Time with the Ravens

Another early start today and another walk around the reservoir. I like the early starts for several reasons, one I'm a poor sleeper and always have been, two it allows me to get back in time to sort Suzannes breakfast etc and three it's just great being out as the day starts to go about it's business. The birds are in full song as the sun rises and the light itself on a good day is nice too and of course there's less people about.

This morning I was on the reservoir around 5.30am, it was cold and pretty quiet. I set about counting what I saw and heard as I walked down to the causeway. I checked that yesterdays Badger hadn't got stuck again and with no sign I carried on down to the magic corner and around to the sluice. I could see Ravens on the bank as I approached and crept closer and closer until I had to stop when they started to be aware of my approach. They settled down again and allowed me to take a few pictures. I've seen four birds regularly and assumed it was two young and two adults but today there was four birds but three appear to be young fledglings, displaying that red gape I associate with the young birds so perhaps If I get lucky and find both parents with the three young I'll be able to make a new high count of five. I do enjoy watching them on my visits and they help justify the long walk out to the north west corner which is about 2miles from the car park. I counted 54 species again today with the best birds being the Raven, a drake Wigeon and an Oystercatcher. Lot's of Swifts and hirundines about again, Swan numbers are building as are the Starling now the young are appearing. The Great crested Grebes remain, some are still displaying but it just seems strange to see them loafing about on the reservoir with no interest in moving to breeding habitat.

That time of year again

Every year I look forward to seeing the fresh fledglings in the garden and this week has seen the start of the action with first the pair of Parakeets bringing two young to the feeder and then the Robins have brought in two fresh young too. The Sparrows, Starlings, Goldfinches and Tits won't be far behind. Hope they survive and do well in their short lives.

KGV BADGER

I completed this years farm surveys yesterday and enjoyed my grandsons party in the afternoon. This morning I woke early so decided I'd walk the reservoir and get home in time to sort Suzannes breakfast.

I arrived at 5.30 and took a slow walk along the south basin counting Grebes etc as I do. I had a Whimbrel and two Osytercatchers on the banks but otherwise it was pretty quiet. I scanned the south side of the causeway but found nothing of interest so moved to scan the north side and as I got to the far end I noticed something unusual and needed a second look before I believed my own eyes. A Badger was seemingly trying to climb the bank on the far side. I walked around to it and it seemed healthy as it walked around in the corner and stood on its hind legs etc before it settled down for a rest. I let a couple of locals know hoping for a bit of advice which didn't come so contemplated the animals fate if left down the bank on the waters edge. I called Thames Water but they didn't offer any advise save to recommend trying to contact the RSPCA which I set about doing only to find they didn't answer the phone until 8AM so I had over an hour to kill before I could ring them. I spent that hour counting birds and photographing the Ravens again.

The RSPCA were helpful and said they would send somebody out and within a few minutes the guy coming had called to say he'd be there about 9.30am so I had another 90minutes to wait now. I checked again with Thames Water about access etc for the RSPCA and the guy was happy for them to attend.

Meeting him at the gates we drove slowly around to the Badger and then the games began as the creature proved just how fit and well it was by giving us the slip for about 40 minutes until it eventually the inspector had pushed it far enough around the causeway for it to climb the steps and make its own exit. A happy ending which cost me 4 hours more than I wanted to give the reservoir today but Suzanne was understanding when I got home thankfully.

On the bird front I had two Whimbrel, two Oystercatchers and seven Dunlin along with the Ravens which I do enjoy watching on my visits.

As I like to say "if you get out there, you might just see something"

Cormorant

Raven

Raven

Raven

Raven

Raven

Raven

Raven

Raven

Raven

KGV visits

So I'm still getting over the George early morning now that I'm not doing so many school runs for the grandchildren. Friday saw me do a full circuit and my reward was 54 species with the highlights being a Whimbrel and a couple of Common Sandpipers. The Ravens were feeding on the rubble pile and I had some nice numbers of Swift and Swallow too.

The Old pump house

Swallow

Swallow

Swallow

Swallow

Swallows

Raven

Raven

Raven

Raven

Eastern Sub-alpine Warbler at Beachy Head

I've seen several Sub-alpine Warblers over the years but never one of the Eastern form apart from an unconvincing sight of one at Landguard which I decided not to tick at the time so when one was found on 12th at Beachy Head in West Sussex I had one eye on it. News was that the bird was singing which is always a good marker for it sticking a while and the weather also looked good for keeping it there a few days so I continued with my commitments and arranged to pick Jim up at 5am this morning having talked Dad out of the venture due to the expected steep climb back to the car park at Cow Gap.

We made light work of the 88 miles and arrived just before 7am. A walk to the top of the hill and I spotted a birder with a scope down at the cliff top so we set off in that direction in the hope he was either on the bird or knew where it was yesterday. It's quite the walk down but we made it in one piece to the good news that the bird was still there, still calling and in view. We managed to see it in seconds and so the tick was bagged but we settled down to watch the bird for two hours as it went about it's business. The bird was almost constantly singing and was doing a short circuit picking moth lava from bushes and flying back under the bank before repeating the circuit again and again. According to a local there has been issue with tape playing which I don't agree with and I'm pleased to say we saw nobody doing it today although we only saw ten other birders in the three hours we were there.

So Eastern Sub-alpine Warbler comes off my dipped list and onto the life list.

Year list now 206 Life list now 455

Also present were a family of four Stonechat with the young begging for food and being fed. A Lesser Whitethroat was seen whilst looking for the Warbler too and another birder had Black Redstart we I missed it. As we left a Peregrine flew over to cap a nice visit before we started the climb back to the car park which proved my point that it would have been too much for Dad on his metal knees.

Peregrine

KGV

Another four mile walk around the George this morning in the cold and windy conditions. My reward for the continued effort of walking the reservoir was today in the form of more views of the four Ravens, a Whimbrel, four Dunlin, four Common Sandpipers and three Yellow Wagtails. Grebe  numbers remain high but the Tufted ducks have all but left now. A pair of Wigeon are lingering and today lot's of Swift were hawking the reservoir with lower numbers of Swallow and Sand Martin. As for breeding eveidence I've now seen Pied, Grey and Yellow Wagtails young, the Raven have two young that have fledged now, Juvenile Starlings have started to make noisy appearances now too and I've noticed a young Backbird and a Magpie too today along with a juvenile Cormorant.

Cormorants

Cormorant

Cormorant

Egyptian Geese

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Yellow Wagtail family

Yellow Wagtails

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Raven

Dunlin

Dunlin

Dunlin

Dunlin

A male Cuckoo continues to call but with todays wind I found it difficult to hear all but the loudest of the calling birds but still enjoyed the walk and the bird sightings it delivered to me.