Sunday, January 1, 2012

New year or Noah's year

This morning, to quote Mahalia Jackson from her album Newport Jazz Festival 1958 "Didn't it rain"

Started in Cuerden to fill the bird feeders. Nuthatch, blue tit, coal tit, collared dove and chaffinch. There is also some Herb Robert and Ivy-leaved toadflax still in flower. On to Brockholes to meet my brother Jim where we had a walk round to see what was in view. Mainly rain but also 3 varieties of gull, tufted duck, goldeneye, pochard, mute swan, teal, several tree sparrows, lapwing and the inevitable plethora of coot. We had an interesting view of a kestrel sheltering from the rain and hail in the cluster of Tree sparrow nest boxes.
 

I had lunch and then went to Martin Mere. I purchased that most essential piece of birders equipment - a 2012 tide table. Still lots of rain but quiet on the visitor front. Pintails, shelduck, shoveler, pinkfeet, whooper swans, bedraggled herons, a wood duck ( obviously escaped from the collection), wigeon, marsh harrier and after a lot of searching the green winged teal. The picture here is one I took earlier

Don't forget the reason I am aiming for 700 taxa this year to support the following two charities
Total on first (very wet) day 46

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