Week 7 - Week Beginning 05/02/24 - Thrushes, Finches and Mud

 7th


When walking back from setting up mink foot print rafts I decided to walk back through the Harper fields too reach Newport. On the way I spotted a variety of different Thrushes including Fieldfare, Redwing & Song Thrush. Along the walk I also noticed that there was only one Egyptian Goose in the field which suprised me as I had only ever seen them together, I wondered if one was a nest would have to wait too see.


Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos). Harper Adams, 07/02/24.


Redwing (Turdus iliacus). Harper Adams, 07/02/24.

After a long walk back I arrived at the canal. The usual suspect species of the canal were present but when I reached the small bridge the kingfisher normally sits near I spotted a small finch like bird I had never seen before. The light was low but it had a black bib, a brown streaked breast and a dark small cap on it's forehead. I am pretty sure it was a Lesser Redpoll (Acanthis cabaret), but unforunately I didn't get a photo. 


9th 

I had a late lecture on Friday so decided to spend alot of time in the morning trying to photograph the mixed finch flock along the canal. The flock usually includes Golfinch and Siskin and someone said the the Red Poll. The weather was drizzly and due to significant rain over the past few days the path was very muddy and I slipped a few times. I did manage to photograph a Female Siskin (Spinus spinus). 

Female Siskin (Spinus spinus). 09/02/24, Newport, Telford.

On the walk back from university the weather had greatly improved and I spotted a Robin and Photographed both Egyptian Geese in flight aswell as a beatiful shot of an Egyptian Goose backlight by the setting sun. There was also a complete double rainbow that looked gorgeous in the golden light of the setting sun with long shadows and purple clouds.

European Robin (Erithacus rubecula). Harper Adams, 09/02/24.



Egyptian Geese (Alopochen aegyptiaca). Edgmond, 09/02/24.


10th

I decided to walk the canal to spot the redpoll as a break from assigment work. I foudn the finch flock along the canal but there were only goldfinch amingst them. I got a very poetic photo of a goldfinch feeding on Alder Cones but with a fishing line tangled up in the tree, showing the beauty of nature alongside the impacts of humans. I also photographed a Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus), which is a very exciting discovery, and a Blue Tit.


Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis). Newport, Telford, 10/02/24.

Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus). Newport, Telford, 10/02/24.

Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus). Newport, Telford, 10/02/24.

With no luck with the Redpoll I decided to head back to my house, on the way I noticed the kingfisher, they really are beatiful birds and deserve the title of king of the river despite their small stature. 

Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis). Newport, Telford, 10/02/24.














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