Tuesday January 1

Happy New Year everyone.

With Lyn currently in hospital, birding has to be timed around visiting hours. So it was that I was approaching Bannam's Wood at 07.28 when a Barn Owl flew across the road, illuminated in the car headlights. That cheered me up.

My plan for this year is to pay more attention to Morton Bagot, and in particular to compile a photo year list of various groups of creatures. The lead grey skies and terrible light this morning did its best to make this difficult, while early afternoon saw light drizzle before the skies lightened a little.

So the camera initially stayed in the bag while I quietly amassed a list of birds. There is no sign that the main pool will be allowed to fill up this year, but the muddy field it has become at least retains some smaller pools and sedge-based marsh. A tramp around it kicked up nine Common Snipe and a Jack Snipe.

The flash field was looking good, and there were plenty of ducks to see. In fact I recorded all the dabbling ducks which are likely in a year. These included three Gadwall, a Shelduck, a pair of Shoveler, and two pairs of Wigeon, as well as the usual Teal, Mallard, and Canada Geese.

Shelduck

Wigeon

By the time I had returned to my car I was on 52 species of bird, and four species of mammal.

Following a short break back home I returned and decided to check out the "Redpoll Field" at the south end. This was very productive, containing flocks of 100 Linnets, and 80 Chaffinches as well as a pair of Stonechats, a Yellowhammer, and a few Reed Buntings, Greenfinch, and Goldfinch. The pasture field just north of it hosted at least 25 Meadow Pipits.

Back at Netherstead I found a second pair of Stonechats.

Male Stonechat

Female Stonechat

A quick return to the flash field added Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Grey Heron, and a flock of 93 Lapwings.

Lapwings

The future is now uncertain. When Lyn comes out she is likely to need full-time care for a while. So the timing of my next post will be dictated by her needs.

Hopefully I'll be blogging again before too long.