Although not as cold as it has been this last week or so , ice and frost were still very evident early on January the first 2010. A few birds are rediscovering my newly filled feeders with half a dozen chaffinch's, robin and a pair each of blue and great tit and of course the usual house sparrows. Counted 63 Common Gull in the field behind the house and the Snipe that has been roosting in the back garden was still there.
Was late afternoon before I managed to travel to the Moss, where I seen a large Common Buzzard sitting on a post near the backs cottage, did a double take when I first not
iced it, always amazed at the difference in the various Morphs recorded here, with this bird appearing very large and bulky. Also counted 14 Lapwing in the field by the Aros farm feeding alongside 4 Hooded Crow and 3 Redwing.
iced it, always amazed at the difference in the various Morphs recorded here, with this bird appearing very large and bulky. Also counted 14 Lapwing in the field by the Aros farm feeding alongside 4 Hooded Crow and 3 Redwing. The Moss itself was as it always appears at this time of year, very barren and lifeless, although this is not the case and it doesn't take much looking to discover just how much is still going on here, even in the depths of winter. The ground was still very wa
ter logged, though the surface has frozen solid in many places including the usual pools of water that gather under the willows and by the net rides. Between net rides two and three the water has run off the road (possibly during a thaw) and then frozen again in a broad strip about 4 yards wide. The ground is soft and muddy along the edges of this area and this is where a few birds are feeding, including Blackbird, Dunnock and Wren it is also the area where the Water Rail are congregating and I counted 3 birds here by call and managed to get a fleeting glimpse of one bird as it briefly rose into the air. Two Snipe also rose from the ground. Other signs of life included lots of rabbit droppings. several fresh owl pellets which I imagine to be Long-eared owl, and several new mole hills on the roadside. There also appears to be several vole runs in the exposed grass indicating an active population.
ter logged, though the surface has frozen solid in many places including the usual pools of water that gather under the willows and by the net rides. Between net rides two and three the water has run off the road (possibly during a thaw) and then frozen again in a broad strip about 4 yards wide. The ground is soft and muddy along the edges of this area and this is where a few birds are feeding, including Blackbird, Dunnock and Wren it is also the area where the Water Rail are congregating and I counted 3 birds here by call and managed to get a fleeting glimpse of one bird as it briefly rose into the air. Two Snipe also rose from the ground. Other signs of life included lots of rabbit droppings. several fresh owl pellets which I imagine to be Long-eared owl, and several new mole hills on the roadside. There also appears to be several vole runs in the exposed grass indicating an active population.COUNTS FOR THE AROS MOSS
Chaffinch - 7
Blue Tit - 3
Great Tit - 2
Robin - 2
Dunnock - 1
Wren - 1
Blackbird - 2
Redwing - 3
Buzzard - 1
Lapwing - 14
Water Rail - 3
Snipe - 2
Hooded Crow - 4
Raven - 1
No comments:
Post a Comment