I cracked

I decided I'd try the dangerous pick me up of a twitch which we all know can go horribly wrong. 

I was awake Thursday morning at 4am and it was then that I decided that I'd go to see the Mockingbird in Devon. I had no plan and I didn't even really know where to go. I checked on line and found a road as a reference thinking I'd be ok once I got there. I left at 4.30am after explaining to Suzanne that I was going birding as I couldn't sleep. A solo run but under normal circumstances I'd have been texting Jim to share my mad plan. We sadly haven't shared a car since last March prior to the original lockdown.

The journey south was without issue M25, M3, A303, M5 etc and I was parked in Iona Avenue before 8AM. I really don't like these twitches around peoples houses but I couldn't help think this might be my only chance of ever seeing a Northern Mockingbird in the UK. I walked up the road and down the alley where I found three birders with step ladders looking over a back garden fence. I was thinking it couldn't get much worse but I'd managed to see the bird sitting in a Holly bush in the garden took three quick record images and carried on walking. At the bottom of the alley was the main road and two birders had plotted up here with scopes, crossing the road I too could now see the bird in my scope and this was a much more comfortable experience. The guys plotted up in the alley were understandably asked to leave soon after by the home owner so I was pleased I hadn't hung about there. I can't help wonder why there's no bucket or just giving page set up for this bird, it seems to have been poorly managed as a twitch and I guess the pandemic hasn't helped but a just giving page could be done after the event with everybody that's seen it donating. It could still make a few quid for a local charity and that alone could generate a more positive experience between birders and residents.

Northern Mockingbird

The "large" crowd (makes you wonder how many have already seen it)

Now my plan was to go see the Cirl Buntings at Labrador bay do a little sea watch pick up a couple of bonus year ticks and go home but the American Herring Gull had been reported down at Newlyn harbour so I acted on impulse and pointed the car in that direction without considering the long journey home. By around 11am I was parking up at the harbour which I know well having seen an Iceland Gull there last year. I walked down the slip way to find three like minded guys but no sign of the gull. A Rock pipit grabbed my attention and whilst taking some images of it I noticed what looked good for the AHG flying over me. I returned to the harbour asked the other guys again if they'd seen it and they replied that they hadn't but as I checked the five gulls now drifting around a couple of yards out I could clearly see the middle bird was indeed the American Herring Gull and my three amigos now had their life tick too. We enjoyed great views for the next hour or so before all departing for home. Also on the small beach was an odd Herring Gull type bird with yellow legs which I called as a Yellow-legged Gull but it didn't seem quite right, maybe a hybrid.

2CY American Herring Gull 

Rock Pipit

A great day with two Yank lifers which really lifted my spirits. I accept it's not for everyone but for me it's was just what the doctor ordered.

Year list now 123

Life list now 420

Herring gull on the yellow legged bird

Newlyn harbour

NB: The camera isn't fixed but by changing it to a different mode I got some pics from it.

Iceland Gull

I 've continued the local walks out to Hall marsh scrape, around Seventy Acres and Holyfield lakes, along the farm track and have still not seen a decent migrant. Yes Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs are singing well but I've seen nothing else. No Wheatear, no hirundines, no Little-ringed plovers. I've tried Sewardstone marsh too and still nothing. Maybe I need to get up on the reservoir as I know Neville's picked up a few there this week.

On the 24th March I popped over to Wanstead. It's six miles from home and probably just outside the local guidelines but an Iceland Gull had been reported the day before so thought it worth a look and a very slight curve in my version of local. I found it sitting on the water at Alex lake but my camera jammed the autofocus and I had real trouble sorting it.

I managed a couple of poor shots but missed the best action.

Iceland Gull at Wanstead

A walk around the new fenced off area gave great views of the Skylarks it's designed to protect with at least three pair but I failed to spot the Wheatear that had been seen by others earlier in the day It was nice to bump into a few locals for a distanced catch up. My congratulations to all who had any part if getting this area fenced off and here's hoping the birds have a good summer.

Skylark

On 29th the Stay local guidance changed meaning we could travel again. As of 29th March there is no law preventing travel within England although there's a very soft guidance asking people to minimise travel. We can't yet travel to Wales so the Walrus in Tenby is off limits. Still we are asked not to car share so my trips remain solo runs and I can't wait to get Dad and Jim in the car again to enjoy good old fashioned birding trips together. Maybe the fact that we'll all be double vaccinated in May will provide the protections we require.

With this new freedom to travel I made for Thursley hoping to see the Rustic Bunting that's wintered there. I have to say it feels really odd to be going anywhere as I've be locked onto the patch every day for months now and although it's permitted it feels strange and is something we're all going to have to get used to again if things are going to feel normal again anytime soon.

Thursley Common

I arrived at 6am to avoid people as much as possible still and walked out to the Bunting bush. A fly over Crossbill or two added another year tick (116) and singing Woodlark added another (117) At the bushes I could hear a small flock of Redpoll and spotted them in the top of a birch. Another Crossbill flew over and the Woodlarks started to sing and display before the two wintering Little Buntings dropped in to feed at the seed provided by locals. By 9am there was no sign of the Rustic and I left thinking it had departed on the previous nights full moon. I was proved right and left disappointed not to have seen it in it's now full breeding plumage. A quick check at Staines reservoir on the way back around the M25 netted me a couple of Black-necked Grebe (118) in splendid breeding plumage but distant. The midges had hatched in the heat and the causeway was alive and very unpleasant to walk or stand so I cut the visit short and headed home without adding anything else.

The 30th saw another trip to the valley were nothing was added and 31st saw me stretch my wings again with a trip to Abberton. Most wintering ducks have left with just a few Goldeneye left. There are lot's of Heron on site. From Abberton church I scoped and found nine Little Gulls (119) but the trip was disappointing and left me feeling a bit low having waited so long to get out and about I'd picked one of the most quiet days ever at Abberton.  Still no LRP, Wheatear or hirundines. 

Abberton and not a bird in site

In truth I'm missing the company of the Jims and got home today feeling like I'd lost my mojo or maybe just my usual spark. Usually any day out birding lifts my spirit but today I hadn't felt it. Social media is buzzing with new migrant arrivals and is flooded with images of the only two interesting vagrants to remain in the country, namely the Mockingbird and the American Herring Gull and the whole thing is tugging at my strings and leaving me wondering how long I can hold out on the twitch.

year list now 119

Oh and the camera is still playing up!

Image appears sharp at point of shutter release with green light indicating focus and the beep etc but the actual finished image is missing by some way and no it's not me missing. I'll try to sort it if not its a costly repair coming my way. 

Yellowhammer finally makes the 2021 list

In my last post on Saturday I wrote that I hadn't seen the Owls since Tuesday and hadn't yet managed to find a Yellowhammer at Holyfield farm but on Sunday morning I found the Owls still present and again on Monday and I hear they put on a decent show Monday evening too. Today I visited the park and again failed to find the Owls so yet again I'm left wondering if that's them had a good feed before the big leave. Time will tell.

I walk the valley every day and the last couple of days has been no different, a quick check on Gunpowder for the Owls and anything else that may have come or gone then onto Hall marsh, Fishers Green and the surrounding area. Sunday I found a small flock of Redpoll and I've seen Raven, Water rail, Cattle Egret and Great White Egret in the last couple of days too. There's still lots of wintering ducks in the valley most numerous are the Shoveler with Wigeon still also present in good numbers. Goosanders are still on site and although I haven't seen them for a while I'm told both Smew and the female Ring-necked Duck are still around. I've also seen the three White-fronted Geese in the last few days too. Redwing linger but I'm not seeing Fieldfare now.

Today I took a different route after failing to see the Owls at Gunpowder park I walked down to Holyfield Farm where I found a beautiful pair of Yellowhammer singing to each other with another male heard in the distance. A Snipe was odd walking about in the Goose field and a couple of Shelducks were also present. Four pairs of Skylarks took flight whilst I watched the Snipe and a small flock of Linnets were busy around the fringes of the field. A Raven sat on the pylon calling.

Yellowhammer at Holyfield farm

Cattle Egret

Carrion Crow

Crow

The Herons are busy making little Herons

I see the Kingfisher almost daily but always at distance or just a flash as it passes

The gripping stories of birds I've missed due to the travel restrictions continue with news of an Eyebrowed Thrush that recently spent 49 days feeding in a front garden in Kent and on a more local but equally restrictive note I've missed Iceland Gulls at Amwell, Rainham and WANSTEAD this last few days which is obviously nowhere near as rare but the Wanstead bird is only six miles from home so could see me on a local twitch for it. No fewer than six Sea Eagles are drifting around the south and east coast and I'd very much like to be in the right place at the right time for one of these encounters and lastly there's the American Herring Gull at Newlyn in Cornwall that although a few hours from home would as a life tick probably stir the twitch impulse within me under more normal circumstance.

I continue to year list and I'm sure in years to come this account will be of interest to me at least as I recall the impact of the virus on our everyday freedoms. The 2021 year list is now 114.

Linnet

Still walking still waiting

I'm still walking the valley each morning and I'm still waiting for that first spring migrant to arrive.

Yesterday I found a few winter birds lingering on the patch, Wigeon, White-fronted Geese and Redwings to name a few. On Hall marsh I saw nine Snipe but guess there were many more hidden in the reeds. I counted 35 Shoveler at Hall marsh and also saw them on many of the smaller pools around the park. The Cattle Egret and Great White Egret are still around and I had two pairs of Raven yesterday one early over Hall marsh calling as they moved towards Cornmill meadow followed by another pair (or the same pair) by the power station not far from Holyfield lake. Six Buzzard and a Sparrowhawk circled over the distant hills and the dung heap continued to attract Wagtails, Linnets, Pipits and Chiffchaff. A Kingfisher was seen as I walked the river towards Grebe Hide and a couple of Treecreepers entertained me for a while before my attention was drawn to a couple of Wrens having a right old sing off from across the river. I managed a few nice images of the bird on my side as it continued to sing to its rival.

The Wren (the UK's third smallest bird)

Wren

Wren

Wren

Wren

Wren

Wren

Wren

Wren

Wren

Wren

Still no Yellowhammer and still nothing new in except a pair of Oystercatchers on the small island on Holyfield lake.

Oystercatchers not seen before today

Year list now 113 

Just over a week now until the second phase of release from this winter of lockdown which should allow for some travel to different places and get the year list going again.

My ten year average is 274 and I'd be delighted to rescue anything like that in this crazy year.

I should also note that I haven't seen the Owls since Tuesday although I didn't look today. Have they finally gone after almost five months in the park?

The coastal visit can't come soon enough

I'm still walking the valley most days, it's now over two weeks since I had my vaccine with just the one bad day following it and Monday will bring the three weeks threshold meaning I'd expect to have a fairly strong immune response should I be exposed to the virus. The government is set to announce the next step out of lockdown to commence on 29th March. The other home nations have already set out their next steps and most allow more freedom of movement and I can't wait for a little more freedom and hopefully enough to visit the coast. We started the year in tier four and that allowed for local movement so enabled me to visit Beckton and Rainham but since 5th January when we moved into a national lockdown I've just birded the Lee valley just a couple of miles from home with the exception of my outdoors social meet up at Cely Wood last week which is also within the guidelines.

The Long-tailed Skua in Sheffield would in normal times have attracted my attention as it's been showing well for the toggers over a few days. I'd also have liked to have visited the Rustic Bunting at Thursley that's been showing really well in recent weeks. Then there's the life ticks that I'd have chased in normal times which include the Mockingbird in Devon and the Social Plover in Cornwall. I'm about a hundred year ticks down on usual end of March numbers missing far too many to list but the one big local one is Yellowhammer. The farm I walk a few times a week has Yellowhammers and they are there I just can't find one and haven't even heard one singing yet.

For now I continue to stay local and celebrate the fact we've had some good birds on the patch this winter namely a couple of Short-eared Owls, a female Ring-necked Duck, Cattle and Great White Egrets and a pair of Smew.

The year list remains at just 112 ready to kick on as the spring migrants arrive locally or we get the freedom of movement we desperately need.

Cattle Egret eating a frog at Hall marsh scrape

A young Cormorant drying off at Holyfield Lake

The Hall marsh banded demoiselle sculpture

Dunnock on the fence at Fishers Green

Great White Egret at Cornmill meadow

Great White

The Heron that cleaned out my pond this week

Muntjac at Fishers Green

Red Kite at Holyfield farm

The Short-eared Owls still on site yesterday but no sign today

Squirrell at Gunpowder park

Water rail Hall marsh scrape

Wigeon on Cornmill meadow

Lockdown blues

The Lockdown is really starting to test me now. I haven't posted on the blog since 28th February and that's pretty much because I have nothing new to say. I've been walking the Lee Valley still and seeing the same birds. The male Grebe seems to have decided on keeping just one woman now and they are currently building another nest after the first failed attempt. Kingfishers continue to flash by but remain distant. Herons are busy feeding and offer a small distraction to the boredom of seeing the same things each day. I found a small mixed flock of Redpoll and Siskin in the park which added a little excitment.

The Short-eared Owls seem to have departed unless they are again just hiding from this awful weather we're experiencing with strong North westerlies and rain dominating.

A few winter birds are hanging on, the red-head Smew remains on seventy acre lake and a few Red-wing are still present in the park with some now singing. The pair of Stonechat have not been seen for a while so could have moved on but the Reed Buntings are now in full song as are a few Skylark. I walked all the way to the reservoirs the other day and found a pair of Goosander on the navigation channel and a Raven towards the back end by the pumping station but haven't added a year tick for what seems weeks now so following a tip off  (thanks Shaun) of a fairly local Lesser Spotted Woodpecker which seems to be on territory in a small wood close to my sons house I arranged to have our socially distanced walk there this week and it was quite rewarding. Lots of Redwing feeding in the leaf litter and singing on occasion. Green Woodpecker calling, Great-spotted Woodpecker drumming, Nuthatch and Treecreeper also present and then as I watched a male Great-spot I chanced on the female Lesser-spot in the same tree. She later flew to a dead tree and started drumming and I could hear some calling too so it seems a pair are present.

So that's it for the last two weeks that is my highlight which moved to year list on by one to 112.

I'm seeing all sorts of good migrant birds returning and a few rarer vagrants too but all far too far away to be considered local and with each one my commitment to the stay home message is tested a little further. The schools returned on 8th March and the next release of measure comes on 29th March and for that I can't wait.

Cormorant reflecting on life

Heron (I waited an hour and it didn't catch anything)

Seeing a few Kingfishers but all quite distant

I've not taken a picture of the Owls since 27th February and haven't seen them since 5th March. hopefully they have moved on and have a good journey north. 

I have a commitment to keep too this year and thats to help my brother Jim through the 400 life tick barrier and he needs five birds for that so roll on the freedom to travel and watch this space.

The red-head on Seventy acres

Local birding helping me through lockdown

No new birds to report since the Velvet Scoters and Great Egret of the last week but I am thankful for the local green spaces that are helping me get through this long depressing lockdown. I have tried hard to remain local and sticking to the Lee Valley area of Fishers Green and Gunpowder Park a couple of miles from home but I long for a little more freedom with places like Great Amwell, Rainham and Rye Meads just beyond what I'd consider local. I'm geared up for the first lifting of restrictions on 29th March and plan a day at the coast come rain or shine so I can once again enjoy the passing sea birds like Gannet, Diver, Auks and Skuas but for now I continue to maintain my well being with good levels of exercise walking the park and enjoying the start of another breeding season.

Year list still just 111

Male Tufted Duck

Female Tufted Duck

Red Head Smew

Apologies for this one....not a fan of the Owl on a stick pic

Much nicer to see it flying

Kingfisher on the river behind the Bittern hide

Grebes getting ready to pair up and start nest building

Chasing a Coot 

Bonding

Great White Egret at Gunpowder park

Great White

The new Bittern hide (might be a while before Bitterns return though after the build)

In other news I have my first Covid-19 booked for tomorrow morning!