Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Double Day Birds

I found a couple of hours to go birding on Tuesday morning before granddad duties called. There was even a little sun to help the walk along, and fingers crossed, we so far seem to lack the six weeks of promised wind and rain. 

As per last week a Song Thrush was in unseasonal good voice again from the trees at Fluke Hall. Otherwise it seemed pretty quiet apart from the resident and easily found Blackbirds, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Pied Wagtails and a couple of titmice flocks. 

There are some useful flashes of water on the fields adjoining Fluke Hall and it was here I counted a good mix of 35 Redshank, 40+ Lapwing, 45 Oystercatcher, 15 Curlew, 1 Snipe, 40+ Woodpigeon and hundreds of corvids. 

Redshank

Curlew

It’s often the case; the crows and Jackdaws drew my attention to a Sparrowhawk flying off along the sea wall, and although I followed along, there wasn’t much chance of getting close views of the shy raptor. There was a Rock Pipit feeding quietly along the tide wrack and then a little further along an equally quiet Skylark, and out on the marsh 10 Whooper Swans, 80 + Shelduck and 7 Little Egret. 

On and around the wildfowlers’ pools were still hundreds of “mallards”, dozens of Red-legged Partridge, 6 Teal, 3 or more Reed Bunting, 6 + Linnet. 

With a fine morning in prospect Andy and I pencilled in Wednesday for a ringing session near Oakenclough. The session didn’t disappoint with a catch of 35 birds, 23 new plus 12 recaptures from the last few weeks of ringing. 

The 23 new birds comprised of a good selection of species, finches named first: 5 Chaffinch, 5 Goldfinch, 3 Greenfinch, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 4 Blue Tit, 1 Robin, 1 Great Tit, 1 Treecreeper, 1 Goldcrest and 1 Robin. 

Greenfinch

 Chaffinch

Lesser Redpoll

Rather unusually every single recapture proved to be a Coal Tit. Anyone familiar with the feeding habits of Coal Tits will know how the species does not linger at bird tables and feeders but instead spends as little time as possible at a food source, quickly taking an item, flying off with it and then returning again and again. In can be quite exhausting simply watching this puzzling and apparently tiring ritual but it’s all to do with the Coal Tit’s strategy of taking food and storing it for later consumption. 

Coal Tit

Birding while ringing was quiet with the subdued calls of Bullfinch heard on a couple of occasions as well as the single unmistakeable nasal sound of a Brambling soon after first light. Otherwise we both enjoyed the steady session which allowed us time to study and enjoy in full the birds we caught. 

There’s more birding and ringing soon from Another Bird Blog, assuming of course I survive Thursday’s ‘flu jab.

Linking today to Anni's birding.

19 comments:

Linda said...

Phil, it is such a joy to see your photos. Lovely birds. Thanks so much for sharing.

Margaret Birding For Pleasure said...

Wonderful selection of bird shots. There is nothing to getting the flu injection. You will be fine.

Bob Bushell said...

It must have been very nice to see the Redpoll again Phil, and caught it.....

TexWisGirl said...

love the redshank. and always love the up-close-and-personal looks we get on those netted!

Jenn Jilks said...

They are a joy- to see your birds! Ours are freaking out at the feeders. Snow, cold, winds...

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

The coal tit looks and sounds (behaviorally) so much like our chickadee that I wonder if it is the same bird. I often wonder how they survive as they must expend more energy darting back and forth for one seed at a time than they ever take in. (Guess I should try that ))

Phil Slade said...

Hi Sallie - Thanks for your comment. Other blog readers often make the same observation when I post pictures of Coal Tits.

The tits, chickadees, and titmice constitute Paridae, a large family of small passerine birds which occur in the northern hemisphere and Africa. Most were formerly classified in the genus Parus.

These birds are called either "chickadees" (onomatopoeic, derived from their distinctive "chick-a dee dee dee" alarm call)[1] or "titmice" in North America, and just "tits" in the rest of the English-speaking world.

Phil

Stewart M said...

Nice pictures - I never get fed up of seeing birds in the hand - I must have had 1000's of Red-Necked Stint in the hand I still enjoy seeing them.

Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

Mary Howell Cromer said...

Oh the Curlews always give me pause when you share them, such gorgeous birds they are, and that Green Finch, what a beauty Phil!
I apologize for my tardiness, but Thursday and Friday seem to be my blogging days. The husby uses the desktop only and I have use to laptop, but it is not so easy to work blogging from compared to the desktop~

Rajesh said...

Great variety of birds.

A Colorful World said...

Wonderful photos! I loved seeing the green finch so close. Those lovely yellow wing shoulders!

sandyland said...

curlew another great favorite of mine

Anni said...

How I am so envious of your birders that get to hold these precious creatures.

Picture post card perfect images as always Phil.

carol l mckenna said...

Once again beautiful photography of the birds you find!

Happy Weekend to you,
artmusedog and carol
www.acreativeharbor.com

eileeninmd said...

I am always amazed you can hold the bird and take the photo? They are all great shots and wonderful birds. Happy weekend!

Unknown said...

Beautiful birds. I love the close up of the greenfinch.

Out on the prairie said...

It is fun to recatch birds already banded previous years. You have a great selection.

4ncü Ev said...

You obviously live in a region rich of birds ... Your photos as well as your observation notes are very nice and informative ... Have a great new week,

David M. Gascoigne, said...

I have to do a little research into the taxonomic background of Lesser Redpoll. It's not a species recognized here, but perhaps it doesn't occur.

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