walkabouts

Dec 29th 2018

Well it's my last post of 2019.

Saturday morning I spotted a stonechat down by Stanklyn Lane, sadly no photo, but was pleased to spot it.

Met up with Jason on the afternoon and we had some good sightings, a flock of 20 Siskins by the Dead Man's Pool, a Brambling in the old carrot field, a flock of around 120 Chaffinch and Green finch and a flock of around 200 linnets.

Lots of Badger signs.

Also a green woodpecker in Stanklyn Lane, first I'd seen since early summer.

Captain's Pool very quiet as it usually is at weekends, never much on there when it is being fished.

Dec 30th

An early walkabout resulted in not much at all, scoured the Dead Man's allotment to try and spot the stonechat but the light was so poor, did watch the Kestrel hunting over it though, such an agile and speedy bird.

Dec 31st had no chance to get out today but back to normal tomorrow.

Happy New Year to all who are reading this.

Quiet times over the fields

Friday 28th December

Weather brightened up after a dull start, been out over the fields three times today, been trying to get closer to the flocks of birds that are around at the moment, but can assure you that it isn't easy.

Have seen today though, couple bullfinches, red kite flying overhead, large flock chaffinch, pretty sure buntings, linnetts and others are amongst them.

Surprised that I have not seen any Redwings or Fieldfare on my walks though, especially as there were quite a few around a couple of weeks ago.

There were masses of all sorts of berries around in November but these have mostly disappeared now.

Nothing about on the Dead Man's Allotment, a stonechat dropped in a couple of weeks ago but only stayed for a day.

The Dead man's pool is also very very quiet, usually see something on there but seen nothing now for a couple of weeks.

Haven't been down to Stone Pool for a couple of weeks so will try and pop down over the next few days.

Captain's Pool has been very quiet the past few days, just gulls and mallards, hoping something different will drop in soon though.

No sighting of a kingfisher or heron for a couple of weeks.

Over the fields there is lots of evidence that the badgers are very active.

Twas the week before Christmas

Photos from just before and just after Christmas 2018.
Been mainly dull so nothing special, been busy over Christmas and hope to get back to normal walks and posts pretty soon.

Flying Duck

Frozen pool

Oops

Dancing on Ice

Coming in to land

Landed

Speeding duck

Distant view of some Linnets.

As above

First winter Chaffinch

Late afternoon Light at Captains

Peckish Robin

Tufted Duck

Mandarin

Brambling

Christmas Eve daybreak at Captain's Pool.

Hurcott Pool

Quiet times

Been quiet the past month or so, I get this cough every year as soon as the leaves start falling, similar to hay fever, but it is now easing off as it usually does, thankfully.

Been a walkabout this morning and yesterday, on Captain's there have been up to 6 Gooseander and also 2 Cormorants, no decent photos of them as they are always too far away, try and get close and they are off.

I did note yesterday a flock of around a thousand birds over the fields, this was only a part of it.

Also of note I have seen fieldfare, lots of redwings, linnetts, chaffinch, goldfinch, kestrel, buzzards and possibly a merlin.

This photo is from this afternoon of the wood that runs alongside Captain's Pool, looks lovely in the low winter sun, taken on my old samsung phone.