Review of 2024 (The best birds)

With everything that I had going on over the last few months I managed to miss adding a review of 2024 to the blog so I'm going to put that right today and a good reason to revisit and enjoy the fondest memories of the year.

I've covered the misses and the ticks in earlier posts so this post will focus on those that "showed well" and those that the camera enjoyed the most.

The best wood have to be the Norfolk Hoopoe that walked up to me as I laid on the driveway of a small bungalow. The bird got so close it was inside my lens range so I had to stop taking pictures and just watch as It went about it's business no more than a few feet away. What a bird

Hoopoe

The Staines Lapland Bunting would be up there with the best birds of the year too, it was so confiding as it feasted on seed along the causeway completely unphased by the birders eagerly snapping away with camera and phone.

Lapland Bunting 

The Nightjar at Wanstead has to be included. I only managed a couple of shots but anytime you get to see a sitting Nightjar is quite special.

Nightjar

The Dotterel at Landguard as I don't have too many Dotterel images in my library and the Purple Sandpiper moments before the Dotterel encounter as it was really showy and I was allowed several minutes alone with it which was nice.

Dotterel

Purple Sandpiper

The Canvasback at Abberton showed really well on the causeway giving the chance to get some very nice images of this rarity.

Canvasback

The Temminck's Stint at Bluehouse Farm was a crowd pleaser as it strolled about on the island infront of the hide.

Temminck's Stint

The Franklins Gull on the Thames was another bird that eventually came close enough and lingered long enough for a few acceptable shots.

Franklins Gull 

I had a couple of nice Kingfisher encounters this year notably at Rainham as pictured below

Kingfisher

The Lesser Yellowlegs at Frampton was really showy at times in the pools around the car park and I got lucky with my visit.

Lesser Yellowlegs 

I got lucky on a couple of occasions with spring Waxwings but the group that spent a few days in Loughton provided the best photographic opportunity.

Waxwings

The Kestrel below dropped onto the path at Wallasea and allowed a few images before flying off as a car approached. 

Kestrel

The local Fudge duck on Eagle Pond gave some lovely views and allowed for some nice images at times.

Fudge duck

I don't see as many Little Owls as I used to but this one at Cassiobury Park allowed for some images as it sat out catching the early morning rays.

Little Owl

The St Albans Kingfisher, possibly the best Kingfisher encounter I've ever had.

Kingfisher

The Bittern hide Bittern entertained me early this year before it moved on to breeding grounds further afield.

Bittern

These are just a few of the birds that I enjoyed the most, not the rarest but the ones I really enjoyed spending time with.

Rainham Rainham Rainham

With my runs to drop the grandkids to school in Hornchurch I'm finding an hour after to walk the river wall at Rainham with increased regularity. Monday I found a Corn Bunting which allowed a very quick photo before it flew off, Corn Bunting are proving very elusive this year at Rainham though. I found my first Wheatear of the year up on the tip which is always  a memorable moment. Raven and Spoonbill are seen on most visits at the moment and there's still plenty of Wigeon, Teal, Snipe and Pintail about. Med Gulls are on the move with constant calling as they fly over in pairs at regular intervals. Sedge Warblers are now easy to hear along the river wall walk and Redshank, Lapwing and Avocet are setting about sorting breeding territory but the river is quiet still.

Corn Bunting

Tuesday I only had about half an hour and things were pretty quiet save more movement of Med Gulls and a few Red Kites coming across the river heading north.

Red Kite

Today I headed over to walk the wall after dropping young George at school and heard reports of a Hoopoe on the reserve last night but negative news this morning. One of my great issues with Rainham is access to the reserve. It opens at 9.30 and closes at 4.30pm The Hoopoe was reported yesterday at 4.36pm so no time to have a look last night for anybody.

I heard the Sedge Warblers again on my way along the wall and stopped to scan Marshland discovery zone where I found a single Little-ringed Plover and a single Dunlin. On the next pool two Spotted Redshank were fresh in. The Spoonbill was on history pool and quite active until flushed by a worker on the reserve. News broke that the Hoopoe had been seen so I headed onto the reserve to join the locals trying to track it down but it was only seen by one or two people and was gone in a flash to the disappointment of the small gathering of birders. Whilst scanning Purfleet scrape Andrew S spotted a drake Garganey which was a nice addition to the Rainham year list.

Marsh Harrier and Snipe

Garganey

Linnet

Goldfinch

Year list now 165 with the Wheatear on Monday.

Rainham

I visited Rainham on Thursday and had a quick walk along the sea wall and up to the tip where my reward was Barn Owl, Peregrine and Red Kite. I failed again to hear or see any Corn Bunting which seem thin on the ground this year. Skylarks and Meadow Pipit are very vocal on the hill leading to the tip though. A Wheatear was reported but Dave and I couldn't relocate it. Dave had seen Little ringed plover on Purfleet scrape but they weren't showing when I arrived. There was plenty of Avocet in Aveley bay and still lots of Wigeon and Pintail about but otherwise little of note.

Friday saw much of the same although time was limited again. I failed to find anything new for the year but did again see Barn Owl and Raven.

I was busy with my granddaughter's birthday party Saturday when things picked up at Rainham. A Green-winged Teal, three Little gulls, the first Sedge Warbler of the year, Red breasted Merganser, Scoter and Brent Geese all being reported along with more reports of LRP and Corn Bunting. KGV also had a couple of Scoters and some Brent Geese drop in on Saturday whilst I was absent.

So this morning I set off for first light in the rain and walked the sea wall, tip mound, Serin mound etc.

First I heard my first Sedge Warbler of the year followed by at least three more. At the top of the tip I finally found a Corn Bunting singing from a fence post. Along the sea wall a Weasel came out and showed for about ten minutes as it ran along several sleepers on the hunt. The Barn Owl came out when the rain stopped and a couple of Spoonbill were seen distantly from Serin mound. A Raven was seen several times in flight and did drop to feed on a carcase for a while too. As I walked back along the sea wall Dave C. had the Green-winged Teal in view so I stopped to check that out for a Rainham tick and then moved on in search of Little ringed plover and eventually found two on Purfleet scrape for my third year tick of the day. 

pointless year list now 163 (164 with the addition of Willow Warbler on 25th March)

Little Owl

Dad wanted to try and see Little Owl today but only had a couple of hours to spare so we popped over to Wanstead and with help from Marco we managed good views of a Little Owl hidden in the Ivy covered trees. We had to dash off to get Dad home and after a catch up with my youngest brother I headed out solo to walk KGV reservoir again. Sadly there was nothing new today but the drake Smew came close enough for a record shot whilst the Garganey was seen sleeping on the causeway bank again. On the north basin I found the winter plumaged Black-necked Grebe and the Slavonian Grebe which is now moulting into summer plumage. Raven and Red kite were both seen but little else of note. Can't be long now before the first Wheatear of the year followed by Terns and maybe a wader or two.

year list now 160

Slavonian Grebe

Smew

Great crested Grebe

Catching up

I've found some time this week and yes I'm still looking after Suzanne and still running around for the little ones but I have managed to squeeze in some 'me time'. I've walked the local reservoir four times this week and even had half an hour at Rainham before taking the grandkids to school on Wednesday. 

I have so far this week year ticked Barn Owl at Rainham plus Raven and Sand Martin at KGV.

KGV has yielded good views of a drake Smew, drake Scaup, Summer plumaged Black-necked Grebe, winter plumaged Black-necked and Slavonian Grebe, a Black-throated Diver and two Great northern Divers as well as Raven which appear to be nesting again. Two Sand Martins arrived on Monday and I managed to see them on Wednesday for a year tick. There has been a drake Garganey reported since last weekend but despite checking every duck on my four visits I failed to see it and it was still being seen by others up until at least yesterday so I have no idea where it's hiding on my visits.

Also present on KGV a female Black Redstart, a Barnacle Goose, a pair of Goosander and a pair of Oystercatchers. There are still a few Goldeneye and some of the drakes are now displaying to the females. There's a couple of Little Grebe and a few Great crested Grebes which are starting to weed dance now when they're not sleeping. Red Kites and Buzzard are having their territory disputes as they settle into nesting sites again. Looking forward to more visits next week when hopefully we see a bit more passive and a few more summer visitors passing through.

year list now 158

UPDATE: 14TH March went back to KGV today and finally saw the Garganey!

Garganey sleeping on the causeway 

The causeway

Also saw Smew, Scaup, GN Diver x2, Slav Grebe, BN Grebe x2, Sand Martin x 4, Raven and Black Redstart oh and a Dunlin which is a decent bird for the reservoir. Other species present were Tufted Duck, Shelduck, Gadwall, Mallard, Teal, Goldeneye, Shoveler, Wigeon, Pochard, Coot, Moorhen, Gt Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Canada Geese, Greylag Geese, Egyptian Geese, Barnacle Goose, Stock Dove, Woodpiegon, Feral Pigeon, Parakeet, Dunnock, Robin, Wren, Cetti's Warbler, Starling, Black bird, Song Thrush, Chiffchaff, Long tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Reed Bunting, Greenfinch, House Sparrow, Goldfinch, Red Kite, Buzzard, Kestrel, Cormorant, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Heron. Little Egret, Bh Gull. Lbb Gull. Herring Gull, Common Gull. Mute Swan, Green Woodpecker, GS Woodpecker, Pheasant, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Jackdaw, Magpie and Crow. Throw in Goosander, Black-throated Diver and Peregrine and we're pushing over 70 species for the reservoir this week.

oh and I've finally had a Blackcap visit the garden this year.

Blackcap

Richards Pipit at Newport Pagnell Bucks

I've been watching reports of the Richards Pipit that seems settled at Bury field, Newport Pagnell since its first sighting on 17th February and with little to do today I made the solo run up the M1 hoping it would hang around for another day and I wasn't disappointed finding it feeding in the furthest corner from the road I'd parked in. It was settled but liked it's own space and didn't allow a close approach so my images are heavily cropped record shots. I watched it for an hour or so where it occasionally kept company with around ten Meadow Pipits but it preferred it's own space away from them most of the time. Sparrowhawk, Red Kite and Buzzard flew over and Skylarks sang to add interest to the visit. I think it's five years since I've seen a Richards Pipit so glad I made the one hour trip for this one eventually.

Year list now 154 

Breckland birding

With a forecast of some sun we headed up into Breckland today stopping first at Lynford arboretum where we year ticked Brambling, Coal Tit and Marsh Tit. Amongst the other highlights were a large flock of Siskin, lot's of Nuthatch and Yellowhammers at the gate and what sounded like a Crossbill which I failed to locate to confirm. Jimmy had a crest calling in the carpark but I couldn't find it and he year ticked Treecreeper whilst I was at the paddock.

We moved on to our favourite Goshawk watchpoint and had a Gos fly low across the pines almost as soon as we'd set up the scopes but it took another two hours before we got the next sighting. Three Sparrowhawks lot's of Buzzard and a couple of Red Kites added interest as did a singing Woodlark.

year list now 153