Thursday 17 December 2009

Quick Update

I haven't posted for a couple of days as I have been in South Yorkshire for my sins receiving some training on climate change and agriculture and the new agri-environment scheme that will replace the Hill Farm Allowance called Upland Entry Level Stewardship. Exciting stuff eh?

Anyway, on the Tuesday before crossing the pennines I called at Rawcliffe Moss to put some seed out at the feeding station. The Fieldfare numbers were still quite impressive with 52 coming and going along the hedge. Yellowhammers had increased to 6 and a couple of these had found their way to the feeding station.

Tree Sparrows numbered just over 200 and were accompanied by 22 Chaffinch and two Grey Partridges. Five Corn Buntings went over calling and as always a Kestrel patrolled along the front of Curlew Wood.

As I write this it is snowing and there has been quite a bit of snow in the east of the country. In fact as I crossed the pennines from east to west a few hours ago it was snowing quite a bit up there. Whether it will push some birds in remains to be seen. As it is snowing outside, below are a few pictures from my good friend Nigel in Canada of birds in the hand ringed in winter, in fact when there was snow on the ground!

American Kestrel

Goshawk

Great Grey Owl

Great Grey Shrike

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