Greenshank
15 November 2007
Little bit of a round-up for the last few weeks.
The large mystery wading bird that had been hanging around the beck last month and that I finally managed to get a good look at on 6 October, turned out to be a lonesome Greenshank. Well, it’s now moved on. Getting it’s name from the olive-green colour of it’s legs, the Greenshank rises strongly with a flash of white rump and has a much more resonant call than it’s more usual local cousins.
Maybe the recently renewed river straightening operations, have helped move it along. I previously mentioned this riparian vandalism, well naturally the river largely reverted to it’s previous course, only to be forced back into line, but I suspect not for long.
24 October – first noticed the usual influx of Redwings and Fieldfares from Scandinavia – well probably directly from there rather than the Netherlands – as we’re northerly here in Yorkshire. They cross overnight in calm conditions, of which there has a good stretch of late, and can be seen at times flying against a large, clear moon.
These calm conditions have left us with an extended period of leaves on the trees and a magnificent showing of autumn colour.
There have been a few Starlings gathering as well, but not in the same numbers and certainly not anything like I seem to remember them being. Though small flocks of both Starlings and Fieldfares, are leap-frogging across the pastures in the search of invertebrates – Leather-jackets and the like.
The morning of 18 October was our first frost of the year. Very clear, breathless night. Signalled sloe picking time.
Barn Owl study
