Greylags make good parents

Having spent most of the day at my sons gardening I needed a birding fix so made the short trip to Fishers Green where I witnessed the Greylag Geese demonstrating their bond with the four chicks they have.
First they watched over them as they found food on the grass bank and saw off any other bird that ventured too close including an aggressive Swan.
As night closed in the adult took all four chicks and tucked them under her wings for the night.
A real tender moment that just underlines the commitment these birds have to show to raise a brood.
I'm hoping they can get the four chicks reared but will keep posting development here for anybody interested.

Four Greylags looking for Mum

All four chicks getting settled for the night

And sleep!

Pochard

On the walk around Seventy Acres lake I had hoped for my first Hobby but failed to see one although eight Swifts hawked high up with the Swallows and Martins and a couple of Common Buzzard drifted over the lake. 

Nightingales in the Lea Valley

I was back at Lea Valley this morning, pulling into Fishers Green car park before 6.30am
I arrived to the tune of Nightingales singing and managed to grab a photograph of one, a bit distant so cropped in but nice to see a couple today along with hearing at least six birds singing.

Nightingale

As I walked around seventy acre lake I heard lot's of Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Sedge and Cetti's Warbler and a Reed Warbler was also heard which is the first I've heard at the valley this year.
A Cuckoo was heard again and a Peregrine was seen flying over. The first Common Tern arrived at the lake this morning but didn't stay around long. I managed a quick shot before the Black Headed Gulls chased it off the post.

Common Tern

On the lake the Coots are nesting and the Canada Geese now have young along with the Greylags.

Coot

Canada Goose

On the walk back I stopped to watch the Wrens as they gathered nesting material for the home they are building under the car park bridge to raise this years family.

Wren

Wren

Jenny Wren

Wren

Jimmy rang as I got home to say he'd just had an Owl fly up in front of him from the back of the lake 

He was unsure at first if it was SEO or LEO but either way a great bird for the patch, hopefully he'll be able to ID it later and maybe we'll connect with it again.

Finding an Arctic tern at Startops End Reservoir

I noticed that a Slavonian Grebe had been seen at Lea Valley late last night and knowing Jim needed that for a patch tick I took him there first light this morning. The fog was sitting heavy when we arrived at Friday lake but soon lifted as the sun came up but revealed only a Black Swan of any note.
Sedge Warblers are now present in good numbers.

Sedge Warbler

Sedge Warbler

After dipping the Slav Grebe we set off back to the car park and managed to hear then see our first Cuckoo of the year. (210)

The whole valley seems alive with Blackcaps at the moment and one male dropped in to give me a chance of a quick shot or two.

Male Blackcap

We moved on to Startop Ends reservoir in search of Arctic Tern and on arrival had our second and third Cuckoo of 2013. The reservoir held good numbers of Common Terns but we managed to find a single Arctic amongst them. Blood red bill, short legs, long tail streamers and that diagnostic black fringe to the wing tips...nailed! (211)

Arctic Tern

Common Tern

From here the journey home took in a couple of stops as we tried to find Ring Ouzel for the Jims but failed despite stops at Ivinghoe Beacon, Blows Downs and Pegsdon Hills.

Kingfisher connection

I set off early this morning with blue skies in search of Kingfisher. By the time I arrived at the river the sky was grey and the wind was blowing hard ruining my chances of any decent shots today but I did enjoy the company of three or more Kingfishers as they flew up and down and stopped to fish nearby on occasion too. Also seen were a pair of Bullfinches and a pair of Blackcaps which was a welcome addition to the Kings.

Kingfisher

Kingfisher

Kingfisher

On the way back I stopped at the reservoir and again caught up with the resident Red Crested Pochard.
The place was alive with hirundines and Common Tern but alas I could find no Arctic amongst them.
Yellow and White Wagtail showed but I didn't see the reported Blue Headed Wagtail.

Red Crested Pochard

Common Tern

The weather took a bad turn delivering pea sized hail stones with gusting winds but gladly I'd made it home before this freak storm arrived after which the sun of course came out to play.

I also saw this lamb yesterday wearing a plastic bag.

Speaking to the farmer he said they are put on the new born lambs to help prevent hypothermia and fall off after a few days but give the little guys a hand to survive the first few days of spring which as we know can be cold and wet. (The plastic also degrades in the sun so no environmental issues)

As for my 2013 v 2012 bird race I need five more in April to be level with last years April total.
I see today there's an Alpine Swift in Kent, a Corncrake at Beachy Head and a Red Rumped Swallow in Kessingland now I'd take any of them for starters!

Ring Necked Duck at Conningbrook Gravel Pits

I headed down to Dunge again today but stopped on the way to look for a reported drake Ring Necked Duck at Conningbrook gravel pits near Ashford, Kent. I arrived at the site and made my way around the large lake to find a group of Tufted Duck which held the target bird (204) and a hybrid that may have caused issue for some if the real duck wasn't on site. The bird kept to the centre of the lake but I did manage a couple of record shots.

Ring Necked Duck

Ring Necked Duck with Tufted Ducks

Ring Necked Duck

The lake had House Martin, Swallow and Common Tern too.

I moved on to Dunge and found the sea very quiet save a Porpoise within a few feet of the beach and Gannets fishing on the patch which was alive with gulls and terns but I couldn't find anything of note amongst them. Around the moat area I found a single Firecrest and plenty of Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler.
Six Wheatear were around the new lighthouse area. On the track to the reserve I stopped to view and listen to my first Whitethroat (205) of the year and from the car park had my first Swift (206) as a single bird flew over towards Hookers pit. A White Wagtail was seen near Demo pond and a Garganey on Burrowes Pit with female Goldeneye.

On the walk to ARC pit I found a Reed Warbler (207) and lot's of Sedge Warbler but found nothing of interest from the hide. I took a drive around the back of Denge Marsh to look for Whinchat but found only Wheatear here but I did chance upon a Raven (208) as it flew towards the power station from the MOD site. All in all a decent days birding in Kent giving me five year ticks n the process.

This evening I revisited the Lea Valley and had at least five singing Nightingale for tick 209.
on the way home I stopped to grab a photograph of the Deer in the forest at Upshire.

Roe Deer

First chicks of 2013 tell us spring has finally arrived

On a walk around Seventy Acres lake today I spotted four baby Greylag Geese, my first chicks seen this year. After I had spent the morning spring cleaning and gardening I took the walk minus a coat for the first time in 2013 which shows it's warming up a touch.

Greylag Goose

Greylags

Ugly Duckling?

Greylag Goose

Canada Goose

Mute Swan

Cormorants

Cettis, Willow and Sedge Warbler were all calling as I walked around the lakes. Chiffchaff and Blackcap were also singing in what seemed like every tree.

Chiffchaff

A small colony of House Sparrow chirped away in celebration of the weather changing for the better as did the tits and finches.

House Sparrow

House Sparrow

Blue Tit

Mallards fighting

Mallard fight

Common Buzzards soared over head until the local crows saw them off. The farm fields were full of Egyptian Geese and Lapwings.

Young Rabbits waiting at the warren

Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen and heard and the lakes and rivers held Great Crested Grebe, Coot, Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Moorhen, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Gadwall and Pochard.

GCG

Still waiting for the Nightingales, Whitethroats and Reed Warblers to arrive but I'm sure it won't be long.

Dipping Hoopoe again at Tyttenhanger Gravel Pits

HOOPOE within twenty miles of home...I had to give it a try.

I arrived at Tyttenhanger Gravel Pits in Hertfordshire within 20 minutes of leaving home and made the short walk through to the fields where the Hoopoe had been seen. The fields held over twenty Wheatear and a couple of Yellow Wagtails but no sign of the target which is about right being now my eleventh dip on this particular species.

Wheatear

I walked around the lake and back and gave it a couple of hours work before giving in with the short journey home being reliant on the London orbital and the joys that can bring.

Red Kite, Kestrel and Common Buzzard all flew over and a Redstart was reported but like the Hoopoe not seen by me. I hope this isn't the start of another series of dips on this iconic bird.
(two Hoopoe dipped already this year)