I found a pair of Ruddy Duck today at Abberton Reservoir during a stop of on route to work.
Also added Smew and Scaup on the reservoir and a Little Owl in Epping Lane on my way home.
My year list moves to 109 in four days.
Friday, 4 January 2013
Thursday, 3 January 2013
Ten ticks on the way to and from work.
That's why January puts the sparkle back into birding.
When you can tick ten birds on route to and from work you know you're at the start of a list and not at the end where it gets hard to get a single tick in a month let alone a day.
Apologies for the quality of the photographs but it was early and the light was poor.
Working in Welwyn I stopped off for a few minutes at Bramfield Church and from the gate could see a single Hawfinch sitting in top of the first tree in the churchyard. A coal Tit dropped in to feed and a single Nuthatch was also feeding in the churchyard trees. I then spotted a Red Kite flying over. Pleased with this stop I headed off to work but stopped at Lea Valley on the way home where the Bittern was on show in front of the hide for about ten minutes pleasing the small crowd eagerly awaiting a show.
Both Gt Spotted and Green Woodpeckers flew past along with a Peregrine Falcon.
In the Goosefield Greylags fed alongside several Egyptians and there must have been over a hundred Pied Wagtails in the Goosefield too. I had seen Stock Dove in Hertford too so a nice bit of birding without walking more than fifty yards or so. (Handy since I was suited and booted and not really dressed for birding)
List now at 105....roll on the weekend!
When you can tick ten birds on route to and from work you know you're at the start of a list and not at the end where it gets hard to get a single tick in a month let alone a day.
Apologies for the quality of the photographs but it was early and the light was poor.
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| Red Kite |
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| Hawfinch |
Both Gt Spotted and Green Woodpeckers flew past along with a Peregrine Falcon.
In the Goosefield Greylags fed alongside several Egyptians and there must have been over a hundred Pied Wagtails in the Goosefield too. I had seen Stock Dove in Hertford too so a nice bit of birding without walking more than fifty yards or so. (Handy since I was suited and booted and not really dressed for birding)
List now at 105....roll on the weekend!
Wednesday, 2 January 2013
Waxwing Wednesday
On my drive to work this morning I was delighted to see a group of twenty Waxwings in a tree along Straight Road Romford. The birds took flight so I had a little drive around and found twenty four birds sitting on telegraph wires in Daventry Green. A nice early tick for 2013 moving me to 95 this year after two days.
As I had to drive through Thurrock for my afternoon meeting I decided to check Lakeside to see if any Waxwing were still there. None were on show at Costco but I checked Toys R Us as I'd seen them there in previous years and sure enough another thirteen were visible. I pulled over and took a few shots as it started to rain and left thinking I wish one day that I'd get to see these birds this well in good light as it just always seems to be grey when I catch up with them but who's complaining....great to see them.
A few shots from today...................
As I had to drive through Thurrock for my afternoon meeting I decided to check Lakeside to see if any Waxwing were still there. None were on show at Costco but I checked Toys R Us as I'd seen them there in previous years and sure enough another thirteen were visible. I pulled over and took a few shots as it started to rain and left thinking I wish one day that I'd get to see these birds this well in good light as it just always seems to be grey when I catch up with them but who's complaining....great to see them.
A few shots from today...................
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| Waxwing |
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| Waxwing |
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| Waxwing |
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| Waxwing |
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| Waxwing |
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| Waxwings |
Tuesday, 1 January 2013
Here we go again....2013 starts with a trip to Norfolk
Well 2012 has left the room and 2013 is now upon us.
I have wrestled with my plans for the year, should I do a year list?
Should I find a local patch to walk? or should I just chase life ticks this coming year.
Well the urge to list got the better of me this morning and I headed up to Norfolk to tick 94 on day one of 2013. Water Pipit, Brambling, Hen Harrier, Lesser Canada Goose and Red Crested Pochard amongst them. The first bird of the year was the same as last year when a Barn Owl was seen on the way up the A11. We stopped of at Wolferton but no Golden Pheasant showed so we moved on to Titchwell.
A short stop at Brancaster and Stiffkey before moving on to Cley where we caught up with the Sacred Ibis again and then rounding off the day at Buckenham Marsh where we watched the massive Rook roost. So having kicked off the year with a list I now feel the need to see it through and will be doing a year list but I'd also like to stay local on occasion so plan to spend some time walking the Roding Valley as my "PATCH"
I'm told the patch has 90 species recorded to date so I will be challenging 90 plus ticks there this year. Along with this I will be supporting my brother Jim on his local patch at Lea Valley and trying to find him a new bird for the site too.
The patch Jim works is from Holyfield lake down to Cornmill Meadow and he's been working it for a few years now and knows it like the back of his hand so I'll enjoy taking time to walk the patch more with him with a view to seeing the birds he knows he'll find and trying with him to find that new bird....I know he'd be more than happy with a Nuthatch in 2013.
Along with working these two local areas I'll get out and about and I'd like to think I can find at least ten Lifers in 2013.
So no year list target (Last famous words and one that doesn't sit well with my compulsive nature...I'm sure I'll be trying to beat the 279 from last year).....but I do want c10 lifers from the year and I would like to find 90 plus birds in the Roding Valley.
Anyway enough for now...I'm looking forward to 2013 and all it's trips, ticks and hopefully not too many dips.
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| Sacred Ibis at Cley |
Should I find a local patch to walk? or should I just chase life ticks this coming year.
Well the urge to list got the better of me this morning and I headed up to Norfolk to tick 94 on day one of 2013. Water Pipit, Brambling, Hen Harrier, Lesser Canada Goose and Red Crested Pochard amongst them. The first bird of the year was the same as last year when a Barn Owl was seen on the way up the A11. We stopped of at Wolferton but no Golden Pheasant showed so we moved on to Titchwell.
A short stop at Brancaster and Stiffkey before moving on to Cley where we caught up with the Sacred Ibis again and then rounding off the day at Buckenham Marsh where we watched the massive Rook roost. So having kicked off the year with a list I now feel the need to see it through and will be doing a year list but I'd also like to stay local on occasion so plan to spend some time walking the Roding Valley as my "PATCH"
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| Roding Valley |
I'm told the patch has 90 species recorded to date so I will be challenging 90 plus ticks there this year. Along with this I will be supporting my brother Jim on his local patch at Lea Valley and trying to find him a new bird for the site too.
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| Jim's Patch |
Along with working these two local areas I'll get out and about and I'd like to think I can find at least ten Lifers in 2013.
So no year list target (Last famous words and one that doesn't sit well with my compulsive nature...I'm sure I'll be trying to beat the 279 from last year).....but I do want c10 lifers from the year and I would like to find 90 plus birds in the Roding Valley.
Anyway enough for now...I'm looking forward to 2013 and all it's trips, ticks and hopefully not too many dips.
Here's to a great year birding where ever you go and how ever you decide to list etc....May the force be with you all!
Sunday, 30 December 2012
Review of 2012 and my BIRD OF THE YEAR
Took what will most probably be my last trip of 2012 today.
We headed down to Wallasea Island Essex with the hope of catching up with a male Hen Harrier.
We had views of Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Peregrine, Kestrel and Sprawk along with Barn Owl and Short Eared Owl so a bit of a raptor fest but no sign of any Hen Harriers let alone the desired male bird.
Lot's of Corn Bunting about with a couple of Stonechat along with Brent Geese and Redshank.
So the finish line is in site for 2012 and here's my summary.
It's been a great birding year.
I smashed my self imposed year target of 250 birds with 279 recorded for the year following the 238 in 2010 and 242 in 2011.
I saw 37 Lifers this year and visited Scotland for the first time in my life where I ticked both Golden and Sea Eagle along with Black Guillemot, Black Grouse, Crested Tit and Hooded Crow.
The quest took me to Wales too and I have visited over forty different reserves in my search for ticks.
I finally connected with a Hoopoe after three years of dipping when one stayed at Horsey long enough for me to find it.
My life list has been nudged to 312 in my third year of listing.
I witnessed such delights as three different breeds of Redpoll in a single tree at Titchwell
(Lesser, Mealy and Coues's Arctic) and then connected with Suffolk's bird of the year (Hornemann's) to make it four Redpolls this year. (Accepting the Arctic as one on my year count)
Megas included the Short Billed Dowitcher at Lodmoor, The Buff Bellied Pipit in Berkshire , the Dark Eyed Junco in the New Forest with the Spanish Sparrow (Also had LB Dowitcher , YB Warbler and Rose Coloured Starling down here), Pagham's Paddyfield and the Common Yellowthroat in Wales.
Nearer to home I connected with Rainham's Baillon's Crake (How did we all fit in that hide?) and the Desert Wheatear at Abberton.
East Anglia delivered Barred and Booted Warbler along with Red Flanked Bluetail, Red Breasted Flycatcher, LT Skua Nightjar and a Richardson's Canada Goose.
Essex gave up Marsh Warbler and Olive Backed Pipit.
A trip down the Thames gave me a Bonaparte's Gull while Herts was the county for my First White Storks.
I spend a lot of time in Kent and found my first Caspian Gull and Pallas's Warbler there this year along with many other year ticks.
Cambridgeshire was the venue for White Rumped Sandpiper and I travelled to Leicester, Glamorgan and Yorkshire for Ring Necked Duck, Lesser Scaup and American Wigeon.
I picked up good views of Red Tailed and Harris's Hawk escapees along with the Sacred Ibis at Cley.
So with all that said how do you pick the bird of the year?
Do I go with the rarest or maybe the bird that showed best or closest or travelled the most for me to connect with it...or is it the bird I travelled most to see?
No my personal bird of the year is the Montagu's Harrier at Boyton Marsh. My first and a bird I have wanted to see since I can remember. Couple this with the fact that I had a couple of hours alone with the bird as it hunted close to me and it was one of those experiences with nature that doesn't come along that often and it's a BOP and I always like to see them.
As for other wildlife well along with Fox, Rabbit, Red Squirrel, Stoat, Weasel, Mink, Water Vole, Fallow Deer, Roe Deer, Red Deer, Chinese Water Deer, Muntjac Deer, Dolphin, Porpoise, Seals and Snakes the highlight would have to be the Basking Shark up in Scotland.
The dips this year have included Black Kite, Capercaillie, Leyton's Melodious Warbler, Pacific Golden Plover, Parrot Crossbill, Savi's Warbler, a Two Barred Crossbill reported the same day I was at Lynford, Barking's Tawny Pipit and White Billed Diver.
Best trip would have to be the three days I enjoyed in Scotland and this will be a place I return to in 2013 for longer.
Targets for 2013 include Dotterel ( another Tarts tick) Ptarmigan and Capercaillie along with Cirl Bunting. All are birds I should see if I put myself in the right place at the right time.
I'd like to think I can add another twenty to my life list in 2013 but don't plan on setting a year list target so I can concentrate on my life list via the odd twitch whilst enjoying some good days out in some new places.
Happy new year to anybody that takes the time to read my scribble on here and here's to a cracking 2013 for all birders.
You might also like to read my thoughts on the chase and the sanity of setting the target in the first place.
http://briansbirding.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/reflecting-on-sanity-of-chasing-250.html
We headed down to Wallasea Island Essex with the hope of catching up with a male Hen Harrier.
We had views of Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Peregrine, Kestrel and Sprawk along with Barn Owl and Short Eared Owl so a bit of a raptor fest but no sign of any Hen Harriers let alone the desired male bird.
Lot's of Corn Bunting about with a couple of Stonechat along with Brent Geese and Redshank.
So the finish line is in site for 2012 and here's my summary.
It's been a great birding year.
I smashed my self imposed year target of 250 birds with 279 recorded for the year following the 238 in 2010 and 242 in 2011.
I saw 37 Lifers this year and visited Scotland for the first time in my life where I ticked both Golden and Sea Eagle along with Black Guillemot, Black Grouse, Crested Tit and Hooded Crow.
The quest took me to Wales too and I have visited over forty different reserves in my search for ticks.
I finally connected with a Hoopoe after three years of dipping when one stayed at Horsey long enough for me to find it.
My life list has been nudged to 312 in my third year of listing.
I witnessed such delights as three different breeds of Redpoll in a single tree at Titchwell
(Lesser, Mealy and Coues's Arctic) and then connected with Suffolk's bird of the year (Hornemann's) to make it four Redpolls this year. (Accepting the Arctic as one on my year count)
Megas included the Short Billed Dowitcher at Lodmoor, The Buff Bellied Pipit in Berkshire , the Dark Eyed Junco in the New Forest with the Spanish Sparrow (Also had LB Dowitcher , YB Warbler and Rose Coloured Starling down here), Pagham's Paddyfield and the Common Yellowthroat in Wales.
Nearer to home I connected with Rainham's Baillon's Crake (How did we all fit in that hide?) and the Desert Wheatear at Abberton.
East Anglia delivered Barred and Booted Warbler along with Red Flanked Bluetail, Red Breasted Flycatcher, LT Skua Nightjar and a Richardson's Canada Goose.
Essex gave up Marsh Warbler and Olive Backed Pipit.
A trip down the Thames gave me a Bonaparte's Gull while Herts was the county for my First White Storks.
I spend a lot of time in Kent and found my first Caspian Gull and Pallas's Warbler there this year along with many other year ticks.
Cambridgeshire was the venue for White Rumped Sandpiper and I travelled to Leicester, Glamorgan and Yorkshire for Ring Necked Duck, Lesser Scaup and American Wigeon.
I picked up good views of Red Tailed and Harris's Hawk escapees along with the Sacred Ibis at Cley.
So with all that said how do you pick the bird of the year?
Do I go with the rarest or maybe the bird that showed best or closest or travelled the most for me to connect with it...or is it the bird I travelled most to see?
No my personal bird of the year is the Montagu's Harrier at Boyton Marsh. My first and a bird I have wanted to see since I can remember. Couple this with the fact that I had a couple of hours alone with the bird as it hunted close to me and it was one of those experiences with nature that doesn't come along that often and it's a BOP and I always like to see them.
As for other wildlife well along with Fox, Rabbit, Red Squirrel, Stoat, Weasel, Mink, Water Vole, Fallow Deer, Roe Deer, Red Deer, Chinese Water Deer, Muntjac Deer, Dolphin, Porpoise, Seals and Snakes the highlight would have to be the Basking Shark up in Scotland.
The dips this year have included Black Kite, Capercaillie, Leyton's Melodious Warbler, Pacific Golden Plover, Parrot Crossbill, Savi's Warbler, a Two Barred Crossbill reported the same day I was at Lynford, Barking's Tawny Pipit and White Billed Diver.
Best trip would have to be the three days I enjoyed in Scotland and this will be a place I return to in 2013 for longer.
Targets for 2013 include Dotterel ( another Tarts tick) Ptarmigan and Capercaillie along with Cirl Bunting. All are birds I should see if I put myself in the right place at the right time.
I'd like to think I can add another twenty to my life list in 2013 but don't plan on setting a year list target so I can concentrate on my life list via the odd twitch whilst enjoying some good days out in some new places.
Happy new year to anybody that takes the time to read my scribble on here and here's to a cracking 2013 for all birders.
You might also like to read my thoughts on the chase and the sanity of setting the target in the first place.
http://briansbirding.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/reflecting-on-sanity-of-chasing-250.html
Wednesday, 26 December 2012
Pictures of 2012
From left to right.......Puffin, Lesser Scaup, Waxwing, Great White Egret, Little Stint, White Stork, Glossy Ibis, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll, Little Bittern, Alpine Swift, Dipper, Buff Bellied Pipit, White Winged Black Tern, Sabines Gull, Hoopoe and THE VICAR.
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| View from Portland |
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| Cley |
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| Adder at Minsmere |
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| Silver Washed Fratilary |
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| Marsh Fratilary |
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| Orange Tip in the hand |
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| Perfect seat |
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| Scotland |
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| The Sufolk Hornemann's Redpoll |
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| Waxwing in Buckhurst Hill |
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| Holkham and an approachable Sanderling |
Monday, 24 December 2012
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