This evenings visit to West Hartford was enlightened by the presence of a new Cramlington bird species...
Quail!
A single bird was initially heard singing from the A192 near the West Hartford farm buildings... then Gordon called to say he could hear one, if not two from the road end to the east of the pools!
A Cramlington birders "semi-twitch" ensued, resulting in a count of 2 to 4 birds singing.
All the birds can easily be heard from the roadside / business park road. There is no need to walk into the fields. If you walk in the field you will not see them, so don't bother!!!! (Please, there is enough hassle for the breeding reed bunting, sky lark, meadow pipit, grey partridge etc from the fox and dog walkers that frequent the area... size 10 boots need not venture on a fruitless mission......)
A great result for the patch.
A great start to the weekend.
Saturday morning update: Already the infamous mp3 player has been and failed. Why bother????
7 comments:
The biz park is 5 minutes walk from my house, often take the bike around there, some nice roundabouts for silly kneedown antics !
Ashamed to say I've lived in Cram for over 2 years and have never visited west hartford, or arcot for that matter... don't even know where these sites are tbh !
God help me when that sharp tailed sand turns up......
Top birds them quail tho, might have to find out where they are for tomorrow evening when the missus takes the dog out..... She'll be chuffed if I offer to join her for a mutt walking session !
Yes, was aware you live near by - WH is becoming a well watched site, and good birds have been turning up with increasing frequency of late. Not bad for a field set aside for a "major" manufacturing development. Let's hope the recession continues eh?!
Any chance of you getting photos of the people walking the fox? ;-)
Very good Bryan....! :-o
I bet it wasn't Quail at all but someone's well known ring tone !!!!!
Brian
Used to get a lot onboard ship during Autumn migration when I worked in the Caspian Sea, Suprisingly heavy for a bird so smallas can be attested from the devastation one caused in my cabin. When fast asleep one night someone caught one in the wheelhouse and popped it into my cabin didn't sleep long sounded like something the size of a goose crashing around.
Great blog as ever
Stewart
Assuming the quail is on territory then using a tape lure is surely a case of intentional schedule 1 disturbance, a criminal offence.
These selfish idiots with tapes really piss me off tbh. Feel free to name and shame, sure the police would be interested too.
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