Tuesday 27 February 2018

Saturday the 24th produced a Peregrine that landed in an oak in Shirrenden and a lovely Lesser Spotted Woodpecker behind Lake Cottage.


                                                                  Saturdays Peregrine
Twenty one Lapwings went over S/E.
The following morning a Brambling went over as did another 14 Lapwings and a Cormorant.After work on Monday a Mandarin drake was on the lake and my first three Lesser Black-backed Gulls(68) went over.
This morning I work to find snow on the ground and went out during some heavy snow showers.

Three Water Rails were near the feeders

Todays Water Rails

Lots of Lapwings were escaping the snow a they went over south, in total 380 were seen,easily the highest patch total.
The lake had attracted a Little Grebe and a Coot.
The garden was full of birds with a dozen Chaffinches and 16 Goldfinches,2 Greenfinches,a Lesser Redpoll,a Pied wagtail,3 Collared Doves,3 Blackbirds,2 Dunnocks,a Robin,14 Redwings and 2 Fieldfares.
                                                              Fieldfare in the garden
Redwing enjoying the ivy berries




Wednesday 21 February 2018

Four Grey Wagtails came in to roost on the16th.The patch wasn't visted on the 17th as we went to Bramblehall Wood in Surrey to see the Hawfinches that have congregated there.
We were not disappointed as we saw over a hundred in the early morning sunshine. An incredible sight!
                                            Distant shot of one of the many Hawfinches

After Bramblehall Wood we went to Staines Resevoir to see the American Horned Lark which has been there for some time.
                                 


WHAT A CRACKER!!!
We also saw two Black-knecked Grebes and a male Scaup.
Back to the patch on Sunday 18th and there was a big flock of Siskins plus Lesser Redpolls and a MEALY REDPOLL amongst them.

Wednesday 14 February 2018

We're halfway through February and the weather has been changeable with some cold spells but not much has changed on the patch although I was delighted to see the first Lesser spotted Woodpecker(66) of the year as it drummed and called. It's always a real treat to find this cracking little bird on the patch.
There has been an increase in Lesser Redpoll numbers with 20 feeding in alders on the 4th and at the weekend one was on the garden feeders.
Redpoll in he garden

The highlite of  last weekend was a Raven(67) which went over west pursued by a pair of local crows.
The orchards are still holding good numbers of Fieldfares and Redwings plus a big flock of  Linnets and on the lake the Coot was joined by another on the 6th but it was gone by the next day.
The garden feeders have also attracted a couple of Siskins and a small flock of Redwings have been attracted to the ivy berries.
                                                             Redwings in the garden
Joined by Song Thrush