White-billed Diver at Southend pier

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.

Goosander

Goosander

Goosander

Goosander

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.

A long wet walk down the longest pleasure pier in the world

1.33miles of Southend Pier

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.

The White-billed Diver admirers

The end of the pier

the bird was about half a mile off the end of the pier today.

Year list now 164

Five grebes in an hour

Between changing the dressing on my father in laws head, shopping for him, getting his meds and lunch I managed an hour to visit KGV with the Jims. On arrival at north basin we quickly found the Slavonian Grebe close in with a group of Tufted Ducks and then scanned the basin for the Red-necked Grebe which we eventually found in the far north west corner. Lot's of Great-crested and Little Grebes were present as they generally are here making it four species of Grebe which has us thinking could we make it five so we set off to scan the Girling across the road and sure enough there was a Black-necked Grebe amongst a group of Tufted Ducks on the far side along with two Brent Geese which I think is a new bird for me at the local reservoirs.

Slavonian Grebe

The year list now sits at 160

Dipping the Black Scoter at Holkham

Last year we managed a life tick on Jims birthday with a Cackling Goose in Norfolk so this year we thought we'd try again and set off early in search of the Black Scoter at Holkham.

We arrived at 8am and parked up scanning quickly for the reported Green-winged Teal but couldn't find it in the time allocated although with lot's of Ruff out on the marsh we added our first year tick of the day. As we walked out towards the dunes we realised the high tide was really high and had cut off our route to the dunes although I managed to find a way through wading in the foot deep waters leaving the Jims behind to wait for the tide to retreat which took about half an hour.

The Scoter flock/raft was distant but massive with estimates of between five and six thousand birds and being distant in gloomy light we knew something would have to change if we were to find the Black Scoter amongst them. We picked out several Velvet Scoters both in flight and on the water before Jim found two drake  Long-tailed ducks for our second year tick of the day. Other ducks seen on the sea were Tufted, Wigeon, Teal, Pintail and Shelduck along with Mergansers and a couple of Red-throated Divers.

We scanned for almost three hours with no joy and the car park time expiry was looming so we set off along the beach in search of Shorelark but again the tide made it difficult without wellingtons. I crossed whilst the Jims walked back towards the carpark. As I walked back I saw Shorelark for another year tick and a call to the Jims was met with a reluctance to join me out on the marsh again having just negotiated their return around the marsh. Back at the car park the Jims had found the Green-winged Teal and quickly put me on it for another year tick. (At least until it's lumped later this year or early next year)

Green winged Teal in with the European Teal at Holkham

We set off to Cley next pulling up at the west bank where we surprisingly and very quickly located the flock of thirty plus Twite and then moved on to Sheringham to search out another year tick with this being a regular location for us to find Purple Sandpiper. We walked along the shore searching the rocks finding just Turnstones for our trouble and again the car park limit had us returning early but one last look out to the rocks from the car park area delivered a single Purple Sandpiper which we all got on before it flew towards the shelter and the rocks beyond.

Turnstone at Sheringham

A decent return for our time even it it did fail to deliver the life tick we all wanted today.

Year list now 159

Black Scoter did make one of my lists.......the DIPPED list!

In search of an Essex tick

I was on full blown grandad duty yesterday when news arrived of the second ever White-billed Diver for Essex. With the first being a fly by and this second one showing well fishing close in to the pier at Southend I knew it would be popular and most of the Essex listers managed to get down yesterday and not only see it but get some gripping images of it. I had more grandad duties planned for today but after some discussion managed to arrange some time off allowing me to try the twitch so picked up the Jims and headed down the A127.

We arrived at Wallasea island at 8am as the pier at Southend didn't open until 10.15am. In an hour just scanning from the entrance track at Wallasea we had Buzzard, Kestrel, Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, Merlin and Short-eared Owl along with Corn Bunting, Skylark, Stonechat, Fieldfare and many waders.

Fieldfare

Kestrel

We then drove to the pier at Southend and parked up outside. For just £8.30 I was legally allowed to leave my car in the road for three hours. After paying for tickets we boarded the 10.30 train and headed out to the end of the pier (the pier is 1.25miles long) At the pier end we found good numbers of Med Gulls and Turnstones and started to scan the sea along with those gathered, some like us hoping for an Essex tick whilst others wanted the year tick and a few searched for a Life tick. Geoff K, Roy W, Mike O'H, Simon W et al all joined in the scanning and we picked out lot's of distant Red-throated Divers and a couple of Gt-Northern Divers along with Razorbill, Guillemot and Gt-crested Grebes. A close in Gt-northern Diver caused some debate but was quickly correctly ID'd. Common Seals popped up around the pier at times and Roy had both Shag and Long-tailed Duck both of which would have been year ticks if I'd seen them.

Med Gull

Ringed in France 2020

After our three hours was up we headed back to the car via the train having walked a couple of miles up and down the pier in our search for the target. As we arrived home the bird news services reported that the White-billed Diver was seen close to the pier again at 4.15 today which left us wondering if it was the bird or the Gt-northern that had caused others confusion today. I guess time will tell if the bird is still out in the bay somewhere but I would like another go at it if possible.

Just the small matter of changing my father-in-laws wound dressing when I got near home and then a rest before tomorrow chasing the grandchildren around again.

Year list now 152

Ferruginous duck at Eagle pond Snaresbrook

I headed over to take care of my father in law this morning via Eagle pond in Snaresbrook where a Ferruginous duck had been spotted yesterday. On arrival I found four birders and they told me the duck was asleep under the willows overhanging the small island in the western corner but after a while it moved out into the open waters and gave some photographic opportunity. At first it showed little interest in the bread being offered to the Swans as all the other ducks took an interest so did the Fudge duck eventually.

It had been diving quite a bit and being fully winged and un-ringed looked good but the fact that it came to the bread worried me with regards to it's true wild status. Regardless of it's credentials the bird is a great looking duck and worthy of the time I gave it to capture the images today. 

Year list now 150 (all be it accepting the Fudge as a wild bird)

Little Owl at last

The last time I saw a Little Owl was in March 2022 so I decided I'd take advantage of some free time and head out to Watford where I know a Little Owl location. I started the day at Lemsford hoping yesterdays Jack Snipe would put in another appearance but with news that it was flushed by somebody walking in front of the hide I left having given it enough of my valuable free time today. The bird wasn't seen at all today so I guess it was right to move on early and leave this year tick for another day.

A quick stop at the road from Baldock to Wallington gave us two year ticks with Corn Bunting and Grey Partridge. A Merlin sat in a distant field and a Red Kite sat on the telegraph pole whilst Fieldfares fed in the hedge by the road.

Our last stop was the park in Watford where we'd previously seen Little Owl. We scanned the birds favoured trees and eventually found it roosting high up hidden in amongst the trees bark. As we watched it was bothered first by a fly then a Squirrel and eventually woke and flew lower down the tree and then lower again before finally chosing its roost branch at eye level. It looked around at the three of us and settled down to sleep. A real treat and an experience I won't forget in a long time.

The year list is now 149

A morning in Hertfordshire

A call to the Jims this morning to organise a bit of birding in Hertfordshire saw us heading up the A10 arriving at Bramfield church around 9am. With a few people already on site but no Hawfinch in the churchyard I headed off alone to the fields beyond the church where I found three Hawfinch with a large flock of Greenfinch and Yellowhammers. As I got the Jims and a couple of other birders to come down the birds flew off but before long I'd found a single bird for them all to enjoy. Later a Bullfinch joined the flock giving great views in the bins. Back in the churchyard I spotted a female Brambling in a small group of Chaffinch and what looked very much like a Goshawk over the distant woods. 

We moved on to Lemsford Springs just six miles away but found no keys at the wardens house so waited for about thirty minutes when the warden returned home. He offered to go down to the hide and get a key for us but didn't return but we managed to enter the reserve as a large group returned. In the hide we enjoyed views of at least six Green Sandpiper and four Snipe along with Teal, Grey Wagtail, Siskin and Little Egret. We had hoped for Jack Snipe as the temperature had dropped but couldn't find any in the limited time we had. We dropped a couple of coins in the brown envelope at the wardens house and left for home. 

Green Sandpiper

Green Sandpiper

Little Egret

Snipe

Snipe

On the way home I decided St.Albans was worth a visit as we were so close and as we walked up to the cathedral we saw three birders near the picnic area looking skyward. As we approached it was clear they had the Black Redstart in the tree so I joined them and managed a couple of record shots before walking down to the lake where I had fantastic views of a Kingfisher to wrap up a tremendous morning in Hertfordshire.

Black Redstart

Black Redstart

Kingfisher

Kingfisher

Year list now 146.