Paid a very quick visit to East Hyde today in the hope of connecting with Jack Snipe.
They haven't been reported this year at the site but with the big freeze I thought they might have arrived today. It's a nice site for a work day as you can pull up and see the area from the car on the main road. As I pulled up at the bridge to look over into the small channel I saw a Green Sandpiper (138) and Little Egret with a pair of Mallard and several BH Gulls. A Red Kite hunted low over the snow covered field close by and the colours of the bird next to the white ground were stunning.....No camera to catch it unfortunately.
I scanned the edge of the channel but couldn't find any Snipe so that tick will have to wait for another day.
On the drive round the London orbital car park (M25) I saw another Red Kite sitting in a dead tree and several Buzzards one of which hovered like a Rough Legged but I have seen Common do that before and it was too far away and too brief to call anything other than Buzzard.
Bracing myself now for the Snow that's forecast this weekend and the birds it may bring in.
Thursday, 17 January 2013
Monday, 14 January 2013
Blackcap in the garden
I woke this morning to find a blanket of snow on the ground.
My first thought was great that might bring a few birds into the garden looking for food and sure enough it did as a male Balckcap visited to feast on the apples I've planted in my Budleah.
I counted 18 Chaffinch, 12 Goldfinch, 6 Greenfinch, 4 Great Tit and 6 Blue Tit, a pair of Siskin along with 3 Blackbird, a Song Thrush , 2 Robin, a Dunnock, a Pied Wagtail, several Wood Pigeon and a couple of Collared Dove all taking advantage of my feeders along with the single Blackcap.
(Year list now at 137)
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| A sprinkling of the white stuff in the garden |
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| Blackcap |
I counted 18 Chaffinch, 12 Goldfinch, 6 Greenfinch, 4 Great Tit and 6 Blue Tit, a pair of Siskin along with 3 Blackbird, a Song Thrush , 2 Robin, a Dunnock, a Pied Wagtail, several Wood Pigeon and a couple of Collared Dove all taking advantage of my feeders along with the single Blackcap.
(Year list now at 137)
Sunday, 13 January 2013
A little patch work
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| Goldcrest |
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| Grey Heron and Tufted Duck |
As a foot note I took delivery of my "blog book" yesterday. A hardback book featuring every page of my blog from 2012. A nice keepsake especially if blogger ever decides to delete the file or I make a mess of it. I fear now my obsessive nature will require another one for 2013!
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| Blog book 2012 |
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| The Blog Book |
Saturday, 12 January 2013
American Buff Bellied Pipits in Berkshire
Popped round the M25 early this morning and took a quick look at Staines Reservoir where we found just Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Cormorant and GC Grebes. Quickly we moved on to Queen Mother Reservoir where we made our donation and entered the car park. We walked the reservoir for over four hours connecting with the Long Tailed Duck, the Slavonian Grebe and a pair of Peregrine sitting on the tower in the middle of the reservoir. We enjoyed a coffee and breakfast on site before going back out for another circuit of the place in search of the American visitors. The bird was seen at 9.25am from the opposite end of the reservoir to us but by just a couple of birders and it took flight before the message got out. It (they) seem much more flighty than when I saw it before Xmas.
Just as I had decided to leave two pipits flew overhead from the gravel pits and landed on the reservoir banks where they fed for a moment before flying off to the south where they were later found.
We picked up a few Red Kites over by Windsor Castle and three more on our way back round the M25 near the M1 junction. We had a nice morning with plenty of banter between birders and saw a few familiar faces despite it being freezing cold but it was dry so we were thankful for that and the year list moved on to 134
Just as I had decided to leave two pipits flew overhead from the gravel pits and landed on the reservoir banks where they fed for a moment before flying off to the south where they were later found.
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| Windsor Castle across the Queen Mother reservoir |
Thursday, 10 January 2013
Quick catch up in Essex
Working in Hadleigh today I found a few minutes to catch up with a few year ticks.
Firstly after checking out the Common Scoter and Long Tailed Duck at Gunners Park (Both seen already this year) I drove past Southend Pier where I connected with Mediteranean Gull (130) and Red Throated Diver. Along the front Sanderling and Turnstone fed and gave me the opportunity to snatch a couple of shots.
After work I popped down to Wallasea to connect with Corn Bunting (131) and Short Eared Owl (132) along with Barn Owl.
Half an hours birding giving up three year ticks along with great views of some often distant regulars.
Firstly after checking out the Common Scoter and Long Tailed Duck at Gunners Park (Both seen already this year) I drove past Southend Pier where I connected with Mediteranean Gull (130) and Red Throated Diver. Along the front Sanderling and Turnstone fed and gave me the opportunity to snatch a couple of shots.
After work I popped down to Wallasea to connect with Corn Bunting (131) and Short Eared Owl (132) along with Barn Owl.
Half an hours birding giving up three year ticks along with great views of some often distant regulars.
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| Sanderling |
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| Sanderling |
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| Sanderling at Southend |
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| Long Tailed Duck and Common Scoter |
Sunday, 6 January 2013
Rainham Marsh and Epping Forest
Jim and I took an early morning stroll along the sea wall at Rainham this morning where we picked up Rock, Meadow and Water Pipits. Rock Pipits must be present in double numbers.
On the drive to collect Jim I had a Barn Owl hunting along the David Lloyd fields so technically my first Roding Valley tick of 2013 should I ever get started on it as a patch.
As we moved to the visitors centre I picked up a Stonechat and there was a Ring Necked Parakeet near the feeders. We found the presumed plastic Ross's Goose on the reserve keeping the company of several Greylags and saw it in flight too which was good. On the foreshore we saw Wigeon, Shelduck, Teal, Redshank, Dunlin and Curlew before we made a quick stop in Epping Forest to pick up Mandarin Duck for a year tick. Strawberry Pond has an established population of around twenty birds.
A Goldcrest showed along with Coal Tit and Nuthatch.
Back at home I have planted a tree and set up a new feeding station in the garden.
Year list now at 129 and still under a week long so moving along quite nicely....
When and what will be the first lifer of 2013?
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| Mandarin Ducks at Strawberry Pond |
On the drive to collect Jim I had a Barn Owl hunting along the David Lloyd fields so technically my first Roding Valley tick of 2013 should I ever get started on it as a patch.
As we moved to the visitors centre I picked up a Stonechat and there was a Ring Necked Parakeet near the feeders. We found the presumed plastic Ross's Goose on the reserve keeping the company of several Greylags and saw it in flight too which was good. On the foreshore we saw Wigeon, Shelduck, Teal, Redshank, Dunlin and Curlew before we made a quick stop in Epping Forest to pick up Mandarin Duck for a year tick. Strawberry Pond has an established population of around twenty birds.
A Goldcrest showed along with Coal Tit and Nuthatch.
Back at home I have planted a tree and set up a new feeding station in the garden.
Year list now at 129 and still under a week long so moving along quite nicely....
When and what will be the first lifer of 2013?
Saturday, 5 January 2013
ticking in Kent and a male Hen Harrier steals the show
We made the drive to Kent this morning having decided to start our new years list in Norfolk last week rather than our South East favorite.
We first stopped at Walland Marsh, parking in the Woolpack Inn car park and crossed the road to enter the marsh and walked the raised border for about half a mile. Marsh Harriers were in good numbers and a Ring tail Hen Harrier was seen. Cetti's Warbler called and Bearded Tits pinged. A distant SEO hooted or at least that was what we thought we'd heard but we remained unclear even after seeing what looked like one too.
(Not sure enough we left it to tick another day)
On scanning the fields to my right under the wind turbines I found a Crane feeding in the open and quickly got the Jims on it. We had really good views of it before returning to the car for a warm up.
On the way to Lydd we stopped to scan a field full of Swans to find many of them to be Bewick.
Whilst searching here for any Whoopers we found firstly a Merlin and then the bird of the day arrived in the form of an adult MALE Hen Harrier. The bird hunted the field in front of us for a good half an hour dropping to the floor several times as it hunted. A fabulous encounter which will stay long in the memory.
We moved on to Dungeness where we searched for the Glaucous Gull without luck.
On the sea we found lot's of Gt Crested Grebe including one Leucistic bird. Gannets fished, Guillemots were on the sea in large numbers and a large flock of Common Scoter flew past. Adult and juvenile Kittiwakes were present and a few Red Throated Diver were also seen close in. We encountered several Gt Wh. Egrets one really close in a field by the entrance to the RSPB track. Smew were seen on the reserve and of course Tree Sparrows fed on the feeders at the gate.
We debated a drive to Dover Harbour where a Black Throated Diver is still being reported and as we're only 20 miles away it had to happen. On arrival we scanned the harbour from the life boat station and quickly find Red Breasted Merganser and Shag but the Diver gave us the slip.
A walk down to the lighthouse gave us two Purple Sandpipers and despite being told the Diver had just shown we still didn't connect.
A cracking day...the year list now sits at 124. Onwards and upwards!
We first stopped at Walland Marsh, parking in the Woolpack Inn car park and crossed the road to enter the marsh and walked the raised border for about half a mile. Marsh Harriers were in good numbers and a Ring tail Hen Harrier was seen. Cetti's Warbler called and Bearded Tits pinged. A distant SEO hooted or at least that was what we thought we'd heard but we remained unclear even after seeing what looked like one too.
(Not sure enough we left it to tick another day)
On scanning the fields to my right under the wind turbines I found a Crane feeding in the open and quickly got the Jims on it. We had really good views of it before returning to the car for a warm up.
On the way to Lydd we stopped to scan a field full of Swans to find many of them to be Bewick.
Whilst searching here for any Whoopers we found firstly a Merlin and then the bird of the day arrived in the form of an adult MALE Hen Harrier. The bird hunted the field in front of us for a good half an hour dropping to the floor several times as it hunted. A fabulous encounter which will stay long in the memory.
We moved on to Dungeness where we searched for the Glaucous Gull without luck.
On the sea we found lot's of Gt Crested Grebe including one Leucistic bird. Gannets fished, Guillemots were on the sea in large numbers and a large flock of Common Scoter flew past. Adult and juvenile Kittiwakes were present and a few Red Throated Diver were also seen close in. We encountered several Gt Wh. Egrets one really close in a field by the entrance to the RSPB track. Smew were seen on the reserve and of course Tree Sparrows fed on the feeders at the gate.
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| The White cliffs of Dover |
A walk down to the lighthouse gave us two Purple Sandpipers and despite being told the Diver had just shown we still didn't connect.
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| Dover Harbour |
A cracking day...the year list now sits at 124. Onwards and upwards!
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