End of the First Quater.

With the first 3 months of 2009 now behind us, I find my county yearlist total sitting on the lowest number I set as an acceptable target for myself - 120 species!!
I've been keeping track of all the bird species reported within the county this year, there are 14 species I've either dipped or failed to see so far this year!
Despite a thorough search I failed to locate the very reliable report of 2 Common Crane which dropped into a field in Muckleton earlier in March. Dipped Little Egret & most painful for me, was being unable to find Paul Barker's Scandanavian Rock Pipit on Titterston Clee!!

However, my target bird of Short-eared Owl was finally nailed on Whixall Moss, also enjoyed seeing my 2nd Great Grey Shrike of the year & also saw my 3rd ring-tail Hen Harrier for the year!
A county tick was thanks to Paul Barker & his parents, a brilliant Ring-necked Parakeet!!! Despite what some people feel towards the 'tickability' of this species in the UK, it's still a great bird to go & see!! As are Ring Ouzel!! Of which I was lucky enough to see 3 males on Titterstone Clee!! (with a reliable report of a female also present).
So, another mixed month, with some great birds seen, but also a few painful dips!!

April has started excellent, however!!! After a lie-in this morning I decided to visit VP, as I've scored Osprey at VP on April 1st a couple of times in previous years!! I was joined in the hide by Shirley Dodwell & we had a brief natter, and then a year tick - a lone Swallow flew through!! Ironicaly, I was telling Shriley about my April 1st Osprey theory, when we were joined by her husband Richard & also Rob Stokes. We were busy chatting away when I happened to look up at the several Buzzard which had been circling high over the pool, when I noticed a darker, larger bird... I raised my bins & yelled 'OSPREY!!' The bird had flown in from the east, high up, did a brief circle of VP, before flying off NE at 12:05pm (just after April Fool deadline... just in case you were thinking it was an April Fools Day joke!!) ;~)
Great start to April, 2 year ticks on patch!! With a few das off I hope to add more soon...