Sunday 9 February 2014

Come in number 50 your time is up !

Well the last week has been hard going on the patch with the weather being crap and really crap with heavy rain and high winds , the whole area is heavily flooded and the higher ground were we are is just a muddy morass .
The main highlight of midweek was a large flock of 1700 plus Starlings which were feeding on a partially flooded field ,the rest of the usual birds being present in small numbers.
So Saturday dawned bright but windy and the first bird seen was number 50 for the patch ,a Grey Heron passed over then dropped onto the flood edge and began feeding, keeping it company were  350 plus Black Headed Gulls with  Common and Lesser Black Backed Gulls sprinkled in for good measure.
On the pastureland 4 Linnet passed over ,and just 7 Meadow Pipits were about . The star sighting was a superb Brown Hare which sprung from its scrape as Willow and I got near. Willow just looked at me and did not even bother to take up the chase. Skylarks were at 12  birds with one daring to sing for a brief moment.
In an old orchard a fine mixed flock of 250 plus Starling, 50 plus Redwing and 40 Fieldfare were feeding on the ground underneath the old apple trees.
The best of the rest were 7 Stock Dove, 3 Red Legged Partridge, Buzzard and a flock of 25 plus Woodpigeon .
Sunday early morning was windy but apart from the odd shower dry .
Winter Thrushes were back in number with 350 plus Fieldfare, 100 plus Redwing and tagging along 100 plus Starling ,many of these birds will head in the same direction in a few short weeks ,back up to Scandanavia for the summer months .
The flood waters have risen and a large flock of 400 plus Black Headed Gulls were feeding and a small flock of 10 Lapwing flapped lazily towards the flooded river meadows .
On the pastures were 9 Meadow  Pipits and 22 plus Skylarks with up to 3 singers ,spring is on its way or so the Skylarks would have us believe .
The first winter flock of Chaffinch were found with 20 plus feeding in a sheltered spot, we would of expected to have seen larger flocks at this time of year ,but not this year so far .
The best of the rest were a Green Woodpecker, Buzzard, Stock Dove Pied Wagtail .
 The  patch list now stands at . 50