patch tick !

It was fairly much head down in the 40mph winds and driving rain this morning.  In fact I wouldn't have been out at all if not for walking Monty the dog. Apart from the loafing gulls, black-headed and Herring, there was very little else about, or at least visible through the wind and rain.  A couple of scolding blackbirds,  the odd ST and MP all trying to stay under cover.  And then flying out of the bushes in front of us - who was more surprised me or the dog ? (think Wallace and Gromit giving each other looks of suprise) - came a Moorhen.  It proceeded to disappear into another group of bushes and try as i did it couldn't be re - located.  Still, an unexpected patch tick to go alongside the Water Rail i found there earlier in the year.

Winter Thrush survey

Been out doing a core visit Winter Thrush survey this morning around Wick Bottom/Ovingdean. What I really enjoy about doing surveys is the smallest of things can become (relatively) exciting. So most of my Winter Thrush survey visits have recorded Blackbirds and Song Thrushes, but not many have been feeding, either on the ground or in bushes. Today I found three B.s feeding on a pile of fallen apples under the tree; well it made me smile anyway. Apart from that there were still 16 Corn Bunting, 10 Yellowhammer, 4 Reed Bunting and small flocks of Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch and Linnet; also about 20 Skylark and 4 Stonechat. A good morning with plenty of sunshine (in the end) and only a brief rain shower.

Finally started this blog !

Okay so this is a new venture for me. If you're looking for rarity reports or to see which scarcity has slipped past you at Sheepcote then your reading the wrong blog ! What I hope to post is about local and low key birding, and my experiences of carrying out BTO/SOS surveys, which hopefully will include locations away from Sheepcote. I hope to get another project off the ground at Sheepcote in spring 2014 (but more of that later).
I originally intended to start this blog in January 2013, but due to personal circumstances this got delayed.  So here we are in December 2013, just, and Wick Bottom - the next valley east of Sheepcote - has seen some good numbers of farmland birds. A flock of c50 Skylark and 16 Corn Bunting favouring the stubble fields, with up to 6 Yellowhammer, 4 Reed Bunting and a pair of Stonechat. I'm particularly pleased to see so many CBs; not seen that number since doing some Atlas fieldwork a few years ago over at South Heighton, when there were about 40. Be more than happy to see that number here now. Good also to have a wintering pair of SCs around.