9th to the 15th March
The week started with nice weather and the arrival of this year’s first Northern Lapwing at one of the local lakes on the 9th. Two other interesting observations that day included a male Northern Goshawk being mobbed by a Hooded Crow and a single Bohemian Waxwing. On the 10th I returned to the feeder to look for the light Redpoll that I had seen last week, unfortunately the flock had dispersed and numbers had been reduced to about 20. I visited one of the local marshes on the 11th. Last year most of the snow on the ground, and the ice on the lake had melted. Wildfowl had moved in and it was a pleasant few hours birding. This year was a different kettle of fish. The lake was still frozen and the ground covered with 10cm of hard packed snow.(photo)
The only bird to be seen was a single male Goosander. The way it is looking at the moment, it will be a late spring. The weather gods turned nasty again on both the 12th and 13th with even more snow. I stuck to the local woodlands but things were quiet with only the common species like this male Common Bullfinch.
A male Common Teal had arrived on the 14th at one of the lakes, another sign that spring is on the way, while on the 15th the single Northern Lapwing on the 9th had been joined by 13 new ones.
