No early morning heroics for me this morning after the forecast predicted heavy frost with a chance of freezing fog again. Although I was up at 0715 and it was fine and sunny, the fog quickly came in, bringing freezing air to whiten the garden. So I had a walk up to the shop to buy the Telegraph, sat at home with a coffee and waited. By 1230 it was bright enough for me to head out to Rawcliffe for a walk.
Today was obviously a Wood Pigeon shoot as gunfire echoed over the moss from every wood but I am pretty sure most of our Wood Pigeon cleared off during the frost, snow and ice of weeks ago, and the fact that I didn’t see more than 20 was down to that, not the success of the shoot.
Woodpigeon
On the way down to the feeding station I stopped to look at a flock of 45 Lapwings in the roadside field which they shared with a biggish flock of Starlings. Part of the attraction was that moles had been very busy disturbing the ground, no doubt leaving plenty of items the birds could consume. A field or two away a farmer busied himself doing whatever farmers do in tractors but seemed too engrossed to stop and watch the Roe Deer not far away. Perhaps because shooters were in every wood I saw three groups of Roe Deer, two lots of four and another of three animals, 11 in total.
Lapwing
Roe Deer
From the feeding track I counted 135 Tree Sparrow, 5 Yellowhammer, 5 Reed Bunting, 7 Blackbird, 12 Chaffinch, 1 Great-spotted Woodpecker and I disturbed a pair of Grey Partridge from below the hedge. I also found two other pairs of Grey Partridge when I walked up the edge of the big field close to some flooded tractor tracks where 3 Snipe hurried off at my passing.In the top fields and along the edge of the plantation I found 8 Linnet, 4 Goldfinch, 3 Corn Bunting and snatches of song, a fairly distant Buzzard and 2 Kestrels, one of which perched on the outermost branches of the trees.
Kestrel
Reed Bunting
Corn Bunting
There were another 30 Corn Bunting near the farm buildings, along with 2 Reed Buntings, 3 Collared Dove and 22 Chaffinch.
A fairly quiet and unexciting afternoon for birds but it's difficult to follow catching 34 Siskin as we did yesterday. An enjoyable walk nonetheless. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.
Today was obviously a Wood Pigeon shoot as gunfire echoed over the moss from every wood but I am pretty sure most of our Wood Pigeon cleared off during the frost, snow and ice of weeks ago, and the fact that I didn’t see more than 20 was down to that, not the success of the shoot.
On the way down to the feeding station I stopped to look at a flock of 45 Lapwings in the roadside field which they shared with a biggish flock of Starlings. Part of the attraction was that moles had been very busy disturbing the ground, no doubt leaving plenty of items the birds could consume. A field or two away a farmer busied himself doing whatever farmers do in tractors but seemed too engrossed to stop and watch the Roe Deer not far away. Perhaps because shooters were in every wood I saw three groups of Roe Deer, two lots of four and another of three animals, 11 in total.
From the feeding track I counted 135 Tree Sparrow, 5 Yellowhammer, 5 Reed Bunting, 7 Blackbird, 12 Chaffinch, 1 Great-spotted Woodpecker and I disturbed a pair of Grey Partridge from below the hedge. I also found two other pairs of Grey Partridge when I walked up the edge of the big field close to some flooded tractor tracks where 3 Snipe hurried off at my passing.In the top fields and along the edge of the plantation I found 8 Linnet, 4 Goldfinch, 3 Corn Bunting and snatches of song, a fairly distant Buzzard and 2 Kestrels, one of which perched on the outermost branches of the trees.
There were another 30 Corn Bunting near the farm buildings, along with 2 Reed Buntings, 3 Collared Dove and 22 Chaffinch.
A fairly quiet and unexciting afternoon for birds but it's difficult to follow catching 34 Siskin as we did yesterday. An enjoyable walk nonetheless. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.
Hi Phil,
ReplyDeleteA big contrast to the weather were having here, extremely hot! We could do with some of the big chill. Looks like the birds were still very active despite the freeze.
The colors in your Reed Bunting are dazzling, but I'll have to say, I'm impressed with the lapwing's head dress, as well!
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