A cracking day weather wise today with Walter Wall Sunshine for most of it.
A short garden watch this morning was worth it with 1st a Sparrowhawk seen , then 3 separate 'encounters' with Pink Footed Geese.
1st - c50 > North towards Queensbury, morphed into c120birds when I realised I'd got them on an awful photo!
2nd - Another Skein > NE were dots in the sky for half a mo. then lost to the horizon.
3rd - Some more Pinkies were heard, quite loud, but I could not locate them in the bright blue sky - I'm blaming Sue for hanging out the bedding to dry and cramping my style!
We enjoyed a stroll a to Robertshaw's café at Kelham ( Old Nicholson's Bakery) for a coffee and a scone.
A Kestrel was seen along the way.
(A dead Hedgehog was a sad sight, on the road just north of Kelham Farm Shop).
Another short garden stint before lunch brought forth 1 Kestrel, 1 Raven and 1 or possibly 2 Buzzards and a Sparrowhawk.
Ringby Lane / Top and Howcans Bridleway.
It was great to be strolling up Ringby Lane in the sun this afternoon.
A really marvellous colour to the sky today.
There were loads of Crows about as usual.
c10 Meadow Pipit and 15 (10 + 5) Linnet.
4 Stock Dove.
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull.
But again, the star of the show were Raptors with them passing over head and immediately being mobbed by Crows.
One particular Buzzard seemed to attract an army of Crows,
Birds:-
At least 2 Buzzard.
3 Sparrowhawk sightings.
2 Kestrel. (one is probably a Juv. Kestrel ir Sparrowhawk ??? but it has the look of a Merlin to me).
A bit later on 2 other small Raptors, fast, duelling with one another flew past.
One let out a loud 'squeal'.
I was videoing them at the time of the 'squeal' but you cannot hear it on the video alas.
I was hoping one bird might have been a Merlin - my bogie bird.
No 'ticks' today - at least I don't think so!
A great outing with something going on all the time.
Garden and Local Walk:
Got to be a male Kestrel John. Grey upper tail and dark tail band. Enjoying the raptors - what better pastime !
ReplyDeleteLike the short video of the Buzzard and a nice Red Admiral showing nice under-wing pattern.
ReplyDeleteCheers Dave.
ReplyDeleteRaptors are difficult, even with a half decent photo.
John