Thursday, November 27, 2008

Handsome little winter jobs busy at the bunker.

13-21.5 degrees C. Just after 4 pm, time of walk, 17 degrees and falling. Humidity 60% and rising. winds westerly, 5-8 knots.

white wagtails: heard over buildings.
stonechat: A pair hawking for flying insects at the edges of the bunker rubble in close proximity, using the rebars for perches. I found it interesting that the pair bond holds for the winter months and in their winter range. It certainly affords protection against predators such as sparrowhawks when these birds are out in the open so much and the male is so obvious and strongly coloured.. to have others of his kind to give the alarm is a definite advantage.. mutual benefit.

black redstart: Also on the alert for small prey on bunker rebars. He was on the watch out near the stonechat pair but after a short while took up a new post a few metres away.. perhaps their aerial forays every few seconds were interfering with his own hunting.
House sparrows:around gardens and buildings as usual. Feral pigeons on tops of buildings as usual.
Hooded crows: a few individuals returning south to roost towards sunset.
Eurasian jays: glimpsed between pines

Blackbirds: 'chak chak' alarms in the pines. Didn't notice in the garden today.

Collared doves: a pair visited the cistern while we were watching the birds by the bunker ruins.

Gazelles: none seen today. Pregnant feral cat noticed.

No comments: