cloud and mist again, very occasional brighter short spell, light SE, 6C
Willey; a check on the feed station this morning showed it to be pretty busy with the usual birds present including 6 Tree Sparrows, Yellowhammers and Chaffinch, 2 Coal Tit, 6 Collard Doves and now 3 Pheasants. ~50 Fieldfares and 30 Redwings were flying over at various times.
Misterton; a Cormorant was fishing on the lake, first record for this site. Surprisingly very quiet with only few passerines about.
Shawell Lagoons; a look here after lunch, however Carl had seen a Juv Glaucous Gull at the landfill during the morning but the Gulls had moved off as filling had ceased. A small number of the commoner Gulls were present at the Lagoons and 1 Caspian Gull. Other birds included Long-tailed Tit party and Treecreeper in the hedgerow, a single Goldfinch, a Kestrel a fly-by Red Kite and a Grey Heron searching the waters edge.
Saturday, 13 January 2018
Friday, 12 January 2018
12th Jan - another dull day
cloud and mist again, very light SE, 6C.
Brandon marsh; a visit here this afternoon, fairly quiet, but some interesting sights. Several Goldfinch were feeding in Alder and a single Siskin. In Horsetail ride a Great-spotted Woodpecker and Nuthatch was heard. Then a Willow Tit called, which eventually was spotted high up in the tree tops with Blue Tits.
On the East marsh there were plenty of Shoveler, some Gadwall, Teal and Mallard. Two Great-crested Grebes were asleep on the water. On the far bank Canada Geese were feeding and immediately behind them a Muntjac Deer was feeding. There were plenty of Cormorant and 2 Grey Heron around the pool and 22 Lapwing on the island.
Along the main path to the hides a party of Long-tailed Tits were accompanied by a Treecreeper and Nuthatch. In Albans marsh Cetti's Warbler and Water Rail were heard calling. 19 Stock Doves were sitting in their usual dead trees.
On the far side a Jay was calling and later a Song Thrush was singing. A Little Egret flew in as the sun set.
Brandon marsh; a visit here this afternoon, fairly quiet, but some interesting sights. Several Goldfinch were feeding in Alder and a single Siskin. In Horsetail ride a Great-spotted Woodpecker and Nuthatch was heard. Then a Willow Tit called, which eventually was spotted high up in the tree tops with Blue Tits.
On the East marsh there were plenty of Shoveler, some Gadwall, Teal and Mallard. Two Great-crested Grebes were asleep on the water. On the far bank Canada Geese were feeding and immediately behind them a Muntjac Deer was feeding. There were plenty of Cormorant and 2 Grey Heron around the pool and 22 Lapwing on the island.
Along the main path to the hides a party of Long-tailed Tits were accompanied by a Treecreeper and Nuthatch. In Albans marsh Cetti's Warbler and Water Rail were heard calling. 19 Stock Doves were sitting in their usual dead trees.
On the far side a Jay was calling and later a Song Thrush was singing. A Little Egret flew in as the sun set.
Thursday, 11 January 2018
11th Jan - cloudy and damp
Another cloudy damp and dull day with mist at times, very light wind at times, 6C.
Willey; during the morning there were several small flocks of Starlings travelling over between fields and a small flock of Fieldfare came over too.
Beeby; while at at farm sale today near this village I spotted 31+ House Sparrows in the garden bushes and feeding on a horse pasture was 18 Blackbirds, all feeding close together, probably more in the bordering hedge as they kept popping in and out of it. I wonder why so many together as the weather has not been bad for them to feed, but food must have been the attraction.
Willey; during the morning there were several small flocks of Starlings travelling over between fields and a small flock of Fieldfare came over too.
Beeby; while at at farm sale today near this village I spotted 31+ House Sparrows in the garden bushes and feeding on a horse pasture was 18 Blackbirds, all feeding close together, probably more in the bordering hedge as they kept popping in and out of it. I wonder why so many together as the weather has not been bad for them to feed, but food must have been the attraction.
Wednesday, 10 January 2018
10th Jan - a sunny day that wasn’t
We were forecast rain clearing before dawn and then a lovely sunny day. Well the rain cleared about 1000h, the cloud slowly breaking and the sun nearly out, then fog descended to slowly clear during the afternoon to give a reasonable sunset. Very light SW, 6C
Stanford Reservoir; fairly quite, the usual ducks, but seemingly down in number. A handful of Teal and a Shoveler Pair, about 6 Goldeneye, plus Wigeon, Gadwall and Mallard. A Long-tailed Tit flock with Blue Tits and a single Goldcrest. A couple of Bullfinch and ~15 Chaffinch in the leaf litter under the Beeches. A Barn Owl hunting about 1530h.
There are Catkins out now and new vegetation springing up from the bare ground. A long way before Spring proper but these signs are nice to see.
Stanford Reservoir; fairly quite, the usual ducks, but seemingly down in number. A handful of Teal and a Shoveler Pair, about 6 Goldeneye, plus Wigeon, Gadwall and Mallard. A Long-tailed Tit flock with Blue Tits and a single Goldcrest. A couple of Bullfinch and ~15 Chaffinch in the leaf litter under the Beeches. A Barn Owl hunting about 1530h.
There are Catkins out now and new vegetation springing up from the bare ground. A long way before Spring proper but these signs are nice to see.
Tuesday, 9 January 2018
9th Jan - cloudy, dull and damp - again
Low cloud, mist and occasional fine drizzle, 4C, generally dull, very light wind NE
Willey; this morning around the fields to the east of the village there was 14 Redwings, one Green Woodpecker ‘yaffling’, a Raven flew over and a Woodcock flew up from a ditchside.
Willey; this morning around the fields to the east of the village there was 14 Redwings, one Green Woodpecker ‘yaffling’, a Raven flew over and a Woodcock flew up from a ditchside.
Monday, 8 January 2018
8th Jan - Grey and cold
A pretty hard frost last night. Remaining cloudy and cool all day, 2C, light NE, ground remained frozen.
Little to report of note today. Late morning 2 Ravens flew east along the Long Spinney. Early afternoon ~15 Fieldfare flew low northward of the fields to the west of the village.
Little to report of note today. Late morning 2 Ravens flew east along the Long Spinney. Early afternoon ~15 Fieldfare flew low northward of the fields to the west of the village.
Sunday, 7 January 2018
7th Jan -Sunny & Cold
A frost last night -2, ground hard. At last a sunny day, cold Light NE, 4C.
Willey; a check of the feed station this morning produced most of the regulars, still a max of 6 tree Sparrows. I've 4 Grey Squirrels helping themselves to food now, so some preventative action is needed.
Monks Kirby; next a check on the finch flock on the winter wheat field. There was about 50 Chaffinch feeding and 1 Brambling. Also, more Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Greenfinch were widely scattered in the area. A Coal Tit was singing from the lane side trees.
Cottesbrooke; I ventured, after lunch, here to catch-up with Hawfinch which have been seen here for several days now. I parked up and walked down Station road to find others near the bus shelter surveying the trees where the Hawfinch had often been reported. it felt quite cold here and I had forgotten my warm woolly hat, so went back to the car for it. When I turned round I spotted a Hawfinch fly in to a nearby tree, then 2 more appeared. I quickly walked back to wave the others to come, fortunately the birds showed well and they all had good views, for some their first Hawfinch sighting. I managed some record digiscoped photos of a male in the tree top.
Also seen included 3 Red Kite, 2 Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk, 2 Nuthatch, a Great-spotted Woodpecker Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Bullfinch and Tit species.
Willey; a check of the feed station this morning produced most of the regulars, still a max of 6 tree Sparrows. I've 4 Grey Squirrels helping themselves to food now, so some preventative action is needed.
Monks Kirby; next a check on the finch flock on the winter wheat field. There was about 50 Chaffinch feeding and 1 Brambling. Also, more Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Greenfinch were widely scattered in the area. A Coal Tit was singing from the lane side trees.
Cottesbrooke; I ventured, after lunch, here to catch-up with Hawfinch which have been seen here for several days now. I parked up and walked down Station road to find others near the bus shelter surveying the trees where the Hawfinch had often been reported. it felt quite cold here and I had forgotten my warm woolly hat, so went back to the car for it. When I turned round I spotted a Hawfinch fly in to a nearby tree, then 2 more appeared. I quickly walked back to wave the others to come, fortunately the birds showed well and they all had good views, for some their first Hawfinch sighting. I managed some record digiscoped photos of a male in the tree top.
Also seen included 3 Red Kite, 2 Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk, 2 Nuthatch, a Great-spotted Woodpecker Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Bullfinch and Tit species.
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