A quick catch up blog post.
Since my last post at the end of January I've mostly been busy looking after my wife, her father and the grandchildren but I have managed a few hours birding.
2nd Feb.
I drove solo up to Abberton after visiting my son in Hornchurch hoping to year tick the wintering Canvasback but the Pochard flock was too distant and I couldn't pick out the bird amongst them. I did manage to year tick Caspian Gull when Daryl R pointed out a first winter bird flying in which obliged by dropping into the Coot flock. Goosanders, Red-crested Pochard and a Black-necked Grebe the other highlights.
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| Goosander |
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| Goosander |
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| Goosander |
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| Goosander |
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| Pied Wagtail |
5th Feb
A trip to Abberton again with the Jims to search for Lesser Scaup which we found between Wigborough bay and the screen at Billets farm. These five birds have wintered in Devon and taken the strange route north east via Abberton and doubled the amount of Lesser Scaup I've ever seen having seen five single birds previously. A Raven as we drove up the A12 was unexpected and the big surprise was only one Pochard being seen across the whole reservoir. Smew, Goosander and Goldeneye the best of the rest.
8th Feb
I had a short window between school drop off and pick up so headed down to Southend again. It was raining and the trains weren't running but regardless I had the free time so I walked out to the pier end with just me and one other non birder on the pier I searched in vain. Red-throated and Gt northern Divers were seen along with Razorbill and Guillemot with the Great-crested Grebes. A single Med Gull and lot's of Turnstone the only other birds of note in a miserable venture.
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| A long wet walk down the longest pleasure pier in the world |
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| 1.33miles of Southend Pier |
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| The pier beyond the pleasure park |
10th Feb
Back down to Southend today with Jim and this time we did pick out the White-billed Diver which despite giving great scope views at 50x it didn't come close enough to attract the attention of my camera. Three Gt northern and several Red-throated divers were seen along with a few auks, an Eider and a couple of Shag. Med Gulls were present in good numbers and a roost of well over a hundred Turnstones was good to see. The Diver is the first twitchable record for Essex and brings my modest Essex list to 279.
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| The White-billed Diver admirers |
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| The end of the pier |
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| the bird was about half a mile off the end of the pier today. |
Year list now 164
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