More snow fell last night, about an inch or so. 2 Common Gulls in the garden eating seed meant for more worthy customers was quite unusual.
I had a good walk around the patch keeping a list of what's what, that I'll update once I've counted up. Of note were -
Pink footed Geese 490 S split into about 4 skiens.
Skylarks 300+ still.
Snow Bunting 2, 1 S and one with 200 Skylarks in the hayfield behind the Bathing House. Photo of some of the flock below...
Siskin / Redpoll flock increased to 40 birds. Impossible to get seperate counts.
Woodcock 8 was an excellent count. I tracked one to is rest spot (see prints and probe spot above), before it did its usual evasion tactics.
Quite a few thrushes on the coast path included this Redwing associating with a Rock Pipit on seaweed.
Golden Plover 26.
Raven 2 at dusk flying over the back field in full voice.
But my highlight came from one of our commonest birds. The Wren. At dusk Jane was looking out of the kitchen window when she drew my attention to a flock of small birds that had flown to our gutters. About 10 or so? I went to the porch for a better look and found Wrens clinging all over our wall and on Jane's car wipers, wing mirrors etc before the whole lot flew into our boiler shed to roost! The were huddled into the old Swallow's nest with tails sticking outwards. Altogether now....aaaaah.
I have read of communal roosts of Wrens before but have never seen it in all these years. Tomorrow I'll be waiting to get a proper count....
At lunchtime I did an atlas square at Longhoughton seeing 37 species including another 2 Woodcock and 3 Snipe.
The cold spell looks set to continue...
6 comments:
That's not a scenic snow scene trying to creep in behind the Redwing is it?
Were your woodcocks newly arrived? Where are these skylarks coming from? I'm presuming it is a cold-weather movement from the continent?
The communal wrens' roost is very exciting!
I`m another one that`s never witnessed a communal Wren roost, Stewart. Must have been a great sight.
I bet thats something to see Stewart - a swallows nest full of roosting wrens, what a good find!
Alan - Its inevitable...
Ipin - Not sure Iain? I local who shoots at Ross Links told me that there had been over a hundred up there last week. I cant tell wheteher these birds inc skylarks are from abroad or are pushed coastwards from even worse weather inland??
Wilma - I'll keep it monitored.
Dean - As above. The other night when I went to the freezer I looked up and saw tail feathers sticking out of the nest but could make out what they were. I knew either wren or maybe our local Robin pair would be most likely.
Warren - Aye, I enjoyed it.
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