martin Mere has relatively few Jackdaws, Magpies and Crows in comparison to Slimbridge where every other bird seemed to be a Corvid. Very few visitors were about due no doubt to the torrential rain during the day, however it did not deter me, maybe 'Midlanders' are made of stronger stuff.lol! I purchased a signed copy of 'The Urban Birder' by David Lindo from the WWT shop, judging by the first couple of chapters it was a good purchase.
The people I spoke to 'Up North' during the short trip were all very helpful and friendly.
A good trip to end 2011 with and one which I hope to do again maybe in the Spring or early Autumn 2012.
Whooper Swans, Burscough.
RSPB Marshside
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WWT Martin Mere.....Collection Birds.
Andean Goose
Black-necked Swan
Chilean flamingo
Coscoroba Swan
Crested Screamer
Eider Duck
Patagonian Crested Duck
Rosybill
White-fronted Goose
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Pigeon Tree
Tree Sparrow
View from Ron Barker Hide, WWT Martin Mere
Whooper Swans on 'The Mere'
It was a very, no extremely windy day on the Thursday (29th)! A visit to RSPB Marshside Nature Reserve would have been much more enjoyable if it had stopped raining and the wind had died down somewhat, as it was you couldn't face the wind as it took your breath!! Birds viewed across the marsh from Sandgrounders Hide were Wigeon, Teal, Little Egret, Little Grebe, Coot, Moorhen, Grey Heron, Lapwing, Canada Geese, Pink Footed Geese, Curlew (1), Starlings and a fantastic display of speed from a hunting Peregrine!! High Tide was at 1.30pm but with the strong wind there was no way I was going to get out the scope and scan the shoreline. The visibilty was very poor but with binocular views it was clear that there were hundreds and hundreds of birds across the shoreline, maybe a visit sometime in the future will be more productive as far as positive species sightings go.
Friday the 30th and the wind had died down but goodness me did it rain...it didn't stop all day! However the weather did not stop the enjoyment of walking around WWT Martin Mere. On arrival a volunteer was most helpful in giving information about the reserve. The first stop was a coffee break then a quick walk around the 'Collection' area. The Asian short-clawed Otters were a real treat to see...when they kept still which wasn't very often.lol! The male Eider Ducks were very vocal but the females were not impressed as they ushered the males away, comical to see. A smart looking duck that I rarely have the pleasure of seeing 'in the wild'!
Views from the Ron barker Hide would have been better in drier weather however the two Marsh Harriers that were gliding low over the marshes and putting the Lapwings and Ducks up were an absolute delight to see. Highlight birds seen were Pintail, Shoveler, Shelduck, Teal, Tufted Duck, Pochard,and Ruff. High numbers of Pinkfeet, Whooper Swans, Lapwings and Wigeon were a joy to see! Tree Sparrows were seen around and on the feeders, I was particularly pleased to see these birds!
I noticed that Martin Mere has relatively few Jackdaws, Magpies and Crows in comparison to Slimbridge where every other bird seemed to be a Corvid. Very few visitors were about due no doubt to the torrential rain during the day, however it did not deter me, maybe 'Midlanders' are made of stronger stuff.lol! I purchased a signed copy of 'The Urban Birder' by David Lindo from the WWT shop, judging by the first couple of chapters it was a good purchase.
The people I spoke to 'Up North' during the short trip were all very helpful and friendly.
A good trip to end 2011 with and one which I hope to do again maybe in the Spring or early Autumn 2012.
Whooper Swans, Burscough.
RSPB Marshside
-------------------------------
-------------------------------
WWT Martin Mere.....Collection Birds.
Andean Goose
Black-necked Swan
Chilean flamingo
Coscoroba Swan
Crested Screamer
Eider Duck
Patagonian Crested Duck
Rosybill
White-fronted Goose
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
Pigeon Tree
Tree Sparrow
View from Ron Barker Hide, WWT Martin Mere
Whooper Swans on 'The Mere'
Sunday, 1 January 2012
Happy New Years Day Mr. Robin....01/01/2012
My favourite bird the Robin was my first bird sighting in my garden on this New Years Day. I had heard a Robin and Blackbird when it was still dark and wondered which of the two would be the first sighted, as it happens I didn't sight a Blackbird until on my walk a couple of hours later. Woodpigeon, Dunnock, Carrion Crow, Magpie and Feral Pigeon were the next arrivals and in the afternoon a Sparrowhawk flew at speed across the garden.
I decided the circular walk around Brake Lane would be the best choice for a local walk today, a good choice as it turned out. A Fieldfare was the first bird spotted as I started my walk followed by a Blue Tit of which I was to see plenty of during the walk. Along a hedgerow were 5 Yellowhammers and a few Chaffinch plus a Robin. Nearing the bridleway and paddocks a green Woodpecker flew across the nearby field then I heard and saw a Jay, whilst scanning for the Jay I spotted a Treecreeper and then a Nuthatch! A mixed flock of Siskins and Goldfinch were feeding in the Alders that are in one of the huge gardens. A small flock of Long-tailed Tits were also in the same garden but Goldcrests normally seen in this area eluded me today. The bridleway was extremely muddy and slippy after the recent rain so caution was needed, hence my head was kept looking down instead of looking up ahead of me! Mistle Thrush, Fieldfare, Redwing and a flock of 30+ Pied Wagtails were seen in the paddock alongside the wooded area plus a few Blackbirds. On the lake were Black-headed Gulls (which are scanned for anything different, there never is though, one day maybe), the Mute Swan family, Mallards, Coot, Moorhen and a Little Grebe. As I arrived back at my car I spotted a bird perched on the wires that run alongside a public footpath between fields, a Corn Bunting thought I as I looked at the silhouetted shape through my bins! I walked slowly up the footpath and it was a Corn Bunting, I have seen a couple here in the past. As I walked back down the path I heard Skylarks and spotted four above me and then a Raven cronked as it flew over the field, a good end to my walk! I ended the walk with a count of 34 species, I was well pleased as the area covered is relatively small compared to other local walks.
I decided the circular walk around Brake Lane would be the best choice for a local walk today, a good choice as it turned out. A Fieldfare was the first bird spotted as I started my walk followed by a Blue Tit of which I was to see plenty of during the walk. Along a hedgerow were 5 Yellowhammers and a few Chaffinch plus a Robin. Nearing the bridleway and paddocks a green Woodpecker flew across the nearby field then I heard and saw a Jay, whilst scanning for the Jay I spotted a Treecreeper and then a Nuthatch! A mixed flock of Siskins and Goldfinch were feeding in the Alders that are in one of the huge gardens. A small flock of Long-tailed Tits were also in the same garden but Goldcrests normally seen in this area eluded me today. The bridleway was extremely muddy and slippy after the recent rain so caution was needed, hence my head was kept looking down instead of looking up ahead of me! Mistle Thrush, Fieldfare, Redwing and a flock of 30+ Pied Wagtails were seen in the paddock alongside the wooded area plus a few Blackbirds. On the lake were Black-headed Gulls (which are scanned for anything different, there never is though, one day maybe), the Mute Swan family, Mallards, Coot, Moorhen and a Little Grebe. As I arrived back at my car I spotted a bird perched on the wires that run alongside a public footpath between fields, a Corn Bunting thought I as I looked at the silhouetted shape through my bins! I walked slowly up the footpath and it was a Corn Bunting, I have seen a couple here in the past. As I walked back down the path I heard Skylarks and spotted four above me and then a Raven cronked as it flew over the field, a good end to my walk! I ended the walk with a count of 34 species, I was well pleased as the area covered is relatively small compared to other local walks.
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