Weather: cold, wintry showers. From 3:15pm.
Another trip to the Aylesbury layby to hopefully see the short-eared owls again, this time a bit earlier. However a day that started off with snow followed by a torrential downfall (at least in London) had me thinking that the owls would stay at hidden away out of it, but by mid-afternoon some sunshine convinced me it was worth a visit.
I arrived & joined a couple of others, the sun still shining but unfortunately after 15 minutes or so, & after admiting a bright rainbow, the black clouds on the horizon, heavy with precipitation, moved closer bringing their rainfall with them which sent me scurrying back to the car. I had only managed to see a couple of Kestrel & a lone Buzzard in the far trees, & nothing but Crows & Woodpigeon in the fields.
The first heavy shower passed by & from the car still nothing could be seen in the fields as dusk came on quickly. Another shower soon followed & it was enough to convince me that the owls would not be appearing this evening, however because I was nearby I thought I'd pop in on Wilstone & see if could pick out anything from the wall in the gloom, or even maybe see a little owl, a few of which are occasionally reported.
At Wilstone, from the reservoir's wall, I was struck by the large number of Black-Headed Gulls roosting on the water, hundreds at least. Also in the gathering gloom I picked out Tufted Duck, Mute Swan, Great-Crested Grebe, Pochard & Coot.
Finally I decided to call in on Marsworth to see if I could catch the big starling roost which I'd also read about, though I suspected that I would be too late. And so it proved to be, though I could hear them chattering away in the reeds I had missed any spectacular aerial acrobatics, however a Sparrowhawk zipping low through the trees over the reeds meant it wasn't a complete loss, & there were also a few Shoveler on the water.
12 species.
Sunday, 23 November 2008
Sunday, 16 November 2008
A41 Lay-by, Berryfields, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, 15/11/2008
Weather: overcast, damp & mild. From 4pm.
After reading great reports of exciting & nearby birds on "birding tring reservoirs" blog I decided to check out the lay-by on the A41, adjacent to some rough grassland, at dusk in the hope of seeing the short-eared owls, a species I haven't seen in many years & which Kim had not seen before.
Sure enough after arriving & joining the half dozen or so other birders it wasn't long before the first Short-Eared Owl was seen perched in the far distance. No sooner did I have that one through the 'scope than another was spotted to the right & as I tracked it with the binoculars another couple appeared in the background with it, these then proceeded to quarter the grassland to the right on the far side of the Quainton road. I have only ever seen two before so to see more together in such an accessible area was fantastic. One then continued to quarter the grassland from right to left coming ever closer before it finally pounced down a few hundred yards away & unfortunately it didn't re-appear.
The light faded quite quickly after that & apart from a Kestrel which zipped over, the show was over. Unfortunately we arrived too late to see the hen harrier seen by the other birders & also dipped on tawny owl, but now I know the site I hope to return earlier in the day.
After reading great reports of exciting & nearby birds on "birding tring reservoirs" blog I decided to check out the lay-by on the A41, adjacent to some rough grassland, at dusk in the hope of seeing the short-eared owls, a species I haven't seen in many years & which Kim had not seen before.
Sure enough after arriving & joining the half dozen or so other birders it wasn't long before the first Short-Eared Owl was seen perched in the far distance. No sooner did I have that one through the 'scope than another was spotted to the right & as I tracked it with the binoculars another couple appeared in the background with it, these then proceeded to quarter the grassland to the right on the far side of the Quainton road. I have only ever seen two before so to see more together in such an accessible area was fantastic. One then continued to quarter the grassland from right to left coming ever closer before it finally pounced down a few hundred yards away & unfortunately it didn't re-appear.
The light faded quite quickly after that & apart from a Kestrel which zipped over, the show was over. Unfortunately we arrived too late to see the hen harrier seen by the other birders & also dipped on tawny owl, but now I know the site I hope to return earlier in the day.
Friday, 7 November 2008
RSPB Rainham Marshes, Essex, 02/11/2008
Weather: Mixed clouds & sunshine, cool, still. From 12:30pm.
A trip out for the reported serins on a lovely autumnal day.
From the car-park the usual Collared Dove, Blue Tit, & then something less usual, a lone Grey Wagtail flew over from the reserve to the riverside, then back to normal Crow, Magpie & Woodpigeon.
I headed out along the seawall after getting more information on the serins from the visitor's centre & after spotting Greenfinch, Goldfinch, House Sparrow around the feeders.
In the scrub either side of the path or visible on the scrapes on the reserve: Stonechat, Pied Wagtail, Wigeon, Shoveler, Starling, Meadow Pipit, Greylag Goose, Black-Headed Gull, Skylark, Grey Heron, Wren, Kestrel.
I reached the section of the path which curves to the right at the base of the mound of the tip & looked downhill into the scrubby area, on the adjacent dyke were Moorhen & Coot. On the way up a few people had mentioned that the serins had not been seen that afternoon but that the Dartford Warbler had been seen in the locality, nevertheless I had to stay put for a good 15 minutes before I finally saw it low & nearby but only briefly in some scrub apparently accompanied by a 'ticking' wren. Happy with the dartford but dipping on the serin I headed back past a Robin & alerted to some crashing in the bushes I saw a fox hastily diving away through the undergrowth towards the reserve.
The tide was up which meant the muddy bay was submerged but on the water & on small patches of mud: Shelduck, Teal, Cormorant, Curlew, Great Black-Backed Gull, Herring Gull.
Back near the visitors' centre for Lapwing, a large group of chattering Linnet & a final Chaffinch.
As mentioned no sign of the serins, the theory being that they were amongst goldfinches feeding on the nearby rubbish tip which was closed allowing them to feed there undisturbed, & not on the reserve.
35 species, none new.
Update, 16/11/2008: the serins are still present, seen today (Sunday) so hopefully, if they stay around I'll have another try.
A trip out for the reported serins on a lovely autumnal day.
From the car-park the usual Collared Dove, Blue Tit, & then something less usual, a lone Grey Wagtail flew over from the reserve to the riverside, then back to normal Crow, Magpie & Woodpigeon.
I headed out along the seawall after getting more information on the serins from the visitor's centre & after spotting Greenfinch, Goldfinch, House Sparrow around the feeders.
In the scrub either side of the path or visible on the scrapes on the reserve: Stonechat, Pied Wagtail, Wigeon, Shoveler, Starling, Meadow Pipit, Greylag Goose, Black-Headed Gull, Skylark, Grey Heron, Wren, Kestrel.
I reached the section of the path which curves to the right at the base of the mound of the tip & looked downhill into the scrubby area, on the adjacent dyke were Moorhen & Coot. On the way up a few people had mentioned that the serins had not been seen that afternoon but that the Dartford Warbler had been seen in the locality, nevertheless I had to stay put for a good 15 minutes before I finally saw it low & nearby but only briefly in some scrub apparently accompanied by a 'ticking' wren. Happy with the dartford but dipping on the serin I headed back past a Robin & alerted to some crashing in the bushes I saw a fox hastily diving away through the undergrowth towards the reserve.
The tide was up which meant the muddy bay was submerged but on the water & on small patches of mud: Shelduck, Teal, Cormorant, Curlew, Great Black-Backed Gull, Herring Gull.
Back near the visitors' centre for Lapwing, a large group of chattering Linnet & a final Chaffinch.
As mentioned no sign of the serins, the theory being that they were amongst goldfinches feeding on the nearby rubbish tip which was closed allowing them to feed there undisturbed, & not on the reserve.
35 species, none new.
Update, 16/11/2008: the serins are still present, seen today (Sunday) so hopefully, if they stay around I'll have another try.
Tuesday, 28 October 2008
South Dartmouth, Massachusetts, USA, 24-27/10/2008
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.
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.
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.
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