A surprise singing Willow Tit by the Farm.

Wednesday 5th April 2023.

This singing Willow Tit was a real surprise as it burst into song in front of the Farm. The rain was falling quite heavily and so I could not grab some film footage of the bird singing, but I am pleased with this photo.

The good weather simply would not last long and this morning, the rain arrived again. Though it was milder, the rain would last all day and so I had to make the most of this morning's walk around the Farm, as we had to make our way to not only pick up our Isabelle's coat that we left behind last Sunday from the New Inn, but also the ladies wanted to visit the main shopping centre in Leeds. Doh!

There were plenty of Primroses growing by the Stream and also on the nearby roadside to the Farm.

Though the weather was grim, I found my first Willow Tit of the year; a species I have not seen for at least 7 years (an individual I saw while staying in a Cottage in Devon). The bird was actually singing and looking back, I wished I had recorded it on my camera, but I was worrying about my camera getting too wet and the poor weather made me decide to take photos only. Thinking about it, the bird was heard yesterday somewhere deep within the woods, though I could not find it at the time. The bird showed very well, though high up in a tree and later on in the evening, as we were getting out of the car after our trip to Leeds, the bird was heard calling again in a bramble above the car park.

A soggy day meant that not a great deal of birding was done today. However, the Willow Tit was a real bonus.

Walking down the track near what we labelled ‘Pooh Bridge’ (a small bridge that Isabelle and I played Pooh Sticks on the stream), there were at least 6 Chiffchaffs seen or heard around the area, that included a pair that were chasing each other through the treetops. Also present was a singing Blackcap, but the bird would not show as it sang deep within brambles nearby. Up to four Redwing were heard then seen perched high up in some trees in the same area and then flew off over my head and out of view. There was also a small flock of Long-tailed Tits flitting about within the trees and showing well.

A blast from the past. John Goodall and myself at one of the shelters on Southsea seafront where we saw some good seabirds going through the Solent between late March to May. This was taken 9 years ago.

I checked both the fields nearby for anything of note and all was quiet here in the rain. As I was walking back towards the car park, a male Sparrowhawk flew in low at speed and belted through the farm towards its target! Later this evening, again as we were getting out of the car, the same bird or another male Sparrowhawk flew through again in exactly the same direction. Sadly, more rain is expected tomorrow, though I will take a stroll to see if any migrants have arrived. 

Bittercress (possibly Hairy Bittercress) growing around the Farm.