I have spent the last couple of days trawling the Farm with one eye on the gulls should the Ross’s make a highly unlikely appearance! There have been reasonable numbers of Black Headed gull with a couple of Mediterranean Gull yesterday. Med Gulls aren’t rare in these parts but they do seem to take a while to filter through the farm!
The fields are in the process of being sprayed in readiness for cultivation around the beginning of March which should attract gulls to the fields to feast on worms and other insects that the plough will expose. Shallow non-inversion cultivation is used in conjunction with seeding Maize a cereal crop. I have yet to find a Yellow legged Gull or even a rarer white winged gull and this will be the best time to look!
A pair of Pintail was present today at the North end of Waterbarn Cottages near the A354. I am not sure if they commute to the flooded meadows or if they are hidden on other days when I cover this part of the farm! They dropped into a ditch today remaining out of sight for extended periods!
Buzzards are a regular sight at all the key areas on the Farm. Low flying Sparrowhawk had been stirring up the Lapwing over the last few days. Lapwing numbers are not as high as earlier in the year but there are several flocks that move around the area!
The Coot re-appeared at Athelhampton yesterday this is rare during my time on the farm! The Swan x Greylag hybrid made a noisy entrance to Puddletown Water Meadows today.
No comments:
Post a Comment