Saturday, November 12, 2011

The Final Curtain?

After the last couple of sessions Rawcliffe Moss is definitely running short of autumn birds, but after the overnight rain cleared and with a half decent forecast, Will and I decided to have another go this morning, mainly in the hope of connecting with the elusive thrushes of 2011.

There was a suggestion of a few or more at dawn, perhaps even locally roosting ones, but no true visible migration which could increase a pathetic count of 12 Fieldfare, 8 Redwing, 2 Song Thrush and 8 Blackbirds. Chaffinch numbers were similarly low with less than 50, coupled with 3 Lesser Redpoll and 40+ Goldfinch, the latter all local feeding birds.

We finished a short session with just 11 new birds, 3 Redwing, 3 Blackbird, 4 Chaffinch and a Wren. No recaptures today.

Redwing

Wren

Other birds and animals today: 1 Tawny Owl, 2 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 6 Snipe, 50+ Skylark, 5 Meadow Pipit, 10 Reed Bunting, 4 Corn Bunting, 9 Roe Deer.

Looking west towards Pilling Moss this morning we saw the most enormous, dense flock of Starlings which when they took to the air, we estimated at up to 20,000 birds wheeling around, but there may have been many more.

Starling

Will has been putting feed out at a site near Myerscough in readiness for a switch to winter ringing. He reports over 50 Chaffinch and several Tree Sparrows already coming to the seed, so we may switch allegiance soon and return to the moss next spring.

Chaffinch

7 comments:

Pat said...

Lovely birds!

carol l mckenna said...

Wow! Lovely shots~~ thanks, namaste, Carol (A Creative Harbor)

Betty Manousos said...

what lovely birds!

your shots are fantastic!
...just made my heart sing!



i love your blog!

cindyzlogic said...

Super cute Wren...how fortunate to get to hold one! Chaffinch's are just gorgeous...would love to have some in Kansas.

Chubskulit Rose said...

Gorgeous!

Hippo Charm, have a blessed Sunday!

La sonrisa de Hiperion said...

Estupendas las fotos que nos dejas.

Saludos y feliz domingo.

Mary Howell Cromer said...

My heart melted when I saw that sweet little Wren, and then there was the lovely Starling, what a great shot, and then you made me really happy, the Chaffinch, what a sweet bird~

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