Sunday 30 March 2014

NEARLY SPRING

Since my last post its been tough trying to add new species to the #PWC list. As we leave March and head into April all I've managed to grip is a calling Pheasant and a nearly miss Wheatear.
Take this Saturday, I spent a good two hours thrashing the flashes and did a full 360' of both Neumann's and Ashton's in doing so I missed out on walking the bund...fatal!!
The local grapevine alerted me to 4 Ruff...an LRP...and a Wheatear all seen from the Bund whilst I was trudging the perimeter..doh!
I got one of the three namely the Wheatear as the Ruff it seemed had flown straight through and the LRP was not on show. Could this be a lesson for the future? Bund birdings better...we shall see.

Spring migrants have sort of started to come through with the most obvious being Chiff Chaff heard calling from all corners of the flashes...




Not much else though but with what is probably one of the most exciting months to come on the patch (April) I could reach the dizzy heights of the 100 club before May...bring it on!

Lesser Pecker was always going to be a big ask away from Marbury CP but with one heard again drumming in the Forge Brook Wood area you just never know. I did hear a rather weird woody drumming on what seemed to be a metal pipe...ding..ding..ding!! and yes there he was drumming out his territory signature on the metal cross beam of a nearby power line (that's got to hurt some)...bizarre stuff.



One day to go till the 1st of April, I'd be a fool not to thrash the patch one more time...roll on Spring.


#PWC   83 species    89 points


TTFN




Saturday 15 March 2014

#PWC FEBRUARY SCORES


Looks like I've got my work cut out to reach the Champions League places this season.
Since the 1st of March mega Parrotbills it's been tough going.
Single pointers added have been Little Grebe, Coal Tit, Redshank and fresh in summer migrants Chiffy and Sand Martin.

#PWC  81species   87points

TTFN

Saturday 1 March 2014

PLINK...PLINK...FIZZ!!!

Mega BOOM!! this afternoon when I heard the distinctive jingle of calling Bearded Tits from the north end reedbed at Neumann's flash.

I'd just connected with the new in pair of Pintail that were the latest arrivals to the flashes and was taking in the sunshine when I heard them first call. Not believing what I'd heard I listened hard and a minute later they called again. Now in full panic mode the adrenalin was pumping I scanned the nearby reeds for any sign of the Fu Manchus...


What seemed like ages past, probably 4-5 minutes when I got a glimpse of something moving through the reedbed. Boom!!, two Bearded Parrotbills skulking deep among the reeds. Instantly they called a third time then flew...and kept on flying...and gaining height!!! (what was going on)...they flew over the nearby wood and higher and higher!!...till I lost them to view, heading in a Haydn's Pool type direction. Their wings buzzing almost like Bees. Surely they were migrating northwards, possibly to the Wizzal or maybe Leighton Moss we'll never know...amazing stuff.
A first patch record and our second new patch lifer after the January Green-winged Teal...what a start to the patch birding year. Spring to come...

#PWC  76 species  82 points  (only 2 for the Parrotbills there's no justice)

TTFN