September 23, 2007
Cold turkey
Ugh. Work deadlines and the increasingly pressing need to find a job for next year have left me with precious little time for birding - why do I always have too much to do in peak migration season? Today I decided I really needed a break from the computer screen, so spent a few hours birding around the university campus. 4 species of woodpecker were noted by call, though the only one that posed for photos was this feeding Green Woodpecker (Pic vert).
Jays (Geai des chenes) and Red Squirrels (Ecureuil roux) were busy caching acorns for the impending winter.
I spent some time around my favourite pond - Grey Heron (Heron cendre) and Kingfisher (Martin-pecheur) were unfortunately flushed by picnickers just before I arrived, so I concentrated my digiscoping efforts on the moulting Mallards (Canard colvert).
The trees around the pond were alive with tit flocks and many Chiffchaffs (Pouillot veloce) - the most visible sign of migration at the moment. The Crested Tits (Mesange huppee) were almost too close to digiscope!
While waiting for photo-ops with the above species, I snapped this flycatching Robin (Rougegorge familier) and a 'record shot' of a Goldcrest (Roitelet huppe) - not the easiest species to digiscope!
Back at my place, I enjoyed watching the local Magpies (Pie bavarde) come in to roost.
I may be itching to get out to the coast to look for rarities, but re-acquainting oneself with the common species is good for the soul!
Posted by rjhall at September 23, 2007 9:13 PM