Four species have fallen to Lodge birders today: first, a Bullfinch in Sandy Heath Quarry, then Great Crested Grebe on Warren Villas NR, a Brambling was seen in front of the hide and finally, a flock of c.100 Golden Plover wheeling over the Ivel Valley (which incidentally, was my 14,000th BirdTrack record). All birds outside the reserve boundary were observed from within it.
The Lodge year list moves steadily forward to a respectable 75.
Remind me again why we agreed to this 'on or from' rule?
ReplyDeleteThere's a reason Kate! But yes, it looks like RSPB stand to gain more than we do.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, Golden Plover is the troublesome one out of this little lot - ridiculously rare at the Nunnery despite thousands wintering a few miles up the road most winters (although they do seem thin on the ground this year).
I think it will even itself out, as evidenced by the current scores. The Nunnery has a lake within it's grounds, whereas we are more or less dry apart from a couple of small ponds.
ReplyDeleteWhich reminds me...you may struggle for Natterjack!
"The Lodge year list moves steadily forward to a respectable..." - are you trying to build up the suspense Darren or did you just forget to type '75' ;-)
ReplyDeleteOf those on the Lodge list that we haven't already got, there are very few we can actually expect: Crossbill, Green Sand and - IF we get a repeat of last April - Red Kite... after that we're struggling. Then again, I'm sure the same is true of some of those I picked out from our list yday. As for Natterjack: Its just a toad. (Listen to the Gyr Crakes if you don't get that reference!)
You guys are too bird obsessed, until the Natterjack was mentioned. Just wait until the invertebrates kick in.....
ReplyDeleteNot too much else to tick at the moment, apart from trees, lichens and mosses etc. Which reminds me, we did add Himalayan Blue Pine yesterday...
ReplyDelete