8 February 2018

Newton St Loe & FOD

Date: 08/07/2018
Location: Newton St Loe + (Forest of Dean)
Weather: Grey most of the walk, cold wind
Species Highlights: 
Goldcrest, Linnet, Skylark, Yellowhammer, Siskin, Goosander, Kingfisher,Buzzard, Gulls.
Full list

Observation: 
Patch walk today as it's been a while, headed out through Bath Mill with a single Goldcrest in trees along brook but many Great, Blue and Robin in treeline.


It's not often they pose but this little chap or lass certainly did. 


Up through dog track on to fields and a male pheasant took off a few feet in front of me, heart attack !! 
Also had a young roe buck dart off from trees and across fields, seeing fewer around patch at the moment used to see at least 6 regularly?
Saw distantly a flock of Linnet and heard 2/3 skylark singing from the heavens. As i approached Globe viewpoint i could see lots of Yellowhammer. I seeded byway and sat down by bushes to see if Yellowhammer would come closer.... not really but 400mm brought them a bit closer.


They flew over my head checking me out but looking great against the grey skies.


While sat that flock of at least 150 Linnet landed in trees above Yellowhammer.


Really nice to see them, some of them having very pale bills but almost Twite like but pretty sure they are all Linnet. #Hoping


Plenty of activity while i lounged on the grass watching them.


Female Yellowhammers just as colorful.


Across Pennyquick and into village not much going on apart from House Sparrow. Church  the single Fieldfare still Orchard, also male Kestrel hunting in sheep field by church, don't see the male much its generally the female around village so nice to see him.


Down into Send a Cow woodland lots of Great & Blue Tits in trees and the drum of a male Greater Spotted Woodpecker.


Really giving that tree what for, wood chipping flying everywhere!


Onto bottom lake and a flock, flock being 10 Siskin feeding with Goldfinches in Alder trees towards top of lake.


Great to see, unfortunately no Redpoll mixed in with them. It does take Patch total so-far this year to 60 species( beating 2010 total year count by 10 already !!)


Billy and the 3 other mute still present, 2 Coots feeding on bank with Mallards and 2 Cormorant in normal tree.


Almost sad to see a single Goosander, sleeping most of the time,I hope he's waiting for another 20 of his mate to show up.


50 Teal present, Robert and Anne had 74 Teal yesterday a record for our tiny lake. Apart from a flypast Kingfisher that was it on lakes. I then walked up to Keep , stood for 30 mins waiting for a Hawfinch or 2 had a 50/50 fleeting glance but couldn't say for definite, 
did have 5 Greenfinch but little else. 
Left College and walked along the drive back to Village a couple of Song Thrush to add and the normal House sparrows in the Hedge by Newton Farm.
The Female Kestrel was hunting the Horse fields also plus a Stock dove in tree on hill.


Had a flyover 25+ Meadow Pipit in second horse fields but as Haycombe Cemetery came into view, i spotted alot of gulls following Tractors at Haycombe Farm.


Going on what was flying over to the fields 250 Black Headed Gulls, 200 Lesser Black Backed, 50 Common Gull and at least 25 Herring Gull, but alot of gulls for sure, i wonder if there was any white winger in that lot?


Almost home and 2 Buzzard fly over my house going to join the party with the gulls i think, you can see by this picture how bad the light was!



Here's around up of the rest of my week Fox from St. Annes, Oldland Common


Well spotted by Lauren !!


Then on the 07/02/2018 i went to Forest of Dean with Allan Chard and company, here's a few pictures of the day.


Great Grey Shrike



Lovely sunlight and birds bonus!





Almost a end of day but did manage a couple of these beauties under Yew trees but can't go wrong with a Hawfinch.


Photo bombed by a Greenfinch!



Thanks For Looking! 
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