A Stateside non-birding trip but with the occasional diversion & walk along the lovely beaches around South Dartmouth as always yielding a few interesting sightings.
Smith Neck Road & Apponagansett Bay (24/10/2008).
Great White Egret on the roadside marsh; a few waders on the small bay next to the main bay were eventually identified as Greater Yellowlegs with a longer bill than their head being the diagnostic attribute; also Double-Crested Cormorant & Great Black-Backed Gull.
Apponagansett Beach (26/10/2008).
Weather: bright & sunny, from 1:30pm.
Main flocks of Ring-Billed Gull, but a much smaller, drak-legged & dark-billed bird I eventually identified a (probable) Bonaparte's Gull before it was disturbed & flew away; distant Mute Swan & overflying then nearby, wing-drying Double-Crested Cormorant; a group of distant raptors built up to seven individuals which drifted over the bay area & as they came closer identified Turkey Vulture; sitting on the bench a curious voice alerted us to a Tufted Titmouse in a nearby pine tree; watching the bay another gull different from the others I eventually identified as a Laughing Gull apparently a late-staying one as they migrate south for the winter; a lone Red-Tailed Hawk soared over & a Herring Gull around the bay.
West Smith Neck Road: Great Blue Heron across the creek.
Smith Neck Road: Greater Yellowlegs on the other side of the road to where it was previously seen.
Smith Neck Road & around (27/10/2008).
Weather: bright & sunny, crisp & still, from 7am.
Backwoods: large numbers of Canada Goose amongst the reeds before moving onto the agricultural field to feed for the rest of the morning; Double-Crested Cormorant, American Crow, Mourning Dove, Black-Capped Chickadee all in the woods or on the extensive creek.
Smith Neck Road & Bay: walking around the suburban area, good numbers of American Robin, Starling, House Sparrow, Bluejay on feeders, a couple of Dark-Eyed Junco on a doorstep, mystery bird (longish bill, upright stance, loud two-toned song); Tufted Titmouse, White-Breasted Nuthatch on feeders & a Common Grackle atop a tree buzzing & whirring to itself.
3 (confirmed) new species.
Tuesday, 28 October 2008
Sunday, 19 October 2008
RSPB Rainham Marshes, Essex, 19/10/2008
Weather: Cool & cloudy. From 10:20am.
From the car-park & around the reserve with Kim: Long-Tailed Tit, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Goldfinch, Wren, Collared Dove, Pied Wagtail, Greenfinch, Blue Tit, Shoveler, Greylag Goose, Wigeon, Teal, Starling, Coot, Moorhen, Mallard, Chaffinch, Little Egret, Carrion Crow, Stonechat, Common Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Kestrel, Lapwing, Herring Gull, Black-Headed Gull, Grey Heron, Cetti's Warbler (heard) in the reeds near to the pylons, lone Pintail male amongst the other ducks, Gadwall, Meadow Pipit, Linnet. Most notable were three female pintail in a dyke adjacent to the main scrape, seen just after the male; attractive ducks now back in full post-eclipse plumage.
Heading out along the seawall: Cormorant, Great Black-Backed Gull, Shelduck, Rock Pipit on the river-side. Further along the seawall in some mixed scrub a bird perched high with its head into the wind looked much paler & with a stronger eye-stripe than the usual female or first winter stonechats which for me identified a Whinchat. However it flew off before I could a record shot as I had to fumble to change the camera's batteries. I wandered up a little further then headed back & again saw a perching 'chat-like bird in the same spot as before, & assumed it was the earlier bird however it was soon joined by a couple of others which were quickly identified as stonechats. Was one these birds the bird I had seen earlier & I mis-identified? This time I got a record shot, a record shot of a stonechat! I'm fairly certain the first bird was a Whinchat it was immediately striking in its difference but the later sightings did cast some doubt..I guess I'll have to see another one sometime to be sure of the tick.
37 species, 1 (possibly) new.
From the car-park & around the reserve with Kim: Long-Tailed Tit, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Goldfinch, Wren, Collared Dove, Pied Wagtail, Greenfinch, Blue Tit, Shoveler, Greylag Goose, Wigeon, Teal, Starling, Coot, Moorhen, Mallard, Chaffinch, Little Egret, Carrion Crow, Stonechat, Common Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Kestrel, Lapwing, Herring Gull, Black-Headed Gull, Grey Heron, Cetti's Warbler (heard) in the reeds near to the pylons, lone Pintail male amongst the other ducks, Gadwall, Meadow Pipit, Linnet. Most notable were three female pintail in a dyke adjacent to the main scrape, seen just after the male; attractive ducks now back in full post-eclipse plumage.
Heading out along the seawall: Cormorant, Great Black-Backed Gull, Shelduck, Rock Pipit on the river-side. Further along the seawall in some mixed scrub a bird perched high with its head into the wind looked much paler & with a stronger eye-stripe than the usual female or first winter stonechats which for me identified a Whinchat. However it flew off before I could a record shot as I had to fumble to change the camera's batteries. I wandered up a little further then headed back & again saw a perching 'chat-like bird in the same spot as before, & assumed it was the earlier bird however it was soon joined by a couple of others which were quickly identified as stonechats. Was one these birds the bird I had seen earlier & I mis-identified? This time I got a record shot, a record shot of a stonechat! I'm fairly certain the first bird was a Whinchat it was immediately striking in its difference but the later sightings did cast some doubt..I guess I'll have to see another one sometime to be sure of the tick.
37 species, 1 (possibly) new.
Saturday, 18 October 2008
Gore Point - Thornham Harbour - RSPB Titchwell - Holkham Nature Reserve, 06/10/2008
A full day out with Andy Brown, Chief Bird Specialist of Natural England who very kindly accompanied myself, Kim, Claire & Rob around some birding hotspots in North West Norfolk.
Gore Point - bright & sunny, crisp with a slight southern breeze.
A new location for me, one recommended for getting close to waders at high tide, unfortunately it was out when we got there so the sandbanks were not overly crowded: Cormorant, Little Egret, Oystercatcher, Great Black-Backed Gull on the shore-side; Pink Footed Goose in the distance in growing skeins; Redshank, Curlew, Black-Headed Gull, Herring Gull, & a nice group of Gannet flying east; heading back to the car & some good visible migration of Meadow Pipit as well as a Rock Pipit which was heard from the bushes around the golf course, & Pied Wagtail.
Thornham Harbour.
Yet another new location, some excellent mixed agricultural land adjoining rough areas of grassland & marsh on the eastern fringes of the Holme reserve: Sparrowhawk above the nearby trees; Pink-Footed Goose & a small group of distant Brent Goose near to the shore-line; a nice group of ten Grey Partridge blending into the field; Skylark & Rock Pipit overflying; Teal, Wigeon, Redshank on the exposed mud of the creek & Bar-Tailed Godwit, Little Egret, Herring Gull further out towards the beach; Reed Bunting on nearby bushes; Curlew &, Grey Plover again nearer the shore; a lone Snipe went up high & quickly away.
RSPB Titchwell - still sunny & quite warm, later some light clouds moving in.
From the visitors' centre: Robin, Great Tit, Chaffinch, House Sparrow, Magpie, Blue Tit & Long-Tailed Tit; along the path for Dunnock & Cetti's Warbler (heard) low-down in the undergrowth; Chiffchaff (heard), Coot, Water Rail (heard) from the first reed beds.
Just after the rail was heard a Bearded Tit darted up from the reeds & flew for 20 metres or so low over the reedbeds, an unusual sighting of these normally elusive birds. However, something even more unusual followed when six bearded tits then flew straight up & over the path seemingly headed off the reserve in some irruptive behaviour. However there was a breeze which seemed to push them back or they thought better of it & quickly dived back down into the reeds on the other side of the path. Quite a spectacular & most unusual sighting!
Further along the path, overflying &/or visible on the first scrape: Cormorant, Starling, Lapwing, Grey Heron, Teal, Dunlin, Redshank, Shelduck, Linnet, Egyptian Goose, Ruff, Avocet, lone Ringed Plover, Wigeon, Shoveler, Mallard, Moorhen, Pink-Footed Goose on the agricultural fields adjacent to the reserve, lone Golden Plover & lone Grey Plover, Black-Headed Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Black-Tailed Godwit, Wren.
Further along the path near the saltmarsh area: Meadow Pipit, Turnstone, Herring Gull.
At sea or along the shore: Eider, Oystercatcher, Common Gull, Sanderling, Bar-Tailed Godwit. As I watched the sea a curious grey plumaged & large bird flew directly towards the shore & only when it reached the beach did it swerve to fly westwards parallel to the shore: a confused juvenile Gannet.
Heading back to the car: Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Kestrel.
Choseley Drying Barns.
A few days earlier Andy had seen a great grey shrike on the barn roof, obviously worth a look to see if it was still there, but unfortunately the intervening few days of heavy rain had apparently sent it on its way. However whilst we scanned the area we came across Pied Wagtail, Kestrel, Robin, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Woodpigeon, Stock Dove & in the far distance towards Holme a lone Marsh Harrier over the fields & a couple of Buzzard over trees.
Holkham Nature Reserve.
From the George Washington hide: large numbers of Pink-Footed Goose across all the fields from the hide & those leading up to the hide; a lone Barnacle Goose was also amongst the pink-feets; Wigeon also & a lone Marsh Harrier drifted across the reserve & behind into the woods towards the beach; back along the path a group of Long-Tailed Tit.
Back to Thornham Harbour for dusk & a Barn Owl, just as Andy had said there would be.
An excellent day, yielding 64 species, which may be a one-day record for me in Norfolk, none new though.
Gore Point - bright & sunny, crisp with a slight southern breeze.
A new location for me, one recommended for getting close to waders at high tide, unfortunately it was out when we got there so the sandbanks were not overly crowded: Cormorant, Little Egret, Oystercatcher, Great Black-Backed Gull on the shore-side; Pink Footed Goose in the distance in growing skeins; Redshank, Curlew, Black-Headed Gull, Herring Gull, & a nice group of Gannet flying east; heading back to the car & some good visible migration of Meadow Pipit as well as a Rock Pipit which was heard from the bushes around the golf course, & Pied Wagtail.
Thornham Harbour.
Yet another new location, some excellent mixed agricultural land adjoining rough areas of grassland & marsh on the eastern fringes of the Holme reserve: Sparrowhawk above the nearby trees; Pink-Footed Goose & a small group of distant Brent Goose near to the shore-line; a nice group of ten Grey Partridge blending into the field; Skylark & Rock Pipit overflying; Teal, Wigeon, Redshank on the exposed mud of the creek & Bar-Tailed Godwit, Little Egret, Herring Gull further out towards the beach; Reed Bunting on nearby bushes; Curlew &, Grey Plover again nearer the shore; a lone Snipe went up high & quickly away.
RSPB Titchwell - still sunny & quite warm, later some light clouds moving in.
From the visitors' centre: Robin, Great Tit, Chaffinch, House Sparrow, Magpie, Blue Tit & Long-Tailed Tit; along the path for Dunnock & Cetti's Warbler (heard) low-down in the undergrowth; Chiffchaff (heard), Coot, Water Rail (heard) from the first reed beds.
Just after the rail was heard a Bearded Tit darted up from the reeds & flew for 20 metres or so low over the reedbeds, an unusual sighting of these normally elusive birds. However, something even more unusual followed when six bearded tits then flew straight up & over the path seemingly headed off the reserve in some irruptive behaviour. However there was a breeze which seemed to push them back or they thought better of it & quickly dived back down into the reeds on the other side of the path. Quite a spectacular & most unusual sighting!
Further along the path, overflying &/or visible on the first scrape: Cormorant, Starling, Lapwing, Grey Heron, Teal, Dunlin, Redshank, Shelduck, Linnet, Egyptian Goose, Ruff, Avocet, lone Ringed Plover, Wigeon, Shoveler, Mallard, Moorhen, Pink-Footed Goose on the agricultural fields adjacent to the reserve, lone Golden Plover & lone Grey Plover, Black-Headed Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Black-Tailed Godwit, Wren.
Further along the path near the saltmarsh area: Meadow Pipit, Turnstone, Herring Gull.
At sea or along the shore: Eider, Oystercatcher, Common Gull, Sanderling, Bar-Tailed Godwit. As I watched the sea a curious grey plumaged & large bird flew directly towards the shore & only when it reached the beach did it swerve to fly westwards parallel to the shore: a confused juvenile Gannet.
Heading back to the car: Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Kestrel.
Choseley Drying Barns.
A few days earlier Andy had seen a great grey shrike on the barn roof, obviously worth a look to see if it was still there, but unfortunately the intervening few days of heavy rain had apparently sent it on its way. However whilst we scanned the area we came across Pied Wagtail, Kestrel, Robin, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Woodpigeon, Stock Dove & in the far distance towards Holme a lone Marsh Harrier over the fields & a couple of Buzzard over trees.
Holkham Nature Reserve.
From the George Washington hide: large numbers of Pink-Footed Goose across all the fields from the hide & those leading up to the hide; a lone Barnacle Goose was also amongst the pink-feets; Wigeon also & a lone Marsh Harrier drifted across the reserve & behind into the woods towards the beach; back along the path a group of Long-Tailed Tit.
Back to Thornham Harbour for dusk & a Barn Owl, just as Andy had said there would be.
An excellent day, yielding 64 species, which may be a one-day record for me in Norfolk, none new though.
Friday, 17 October 2008
RSPB Rainham Marshes, Essex, 05/10/2008
Weather: wet & windy but mild. From 4:15pm.
A late afternoon visit to Rainham, a bit too late because the reserve was getting ready to close. Nonetheless the wardens were very happy for a group of us to take a quick wander.
On the first area of marsh: Wigeon, Coot, Grey Heron, Magpie, Black-Headed Gull, Teal, Little Egret & Lapwing.
From the path towards the hide a couple of brown, juvenile birds were perched on the wire fence & it took them to fly off to a far bush where a male Stonechat was clearly seen before the juvenile birds could be postively identified.
Although the hide was locked the main stretch of water could be observed from the path, although nothing in addition was seen apart from groups of Starling & loose groups of House Martin with the odd Swallow: more summer migrant stragglers. A Little Grebe was also quietly sitting in the water in the very close reedbed; Mallard & Canada Goose were also seen on the open water.
Heading back to the visitors' centre put up flocks of Goldfinch & Linnet; finally a lone Kestrel was hunting over river side meadows.
18 species, none new.
A late afternoon visit to Rainham, a bit too late because the reserve was getting ready to close. Nonetheless the wardens were very happy for a group of us to take a quick wander.
On the first area of marsh: Wigeon, Coot, Grey Heron, Magpie, Black-Headed Gull, Teal, Little Egret & Lapwing.
From the path towards the hide a couple of brown, juvenile birds were perched on the wire fence & it took them to fly off to a far bush where a male Stonechat was clearly seen before the juvenile birds could be postively identified.
Although the hide was locked the main stretch of water could be observed from the path, although nothing in addition was seen apart from groups of Starling & loose groups of House Martin with the odd Swallow: more summer migrant stragglers. A Little Grebe was also quietly sitting in the water in the very close reedbed; Mallard & Canada Goose were also seen on the open water.
Heading back to the visitors' centre put up flocks of Goldfinch & Linnet; finally a lone Kestrel was hunting over river side meadows.
18 species, none new.
Thursday, 2 October 2008
Tring Reservoirs, Hertfordshire, 02/10/2008
Weather: Bright & sunny but cold & breezy. From 1:45pm.
After a morning guided tour of Tring Natural History Museum's egg & nest collection I took advantage of being in the area & headed up to Wilstone.
From the carpark: overflying Starling & Pied Wagtail.
Up onto the reservoir wall: Mute Swan, Coot, Tufted Duck, Wigeon, Cormorant, Great-Crested Grebe, Pochard, Gadwall, Shoveler, Lapwing, Black-Headed Gull; Pheasant in the field opposite the reservoir & Wren in the hedgerow.
Rounding the corner into the woods: Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, Moorhen & Mallard; a couple of Little Egret on the bank near the woods, a first for me at Wilstone; a pair of Common Sandpiper darting about on the exposed mud, fighting or indulging in some early 2009 courting.
From the hide: Canada Goose, Woodpigeon, Teal & groups of over-flying House Martin, the last migrating stragglers. Something was spooking the waders, gulls & ducks but they went up a few times before the female Sparrowhawk flew into view & into the trees, before flying back into the woods behind the hide again.
Continuing to scan from the hide: Ringed Plover, Snipe (x5) on the exposed mud to the left of the hide near to the reedbeds; Kingfisher arrowed across the water showing it's magnificent orange breast, into the trees on the middle island where the sparrowhawk had been; Jackdaw twos & threes at the far side of the reservoir; a lone Ruff on the exposed mud to the right of the hide amongst Golden Plover (x8); a Long-Tailed Tit group also moved through the trees; another look at the assumed roosting mute swans revealed that they were in fact a pair of Whooper Swans, another first for Wilstone.
Back to the far end of the reservoir: Carrion Crow, Lesser Black-Backed Gull
After hearing a wagtail a few times but failing to clearly see what it was finally one alighted on a stump close to the hide & revealed itself as a Grey Wagtail, my first for many a year.
A Buzzard the soared over the trees to the far left of reservoir, & finally as I returned to the car a Mistle Thrush perched at the top of one of the chestnut trees near the car-park.
This wasn't the end of the day however because in the hide I read about sightings the day before of little gull on the Marsworth reservoir which I checked on an excellent Tring birding blog, so it was an easy choice to see if I could collect another life tick. On arriving at Marsworth it wasn't long before I picked out the two immature Little Gull constantly hawking over the water more like terns than gulls. I stayed for a while enjoying great views of the two in the fading sunlight, & also saw, in addition to those seen at Wilstone, a couple of over-flying Swallow & a lone Ruddy Duck, before heading home, another excellent day at Tring reservoirs.
42 species, 1 new species.
After a morning guided tour of Tring Natural History Museum's egg & nest collection I took advantage of being in the area & headed up to Wilstone.
From the carpark: overflying Starling & Pied Wagtail.
Up onto the reservoir wall: Mute Swan, Coot, Tufted Duck, Wigeon, Cormorant, Great-Crested Grebe, Pochard, Gadwall, Shoveler, Lapwing, Black-Headed Gull; Pheasant in the field opposite the reservoir & Wren in the hedgerow.
Rounding the corner into the woods: Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, Moorhen & Mallard; a couple of Little Egret on the bank near the woods, a first for me at Wilstone; a pair of Common Sandpiper darting about on the exposed mud, fighting or indulging in some early 2009 courting.
From the hide: Canada Goose, Woodpigeon, Teal & groups of over-flying House Martin, the last migrating stragglers. Something was spooking the waders, gulls & ducks but they went up a few times before the female Sparrowhawk flew into view & into the trees, before flying back into the woods behind the hide again.
Continuing to scan from the hide: Ringed Plover, Snipe (x5) on the exposed mud to the left of the hide near to the reedbeds; Kingfisher arrowed across the water showing it's magnificent orange breast, into the trees on the middle island where the sparrowhawk had been; Jackdaw twos & threes at the far side of the reservoir; a lone Ruff on the exposed mud to the right of the hide amongst Golden Plover (x8); a Long-Tailed Tit group also moved through the trees; another look at the assumed roosting mute swans revealed that they were in fact a pair of Whooper Swans, another first for Wilstone.
Back to the far end of the reservoir: Carrion Crow, Lesser Black-Backed Gull
After hearing a wagtail a few times but failing to clearly see what it was finally one alighted on a stump close to the hide & revealed itself as a Grey Wagtail, my first for many a year.
A Buzzard the soared over the trees to the far left of reservoir, & finally as I returned to the car a Mistle Thrush perched at the top of one of the chestnut trees near the car-park.
This wasn't the end of the day however because in the hide I read about sightings the day before of little gull on the Marsworth reservoir which I checked on an excellent Tring birding blog, so it was an easy choice to see if I could collect another life tick. On arriving at Marsworth it wasn't long before I picked out the two immature Little Gull constantly hawking over the water more like terns than gulls. I stayed for a while enjoying great views of the two in the fading sunlight, & also saw, in addition to those seen at Wilstone, a couple of over-flying Swallow & a lone Ruddy Duck, before heading home, another excellent day at Tring reservoirs.
42 species, 1 new species.
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