Wednesday 18 February 2015

Wild In The Wenning

For the past couple of days I have been working in the Wenning valley, and although technically it hasn't been wild or I haven't been wild, it was a better title than 'doing a bit of birding whilst measuring field boundaries in the Wenning valley'! Although that title would have explained what I was actually doing and whilst walking along field boundaries trundling my measuring wheel along it did enable me to do some birding.

The view from my office at lunchtime.

On Monday it was cold with clear skies for most of the time with a fresh raw wind and today it was a good deal calmer and milder with a few spots of rain. I only had my 'point and shoot' camera with me, so no pictures of birds I'm afraid, just a few habitat/landscape shots etc.

I came across these Crab Apples on the floor, hopefully something will
make use of them. 

Some early Hazel catkins.

I had quite a good selection of birds, plus a few mammals too, and I have lumped both days sightings together as they were on two different parts of the farm. In no particular order I had three Buzzards, 18 House Sparrows (a healthy population around the old bar in the yard), three Skylarks, eleven Robins, 58 Redwings, seven Brown Hares (other mammals were Field Vole and Common Shrew), 15 Blackbirds, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, two Goldcrests, two Long-tailed Tits, five Song Thrushes, three Mistle Thrushes, three Kestrels, a Siskin, a Sparrowhawk, three Jays, a Linnet, 26 Fieldfares, a Woodcock, a Reed Bunting, three Snipe, 158 Common Gulls, ten Lapwings, a Curlew and a Teal. Nothing mega, but it was pleasant nevertheless.

 My first Ladybird of the spring.

I'm office bound tomorrow (and it's going to be wet), continuing decorating Friday :( and hopefully birding and ringing at weekend!

2 comments:

Unknown said...

I think your willow catkins are hazel. Looks a nice spot. George

The Hairy Birder said...

I think you're right there George! Thanks for pointing it out and I've amended the picture. It is a nice spot and always enjoy doing a bit of work in the area.

Cheers,

Seumus