Saturday 25 May 2013

Its been a few days since I walked the patch , so it was an early start to see what was about. A couple of hightlites when in the garden during the week were a calling Cuckoo and a few Swifts over.
Anyway back to today ,The first bird I saw was a a Sparrowhawk as it made a pass at a couple of Starlings.
In the hedges there were 7 Whitethroat, 6 Blackcap 4 Chffchaff, 1 singing Willow Warbler and it or another bird which looked like a Willow Warbler but sang with a Chiffchaff start but ended up as Willow Warbler,was this a Willow/Chaff  ?
Overhead we had 15 plus House Martins and 6 plus Swallow, also a Cormarant which headed upriver , also 3 Buzzard soaring.
It is nice to report up to 8 Linnets in the hedges , these birds are summer visitors here and dissappear in the  winter .A  Yellow wagtail called as it flew overhead.
The best of the rest were 7 Stock Dove, Kestrel, 5 Red Legged Partridge, a flock of 21 Lesser Black Backed Gull on a field, and at least 9 Skylark , 1 Greater Spotted Woodpecker and a Brown Hare

Monday 20 May 2013

A few days away ,so Iwas looking forward to see if anything else had arrived or was passing through. Today was a holiday in Holland so I could get out on a Monday which is unsual. As it turned out one wanted guest appeared in the form of a calling Cuckoo our first of this year for the patch and an unexpected guest was found in the form of 4 Tufted Duck on a small pool on the edge of the patch ,again a year tick for the vicinity.
Warblers in the hedges were 3 Chiffchaff ,5 Blackcap, 1 Willow Warbler and 5 Whitethroat.Overhead 6 Swallow and  a high count so far this year of 20 plus House Martins and a Yellow Wagtail called as it passed over.
The best bird was a Whinchat that perched atop a hedge, cracking birds and nice to see as they pass on their way to the uplands to breed .
The best of the rest were 3 Red LeggedPartridge, 3 Stock Dove, 4 Skylark, 2 Greater Spotted Woodpecker and a late departing or early arriving Common Gull .
The patch list is now 80

Thursday 16 May 2013

After a few days absence due to work ,I got out onto the patch late afternoon . I went out with the intention of seeing if any Spotted Flycatchers had arrived , the good news is that they have , with 1 bird being seen in its usual haunt.
Warblers were quiet with just 3 each of Chiffchaff and Blackcaps about. Overhead it was great to see 140 plus Swift move north , also 1 Sand Martin and what appeared to be 5 local House Martin and 6 Local Swallow.
A fantastic Peregrine Falcon drifted north east and 4 Buzzards were floating about.
The best of the rest were 3 Stock Dove ,Red Legged Partridge,  Greatwer Spotted Woodpecker, and a flock of 40 plus Lesser Black Backed Gulls.
 Thepatch list now stands at 78

Sunday 12 May 2013

The first visit to the patch since Thursday, and it was back to dodging the showers but at least the wind had died down a tad.
I had a scout around some of the usual haunts for the chance of a Spotted Flycatcher but no luck yet.
Warblers were represented by 3 Chiffchaff, 7 Blackcap, 5 Whitethroat and a Lesser Whitethroat.
Over the pastures were 8 plus House Martins, 6 Swallow, and a brief Swift, also up to 6 singing Skylark.
Overhead there was a male soaring Kestrel and up to 7 Buzzards .Our Yellow Wagtail is still around but appears to have moved breeding area this year.
The best of the rest were Red Legged Partridge, Greater Spotted Woodpecker and 3 Stock Dove

Thursday 9 May 2013

A bank holiday in Holland today meant that I could give the patch coverage this morning. It was very blustery and rain was in the air, so I did not think it would be that good but in the end I  was suprised .
Overhead the first good number of Swallows were about with 30 plus over, also 5 House Martins and a year tick for the patch with a Swift that powered through . Birds of prey were represented by a Kestrel, Sparrowhawk and 2 Buzzard. The best bird of the day was a stunning male Yellow Wagtail with the first Pied Wagtail north for a week or so .
A Raven soared over and a nice sighting was a pair of Bullfinch and a pair of Linnets appear to be breeding in the vicinity.
Warblers today were 3 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, a singing Willow Wabler, Lesser Whitethroat, and 4 Whitethroat.
 The best of the rest were 5 Stock Dove and 4 Skylark .
The patch list is now 76

Monday 6 May 2013

Bank holiday Monday and I had to work so I did not get out until lunchtime, a hot cloudless day greeted me and although Idid not cover the entire patch ,there were some cracking birds around today. Number 75 for the patch came in the form of a cracking male Whinchat in the same hedgerow as last year .
Warblers were represented by 6 Blackcap, 6 Whitethroat, 4 Chiffchaff and still 2 Lesser Whitethroat, although Willow Warblers seem to have moved on .
A fine male Yellow Wagtail flew over calling and there were up too 5 Buzzards around. At least a few House Martins were over the village , stll only 3 though , 4 Swallow went over.
There were 2 male Wheatears both away from the usual place one in the horse paddocks and one in a hedgerow.
The best of the rest were 3 Skylark, 2 Stock Dove and a Red Legged Partridge .
The patch list is now 75

Saturday 4 May 2013

A breezy day ,with an annoying strong south westerly wind , it has been a really poor spring and we seem to have lost all our House Martins this year , it has not been helped by the destruction of the largest colony by the local householder, over 50 nests , all because of the mess they make ,so very sad .I really feel that when you move to the countryside that you have embrace the other inhabitants that may live near or next too you.
On the patch migrants continue to filter through and in the hedges I found 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Whitethroat,  a good count of 3 all singing Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Blackcap.
In the top fields there were 4 Wheatear 2male ,2 female, and a Yellow Wagtail flew over calling. Still only very few Swallow with only 5 recorded today and just 2 House Martin.
The best of the rest were 3Skylark, 2 Red Legged Partridge, 2 Linnet, 7 Stock Dove and a male Kestrel. 

Wednesday 1 May 2013

A fantastic day ,with  light winds and a balmy feel, due to work pressures it was just an hour on the patch early afternoon .
Warblers in the hedges were 3 Chiffchaff, 6 Whitethroats, 4 Blackcaps and best of all 2 Lesser Whitethroats , one in a new location and one chortling away behind the house early morning.
It must of been perfect for Buzzards as I recorded 13 today including a flock of 8 together soaring together , no doubt some were migrants passing over .
Still very few Swallows only 4 today, where are they ? . I wondered up to the top fields but there was only 1 male Wheatear today ,the rest having moved on.
The best of the rest were 3 Red Legged Partridge, female Kestrel ,3 Skylark