News archive
January 2010
Saturday, 16 January 2010
Nature Notes
Will we hear Chiffchaffs calling long before the migrant birds have returned, as we have in previous years? Will the expansion of Cettis warblers continue and will the northward spread of Dartford warblers be halted?
Only time will reveal what changes we will witness, but by taking part in the RSPB Garden Bird watch on the 25th of January perhaps some indication will be found.
Certainly walking in the countryside over the last few weeks has been remarkable, with most of the landlocked water being frozen the local rivers have been hot spots for displaced birds. Certainly the stretch between Barrow-upon-soar and Watermead Country Park has produced, Goosanders, Great Crested Grebes, Pochard and tufted ducks in plenty. Normally they would not be on flowing water, preferring the local lakes.
A walk to Cossington Pits at dusk the other evening gave views of Little Owl, Barn Owl and two Shorteared Owls, on the return Buzzard, Kestrel and Sparrow Hawk rounded off a raptor spectacular!
'Ticking' birds is a big part of the birdwatching scene, but the enjoyment of seeing two beautifully plumaged Shorteared Owls quartering a meadow at dusk, occasionally interacting with each other, is a life memory. That and the Barn Owl trying to ignore them while it was also trying to find a meal made the three mile walk back home, in the dark over frozen fields almost bearable!
The other big change in the Leicestershire countryside is the number of Bitterns present; there must be many more than those reported and only want finding. The one at Watermead was spotted in the rushes no more than twenty metres away, it flew a large 'lap' around the lake and descended in to a small patch of reeds fifty yards away. It disappeared, even knowing exactly where it was it took a real effort to see it. Only occasionally did it reveal itself and magically disappear again, without moving one inch! How many more have we passed hiding in a tiny patch of reeds and how many more will we pass before they silently return to the continent. It only takes luck and looking, there must be many more than we will ever know, see if you can find one.
RO