Hi Phil, any migrants yet?

SUNDAY MARCH 15TH.

SCHOOL LANE/LAFFORD LANE.

Wood pigeon 3 (singing).
Blackbird m-2 (singing).
Mistle thrush 1 (singing).
Song thrush 1 (singing).
Robin 2 (singing).
Starling 5
Rook 3
C Buzzard 3 (display).

GARDEN

Wood pigeon 4
Collared dove 2
Blue tit 14
Great tit 8
Coal tit 4
Blackbird m-4,f-2.
Robin 5
Dunnock 5
House sparrow m-11,f-13.
Chaffinch m-7,f-3.
Starling 2.
Greenfinch m-1,f-2.
Willow tit 2
Sparrow hawk 1.
Goldfinch 1 (singing).

KNOWLES FARM/GOLF COURSE.

Lesser black b g 72 (s).
Herring g 19 (s).
Dunnock 2 (singing).
Chaffinch m-5,f-1.
C Crow 6
Blackheaded gull 2 (e).
C Buzzard 2.
Goldfinch 2.
Jay 5.
Bullfinch m-1,f-1.
Siskin m-1 (singing).
Linnet m-1 (singing).
C pheasant m-1,f-1.
C Kestrel m-1,f-1.
Canada g 4 (w).
Mallard m-3,f-2.
Wood pigeon 23.
Jackdaw 30 (s).
Magpie 4
Blue tit 1.
Great tit 2 (singing).
Blackbird m-10 ((singing).
Song thrush 2 (singing).
Wren 3 (singing).
Robin 9 (singing).
WOODCOCK 1 (5:40 AM,display like flight with call).

Hi Lee, I've sent you a private message

lee bailey wrote:

---

Hi Phil , I buy hi energy mix from bamfords wild bird food at Leyland.
They are taking the sunflower hearts mostly but also take the peanut granules and occasionally on a fat square.

Fingers crossed they stay and breed, they like the over grown field at the side of Knowles farm and if they are the
same birds , the field between the cemetery and golf course.

MARCH 13TH.

GARDEN

robin-4-m
dunnock 2-m (singing).
blue tit 14
great tit 10
coal tit 4
willow tit 1
magpie 6
house sparrow m-11,f-12
chaffinch m-5,f-4
goldfinch m-1(singing).
wood pigeon 7
collared dove 2 (mated).
sparrow hawk 1
nuthatch 1
blackbird m-4,f-3.
GOLF COURSE.

Canada goose 2(west).
Mallard m-1,f-1.
Wren 5 (singing).
Robin 6(singing).
Dunnock 2(singing).
Blackbird m-14(singing),f-1
Song thrush 4(singing),/1
Blue tit 8
Jackdaw 34(south).
Chaffinch m-4(singing).
Wood pigeon 4
C pheasant m-2,f-2.
Jay 1

---

Hi Phil , I buy hi energy mix from bamfords wild bird food at Leyland.
They are taking the sunflower hearts mostly but also take the peanut granules and occasionally on a fat square.

Fingers crossed they stay and breed, they like the over grown field at the side of Knowles farm and if they are the
same birds , the field between the cemetery and golf course.

MARCH 13TH.

GARDEN

robin-4-m
dunnock 2-m (singing).
blue tit 14
great tit 10
coal tit 4
willow tit 1
magpie 6
house sparrow m-11,f-12
chaffinch m-5,f-4
goldfinch m-1(singing).
wood pigeon 7
collared dove 2 (mated).
sparrow hawk 1
nuthatch 1
blackbird m-4,f-3.
GOLF COURSE.

Canada goose 2(west).
Mallard m-1,f-1.
Wren 5 (singing).
Robin 6(singing).
Dunnock 2(singing).
Blackbird m-14(singing),f-1
Song thrush 4(singing),/1
Blue tit 8
Jackdaw 34(south).
Chaffinch m-4(singing).
Wood pigeon 4
C pheasant m-2,f-2.
Jay 1

5. 55 Stoney Brow - College Farm - lake - Mill Lane - Rough park wood - Golfcourse - Stoney Brow - overcast, quite breezy

Wren 28 (s)
Blackbird 19 (s)
etc
Red-legged Partridge 2 males 'singing' - calling and responding in the same field

Again a large number of wrens - even though I heard a lot I think it's easy to under record them because of the sporadic nature of their singing. If a wren happens to give a burst of song when you walk past its territory, another one or two are likely respond.

On the other hand I walked past a couple of spots this morning, where I know there are a number of wrens, and didn't hear anything.

However I can be pretty confident that the Wren is easily the commonest breeding bird on the patch.

Cheers Lee,

I've got it!

- bought it last year - yes really good book

Very interesting about the Willow Tits isn't it, I've been seeing them regularly on the patch since August and, like you, in the garden.

There's a garden in Alma Hill, Upholland, - about a mile from us, which has been having a regular visitor as well - looks like we've now got small resident population

Phil

p.s what do you feed them? They like your garden best, I often see them on the way to yours!




Hi Phil I noticed in one of your previous posts that you will be concentrating on breeding birds this summer, a good book is
the BTO A FIELD GUIDE TO MONITORING NESTS BY james ferguson-lees,richard castell and dave leech £24.99. I use it when I do
the bto nest record scheme. Hope that is of some help!. Really detailed on behaviour when nest building,incubating,calls around
the nest,sight of nest etc....Good birding!.






-- Edited by Phil Barnett on Thursday 12th of March 2015 10:42:30 AM

Hi Phil I noticed in one of your previous posts that you will be concentrating on breeding birds this summer, a good book is
the BTO A FIELD GUIDE TO MONITORING NESTS BY james ferguson-lees,richard castell and dave leech £24.99. I use it when I do
the bto nest record scheme. Hope that is of some help!. Really detailed on behaviour when nest building,incubating,calls around
the nest,sight of nest etc....Good birding!.

KNOWLES FARM/GOLF COURSE/CEMETERY

mistle thrush 6-north.
song thrush 3,singing.
blackbird 13.singing.
c pheasant m-1,f-1..display.
blue tit 7.
great tit 2,singing.
coal tit 2,1-singing.
chaffinch m-11,f-3.
jackdaw 81-south.
c crow 8.
magpie 4
robin 10 singing
dunnock 3 singing
goldfinch 13
linnet 1
lesser blackbacked gull 24,south.
jay 3
skylark 1,west
herring gull 2 ,south.
wren 3,singing.
reed bunting m-1.
greenfinch m-3,f-1.
blackheaded gull 9,south.
c kestrel m-1,f-1.
c buzzard 1.
meadow pipit 4,nw.


school lane/lafford lane

mistle thrush 1,singing.
song thrush 1,singing.
blackbird m-4,singing.
wood pigeon 64
magpie 4
robin 4,singing
redwing 400.
collared dove 1
Canada goose 7,sw
yellowhammer 13
lapwing 1,mobbed passing lbbgull.
rook 2
Garden

house sparrow m-13,f-15.
blackbird m-4,f-2
wood pigeon 5
coal tit 3
blue tit 17
great tit 10
chaffinch m-8(2 singing),f-6
starling 3
robin 4
dunnock 3
greenfinch m-1,f-1
collared dove 2
bullfinch m-1,f-1
nuthatch 2
great spotted woodpecker m-2
long tailed tit 2
willow tit 2

5. 55 Stoney Brow - College Farm - lake - Mill Lane - Rough park wood - Golfcourse - Stoney Brow - frosty, breezy

Goldcrest 3 (s) +1
Treecreeper 1 (s)
Bullfinch (s) - full song which I haven`t heard very often
Meadow Pipit 1 - start of the spring viz-migging season!
Wren 24 (s) -Even though this is a lot of wrens I hardly heard any in the second half of my walk when the wind got up quite strongly

Plus the usuals


-- Edited by Phil Barnett on Wednesday 11th of March 2015 11:44:20 AM

MARCH 10TH,(5am-9:30am).

KNOWLES FARM/GOLF COURSE/ST TERESAS CEM.

C PHEASANT M-6.
JACKDAW 86(SOUTH).
CANADA GOOSE 2(SOUTH WEST).
C CROW 7.
MAGPIE 7.
C KESTREL M-1,F-1.(display).
LESSER BB GULL 48(SOUTH).
BLACKBIRD M-(singing-24).
SONG THRUSH 4(singing).
ROBIN 9(singing).
DUNNOCK 3(singing).
CHAFFINCH M-5(singing),f-1.
BLUE TIT 5
GREAT TIT 3 (2 singing).
WOOD PIGEON 27.
GOLDFINCH 2
MALLARD 2
REED BUNTING M-1
STONECHAT F-1
G HERON 1(east).
WREN 4(singing).
HERRING GULL 9(south).
C BUZZARD 1.
JAY 1.
LAPWING 1(south).
BULLFINCH M-2,F-2.
YELLOWHAMMER F-2.
SPARROW HAWK F-1
GREAT SP WOODPECKER 1

SCHOOL LANE/LAFFORD LANE.
C CROW 1
BLACKBIRD M-11(singing),F-1.
ROBIN 7(singing).
CHAFFINCH M-3(singing).
WOOD PIGEON 4
PIEDWAG TAIL 2
ROOK 9
GREENFINCH 2
MISTLE THRUSH 1(singing).
RED LEGGED PARTRIDGE 2.
GREATBLACK BACKED GULL 2(west).

GARDEN.
BLACKBIRD M-6,F-3.
ROBIN 3
DUNNOCK 5
HOUSE SPARROW M-12,F-15.
CHAFFINCH M-4,F-2.
BLUE TIT 11
GREAT TIT 7
COAL TIT 1
WILLOW TIT 2..(M-singing,both birds flew over the house towards Knowles farm).
COLLARED DOVE 2
GOLDFINCH M-1(singing).
NUTHATCH 2.
WREN 1

6.05 Stoney Brow - College Farm - lake - Mill Lane - Rough park wood - Stoney Brow - clear sky, fairly still
S - singing (more song than yesterday in better conditions)

Stonechat 1 very nice male - on `stonechat fence`
Buzzard 1
Kestrel 2
Coot 3 - 1 interloper, being given short shrift by the resident pair i.e. getting beaten up
Tawny Owl 1 hooting
Linnet 1 over
Stock Dove 1 over
Bullfinch 1
Jay 2

Yellowhammer 1 (s)
Goldcrest 3 (s)
Song Thrush 18 (s)
Blackbird 7 (s)
Dunnock 19 (s)
Robin 18 (s)
Wren 19 (s)
Great Tit 6 (s)
Coal tit 7 (s)
Blue Tit 3 (s)
Chaffinch 12 (s)
Wood Pigeon 8 (s)
Goldfinch 1 (s)
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 drumming


-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 10th of March 2015 09:08:29 AM

-- Edited by Phil Barnett on Tuesday 10th of March 2015 10:46:21 AM

MARCH 9TH,
IN THE GARDEN TODAY.
CHAFFINCH M-8,F-3.
ROBIN 3 SINGING/2-FEEDING.
DUNNOCK M-3,F-1..some display.
BLACKBIRD M-8,F-6..fields,gardens rear of the house.
BLUE TIT 16.
GREAT TIT 13.
COAL TIT 4.
WILLOW TIT 2..IN AND AROUND GARDEN EVERYDAY SINCE NOV 9TH 2014.
HOUSE SPARROW M-11,F-13.
COLLARED DOVE 3.
GOLDFINCH 5.
NUTHATCH 2.
LONG TAILED TIT 3.


ON AND AROUND KNOWLES FARM/GOLF COURSE/ST TERESAS CEM.
C CROW 5.
WOOD PIGEON 51.
CHAFFINCH 5
ROBIN 9 SINGING
DUNNOCK 2 SINGING
BLACKBIRD 17 M-singing,1-f
SONG THRUSH 3 singing.
MISTLE THRUSH 3,1 singing.
BLUE TIT 12
GREAT TIT 2 singing
COAL TIT 2
C PHEASANT 3-M,1-F.
MALLARD 2
CANADA GOOSE 1
MAGPIE 6
SPARROW HAWK 1-M,1-F
HERRING GULL 9-SOUTH
LBBGULL 60-SOUTH
BULLFINCH 1-M
GREENFINCH-5
C BUZZARD 2
BH GULL 9-SOUH WEST
GREAT SPOTTEDWOODPECKER 1
STONECHAT F-1...also seen yday.

SCHOOL LANE/LAFFORD LANE
JACKDAW 68
WOOD PIGEON 11
STARLING 157
REDWING 19
ROOK 36
LAPWING 1 some display.
FIELD FARE 130
YELLOWHAMMER 8
MEADOW PIPIT 3
STOCK DOVE 2
CHAFFINCH 30

also a sighting of a STOAT....ERMINE.

5. 55am Stoney Brow - College Farm - lake - Rough park wood - Stoney Brow - frosty, breezy

Buzzard 2
Kestrel 1
Mallard 8
Teal 3
Canada Goose 8
Tawny Owl 1
Redwing 1
Jay 1


Yellowhammer 1 (s)
Reed Bunting 1
Goldcrest 1 (s)
Song Thrush 13 (s)
Blackbird 10 (s)
Dunnock 9 (s)
Robin 10 (s)
Wren 8 (s)
Great Tit 1 (s)
Coal tit 4 (s)
Blue Tit 1 (s)
Chaffinch 4 (s)
Goldfinch 5
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 drumming

Saturday 7th
Merlin 1 South (patch first for me)
Curlew 2 North

Sunday 8th
Buzzard 5


-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 9th of March 2015 08:03:28 AM

6.05 Stoney Brow - College Farm- lake - Rough park wood - Stoney Brow

Buzzard 1
Kestrel 2
Mallard 8
Canada Goose 10
Tawny Owl 1

Yellowhammer 1 (s)
Reed Bunting 1 (first since autumn)
Goldcrest 1
Song Thrush 14 (s)
Blackbird 7 (s)
Dunnock 11 (s)
Robin 14 (s)
Wren 13 (s)
Great Tit 3 (s)
Coal tit 8 (s)
Blue Tit 3 (s)
Chaffinch 8 (s)
Wood Pigeon 4 (s)
Goldfinch 5

Pied Wagtail 2 over

I went out a bit earlier - just before first light to see how many blackbirds were singing - even so they largely stopped singing about half way through my walk- so I probably recorded about half of them

I think that at the beginning of the blackbird`s song period - Feb /March, they spend less time singing in the morning than later on - April / May

6.15 - Beacon Country Park - Farley Lane - Golf Course - College Farm -Beacon Country Park -- still, mild
S - singing

Goldcrest 1
Long tailed Tit 2
Yellowhammer 3 (s)
Song Thrush 16(s)
Blackbird 3(s)
Mistle Thrush 1(s)
Dunnock 14(s)
Robin 13 (s)
Great Tit 6 (s)
Coal tit 3 (s)
Blue Tit 7 (singing or territorial behaviour)
Chaffinch 11 (s)
Wren 19 (s)
Nuthatch 1 (s)
Stock Dove 1 (s)
Wood Pigeon 4 (s)
Bullfinch 1
Kestrel 1

Siskin 1 over
Redwing 3

I probably missed most of the singing blackbirds, and some of the Robins, which have finished singing before most species have got going, Im surprised and pleased to see how healthy the Song thrush population is.



-- Edited by Phil Barnett on Thursday 5th of March 2015 08:24:03 AM

6.45 - Stoney Brow - College Farm - Stoney Brow --- windy, snow
S-singing - song much suppressed by the weather

Brambling 1 (first since autumn)
Siskin 1 over
Bullfinch 1
Willow tit 1

Song Thrush 5 (s)
Dunnock 4 (s)
Robin 1 (s)
Great Tit 1 (s)
Chaffinch 1(s)
Wren 1 (s)

Yesterday 6.45 am - College lane - south part of patch - mill lane lake College Lane
Map of patch: http://www.abcissa-websites.co.uk/maps/map_total_area_16_5_2014.jpg
S - singing

Woodcock 1 over
Grey Wagtail 1 over
Pied Wagtail 1 over
Kestrel 1

Song Thrush 6 (s)
Blackbird 2 (s)
Mistle Thrush 2 (s)
Dunnock 4 (s)
Robin 8 (s)
Great Tit 2 (s)
Coal tit 2 (s)
Blue Tit 1 (s)
Long Tailed Tit 1
Chaffinch 5 (s)
Goldfinch 1 (s)
Greenfinch 1 (s)
Wren 7 (s)
Wood Pigeon 2 (3)
Nuthatch 1
Bullfinch 1
Jay 2
Magpie 20+ leaving a roost

6.45 - Beacon Country Park - Farley Lane Beacon Country Park via Golf Course ---- drizzly , still
S - singing

Woodcock 1 flushed
Buzzard 1
Redpoll - I over my first since autumn
Goldcrest 1
Yellow Hammer 2 (s)
Skylark 1 (s)
Song Thrush 12 (s) - a notable number -conversely no Blackbirds or Mistle thrushes heard singing
Dunnock 10 (s)
Robin 6 (s)
Great Tit 4 (s)
Coal tit 1 (s)
Blue Tit 3 (s)
Chaffinch 4 (s)
Wren 4 (s)
Nuthatch 1
Stock Dove 2
Wood Pigeon 2 (s)

Willow tit in garden

Very nice to hear my first Yellowhammer and Skylark two of my favourite signs of spring

6.45 Stoney Brow - College Farm - Rough park wood - Stoney Brow ---- a breezy morning
S - singing

Woodcock 1 flushed
Buzzard 1
Kestrel 2
Mallard 2
Tufted Duck 3

Great Spotted Woodpecker 2 drumming
Goldcrest 1 (s) + also 1 singing - heard from garden
Treecreeper 1 (s)
Song Thrush 9 (s)
Blackbird 1 (s) + 5
Dunnock 6 (s)
Robin 4 (s)
Great Tit 6 (s)
Coal tit 1 (s)
Blue Tit 2 (s)
Long Tailed Tit 2 (+ 12 in the garden)
Chaffinch 5 (s)
Linnet 1
Goldfinch 5
Bullfinch 3
Wren 2
Jay 2


Willow tit seen being seen occasionally from the garden

Last year I concentrated on summer migrants while surveying the 148 ha patch this year Im going to make more of an effort to get an idea of populations of breeding resident birds as well


-- Edited by Phil Barnett on Tuesday 24th of February 2015 08:58:06 AM

7.15 am
College Farm to Rough Park Wood
Buzzard 1
Sparrow Hawk 1
Kestrel 1
Barn Owl 1 hunting
Tawny Owl 1 calling
Great tit 6 singing
Treecreeper 1
Grey Heron 1

In the garden the disabled blackbird with more than half its top mandible missing seems to be doing well which is a bit surprising as its severely hampered in feeding itself.

Willow Tit in the garden yesterday and also one calling from the former golf course

7.45 am College Farm to Rough Park Wood
Barn Own 1
Kestrel 1 having a tussle with the owl
Buzzard 2
Grey Heron 1
Tree Creeper 1
Goldcrest 1

Fieldfare 15

Singing
Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Coal Tit, Great Tit

Yesterday
Willow Tit in the Garden

11.00 in / from the garden
Pink footed Goose c 200 - NW
Fieldfare c50
Willow Tit - still being seen, on occasion, in the garden, though not as often as before Christmas

It's a bit like animal hospital in the garden at the moment

A Blackbird with a badly injured upper mandible and one-legged Blue tit a been regular visitors for the last both seem surprisingly well fed and preened.

I've just been watching the Blue tit at the window feeder - with just the one leg it's very adept at picking up a sun flower seed, hold it between its toes while balancing, and eating the seed.

Of all the garden birds here Chaffinches seem the most prone to disease / deformity - specifically growths / scales on the legs and feet. Over the last 3 year I've seen 5 individuals with this problem.



-- Edited by Phil Barnett on Tuesday 20th of January 2015 02:52:11 PM

Beacon Country Park / Rough Park Wood 7.30am

Woodcock - 2 flushed
Redwing c 20
Blackbird c 20
Bullfinch 3

Tree Sparrow 4 on feeder in garden
Willow Tit 1 on feeder in garden

College Farm / Rough Park Wood 7.20am

Woodcock - 2 flushed
Snipe - 1 flushed
Tawny Owl - 1 mobbed by a jay
Song thrush - singing full song
Heron - 1
Kestrel 1
Siskin 1 over
Bullfinch 1
Goldcrest - 3
No Fieldfare or Redwings

Willow tit - 2 still coming very regularly to feeders in the garden - interesting to see where it fits in the tit pecking order
- firmly below Blue Tit, but above Coal tit

Stoney Brow / former golfcourse 7.00am

Bullfinch - a count of 9 was noteworthy,
(likewise a flock of:
Collared Dove - 32 from Lafford Lane yesterday)
Blackbird - 15
Yellowhammer 3 - over
Wood Pigeon c300 - North
Song thrush - singing sub song
Kestrel 1
Sparrowhawk 1

Willow tit - still coming daily to feeders in garden, in fact I can hear it calling at the moment

Pink footed goose 110 - N yesterday

11.00 Peacock Butterfly in the garden - the latest of any species I've seen

12.00 Blackcap - male in garden


-- Edited by Phil Barnett on Monday 24th of November 2014 11:59:44 AM

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 24th of November 2014 01:01:21 PM

Originally posted today by Lee Bailey:

WEDNESDAY 19TH NOV. On st josephs college golf course and around Knowles farm (AM). Tawny owl 2, c kestrel 2(displaying), Fieldfare 80 (east),Bullfinch 5 male/female 2,Goldfinch 20,Siskin 3, (edge of Knowles farm Lesser redpoll 2,and in pines on golf course 2 female c Crossbill). Managed to get more photos of the two willow tits feeding throughout the day in the garden amongst the Blue tits 22,Great tits 16,Coal tit 10 and long tailed tits 6. Also in the garden robin 5,dunnock 4,house sparrow 42,male gswoodpecker. First Woodcock of the season tonight,two flew off the golf course towards lafford lane at 5pm. Good numbers of Chaffinch 22 and Yellowhammer 31 on fileds along Lafford lane.

11.00
Raven 1 > SE
Willow Tit - on nut feeder and has been coming to the feeder daily for a week
Fieldfare c100 > S

yesterday
Mistle Thrush - full song - the first sign of spring

yesterday 6/11
Fieldfares on the move all day
Flocks flying low down into stiff head wind
C900 -> South

7.00am Beacon Country Park to the Small Lake near College Farm + Rough Park Wood

Wood Pigeon 1,100 S
Fieldfare 84 S
Redwing 34 S
Mistle Thrush 2 S
Siskin 1
Meadow Pipit 1
Pied Wagtail 1

Brambling 1+1 overhead seemed to be 'hanging around' rather migrating

Goldcrest 1
Kestrel 1
Bullfinch 1
Treecreeper 1

No sign of yesterday's Stonechat

7.30am Beacon Country Park to the Small Lake near College Farm + Rough Park Wood

Stonechat - 1, 1st winter - a patch first - perched on a wire fence - every time I walk past this fence i think 'why isn't there a chat perched on there - this morning there was!

Mistle Thrush - 63 a tight flock quite high, south was noteworthy
Meadow Pipit - 16 in several small parties south - migration seemed to have stopped during the last couple of weeks
Wood Pigeon c300 south
Fieldfare, Redwing, Song thrush - a few grounded

Goldcrest 2
Mallard 16 - males displaying and giving the high pitched whistle
Buzzard 1

update...

Wood Pigeon movement continued till about 11.00 with some very big flocks
- at least 2000 south



-- Edited by Phil Barnett on Tuesday 4th of November 2014 01:10:00 PM

6.45am Beacon Country Park to the Small Lake near College Farm + Rough Park Wood

A bit of migration just after dawn, but soon petered out

Song Thrush a flock of 8 came in from North and landed was the most interesting
Brambling 3 SE
Redwing c100 S - several grounded
Fieldfare - just 4 south with a few grounded
Mistle Thrush 2 S
Wood pigeon C200 S
Collard Dove 1 high E - I don't see a lot of Collard Doves migging
Linnet 2 S
Pink Footed Goose 2 N

Also
Kingfisher 1
Kestrel 2
Meadow Pipit - A flock of 11on the ground which all landed in a willow tree after having been flushed

Yesterday - Peacock butterfly in the garden - haven't seen one in November before

7.45am
Wood Pigeon 1,220 south in 1 hour
Pink Footed Goose 30 south
Redwing 45

7.30am Beacon Country Park to the Small Lake near College Farm + Rough Park Wood

Brambling 3 + 1 South
Siskin 1 South
Redwing a flock of C150 south, plus several grounded
Meadow pipit 25 S
Yellowhammer 2 S
Reed Bunting 2 S
Skylark 4 S + E
Tree Sparrow 2 S
Chaffinch C30 S
Linnet 1 W
Pied Wagtail 11 S

Lake
Teal 2 drakes
Kingfisher 1 flew about 3 feet away from me as I sat on the bank - the closest I've been to a kingfisher

Also
Willow Tit 1
Treecreeper 1
Bullfinch 11 - an influx
Blackbird 9 - probably migrants
Song Thrush 11
Dunnock - several contact calling
Goldcrest c 15
Buzzard 1
Kestrel 1
Sparrow Hawk 1
Grey Wagtail 3

Pink Footed Goose - calls heard

Also seen/heard : Wood Pigeon, Pheasant, Herring Gull, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Jay, Magpie, Wren, House Sparrow, Starling, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Robin, Blue Tit, Coal tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Nuthatch, Mistle thrush
48 Species

7.20am Beacon Country Park to the Small Lake near College Farm + Rough Park Wood

Redwing c260 mainly south, some east
Mistle Thrush 5 S
Meadow pipit 30 S
Yellowhammer 2 N
Skylark 1 N
Goldfinch 1 S

also
Goldcrest 15
Buzzard 1
Kestrel 1
Grey Wagtail 2
Song Thrush 3

Mallard 21
Kingfisher 1

Yesterday
Fieldfare 25 S



-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 15th of October 2014 12:16:44 PM

9.20am over the house

Pink Footed Goose C450 -> South East
1 large skein in 6 'sub-skeins' flying quite high

- may well be making the move from Lancashire to Norfolk

-- Edited by Phil Barnett on Monday 13th of October 2014 12:04:39 PM

In / from the Garden this morning

Redwing 1 overhead
Swallow 1 South
Chiffchaff 1


Buzzard 1
Sparrow Hawk 1
Kestrel 1
Song thrush 2
Grey Wagtail 2 South
Pied Wagtail 5 South
Skylark 1 West
Meadow Pipit c 30 South
Goldfinch c 20

Yesterday 31 House Sparrows in the garden



-- Edited by Phil Barnett on Friday 10th of October 2014 01:21:58 PM

7.00am Beacon Country Park to the Small Lake near College Farm + Rough Park Wood

Swallow - a flock of 42
distinctly late for a flock this size
- they weren't speeding south but milling around in the updraught at the slope just east of the beacon

Also
Barn owl 1
Buzzard 3
Kestrel 1
Grey Wagtail 2
Song Thrush 3
Jay 8

As expected little on move into a strong southerly wind, just:
Meadow Pipit 2
Pied Wagtail 6

7.20am Beacon Country Park to the Small Lake near College Farm + Rough Park Wood

Sand Martin a party of 6 > South
a very late date for this species

lake
Teal 6 - a patch first for me
Kingfisher 1
Grey Wagtail 1

Again good numbers of Meadow Pipits on the move
c100 in a 1 1/2 hours, mostly S
Skylark 12 south in 3 parties
Pied Wagtail 21 south
Chaffinch 18 South
Reed Bunting 1 East
Yellowhammer 3
Wood Pigeon c100
Also Linnet, Goldfinch, Song Thrush overhead

Chiffchaff 2
Kestrel 1
Buzzard 1
Sparrow Hawk
Goldcrest 3

Also seen/heard : Canada Goose, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Jay, Magpie, Dunnock, Wren, House Sparrow, Starling, Bullfinch, Greenfinch, Blackbird, Robin, Blue Tit, Coal tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit

- 40 Species

7.00am Beacon Country Park to the Small Lake near College Farm + Rough Park Wood

Good numbers of Meadow Pipits on the move
c150 in an hour, mostly SE, some E

C200 Woodpigeon, mostly south
10 Chaffinch S
1 Pied Wagtail over
1 Grey Wagtail over

just 1 Song thrush and 1 Goldcrest
and the first time I haven't seen or heard a Chiffchaff here since early March

1 Kingfisher
1 Tawny Owl
Male Sparrowhawk - 'rollercoaster' display - surprised to see this on a dull drizzly October morning
1 Kestrel

a Pair of Tree Sparrows on the nut feeder in the garden

I flushed about 30 Pheasants, which is one bird I'm not pleased to see - I have read that 'the total early winter pheasant biomass probably
exceeds that of all other bird species by as much as 600 per cent'











-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 7th of October 2014 09:09:33 AM

6.45am Stoney Brow to the Small Lake near College Farm + former golfcourse

Song Thrush 11 contact calling probably migrants
Goldcrest 8
Chiffchaff 5 (1 singing)
Bullfinch 3
Buzzard 1
Kestrel 1

At the lake
Kingfisher 1
Heron 1
Grey Wagtail 3
Mallard 32

Little moving overhead
Meadow Pipit 6
Skylark 1
Linnet 5

6.30am Beacon Country Park to the Small Lake near College Farm + Rough Park Wood

C20 Song Thrush probable new arrivals
Likewise
11 Blackbirds
9 Goldcrests

At the lake
Kingfisher 1
Heron 1
Grey Wagtail 1

Also
Willow Tit 1
Buzzard 1
Kestrel 1
Sparrow Hawk 1
Chiffchaff 1 singing

overheard
Meadow Pipit c50 South
Swallow 13 South
House Martin c30
Linnet 13
Pied Wagtail 5
Grey Wagtail 2

6.45am Beacon Country Park to the Small Lake near College Farm + Rough Park Wood

At the lake
Kingfisher 1
Snipe 2
Heron 1
Grey Wagtail 1
Siskin - over my first of the autumn

Also
Buzzard 2
Meadow Pipit - just a handful overhead, plus one grounded
Chiffchaff 2

7.00am Beacon Country Park to the Small Lake near College Farm + Rough Park Wood

Some probable new arrivals
Chiffchaff 16 (3 singing)
Goldcrest 15
Song Thrush 3 - behaving like newly arrived migrants
Robin c15

Also
Willow Tit 1
Reed Bunting 1
Blackcap 2
Kestrel 1

At the lake
Snipe 1
Grey Wagtail 1

Overhead
Great Spotted Woodpecker 2, high south looked like they might have been on passage
Meadow Pipit c 40
Pied wagtail 7
Yellow Hammer 2
Linnet 3

Yesterday
Stoney Brow
Willow Tit 1
Skylark several, high, south












-- Edited by Phil Barnett on Monday 22nd of September 2014 10:37:04 AM

7.00am - 8.30am Beacon Country Park
I 1/2 hours vis mig

Meadow Pipit - 190 -
nearly all south

Grey Wagtail 4
Pied Wagtail 8
Chaffinch 5
Greenfinch 1
Linnet 2
Swallow 5
Jay 11 (including one flock of 9 going south)
Kestrel 1 going purposefully south

Also 5 Buzzards over the garden


p.s. yesterday evening Meadow Pipit movement started up again with quite a few going over the garden at 7.30, including one flock of C 30

7.20 Beacon Country Park
I hours vis mig

Meadow Pipit - 244 -
nearly all south

Tree Pipit 1
Grey wagtail 3
Pied Wagtail 1
Chaffinch 11
Bullfinch 2
Linnet 1
Yellowhammer 1 > N
Swallow 3
House Martin 1

Very similar conditions and time of day yesterday when very little on the move

Meadow Pipits still coming over the house at 11.00 at a good rate. Obviously a big movement of Meadow pipits today.
I think if I've stayed longer at the Beacon I would have had a count of well over 500 a possibly approaching 1,000...

...still a trickle of meadow pipits coming over at 12.30. Also several hirundines, including one rather late Sand Martin



-- Edited by Phil Barnett on Tuesday 16th of September 2014 01:08:21 PM

6.20am Beacon Country Park to the Small Lake near College Farm + Rough Park Wood

A large dark raptor seen briefly near the lake in poor light, was probably a Marsh Harrier

Overhead
Meadow Pipits 14 > S
Swallow 10 > S
Grey wagtail 1

Similar time of day and conditions to Tuesday but far fewer warblers
Chiffchaff 5 (2 singing)
Blackcap 2

Stock Dove 3
Reed Bunting 1
Heron 1
Kestrel 3
Jays suddenly much more in evidence

Yesterday fledgling Goldfinch in the garden maybe a third brood
also c 30 house martins over the house ~ easily the most I've seen here all year

-- Edited by Phil Barnett on Thursday 4th of September 2014 08:49:22 AM

6.20am Beacon Country Park to the Small Lake near College Farm + Rough Park Wood

Overhead
Meadow Pipits 11
Linnet 7
Grey wagtail 3
Pied Wagtail 1

Grasshopper warbler 1 - surprised to see this late bird in exactly the same small bush that was a very regular song post in spring. If this happens to be the same bird, it really likes that bush!
Garden warbler 1
Chiffchaff 14 (5 singing)
Willow Warbler 6 (3 singing)
Blackcap 11
Goldcrest 3
Nuthatch 1
Bullfinch 5
Goldfinch 6
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
etc

Moorhen 5
Coot 4
Mallard 2

Roe Deer 3
Common Shrew 1

6.30 Beacon Country Park
Short spell of 'viz migging' produced:

Tree Pipit 1 > S
Swallow 5 > E 5 > N
House Martin 1 > S
Lesser Black Backed Gull 2 > N

1 Willow Tit calling yesterday in scrubby area east of Beacon Road, also one of the nut feeder in the garden last week, added the one on 10th July
may well be different birds - probably dispersal of young birds


-- Edited by Phil Barnett on Friday 18th of July 2014 07:11:28 AM

4.30am Stoney Brow to small lake near College Farm and Rough Park Wood
Willow Tit 1 not resident here (at least I'm fairly sure they aren't), so probably a dispersing young bird
Grasshopper Warbler 2 reeling
Reed Bunting 2 singing
Yellowhammer 2 singing
Skylark 1 singing
Goldcrest 2 singing
Linnet 1 singing & 5 over
Whitethroat first time since spring Ive been here and not heard song, lots seen though

etc

Sparrow Hawk 1 carrying prey
Oystercatcher 1 west

Roe Deer barking - how can such a cute looking animal make the worlds most blood-curdling sound!



-- Edited by Phil Barnett on Thursday 10th of July 2014 06:57:57 AM