Tuesday 5 May 2009

Gee, What a Day!

All pics today (c) 2009 Maurice Gordon
Garden Warbler
Garden Warbler - showing all its distinguishing features!
Treecreeper
Treecreeper
ditto
The day started with the equivalent of groans, as I was inundated with texts asking if the classes were still on; whilst others texted to cancel their gambol into the country . Although it was very grey and it drizzled for the 1st half-hour it did become less grim & the birds grew bolder as they came out to sing. A very confiding Treecreeper was one of the first to gladden the heart, but he was soon to be eclipsed by that gurgling, galloping, garbled songster - our first Garden Warbler of the year. This gave the most prolonged views we've had in the 6 years of the course. It was soon followed by at least three more. Margaret spotted a Green Woodpecker fly up from a path to our gauche side, and it clung to the right side of a conifer long enough for everyone to get a good view - even through a pair of great binoculars, which were passed around. There were quite a few Whitethroats in the open, scrubby area and we also had Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Jay, and Skylark, but the best birds were those that began with a 'g'. The afternoon group saw a dung beetle, whilst Peter successfully identified the pretty pink flower, whose name I'd forgotten in the morning - Lousewort. Back near the car park a pair of Swifts flew overhead - my first of the year - & the 1st year I've seen Swifts before House Martins!

4 comments:

John said...

Goodness Gracious, Great Going Michael (:

Michael Flowers said...

Gadzooks!

Africa Gomez said...

Great! LOL! I thoroughly enjoy your posts Michael, and although I am not on the course I am very envious and try and guess the location each day. Good fun. I also saw my first swifts on the 1st of May in Hull, and today I've seen 7 already casing about. They brighten a dull day...

Michael Flowers said...

Thanks for your comments, Blackbird. It does sometimes feel that there's no one else out there, so it's good to know there is!
Hope you like today's entry
Cheers