Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Wild Swans..

When I got home from work this afternoon (early again) a party of 11 Swans were circling the back field and landing out of sight.

I rounded up the trusty terrier and off we went to see if they might be Bewick's...

I was suprised to find the the two fields next to the coast were almost clear of snow now and immediatly the grassed flooded areas were utilised by waders - 110 Lapwing, 25 Curlew, 20 Redshank, 2 Snipe, 2 Dunlin and 4 Golden Plovers. Nice. No doubt they'll stay until it freezes in sub zero on Friday.

Up the track, the swans were settled on a rape field next to the road. Whoopers, 10 adult and 1 juv. Its not often we get grounded Whoopers here, they are more readily seen as they move north or south on migration... 

Only half a mile inland and the snow persists. It seems as though the heavy snow we had over the past week is moving to pastures new. It will still take a good long while before the current covering has gone though...

This morning the garden birds had been joined by a male Yellowhammer, the first one for a while.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

"I was suprised to find the the two fields next to the coast were almost clear of snow"

Maybe helped by salt spray with the stronger wind?

The Wessex Reiver said...

Nice you got some Whoopers near by Stewart, cracking birds

Stewart said...

Anon - Yes, that will be the case. There has been sea foam blowing over the village and onto farmland this week.

Andrew - Yes, the sound is the best bit.