Following a tip-ff from the nocturnal migration watchers, I went into the garden at around 10pm tonight and heard at least two Common Scoter flying over.
Steve Christmas said
Mon Mar 30 3:07 PM, 2020
Singing Nuthatch and drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker this morning
Steve Christmas said
Fri Mar 27 10:11 AM, 2020
Ours is a small suburban garden in South Swinton with small trees, shrubs, lawn and a pond. Since 1980 I have recorded 86 species (plus a couple of other possibles). More recent flyover additions have been: Little Egret (2001), Raven and Whooper Swan (2017), Goosander and Ring-necked Parakeet (2019). I also ring birds in the garden and have caught over 7,000 birds of 39 species since 1980. This has helped add two rarities to the list which both turned up in a mist net: Firecrest in 2009 and Common Rosefinch in 1999. A Dutch-ringed Blackbird was caught in 2001.
Since lockdown, have recorded singing Blackcap and Chiffchaff for the past week and Woodpigeons are nesting in a small conifer. Bullfinches are daily visitors but Goldfinch have been much scarcer on the feeders since January and only one Lesser Redpoll seen. An interesting recapture since lockdown was a Blue Tit originally ringed in the garden in July 2011 and recaught several times since; the national longevity record is 9 years 8 months. Also, a Long-tailed Tit ringed in the garden in March 2013 and not recorded here since was recaptured at Hopwood Woods, Bury last week. This still has a little way to go to beat the national longevity record of 8 years 11 months.
Moorhen over at 10.50pm after the storm.
Raven high over SE at 12.30 today
Moorhen and oystercatcher over at 10.40 tonight.
Both lapwing and oystercatcher over around 10.15 tonight.
Moorhen over at 22.30 tonight
Three ring-necked parakeets flew over eastwards at 09.20
Two flyover linnet and a male tawny owl hooting briefly at 10.00 are today's additions.
Female sparrowhawk over was today's only addition to the lockdown list
Singing willow warbler and fly-over grey wagtail this morning.
Woodpigeon singing at 9pm.
Common Buzzard being mobbed by a pair of Carrion Crows this afternoon
A flock of 4 ring-necked parakeet landed briefly in trees next door before flying off westwards at 17.30.
Only ever seen singles previously.
No scoter as yet tonight but a Golden Plover over at 21.50
If anyone is interested, Jamie Dunning has passed me a link to enter their Common Scoter (as well as other night migrant) records:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13HxwrtlBLOKFKs_1R8TGZPzBDUWQ8Ew2B9NmXgtqwM4/edit#gid=0
Following a tip-ff from the nocturnal migration watchers, I went into the garden at around 10pm tonight and heard at least two Common Scoter flying over.
Singing Nuthatch and drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker this morning
Ours is a small suburban garden in South Swinton with small trees, shrubs, lawn and a pond. Since 1980 I have recorded 86 species (plus a couple of other possibles). More recent flyover additions have been: Little Egret (2001), Raven and Whooper Swan (2017), Goosander and Ring-necked Parakeet (2019). I also ring birds in the garden and have caught over 7,000 birds of 39 species since 1980. This has helped add two rarities to the list which both turned up in a mist net: Firecrest in 2009 and Common Rosefinch in 1999. A Dutch-ringed Blackbird was caught in 2001.
Since lockdown, have recorded singing Blackcap and Chiffchaff for the past week and Woodpigeons are nesting in a small conifer. Bullfinches are daily visitors but Goldfinch have been much scarcer on the feeders since January and only one Lesser Redpoll seen. An interesting recapture since lockdown was a Blue Tit originally ringed in the garden in July 2011 and recaught several times since; the national longevity record is 9 years 8 months. Also, a Long-tailed Tit ringed in the garden in March 2013 and not recorded here since was recaptured at Hopwood Woods, Bury last week. This still has a little way to go to beat the national longevity record of 8 years 11 months.