1st February
No birding today.
2nd February
An early morning trip to HGF yielded fruit in the form of a Dunlin. Looking back at my records, this is the third year out of the last four when this species has been present in very cold weather. Typically I get around one or two sightings each year of Dunlin at HGF. The pool this morning is just starting to freeze in the current cold snap. Other sightings were:
Coot 16
Great Crested Grebe 4
Grey Heron 2
Grey Partridge 9
Kestrel 1
Lapwing 20
Pochard 5
Tufted Duck 19
Wigeon 79
I had a brief look at the feeding station on my way to work -around 35 Tree Sparrows were hanging about.
3rd February
HGF this morning was still gripped in the freezing cold weather and around 50% of the water surface is now ice. Two Dunlin were present this morning (John Tymon later had three) and a Sparrowhawk flew along the south hedge. A covey of 25 Grey Partridges was in the south field.
Next I had a wander up Waterworks Lane. Around 80 Tree Sparrows were present at the feeding station along with 4 Yellowhammers. Best of all was a small flock of Golden Plovers in the field next to the feeding station. I counted 22 but couldn’t see all of the birds because of the field contours – Davis Bowman later counted 26. They didn’t stay long and were spooked by the farmer. Two Stock Doves were also there. I had a chat with the farmer – it seems a Barn Owl is regularly visiting the area and he also said that in the last 10 years he has picked up four dead Barn Owls on the farm – all apparent victims of the overhead power lines. Also on a sad note – while mowing a field this summer (one he normally leaves fallow) he accidentally destroyed at least two and possibly three Grey Partridge nests which accounts for the low numbers here this year. I also had a Reed Bunting in the garden late morning.
On an errand into Culcheth I stopped by Lady Lane and found the Little Owl sunbathing on the front of its tree. Nice one!
Late afternoon I took Bill for a walk down Barrow Lane. With my bins I could see a distant bird perched in the top of the hedgerow north of the lane and nearly dismissed it as a probable Buzzard (it was distant). Fortunately I got the scope out and realised it was a Short-eared Owl! The bird eventually took off and hunted up and down the hedge before flying off towards the flying club. A covey of 12 Grey Partridges was also nearby.
No birding today.
2nd February
An early morning trip to HGF yielded fruit in the form of a Dunlin. Looking back at my records, this is the third year out of the last four when this species has been present in very cold weather. Typically I get around one or two sightings each year of Dunlin at HGF. The pool this morning is just starting to freeze in the current cold snap. Other sightings were:
Coot 16
Great Crested Grebe 4
Grey Heron 2
Grey Partridge 9
Kestrel 1
Lapwing 20
Pochard 5
Tufted Duck 19
Wigeon 79
I had a brief look at the feeding station on my way to work -around 35 Tree Sparrows were hanging about.
3rd February
HGF this morning was still gripped in the freezing cold weather and around 50% of the water surface is now ice. Two Dunlin were present this morning (John Tymon later had three) and a Sparrowhawk flew along the south hedge. A covey of 25 Grey Partridges was in the south field.
Next I had a wander up Waterworks Lane. Around 80 Tree Sparrows were present at the feeding station along with 4 Yellowhammers. Best of all was a small flock of Golden Plovers in the field next to the feeding station. I counted 22 but couldn’t see all of the birds because of the field contours – Davis Bowman later counted 26. They didn’t stay long and were spooked by the farmer. Two Stock Doves were also there. I had a chat with the farmer – it seems a Barn Owl is regularly visiting the area and he also said that in the last 10 years he has picked up four dead Barn Owls on the farm – all apparent victims of the overhead power lines. Also on a sad note – while mowing a field this summer (one he normally leaves fallow) he accidentally destroyed at least two and possibly three Grey Partridge nests which accounts for the low numbers here this year. I also had a Reed Bunting in the garden late morning.
On an errand into Culcheth I stopped by Lady Lane and found the Little Owl sunbathing on the front of its tree. Nice one!
Late afternoon I took Bill for a walk down Barrow Lane. With my bins I could see a distant bird perched in the top of the hedgerow north of the lane and nearly dismissed it as a probable Buzzard (it was distant). Fortunately I got the scope out and realised it was a Short-eared Owl! The bird eventually took off and hunted up and down the hedge before flying off towards the flying club. A covey of 12 Grey Partridges was also nearby.
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