.
mid January 09:
apologies for the lack of photos during mid Jan.
Taking a while to get back to full fitness after my mini op, this combined with a dodgy knee means i'm only taking scope/camera into work half of the time. Tho this last week there's been little in the way of light, making any chance of getting good photos very slim indeed.
Tuesday, 20th January 09:
Hayter, Spellbrook (west):
- Green Woodpecker 3
- Redwing 2 (Only one by the end of my teabreak)
- SPARROWHAWK 1 - Male taking Redwing for breakfast. Eventually, my second BoP of the year! YL#98
- Stockdove 2 - west
- LITTLE OWL 1 - Keeping an eye on newly found roost paid off! YL#99
no sign of last weeks Blackcap, Fieldfare or Siskin.
Monday, 19th January 09:
Honeysuckle Close, Bishops Stortford:
Just a photos of our resident, garden bird (Taken yesterday)
SONGTHRUSH
Sunday, 18th January 09:
Skylark... one of c.50 birds, today, on SPF West
And I wonder why I get funny looks! Dog walkers passing by while I'm lying in a field waiting for a Skylark to land infront of me :-) Shame it wasn't a bit closer as the light was great today!
Sortford Park Farm:
Winter Thrush?
EAST
- Green Woodpecker 3
- Fieldfare 1
- Redwing 0 - Where did they all go?
- Greenfinch c.10
- Goldfinch 8
- Chaffinch 2
- Bullfinch 2
- Goldcrest 2 among tit flocks
WEST
Zero counts shown to highlight differences to last year
- Kestrel 1
- Yellowhammer 0 - usually upto 3 present tho last years roost count often exceeded 30 birds (think MAX was 50 something?)... Also no sign of the larger flocks usually seen on the North-west of the site. The Chaffinches often hung about with them, often in large numbers, and so i've only seen very few of these. (Hopes this year for Brambling among the Chaffies looks bleak indeed)
- Meadow Pipit 0 - Normally a couple fly up, tho have encountered fewer this winter
- Linnet 0 - NO regular birds this winter is a dramatic change to the consistent numbers recorded in previous winters. I only noted 1 pair breeding in Summer '09 (I expected 20-60 birds wintering here as per usual!)
- SKYLARK c.50 on field between SPF West and Stocking Wood... a decent number of something finally here... tho nowhere near the usual wintering 100+ birds
- Corn Bunting - My hopes of getting a second singing bird from this site looks worse with every visit... it has been a very quiet year for me on the West side :-(
Saturday, 17th January 09:
Michaels Mead Pond (Southern Country Park):
A walk with Finn to feed the ducks
- WATER RAIL 1 - At usual spot
- Tufted Duck 1 - The resident drake
NO Bullfinch or Grey Wagtail today
Friday, 16th January 09:
Hayter, Spellbrook (west):
- Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
- Green Woodpecker 2
- BLACKCAP - a SINGING male around feeders at work smoking shelter. A super record with Dave D.
- Fieldfare 45+
- Redwing 6
Trims Green:
- Fieldfare c.100 in a single tree, 200 yards North-West of Spellbrook-trims junction, at 1610 hrs
Thursday, 15th January 09:
My first moth of the year. Mottled Umber. Bishops Stortford
[record shot with mobile phone]
Trims Green:
- Golden Plover 37,
- Lapwing c.100,
- WOODCOCK 2 flushed from middle of north airfield, almost at highest/most open area, my first from such habitat .
- Kingfisher - at tiny pond at spellbrook-trims junction,
- Fieldfare c.300 Morris Farm cow lawn,
- Linnet c.45 gathered at around new farm buildings,
- Goldfinch c.10,
- Greenfinch 17,
- Yellowhammer 1,
- Skylark 7,
- Meadow Pipit 12+,
- Chaffinch c.15 (no brambling present)
Mathams Pit:
- Pochard 7,
- Tufted Duck 3
Hayter, Spellbrook(west):
- Siskin 2 min,
- Bullfinch 2
Michaels Mead Pond (Southern Country Park):
- Bullfinch 2,
- Tufted Duck long staying drake still,
- Grey Wagtail 1
Wednesday, 14th January 09:
Hayter, Spellbrook (west):
- SISKIN 1 - Singing on top of Alder, then a few mins later on feeders. Our first feeder record from this site!
Trims Green:
A quick run around at lunchtime to look for Jono F's Stonechats
Unfortunately visibility was down to about 100 yards in places due to mist, resulting in an all time low lunchtime list!:
- Meadow Pipit 1... of course there was a few pigeon and crow, but that was it!
Tuesday, 13th January 09:
Hayter, Spellbrook (west):
VERY quiet
- Jay 5
- Green Woodpecker 1
Monday, 12th January 09:
Hayter, Spellbrook (west):
- WOODCOCK 1 - Flew into small wood on the north-west edge of Hayter land ('Badger-hide Wood') from Northerly direction at 1020 Hrs Year List # 97
- Kestrel 1 - Female, North field
Sunday, 11th January 09:
Cuffley, Hertfordshire:
Great Grey Shrike twitch.... DAY 2!
This time the bird had been showing further south towards Cattlegate Farm.
At this point I must thank my wife for putting up with me.... I don't drive!
Thanks Kate :-)
Bird was in a very distant hedgerow occasionally popping up onto a large Oak tree
Honeysuckle Close, Bishops Stortford:
In the garden today
also:
No sign of our wintering Blackcap since 2nd of January
Saturday, 10th January 09:
Cuffley, Hertfordshire:
Today, a twitch for a Herts first for me.
Thanks MH for details of this bird, much appreciated!
A while with a pile of other birders seaching for this super Herts record: Great Grey Shrike
NO LUCK WITH G.G.SHRIKE.... Gutted :-(
If we saw this bird it would only be the second of this species i've ever seen!
