On hittin a rainy patch...

SO, it’s raining on the patch today and at this time of year that tends to make things go even quieter (though not invariably– see e.g. Not a bad day in June at all...). Don’t know about you, but if I hit a quiet patch... on the patch... my mind can sometimes wander a bit. “I wonder what was around this time last year?” is a pretty typical train of thought...

Well, for a start there was some Carrion Crow action ‘this time last year’. OK, now you have to remember we’re talking about a local patch here, so ‘action’ is with a very small ‘a’ (8 point Calibri font, absolute max) – see Thing’s excellent Counting Coots blog (link on the right) for example. So in patch terms, a newly fledged Carrion Crow on the dusty track by Pumphouse in June counts as action. Why? Because patch juvs are kind of cool. By their very nature, they’re somewhat ‘rarer’ beasts than their parents and, of course, lend themselves perfectly to a list all of their own and hence add a certain extra dimension to my patching. – happy days!

Now, I have to confess that my current Juv list is not long, although it IS somewhat longer than my ‘birds-seen-shagging-on-the-patch’ list which is probably still in single figures, but does at least include Pochard! Then of course there’s the ‘birds-seen/heard-whilst-taking-a-leak’ list. This one is, I find, particular useful for maintaining patch productivity when your bladder finally gives in on freezing winter mornings at the Eastern Reedbed. It also helps take your mind off missing the one Bittern flight of the day , which sods law dictates will happen the minute you heed nature’s call. The ‘birds-I’ve-seen-whilst-standing-on-one-leg-and-looking-through-the-wrong-end-of-the-binoculars' list can also help with the doldrums when yiour bladder IS under control and in addition adds a certain physical challenge to patch birding. It’s actually harder to master than you might imagine! I digress... Carrion Crow action. Such as this extract...

8th June 2009 - 2 adult Carrion Crows *** MOBBING *** Fox! One even walked right up to it before latter trotted off with 'black bird' in mouth. Had been crunching on summit for a while, so presume carrion, certainly didn't catch owt. Too small for whole young crow, could have been a bit of one though... or a young coot?

This time last year too, there were still Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Reed Warbler, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff singing, according to my notes, and various wildfowl shenanigans going on at Birchwood Pool...

Black-necked Grebe - *** PAIR *** [3P] MAX COUNT *** Distinct Prs at E end, although Pr swam to W end. A bit of calling and 1 bird catching caddis again below E hide. Also BNG chased off L.Grebe for a change!

Canada Goose - *** NOTE *** increased numbers of adults (without young) building up on various waters across site.

Coot - *** BROOD *** [1B] E end of island, now about 1/2 grown and black and white, also 2 others still on N and rest in water (see too PHP where N counts higher recently too)

Little Grebe - *** NOTE *** N below S hide apparently had 3 eggs in and was wrecked by coots, Bird seen to cover eggs but didn't save them…

Mallard - *** BROOD *** [1B] 1Y 1/2 grown at W end, BUT could easily have been more in reeds.

So too Lapwing Lake...

Great Crested Grebe - *** BROOD *** [1B] Adults with 2Y riding piggy back still BUT reports there were 3 and that egg shell was possibly broken shell - not there today and no sign of 3rd chick.

Mute Swan - Pair saw off 5 interlopers, 1 of which had some grey on, else looked adult. Earlier coot with young had seen off female of the resident pair in front of the screen hide on Lapwing Lane!!!

The year before that I was not on the patch on the 8th June itself, but the day before I was there – briefly. A Quail had been reported calling from the Tree Sparrow Field on UMS and this was just too good a bird to miss! VERY rewarding (patch Quail are rarer than hen’s teeth) but VERY frustrating too. Why? Because it wasn't ME that found the bloody thing - lol. You see, 2008 had been my first ‘patch year’ at Moore (prior to that it was just one of many sites I used to visit) and it was turning out to be a cracker. I’d hit the patch ton before the first spring migrants had arrived and clocked up some good birds, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Meally Redpoll, Jack Snipe. Then on 11th March I watched a Water Pipit get flushed by the rising tide at Norton Marsh; a patch first, as far as I knew. Alas, it was not accepted by CAWOS as my description...

“...did not unequivocally rule out A p littoralis (Scandinavian race of Rock Pipit)”

Cheshire Bird Report 2008 (pg89)

Now isn’t THAT a patch dilemma! Which, if any, do I tick - Water or Rock Pipit? I feel a future blog brewing for sure – “Record submission, description writing and credibility: challenges for the solitary patcher’ lol.

No such problems with the Great Grey Shrike I found on UMS on April 10th...

Found it about 09.40, stayed with it til 11.00. First spotted flying across Bund Hide Field (S) [aka Shrike Field now]. Immediately thought shrike, but bird silhouetted and flew along hedgerow out of sight as got hand-held scope on it (no tripod). Dashed around to Balloon Hut field and quickly found it with bins on top of hawthorn. Phoned MM as soon as ID confirmed and watched it until he arrived. Bird was feeding by gliding onto ground, then flying back up to perch with prey (large insect...bumble bees?). Also watched it hovering and 'flycatching'. MM got on it quickly with scope wen he arrived and phoned around various patchers. Went back to collect AD whilst i kept track of bird. Flew out of sight so moved back to original position and found it close astride top of skinny silver birch. Flew to hawthorns along bund and stayed there hunting from blossom tree before flying back to Balloon Hut field. Relocated it again, as MM arrived with AD, quickly followed by a few other birders. Bird dropped outta sight again, so i went round to relocate it at original spot + phoned the others. Joined by a few more ppl and bumped into another as were leaving to look for possible R.Ouzel. Cracking bird. Classic GGS with faint peachy wash to breast. Only other in the country today was one in Norfolk. Woo-fuckin-hoo :D

... or the Cetti’s Warbler at the Eastern Reedbed on April 21st which stayed until 12th May and was enjoyed by many. You see now why not finding the Quail was a bit of a double-edged sword? Would have really been the icing on the patch cake!

Now what else has 8th June thrown up I wondered, thumbing through past notebooks. Oh yes, here we go... Chuck Will’s Widow (!) Tall Timbers Research Station, Tallahassee, Florida, June 8th 2003. What superb time that was – tracking armadillos, catching snakes, and birds galore!!! Now THAT is most certainly fodder for future blogs.