A Happy (if slightly belated!) New Year!
As usual I was up and out for a walk around town early on the 1st, the highlights being a pair of Goldcrest, 3 Mistle Thrush chasing each other and a single Redwing in the supermarket car park! Redwings have been missing this winter so far, usually there are at least a dozen around the park from early November right through to Feb/March but so far i've only seen a couple of flocks flying over.
Mistle Thrush
We spent our bank holiday morning at St Aidan's, it was lovely and sunny but very cold! It's always nice to add birds to a new year list, it's like seeing them new all over again! Some highlights were a low flying Red Kite, a diving Black-necked Grebe and lots of very flighty Lapwings.
In the garden my husband found lots of fungi hidden amongst the ivy on our Laburnum trunk, I think it's perhaps Oyster mushrooms?
The garden has been packed with birds, when i've been at home it's non stop around the feeders all day long and it's a joy to watch. Now i'm back to work of course I barely see the garden in daylight during the week but I do get to see some lovely sunrises on my commute!
Spot the goats!
On first day back to work this week I had a walk in Churwell woods beforehand and saw a record number of Chaffinch by the feeders - at least a dozen. Elsewhere a Kestrel has taken to hunting a field on a regular basis now dog walkers have been stopped from using it.
After work the same day after some information from local birders (thanks again!) I went back to the woods at duskish (it was quite dark) to see a brilliant patch tick in the form of a Barn Owl which has been seen around for some time. I thought we might have missed it as I was delayed leaving work a little but luckily our walk through the mud in the dark was worth it as we saw it quartering the fields for some time before flying through the woods. We saw it perched in a tree - a perfect Owl silhouhette - as we were leaving too! A great start to the year!
Looks like the birding has been pretty good, Pam. I am curious about the origins of "Bank Holiday", a term not used here. Does it have to do with financial institutions or inclines on the land? I know that Bank Holiday occurs more than once a year. It begins with a "b" so maybe it could also be Birder's Holiday!
ReplyDeleteYes it's an odd one, another name for public holidays - Spring Bank Holiday, May Day, August Bank holiday...., named due to the banks and such like closing on the particular day, I believe it originated in the 1800's and never changed! I like that it could be a birder's holiday, although as a rule going out on a bank holiday should be done very early or avoided completely due to the crowds!
DeleteHappy New Year to you Pam, Im happy to see you still get your walks in and you have some thrills like the Barn Owl. The mushroom has the right name it def looks like an oyster. Enjoy your weekend.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sondra, I do love the mushrooms, they look fab on our tree!
DeleteHappy New Year to you too Pam. Barn Owl a really super sighting at the start of the year :) The rainbow looks amazing.
ReplyDeleteI've not seen Redwings at or near home yet this winter but we have seen a lot in Herefordshire. Usually see flocks going over the garden but only one possible sighting. They only visit the garden for apple when its really cold and usually snowing!! Same goes for Fieldfare.
I was so pleased to see the Owl! It's an odd one re the Redwings, they've been consistant for years here but not this one, it's quite disheartening!
DeleteHappy New Year. Great to see the barn owl and the redwing. I've heard of redwings being seen in supermarket car parks before where there are trees with berries dotted around. Looks like you had a lovely walk at the nature reserve and saw lots of different birds:)
ReplyDeleteThanks Rosie. Yes i've seen them often in the supermarket car parks, they do tend to plant good birding trees in them!
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