The weather has been unsettled over the last few days but it has remained warm with a few sunny spells. The water meadows on Bardolf Farm are pretty dry at the moment which had me heading to the Causeway pond to start my mid morning search.
The Egyptian and Mute Swans have both successfully raised young and initially both families were sheltering from the howling wind on the small island. I went looking for areas that were sheltered from the wind and began looking for flocks of passerines.
As I was walking up the track I noticed several birds hawking insects at the far end of the field between horse field and the Causeway Pond. I Spotted a Flycatcher and decided to enter the field and slowly walked the tree line to get in a better position to view the flock.
Having taken up a good position I dug myself in to the nettles at the hedge-line and waited to capture the species feeding around me! I did not expect what happened next!
I had been there about thirty minutes when a tiny torpedo of a small falcon headed towards me from between the conifer and the bush scattered the flock looked at me as it veered off and flew low through the trees bordering the Causeway Pond. The Merlin looked like a juvenile from the overall dark upper-wing and barring in the outer wing but it was gone as quickly as it arrived!
I had always expected to see a Merlin on the farm but during the winter months when I am at the feeding stations counting hundreds of finches! This one definitely caught me by surprise!
I remained in the same spot for a couple of hours as the flock re-assembled. It appeared birds were joining the ample bug and berry feeding fest! There were four Spotted Flycatcher, ten Chiffchaff there were various shades including juvenile birds, Willow Warbler, three Blackcaps that were feeding on the berries. I started thinking of other possibilities that could turn up but they did not arrive!
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