Less and More

I forsook my usual coastal patches this morning to feed the Tree Sparrows on Rawcliffe Moss. It was a mild overcast morning with a strong easterly wind, perhaps 15-20 mph. As I walked down to the feeding station carrying my buckets of seed it was obvious there were few Tree Sparrows about and all I had were 12 along with 4 Chaffinch. I think the reason for this was the windy conditions as I have noticed in the past if it has been windy there has been less birds about, perhaps because they won't fly any distance in blustery conditions to feed.

There were a lot more Pink-footed Geese around this morning and my estimate was 5,949! Large numbers were continually being flushed by something or someone to the east on the moss and birds were flighting round and settling in other areas or going back to where they had been flushed from. I hope the following pictures give a feel of this mornings 'Pink-feet' spectacle.

 

 

 

 

 

There was very little vis over the moss other than 8 Skylarks and 3 Swallows battling east into the wind. I didn't do my usual walk this morning and instead I drove up to the 'top moss' in case any of the Pink-feet had dropped in close to the track up there, but they hadn't.

I had a walk round the plantation but it was quiet in the blustery conditions. Ten or eleven Goldfinch fed on Birch seeds and I pushed 2 Snipe off the potatoe field. Walking back along the track I had the usual Kestrel that hunts between the plantation and the L Wood, and I also had a female Sparrowhawk being mobbed by 2 Carrion Crows.

The forecast is for 10-15 mph east-northeasterly winds tomorrow and then later in the week high pressure is going to build from the continent giving some good ringing opportunities. Unfortunately I am back at work next week but I am sure I might be able to squeeze a ringing session or two in!