Birding in the Sun
Tuesday 10th April 2007
A day of birding - ah bliss! And very warm and sunny too, it's easy to forget it's still only early April. First, a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers were at the back of the garden, the male came to the peanuts for a feed, meanwhile at the nesting box, the Blue Tit pair have been busy nest-building recently, I saw one going into the box carrying a feather in it's bill this morning. After taking Linda to work, I spent an hour at Highnam Wood where a male Sparrowhawk swept through the feeding area, around the trails there was a Willow Warbler, four singing Blackcaps, two Goldcrests, 3-4 Green Woodpeckers heard yaffling, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers both drumming, a pair of Stock Doves and two Jays. I spent the rest of the day with with Andy. Highlights were: Frampton, the (possibly wild) Marbled Duck still on the flashes and staying distant (record shot below), at Slimbridge, a Wheatear and six Linnets at mid point, then at Cleeve Hill in the afternoon, eight Ring Ouzels at the head of the wash pool valley viewed from below the heather enclosure, but very flighty, also four Stonechats and five Willow Warblers, plus numerous Skylarks, Meadow Pipits. Singing Chiffchaffs are everywhere now. Photos below of the Marbled Duck, an immature Grey Heron photographed near the In Focus shop at Slimbridge and a Stonechat (Paul Masters).
A day of birding - ah bliss! And very warm and sunny too, it's easy to forget it's still only early April. First, a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers were at the back of the garden, the male came to the peanuts for a feed, meanwhile at the nesting box, the Blue Tit pair have been busy nest-building recently, I saw one going into the box carrying a feather in it's bill this morning. After taking Linda to work, I spent an hour at Highnam Wood where a male Sparrowhawk swept through the feeding area, around the trails there was a Willow Warbler, four singing Blackcaps, two Goldcrests, 3-4 Green Woodpeckers heard yaffling, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers both drumming, a pair of Stock Doves and two Jays. I spent the rest of the day with with Andy. Highlights were: Frampton, the (possibly wild) Marbled Duck still on the flashes and staying distant (record shot below), at Slimbridge, a Wheatear and six Linnets at mid point, then at Cleeve Hill in the afternoon, eight Ring Ouzels at the head of the wash pool valley viewed from below the heather enclosure, but very flighty, also four Stonechats and five Willow Warblers, plus numerous Skylarks, Meadow Pipits. Singing Chiffchaffs are everywhere now. Photos below of the Marbled Duck, an immature Grey Heron photographed near the In Focus shop at Slimbridge and a Stonechat (Paul Masters).
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