Monday 26 December 2011

Patch Birding

8/12/11
Patch Birding can be immensly annoying.
Why i hear you ask?
Lack of Birds?
Missed a rare bird?

No!
Generaly people is what annoys me!
With my patch being on the Riverside footpath, i get lots of walkers, most of which are respectful to the nature surrounding them!
However, you sometimes have one of those days where all those agrovating c**ts all come out at once, and that day just happened to be today!
Every single decent bird i saw was flushed over and over by a multitude of people!
A flock of 30c Redpoll at the Wigeon lake was continually flushed over a period of a hour while i was trying to wait untill they dropped down into the weeds infront of me, they started dropping down only to be followed seconds later by a rampaging dog running through the middle of the flock! I'm not Anti-Dog or anything, but when out in these places is it not better to keep Dogs on leads? To protect Wildlife and for the generaly health of the dog, especially on a riverbank! There are many more better places to let your dog roam in Stourport, Ive witnessed what happens when a careless dog owner lets their dog jump into the river, and let me assure you its a harrowing sight watching a dog drown! And sadly, the dog was never seen again!
Regular readers will know i have a particular problem with ignorant Dog walkers on my patch and im not just like this for the sake of a wintering Finch flock!
People who keep their dogs on leads, well done you! I salute you for your generosity!
Anyway, this is a bird blog!
A large increse in Finch numbers, with influxes of Redpoll, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Bullfinch and to a lesser extent Greenfinch!

A walk between Lickhill and Blackstone revealed 3 flocks of Redpoll sp numbering 100 birds in total! which smashes my overall record count! however this may include a degree of duplication, so therefore my record of 68 still stands as a single flock record count!
Unusually, a REDWING was showing well in a Hawthorn!



A female Kestrel was also showing well, eating its prey!

A Pied Wagtail was showing on a short cut grass field adjoining the river, one day there will be a Wheatear here!

A brutish looking Herring Gull was showing on the riverside fields harrasing BHG's
MB

2 comments:

Jason K said...

Fantastic Redwing shot Craig...and what a great count on Redpoll...nice one!

midlands birder said...

Thankyou Jase
I too was suprised by the Redpoll count, they usually dont start building up in numbers untill the new year!
MB