Saturday 21 January 2012

Two Creepy

Dog walk One today and West Hartford was very quiet.  Bring on the Summer!  The smaller flash had about 40 Teal, two Mallard and two Shelduck (59) that heard me before I them and they of and over to the larger watercourse.  And a Fox was certainly quick and brown as it did a sharp U-turn and back east through the copse north of the sub-station.

Dog-less tour of local beauty spots had a single Canada Goose (60) over the access road to Plessey Mill Farm, and several good views of the local Stoat up and own the verges there.  The wood was quiet, one Common Buzzard in its usual tree.

Arcot had 8 Goosanders, numerous Teal, H/BH/C Gulls, three Wigeon and a pair of Gadwall (61).

Beacon Lane (southbound) was pretty uneventful too other than at one point I happened upon two Roe hinds (or did they happen upon me?).  We stood motionless for about a minute, only about 30 feet apart, before I lost the out-staring competition and walked away to give them a chance to vacate the area.

A Song Thrush and Dunnock shared a bath via a pothole puddle, and the Golden Plover did their usually excellent impression of clods of earth in the field south of the access road to the stables.

Loads of Bullies seen today, and plenty of Long-tailed Tits too, Mrs Bully was up and down the road side at the entrance to the Beaconhill Lea estate.


The year's first Treecreeper (62) was spotted in the NE corner of the wooded area at the NE corner of Arcot.

And the small wood - Guvnor's Wood -  between High Pit Road and the A189, opposite Anne Welfare, had more LTTs, Blue and Great Tits, Goldcrest (63) and another Treecreeper.

Nice day for the birdies, but a better one for the mammals. 

Friday 20 January 2012

Three and Out

Managed three consecutive twilight walks with the 'derg', from home to West Hartford and back.

Tonight - one active SEO, hunting all over the place, starting from a fence-post on the access road (south of the sub-station).   Teal on both flashes.  On the way back, something vaguely Stonechatty flew over the field to the north of the fire station.  Back tomorrow.

Yesterday - no owls, but Teal, Mallard, Blackbird and Robin; unlike the best children, heard but not seen (too dark).

Wednesday - one SEO north of the sub-station and a Woodcock over north.

Sunday 15 January 2012

Sunday. Sun Inn Day. Sunny Day

What a glorious day.  Relative's 50th so to the Sun Inn at Morpeth for lunch (her choice).  Mrs Liverbirder driving (a first when alcohol's involved), so two nice pints of....
....and half a whale, chips and more mushy peas than a man can handle!  And at the hosts' expense!!!

So, to walk it off, a wee stroll to West Hartford and back (I know, I spoil her!).  And what a brilliant hour.  Crisp, sunny, clear and FOUR SEOs performing superbly well (move over Mr Wanderings!).

Add Stock Dove to the patch list, and a distant Tawny Owl (somewhere in the region of the old farm) and all in all, a crackin' afternoon.