And Another List Begins

All alone on the wagon-way

This reed-bed is doing ok, attracting birds and in my opinion should be extended.

1^st Jan 2012. I was going to title this post ‘Dreaming of Birds’ but thought that this may bring unsavoury readers to my blog and we don’t want that do we? I have been dreaming of birds recently and it is a while since this has happened! In December I had a very vivid dream of me sighting a family of Quail from the office I used to work in. A family of them were seen on the grassy area opposite the office. In my dream I even rang all weather birder Tom and asked him to inform Birdguides as I didn’t have the number with me. I awoke at this point and was very disappointed that I hadn’t actually seen what would have been a lifer. I have heard Quail, but never seen them, although I have tasted them! :-) Now last night, I began 2012 dreaming that I had Tree Sparrows on the bird table. I saw them very vividly in my dream as I had done with the Quail. I’ve never seen Tree Sparrows anywhere on patch so was delighted. Sadly on waking I found it wasn’t to be a garden tick!

No Tree Sparrows but the first birds of 2012 seen in the garden in order were Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Starling, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Wood Pigeon, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Long Tailed Tit and Chaffinch. So that was to be my opening for 2012. It was in fact quiet so I soon got out for my annual New Years Day walk on patch.

I made for the wagon-ways and it began to rain. Thankfully that soon blew over and left clear skies again. It was again very quiet but one of the hedges and the area beside it was covered in Blackbirds and Redwings and an odd Fieldfare or two. It was nice to get these two winter thrushes so quickly. One of the playing fields was covered with Black Headed, Common and Herring Gulls. There was few small passerines about although I picked up the likes of Wren, Robin, Goldfinch and Linnet.

The Short Eared Owl/s was/were no where to be seen, and my eyes where not the only ones looking for it. I stopped and had quite a chat with another guy out walking his dog, but hoping to find the owl. I suggested that if he didn’t find it that he take a trip to Prestwick Carr! Well another birder up there won’t make a vast difference. :-) There wasn’t much to be seen at all in this area today, but I heard two Pheasants calling and eventually saw one of them in the centre of a field.

I decided to walk through the village and onwards to the lake as this was an easy way to boost my list. The usual birds were there of course and included Little Grebe, Goosander and Goldeneye. I bumped into a friend from the local group and we exchanged pleasantries as the light began to go.

As I walked home the air was full of flocks of corvids, mainly Jackdaws, Wood Pigeons and Gulls, and a small flock of Goldfinch flew near the school. The sky was clear and it seemed that it may indicate a chilly night ahead, although it had been very mild again for the time of year. I had thirty-seven species on my list, beating the three previous years. I’d begun the year getting some real exercise too.

I set myself targets last year and beat them all, so will be setting some for 2012. I’m determined to enjoy my birding to the full.

As for resolutions. I have made only one, and only one other person knows what it is and that is the way it will remain.:-)