The day started on the right note with a Mute Swan flying over the garden (Tick) as I was setting out to the Water Meadows. I have some different species on this country garden list (Rook, Siskin, Pheasant) but I guess it’s because the Water Meadows aren’t a million miles away!
My rounds have been pretty slow going of late. I have regularly recorded between 40-49 species (The magic 50 still eludes me!) but there has not been much in the way of variety of late. I returned to the car as the heat of the day was taking effect. The Buzzards were gliding high on the thermals and then a Red Kite joined them on the edge of the village!
The bird was in moult with a symmetrical primaries missing on each wing. Kerching my sixteenth sighting this year. The bird remained high and wheeled heading west over the village and out of sight.
Little did I know that I would catch up with this bird at Waddock Farm Cress Beds some three hours later! (Tick) This time the bird was much lower and did not seem in any particular hurry to get anywhere!
After the Water Meadows I stopped off at Athelhampton where Siskin is regular. I spent a while sifting through the birds that were gorging themselves on insects and the odd damselfly!
This area looked good for a Spotted Flycatcher but not today although one was seen in the next village down (Tolpuddle) a couple of days back!
I moved on to my final location where I heard a Cuckoo but not much else during a stake out which had a bigger prize in mind! I am slightly earlier this year but with keep an eye on the area for the next few weeks!
I logged 54 species today which I was fairly content with. The Water Meadows reaching 46 species!
No comments:
Post a Comment