Friday 12 January 2018

Patch Update

The first patch bird of the year - a Magpie, heard from the comfort of my bed!

I started off with a couple of walks around the patch on New Years Day (due to late nights, getting up early and getting out for a day of birding is not something that's going to happen in my house anytime soon!). Still I was up and out before anyone in the house stirred and it was a quiet but damp walk around town.

I managed to disturb a Pied Wagtail, which flew off chirping crossly! Overhead I had a flock of 7 Pink-footed Geese, a Sparrowhawk chasing flocks of Feral Pigeons and Starlings, Black-Headed Gulls and Crows. Lots of other birds around too, it was such a dull day though every bird almost looks black and white!




In the park the trees were full of Blackbirds, there was a large flock of Redwings too, but they scattered pretty quickly. Lots of Goldfinch in the treetops, their song accompanied me around the park. 




I saw that the Kingfisher had been spotted again down by the dipping pond in Churwell Woods so in the afternoon I went to have a look. Of course no luck, really there was too many people out for a walk at that time of day. Walking the length of the woods brought plenty of other birds including Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldfinch, Long-tailed Tits and my first Greenfinch in months. 

Then a bird appeared on a tree that i've not seen on the patch before - a Treecreeper! It was running around the trunk and posed beautifully. That made up for the lack of Kingfisher, such a cracking little bird.



Since then i've picked up a few new birds over the past week or so on my walks to work and a couple of short visits to the Woods. The Kingfisher has eluded me and i'm not sure it's been seen again.

It's been a dreary foggy dull wet week this week but every morning about 6.30 i've heard a Robin singing and today despite all the damp fog for the first time in a while I walked to work surrounded by birdsong, the dawn chorus is on it's way!

So far my total is 31 birds, which is a big chunk of my overall total from last year so a good start? We'll see how it goes!

11 comments:

  1. We don't have magpies here in my part of North America and I always wish that we did. They are such engaging birds - noisy, bold, and very engaging. It is always a delight to see them when I visit Europe.

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    1. They are certainly noisy, you usually hear them before you see them! We've watched them tease cats in the garden before, they seem to enjoy it!

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  2. I love seeing the magpies when I'm out west they are so beautiful and they seem to engage in human watching activities. Your patch totals on the way up good going! I have been battling the weather in every direction here too...it's a game of dice every day anymore!

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    1. The Magpies are quite sociable! Thanks re the Treecreeper :) they are normally constantly on the move!

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  3. Oh Drat I meant to mention the treecreeper...What an awesome shot you got of him/her! Great new addition to your Patch List...and how streamlined they are and fast moving!! I've never been successful at getting a shot of the Brown Treecreeper we have here in my area.

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  4. That's a good start to the year!

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  5. Well done, good start to list.. (have left another comment, not sure if I pressed send ?)
    Amanda xx

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    1. Thanks Amanda :) (I only got one comment?) xx

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  6. You've made a great start to the year list. Great to get some Tree Creeper photos too :)

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    1. Thanks, I was really chuffed to see the Treecreeper!

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