Saturday the 1st of March ,the first day of spring so it made sense that it would be a freezing cold morning with a frost and clear blue skies , the wacky weather continues.
The birds were getting into the swing of things ,it had a real spring feel about things this morning with plenty of birdsong.
The sun was rising over the mist covered meadows and one of the first things that greeted me were
4 Mute Swans that passed over the front of the red sun and into the mist, just stunning.
It was obvious the gull flock was still there with at least 2500 birds present with Black Headed, Common, Lesser Black Backed and Herring Gulls all present.
On the pasture Skylarks were singing with 13 birds present, some will try to breed here but others will soon move north . Meadow Pipits were evident in larger numbers than of late with a flock of 10 north over the cottage and another flock of 40 plus on the top fields ,with them were a flock of spring migrant Pied Wagtails with up to 45 plus birds present.
Linnets put a good show on as well with a flock of 27 buzzing around.
Species number 55 appeared in the form of 2 flyover Greylag Geese ,although they are feral it is sometimes a question of whether to include them or not on the species count.
Winter thrushes have decreased of late as birds move to the far north to breed in the Taiga and Boreal forests of the north so it was nice to see a flock of 25 plus Fieldfare and 15 plus Redwing .It was then that the highlight of the walk occurred ,on hearing a bird song that was not instantly recognisable ,it took me a couple of seconds to remember that I had heard this song in Northern Finland and it was confirmed when I spotted a Redwing in full song , just beautiful ,a clear haunting call of the Northern Forests right here in little old Tirley.
A male Sparrowhawk passed northwards at a low height ,a migrant perhaps ? we will never know but my feeling is that it was a local bird as a migrant would of passed over a great height .
The spring like feel carried on with a calling Green Woodpecker and a drumming Greater Spotted Woodpecker and a calling flyover Mistle Thrush.
Just up from the cottage a fine pair of Bullfinch were seen .
The best of the rest Buzzard, 4 Stock Dove.
The species patch list now stands at 55
