Fences are for Birds.

It has been a while since I participated in Good Fences hosted by Theresa so here are a few different fences that I have strolled past recently and being used as perching places by a number of our resident breeding birds.

Scanning the fence boundaries of the horse paddocks in Horton Country Park I noticed that one post was taller than all the others and on closer inspection it was being used by one of the resident Little Owls enjoying a brief spell of winter sunshine. The image quality is not brilliant as I had to heavily crop the original as this small Owl was a long way away and very well camouflaged against the the hedgerow!

The next species, a Kestrel at Tices Meadows was far more obvious as it used a tall post to survey its surroundings before flying off to hunt for a meal.

During a visit to Warnham L.N.R. this week a male Bullfinch perched very briefly on a woven hazel fence.

And finally a Robin using a woven willow fence panel as a perch.  FAB.

Early Morning Bird Song.

A week ago I set my alarm with the intention of catching the 'Dawn Chorus' but overslept by half an hour by which time the sun was just beginning to lighten the sky at Bookham Common and the bird song was not as vocal as I'd expected. However in the first 20 minutes I heard two Nightingales plus 2 Lesser Whitethroat singing deep within the scrub and a distant calling Cuckoo to add to my year list.
Click here to hear the delightful song of a Nightingale.

The first photo call was a Blackbird in full voice, silhouetted against the western sky. 
Click here for a song recording.

 

Slowly the cloudless sky lightened and I headed in the direction of the calling Cuckoo but failed to find its perch within the wooded area but added Nuthatch, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Jay, Woodpigeon, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Pheasant and Stock Dove to the list.
 
Returning to the open 'plain' I snapped a perched Kestrel just before it flew away. 

 

The next obvious chorister was a Song Thrush, initially just enjoying the early morning rays on its high perch and then it promptly turned away to utter its repetitive song.

Click here for a song recording.

 

As expected I saw and listened to numerous Robins as they all confirmed their presence from their lofty song posts.

I also saw and heard Willow Warbler , several Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Chaffinch, and Dunnock.  

With the warmer weather the green clothing on the trees and bushes continues to intensify day by day so very soon many species will become more difficult to find. Above are a female Blackcap and a male Bullfinch taking a rest.

A cropped view of a silent Chiffchaff perched amongst the blossom.

Birds flying over the common included Jackdaws, a lonesome Greylag Goose and a Common Buzzard slowly soaring upwards. Others not photographed were Mallard, Collared Dove, Crow, Magpie, Canada Geese, Ring-necked Parakeets, Sparrowhawk, Grey Heron, Starling and a single Swallow which passed over the common heading northwards.

Wrens were also very vocal during my walk but failed to perch long enough (or I failed to operate the camera quick enough!) for a decent picture. 

I saw several species collecting nesting material including this obliging Robin.

As I returned to my starting point around 9am (some three hours later) the male Blackbird was in the same place and still belting out his territorial song. The final tally for my morning stroll was 34 species.  FAB.

Where is the sunshine and the birds?

Two days in a row I have been out for a stroll and totally thwarted by the weather ... grey overcast with damp breezes in the air .... plus very little avian activity to even think about getting the camera out!

Monday (early pm) was another dull and deathly quiet visit to Thursley Common.

I trudged across the boardwalks, over and around Shrike Hill, searching every probable perching post but no sign of the Great Grey Shrike that has been sighted very recently. Apart from 6 or 7 Goldcrests seen feeding just after leaving the car park; Great Spotted Woodpecker tapping and the scolding call of a Stonechat there was very little else to maintain any

Stonechat there was very little else to maintain any enthusiasm for my 3rd unsuccessful search of this elusive bird. The only thing that caught the lens of my new S95 was the hoof-shaped bracket fungi (Polyporus betulinus) that can be seen throughout the common colonizing much of the dead and decaying birch trees following the last devastating fire.

I then drove over to Cutt Mill Pond in the hope of spotting the resident Mandarins but much of the water was frozen and only a Grey Heron and a Coot showed itself.

Today (Wednesday) I drove southwards to Pulborough Brooks RSPB Reserve more in hope than anticipation that the male Hen Harrier that has appeared fairly regularly might show itself but again I guess the elements were against that happening ... grey skies and a strong wind again .... and it didn't appear! 

The flooded brooks were teaming with Wigeon, Teal, Pintail, Mallard, Shoveler and Lapwing plus a few Shelduck. At one stage the wildfowl and Lapwing all took to the air but I couldn't locate the offending intruder ... probably a low flying Sparrowhawk or Merlin which also sent the Godwits packing before I could get to them. A good number of Redwing around the reserve but only a handful of Fieldfares. So again the only objects that got in range of the lens were Wigeon, the Highland beasts grazing and finally a pleasant 15 minutes watching 3 males and 2 female Bullfinch feeding.

So where will I head for tomorrow .... it all depends on the weather again!    FAB.