5/04/13
Yes folks, patch birding again! My spare time in the holiday meaning i have lots of spare time to thrash the patch, and i again pulled out some decent birds!
The pair of Mandarin were still showing in their usual spot, and i also found 2 drake Goosanders on the river. A drake TEAL could be heard calling near Blackstone but could not be located. Away from the river however, it was passerines that really stole the show! While walking around the wigeon lake, i saw a white rump flush from the hawthorn beside me, flying a few meters and landed upon another hawthorn. A female BRAMBLING! Over the next few minutes i kept adding more birds to the tally, until i came to the conclusion of at least 6 birds, and an even split of 3 of each sex.
I managed a photo of a male bird.
Keen to move on, i did the Blackstone 'round' circuit, picking up a pair of Treecreeper, before moving back south, and taking a diversion across an area i had never ventured to before on patch, and i was so glad i did! A huge area of paddocks and hawthorn hedges, patch migrant heaven!
Now i hear you ask, how have you been birding a patch for around 11 years and not found this area?
Well two reasons, to get there, i have to walk through a private holiday home site, and that put me off greatly, and secondly, i never thought the habitat was as extensive as it is, therefore i never even bothered! But now i know whats there, and trust me, the area is going to be thrashed this year!
Another Brambling flew south while i was walking the paddocks, and a stream of around 20 Meadow Pipit moved over, with equal numbers of 'Alba' Wagtails. I found a pair of Lapwing, but my highlight goes to a stunning 200+ Winter thrush/ Starling flock showing in one of the fields.
A few of the 100c Fieldfare were showing well.
100c Starling were also present here, but only 20c Redwing!
MB
2 comments:
That is just amazing Craig, so many winter bird still around, and we are into the 4th of may. surely if they were back on their own patch they would be breeding by now?.
All the best Gordon.
It is amazing that there are still winter birds still around. With the weather of the last few days it looks like they'll all be gone soon!
ATB
MB
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