Bird List

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I've been doing this blog for about 8 months now and I reckon that during that time I have seen most of the summer and winter birds that I will see here. A little while ago I posted a list of all the mammals that I had seen here and I thought I could now probably do the same for the birds. I have imposed some rules on myself. I will only list birds that I have seen within three 5k radius of the house. I will indicate if they have just flown over rather than landed (fo) have been heard rather than seen (h) 

Mute Swan (f0) . Whooper Swan (f0). Greylagg Geese (f0). Pinkfoot Geese. Mallard Duck. Goosander (R Eden). Red Grouse. Pheasant. Cormorant. Red Kite (4 times only). Buzzard. Sparrowhawk. Kestrel. Moorhen. Coot. Goosander. Oystercatcher. Lapwing. Redshank. Woodcock. Snipe. Curlew. Black Headed Gull. Common Gull. Herring Gull. Woodpigeon. Collared Dove. Cuckoo (heard). Barn Owl. Tawny Owl. Swift. Swallow. House Martin. Sand Martin. Kingfisher. Great Spotted Woodpecker. Skylark. Meadow pipit. Pied wagtail. Grey Wagtail. Dipper. Dunnock. Robin. Redstart.Wheatear. Stonechat. Song Thrush. Mistle Thrush. Redwing. Fieldfare. Blackbird. Willow Warbler. Chaff Chaff (heard). Black Cap. Goldcrest (once). Wren. Spotted Flycatcher. Bluetit. Coal Tit. Great Tit. Long Tailed Tit. Nuthatch. Tree Creeper. Magpie. Jay (once). Jackdaw. Rook. Carrion Crow. Raven. Starling. House Sparrow. Tree Sparrow. Chaffinch. Redpoll. Linnet. Green Finch. Gold Finch. Bull Finch. Siskin.

79 Not a bad tally, and I can increase this enormously once I take in moorland and lake habitats. Why does it matter? Collecting data is the only way to detect changes. This is especially important when one is trying to keep track of changes caused by climate change and other threats to the environment.

Diary.

Last night's cameras revealed a couple of foxes (different individuals a couple of hours apart). I nearly stepped on a hedgehog last night when taking the dog out last thing. Lots of bats last night (it's getting dark before 2200 hrs nowadays). Mostly pipistrelle , soprano pipistrelle and a Noctule early on. A couple of dozen moths in the moth trap. Mostly large yellow underwing and some Common Coachmen (so called because they have an appearance of wearing a jacket with a trimmed border such as an old fashioned coachman might wear). I am showing photographs of both moths and you will be able to work out which is which.



The tawny owl was on his perch in the orchard this morning. I set up a camera trap for him/her and he was there all morning but on the branch above the one I had focussed on! It's hard work this wildlife photography!


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