This beautiful male Whinchat (aren't they all beautiful, in spring?) was found by Vin Fleming on 20 April. My previous earliest was on 22 April 2006, so another record early bird (if only by two days).
Tuesday, April 23, 2019
Whinchat, Thurlby Fen, Lincs
This beautiful male Whinchat (aren't they all beautiful, in spring?) was found by Vin Fleming on 20 April. My previous earliest was on 22 April 2006, so another record early bird (if only by two days).
Wednesday, April 17, 2019
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
Monday, April 15, 2019
Song Thrush in sheep field
For the last ten days or so I have been waking up absurdly early and driving off in search of Ring Ouzels and perhaps Redstarts around like fields around Folksworth-Morborne-Haddon, Moonshine Gap, Caldecote and Connington airfield. So far, no luck. On e striking thing, though, has been the number of Song Thrushes about. Loads of them. And sometimes out feeding in fields (usually near the edge) in small flocks of five or six birds, like so many Redwings. It seems odd to see Song Thrush flocks! ANyhow, this one was happily feeding in the 'ram' field at Caldecote, among the sheep poo.
Thursday, April 11, 2019
Arctic Terns at Ferry Meadows CP
Yes, folks, it is time for the just about annual parade of Arctic Tern portraits from FMCP. Enjoy!
Monday, April 08, 2019
Little Owl, Thorney Toll
The Little Owl is a curiosity among our birds. It is not a native, but was introduced in the late 19th Century and is now well established (with jsut under 6,000 pairs), mainly in England. yet, unlike most other introduced birds it is neither a 'game' species, nor despised as an alien. Little Owls are popular birds! We do OK for them around Peterborough, with a decent smattering around the PBC area (I seem to remember reading that the Oundle area, west of Peterborough, was one of the areas of first successful introduction), but they can be a tad elusive (they are small, partly nocturnal and hide in holes in trees). This bird suddenly appeared unexpectedly while I was turning the car around near the viewing area for the Thorney Toll Rough-legged Buzzard (which I didn't see). Then it posed in a big gnarly old willow by the side of the road, allowing me to whizz off a few shots before whizzing off itself. I think it is the closest I have photographed a Little Owl.
Wheatear, Orton Brick Pit & Hampton
This female Wheatear was found at the upper 'brownfield' area of Orton Brick Pit by Hampton resident Jacob Williams. It decided to perch on the bordering fence, so I tried to frame it to use the buildings of Hampton to give a bit of arty structure to the piccies.
Thursday, April 04, 2019
Wednesday, April 03, 2019
Tuesday, April 02, 2019
Monday, April 01, 2019
End of March 2019
Last week in March, 2008, I was on 125 (inc 17 'elites'). Year total: 189
Last week in March, 2009, I was on 131 (inc 22 'elites'). Year total: 187
Last week in March, 2010, I was on 126 (inc 15 'elites'). Year total: 177
Last week in March, 2011, I was on 130 (inc 18 'elites'). Year total: 182
Last week in March, 2012, I was on 134 (inc 21*(22) 'elites'). Year total: 183
Last week in March, 2013, I was on 128 (inc 20*(21) 'elites'). Year total: 187
Last week in March, 2014, I was on 124 (inc 17*(18) 'elites'). Year total: 187
Last week in March, 2015, I was on 114 (inc 11*(12) 'elites'). Year total: 172
Last week in March, 2016, I was on 127 (inc 13*(14) 'elites'). Year total: 188
Last week in March, 2017, I was on 134 (inc 23*(24) 'elites'). Year total: 186
Last week in March, 2018, I was on 124 (inc 14**(15) 'elites'). Year total: 195 (NEW record)
Last week in March, 2019, I was on 136 (inc 22**(23) 'elites'). Year total: 192
* () Modern counting with Smew as an 'elite'
** () Modern counting with Smew as an 'elite'; plus (starting 2018) following changes:
Demoted from 'elite' to 'core': Crane, Cetti's Warbler, Bittern & Egyptian Goose
Promoted from 'core' to 'elite': Jack Snipe, Avocet, Turtle Dove, Barnacle Goose
Here, once again, is the traditional state of my personal PBC (Peterborough Bird Club area) year list summary, as of the end March (2019).
By most standards (at least in terms of numbers of core birds), the first three months of the year have been record-breakingly high for me. High points have included the long-staying Ferry Meadows Kittiwake, singing Hawfinch, my first local White Nun Smew in about a decade, perhaps 15+ Water Pipits, two Rough-legged Buzzards, four Cattle Egrets, 15 White-fronted Geese and two Hooded Crows.
Last week in March, 2009, I was on 131 (inc 22 'elites'). Year total: 187
Last week in March, 2010, I was on 126 (inc 15 'elites'). Year total: 177
Last week in March, 2011, I was on 130 (inc 18 'elites'). Year total: 182
Last week in March, 2012, I was on 134 (inc 21*(22) 'elites'). Year total: 183
Last week in March, 2013, I was on 128 (inc 20*(21) 'elites'). Year total: 187
Last week in March, 2014, I was on 124 (inc 17*(18) 'elites'). Year total: 187
Last week in March, 2015, I was on 114 (inc 11*(12) 'elites'). Year total: 172
Last week in March, 2016, I was on 127 (inc 13*(14) 'elites'). Year total: 188
Last week in March, 2017, I was on 134 (inc 23*(24) 'elites'). Year total: 186
Last week in March, 2018, I was on 124 (inc 14**(15) 'elites'). Year total: 195 (NEW record)
Last week in March, 2019, I was on 136 (inc 22**(23) 'elites'). Year total: 192
* () Modern counting with Smew as an 'elite'
** () Modern counting with Smew as an 'elite'; plus (starting 2018) following changes:
Demoted from 'elite' to 'core': Crane, Cetti's Warbler, Bittern & Egyptian Goose
Promoted from 'core' to 'elite': Jack Snipe, Avocet, Turtle Dove, Barnacle Goose
Here, once again, is the traditional state of my personal PBC (Peterborough Bird Club area) year list summary, as of the end March (2019).
By most standards (at least in terms of numbers of core birds), the first three months of the year have been record-breakingly high for me. High points have included the long-staying Ferry Meadows Kittiwake, singing Hawfinch, my first local White Nun Smew in about a decade, perhaps 15+ Water Pipits, two Rough-legged Buzzards, four Cattle Egrets, 15 White-fronted Geese and two Hooded Crows.
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