Monday, February 29, 2016

Patch summary Jan-Feb 2016


The patch is a selection of rough fields either side of the River Stort just south of Sawbridgeworth with some wooded regions and a public park adjacent. With two months of 2016 over, how is the patch list standing?

The winter has been poor overall due largely to El Nino producing a warm winter, so many birds have not had to make the trip to the UK. Cold weather movements have been minimal, and the lists of many birding spots have noticeably had no new birds this year, just slowly reducing numbers of the ones there at year start.

Against that backdrop, the patch has done well with 59 different species being seen so far. "Highlights" are Barn Owl, Little Egret, Lesser Redpoll, Shoveler, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, and Little Grebe. Of local note was 1 Herring Gull low over the park on 6th Feb - surprisingly tricky to get on the patch, and the flock of House Sparrows in the SW corner of Pishiobury Park which was noticeably absent in the first few visits was back on 29th Jan.

Full list in sequence of observation: Teal, Mallard, Pheasant, Cormorant, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Buzzard, Moorhen, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Magpie, Jay, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Nuthatch, Wren, Blackbird, Redwing, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Bullfinch, Yellowhammer, Robin, Kestrel, Goldcrest, Great Tit, Starling, Mistle Thrush, Greenfinch, Gadwall, Coot, Stock Dove, Fieldfare, Sparrowhawk, Song Thrush, Grey Wagtail, Canada Goose, Pied Wagtail, Lesser Redpoll, Reed Bunting, Skylark, Siskin, Kingfisher, Coal Tit, House Sparrow, Herring Gull, Shoveler, Little Grebe, Barn Owl, Meadow Pipit.

I added Hawfinch at Bramfield and Chiffchaff at Rye Meads this morning to the year list which now stands at 128

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