Mid March 2009

Monday, 16th March '09

Chiffchaff - My first 'arrivals' today... it must be Spring!

Spellbrook (west), Trims Green, Blounts Farm, Mathams Wood/Pit, Thorley Church and Southern Country Park including Michaels Mead Pond

A cracking count of 52 species worth listing in full

Little Grebe - Pair almost finished their nest at Blount's, much 'whinneying' from the long, thin old pit inside Mathams Wood

Cormorant 3 - On the island in the second largest of the fishing pits, viewable from just South from Thorley Church

Grey Heron 1 West over Hayter

Mute Swan 3 - On Mathams Pit ... 2 were Imms

Canada Goose 9 (2 at Mathams Pit, 3 at the second largest Pit and 4 at Michael's Mead Pond)

Greylag 4 (2 Mathams Pit, 2 at 2nd largest Pit)

Mallard - there were only 2 present on Mathams Pit!

COMMON BUZZARD 2 heading North-East over Green Tye

Kestrel 2 (male at Mathams Pit, Female on the bypass roundabout at Michael's Mead Pond)

Pheasant

Water Rail 2 - very vocal on opposite sides of the reedbed at Michaels Mead Pond

Coot 1 - first noted for a while at Michael's Mead Pond

Moorhen

Black-Headed Gull - largest flock was 22 bisds South over Thorley Church

Common Gull - few

LITTLE OWL 1 - I disturbed this bird from the larges tree directly West from Mathams pit

Feral Pigeon

Woodpigeon - c.2000 over Trims was quite a sight indeed!

Collared Dove

Stockdove 2 - Trims Green

Green Woodpecker (Spellbrook Farm, Mathams Wood and Southern Country Park)

Great Spotted Woodpecker (Mathams Wood and Southern Country Park)

Skylark

Meadow Pipit - 18 were present at Blount's on our early morning pass (0640 Hrs) with only 2 noted later on

Pied Wagtail - 2 Pairs look to be on breeding ground, with one on Hayter's roof and another adorning a house on Spellbrook Lane West. Singles at Trims Green, Mathams Pit and Southern Country Park

Wren

Dunnock

Robin

Blackbird

Songthrush

CHIFFCHAFF 4 - Singing from the wettest area within Mathams Wood... my first spring arrivals!

Goldcrest

Long-tailed Tit

Coal Tit

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Treecreeper - Singing in Mathams Wood

Jay

Magpie

Jackdaw

Rook

Carrion Crow

Starling

House Sparrow

Chaffinch

Greenfinch

Goldfinch

Linnet - only a sinle bird at Trims Green

Bullfinch 1 bird calling in Mathams Wd

Yellowhammer - song easy to hear at Trims Green

Reed Bunting 2 - Male and Female feeding on Reedmace at Michael's Mead Pond

CORN BUNTING 1 - Searching relentlessly for this species finally pays off. Glad to find one singing on a favoured post from last year. Usually a few visits a day (mon to Fri) with one complete drive-around of the North Airfield to ensure as early an arrival date as possible. Bird was very vocal indeed... details on request. My e-mail is on links page.

Corn Bunting, a pair of Rook, Woodpigeon, Greenfinch, masses of Woodpigeon and a Magpie

Sunday, 15th March '09

Great Crested Grebe on the lake today

Hatfield Forest (mostly around the west side of the lake):

BRIMSTONE 1 - my first butterfly of the year!!!

Tawny Owl 1 - Probable female at usual spot

Coal Tit 3(4)

Goldcrest 2

Cadnada Goose 3

Teal 2 (M+F)

Gadwall 3 (MM+F)

Mute Swan 2

Great Crested Grebe 7

NO sand marin or marsh tit today :-(

Pied Wagtail on the shellhouse roof

Goldcrests - hanging around the Tulip Tree

Saturday, 14th March '09

Fieldfare - unbeleivable views

(Picture on left is fullframe just showing how close this bird was)

a little wander to try and find any early migrants.

target species: Wheatear

Stortford Park Farm (west):

Redwing 15 Over North-West

Skylark 25+

Meadow Pipit 6

Yellowhammer 12 (16) - due to possible 'repeat' birds

Common and Black-headed Gulls over West

Stockdove 1 over south

Stortford Park Farm (east):

Fieldfare 1 - giving amazing views and my closest without having a pane of glass in the way

Pied Wagtail 2 - On the lawn

Pied Wagtails on SPF lawn

Friday, 13th March '09

A Chaffinch below the work feeders today

Todays highlights:

Kestrel 1 - hunting between Thorley church and Micheal's Mead Pond

Blounts Farm, Trims Green:

Red-legged Partridge 1 - calling

Stockdove 1 - down, feeding

Green Woodpecker 1 - calling from around farmhouse

Meadow Pipit 2

Redwing c.40 over east

Hayter, Spellbrook (west):

Greenfinch + Goldfinch 65+ mixed flock yet to spit up to roost in their seperate spots

Jay 2 around North Lawn

Goldcrest - Singing from usual tree

Coal Tit 2 - using feeders, still, and singing occasionally from private gardens infront of offices

LONG-TAILED TIT 3 - On feeders... My first record on them since moving feeder beside the smoking shelter last year

Thursday, 12th March '09

A Red-legged Partridge at Trims... Quite difficult to get this without spooking the bird

Well worth the effort.

33 species today with no visit to Tednambury.

Trims Green and Spellbrook (west):

highlights:

SPARROWHAWK - a male hunting, then perched, at the entrance to Hayter

Red-legged Partridge 1 - photographed near Blounts, looking North, at lunch

Green Woodpecker 1 - calling from Spellbrook farm

Meadow Pipit 7 Loosly together during our lunch at Blounts

Fieldfare 12 - First thing at Trims

A Distant Meadow Pipit at Blounts Farm, Trims Green

Wednesday, 11th March '09

early morning Photo of a Reed Bunting at Tednambury this morning

Tednambury, Hayter [Spellbrook (west)] and Trims Green:

highlights of todays 39 species:

Kestrel - female still hunting 'North field' at Hayter

Common Gull 1 - North over Hayter at 0715 was my only gull species today!

Stockdove 7 at Trims Green

Fieldfare 87 (73 at Trims Green and 14 over hayter)

Reed Bunting 5 min singing at Tednambury first thing

Linnet 1 - only a single at Trims

NO Meadow Pipits out from tednam roost this morning

NO sign of Little Grebe on the river Stort either?

Coal Tit and Goldcrest has joined the regular singers around work with Yellowhammer, Skylark and chaffinch in full song at Trims Green

Video of a different singing male (Reed Bunting) at Tednam, early, today

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