Sunday 19 December 2010

ICE AGE 3






Another significant push of birds today- the highlights being 350+ Skylark in several flocks either on the mounds or going over and an incredible 15 Yellowhammer. The last time there were more than 350 Skylark on the farm was in 1991 when there were 400 in a cold snap on February 16th. Numbers of Skylark have been particularly low in the last few years with a max of only 11 in 2006. The last time there were 15 Yellowhammer on the farm was in 1987- again during a freeze up. The new completed landfill cells are proving to be very attractive to passerines. The Yellowhammers were stripping seeds off the plants (pic 1 and 2)- anyone know what the plant is?
Also good number of Linnet (pic 3) with 150+ about with 25+ Reed Bunting around (including 8 feeding on the new bird feeder), 20+ Chaffinch, 15 Goldfinch, 10 Meadow Pipit, 60+ Tree Sparrow, 1 Redpoll and 6 Greenfinch.
65 Shoveler were on the lake, 2 Shelduck and 15 Teal.
Had an adult white-winged gull go over but couldn't get enough on it (pic 5).

2 comments:

The Urban Birder said...

We had large numbers of Skylarks too at The Scrubs. Funny that no other site had comparable numbers. Maybe our birds headed straight for you?

Still waiting for a Snow Bunting!

Peter Alfrey said...

Our birds were coming from the NE. Maybe they were zigg zagging across London.

Good day for a Snow Bunting today- more snow coming in the next few days as well. Fingers crossed David. We want a Corn Bunting now.