Monday 9 November 2009

I tort I saw a dicky bird

The safari deedn’t, deedn’t, deedn’t see a dicky bird!
Where have all the birds gone? – Scarpered from the frost or drowned in the torrential rain earlier in the week.
Back on Patch 1 with the warming reds of early morning lightening the eastern sky but did nothing for my toes as we walked through the frozen grass.It was as quiet as a grave yard. Hardly any Robins or Wrens heard, Blackbirds were well down not getting to double figures a solitary Redwing left its overnight roost and the tits hadn’t woken up yet. Last night’s Fox was nowhere to be seen and last week’s Peregrine hasn’t reappeared.
If anything Patch 2 was worse! The sea was devoid of life! Nothing out there at all this morning. A tiny speck of white turned out to be nothing more exciting than a Herring Gull. On the beach all we could muster was a single Redshank in with the 25 – 30 Oystercatchers, didn’t count them with any conviction. A quick scan through the gulls revealed a lone Common Gull among the small numbers of Herrings and Black Heads out on the waters edge following the tide down the beach.
Very quiet indeedy. By lunchtime the tide will be back on the rise and things might have improved.
Mid morning we got a call from the Rangers, Bittern seen and three Cetti's Warblers within a few yards of each other. Then later on another call - at least 4 Cetti's now recorded and possibly as many as 6! Now that's what I call unprecedented.
Lunchtime on Patch 2 never materialised - too much to do!
Where to next? If only we could squeeze some time out of the office to get down to the reserve for a coordinated Cetti's check.
In the meantime let us know what's totally unprecedented in your outback.
Sorry no pics, again, today.

2 comments:

Warren Baker said...

I'm envious of you for being able to get frosty toes dave, I just want to get out again.

Lancs and Lakes Outback Adventure Wildlife Safaris said...

Take it easy Warren, don't go out too soon - I'm well on the way to a sore throat...