It's that time of the month, for me to actually go birding IN a wood! But, I have to say...this was one of the best woodland bird watching I have EVER done! It was sooooooo lovely and peaceful, the low cloud and clearing fog made it feel so atmospheric.
How could you not walk down this path? So inviting!
Obviously it was the birds that make this such a great visit. Woodcocks are regular here in winter, but todays total of 11 is a record for me here. I had some excellent flight views too - year tick number one! Year tick number two was 'kind of' expected, but I often don't see them here - Marsh Tit - two of them in fact.
Now, year tick number three made me smile the most as this species seems to be rarther scarce this year. A flock of at least seven Lesser Redpolls offered superb views feeding real close to me, they were just stunning!
This was where they were feeding, you can just about make out three birds (two in tree top and one below sky line on the left hand side)
I was so excited I just had to try some digi-binning. I shouldn't have bothered! It was so dull the exposure time was HUGE, and I must have been shaking with excitement as I just couldn't hold my bins OR camera steady. Still, doesn't stop me posting my dreadful results on here.
There are three in here, I think they are just about identifiable?
Also in the woods plenty of the usuals; Sparrowhawk, Jays, Treecreeper, Goldcrest galore.... all in all, a brilliant few hours of my life : )
After this, Lower Bruckland Ponds gave the pair of Tufted Ducks still, but a sweep of the river revealed little. Well apart from the Egyptian Goose on Sticky Toffee....
'King of the river', with a Herring Gull asking if he needs anything!
A Black Redstart showed well on house roofs along the sea front, and although the sea didn't give any surprises it still offered plenty of birds. Red-throated Divers must still be on the move, my watch from 10:58 - 11:10 showed 15 fly west past, with another six or so on the sea. Also four Great Crested Grebes, eight Common Scoters (two drakes) and stacks of Wigeon on the sea.
How could you not walk down this path? So inviting!Obviously it was the birds that make this such a great visit. Woodcocks are regular here in winter, but todays total of 11 is a record for me here. I had some excellent flight views too - year tick number one! Year tick number two was 'kind of' expected, but I often don't see them here - Marsh Tit - two of them in fact.
Now, year tick number three made me smile the most as this species seems to be rarther scarce this year. A flock of at least seven Lesser Redpolls offered superb views feeding real close to me, they were just stunning!
This was where they were feeding, you can just about make out three birds (two in tree top and one below sky line on the left hand side)I was so excited I just had to try some digi-binning. I shouldn't have bothered! It was so dull the exposure time was HUGE, and I must have been shaking with excitement as I just couldn't hold my bins OR camera steady. Still, doesn't stop me posting my dreadful results on here.
There are three in here, I think they are just about identifiable?Also in the woods plenty of the usuals; Sparrowhawk, Jays, Treecreeper, Goldcrest galore.... all in all, a brilliant few hours of my life : )
After this, Lower Bruckland Ponds gave the pair of Tufted Ducks still, but a sweep of the river revealed little. Well apart from the Egyptian Goose on Sticky Toffee....
'King of the river', with a Herring Gull asking if he needs anything!A Black Redstart showed well on house roofs along the sea front, and although the sea didn't give any surprises it still offered plenty of birds. Red-throated Divers must still be on the move, my watch from 10:58 - 11:10 showed 15 fly west past, with another six or so on the sea. Also four Great Crested Grebes, eight Common Scoters (two drakes) and stacks of Wigeon on the sea.
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