Sunday 22 January 2012

Wise...


Bird wise there are a few Whooper’s knocking about on the Tarn, plenty of Bullfinches higher up and one or two Woodcock lurking around. As well as the usual Peregrines, Ravens, Jays, Black Grouse, Snipe and Fieldfare.

Sheep

Work wise it’s been a mixture of burning scrub, dry-stone walling and mapping heather cuts with GPS. Also started surveying the winter Atlas squares for the reserve so we can compare with last year. Be interesting to see how this ‘so far’ mild winter compares with last winter.
Male Kestrel.. (not my dry-stone)

Weather wise it’s been mixed… as they say in Scotland, ‘if you don’t like the weather here, just wait 5 minutes’. After a few crispy, clear and cold days last week it’s been drizzle, rain, sleet and snow this week (back to normal then).

Time for a brew now.. milk, one sugar please! 

Wednesday 4 January 2012

Pics from God's Own County.


Pictures from a festive Yorkshire!

Getting arty.
Coot Fest
  
Waiting for info.. but its looking danish!
  
Twite out...
Red Kite
Drive by shot of a Barn Owl
 
Festive bird highlights include;

Red Kite, a new one for the garden list.

Bumper crop of farmland birds in a field by aldbrough ‘east yorks’, 100+ Yellow Hammer, 20 Corn Bunting, 30 Linnet, 12 Reed Bunting, 60+ Tree Sparrow, Merlin, Hen Harrier ‘ringtail’ and Sparrowhawk

28 Goosander on east park lake ‘hull’ 

2 Little Owl and a Barn Owl catwick ‘east yorks’

5 Twite at Grimstone ‘east yorks’

Snow Bunting mappleton 'east yorks'

Without travelling any major miles for crazy birds the year list ended with a modest 195, many new ones for the life list though. Lets see what 2012 can drum up… sights on 200.

Happy New Year...