this is the last thing i saw on the holloday. my nans back garden isnt the best place for birding
but it does have some supprises.such as a flock of blackcap that develope there in the winter.last winter there was a maximum of 5(2m 2f 1juv and stayed for nearly a month feeding on a berry bush at the bottom of the garden).this year there was a maximum of 3(2m 1 f)but i only saw them for a week this time.the house is nestled between the devils spitful sssi and trimpley reseviour.and for an unknown reason every night get a movement of gulls going north(proberbly to trimpley)and crows flying south(no idea where they go i might find out some day).so as usual at 4pm i was in the back garden waiting for them to come and give me a challenge with id and some fun(standing in the garden is fun compared to watching old people programs on saturday nights.and tonight they didnt dissapoint.a 500 bird strong flock passed over in groups with the core of them arriving by 5pm and by 5:30 flocks were passing over containing around 30 birds mostly large gulls eg lessers,herrings.but not many black heads(or should it be brown heads)and it very rarely contains anymore of note but tonight was differnt at 5:30.i watched a flock fly in from the south east and in this flock was a 'white winger'. can you believe that.my scope was inside and not set up(i always take it with me incase something good turns up nearby)as it approached i started taking mental notes as i had a feeling this wasent gonna stay long. i noted it was a first winter glaucose(lifer 181)(i have no experience with this species but are fully informed on id fetures of them)in my notebook i wrote immidiatly after: 5:30pm 1 1st winter glaucose gull over in flock of 500 gulls mostly herrings and lessers.it looked larger and brauder winged than the other gulls presant(almost g b b gull like) obviously it showed white wing tips and showed pale+translucent flignt feathers.it had a dark tip to the bill but the bill colour couldent be established in the fading light.but it looked paler than the tip.it looked heavy necked with a long head and bill(which almost rules out iceland).the eye was dark and the whole body of the bird looked grubby whitish
this is the last good bird of the holloday.
now just to catch up with myself.
01/03/09
at lickhill again but left with nothing to show.got 1 year tick in the form of 2 stock doves. a few skylark were singing.the 'bpp' canadian goose was again presant.there was quite a large flock of birds on the fields by the farm.wich contained fieldfares and starlings.note this video shows only some of the flock
apart from this the most action was on my feeders where i logged a coal tit(it stayed on the feeder for 43 secs amazing) other common tits,4 chaffinch on seed on ground,3 goldfinch,up to 6 siskin but counted more than 10 in the birch tree next to it,2 greenfinch and a dunnock as well as a few others and a video of the best birds there
finnaly ive caught up with myself
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