first Wheatear of the year

Walking around KGV with Jim this morning we had one eye on finding Common Sandpiper which had been reported yesterday. As we reached the magic corner I found my first Wheatear of 2026 and managed to alert Jim so he could enjoy it too. It posed for the camera but was always a little distant. Whilst watching it I found the drake Smew in the relief channel and a pair of Raven flew over and appear to be nesting again this year. A drake Goosander was the only other bird of note and we failed to find either the Scaup or the Slavonian Grebe on this circuit. I also didn't find the LRP I had yesterday or indeed the Common Sandpipers reported yesterday.

Year list now 169

Sand Martins at KGV

Another day and another walk around KGV first thing this morning before Mothers Day duties with my mum, my wife and my daughters in law and grandchildren.

The walk was quiet but I did see the drake Smew on south basin and the equally long staying Slavonain Grebe on north basin. A Raven and a Sparrowhawk were seen and after a tip to check the William Girling for Sand Martins I managed to see three from KGV to add another year tick bringing the total so far to 168. I also year ticked both Stuart and Harry.

The view of London from KGV across the Girling

Drake Smew

Slavonian Grebe

Slavonian Grebe

KGV

 My birding has mostly been a quick look at the local reservoir I like to call a patch although it only really gets my best attention for spring passage and a few winter visits to check for rarer wintering birds.

This winter has been a bit slow and spring seems to be taking forever to get going. We had a juvenile Great Northern Diver winter until 19th January and some Scoter have dropped in on a couple of occasions. A single Slavonian Grebe, drake Scaup and drake Smew remain on site having been seen on almost all my visits including this morning. We've had at least three Goosander of late but I didn't see any this morning. Red Kites are daily encounters now and this morning I noted Sparrowhawk and Kestrel with a Buzzard this week too. At dawn Parakeets fly from roost across the reservoir in ever increasing numbers. On the 8th March Jimmy found our first spring arrival with a single Little ringed Plover on the causeway. 

Our first Wheatear of the year was seen on 3rd March but didn't linger for me to connect with it and I'm told somebody has seen Sand Martin passing through but again none have lingered yet.

For now the visits are a little disappointing but I guess Spring passage will start proper any day now to keep the interest going for a month or so.

I also took the Jims up to Abberton again on 9th March where we found the Canvasback from Billets Farm in the mist but couldn't locate a reported Ring-necked Duck despite a good search at Billets, Wigborough, Abberton church and both causeways. Spoonbill were nesting, we picked out a Redhead Smew and then 32 Russian White-fronted Geese dropped in west of Layer Breton causeway. Three Great White Egrets were noted.

year list now 167 with the LRP and Canvasback.

drake Smew on site since 11th December

Smew

Slavonian Grebe on site since 24th February

Black Redstart

Goldeneye

Shelduck

View down the reservoir towards the city of London

Slavonian Grebe

Smew

Smew

Smew

Scaup

KGV

A walk along the east bank at KGV today gave me a site tick when I found a single Golden Plover on the causeway. It was distant and in thick fog so I didn't manage a photograph but I'm happy to add it to my KGV list which now stands at 133 as I also added Redshank having seen one today too and on checking realised I didn't have that on my site list either.

Also seen on this visit were a Slavonian Grebe, Greater Scaup, Drake Smew and a female Goosander. There were still at least twenty Goldeneye on site and a single Wigeon.  

I had a quick walk around Connaught waters on the way home hoping to bump into the Falcated duck that keeps getting reported there but I keep missing it and today was no different. I know it's an escapee but I've never seen one so I'd like to catch up with it if I can. I found ten Mandarin and Five of the Ringed Teal which gave me a chance to get the camera out. The Ringed Teal are of course escaped/released birds but they are pretty cool still and will probably try to breed again this year as there's at least the one female on site.

Ringed Teal

Ringed Teal

Female Ringed Teal

Ringed Teal

Mallard

Mandarin

Female Mandarin

Mandarin

Mandarin

Mandarin pair

Smew

Slavonian Grebe in the mist

We visited Sandon/Wallington in Herts on 28th February and managed to see a couple of Short eared Owls that have wintered there although it was almost dark when they eventually came out to hunt and we added Grey Partridge on the drive to Sandon too.

I also took Dad to Abberton on Monday (missed the Sea Eagle by a day). We found a redhead Smew three Tundra Bean Geese, 3 Spoonbill, 2 Great White Egrets but little else of note for our effort.

Year list still 165

RINGING DATA

Whilst scanning all the geese at Fishers Green last week I noticed two birds had leg rings that were readable with the scope so duly noted the numbers and sent them off to the relevant recorder.

Yesterday the data came back to say both birds were ringed in St.James park London. One in 2023 and the other in 2024, neither bird has been reported away from that site until my report from this month.

A day out

I've been getting my birding fix by stealing an hour here and there locally mostly Fishers Green or Rainham after school runs for the little ones but with a nice forecast for Saturday and no planned family duties for me and the Jims we organised a trip.

The plan was to start with the Hume's Warbler in Lowestoft Suffolk so we set off early to arrive for 7.30am and joined a few other guys to search the area around the Tennis courts where the bird was known to be wintering. Time went by and we were joined by Mark F. Dave B. and Mike O'H. we had a good catch up as we waited for the bird to join us which it eventually did as Mark and I picked up the call before another guy also heard it and managed to pick it out high up. It dropped and moved to feed in a bush with a Firecrest.(Mark told me the name of the bush is Elaeagnaceae). Over the next hour or so we had good views of both the Hume's and the Firecrest although they were very mobile and difficult to hit with the camera. A random single Barnacle goose flew over which gave the Jims a third year tick of the day. The Hume's is my sixth after birds in Yorkshire, Norfolk (2) and Kent (2).

Firecrest

Firecrest

Hume's leaf Warbler

We moved on and decided to try Ness Point for Purple Sandpipers as it was just a couple of hundred yards away but despite a good search we failed to find any in a very high and turbulent tide and decided to try next for Shore Lark at Kessingland knowing that four birds had been wintering there. It was a short five mile drive away and we parked in a layby before walking out to the beach forgetting a) the steps down and b) just how big the beach is at Kessingland. The steps and the walk would be too much for Dad so he sat this one out on the bench above the cliffs as Jim and I took on the challenge of the walk to find the Shore Larks which proved successful as we enjoyed good views of the four birds out on the shingle having first navigated the uneven steps and the very wet areas between the cliff and the shingle. We told Dad we had the bird but talked him out of attempting the descent instead heading back to join him at the bench.

Shore Lark

Shore Larks

Shore Lark

I drove the car through the caravan park to save Dad part of the walk back from the bench and we set off north before stopping again at Ness Point for another search for Purple Sandpipers which this time proved fruitful although again involved a lengthy walk. We also found a partially leucistic Stonechat here and a Rock Pipit with a blue ring which a local said meant it was ringed in Finland.

Purple Sandpiper

the partially leucistic Stonechat

Turnstone

Having finally year ticked Purple Sandpipers (and I know the tick isn't important but an excuse to find and enjoy these winter visitors each year) we moved on and with me wanting to see the Iceland Gull at Sea Palling and the Jims still wanting winter Swans this year left us with a short debate about in which order we tried for both and we ruled out going for the American Wigeon due to the length of the walk Dad would have to do for it.  I decided we'd got to Sea Palling first and we headed north 25 miles to the beach car park and paid the £1.50 fee for an hour before setting off along the beach to the large throng of Gulls feeding on the tide line. Among the majority of Herring Gulls and Black-headed gulls we found first the juvenile Iceland Gull and then a couple of Caspian Gulls. I can't believe it's almost five years since I last saw an Iceland Gull (Wantsead April 2021) Our hour passed too quick before we headed off to get the Jims a year tick at Ludham airfield where a mixed herd of 50 Whoopers and Bewick's was quickly found before the 120 mile journey home. I added four year ticks and Jim managed eight with Dad seven after not seeing the Shore Larks. (Firecrest, Barnacle and the two Swans that I'd already seen this year)

A terrific day of birding in Suffolk/Norfolk with the Hume's being a Suffolk tick for me too.

Year list now 162

Tundra Bean Goose

I've been keeping an eye on the Tundra Bean Goose on my visits to the valley and it remains loyal to the field opposite Holyfield fishery in Fishers Green lane. The 12 Russian White Fronted Geese remain but are a little more mobile and take more time away from the field. 

Yesterday I took Jim to see it as he needed it for his local list too and we managed good views. A walk out to the weir and back gave good views of a couple of Raven and we also has two single birds fly over later. Lots of winter thrushes remain and we checked a few tick flocks hoping for Firecrest but found only Goldcrests for our effort. There are a few winter ducks hanging on and we found three Siskin with a small Goldfinch flock. The general feeling is one of quiet with little of note so spring migration can't come quick enough.

Russian White fronted Geese returning to feed in the fields

Among the Greylags are a couple of ringed birds so I've noted the details and sent it off to the ringers for their interest. 

Greylag U456

My daughter has had some good news and her treatment appears to be having a positive effect so we celebrate that for now but having been through similar troubles I know its a long road and the worry never really leaves you.

Hoping for a day out to the coast this weekend if nothing changes in the next few hours.