Movements

End of March and spring is here (really?) and so non-resident birds are moving. The winter visitors are heading north or northeast in the main, and summer migrants are starting to put in an appearance.

Down at Blashford Lakes at the weekend was a good cross over location.

Black-tailed godwits waiting to go back to Iceland (these are from the Islandica sub-species). Whilst I was there several birds had colour rings on their legs to individually identify them to anyone with a telescope. 2 birds there had been ringed right back in 1995, and a huge life history of their movements and wintering pattern built up.

There was also a large number of Shovelar present, at least 200 - a really colourful male duck, with its spectaular bill. These will soon move off to breed in a line from the low coutries to western Russia. As I've noted previously we have had a few on the flooded meadows this winter, with a single male present today.

So, at the same time as these were present flying low over the lakes were Sand Martin and a few Swallows.Why they have kept flying north when they first encountered the cold air stream hitting us at present I can't guess. I haven't spotted a Swallow over the meadows yet, but this evening there were 3 small groups of Sand Martins totalling 35 birds.

A week ago I heard a Chiffchaff calling, but this was probably an over wintering bird.

The major excitement this afternoon was firstly seeing a ringtail Hen Harrier, ringtail meaning it was either a femal or immature male. The plumage was generally brown, with the white rump,  unlike the superb grey colours of the adult male.

Then shortly after that I spot another large bird of prey, firstly moving north up the valley, and then reappearing as it worked its way south with a few circles but generally pretty direct. This was an immature Marsh Harrier. This is a bird that nearly died out in the UK, breeding in the reed beds of east Angla. Today many birds winter here, and so individuals can turn up almost anywhere, and their breeding sites now include farmland.

Not to be outdone, the other end of the farm had a pair of Wheatears, and Lapwing had increased to 3.

Grey Heron

Winter Thrushes

The end of winter will mean the departure back to Scandinavia of the Fieldfare and Redwing thrushes that have been over here for the winter.

After an absence before Xmas, except for a small group of 30 Redwing, descent numbers finally arrived in January with 320 Fieldfare I counted up on the down and 100-120 Redwing near the farm. These flocks seem to have stayed around for the intervening period - probably visiting different fields in the location as numbers were obviously the same as and when I saw them again.

However the start of this week there was a change with some 550 Fieldfares plus 50 Starling on the down and 220 Redwing at this end. They will be moving off soon I guess.

Yesterday two Lapwing made an appearance up on the Down - so I'm hoping they will stay and breed after last years rained off failure.

Mammals in passing

A Weasel crossed the road by the farm entrance yesterday.

I don't often see one of these little mammals. Much more regular is a sighting of a Stoat. However it was quite clearly a weasel - small, gingery and a short tail with no black tip.

Now the mention of mammals reminds be of the excess number of rats we seem to have at present. I took Buzz (our boxer/pointer cross) out the other evening to surprise the rats. None where I expected them - and then sounds of a commotion from inside the straw barn. Out ran a badgermuch to my and presumably Buzz's surprise. It trundled off out of the yard, sqeezing through a gate at the trott - not a fast run which I would have guessed it would have done. Raiding the bags of sheep food. The door to the main cattle shed will now be closed at night!