Thursday 24 November 2016

Ts and VPs

For the past two days I have been down in Merseyside carrying out a wintering bird survey on some farmland habitat in the main, and it's been a mix of transects and vantage points.

Pink-footed Geese have been the main feature and it was interesting watching the behaviour of some yesterday. A group of 1450 dropped in to some stubbles at 0730 and at 0815 a thousand of them left. Doing the maths this left 450, and at 0820 a further 400 left, leaving fifty. Then at 0825 50ish left, leaving a single bird on its own. This bird stood in the stubble, neck outstretched for some time. Why it decided to remain I don't know. After a while I got distracted by a Buzzard, and after the Buzzard had flown by I noticed that the lone Pinkie had gone! Very odd!

 Pink-footed Geese

Buzzard (honest!)

The weather both days was good, although it was a bit cloudy at first yesterday morning, but by the afternoon and for all of today it was glorious, with crisp sunshine and blue skies.

I recorded a reasonable number of species and some of the interesting totals (both days combined) included 2238 Pink-footed Geese, seven Reed Buntings, three Bramblings, 14 Goldcrests, seven Jays, five Buzzards, 47 Goldfinches, 19 Chaffinches, 28 Linnets, 24 Long-tailed Tits, two Song Thrushes, 19 Curlews, 160 Lapwings, 102 Skylarks, three Great Spotted Woodpeckers, two Grey Wagtails, a Raven, a Kestrel and a Sparrowhawk.

The plan is to set up my feeding station in the water treatment works tomorrow and then on Saturday afternoon some ringing at the Pied Wagtail roost weather permitting!

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