After a few days cooped up inside it was good to be out this morning even if I had to defrost the car first! I headed to the southern end of the obs recording area that includes the private grounds of a public school that I have permission to walk round to survey birds and other wildlife.
Even though there had only been one night of freezing conditions I got the impression that there had been a frost induced movement of birds this morning. As I set off on my circuit I had two Fieldfares heading south. This was unusual because there just aren't any Fieldfares and Redwings around here at the moment as there are no berries for them to feed on, so these were definitely moving birds.
Then when I was walking along side the reed fringed edge of the old athletics's track I flushed two Snipe. This isn't an area I have recorded Snipe before, so I can only assume they were trying to find somewhere to feed that wasn't too frozen. The final sighting that gave me the impression of some frost induced bird movement was a single Song Thrush feeding in the Japanese Rose behind the sea wall. No frost tomorrow, just more wind and rain!
The rest of my walk was fairly quiet and the sea was quiet too as it was very hazy. Other minor highlights were six Blackbirds, 12 Jackdaws, seven Meadow Pipits, 37 Oystercatchers, 17 Shelducks, a Great Crested Grebe and a Red-breasted Merganser. I hope you didn't get too excited there!
I need to feed the Tree Sparrows tomorrow, but I have the feeling that I'm going to get wet!
No comments:
Post a Comment