Patch Working Summary 12/04-15/04

12/04/12

Birthday Birding is always good, however, the patch was rather devoid of most birds, Although a few colourful birds made up for the day, as well as a couple of Swallow, which were my first for the year, and an overdew year tick, my first Hirudine of the year!

A pair of Reed Bunting (Still a good patch bird) appear to be holding teritory at a lake on the patch away from a 'normal'' breeding site, and a single Willow Warbler was showing at Blackstone,

However, the highlight was a pair of MANDARIN DUCK which were showing amazingly well adjacent to the river, as ive never been next to a male in 'good' sunlight before, i tried to take many photo's of him, what a beaut!



Whe heading home, i decided to try something different, and digiscope a Goldcrest, it didnt go too well, but i did get this one shot.

13th
The Mandarins has manadged to go hiding and i didnt see them, however i was rewarded when the palest Common Buzzard i have ever seen flew low over my head, litterally a white bird.
Body, head, neck, forewing and its rump extending to its back were all white, and the remaining flight feathers and tail were only slightly darker brown, and Insane looking bird!
As it spent much of its time in the air, i failed to digiscope it, however i also showed the bird to my dad on 15th.
Birdlife was rather quiet, however, at Blackstone (Recently the 'best' area of the patch) there was a few suprises.
I took some time to photograph a male Orange Tip, there was a fair few of them about, but strangly. every one were males!

Blackcap's were now seemingly everywhere, with many located over the patch, including this one at Blackstone.

 Birdlife was restricted to north of the road bridge, where a female Goosander was showing, initially on the far bank, but walkers and very noisy children soon pushed it off the bank, into the water and then started swimming up the near bank a few metres from me!

This section of the river seems to be the most productive on the patch, It is the exact spot where ive seen Smew, Goldeneye, Dipper, and where last years Red-throated Diver took up residence for a short time. There is something attractive about this section of the river to many birds!

Amazingly, a Common Sandpiper had somehow found its way to feed here on one of the small mud banks which were showing, Nothing is better than getting a patch year, and year tick at the same time!

15/04/12

The pair of Mandarin were again showing. but there was very little else.

MB