Wind? What Wind?

I'll admit to being a bit nervous about today's field work. After a chat with a few old hands we decided to go with it, the forecast 50+mph gusts were what was worrying me, combined with some torrential showers too - not much fun!

Luckily I managed to get the VP out of the wind - luck more than planning I think as the wind switched several directions after I hatched my cunning plan to avoid sitting in it all day, however it was still pretty windy!

There was still some bird activity despite the wind levels - good activity too, mostly low to the ground! It was difficult to judge just how much activity there was compared to normal as I was at a different location to my past two visits to this site. Highlights included close up views of an adult male Peregrine hunting Wood Pigeon - almost making a kill, adult male and ring-tail Hen Harriers, cream-crown Marsh Harrier and juvenile (probably male) Merlin (phone pics below).


Merlin off my phone


Merlin off my phone

Other interest was provided at "the watering hole" - a small (1 foot by 3 foot) puddle on a farm track next to my VP that attracted 12 Greenfinch, 5 Chaffinch, 1 Great Tit, 1 Blue Tit, 5 Redwing, 2 Song Thrush, 10+ Blackbird but most interesting of all, 2 Lesser Redpoll and a Green Woodpecker! (phone pic below - this is really NOT a place you'd expect to find a Green Woody!!!). Luckily the rain held off until 5 minutes after we'd finished the survey, it came down proper hard so I was glad I was back in the landy and warm and dry! We even managed not to get crushed by any articulated trucks getting blown over in the wind! All in all another good day.


Green Woodpecker off my phone