This is the report that I emailed into Patchwork Challenge Send us Some Content. It details my first two patch visits of 2013.
Morgan's Hill, North Wessex Downs - Nick Self
The morning of 3rd January 2013 dawned to reveal Morgan's Hill
resplendent in the glory of murk, low cloud and light rain. It was not
what I had been hoping for, but I was fairly certain that this was what I
was going to get. Most winter days on the Downs are like this. Everyone
knows that birding on the Downs during winter is hit and miss, however,
I wasn't going to let a little light murk put pay to proceedings. Off I
went to explore my favourite nooks and crannies, confident that I could
turn up some good birds despite the weather.
This year I will be concentrating on the farmland bird '10 most wanted'
(as I do every year); grey partridge; lapwing; tree sparrow; corn
bunting; yellowhammer; linnet; turtle dove; yellow wagtail; skylark and
reed bunting. To be honest I'm not worried about finding rare birds and
I've never, ever, been twitching. I rarely go birding outside of
Wiltshire and that's the way I like it. I guess I just love my home to
much.
Anyways, on to the birds. I have also made a patch visit on 7th January
and between the first two visits I totaled 41 species for 42 points. I
am reasonably happy with this given the awful weather. The two point
bird was a female merlin, which was pleasing. All the others were
'common' but included some that made me personally happy. I made the
first 2013 sightings of tree sparrow, grey partridge, corn bunting,
skylark, linnet and yellowhammer. The latter being quite numerous. I
also struck a little piece of #patchgold, but before I name the species I
would like to refer back to a previous post where someone said that
they had seen golden eagle and hen harrier, but hadn't seen anything
unusual and that they were going to look for an elusive blue tit. It
just goes to show how different places have such different birds and the
amazing diversity of our great country.
I expect that you are itching to know my #patchgold species? Ok, here goes........................little grebe.
And last year I spotted a cormorant. How amazing is that?
