A Midday Visit to the Farm

Most of my trips to the Reserve Pool at Lotmead have been early morning visits, so it made a change to visit during the middle of the day. The biggest difference was the lack of ducks with just 7 Wigeon and 2 Teal. Noticeably there were no Mallard at all.

Main highlight here today was my first on the patch, a very vocal Tawny Owl at the back of the pool, that seemed to be quite stressed out about something! Other highlights were dozens Redwing and Fieldfares, flying backwards and forwards over the pool and 5 "black" Pheasants. Not seen that many before.

Here are a few images from today and a short video of the Tawny Owl calling.

A Fieldfare and Redwing (right) in a Hawthorn

Is it safe to come out......

.....4 of the 5 "black" Pheasants on the Reserve.

A straggler.

Here are two of the 7 Wigeon here today. I suspect the other 40+ will be back this evening.

In the middle of this Spindle-tree (Euonymus europaeus), with its vivid pink fruits and orange seeds is a Long-tailed Tit.

Sat in an old Oak tree are 8 Collared Doves, a Carrion Crow and 2 Starlings.

Tawny Owl calling at the back of Lotmead Farm Nature Reserve Pool

Birds Recorded: 1 Mute Swan, 7 Wigeon, 2 Teal, 1 Sparrowhawk, 18 Pheasant, 7 Moorhen, 1 Black-headed Gull, 2 Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, 8 Collared Dove, 1 Tawny Owl, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, 5 Blackbird, 15+ Fieldfare, 80+ Redwing, 1 Mistle Thrush, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 30+ Starling, 15+ House Sparrow, 20+ Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Bullfinch.

Also 5 Black Pheasants