Soil Hill - Again

-'Blackcap'

This is my first trip up to the hill since I got back. Oh how I have not missed it. Surprise, surprise today's trip produced a grand total of no birds, at all. On the way up though I had a bit more success, including a large flock of fieldfares, my first of the year, and a male blackcap which I am thinking is probably the same one that we have had in the garden. It was with a mixed flock, consisting of wrens, blackbirds, dunnocks, blue tits, great tits and robins

Bolton Abbey

-Goldcrest

-Nuthatch

-Goldfinch

Nice weather for a change meant that today we were going to Bolton Abbey for a walk. It was a lovely day too as it turned out with some great birds seen to get this years list off and rolling.
Initially we started slowly but by the end of the first section of the walk I had managed:
Blue Tit
Coal Tit
Great Tit
Robin
Blackbird
Woodpigeon
Feral Pigeon
Grey Heron
Mallard
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Rook
Magpie
Goosander
Goldfinch
Goldcrest
Nuthatch
Treecreeper
And the 2 finest specimens: Bullfinch and Mistle thrush
On the way back there was much less birdlife than on the way there, but still some great stuff to be had. Adding to the above list I managed
Common Buzzard
Pied Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Kestrel
So overall a very good and productive day.

Wycolle-New Years Day

Its been a while since I last left the house due to the atrocities of the weather. However, today we went as a family to Wycolle for a walk. The weather was truly horrendous. Horizontal rain did not make for ideal conditions, and as such the wildlife total was small. Birds included Wren, Pheasant, Mallard, Blackbird and blue tit, and a rabbit for the mammals. I think enough has been said here...

Return of the garden blackcap

So I was just loitering in the living room prior to us leaving for our new years walk at Wycolle when I spotted on the bus right outside the window the lovely male blackcap. But this time I had the camera. His stay was again short but I did manage to get some record shots to add to the gardens bird portfolio. Its very exciting having such an unusual bird in the garden. Photos to follow

Garden tick

So, the weather over the Christmas period has greatly reduced the amount and variety of bird species that have been around, and my chances of seeing them. However, this morning I was casually sitting in my living room when I spotted a male blackcap on the bush next to our birdtable. This is the first time I can recall having one in the garden so it was very exciting. Sadly its visit was only brief and the view I got was not great. After I had got the camera the bird was gone, so sadly no photos of this... historic record!

Fieldfares

So Tuesday morning and i'm just about getting back to normal life. This morning I spotted a large, maybe around 100 fieldfares in the field behind the house. Its probably the largest gathering of these birds the field has seen, though there seem to be larger gatherings every winter. There were some smashing views of them as the foraged around the short stubby turf.

Halifax

So I have only been back 2 days and already there seems to be plenty of wildlife around, not least hundreds of thrushes that have been around my brothers church in Pellon. Whilst waiting for him to come out of church I was able to watch fieldfares and redwings flying between trees and identify them too, even though they were flying. Its nice to be home...

Uni Week 13

So the last week before Christmas. Its weird to think I have only known these people for 13 weeks and yet here we are struggling to leave each other for Christmas. Somehow, my lectures managed to continue right until Friday, while many other people just finished their lectures on Tuesday, Wednesday and then went home. This left the accommodation in a state of serene quiet state, as well as the main campus. Somehow, everyone else quiet week turned into a pretty hectic week for me, with 4 assignments as well as continuing lectures leaving me with a constant stream of work that kept me busy.

Friday
Going home day. Prior to my leaving I happened to look out of my window and spotted a jay flying into the tree's on the other side of the road.
  The train journey meant guaranteed fun, and so it proved as there was a signal failure at Sheffield station which meant a chronic backlog of delays. Once it got going though I was able to enjoy watching numerous winter thrushes from the train window, and when we passed a fishing lake I was able to spot some tufted ducks on the lake

Uni Week 11

All the talk these days seems to be about Christmas and our opinions on it, a sign that the first semester is slowing down and that soon we will all be going home.

Tuesday 
Its hard to believe but today I spotted a  Butterfly behind the school, my memory fails me as to which species it was, though more than likely small tortoiseshell. The weather was nice enough though it was bitterly cold. This is without doubt the latest I can ever recall seeing a butterfly

Thursday 
So wandering back from corp at 2.00 as standard for a Thursday morning, also standard is hearing midnight the robin singing behind the union. I still have not seen midnight, which is a bit of a disappointment since I have made him into a mini celeb around these parts but one can understand if he wants to stay out of the limelight

Friday 
Wandering down to the uni at 9.00 for lectures the lad I was with suddenly said 'Oh look, that's a nice bird'. I only spotted said bird when it came and landed on a pillar a matter of meters away. It was a Jay, and one of the finest views I can ever recall getting of one. It was much bolder than  any others I have encountered, sitting on the pillar next to a steady stream of students. It flew of after a few seconds, but flew up the road alongside the students, not away from them

Uni Week 10

Its been a pretty crazy week, just not in terms of wildlife sadly. After the CU weekend away which left me deprived of sleep, I then had a gig in London on the Tuesday night, but had to get back overnight for compulsory labs. I walked through the door at 6.30 in the morning, so that did not help my lack of sleep.

Tuesday
Prior to my gig I spotted a flock of long-tailed tits while walking down to the uni today. They were quite high up in the trees but it was still nice to see

Wednesday
I say I got back in the room at 6.30, I arrived at Meadowhall at 5.00 and was surprised to hear many birds calling despite it being still rather dark, and well out of season. I could hear blackbird alarm calls as well as various robins singing, though I only saw blackbirds on the walk back from the uni at around 6.15, though it was a very good view.