5th Jan.
My second spurt of birding this year was again on patch. This time co-leading a walk with Sam for the
RSPB. I wasn’t expecting lots of
participants on a January day in Killingworth, but was happy to have thirteen
very keen individuals on the walk. The
last time I led a walk on patch in winter was 2010 when the area was under ice
and snow. The weather was almost spring
like today and the Blue Tits were
checking out the nest box before I left home.
Seven people turned up in 2010 and I named them the magnificent
seven. Only four coped with the
conditions and finished the four hour walk.
I’ll name the group today ‘the lucky thirteen’.
I was interested to learn the other day that there had been
some kind of competition for January regarding species seen on foot from
home. Sam and I do much of our birding
on foot from home as neither of us drive so that type of birding is nothing new
to us. I’m a strong advocate of birding
on foot as you actually see a great deal more, although some may wish to
disagree. I don’t mean in terms of long
lists, I refer to actually ‘seeing things’.
I have no competitive instinct when it comes to birding however so maybe
that is why I had not noticed ‘on foot’ challenge. We had amassed forty-six species on New
Year’s Day so I was keen to add to that.
I threw out a challenge to participants myself today in that I set a
target of fifty species, not giving a damn really as to whether we met the
target or not. It did add a bit of fun
and interest. Our walk today comprised
of three main areas, the lake, the village and surrounds and the
wagon-way. Everywhere remained muddy!
The highlight on the lake was a Whooper Swan spotted initially by Sam who had previously filled in participants
about some history of the area. I of
course always take the opportunity to point out the disgrace of the neglected
floating monstrosity that was once a reed-bed and how it has just been left as
an eyesore. A fishing jetty was in a state
of collapse and the concrete around it dangerously broken. It had obviously been reported and we noticed
action was being taken. Well done
council, now please move onto the reed-bed.
The Goldeneye and six Goosander attracted attention
especially. A small flotilla of Goldeneye were in full courtship
display with that neck stretch. I must
try it sometime and see if it brings any results apart from
hospitalisation. Pied Wagtail was another new year tick.
W eventually moved from the lake and headed for the village
area. The church grounds gave us the
likes of Treecreeper, Goldcrest, a
flock of Goldfinch and other finches
and tits. Two Great Spotted Woodpeckers were caught in flight over the village
and one seen behind the village. Long –tailed Tits were found here too. The Sparrowhawk
flew over its usual territory and is now quite predictable. We stopped at the big wheel for a quick bite
to eat before heading to the wagon-way.
On the way we spotted a skein of maybe circa one hundred and fifty Pink-footed Geese flying north along
the coast.
Initially on the wagon-way we found it very quiet although I
suggested things can suddenly change here and they did. Two Kestrels
were found and in the distance Fieldfare
could be seen. A single Redwing was seen near to the
stables. Unfortunately the Short-eared Owl made no appearance
today. We eventually got much closer to
the small flock of Fieldfare and had
decent sighing of them both in the trees and on the ground. Two Common
Buzzards were found as they flew down the line of the hedge before perching
in it.
A good number of Reed
Buntings were found and near to and mixed with them we found Tree Sparrows which as a new patch tick
became my birds of the day closely followed by the Whooper Swan. I was quite
chuffed as it was I who found species number fifty. It was a lone male Yellowhammer. It wasn’t long
before we were counting numbers of Yellowhammer
in the hedges. There was at least
fifteen. We could now go home happy in
the knowledge that the target had been met.
Around this time my mobile rang and it was Holywell Birder who was
watching from the road. He was on a bird
race. Good grief this competitive stuff
is creeping in everywhere.:-) I’m afraid
I was unable to tell him that the Short-eared Owl was about. Before we had arrived back into the centre of
Killingworth we had added Collared Dove
and Lapwing.
Sam and I had a long chat with a couple who where keenly
interested in the wildlife and who had just moved to Killingworth from
Longbenton. I was able to tell them that
their new home had been built on an area which I used to find good for
birding. They were quick to tell me that
some trees where being planted in front of their home. Well this isn’t going to make up for a loss
of part of the patch, but we all live somewhere! The guy actually knew the area as it was in
the early 1960s so I wish I had had more time to talk with him.
We had added a further eleven year ticks. This puts us on fifty-seven on foot from the
front door. I’ve not been off patch yet
in 2013. Yeah yeah, that might seem
boring to some, but not for us laid back birders.:-)
A very enjoyable day was had by all!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mark.
ReplyDelete