Friday 17 February 2012

A Quiet Week

I say a quiet week, but I have been to my feeding station every other day and also carrying out surveys on some farmland. However, the weather has never been all that brilliant and when I have been to my feeding station it hasn't been nice enough to tempt to go for a walk and do some birding.

The usual suspects are at the feeding station and I have had up to 247 Tree Sparrows, 25 Chaffinch and a few Yellowhammers. As I said before I've been out a couple of days surveying and although it has been good to be back out in the field I haven't seen a great deal. I had a male Bullfinch at one site which was nice. I mention the Bullfinch because on the Fylde they are scarce and you need to know where to find them. Also at the same site I had three Tree Sparrows, but that's 'small beer' compared to my wintering flock.

Buzzards have been very active this week and I have seen several birds at every site I've visited. It's also noticeable that a few Redwings are now on their way back as I had several small flocks with 24 being the largest.

It's the North West Ringers' conference for me tomorrow and I am really looking forward to that as it will be great to catch up with some 'old faces' and pick up some tips. So it will be Sunday before I am out again.

Just to finish you will see a picture below that my good friend Nigel sent me of a Bald Eagle that he caught and ringed recently in Canada. Rather him than me handling that monster! Cracking bird though!


8 comments:

kiekismichel said...

Wow,dat is wat anders dan een Musje !

Gr Michel

The Hairy Birder said...

It certainly is different than a Sparrow! I bet it was a real handful!

Alan Pavey said...

Love those big Birds of Prey they really are impressive, I was lucky to see a White Tailed Eagle yesterday on the Kent/East Sussex border!

Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safaris said...

"eee tha's a big b*gger"

Cheers

D

Peter Fearon said...

See you tomorrow my pedigree chum!

The Hairy Birder said...

Nice one Alan! I remember twitching a juv White-tailed Eagle in Oxfordshire many moons camel ride ago and it was like a barn door flying past!

Will indeed see you tomorrow Peter!

- Yvonaut -
Das sind Raphael und Yvonne
said...

Wow, that is a big bird!
Many greetings from Switzerland
Yvonne & Raphael

The Hairy Birder said...

Hello and welcome Yvonne and Raphael!