9:30 - 11:45am. Weather: heavy rain shower on arrival, but stopped leaving grey & overcast conditions with a breeze (SW).
First visit to a site that often seems to have some great species. I hoped to connect with passage arctic terns which had been reported over the past few days & the diver that has been in residence the past few months. In contrast to the previous day the weather was pretty bad but it soon cleared & clouds of insects soon sprung up! I approached from the A3044 side.
Great-Crested Grebe, Mute Swan, Coot.
Mallard, Tufted Duck, Black-Headed Gull.
Cormorant - drying out on the barges.
Pied Wagtail - a couple flitting along the walkway.
Red-Breasted Merganser - I was heading towards the far-side of the reservoir to get a feel for the side before being called back by a fellow birder who I had passed as he walked his dog. Luckily he'd been informed by some other birders of this dapper -looking male that had just flown in. It stayed for 20-30 minutes before apparently flying off south-west.
Little Gull - the birding gentleman also pointed out where these cracking gulls were busily skimming the waves or not so busily floating & preening in the water. Several were adults with the lovely rose-pink wash to their underparts & I counted up to 12.
Swift - at first I heard the screaming then large flocks swirled overhead & away north. Their numbers were probably in the hundreds but lessened throughout the morning.
House Martin - a couple in amongst the earlier swift flocks.
Hospital Corner:
Wigeon - 1 male.
Shelduck - a pair.
Great Northern Diver - I had some nice views from the midway point of the causeway but completed my walk by heading up to the 'far-side' of the reservoir hoping for a better view but after a brief glimpse it promptly disappeared & did not show again despite waiting for at least 30 minutes!
Gadwall - 2 males.
Walk back:
Starling, Crow,
Lesser Black-Backed Gull - 1 overhead.
Reed Bunting - 1 male flitted along into the scanty path-side shrubs.
Greylag Goose - 1 on the near-side shore.
Meadow Pipit - only heard overhead.
A good location for a clutch of nice species, one I may well visit again, though not sure about the swarms of insects, at least they help attract the birds!
22 species.
Sunday, 25 April 2010
Hampstead Cemetery, West Hampstead, London, 24/04/2010
11:05am - 12:15pm. Weather: bright, sunny, war, slight breeze (E).
Beautiful day for a patch visit, with Kim. She went for a run as I walked the usual route.
Entrance:
Chaffinch, Woodpigeon, Wren, Robin.
South-side:
Blue Tit, Great Tit, Dunnock, Blackbird.
Chiffchaff - inconspicuously feeding at the top of a shrub, then 2 or 3 heard around the rest of the cemetery,
Blackcap - heard first then connected with a couple, male & female, towards the sports field,
Lesser Black-Backed Gull - distant, drifting east,
Magpie - pair,
Crow - 1, Jay - 2,
UCL Sports Grounds-side:
Coal Tit - 1, feeding high-up,
Song Thrush - singing then flying off in far north-west corner,
East-side:
Starling, Long-Tailed Tit.
Goldcrest - heard singing as I headed to the exit.
19 species.
Beautiful day for a patch visit, with Kim. She went for a run as I walked the usual route.
Entrance:
Chaffinch, Woodpigeon, Wren, Robin.
South-side:
Blue Tit, Great Tit, Dunnock, Blackbird.
Chiffchaff - inconspicuously feeding at the top of a shrub, then 2 or 3 heard around the rest of the cemetery,
Blackcap - heard first then connected with a couple, male & female, towards the sports field,
Lesser Black-Backed Gull - distant, drifting east,
Magpie - pair,
Crow - 1, Jay - 2,
UCL Sports Grounds-side:
Coal Tit - 1, feeding high-up,
Song Thrush - singing then flying off in far north-west corner,
East-side:
Starling, Long-Tailed Tit.
Goldcrest - heard singing as I headed to the exit.
19 species.
Sunday, 11 April 2010
Hampstead Cemetery, West Hampstead, London, 10/04/2010
12:45 - 2pm. Weather: bright, sunny, warm, light wind (E).
Spring-time patch visit notable for the feisty greenfinches squabbling near the garden of remembrance.
South-side:
Robin, Blue Tit, Greenfinch.
Wren - heard.
Chiffchaff - 2.
Blackcap - 2, male & female.
Blackbird, Magpie.
Chaffinch - heard.
Woodpigeon.
Jay - 2.
Great Tit - 1.
UCL Sports Grounds:
Crow - 2.
East-side:
Greenfinch - over, then approx. 6 fighting.
Goldcrest - 1.
Coal Tit.
Starling - 2.
17 species.
Spring-time patch visit notable for the feisty greenfinches squabbling near the garden of remembrance.
South-side:
Robin, Blue Tit, Greenfinch.
Wren - heard.
Chiffchaff - 2.
Blackcap - 2, male & female.
Blackbird, Magpie.
Chaffinch - heard.
Woodpigeon.
Jay - 2.
Great Tit - 1.
UCL Sports Grounds:
Crow - 2.
East-side:
Greenfinch - over, then approx. 6 fighting.
Goldcrest - 1.
Coal Tit.
Starling - 2.
17 species.
RSPB Sandy, Bedfordshire, 06/04/2010
3:45 - 5pm. Weather: bright, hazy, windy (SW).
On the way back to London I wanted to call in at the RSPB's headquarters which I had often passed when on the way to & from Norfolk. Rob & I arrived quite late in the day but had a pleasant walk around the smallish reserve where much work was being carried out to restore the original heathlands from the pine plantations. Although we popped in to the Meadow Hide we didn't see anything we hadn't seen already before getting there.
Great Spotted Woodpecker, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Woodpigeon, Chaffinch, Crow, Magpie, Green Woodpecker, Wren, Blue Tit, Chiffchaff, Blackbird.
Pied Wagtail - 2.
Stock Dove - 3.
Long-Tailed Tit, Robin.
16 species.
On the way back to London I wanted to call in at the RSPB's headquarters which I had often passed when on the way to & from Norfolk. Rob & I arrived quite late in the day but had a pleasant walk around the smallish reserve where much work was being carried out to restore the original heathlands from the pine plantations. Although we popped in to the Meadow Hide we didn't see anything we hadn't seen already before getting there.
Great Spotted Woodpecker, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Woodpigeon, Chaffinch, Crow, Magpie, Green Woodpecker, Wren, Blue Tit, Chiffchaff, Blackbird.
Pied Wagtail - 2.
Stock Dove - 3.
Long-Tailed Tit, Robin.
16 species.
RSPB Frampton Marsh, Lincolnshire, 05/04/2010
9:40 - 12pm. Weather: cold, windy (SW), rainy.
Another Easter expedition day & another new reserve to visit, this time an early start to get to the other side of the Wash. The weather was miserable but I was not to be deterred in visiting a reserve that has excellent records of some tricky to see species. There was also more evidence of Spring migration & the weather eventually settled.
Car-Park.
Little Egret - in fields from car.
Lesser Black-Backed Gull (over).
Lapwing, Greylag Goose, Swallow.
To Visitors' Centre.
Greenfinch, Great-Crested Grebe, Mallard.
Visitors' Centre to 360 Hide.
Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Snipe.
Reed Bunting - several flitting alongside the path.
Skylark - several singing enthusiastically.
360 Hide.
Mute Swan, Coot, Brent Goose, Shelduck, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Redshank, Wigeon, Canada Goose.Herring Gull, Black-Headed Gull, Black-Tailed Godwit.
Ruff - 1.
Pochard - 1 female.
Gadwall, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Magpie.
Reedbed Hide.
Linnet - a few flitting amongst the vegetation of the 360 scrapes.
Twite - c20; from the hide I looked back to the 360 scrapes & I saw a flock of what I assumed were the earlier linnets. However as I looked closer I noticed yellow bills & the penny dropped that these were in fact twite, which I had hoped to see at this reserve. Before I could get another look after checking the field guide they flew off twittering distinctively towards the East Hide, which was a bit frustrating!
Yellow Wagtail - no sooner had the twite disappeared than this wonderful bright bird perched on the pathside wire in good view of everyone in the hide. It then flew down into vegetation before disappearing.
Pied Wagtail.
WHITE WAGTAIL - with the pied wagtails a few distinctively paler individuals, a nice bonus & a UK-first for me after last seeing them when I lived in Germany 20+ years ago!
Avocet.
East Hide.
Curlew.
Visitors' Centre.
Whooper Swan - 2, a nice pair from the centre.
Crow.
40 species, 1 new species.
Another Easter expedition day & another new reserve to visit, this time an early start to get to the other side of the Wash. The weather was miserable but I was not to be deterred in visiting a reserve that has excellent records of some tricky to see species. There was also more evidence of Spring migration & the weather eventually settled.
Car-Park.
Little Egret - in fields from car.
Lesser Black-Backed Gull (over).
Lapwing, Greylag Goose, Swallow.
To Visitors' Centre.
Greenfinch, Great-Crested Grebe, Mallard.
Visitors' Centre to 360 Hide.
Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Snipe.
Reed Bunting - several flitting alongside the path.
Skylark - several singing enthusiastically.
360 Hide.
Mute Swan, Coot, Brent Goose, Shelduck, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Redshank, Wigeon, Canada Goose.Herring Gull, Black-Headed Gull, Black-Tailed Godwit.
Ruff - 1.
Pochard - 1 female.
Gadwall, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Magpie.
Reedbed Hide.
Linnet - a few flitting amongst the vegetation of the 360 scrapes.
Twite - c20; from the hide I looked back to the 360 scrapes & I saw a flock of what I assumed were the earlier linnets. However as I looked closer I noticed yellow bills & the penny dropped that these were in fact twite, which I had hoped to see at this reserve. Before I could get another look after checking the field guide they flew off twittering distinctively towards the East Hide, which was a bit frustrating!
Yellow Wagtail - no sooner had the twite disappeared than this wonderful bright bird perched on the pathside wire in good view of everyone in the hide. It then flew down into vegetation before disappearing.
Pied Wagtail.
WHITE WAGTAIL - with the pied wagtails a few distinctively paler individuals, a nice bonus & a UK-first for me after last seeing them when I lived in Germany 20+ years ago!
Avocet.
East Hide.
Curlew.
Visitors' Centre.
Whooper Swan - 2, a nice pair from the centre.
Crow.
40 species, 1 new species.
Rutland Water, Egerton, Leicestershire, 04/04/2010
2:20 -5:30pm. Weather: cloudy but bright, cool; cold wind (southerly).
Departing Teeside heading to Norfolk I wanted to visit the famous reservoir on the way, & hoped to see an English osprey. It was a long drive, but not too gruelling down the motorway & it was good to see the finally see the place I'd heard so much about.
Car-park, Visitors' Centre & Hides.
Jackdaw, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Greylag Goose, Tufted Duck, Mute Swan.
Egyptian Goose - 2.
Gadwall, Mallard, Pochard, Black-Headed Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Moorhen, Teal, Canada Goose, Wigeon, Shelduck, Rook.
Song Thrush - heard only.
Chiffchaff - singing near the hide, one of the first of the year.
Redshank.
Robin - heard.
Goldeneye, Crow, Shoveler.
Pheasant - heard.
Dunlin Hide.
Oystercatcher, Redshank, Common Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull.
Swallow - 3 arriving migrants.
Sandpiper Hide.
Little Ringed Plover - 2 on a small sandbank then another flew in to make 3.
Dunlin - 1 with the LRPs.
Shoveler Hide.
Scaup - 2 on the reservoir's far-side from the hide, kindly pointed out by a fellow birder.
Little Grebe.
Visitors' Centre.
Wren - heard.
Chaffinch, Collared Dove, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Greenfinch, Dunnock, Goldfinch.
Mallard Hide.
Great-Crested Grebe, Curlew, Kestrel.
Sand Martin - plenty buzzing around the reedbeds & over lagoon 1.
OSPREY - after being disappointed in not seeing any birds on their nesting platforms, we were about to depart disappointed when one floated in from the south & high over the hide. Quite distinctive & although I had seen one in Britain before in Scotland (which I didn't record anywhere) this was my first in England.
Car-park.
Great Spotted Woodpecker - the trees adjacent to the car-park.
Woodpigeon - a usual car-park dustbin presence!
50 species.
Departing Teeside heading to Norfolk I wanted to visit the famous reservoir on the way, & hoped to see an English osprey. It was a long drive, but not too gruelling down the motorway & it was good to see the finally see the place I'd heard so much about.
Car-park, Visitors' Centre & Hides.
Jackdaw, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Greylag Goose, Tufted Duck, Mute Swan.
Egyptian Goose - 2.
Gadwall, Mallard, Pochard, Black-Headed Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Moorhen, Teal, Canada Goose, Wigeon, Shelduck, Rook.
Song Thrush - heard only.
Chiffchaff - singing near the hide, one of the first of the year.
Redshank.
Robin - heard.
Goldeneye, Crow, Shoveler.
Pheasant - heard.
Dunlin Hide.
Oystercatcher, Redshank, Common Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull.
Swallow - 3 arriving migrants.
Sandpiper Hide.
Little Ringed Plover - 2 on a small sandbank then another flew in to make 3.
Dunlin - 1 with the LRPs.
Shoveler Hide.
Scaup - 2 on the reservoir's far-side from the hide, kindly pointed out by a fellow birder.
Little Grebe.
Visitors' Centre.
Wren - heard.
Chaffinch, Collared Dove, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Greenfinch, Dunnock, Goldfinch.
Mallard Hide.
Great-Crested Grebe, Curlew, Kestrel.
Sand Martin - plenty buzzing around the reedbeds & over lagoon 1.
OSPREY - after being disappointed in not seeing any birds on their nesting platforms, we were about to depart disappointed when one floated in from the south & high over the hide. Quite distinctive & although I had seen one in Britain before in Scotland (which I didn't record anywhere) this was my first in England.
Car-park.
Great Spotted Woodpecker - the trees adjacent to the car-park.
Woodpigeon - a usual car-park dustbin presence!
50 species.
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