I've had two sightings this week which have had my birding motto ring true once again....
Not what you will find but rather what you might
The element of surprise never fails to delight
The Siskin.
Siskin Young. Pete Woodruff.
The first pleasant surprise came in our garden on Monday 30 March in the form of a young fledged and fully feathered Siskin. Right place at the right time had me find the bird looking a little tired in the Willow by the pond. But it was my lucky day, as later it was seen again, this time on the feeder with proof it had already mastered the art of flying.
My enquiries about the significance of this sighting are ongoing, but one thing for sure, I wouldn't have expected to see this bird until around the end of April, the breeding season of the Siskin not starting until early this month....Global warming!
The Black-tailed Godwit.
My second pleasant surprise came the following day Tuesday 31 March, when I had good cause to pay a visit to the Lune floodplain viewed from Bull Beck. Last year I had two excellent sightings here in early April, resulting with my records reading....I found a Little Ringed Plover on the shingle bar, and distant in the sky, there's this large lumbering bird flying upstream, then dropping down out of view....Yep, it was an Osprey.
No LRP or Osprey today, but an excellent compensation came with at least 400 Black-tailed Godwit distant with 'large gulls' around a flood with Burrow Wood in the background.
I never saw a siskin in nature, only in captivity
ReplyDeleteReally sad you never saw a wild Siskin, only in a cage. I welcome your visits and comments Caroline.
ReplyDeleteThank You....Pete.
Congratulations to those sightings Pete. The godwits are really beautiful and the siskins, I saw two yesterday but haven´t seen them at my birdfeeder this winter/spring. All the best, Lasse
ReplyDeleteThere's a follow-on to the Siskin tale soon, I think you will like it Lasse....I did!
ReplyDeleteRegards....Pete.
Interesting about your Siskin and nice video. Good that you can watch one in your garden.
ReplyDeleteThe Ospreys seem to be returning.
That's a good number of the Godwits around the Lune.
Thanks
Ian
I've never seen the godwit on the Lune floodplain before, and like I said to Lasse, there's a follow-on to the Siskin tale soon, I think you will like it Ian....I did!
DeleteRegards....Pete.
Pete I used to see the Godwits a few years ago whilst walking the dog around where the rivers Wenning and Lune meet.
DeleteIan
Hi Pete,
ReplyDeletethe siskin is a real eye-catcher, nicely captured! And I wish you the best of luck getting a good shot of the osprey.
Cheers, Frank
I'm pleased I achieved some footage of the Siskin, it really was an eyecatcher, and resulted in something of a revelation. As for the Osprey pik....Mmmmm!
ReplyDeletePete.
Hi Pete,
ReplyDeletehow cool to have a Siskin in your own garden.
You actually had a fledged Siskin too. Nice video :-)
The Black-tailed Godwit is the Godwit moulting into summer plumage.
It's great that you've already seen so much.
Have a wonderful Easter.
Best regards, Helma
A follow-on to the garden Siskin is to come when I have the time.
ReplyDeleteHope you have a wonderful Easter Helma....Pete.