Thursday 23rd January 2013

 

 

 Before I go any further, today proved that you never know just what is going to turn up. While looking over Doulton's Claypit, where the only thing moving were magpies, a sudden glint of white in the sky caught my attention. Flying eastwards was a great BIG patch first. A little egret, which left me with a great big silly smile on my face!

 

Weather :- what a difference a couple of weeks can make. Snow still on the ground, cloudy but sun trying to peek out.

 

 

Reservoir :- 2 cormorants now present and a male and female tufted ducks have arrived. Otherwise 119 black-headed gulls, 22 coots, 23 mallards and 3 mute swans.

 

Woods :- Amongst all the usual suspects was a male blackcap, nuthatch, male bullfinch and 3 redwings.

 

 

And thanks to Netherton colts, who has given me good directions, I finally found the dragon.

 

Oak leaf galls



 

 



Tuesday 1st January 2013

 

Not the best day, still suffering with the flu but determined to keep up my New Year's tradition of hitting the patch. Only managed a quick hour, then had to give up. Missed more birds then spotted - so never go birding with a dodgy head!

 

Weather :- Clear blue skies, sunny and warm.

 

Reservoir :- showed 1 moorhen, 25 coots, 3 canada geese, 70 black-headed gulls, 1 lesser black-backed gull and 3 mallards. The highlight being the winter cormorant had appeared - but never stays for long.

 

Woods :- 2 grey squirrels put in brief appearences. Otherwise usually suspects - magpies, crows, blue tits, great tits, chaffinch, bullfinches heard, wren, greater spotted woodpecker, blackbirds, woodpigeons, dunnock and the robins had turned shy and kept disappearing.

 

Still unable to find the dragon sculpture, beginning to think it doesn't exsist.