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| From: | <tony.usher@zen.co.uk> |
| To: | KOS update Usher Tony <tony.usher@zen.co.uk> |
| Sent: | 04/04/2020 21:03 |
| Subject: | Knutsford Nature News #10 |
Spent all day gardening - we're exhausted - looking forward to 5-mile walk tomorrow to relax!!
The only highlight was when 3 Oystercatchers were flying over our heads several times making a racket - obviously a dispute J
Busy in the garden this morning Gill had c30 Fieldfare fly over. We had a short walk from home late in the afternoon. What were presumably the same Fieldfare flew off a field and over the village. A small copse with a stream running through it had at least ten singing species including Chiffchaff, Goldcrest and Treecreeper. Best though was a pair of Grey Wagtails feeding in the stream - our first of the species in the lockdown. Away from the copse three Buzzards circled high in the clearing skies and a Tree Sparrow called from an overgrown hedge. Unless I doze off I'll try for Common Scoter again this evening. All I heard last evening were some annoyingly loud cattle.
Cheers ........ Steve
First action of the day eviction, Blue Tits were evicted by Great Tits from nest box a lot of coming and going on in surrounding bushes.
Sudlow Lane. We got out quite early, although by Dave Bowman standards early afternoon, anyway we had lane to ourselves for best part of the first hour then came the bikes. All ages of bikes, all ages of people, all conditions A few pedestrians, a few joggers and our local female runner, I mean runner - she lopes past then puts on the after burners - wow! I digress; back to birds Carrion Crow chasing Buzzard. A field with 100 plus Rooks and a few Jackdaws. Jean said she could hear a peewit( typical Mobberley) I could not but on return walk we must have seen 6/8 birds displaying in a distant field lovely sight. M6 very quiet, mainly lorries just like the sixties.
The list Dunnock, Great Tit, Blue Tit Blackbird, Magpie, Woodpigeon, House Sparrow, Starling, Carrion Crow, Skylarks we heard them in 3 separate places Cormorant, Chaffinch, Robin, Coal Tit Goldfinch, Fieldfare,Pheasant Rooks Jackdaws, Nuthatch, Chiffchaff Wren, Song Thrush, Mallard, Buzzard, Oystercatcher, BHGull Jay LTTit Heron Pied Wagtail Lapwing 32species We were surprised yet again no GSpot.
After a great deal of discussion and playing Chiffchaff and Willow warblers on the net in full song as against what we were hearing it was not a Willow Warbler.
I rest my case ........ Derek
Hi Tony
I hope you and Olwen are keeping well during these strange times of social isolation.
Ruby and I went for a circular walk last night (3rd March). We went via Cogshall Lane and crossed the fields to Cogshall Lane (The Marbury Patch WhatsApp had reported sightings of 2 Grey Partridges and 2 Wheatears in a field near Cogshall Lane earlier in the day, although they were nowhere to be seen) but we were rewarded with lovely views of a very obliging Yellowhammer perched on an oak tree and heard a few more calling. We saw the usual Blackbirds, Blue Tits, Great Tits, House Sparrow, Wood Pigeon, Stock Dove, Jackdaws and Chaffinch. Further down the lane we spotted of two hares near a wooded area at the bottom of the fields. Sadly, this is a rare sighting in my local area and we were both excited to see them.
We crossed Warrington Road and as we headed down to Hopyards Wood, we could hear a Green Woodpecker calling in the distance. Further on as we approached Hopyard's Wood we had great views of the Woodpecker and a Goldfinch which was perched nearby. When we descended deeper into the wood we saw a Great Spotted Woodpecker.
We continued to Budworth Mere where we saw Black-headed Gulls, Mallard, Grebe and Coot. A Buzzard flew across the mere. There were no Sand Martins this time although I saw a small flock on 2nd April during an evening walk.
I'm beginning to appreciate my local patch more than ever........
Regards .......... Jacquie
Thanks once again team. Who'll be first to report a local Swallow? I'm off out now to listen for overflying Common Scoters!