Patch Progress

The excitement of the start of spring migration has been getting the juices flowing over the last week, but the birding reality has been a bit frustrating and unfulfilling. With various personal commitments, patch disruption and poor weather I found myself feeling like I was always in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I've not really got going at Upton this year ( or in fact been that much), and a couple of brief visits this weekend failed to produce anything other than a pleasant  meeting a some nice folks from Gloucestershire, and a genuine Chiffchaff arrival. I managed to miss a Wheatear and Little Ringed Plover by a few minutes.
By contrast the local patch continues to notch up ticks , and this week I added Nuthatch, Treecreeper,Grey Heron and  a pair of Red Legged Partridge taking my patch list up to a healthy 59. I heard a Tawny Owl call there too, which was interesting, as well as observing the rare occurrence of Green Woodpecker drumming. There is plenty of plough around and I hope this is going to attract Wheatears in the coming weeks. Today one field held around 20 Pied Wagtails enjoying the soil.Hopefully some White and Yellows to follow soon too.

Pied Wagtail

 My year list has ground to a halt. Yesterday my birding highlight was getting another look at a Little Owl, and sneaking a quick pic.

Little Owl

My birding highlight today was on Swan Lane, finding a  field with c40 Fieldfare and a few Redwings. I set my scope up and enjoyed the Fieldfare for a while, possibly my last decent look at them for a few months.Really smart birds, will miss them, but not the Winter.