Bird-wise things looked a bit more promising as I drove along the entrance road to this small reserve - with a handsome male chaffinch amongst the holly at the side of the road. Typically, it was on the horse paddock side of the road not on the reserve side but at least its an addition to the "Birds Seen Nearby or From the Reserve" list.
Most of the walk only revealed magpies and wood pigeons (as per usual plus the inevitable dogs/walkers) but the area near the mature oak trees was again the most productive. Blackbird and blue tit were seen amongst the trees and then I was really chuffed to see a male and female bullfinch tucking into berries - they seemed remarkably tame and unfazed by my presence (shame I hadn't taken the camera). Finally, there were a group of ten small birds feeding on birch seeds near the entrance to the reserve and right by the car park - overjoyed to see lesser redpoll. (Well, I am assuming they were all lesser redpoll as I only had a cheap pair of binoculars with me that I keep in the car and I couldn't check enough detail to see if any were rarer species).
I was rather pleased to add four new species to the list of birds seen on the reserve and one seen nearby!
I was considering giving up on this site but it just goes to shown that persistence can pay off if you visit a site often enough. So I will persevere a little longer.
Great news re Redpolls and the Bullfinch... seems as though "keep watching" is recommended :D Nice spots C.... :)
ReplyDeleteRedpoll is a nice bird!! Not seen one this year.
ReplyDeleteNice one! Redpolls are one of my favourites. Keep an eye on your flock, if you ever see them perched again, and look out for bigger bolder and paler Mealy Redpolls, you have a good chance.
ReplyDeleteThe more you visit any site the more chance you will have of interesting sightings...
All the best...
Well done with the Redpolls, Caroline. Lessers are generally darker looking & smaller than the other races/species.
ReplyDeleteThanks Tricia - its a handy little reserve to visit when I haven't got time for the treks to Middleton Lakes or Brandon Marsh.
ReplyDeletePete - I thought initially it was a tick for the year but when I got home and checked I'd seen some at Ladywalk in January.
Stewart and Dean - Many thanks for those tips - I'll take a better pair of binoculars with me next time and hope they aren't "against the light" if they are still around. They are lovely little birds and to me always seem remarkably "tame". I'm also "swotting" up the species in Collins!