Somehow I've become a patch birder, I never saw it coming it just happened. One minute I was happy popping over there to see a bit of migration in Spring and autumn or shoot over to twitch something decent found by somebody else but now I'm walking the circuit almost every day and for now enjoying it. I get there early because I enjoy the early start especially when its hot and I can get home before Suzanne rises to help her out too so it kind of works for me. My services aren't needed in terms of helping my daughter in law so I have the time for once and surprisingly the motivation too.
This year I've walked that four mile circuit 66 times (66 x 4 that's 264 miles) and my reward for that effort has come in the form of 126 species with the highlights including a Golden Plover which I'm told is only the second ever "on the deck" and yes we got a record shot for the doubters. I've seen 15 species of wader including the GP, LRP, Ringo, Common Sandpipers, Oystercatchers, Black-tailed Godwits, Dunlin, Whimbrel, Greenshank, Redshank, Sanderling, Lapwing, Turnstone, Green Sandpiper and Curlew . (I've missed Spotshank and Snipe that were only seen by Henry in the early morning mist so the reservoir has been graced by 17 wader species in all this year to date.) I've enjoyed the company of the local like minded guys and in particular Henry who's out himself out to meet me a few times this month although he did grip me off one day by having two Long tailed Skuas over which after some debate seem to have been accepted to species now. When I say gripped I congratulate him on the find and I'm pleased for him too but there's always that I wish I was there at the time thing to deal with.
Anyway in the spirit of the diary blog here's a birding update since my last post on 30th July I'm afraid it's all KGV as I'm not getting out other than these morning walks to get my birding fix.
31st July
59 Species observed including growing numbers of Geese and ducks but also our first Goosanders remain. I found my first LRP of July on the causeway giving me my 89th species for the month. Two Raven were seen feeding on the grass bank and I found another juvenile Skylark up in the north east corner where I had the last one a while back.
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| Mallard |
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| Goosanders |
August
102 Species seen which included a new high count of 389 Canada Geese as a new flock has decided to use the north basin at times and it also carries a Greylag (which peaked at four) and three/four Hybrids. I counted 75 Egyptian Geese on 2nd August which was a massive increase from last months numbers but quickly fell away to normal numbers again before the month end. Shoveler started arriving early in August and I had a high count of 88 on 26th. Teal have been slower arriving with just the odd bird until 26th when I counted 15 birds. I saw the four Oystercatchers on the 1st but not after although I did have a single bird on 17th. One of the big highlights was finding three Great White Egrets feeding under the bridge from the NE corner. (Locally known as magic corner) and I've seen the coming and going throughout the month.
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| Lapwing |
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| Common Tern |
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| Greylag and Canada Goose |
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| The new large flock |
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| Great White Egrets |
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| Great White Egrets |
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| Mute Swan |
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| Shoveler |
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| Redshank in the early morning light (dark) |
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| Oystercatchers |
The three Great White Egrets entertained the local birders for a few days being happy feeding in the relief channel before moving further into Sewardstone marsh for the rest of the month. The two juvenile Goosanders were joined by a third but last seen on 18th .The Tufted flock grew and although I was getting counts of around 1200 Henry produced a click count of 2812 so clearly the numbers continue to grow and grow to the point were a full count is something that would require a coordinated effort. I found a little patch treasure in the form of an adult summer plumaged Turnstone on 2nd and had another four drop in for a few minutes on 22nd. I've had several Dunlin, Redshank and Lapwing thoughout the month and Common Sandpipers are always present with a peak count of 16. The first Willow Warblers of autumn were encountered on 2nd with an ever increasing number of Chiffchaff they continued to be seen or heard all month. I noted a ringed Little Egret too and got word back that it was ringed at Walthamstow in 2018, went up to Yorkshire for three years then came back in 2023 but hasn't been seen since until today so that was an interesting find.
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| Great White Egret |
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| Little and Large |
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| Great Egret |
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| Grey Heron with a Great White Egret |
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| Great White |
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| Great |
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| Egrets I've seen a few but then again.......... |
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| Goosanders |
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| The E17 / Yorkshire Egret (8 years old now) |
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| Who saw this scene coming to Chingford |
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| Hybrid Canada/Greylag |
The 4th saw me add Whimbrel to the months list of waders before adding Black Tailed Godwit and Ringo on 6th. Yellow Wagtails started arriving on 7th and were pretty much a daily find for the rest of the month with the high count of 16 on 17th. I seem to be the only person to have seen Reed Bunting this month with two females seen well as they moved through the hawthorns with mixed flocks.
Onwards and upwards
