Around this time of year I like to find as many species of birds in a single walk around my local patch, which is Raw Nook NR, Caldene fields and Toad Holes Beck.
As I have done this for a number of years it gives an indication of status of species that I know should be found in my local area at this time of the year.
The total is usually between 29-34 species. In years gone by species like the Tree Sparrow could be found but that species has long gone. And believe it or not the Collard Dove was an uncommon species here in the late seventies and now it is every where.
Well the total this year was 32 which is fairly good. Species that were hard to find were as expected the Greenfinch, Kestrel and Moorhen.
I am not too worried about the Moorhen even though I only found one single bird as there are 10 Coot at TH Beck over-wintering and they have probably forced the Moorhens away as they are the dominate species.
On the plus side the Stock Dove is doing very well with up to 6 birds present on a daily basis and the Coat tit appears to be easy to find with birds at CF,s and THB.
I didn’t search for the Tree creepers which is relatively new to our area and has probably bred. The reason for this is it would have disturbed the over-wintering Coots at THB.
