January 2011 trip home - 1st week
Posted 26-01-11 at 04:26 PM by ijwilki
Arrived at Humberside on 07 January to wind, rain and sleet, and it felt extremely cold - after all I'd just left a pleasant 25 degrees and sun behind. Thank God I'd missed the December Arctic blast.
As usual I didn't manage to get as much birding in as I would have liked, but I had some great local sightings.
Regular daily garden visitors included:
8-10 goldfinches
2 greenfinches,
numerous chaffinches
4 dunnock
5-6 blackbirds
starlings galore fighting over the fatballs
numerous house sparrows and tree sparrows
plenty of bluetits and great tits
1 coal tit
2 pheasants
4 collared doves
4 woodpigeon
1, possibly 2 robins
2 jackdaw
2 magpies
The field behind the house was visited by a flock of thrushes every day - in excess of 50 birds some days - mostly fieldfare with a few redwing and mistle thrush among them. Up to 5 pheasants seen daily, along with numerous woodpigeons. Rooks, crows, jackdaws and magpies were constantly seen.
A kestrel hunted regularly over the field and was also feeding on worms. It has taken up residence in an old tree in the field - ousting the previous occupier, a little owl. A GS woodpecker resides in the same tree - managed the odd sighting. A heron spotted flying over which subsequently landed at Bubwith Ings.
The flooded meadows at North Duffield Carrs and Bubwith Ings were frozen for most of the week. Highlights were about 60 whooper swans (which flew off each morning to feed in one of the neghbouring fields), shelduck and 2 barn owls hunting. Plenty of wigeon, teal, mallards, moorhen and coot. A flock of about 25 lapwings also noted.
Managed a brief visit to Potteric Carr NR where the highlights were brambling, water rail, willow tit and reed buntings in various plumages. At least 3 treecreepers and a GS woodpecker spotted, but I dipped on reported redpolls. My eyes and imagination played tricks with me as I scoured the reedbeds for bittern - I must have thought I saw at least 6, but alas I drew a blank.
Wildgoose chases to various locations around York in a vain attempt to cop my first waxwing - failed miserably.
As usual I didn't manage to get as much birding in as I would have liked, but I had some great local sightings.
Regular daily garden visitors included:
8-10 goldfinches
2 greenfinches,
numerous chaffinches
4 dunnock
5-6 blackbirds
starlings galore fighting over the fatballs
numerous house sparrows and tree sparrows
plenty of bluetits and great tits
1 coal tit
2 pheasants
4 collared doves
4 woodpigeon
1, possibly 2 robins
2 jackdaw
2 magpies
The field behind the house was visited by a flock of thrushes every day - in excess of 50 birds some days - mostly fieldfare with a few redwing and mistle thrush among them. Up to 5 pheasants seen daily, along with numerous woodpigeons. Rooks, crows, jackdaws and magpies were constantly seen.
A kestrel hunted regularly over the field and was also feeding on worms. It has taken up residence in an old tree in the field - ousting the previous occupier, a little owl. A GS woodpecker resides in the same tree - managed the odd sighting. A heron spotted flying over which subsequently landed at Bubwith Ings.
The flooded meadows at North Duffield Carrs and Bubwith Ings were frozen for most of the week. Highlights were about 60 whooper swans (which flew off each morning to feed in one of the neghbouring fields), shelduck and 2 barn owls hunting. Plenty of wigeon, teal, mallards, moorhen and coot. A flock of about 25 lapwings also noted.
Managed a brief visit to Potteric Carr NR where the highlights were brambling, water rail, willow tit and reed buntings in various plumages. At least 3 treecreepers and a GS woodpecker spotted, but I dipped on reported redpolls. My eyes and imagination played tricks with me as I scoured the reedbeds for bittern - I must have thought I saw at least 6, but alas I drew a blank.
Wildgoose chases to various locations around York in a vain attempt to cop my first waxwing - failed miserably.
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Comments
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Nice report, you saw some great birds. The pictures are all excellent, especially the brambling! it's a shame about the waxwings though!Posted 26-01-11 at 04:37 PM by astafjevs
