Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Ooowwh....

Strong variable SW 5-6, sunny, cool at first.

Down to Low Steads with Jane and Bunts this morning, had 12 Yellowhammers and a Stock Dove at a sheep trough. Nearby sitting in a field right next to the road, a Buzzard showed well.

In our garden later on I was pleased to find 2 Tree Sparrows with the House Sparrows on the seed feeder. These are the first I've seen in the garden. The female Blackcap was still around too.








This afternoon was mild and sunny with a light W breeze.

At Boulmer, 107+ Eiders were just off the village, many in full display. The calls of the males could be heard from quite a distance as they ooo-ed and arrr-ed like old biddies at a jumble sale! There aren't many ducks ( or birds at all for that matter) smarter than these drakes. They swelled their throat pouches then stretched their necks forward and tossed the head back to give the distinctive call.

A few other wildfowl were scattered around with them, 46 Mallards, 8 Shelducks, 10 Wigeon and 15 Red breasted Mergansers.

Also noted were - 83 Turnstones, 47 Grey Plover, 92 Oystercatchers, 76 Dunlin, 10 Knot, 2 Purple Sandpipers, 26 Bar tailed Godwit and 50 Sanderling. A single Guillemot was offshore and on the farmland, 5 Mistle Thrushes (though one of these may have been a fieldfare but they flew off before I got a decent look).

For the list today -

73. Buzzard
74. Guillemot
75. Mistle Thrush

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Stewart,
I'm jealous I've never had a sniff of a Common Buzzard or Tree Sparrow at my patch. I have had Rough Legged Buzzard and Honey Buzzard not rubbing it in like. I'd swop both for your Stone Curlew though.
Darren

Stewart said...

Its a bugger Darren...Boulmer has had Rough legged in the past but not Honey Buzzard. One of these days I'll get one ...

S...