A morning scanning Abberton

We found ourselves on Layer de le Haye causeway Abberton at 8am this morning scanning for the reported Fudge Duck. The wind was delivering some strong gusts but we got away with a mornings birding with the rain and stronger winds not arriving until lunch time.

One of the Whooper Swans

Our first target for some scope attention was a large raft of Pochard but we couldn't locate the Fudge amongst them getting only a Goldeneye of any note. A Great White Egret was seen feeding in the North West corner before we turned our attention to the main reservoir where we found a pair of Greater Scaup and a couple of Long-tailed Ducks to add interest to the days list and a few more Goldeneye. One of the Tufted Ducks was sporting a green nasal ring (French I think) so I've emailed to see if it's of interest to the ringers and will update if I hear anything back.

Two Whoopers

Greater Scaup

We drove around to Layer Breton causeway finding two Whooper Swans in a herd of around twenty Mutes. Two red-head Smew were feeding under the trees at the southern end of the causeway and another two Great Egrets were found at either end of the causeway. A male Marsh Harrier battled with the wind but little else of note was seen so we headed back around to Layer de le Haye and started the search for Fudge again and this time we got lucky when scanning in the North West corner the bird came out from under the trees and gave good scope views before flying to the far end were all the Pochard had now gathered close to Layer Breton. We put out the news and drove around to the other causeway were after a short scan Dave B. spotted the duck and we all got a second look before it vanished again back into cover.

Poor record shot of the Fudge flying away...views were very brief

We left for home before the worst of the wind and rain and with the year list now reading 176

A little map of where we found the treasures today.

One less Sparrow in the garden

Another visit from a Sparrowhawk today, this time the female came in and helped herself to one of my House Sparrows and then sat in the shade at the bottom of the garden to enjoy the feast for a while allowing me to grab the camera and with a little stealth I managed to get out in the garden and keep the bird relaxed enough to allow my presence while I snapped away.

I took 62 images.
I missed the bird altogether with eight shots but the rest were ok allowing for the distance, the shade and the sun facing me. I then edited the remainder down to 28 images worth keeping and have posted a few of those here to share.

Sparrowhawk

Sprawk on a Sparrow

Sparrowhawk

Feathers flying as the plucking begins

Sprawk

FOCUS

Great predator

Looking me in the eye

Local birding at Lee Valley

I made the short trip to Lee Valley CP today and walked out to Hall Marsh to see if the Cattle Egrets were still there. On arrival I could see two Egrets roosting on an Island but closer inspection gave them up as Little Egrets. The flood held a number of Wigeon and Teal and several Lapwings and in the far corner was a single Cattle Egret. I grabbed a couple of images and watched as first Buzzard then Red Kite soared over the trees by the river Lee.

Cattle Egret

Easy to miss when it gets in the reeds

I walked back down the river and out to the Bittern Hide but with some disturbance as planning for the new hide takes place there was no sign of Bittern but the Parakeets exploited the feeders with the local tit flock.

Close up and personal with the Parakeets in front of the hide

Ring-necked Parakeet

Long-tailed Tit trying to hide behind the nuts

Blue Tit

I then walked to the far end of the lake and found a Red headed Smew roosting on a log.

Smew

A decent afternoon just a couple of miles from home.

Hoopoe in Hampshire

We watched the news all week of the Hampshire Hoopoe hoping it'd stick for the weekend and with reports coming in all day yesterday of its continued presence we set off early this morning for the hundred mile drive and arrived just before 8am at the paddock opposite Fawley trailers. The bird had not yet arrived but after 45 minutes it dropped in to the middle of the paddock but was uncomfortable with the guy tending the horses and quickly departed. We relocated it on a grassy path as we walked to the next paddock but it again took flight and was then seen in the fields to the south. We decided to wait it out at the first paddock and it proved a good call as the bird came flying back in and then spent over an hour feeding in the middle of the paddock giving some great scope views if a little distant for the camera. We did get a bonus year tick here with three Woodlarks singing and displaying as we waited for the star attraction.

Hoopoe

Quite distant but well watched by around thirty birders this morning

Hoopoe

The bird's in the middle of this paddock

Hoopoe

Following this success we headed over to Keyhaven where we watched Golden Plover, Lapwings, Ruff and Snipe to name a few. A Peregrine took a plover for lunch while we watched and the lagoons had lots of Brent Geese, Wigeon, Shelduck and Pintail on them but as far as year ticks go we just collected the one with a single Spoonbill.

Year list now 175

Keyhaven

yesterdays Med Gull ringed in Belgium back in 2002

I managed to read a ring on one of yesterdays Med Gulls on the beach at Southend and sent it off to the French team involved. Today I got their report back on the bird and it makes very interesting reading. It was ringed back in 2002 in Belgium and would appear to have spent time in Holland and made Essex a home too. It's been reported eighteen times but hadn't been reported since back in 2018 until my report. Interesting to see that the last report came from the place of birth in Flanders, Belgium.

A couple of familiar local names have also reported the bird over the last few years with Shaun H. being the first to find it on our shores back in 2013.

All very interesting...at least it is to me.

The full report

3EAH An 18 year old Mediterranean Gull

Med Gull on the way to Wallasea

I again headed down to Wallasea today hoping to see the male Hen Harrier reported yesterday but I also stopped on the way to see the Med Gulls at Southend. On the beach by Olivers I had three birds one had a leg missing and the other two were ringed in France (white with black four digit). I enjoyed the gulls on the beach for a while then drove over to Wallasea where thankfully I did manage to see the male Hen Harrier but it was gone in a flash and didn't return although the ringtails did also show later on along the far edge with a pair of Marsh Harriers. Two Great Egrets were on the pools and they are much more visible now that the reeds have been cut back. At least three Short-eared Owls came out to play at about 2pm until the rain fell and they all vanished.

Short-eared Owl at Wallasea

A very vocal interaction

Fabulous ......just fabulous birds to watch

The male Hen Harrier....almost missed it as it flew past

Stonechat at Wallasea

Med Gull at Southend

Med Gull

One of the French birds

Poor old stumpy

A young Herring gull

A good days birding in Essex close to home and I even managed another year tick too.

Year list now 172

Another wintering migrant

Ring Ouzel

With this mild winter we're experiencing a few migrating birds have decided to stay here instead of making the long return migration and who can blame them. We've had Turtle Dove and Swallow already in January and today we connected with the Ring Ouzel that's wintered on Pitstone Hill Buckinghamshire. We arrived early and found the bird before we'd left the car park sitting up on a bush before it dropped to feed on the slopes of the hill. We were joined by Matt M. and for the next hour or so we enjoyed decent views although the bird was a bit unsettled and never came close.

Pistone Hill

The Ring Ouzel at Pitstone Hill

With some local intel gained from Matt we set off to add a few more year ticks. First we stopped at Stockers Lake in Rickmansworth and found a single Red-crested Pochard sitting in deep cover out by the Heron nest.

Distant Red-crested Pochard

We were now only four miles from Cassiobury Park so headed that way and again quickly located a Little Owl sat right of the top of one of the old Oaks just outside the car park. It was high up in poor light but I managed a record shot and helped a local family get their first views of it. It's always nice to see people appreciate the wildlife around them and equally nice to be able to help.
Congratulations Claire!

distant record shot of our first Little Owl of 2020

On the way home we stopped at Tyttenhanger farm and after a long walk around the lake we found the back of Lawsons and the feeding station that's been put up to support the local Tree Sparrows. After a while I could hear the Sparrows deep in the hedge line. After a while they came out to the top of the hedge before taking flight. Only one was seen to use the feeder.

The feeding station

So a decent day with another four year ticks putting me top of the tree on Bubo with LGRE until he gets back from his round Britain tour. (And yes I have discounted the two teams listing this year)  I expect I'll struggle to get to 300 this year so I'm sure there will be a few above me come the year end and good luck to anybody that gets above that landmark. My best ever Feb total is 180 so nine required to equal that but it's not going to be easy to find that nine locally so I may well be travelling a bit more this month.  I did say (to myself) I wouldn't chase a big list this year but in truth I love the fact that it gets me out there finding these wonderful birds year after year.

Onwards and Upwards

Year list now 171

Now where's that Black-tailed Gull?