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