Spring was somewhat postponed at the beginning of March as we had heavy snow and strong winds on the 1st.
The snow brought a Goldcrest and Redwing to my garden, birds I dont normally get here.
By the 5th the snow had gone and and the roads were clear so I went to Moor Green Lakes. Eleven Goosander, twenty five Redwing and two female Goldeneye were still hanging about, waiting for the weather to improve before departing the country on migration. A blue tit has started to occupy the garden bird box and as I have a camera mounted inside, I have been watching her starting to build the nest.
On the 10th, again in the garden, a pair of House Sparrows started nest building in the nest box put up for Sparrows, which I was very pleased to see. I love the sound of the cock Sparrow, chirping from the top of the box early in the mornings, it reminds me of growing up in south east London.
The 14th brought temperatures of 12c with sun and cloud, but it felt like Spring was here at last. At Moor Green Lakes, two Ringed Plover and one Redshank, were seen, passing through on migration, along with two Shelduck, twenty eight Cormorant, some in breeding plumage and three Greylag Geese.
On the 17th, the false Spring made way for plunging temperatures and the snow returned.
By the 20th, the snow was down to just a few patches and the temperature started to rise again but slowly.
The pair of Oystercatchers have returned to Moor Green and hopefully they will breed again and raise their chicks.
I headed to Farlington, Hampshire on a lovely sunny Spring day on the 21st, where I saw my first Velvet Scoter, a male, where the yellow on the bill was just distinguishable in the near perfect light. The V Scoter was with a splendid male Scaup. A Spoonbill and Yellow Legged adult Gull were at 'The Deeps' and a Marsh Harrier came swooping in low across the fields which panicked the 1,500 Brent Geese, which flew up and around the reserve. Also there were seventeen Avocet, feeding at the large lagoon.
With the weather and the birds seen, it was a great day.
The snow brought a Goldcrest and Redwing to my garden, birds I dont normally get here.
By the 5th the snow had gone and and the roads were clear so I went to Moor Green Lakes. Eleven Goosander, twenty five Redwing and two female Goldeneye were still hanging about, waiting for the weather to improve before departing the country on migration. A blue tit has started to occupy the garden bird box and as I have a camera mounted inside, I have been watching her starting to build the nest.
On the 10th, again in the garden, a pair of House Sparrows started nest building in the nest box put up for Sparrows, which I was very pleased to see. I love the sound of the cock Sparrow, chirping from the top of the box early in the mornings, it reminds me of growing up in south east London.
The 14th brought temperatures of 12c with sun and cloud, but it felt like Spring was here at last. At Moor Green Lakes, two Ringed Plover and one Redshank, were seen, passing through on migration, along with two Shelduck, twenty eight Cormorant, some in breeding plumage and three Greylag Geese.
On the 17th, the false Spring made way for plunging temperatures and the snow returned.
By the 20th, the snow was down to just a few patches and the temperature started to rise again but slowly.
The pair of Oystercatchers have returned to Moor Green and hopefully they will breed again and raise their chicks.
I headed to Farlington, Hampshire on a lovely sunny Spring day on the 21st, where I saw my first Velvet Scoter, a male, where the yellow on the bill was just distinguishable in the near perfect light. The V Scoter was with a splendid male Scaup. A Spoonbill and Yellow Legged adult Gull were at 'The Deeps' and a Marsh Harrier came swooping in low across the fields which panicked the 1,500 Brent Geese, which flew up and around the reserve. Also there were seventeen Avocet, feeding at the large lagoon.
With the weather and the birds seen, it was a great day.
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