Yesterday i blogged about the awful weather stopping me from surveying my Winter Thrush squares amongst other things. Well, this morning saw a sort of break in the weather in that at least it just about stayed dried - if still very windy.
I drove down to a spot nr Leedstown for my randomly selected core square only to find all the footpaths in the area so overgrown they were impassable. As much as i hate to say it, i had to abandon the effort. A quick drive home and i decided to survey one of my own squares around the village.
Up onto Laity Moor, the rain just about held off, the wind blew strongly and the Thrushes were - non existent. Dropping down towards the village a group of Starling (57) were picked up followed by a larger flock (120) behind the village shop. Both flocks were feeding on the ground on pastoral land with livestock. And that, unfortunately was about it.
Thrushes recorded -
Starling - 206
Blackbird - 14
Not a single Fieldfare, Redwing or Song Thrush was seen or heard anywhere.
A similar area surveyed on 1st January 2011 for the 2007-2011 Atlas in much colder temperatures gave -
Starling - 55
Blackbird - 34
Fieldfare - 17
Redwing - 155
Song Thrush - 10
Hopefully my other square will produce something tomorrow weather permitting.
