Summary : February 2015
Summary : February 2015
New Species added to 2015 Year List in February= 12
Running Total for the 2015 UK So Far = 94
New UK Life List Birds In February = 2
Our Garden
February started the same way as January ended – with some hard overnight frosts and some cold clear and bright days. On the 4th we had a Mistle Thrush, three Coal Tits, Great and Blue Tits, Robin, Blackbirds, Goldfinches. On the 20th I counted Coal, Great, Blue and Long-tailed Tits, Robin, Dunnock, Blackbird, House Sparrow, Wren, Starling, Goldfinch, Collared Dove and Woodpigeon so things were getting a bit busier near the end of the month. A pair of Robins seem to be trying to pair up and the Blue Tits have been bonding for a bit already. On the 27th we had a Sparrowhawk in the garden – a first for the year.
Birding Days Out
The first birding group day of the month was to Burton Mere Wetlands, a site we have been to a lot recently but the main attraction this time was a visit to the newly opened Burton Point part of the site which affords a brilliant view of the Dee Estuary and Burton Marsh and beyond. You can even see Shotwick Boating Lake from here. High points, birding-wise were nice views of Fieldfare and a Great White Egret and a Merlin. We missed two Tuesdays whilst we were on holiday in Lanzarote (see below), Neumann’s Flash and Conwy.
We didn’t take too long to get back in our stride and we took advantage of the last high tide of February to see the Long-eared Owl roosting at Burton Mere Wetlands and the Laughing Gull on the pontoon at New Brighton, both “life ticks” !
We were back for the birding group visit to Moore Nature Reserve on the 24th. This was a little uneventful but we did get thirty-four species so it was a reasonable tally for a mornings walk.
Birding In Lanzarote
From the 7th to the 17th of February we were on holiday in Lanzarote with a single day in Fuerteventura. We saw thirty-eight species of birds, twelve of which were “lifers” including Houbara Bustard, Cream-coloured Courser and black-bellied Sandgrouse – three of our target desert birds. We also got African Blue Tit on Lanzarote and Spectacled Warbler on both islands. Somewhat distant views of Egyptian Vulture and good views of Ruddy Shelduck and Black-winged Stilts added to our birding joy. We also got closer to Ravens than we could have hoped for and lots of other great birding experiences. We had a great time and we seem to be adding more birding time to our holidays as time passes. Mallorca, in a couple of months, is our next foreign birding opportunity – can’t wait. Next time, though, I have to take the scope even if it means paying extra !