Weather: Overcast, misty & cold. From 8:40am.
Another trip out to the Tring reservoirs, Wilstone being the best for birding, in anticipation of hopefully seeing good numbers of hobby next month. I thought I'd have a dry run as it were & maybe pick up an early arrival.
In the car-park: Long-Tailed Tit & a very vocal Blackcap, the first of many. A Grey Heron then flew overhead onto the reservoir & I then picked out Goldfinch & Chaffinch in the hedgerow bordering the car-park before finally climbing the reservoir embankment.
On the reservoir itself: Common Tern in surprisingly good numbers, actively foraging & preparing to breed; Tufted Duck, Coot & a couple of Black-Headed Gull, Mallard, Mute Swan & Gadwall. Swallow were also present in good numbers, skimming low over the waters, & as I took a few steps along the track I noticed many were chattering away in the branches of a nearby tree which was maybe a roosting site.
Also as I advanced along the path a Pied Wagtail went up, soon followed by a Meadow Pipit & I noticed the first of many Great-Crested Grebe on the water.
Looking further along a Moorhen scuttled back to the water from the path, & in the adjacent fields & hedgerow, Woodpigeon, Willow Warbler in good song as was a skylark, but unlike the warbler I couldn't pick it out in the mist. Other birds in good voice included Song Thrush & Wren but both were not visible at this point.
Rounding the bend of the path into the small woodland & good view of a Great-Spotted Woodpecker, & a Carrion Crow on the fields, then a Chiffchaff in the tree-tops along with Great Tit, & lower down, Wren & Dunnock.
From the one & only hide, I immediately picked out a larger than average brown-headed duck which revealed itself as a lone & unexpected Pintail, it was accompanied by a few Cormorant & a couple of Greylag Goose. Whilst scanning the water a cuckoo was also clearly heard 'singing' from the fields towards the car-park but there was no chance of seeing it through the mist. I sat for a while observing the water & was struck by the noise the numerous gadwall were making which was accompanied by squawking from the heronry in the middle of the reservoir; I was also able to pick out a few Pochard & a lone Shoveler before leaving the hide.
After the hide the path continues up into some pasture & then along the side of a dried-up canal, before turning back & heading through some small woods back towards the reservoir. Along this stretch I saw a couple Jackdaw, flushed from the hole of a large seemingly dead, tree, Blackbird, Robin, & a Song Thrush which I finally managed to pick out amongst the trees, & in the woods, a Jay.
The final part of the walk is again on the reservoir's embankment, & as I began this last stretch I noticed what looked like a red-breasted bird landing on the reservoir's concrete side & as soon as I raised my binoculars to get a better look I could see the powerfully-built bird had an orange breast & metallic blue upper-parts, a unmistakeable Kingfisher. I watched as it flew fast & direct across the reservoir & into the trees, a great bird to see & my first in many years.
In the agricultural pastures that are overlooked from the reservoir wall, there were good numbers of birds browsing the fields including Canada Goose & a nice pair of resting Stock Dove which were briefly accompanied by a Mistle Thrush.
Rounding the final bend of the embankment towards the car-park were large numbers of hirundines, numbers large enough to almost be described as clouds, of mainly Sand Martins but there were also a few House Martins. With these numbers it's easy to see why the hobbies are frequent visitors here!
As I watched the martins, hoping for a last minute raptor to finish the day, a wagtail flew along the wall & with a quick scan it was easy spot it as a Yellow Wagtail. It landed promptly & began to forage accompanied by a pied wagtail allowing good views of a bird that us new to me in England
The wagtail was a very nice way to finish a surprisingly productive day. One thing about this site is to try & get there early because by the time I'd finished the car-park was full & the area was full of other walkers.
42 species, 1 new species.
Sunday 20 April 2008
Sunday 13 April 2008
Chosely Farm Outhouses, Norfolk, 12/04/2008
A quick drive to & stop at the barns near Chosely to check for any new spring arrivals, or even to just pick up the residents. There were plenty of noisy Chaffinch, also plenty of Yellowhammer in the hedgerow. Corn Bunting was also heard & was assumed to be amongst a group of birds that was flushed from the hedgerow. A large flock back down towards Titchwell then grabbed my attention, a nice group of Golden Plover, before Stock Dove & Pied Wagtail on the outhouses.
RSPB Titchwell, Norfolk, 12/04/2008
Weather: Bright, sunny but fresh. From 930am.
Another outing to Titchwell, this time with Kim, so soon after Easter & with considerably better weather, was greatly appreciated but I wondered if I would see much more than I'd seen only a few short weeks ago.
As usual immediately in the car-park: Long-Tailed Tit, Robin, Woodpigeon were seen & in the early sunshine wren, greenfinch, chiff chaff & possibly blackcap were all in good voice. Walking up the path to the visitors' centre flushed Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, & then on the centre's feeders, House Sparrow, Goldfinch & Greenfinch.
Kim & I decided to head straight for the beach in the sunshine as rain had been forecast for later, so heading along the coast path on the marshes opposite to the scrapes, initially revealed Mute Swan, Coot, Black-Headed Gull, Tufted Duck, Canada Goose. Further along the path, the first Marsh Harrier of the day was soon followed by a couple of Greylag Goose which may have been spooked by it. There were still good numbers of Brent Goose mainly on the salt flats feeding in spread out small flocks. Also in amongst the marshes were Oystercatcher, feeding Avocet as well as a couple of flushed Reed Bunting.
At this point I heard the distinctive 'pinging' calls of Bearded Tits from the reed-beds near the Parrinder Hide, I have always found them quite elusive to see despite often hearing them. However on this occasion I had a bit of luck because after I stopped walking & waited briefly, three came into view amongst the reeds I was watching & I was able to get my first really good, albeit brief, views of the bird, including the male's vibrant colours. I've been going to Titchwell for many years now & they've always eluded me apart from the odd glimpse so the details of the view I had this time felt like I was seeing a new species, & hopefully now I've broken the 'jinx' I'll see them more frequently.
Continuing along the path & looking onto the scrape area near the Parrinder Hide: Gadwall, Mallard, Redshank, Shoveler. Further along, quartering the vegetation along the path wall a Kestrel, & then a few Meadow Pipit. On the last scrape before the sea-wall: Black-Tailed Godwit, a pair of Herring Gull & a single Ruff & Ringed Plover. Then amongst the last of the vegetation up to the sea-wall: Skylark, Dunnock, Linnet & Magpie.
Unlike my last visit the conditions were good for some sea-watching & immediately a good group of Oystercatcher were seen hunched on the shoreline & amongst them Sanderling scuttled up down avoiding the waves. Setting up the 'scope & taking a seat I began scanning the waves & was rewarded with a nice flock of Eider, one male & four or five females. Another striking bird that was soon picked out proved to be a Red-Breasted Merganser, my first for many a year. Finally a Great-Crested Grebe was picked out & then a small flock of Common Scoter flew in to join the party to create a nice selection of sea-birds. (All that was missing were a couple of divers!)
On the way back, we made time for a couple of the hides, & from the Parrinder Hide: Pied Wagtail, Teal, Shelduck, Moorhen, Cormorant & a busily feeding Starling. Kim then alerted me to conversations others in the hide were having indicating something of interest so we moved to that section of the hide & with help picked up Spotted Redshank which was showing well as it struggled in the sunlight to eat a fish it had picked up; plus it was coming into summer plumage with some much darker feathers on its breast. This was a first for Kim, a feeling I was recently acquainted with, & great to see a 'new' bird again so soon.
Continuing along, from the Island Hide, Wigeon, & a foraging Snipe &, always a treat, a striking duck coming into brilliant breeding plumage, a Pintail.
The final Fen hide provided no additions but some nice Marsh Harrier activity, plus I also heard my first willow warbler of the year though frustratingly I couldn't see it. Equally frustrating but with less annoyance through familiarity was a calling cetti's warbler or two but as usual no sign of movement after the loud call.
Going back to the car-park finally a Chiff Chaff was spotted foraging amongst the highest branches in the woods, & by contrast a Wren in the lowest shrubs. At the visitors' centre's feeders Collared Dove & whilst having a brew a Blackbird amongst the road-side nettles.
All in all a very successful day, one of the best at Titchwell despite no life firsts with a potentially record total.
53 species, none new.
Another outing to Titchwell, this time with Kim, so soon after Easter & with considerably better weather, was greatly appreciated but I wondered if I would see much more than I'd seen only a few short weeks ago.
As usual immediately in the car-park: Long-Tailed Tit, Robin, Woodpigeon were seen & in the early sunshine wren, greenfinch, chiff chaff & possibly blackcap were all in good voice. Walking up the path to the visitors' centre flushed Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, & then on the centre's feeders, House Sparrow, Goldfinch & Greenfinch.
Kim & I decided to head straight for the beach in the sunshine as rain had been forecast for later, so heading along the coast path on the marshes opposite to the scrapes, initially revealed Mute Swan, Coot, Black-Headed Gull, Tufted Duck, Canada Goose. Further along the path, the first Marsh Harrier of the day was soon followed by a couple of Greylag Goose which may have been spooked by it. There were still good numbers of Brent Goose mainly on the salt flats feeding in spread out small flocks. Also in amongst the marshes were Oystercatcher, feeding Avocet as well as a couple of flushed Reed Bunting.
At this point I heard the distinctive 'pinging' calls of Bearded Tits from the reed-beds near the Parrinder Hide, I have always found them quite elusive to see despite often hearing them. However on this occasion I had a bit of luck because after I stopped walking & waited briefly, three came into view amongst the reeds I was watching & I was able to get my first really good, albeit brief, views of the bird, including the male's vibrant colours. I've been going to Titchwell for many years now & they've always eluded me apart from the odd glimpse so the details of the view I had this time felt like I was seeing a new species, & hopefully now I've broken the 'jinx' I'll see them more frequently.
Continuing along the path & looking onto the scrape area near the Parrinder Hide: Gadwall, Mallard, Redshank, Shoveler. Further along, quartering the vegetation along the path wall a Kestrel, & then a few Meadow Pipit. On the last scrape before the sea-wall: Black-Tailed Godwit, a pair of Herring Gull & a single Ruff & Ringed Plover. Then amongst the last of the vegetation up to the sea-wall: Skylark, Dunnock, Linnet & Magpie.
Unlike my last visit the conditions were good for some sea-watching & immediately a good group of Oystercatcher were seen hunched on the shoreline & amongst them Sanderling scuttled up down avoiding the waves. Setting up the 'scope & taking a seat I began scanning the waves & was rewarded with a nice flock of Eider, one male & four or five females. Another striking bird that was soon picked out proved to be a Red-Breasted Merganser, my first for many a year. Finally a Great-Crested Grebe was picked out & then a small flock of Common Scoter flew in to join the party to create a nice selection of sea-birds. (All that was missing were a couple of divers!)
On the way back, we made time for a couple of the hides, & from the Parrinder Hide: Pied Wagtail, Teal, Shelduck, Moorhen, Cormorant & a busily feeding Starling. Kim then alerted me to conversations others in the hide were having indicating something of interest so we moved to that section of the hide & with help picked up Spotted Redshank which was showing well as it struggled in the sunlight to eat a fish it had picked up; plus it was coming into summer plumage with some much darker feathers on its breast. This was a first for Kim, a feeling I was recently acquainted with, & great to see a 'new' bird again so soon.
Continuing along, from the Island Hide, Wigeon, & a foraging Snipe &, always a treat, a striking duck coming into brilliant breeding plumage, a Pintail.
The final Fen hide provided no additions but some nice Marsh Harrier activity, plus I also heard my first willow warbler of the year though frustratingly I couldn't see it. Equally frustrating but with less annoyance through familiarity was a calling cetti's warbler or two but as usual no sign of movement after the loud call.
Going back to the car-park finally a Chiff Chaff was spotted foraging amongst the highest branches in the woods, & by contrast a Wren in the lowest shrubs. At the visitors' centre's feeders Collared Dove & whilst having a brew a Blackbird amongst the road-side nettles.
All in all a very successful day, one of the best at Titchwell despite no life firsts with a potentially record total.
53 species, none new.
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