Sunday 17 March 2013

Wet weekend part two

First Wheatear (male) of the year (same date as the first last year (a female)!) - found by Josh, below
 

Another productive day's birding at the farm, mainly with Jamie, Ian and Josh plus other visitors including Nick Gardner. It turned out to be another enjoyable day, with Josh finding the first Wheatear of the year - a stonking male in the Reads Bottom area, sharing space with the current male Stonechat. We worked out how to view the Barn Owl roosting, it's in the least viewable part of the building but there is a way of seeing it! Later in the afternoon, in the last hour of daylight, it appeared for five observers, surveying its territory from the rear entrance of the barn again. It took ages for it to fly but it eventually did... re-entering the barn straight after catching one vole! Five minutes later it flew out and towards us, though, and towards Stoney Nob, affording good flight views. A male Brambling in with the Chaffinches was a pleasure to watch, too, and other highlights included the Red-legged Partridge, two Canada Geese, a Siskin, a Grey Heron and a dozen Meadow Pipits. Just as Jamie and I were approaching our cars, two Woodcocks flew over Canons Farmhouse together, finishing off another cracking soaking wet day!
roosting
watching
flying