Saturday, May 23, 2009

Recent Ramblings

A quick run down of what I've seen over the last week and more, sorry for the delay and I'm not going to give sites as some species are sensitive (not in such a way that they'd be offend of course).

LEO hunting early evening following 3 nights of heavy rain it was clearly hungry.
Little Owls seem to have vanished (nesting no doubt) though 1 out of a possible 10 was seen recently late on at dusk.
Tawny Owl roosting/nesting in a hole in a tree
SEO not seen for over a week now.
2 Spotted Flycatchers.
Ring Ouzel M/F also possiblity of a second pair though it could just be the same pair wandering (surprised female not down on eggs yet!)
Grey Wagtail 3 pairs
lots of Willow Warblers
Chiffchaffs have all gone quiet with exception of occassional bird.
2 Whitethroat, Blackcap, Garden warbler and a Reed Warbler was heard but not seen in it's usual spot.
Wheatears have been around in good numbers this year but unsure how many have stayed as yet.
Golden plover piped me off a moor one evening though visually remained elusive.
Lots of Curlew
Pair of Common Sandpiper on one res and oystercatcher there also.
Cuckoo heard calling but as yet unseen.
Buzzard hunting distantly in the last week was being buzzed by a falcon sp. but only bins and very distant, almost certainly not a kestrel.
After the rains water levels right back up on at least one local res.
prior to rains had 4 Male Reed Bunting feeding in the overflow one evening.
Distinct lack of skylarks (anyone else noticing a shortage?)
So there you have it a little vague but it does tell you there is plenty to be seen.....Blue tits have nested in there usual nestbox in the garden (I have 3 and they use the same one each year) and have seen them using a natural nest site in the crags as have Great tits I mention this as I have seen nothing using the nestboxes down there.
On a non birding front Brown Hares seem to be doing very well and a Badger was a very pleasant surprise one night.

1 comment:

Jeff Cox said...

Lots of sightings Andy so you've been busy. We must get our promised evening walk sorted so I'll contact you. As for a possible Skylark shortage - not up here. Langfield around to Stoodley Pike seems to have usual numbers so maybe it's a localised issue?