Green Sandpiper, Rixton
Scaup, Houghton Green Flash
Wigeon, HGF
Tree Sparrows at the feeding station
Rook at the feeding station
Magpie at the feeding station
Sparrow cousins at the feeding station
Buzzards in field at HGF
Dunnock at the feeding station
xxxxNovember 11th – 16th
Xxxxx
Thursday mornings wander around HGF didn’t produce anything exciting. A covey of 18 Grey Partridges were in the south field. Funny how this covey varies from either 15 birds or 18. I know from watching the Winwick coveys that they regularly change number with coveys sometimes merging and odd birds switching between coveys from time to time. At HGF I have not yet seen a covey of 3 but have seen the 15 birds on several occasions. The Redshank was back again feeding around the muddy fringe and the Wigeon flock had increased to 22 ducks.
Xxxxx
I had a quick look at the feeding station on my way into work – around 80 Tree Sparrows were present. Not much else visiting though which maybe indicates lots of natural food still around. Three Corn Buntings were on the wires outside Hanging Birch Farm in Culcheth while a mid afternoon wander to Moat Lane with Tom produced 3 Green Sandpipers on pool 1.
Xxxxxx
Friday I didn’t visit HGF until dusk. The Wigeon flock now numbers 23 and the Scaup is still mooching around the pool – as usual for Scaup here having nothing to do with the other aythya ducks. The feeding station has been hammered the last few days and as a result there was not much in the way of birdlife this morning. As a consequence, 8 Tree Sparrows were feeding in the garden this morning. The cock Pheasant continues his daily visits – apparently he was in feeding for hours today. The flock of 80+ Linnets put in an appearance in Waterworks Lane too.
Xxxxx
Saturday morning in the sun – not much doing at HGF though the Wigeon flock had increased overnight to 32. I scanned the fields to the west and did pick up a large flock of Lapwings – 261 to be precise. A couple of Buzzards were also here grubbing for worms. A covey of 9 Grey Partridges were also there – presumably from the fields around Townfield Lane. In the garden a single Fieldfare was present in one of the Ash trees while a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a single Tree Sparrow and the usual corvids were all feeding. The feeding station held around 40 Tree Sparrows with a few Chaffinches and a couple of Yellowhammers being welcome additions.
Xxxxx
Sunday morning started with a Goldcrest flitting around in the Sycamore in the garden. Nice one! A male Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Mistle Thrush joined the various tits, finches and sparrows – the garden seemed to be permanently busy this afternoon. 46 Tree Sparrows were at the feeding station with coveys of 6 and 7 Grey Partridge and a male Sparrowhawk flying over. The latter was casually flying over the field when it suddenly side-slipped and plunged into some long grass. I could see him stood there with his head poking out of the grass where he stayed for several minutes. I thought he must have caught something, however he flew off with nothing.
Xxxxx
Monday morning the Scaup proved to be elusive at HGF – it took me quite a while to find it. The Redshank was present while a significant overnight increase in Tufties also brought in a Little Grebe, a Pochard and also a juvenile Moorhen. Not seen the feeding station today. In the garden first thing were 22 Collared Doves – the first signs that the usual winter flock is starting to build up. Moat Lane at lunch produced a single Green Sandpiper on pool 1. Three Corn Buntings on the wires on the way to work.
Xxxxxx
This morning had a bit of a cold bite to it. The Tufty flock at HGF has increased to 38. A dead rabbit was floating in the middle of the lake and the Scaup is still there – otherwise quiet. In the garden this morning 11 Chaffinches and 21 Collared Doves were feeding at the back of the garden.
Xxxxxx
I also called in briefly at the feeding station on my way to work. Large numbers of Tree Sparrows were present based on the loud chattering noises, most of the birds were out of sight in the hedge though. The flock was strung out in a line further down the hedge and they performed an act I have seen numerous times before. The few birds nearest the feeding area will move up by approximately 2 bushes and then stop to see if anything happens. Then the rest of the birds in fits and starts all move up by the same distance like people shuffling forward in a queue. After a while just one or two birds reach the feeding area and have a good look around looking for trouble. When they finally decide it is safe they fly down to feed and then the rest of the flock turns up en masse.
Xxxxx
Thursday mornings wander around HGF didn’t produce anything exciting. A covey of 18 Grey Partridges were in the south field. Funny how this covey varies from either 15 birds or 18. I know from watching the Winwick coveys that they regularly change number with coveys sometimes merging and odd birds switching between coveys from time to time. At HGF I have not yet seen a covey of 3 but have seen the 15 birds on several occasions. The Redshank was back again feeding around the muddy fringe and the Wigeon flock had increased to 22 ducks.
Xxxxx
I had a quick look at the feeding station on my way into work – around 80 Tree Sparrows were present. Not much else visiting though which maybe indicates lots of natural food still around. Three Corn Buntings were on the wires outside Hanging Birch Farm in Culcheth while a mid afternoon wander to Moat Lane with Tom produced 3 Green Sandpipers on pool 1.
Xxxxxx
Friday I didn’t visit HGF until dusk. The Wigeon flock now numbers 23 and the Scaup is still mooching around the pool – as usual for Scaup here having nothing to do with the other aythya ducks. The feeding station has been hammered the last few days and as a result there was not much in the way of birdlife this morning. As a consequence, 8 Tree Sparrows were feeding in the garden this morning. The cock Pheasant continues his daily visits – apparently he was in feeding for hours today. The flock of 80+ Linnets put in an appearance in Waterworks Lane too.
Xxxxx
Saturday morning in the sun – not much doing at HGF though the Wigeon flock had increased overnight to 32. I scanned the fields to the west and did pick up a large flock of Lapwings – 261 to be precise. A couple of Buzzards were also here grubbing for worms. A covey of 9 Grey Partridges were also there – presumably from the fields around Townfield Lane. In the garden a single Fieldfare was present in one of the Ash trees while a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a single Tree Sparrow and the usual corvids were all feeding. The feeding station held around 40 Tree Sparrows with a few Chaffinches and a couple of Yellowhammers being welcome additions.
Xxxxx
Sunday morning started with a Goldcrest flitting around in the Sycamore in the garden. Nice one! A male Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Mistle Thrush joined the various tits, finches and sparrows – the garden seemed to be permanently busy this afternoon. 46 Tree Sparrows were at the feeding station with coveys of 6 and 7 Grey Partridge and a male Sparrowhawk flying over. The latter was casually flying over the field when it suddenly side-slipped and plunged into some long grass. I could see him stood there with his head poking out of the grass where he stayed for several minutes. I thought he must have caught something, however he flew off with nothing.
Xxxxx
Monday morning the Scaup proved to be elusive at HGF – it took me quite a while to find it. The Redshank was present while a significant overnight increase in Tufties also brought in a Little Grebe, a Pochard and also a juvenile Moorhen. Not seen the feeding station today. In the garden first thing were 22 Collared Doves – the first signs that the usual winter flock is starting to build up. Moat Lane at lunch produced a single Green Sandpiper on pool 1. Three Corn Buntings on the wires on the way to work.
Xxxxxx
This morning had a bit of a cold bite to it. The Tufty flock at HGF has increased to 38. A dead rabbit was floating in the middle of the lake and the Scaup is still there – otherwise quiet. In the garden this morning 11 Chaffinches and 21 Collared Doves were feeding at the back of the garden.
Xxxxxx
I also called in briefly at the feeding station on my way to work. Large numbers of Tree Sparrows were present based on the loud chattering noises, most of the birds were out of sight in the hedge though. The flock was strung out in a line further down the hedge and they performed an act I have seen numerous times before. The few birds nearest the feeding area will move up by approximately 2 bushes and then stop to see if anything happens. Then the rest of the birds in fits and starts all move up by the same distance like people shuffling forward in a queue. After a while just one or two birds reach the feeding area and have a good look around looking for trouble. When they finally decide it is safe they fly down to feed and then the rest of the flock turns up en masse.
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