A weekend dominated by rain. The few dry hours on Saturday morning I was taking Adie then Hannah to and from Hockey matches, with about 45 minutes in-between. There did seem to be a movement of Meadow Pipits as in this time I had 31 birds flying over in small groups all heading South. There also seemed to be a few more thrushes round with the first Song Thrush I've seen for a while and at least 6 Blackbirds and a Mistle Thrush and I know DB had an adult Ring Ouzel on Blackdown. Then the rain started.
Today, the overnight rain continued heavily until around 1pm when it gradually brightened up, which was a shame as I had some time this morning when a walk would have been ideal. Out of the wet kitchen window a couple of Robins were flitting around and the occasional Blue Tit, Coal Tit or Great Tit making it onto the feeders and 4 Mallards flew over but understandably everything else (I won't mention the Woodpigeons) was rightly keeping under cover. As it brightened Bullfinch, Greenfinch and 6 Goldfinch and 2 Chaffinch were seen feeding then a number of House Martins moved through with several of them spending some time hawking over the pond. 2 Raven, a Sparrowhawk, Hobby and Buzzard were seen all probably drying out on the wing and 2 more Meadow Pipit flew over, most unusual was a flock of 16 Gulls high and west flying into the sun which were probably Lesser Blacked-backed Gulls.
Best news of the week, I got my Swarovskis back! all sparkly clean, with the rubber coating fixed and with no charge. Pretty good service I would say. Now just waiting for the camera lens before I feel like I'll be back in business.
Sunday, 23 September 2018
Sunday, 16 September 2018
Sunday 16th September - Blackdown again
I had a brief visit on Friday morning before work, which was fairly productive with 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Firecrest, 4 Chiffchaff, 1 Whitethroat, Crossbills were heard, 3 Meadow Pipit were around and the usual Stonechat and Dartford Warblers were visible.
This morning (Sunday) another early morning walk. It was a brisk southerly wind and mostly overcast although mild. It was very quiet, I started at the reservoir track end, with a the resident rather pale Common Buzzard and hearing some Siskin and Goldcrest, and seeing Stonechat on the heath, but very little else as I walked various paths, I heard more Goldcrest, which showed a noticeable increase from the previous week and saw a few Chiffchaff but overall it was fairly disappointing, with the wind seemingly keeping things low. I spent a little time scanning at the southern point with nothing until I started returning when a group of 30+ House Martins flew South followed by another 20+ then another 10+ , also a single Pied Wagtail flew over, then a Grey Wagtail (with all wagtails here being migrants). A bit further back up the track I saw a thrush flying behind some pines and through I hear a 'chack', the bird seemed to land in a silver birch that was out of view and so I repositioned myself and saw a Ring Ouzel, briefly as it then flew out. I walked further round the tracks and got to an open area that I thought the bid must be feeding in at which point I heard it call again and then found the bird in a Whitebeam and got the scope on it. It was an immature bird with nice scalloping on the flanks but otherwise quite pale with not much of a crescent showing. There were some Carrion Crows occupying the same Whitebeam, which it obviously had discomfort with. It seemed to feed for a bit then fly out to a pine and repeat the process. The first Ouzel of maybe many this autumn as the Whitebeams are full of berry crop. A couple of Ravens and a Kestrel were added to the list before returning home.
At home there was a large gathering flock of House Martins, at one point with over 100 visible and 2 Hobby were seen, no doubt with hirundine on the lunch menu. Later on a few Swallows seemed to join in.
This morning (Sunday) another early morning walk. It was a brisk southerly wind and mostly overcast although mild. It was very quiet, I started at the reservoir track end, with a the resident rather pale Common Buzzard and hearing some Siskin and Goldcrest, and seeing Stonechat on the heath, but very little else as I walked various paths, I heard more Goldcrest, which showed a noticeable increase from the previous week and saw a few Chiffchaff but overall it was fairly disappointing, with the wind seemingly keeping things low. I spent a little time scanning at the southern point with nothing until I started returning when a group of 30+ House Martins flew South followed by another 20+ then another 10+ , also a single Pied Wagtail flew over, then a Grey Wagtail (with all wagtails here being migrants). A bit further back up the track I saw a thrush flying behind some pines and through I hear a 'chack', the bird seemed to land in a silver birch that was out of view and so I repositioned myself and saw a Ring Ouzel, briefly as it then flew out. I walked further round the tracks and got to an open area that I thought the bid must be feeding in at which point I heard it call again and then found the bird in a Whitebeam and got the scope on it. It was an immature bird with nice scalloping on the flanks but otherwise quite pale with not much of a crescent showing. There were some Carrion Crows occupying the same Whitebeam, which it obviously had discomfort with. It seemed to feed for a bit then fly out to a pine and repeat the process. The first Ouzel of maybe many this autumn as the Whitebeams are full of berry crop. A couple of Ravens and a Kestrel were added to the list before returning home.
At home there was a large gathering flock of House Martins, at one point with over 100 visible and 2 Hobby were seen, no doubt with hirundine on the lunch menu. Later on a few Swallows seemed to join in.
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| Whitebeams on Blackdown. |
Saturday 8th September- Blackdown
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| SE view at dawn |
At home a single Blackcap and a Chiffchaff were visible, 2 more Meadow Pipit flew over as did a Hobby. Most surprising was a flock of 8 Cormorant.
Sunday 8th September,
The Turtle Dove was again seen at home wandering around the garden, maybe the last sighting before it departs ?
Monday, 10 September 2018
August - Birdfair and local birds
It always takes a little while to get back into the swing of things after a birding trip away. I was straight back to work the day after arriving home and this has dominated much of the last few weeks meaning that my available weekend slots have been a couple of hours here and there, whilst on the 18th I chose to go to the Birdfair in Rutland for the day.
I spent a couple of early hours on the 11th on Blackdown. It was good to see that a few Dartford Warblers had been successful in the breeding season, also a couple of Stonechat families. There were a few migrants with a large number of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs, probably in excess of 50 in various flocks, the bright yellow of the Willow Warblers at this time of year is nice to see.. Also 2 Tree Pipit, 4 Whitethroat and a Garden Warbler were probably migrant birds moving through. At home the Turtle Dove made another appearance.
On the 18th I decide to go to the Birdfair in Rutland, having not been for a couple of years. Adie was going to come with me until she had a better offer to go to a festival with some friends. I had a great time wandering around the marquees, although decided to do something I may live to regret over the next few weeks. Firstly, I gave my binoculars to Swarovski, to fix the rubber coating which has come loose. They said it would take 3/4 weeks and secondly, gave in my camera lens to be fixed, it works but its generally 'gunked-up' inside where I can't clean and this maybe 6 weeks. So I have to make do with a second-rate pair of bins for a few weeks and even longer with no pics - Not that I can see much time to get out in the next few weeks but you never know.
Unusually, I saw a flock of 23 Mistle Thrush from the house late on the 17th and again on the 22nd when I counted 18. Certainly the highest number I've ever had in one flock and I also had 2 Crossbill fly over that day.
A Hobby was seen at home on the 19th and the Turtle Dove again on the 21st. A brief visit to Blackdown over the bank holiday weekend on the 25th was extremely unproductive mainly because it was foggy !, later on it cleared and I saw a Hobby and Goshawk at home but missed the Osprey which Dave B saw flying towards Woolbeding and was probably within sight from the house. I also recorded a late Swift. The Turtle Dove made another appearance on the 26th. It has a routine where t comes down from the large trees to feed around the veggie patches, but twice now has flown up an sat on the fence post behind the pond to preen, which is great but its the same fence post that I saw a Woodpigeon taken by Sparrowhawk, so it needs to be careful.
My final month of August visit to Blackdown was early on 31st and was a little more productive on the migrant front with 2 Redstart, 3+ Spotted Flycatchers, and 1 Wheatear, with still a good number of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs.
I spent a couple of early hours on the 11th on Blackdown. It was good to see that a few Dartford Warblers had been successful in the breeding season, also a couple of Stonechat families. There were a few migrants with a large number of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs, probably in excess of 50 in various flocks, the bright yellow of the Willow Warblers at this time of year is nice to see.. Also 2 Tree Pipit, 4 Whitethroat and a Garden Warbler were probably migrant birds moving through. At home the Turtle Dove made another appearance.
On the 18th I decide to go to the Birdfair in Rutland, having not been for a couple of years. Adie was going to come with me until she had a better offer to go to a festival with some friends. I had a great time wandering around the marquees, although decided to do something I may live to regret over the next few weeks. Firstly, I gave my binoculars to Swarovski, to fix the rubber coating which has come loose. They said it would take 3/4 weeks and secondly, gave in my camera lens to be fixed, it works but its generally 'gunked-up' inside where I can't clean and this maybe 6 weeks. So I have to make do with a second-rate pair of bins for a few weeks and even longer with no pics - Not that I can see much time to get out in the next few weeks but you never know.
Unusually, I saw a flock of 23 Mistle Thrush from the house late on the 17th and again on the 22nd when I counted 18. Certainly the highest number I've ever had in one flock and I also had 2 Crossbill fly over that day.
A Hobby was seen at home on the 19th and the Turtle Dove again on the 21st. A brief visit to Blackdown over the bank holiday weekend on the 25th was extremely unproductive mainly because it was foggy !, later on it cleared and I saw a Hobby and Goshawk at home but missed the Osprey which Dave B saw flying towards Woolbeding and was probably within sight from the house. I also recorded a late Swift. The Turtle Dove made another appearance on the 26th. It has a routine where t comes down from the large trees to feed around the veggie patches, but twice now has flown up an sat on the fence post behind the pond to preen, which is great but its the same fence post that I saw a Woodpigeon taken by Sparrowhawk, so it needs to be careful.
My final month of August visit to Blackdown was early on 31st and was a little more productive on the migrant front with 2 Redstart, 3+ Spotted Flycatchers, and 1 Wheatear, with still a good number of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs.
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