31st March HAT TRICK PART TWO

Dipper

Where do I begin?...the text to Jimmy on Friday night, usual routine and about the extent of our planning. "Jim I'm going to try for the Yellowthroat in Wales tomorrow" Jimmy "what time are we leaving?" ME "5am" Jimmy " see you then"...that's how we operate...I tell him where we're going and he says great and off we go. So we set off for Gwent leaving Loughton at 5am for the 180 mile trip for this wee visitor from the states. We arrived at 7.30am and after asking a local dog walker for directions we were on our way up the hill. Once at the top of the hill we were greeted by three guys from Hull (they'd left home at 3am) They had seen the bird in question already but it was no longer in view. After half an hour of searching we relocated it and it showed really well (186) as we were joined by a couple from Oxford and a couple of guys from Nottingham..it's the real deal this bird! After a couple of hours on the hill we headed back to the car for a coffee break and decided to try for the Lesser Scaup at Cosmerton Lake.

Lesser Scaup

We stopped on route at a local river and whilst walking the banks we saw a Grey Wagtail (187) my first of the year and I'm well pleased to finally nail this bird and only just in the first quarter.

Further on up the river Jimmy spots Dipper and we enjoy half an hour watching them flying from stone to stone. (188) Back to business and a 15 mile drive down to Cosmerton through Cardiff. We googled the post code on route (great planning I know) and surprisingly we found the lake without issue. On arrival we find that the bird hasn't been posted today in the visitor centre but we're not put off and head for the western lake. On arrival I immediately picked out a Scaup which we nailed down to the Lesser Scaup pictured above. (189) This is all too easy!...where to next Jim?....I know we'll try for the Long Billed Dowitchers at Meare Heath! I tap it in the sat nav OUCH we're 90 miles away. The day is going too well not to give it a go...so after a quick coffee we were off back over the bridge into England and we flew down the M5 to Meare. Again we found the car park straight away and as we took to the path a local birder was returning to his car so we greeted him with that birders special "any sign?" "yes" he says....."they've been missing all day but just dropped back in" Wow..can our luck get any better? We walk the 800 yards to the drained lagoon where they've been seen and sure enough they're there right at the front of the mud bank with a few other waders (Ruff, Redshank, Godwits and Lapwings) Great little birds! (190)

Now the bad news...we have 190 mile drive home.....yep 190 miles! A stop to refuel at burger king Reading and we're home for 5ish just the 12 hours birding today but if that's what it takes to put five on the year list and THREE ON THE LIFE LIST then to coin a phrase......sometimes you just have to go the extra mile. Knackered now tho.

Record shot of Long-billed Dowitchers

Grey Heron

3 months down and I have 190 of my targetted 250 for 2012

60 TO GO.....looking forward to all the summer visitors landing in the next few weeks now.

Oh did I mention the Buzzard count reached 27 for the day!...throw in 4 Red Kites, a couple of Marsh Harriers, several Kestrel and a Sprawk and you have a pretty good raptor count too.

30th March Garganey Rainham

Made a pit stop at Rainham on the way back from Hadleigh today. A quick walk around Aveley pool gave distant views of the drake Garganey which stayed mostly hidden in the reeds at the back of the pool. I also picked up a couple of early Little Ringed Plover in front of the new hide (185) On the walk back to the car the local peregrine was seen on the pilons. Lot's of Butterfly about: Peacock, Red Admiral, Comma, Small White and Speckled Wood. add to that the Brimstones had at Thetford last weekend and the year count hits 6. Spoke to Howard on the reserve as we debated the possibility of the earlier reported White Tailed Sea Eagle making it's way over Rainham following it's passgae over Tilbury. Howard was hopeful and said he'd been on watch since it was reported at lunchtime but it wasn't seen. He did say he'd seen an Orange Tip and a Large White though. Still as for the birds I now have 185 as we head into the weekend and who knows what that will bring?

29th March Chase for the Red Breasted Goose

Old Hall Marsh

Tollesbury Wick

Red-breasted Goose

Virgin Balloon

After five trips to Tollesbury and Old Hall Marshes I finally caught up with the Red Breasted Goose that's been over wintering in Essex...The picture of the goose above is from last year as this one was distant and within the large flock of Brent Geese. A lovely couple of hours had at the reserve though with access through the iron gate on Old Hall road and into the car park which is small so parking is by permit only from the warden. A nice walk along the sea wall saw a good count of birds on the visit. Marsh Harrier, several Snipe and waders galore on the estuary with lots of geese and ducks and of course the elusive (well to me it's been elusive) RB Goose. (183) Had to stop on the way out to take a pic of the virgin balloon as it climbed above the village. I Thought I heard Greenshank but can't be sure so that tick will have to wait for another day. It's been a good few days since the weekend....Buzzard circling above the garden and Red Kite over the M1 on a work journey.

Just seen that a couple of Garganey have arrived at Rainham so I'll be putting a quick shift in there tomorrow at some point...strange reserve though Rainham...opens late, shuts early and generally tries to make it hard for you to get in and around it. I missed a Hoopoe last year because they had to close at 5pm....what's that all about?....If you are one of the select few you can have the key code to get in before or after hours which is a bit harsh when something turns up and you can't get in....I realise the need to keep the place secure but it'd be good to get in before 9am being an early bird and all that. (moan over) Anyway I'll still drop in tomorrow to see the Garganey again. There lot's dropping in this week so hoping for a good weekends birding and it'd be great if just one of the Cornwall Hoopoes makes it's way round the coast to be within a couple of hours drive.....fingers crossed!

Still 183 and we're not a quarter of the year down yet so I'm closing in on that 250 but it's still going to be a challenge but one which I'll enjoy though as it's going to take me to places old and new.

Trip to Wales plannned for May and hoping to get a few days in Scotland too if possible in May giving myself every chance of hitting my target. Onwards and Upwards!

24th March In search of Goshawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Lakenheath Fen

Crossbill

(181) I rang Jimmy the night before and uttered the words " Fancy trying for Goshawk in the morning" "Hell yes" came the reply. We left early Saturday morning and cutting through the mist we arrived at Lakenheath at 7am. The reserve was still covered in a thick blanket of mist so we had a quick coffee and headed up the bank for the mile or so walk to Joist Fen. We counted twenty five birds on the way but all were heard only as the mist was so heavy. On arrival we plotted up and waited for the mist to burn off.....which it did!. Lot's of Marsh Harriers and a single Bittern were flying in front of the hide and Bearded Tits showed well quite close "pinging" in chorus. A Cetti's Warbler called and a Water Rail made a brief appearance but we'd stopped here to look for Cranes and in three hours didn't hear or see any. We made our way back to the car had another coffee then made the trip to our Goshawk site in Thetford. Despite taking a wrong turn and adding about twenty miles to the journey we parked up and headed down the lane. At the barn we found Crossbills, Coal Tits and Siskins showing really well so stopped a while to watch them feed and drink. We headed a mile down the track to a clearing in the trees and plotted up with the handful of birders present. "Any sign?" The usual birders greeting...."Not for an hour or so" the usual reply!. We make ourselves comfortable in the knowledge that we're at the right place...the weather is good for the bird we want and the time of day 11AM is also good. Within half an hour we picked up a distant bird which as it gets closer is clearly the escapee Red Tailed Hawk(pictured above) that's been in the area several years, it lands in a nearby tree and gives good views. Three common Buzzard circled over head and a pair of Sprawks displayed giving good size comparison between male and female. A Woodlark flew by giving Jimmy another year tick (I'd had one at Hawkhill and the old man picked up the Woodford bird so Jimmy was pleased with the catch up) At last we get a shout " Goshawk!" and lock on to a bird flying low over the trees.....it's clearly a Gos. Big muscled bird flying without effort, bulging wings...very pale and it gets better as it sits up on top of a tree in full view...we scope it and despite a little heat haze we get great views! To our delight another bird arrives and they both head seperate ways without giving the display we expected. As they depart another two birders arrive...."any sign?"...you know the answer! (182) A good day for Butterflies too with Brimstones and Comma in good numbers along with Large white, Red Admiral and Peacock(5)

18th March Dungeness on the hunt for Firecrest

(176) We saw that Firecrest had been arriving in Kent and decided to head to Dungeness to see if we could locate one. Our day started at 5am and we were on the beach at around 6.15am!

We picked up our first Wheatears of the year with six birds found along the road to the lighthouse which we later found out had dropped in that night as none were reported the previous day.
On arrival at the sea watching hide we were lucky to find a local in it and the door for once was open..With a northerly wind there wasn't much happening but we stayed long enough to pick up several Sandwich Terns (177), a couple of Red-throated Divers, lot's of Gannet and hundreds of Brent Geese (one bird had one white wing and looked like a Black Swan as it headed along the coast but was clearly a Brent as it got closer.(strange thing though) We returned to the car for coffee and on the short walk I spotted a Black Redstart on the lighthouse fence. Jim gets another year tick having missed the Rainham bird. We made our way to the Moat and as we crossed the field I saw a small bird flash low across the ground from one bush to another, could it be the little Firecrest we had driven 90 miles for? After a short still, quiet wait it showed itself and it was indeed a fine Orange crested, white eye striped FIRECREST A cracking little bird happily feeding up to move on. We watched it for about 20 minutes before it flew a distance away and continued to the moat. On arrival I picked up another migrant bird which at first I thought was Chiffchaff until it sang and we then ID'd it as Willow Warbler...really early for this bird but once you've seen it and heard it.....you have to say that's a Willow Warbler and accept it may be a couple of days ahead of the pack. We find another five Firecrest in the moat area and then a guy arrived to try to trap a couple and he actually got two in the trapping area (with my help) but just as he opened the box the little fellas gave him the slip and made their way out.
As we continued around the moat a Woodcock was flushed and flew over our heads giving great views as it made it's way over the power station. We left for the reserve and found our first Chiffchaffs of the year on the willow trail (where else!) and despite looking for what seemed hours we didn't manage to find any Garganey. Another great days birding at my fav place! (181)

17th March Kumliens at Rainham

(175) We noticed that Dominic Mitchell had located a Kumliens Gull at Rainham yesterday so decided to stay local today and try to find the bird. We made our first stop the Stone Barges (built during the war to secure the route up the Thames into the city of London and now abandoned on the foreshore) On arrival there were gulls everywhere on the bank, on the pier, on the river on the tip and in flight. I quickly homed in on a white winged bird sitting on the rocks in the bay and I called it as an Iceland gull and show the lads what I had. As we're looking at the bird Paul Hawkins arrived and asked if we have anything and then goes on to tell me I actually had the Kumliens Gull and described the dark tail bar and dark wing tips as helpful ID tips. We then located two Iceland gulls. (176) At this point Kumliens gull is listed as Iceland Gull but could well be seperated in the future. We looked for Water Pipit as the guys still needed that for the year but had no luck today. (The barges are usually a good place for these birds but it helps when the tide's out)
A walk along the foreshore didn't help either and no migrants were picked up.  A good day though in which we learnt something new....."You are always learning with this hobby" and no matter what you know there will always be somebody that knows more about a particular location or bird...that much I have learnt!

11th March Green Winged Teal Maldon

(174) I had tried for the Green Winged Teal at Maldon before but dipped. Being local I just had to go back and try again so an early morning trip before work and a short walk from the car park had me pick it up on the river....lovely.  (175 and counting!)