Ash's Bird Blog

T.A.B.C.G. Wales Trip. 01/05/2011

2011-05-16T18:32:00.005+01:00

Our first destination as always was Goldcliff, Gwent, where shortly after parking the cars we heard a singing Lesser Whitethroat followed by another rattling from the bushes next to the car park, it didn’t take long to see them as both flew from thickets with one showing briefly before disappearing in to the undergrowth. A Willow Warbler then commenced singing followed by a Chiffchaff from the same tree it has called from on each of our yearly visits, I'd still love to know if it’s the same bird or whether it’s just the best tree to sing from. Just before we set off in to the site a Wheatear appeared briefly. We made our way towards the viewing screens bypassing the first two and making our way to the third screen in the hope that the Spoonbill that had been present for the last few days would be still around. Unfortunately it wasn’t but the lagoons/pools held a good number of other species with the best being at least 14 Avocet and a flock of 40+ Black-tailed Godwits which just as we were searching through for Barwits were flushed by a incoming Peregrine. The Blackwits circled round and landed even further away from us and it wasn’t till i had got home that i noticed one of them was ringed, because of the distance I'm having a few problems noting the exact colours from the photograph. The birds left leg from top to bottom looks like Blue over Yellow and the birds right leg from top to bottom is Red Flag over Yellow over ????? A bit more dectective work is definately needed when i get time.

A Raven also put in a appearance as it drifted over the pools at low level.

Ringed Black-tailed Godwit.

Before we headed off to RSPB Newport Wetlands we drove a short distance and stopped at Saltmarsh Lane which was a site we had never visited before. I had prompted the visit on the day and was rather hoping that it would pay off, it didn’t disappointed and as we walked along the footpath we were serenaded by Whitethroat, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Sedge Warbler. Above a number of Swallows and House Martins were flying overhead and it wasn’t long before we saw our first Swifts. Continuing south west along the footpath we reached a marshy lagoon where we stopped to see what could be seen, Whimbrel, 2 Greenshank and a female Ruff or Reeve as it’s better known were present although elusive amongst the vegetation. We continued along the path and towards the sea where we stopped to view the shore line, on previous visits the sea had often been at low tide meaning that many of the waders were distant spots on the horizon but this time the tide was much higher which gave us a much better view of what was present although still some way off. The first bird i noticed was a male Grey Plover in breeding plumage which looked absolutely fantastic in his breeding attire, soon after followed a few Black-tailed Godwits, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Dunlin and a single Knot.

Grey Plover.

By this point we had walked west and all the way along the sea footpath and reached the RSPB Newport Wetlands reserve, from here a few Reed Warblers could be heard along with Sedge Warbler and the odd Common Whitethroat. A Southern Marsh Orchid was a pleasant find. We made our way back along the footpath towards Saltmarsh Lane hearing Cetti’s Warbler and spotting a pair of Whinchat before getting back in the cars and heading off to RSPB Newport Wetlands.

Southern Marsh Orchid.

At Newport Wetlands we were greeted by singing Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Lesser Whitethroat as we made our way to the visitor centre, here we decided to warm up with a cup of coffee before venturing out in to the reserve. A familiar face soon appeared in the form of Mathew Meehan and we were soon chatting away, we got talking about the Oriental Turtle Dove at Chipping Norton and Mathew told me he had made the journey on the first day of the mega twitch and had seen me pass by No 41 The Leys as he waited on the doorstep, he had recognised me by my ever present pair of VANS that are attached to my feet most of the time, we both looked down and of course i was wearing them.

Once we’d warmed up and finished our beverages it was time to head out in to the reserve, It was a bit windy and not particularly good weather for one of a target species which was Bearded Tit or Titw Barfog in Welsh, we had seen them quite regularly on our previous trips here but today it didn’t look too promising. Sedge and Reed Warbler were present along with Common Whitethroat but there was no sign of any Bearded Tit, more unusual was the fact that we hadn’t heard a Cuckoo yet and having now visited 2 sites where we had seen them in the past it didn’t bode well. On the way out of the reserve a Lesser Whitethroat was rattling away from the hedgerow next to the visitor centre.

No Titw Barfog This Time.

Our next stop saw us heading to our usual Dipper site, where after parking up we walked the short distance to see what we could find. Amazingly a Dipper was in full view on a rock on the river bed and is certainly the quickest i can recall us finding one. The Dipper remained in view for a couple of minutes bobbing up and down giving everybody good views, after awhile it flew off low across the river and out of sight. Whilst we looked for Grey Wagtail and Common Sandpiper it was clear to see the water levels were incredibly low and many of the rocks that adorn the river bed were visible. Whilst the group continued viewing the river from a high vantage point i made my way down to the rivers edge in the hope of finding something else, due to our hectic daily schedule we don’t always get a lot of time here so i decided to spend 10 minutes viewing from the river instead of my usual viewing spot.

I sat down and scanned across the river with my scope finding very little until i heard a Dipper calling as it flew past, it landed on some rocks just 30ft away giving me great views, in fact my best views to date of this fantastic species. I sat very still and began to take a few photos of it as it remained stood on the rocks, unfortunately i couldn’t see the image on the camera screen due to the sun and the first few shots didn’t do the bird any justice, by the time i had made a few adjustments the Dipper had flown off but returned again some minutes later. This time it started searching for aquatic insects and each time it returned to the waters surface it had collected a good amount of food, again it sat in view for a few minutes before departing. I soon cottoned on that it probably had young and was busy feeding them so not wanting to disturb it I grabbed my belongings and walked back to meet the group, watching as the Dipper whizzed past me and further down the river. After spotting Common Sandpiper and Grey Wagtail we embarked on our journey to the Elan Valley.

Dipper.

Nearly 2 hours later we arrived at the Elan Valley visitor centre where we parked up and had a spot to eat, there were a few blue skies which at times became shrouded with cloud but generally it was quite pleasant weather. Much like our previous stops again the water levels seemed very low. We then started our ascent towards Cnwch Wood finding Redstart and Wood Warbler singing at the bottom of the footpath followed further along the path by Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Garden Warbler, Blackcap and then Pied Flycatcher, a distant Nuthatch called and small groups of both Siskin and Lesser Redpoll passed over back and forth.

Pied Flycatcher.

A pair of Ravens flew through the valley “Kronking” as they went and further along the path one of the resident Tawny Owls had a chick in one of the viewable nest boxes. Whilst we were viewing the nest box a Tree Pipit called from further up the path but despite searching it couldn’t be located. Finally our first Cuckoo was heard but sadly not seen as it called across the valley. By this point we were almost at the top and while a number of the group decided to turn round and take a slow walk back down the hill the remainder of us continued to the top in the hope that we might locate something special.

Pied Flycatcher.

The habitat around the Elan Valley is ideal for Ring Ouzel but surprisingly we never manage to find any on our travels, well up until now that is. As we looked across the hills and woodland from the footpath a Redstart appeared on a fence post, agonisingly it dropped out of sight almost instantly and whilst we waited for it to appear again we scanned the surrounding hills and thickets. The Redstart didn’t show but instead one of the group spotted a Ring Ouzel foraging on the hillside, although slightly distant we got good views as it hopped around the outcrops and it was certainly a welcome sighting which rounded off our visit to the Elan Valley.

We left Elan Valley visitor centre and made our way up in to the hills before we headed home stopping at a small reserve on the side of a lake. A quick walk through the woods to a dam brought with it a few singing Blackcap and a solitary singing Willow Warbler and a distant calling Cuckoo.

Our last stop found us high up in the hills with great views of a number of Meadow Pipits perched on fence posts as we drove to our final destination. Sadly it was very quiet with few birds to be seen, a single male Wheatear showed briefly as did a rather tatty House Sparrow that didn’t seem to have any tail feathers and looked rather out of place.

All in all a very enjoyable day.

http://tabcg.webs.com/

BBOWT Warburg Nature Reserve - Bix, Oxon. 28/03/2011

2011-05-02T20:24:00.000+01:00

A brief afternoon visit to BBOWT Warburg Nature Reserve brought the following sightings-

1x Chiffchaff
Marsh, Blue, Great, Coal & Long-tailed Tit
Nuthatch
Goldfinch
Chaffinch
2x Great Spotted Woodpecker
Robin
Dunnock
2x Red Kite
2x Buzzard
2x Red-legged Partridge
Pheasant
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Carrion crow
Rook
Jackdaw

Oriental Turtle Dove (Streptopelia orientalis) - Chipping Norton.

2011-05-02T19:54:00.000+01:00

Along with hundreds of other birders, twitchers & ornithologists I made my way to Chipping Norton in the hope of seeing the Oriental Turtle Dove that had been found in Steve Akers garden at “The Leys”. With this mega rarity being some 3,000 miles off course it was obviously going to attract at lot of interest but I was surprised to see some 500+ people at The Leys when I arrived. The Dove had been and gone from it’s normal early morning feeding station and the queue outside No 41 stretched up the road, deciding that I would have little chance in seeing the bird if queued I decided to scan the surrounding areas in the hope that I might find it lurking somewhere. The local residents were extremely interested and friendly with many offering visiting birders their gardens to look from, after meeting up with a friend I took the opportunity to join him in a garden that we had almost to ourselves. Unfortunately the Dove couldn’t be relocated and I spent most of the day searching, viewing and wandering around without any luck as did the majority of birders that stayed the day. The only highlights being 3 Bullfinch at The Leys and a single Peregrine perched on a tower by Bliss Mill.

My next visit was much of the same, the Dove had been and gone in to hiding again and wasn’t seen throughout the day. Finally on my 3rd attempt, just as I arrived and was walking towards No 41 I watched as the OTD flew overhead from the garden and west towards the Ash trees behind the houses on the west side of the street. I quickened my pace which turned from hasty walk to jog and then run towards the bottom of The Leys where I finally found the a number of birders watching the OTD perched in the Ash trees preening. Even with few leaves on the trees the Dove was difficult to pick out amongst the branches and the backdrop of a cold grey sky but there it remained for 20 minutes with half-a-dozen observers watching it.

So after 3 attempts I finally got to see it, not great views by any means but I was still extremely pleased to have caught up with it in the end.

Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) Marlow 30/01/11

2011-05-02T17:00:00.001+01:00

My next Waxwing encounter was to be in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, with a mobile flock that was often seen around Globe Park Industrial Estate and some of the surrounding residential areas.

With no sign at any of the residential areas i continued on to Globe Park, driving south down “Parkway” i soon began to hear the familiar trilling calls and spotted a small group of Waxwings in tall trees adjacent to “The Chase”, as i stopped they departed! I continued along Parkway checking bushes, trees amongst the industrial estate but without any luck, there was still a number of berry laden bushes and after checking each one that was visible i soon met a group of people viewing one intently. I stopped, parked up and wandered over to them, unfortunately they hadn’t seen the Waxwings and were watching a few Redwings feeding on a berry bush so i headed off on foot for a look about.

I decided to walk north along the pavement/footpath alongside “parkway” scanning every bush and tree as i went, the constant drone of traffic from the A404 made it impossible to hear anything at distance but finally as i approached the footbridge which crosses the A404 i spotted and heard a flock of Waxwings overhead. They crossed the A404 and landed in trees on the west side of the dual carriageway and almost at bridge height where they perched.

I crossed the bridge and found them in a tree next to the footpath and lake that leads to Westhorpe House. They were at the top of a tree and at the same height as i was standing on the A404 footbridge, here they spent 5 or so minutes preening. There seemed to be a lot of mutual preening and interaction between a number of birds, signs of early courtship or family groups? small numbers then began dropping down to feed on Rosehip and Hawthorn berries in and around bramble thickets at the bottom of the trees next to the bridge. It was great watching them, almost perfect blue skies and magical views of these stunning birds. Unfortunately this didn’t last long as 4 youngsters suddenly turned up on quad bikes and scramble bikes and literally tore the place up flushing everything everywhere, these little so & so’s continued to rev the n*ts off their bikes and the Waxwings took flight to the top of the trees where they grouped together before departing. Again i was thwarted by some little scrote-bags on motorbikes.

I watched them fly back over the A404 eastwards towards the Industrial estate and “Forth Avenue” area where they perched up, numbers increased with what looked to be smaller parties of 3’s and 4’s arriving from different directions until they numbered somewhere in the 40-50’s, perhaps more, it was difficult to count exactly as some where obscured by branches. I watched them from Parkway feeding in the roadside hedges where again i witnessed some very friendly behaviour between a few of the birds, again there was a lot of mutual preening and at one point 3 birds lined up together on a branch and preened each other, one got less of a preen and flew to another bird which in turn preened it. Their feeding seemed a bit more relaxed than others i have seen perhaps a reflection of the slightly warmer weather and not the snow covered towns and villages that greeted them earlier in the year. There were also a number of birds feeding others at an almost leisurely pace, not the usual frenetic pluck the berry and down in one but a simple pick and pass which i had never witnessed before.

As the afternoon ebbed away there was one last chance of a few photos as the birds posed in the afternoon sun before departing east over the A404 and towards the popular trees on the A4155 opposite the Wyevale garden centre.

Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) Calcot, Berks. 21/01/11

2011-03-14T20:14:00.002Z

It took what felt like an eternity for the cold grey January skies to make way for a bit of sunshine, Waxwing sightings were numerous across the counties of Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire as flocks moved south through the UK. I decided to go and have a look at a flock that had been frequenting the grounds of the Porsche Centre in Calcot, Reading, Berkshire, feeding on a number of berry bushes along Pincents Lane and from all accounts they were showing very well.

I arrived at Calcot and before searching for the Waxwings I made a quick detour to Sainsbury's. As I walked towards the front doors I suddenly picked up on a familiar “ssrrrr” coming from across the car park where I had parked, I turned to see 3 small flocks of birds dropping in to a tree and hurried back towards my car. It was obvious that these were the Waxwings that I'd come to see and quickly grabbed my scope from the car, about 40+ birds were now sat together in two trees some 40ft away and in good voice. Below the flock of Waxwings a steady stream of traffic queued for the petrol station which began to drown out the Waxwing calls, they remained together in the two trees with some looking rather attentive towards the cars below but stay they did........ Up until a little toe-rag and his scooter chums passed-by revving the bo**cks off their mopeds, needless to say the whole flock of Waxwings were soon up and away.

After leaving Sainsbury’s I drove the short distance to Pincents Lane and viewed the area around the Porsche Centre and adjacent buildings, there was no sight or sound of any Waxwings and after driving along the whole of Pincents Lane I drove back to Calcot and looked around some of the housing estates. Here I managed to see 2 flocks flying over and driving back to the Porsche Centre found them perched up in trees at the back of the grounds. I parked up and grabbed my scope, bins and camera and found a spot on the opposite side of the road, close enough to digiscope but not close enough to stop them from feeding, it’s easy to forget these birds have come a long way and need to keep feeding in order to survive without constant human intrusion.

While I waited for the Waxwings to come down to feed I was treated to some nice views of Fieldfare and Redwing as they fed on Cotoneaster berries highlighted by the afternoon sun, a few Wood Pigeons were dotted around in the trees busily feeding and with each tug at the berries saw many cascading to the floor, these in turn were being picked up by a couple of Blackbirds which were hopping back and forth underneath the trees and making the most of anything being dropped.

It wasn't long before the Waxwings started to fly down to a number of trees behind the cotoneasters, here they perched high surveying the scene and with each passing second more and more arrived to join them. A few birds started to drop down on the the Cotoneaster berries and in true Waxwing fashion that signalled the rest to follow suit, the sun was behind me and directly on them which enhanced the viewing exceptionally. I was so intent in watching them that my thoughts of getting some better quality photos disappeared and I watched intently as they fed, it wasn’t too long before a few flew off to the large trees at the back of the Porsche grounds signalling the rest of the flock to follow. After congregating together for about 5 minutes in the large trees on the Porsche site they departed towards Calcot returning some 30 minutes later.

Throughout the next couple of hours the flock fed on and off at the Porsche Centre giving some really good views and despite going to attempt to get some better photos of them i found myself transfixed watching them through my scope, the photos i did take were a slight improvement on my previous attempts but still not what i was looking for. My quest would continue.........

Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) - Henley-on-Thames, Oxon. 22/12/10

2011-02-16T19:08:00.000Z

Waxwing-Waitrose car park, Henley-on-Thames.

With the sighting of 40 Waxwings being reported at 12:15pm in Waitrose car park, Henley-on-Thames on Berksbirds i decided to go and see if i could locate them. At 2pm i arrived to find them in 2 flocks at the library end(N) of the car park, despite the ambiaent sound of daily human life i could hear their sweet trilling calls coming from a number of tall trees next to the library and also in the tall trees near to the cinema/Brakspear’s offices (the Bull Courtyard)(N/E), from here they all flew to the tall trees on the Kings Rd side(W) of the car park enabling me to do a quick count of 65+ Waxwings. They soon began dropping down from the trees and amongst the cars in the car park to feed on the small berry trees. The big problem was that the car park was very busy with Christmas shoppers and the birds were constantly flushed by passers-by and cars, they were not spending much more than 30 seconds feeding and were flighty. When they did get a chance to snatch a few berries the views were fantastic, especially as these trees are small and the birds are almost at head height, a good number of passers-by stopped to watch and ask about them and all left very thrilled in seeing them. Sadly the light was so poor and with a mist that almost enveloped the car park the chance of some good photos evaporated quickly, it also didn’t help that the birds were very restless due to the constant traffic around them and at 3:15pm they flew off in N/W direction in 2 flocks, i searched the local area and saw 2 flying towards Friar Park but couldn’t re-locate any others.

I returned on Christmas Day as i was visiting family in the area but unfortunately the car park was empty and the majority of the berry trees were now bare, again they had eluded my attempts at getting some acceptable photos. My search would continue.......

In Memory Of Nigel Richard Stow 9th Oct 1941-16th Feb 2004.

2011-02-16T18:43:00.003Z

BEYOND THE GARDEN GATE

Step into my garden

Step in and you'll see

A measure of peace

And tranquillity.

It's the scent of the blossoms

The buzz of the bees

The sweet song of birds

As they sing in the trees.

The sweet scent of roses

Their petals so new

As they glisten and sparkle

With the fresh morning dew.

Run your toes through the grass

Beneath a canopy of trees

Hear the rustle of leaves

As they blow in the breeze.

Let the beauty of springtime

Fill your soul with great peace

Take it with you and share it

With each one you meet.

Inca the Peruvian Striped Owl.

2011-02-16T18:10:00.004Z

Inca

Say Hello to Inca the Peruvian Striped Owl and whom I’ve had the pleasure of looking after recently. Inca is a captive Owl.

Peruvian Striped Owls are a Medium sized owl with prominent ear tufts. Large pale facial disk, bordered with black. Cinnamon-buff above streaked with black, whitish or buff below with bold dark streaks and dark brown eyes. In the wild the grow to 30-38cm, 320-500g

Peruvian Striped Owls distribution range is from S Mexico through South America east of Andes to N Argentina and Uruguay apart from Amazon basin. Also some Caribbean Islands. Their preferred habitat is Open and semi-open grassland with trees, also open woodland, forest edge, plantations, air strips and rice fields. They avoid heavy rain/tropical forest. Their diet consists of Small mammals, birds, reptiles and large insects.

Save The Albatross Stamp Appeal.

2011-02-16T17:43:00.000Z

Just a quick reminder that you can help Save the Albatross with the RSPB stamp appeal, save up those used stamps and then either post them in 2kilo quantities or drop them off when you visit one of the RSPB reserves.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/supporting/campaigns/albatross/howyoucanhelp/stamps.aspx

Lapland Bunting (Calcarius lapponicus) - Lodge Hill Farm, Bledlow Ridge, Bucks. 20/10/10

2010-10-20T23:13:00.009+01:00

Wryneck (Jynx torquilla) Video - Bacombe Hill, Wendover, Bucks. 20/09/10

2010-10-15T23:01:00.000+01:00

Spotted Flycatcher Videos.

2010-10-15T23:00:00.001+01:00

A Return To The Wryneck (Jynx torquilla) - Bacombe Hill, Wendover, Bucks.

2010-09-23T18:55:00.002+01:00

On Monday when i received a call from Mike Collard to say that a Wryneck had been found by Dave Parmenter near Wendover i dropped everything and headed off as soon as i could. When Dave called Mike giving him the good news the problem arose that not knowing the site very well meant that Dave couldn't give the best access point off the top of his head and only knew the location from where he'd parked. Mike told Dave to stay with the bird instead of going back for his map as he didn't want to loose sight of it, Mike then put the news out immediately enabling many birders to get over to see it even if it did mean they had to walk a little further until better directions could be posted.

I was one of those that took the long route and wandering along the paths from Dunsmore to Balcombe Hill I met LGRE who had just left the site as the bird flew off, a phone call from Mike let me know they were watching it again and after saying goodbye to Lee off i went. After a 15 minute long trek I arrived at Bacombe Hill with the tumulus on the right and spotting a couple of familiar faces knew that i had finally made it. Mike & Rose C had been kind enough to contact me earlier in the morning to tell me that the bird had been found so i was pleased to hear that they had seen it and that it was still in the area, unfortunately it had now gone in to hiding. Mike showed me where they had seen the bird and where it had been found which helped immensely, the area is covered with small bushes, shrubs, willow herb and other vegetation and there's a lot of blind spots where a skulking Wryneck can certainly stay undetected. After 10 minutes there was no sign and Mike & Rose had to leave, saying our goodbyes we went our separate ways with me heading back towards the tumulus to view down the hill. It's difficult to stand on any one path and see down another because of the undulation so instead of continually walking around the paths and inadvertently flushing the bird i decided to find a good spot and wait it out. Back up the path we walked until we came to the tumulus where we slowly walked around the back and up on to the top of the tumulus itself, from here you can view down the hill with the best views all around.

I was surprised that there was now just 3 of us searching for this elusive little bird and it also meant that there were less eyes to find it with. Rosie Hamilton then arrived and after filling her in on the "whereabouts & when's" we decided to edge to the top of the tumulus to view down the pathway where the bird had been found earlier in the morning, we had looked up the path from the bottom of the hill earlier on with no luck so it seemed logical as the next step. We took a few paces forward to a point where we could just see down the path and suddenly Rosie's on it, not more than 25-30ft in front of us sits a Wryneck hidden amongst the grass. It then proceeded to hop out in to the open at which point i was already trying to grab a few photos, it sat in full view on the path for a few moments before heading in to the grass on the other side of the path and then flying off. Fantastic, i was really pleased but despite waiting a further few hours it didn't reappear or it was there and we just couldn't see it. As a few of us left others arrived and of course later the bird re-appeared again. The following day the Wryneck again put on a good show giving all those that saw it very good views and astonishingly down to just a few feet.

With the weather set to change towards the end of the week it now meant that i had less time to return and attempt some better photos while the light was still good and not wet and cloudy, there was also the fact that the bird could go at any time so as soon as i had some available time to travel back to Wendover i would.

A day later I arrived in Wendover with blue skies overhead and this time parking at Ellesborough Road lay-by which meant i had a shorter but steeper walk, heading towards the tumulus a Bullfinch could be heard calling from the pathway hedgerows along with Nuthatch and Goldcrest. After traversing the pathway i arrived at the field with just the walk up to the tumulus to endure, in the distance i could see a few people sat and stood at the top of the hill giving an indication that the Wryneck was probably near to them and after the final climb i arrived out of breath but happy that on the way back it was all downhill!

As soon as i reached the rest of the group i was grabbing for my camera, unbelievably the Wryneck was only 10ft or so in front of them feeding on an ant hill and perfectly lit by the overhead sun. It continued to feed without a care in the world for anybody else and even as camera shutters clicked away it went about it's business. As long as the bird was in view i continued to take photos and after reaching somewhere around 75 shots the bird wandered round the back on the ant hill and out of sight, i was more than breathless, one because of the killer walk up the tumulus and two because of the proximity of the Wryneck. I had seen them many years ago as a young child on family holidays in Spain but a vague recollection and a fleeting memory is all that it ever was, a species so unique that for me it ranks up there with Hoopoe and Bee-Eater in the must see and get a good photo of bracket, not a mega rarity by any means but a must see species. My first UK bird was seen in Buckinghamshire a few years ago in none other than Mike Collards front garden so it was fitting that he should call me to give me the news on this bird. This bird on the other hand was almost tame and thought nothing of wandering around in front of us to and from it's favoured ant hills, i really had to pinch myself to make sure i wasn't dreaming.

The Wryneck continued to show exceptionally well for long periods allowing everybody who came and went to get some fantastic views, people arriving were more than surprised to find the bird a few feet away when they expected to be looking at it from some distance. Later in the afternoon the Wryneck did fly off in to the nearby hedgerow where it remained for a short while, whilst waiting for it to return both Kestrel and Hobby passed over as did a steady stream of Swallows and House Martins in small groups. It was 20 minutes or more until we discovered the wryneck wandering through some of the thicker grass towards us at the top of the tumulus, nobody had seen it fly out of the tree but there it was heading back out towards the path. It soon stopped at an ant hill and started feeding again pausing briefly to skywatch as a Red Kite drifted in to view, as soon as it had passed it continued feeding. Mike Collard had now arrived and introduced me to the finder of the wryneck, Dave Parmenter had first discovered the bird early Monday morning on only his second visit to the site whilst looking for this very species, both he and Mike had been checking a few sites in Buckinghamshire in the hope that they might uncover a wryneck and Dave struck gold.

As the afternoon went on birders came and went including the one and only CDRH, the bird continued to show well but further down the path and most of the time in deeper vegetation. Dave P, Mike C and myself decided to stay at the top of the tumulus knowing that at some point the Wryneck would wander up the path towards us, we had all seen it and it made no sense to follow it around or disturb it(if that's at all possible with this individual) so we sat and waited. Those that had now seen it left leaving just five of us and sure enough the Wryneck came wandering up the path soon after, it now became to close to digiscope or take photos with DSLR's and stopped some 3 or 4ft in front of the closet person, it looked us up and down and then continued towards us until it was now between mike collard and myself. There was absolute silence as we looked down between us and scared to move a muscle i think i actually held my breath, it stopped and looked at mike and I before flying between us and up to the tumulus, so close was it that we both heard it's wing feathers beating as it took off. It was an absolutely incredible moment and certainly one that will live on in my memory for a very long time.

Dave Parmenter's photo showing the Wryneck approaching

And from my view

For the rest of the afternoon it spent most of it's time around the top of the tumulus feeding on ants which it foraged from the many ant hills, it continued to wander around oblivious to everything and everybody else present and only on the odd occasion did it fly in to the hedgerow and didn't take long for it to return and begin feeding again. As the afternoon had now almost ebbed away it was time to go, the batteries on my camera had managed to last some 600 photos but were now on their last legs giving me just enough power to flick through my photos to see what I'd got. As i did so they went giving me the prompt to pack up and head off along with Mike Collard.

A fantastic few hours spent with some incredibly nice people and one incredible bird, I'm sure this charismatic little individual will be remembered for a very long time. Congratulations once again to Dave Parmenter for a fantastic find.

Wryneck (Jynx torquilla) - Bacombe Hill, Wendover, Bucks. 20/09/10

2010-09-20T18:16:00.005+01:00

I Spy A Spotted Fly!

2010-08-27T21:00:00.001+01:00

A selection of Spotted Flycatcher photos that were digiscoped from my window on the 15th August.

Zino's Petrel Disaster

2010-08-27T16:39:00.012+01:00

Catastrophic forest fire delivers huge blow to Europe's rarest seabird.

Donate at www.justgiving.com/zinos-petrel-disaster

A massive forest fire on the island of Madeira has killed several breeding adults and 65% of this year’s chicks of Zino’s Petrel (Endangered). BirdLife International and SPEA (BirdLife in Portugal) have launched an urgent appeal (click here) for funds to carry out emergency conservation work needed before the winter sets in.

Zino’s Petrel Pterodroma madeira is Europe’s rarest seabird and one of the rarest birds in the world, nesting only on a few mountain ledges in the rugged central massif of Madeira island. Once on the edge of extinction with numbers down to a few tens of pairs, intense conservation action over the past 20 years, led by the Natural Park of Madeira (Parque Natural da Madeira - PNM) with support from SPEA, the Freira Conservation Project and Funchal Municipal Museum, has seen its population grow to almost 80 pairs.

In recent weeks, forest fires have ravaged parts of Madeira, and on 13 August they hit the heart of the central massif. This area (which is protected as part of the EU’s Natura 2000 network) comprises a very important habitat and supports several endemic plants and animals, including the Zino’s Petrel breeding colony, where many nestlings were still in their burrows.

Dead adult

On 15 August, as soon as the ground and soil had cooled down sufficiently, PNM staff visited the breeding cliffs to assess the damage. The results were shocking: 25 young and 3 adults were found dead, and only 13 young fledglings were found alive in their underground chambers. As well as the dead birds, the fire exacerbated soil erosion, with several nesting burrows having disappeared.

“The loss of 65% of this year’s potential young is a huge blow to Zino’s Petrel. Our immediate conservation efforts are focusing on helping the remaining 13 fledglings to survive and minimising the risk of further soil erosion on the breeding ledges,” said Ana Isabel Fagundes, SPEA’s Madeira Coordinator.

Live Zino's Petrel chick

“All nests with surviving chicks have been reinforced, all corpses removed, and bait stations for rats around the now barren nesting areas established. Burnt bushes and trees have also been removed to avoid the risk of adult birds colliding with them on their nocturnal visits to feed the chicks,” reported Paulo Oliveira, PNM Director.

Encouragingly, the immediate conservation action taken by PNM at the breeding colony appears to be working: “Since our first visit to the breeding ledges, we have monitored the 13 surviving fledgings closely and can confirm that they are still being fed by their parents and appear to be healthy,” reported Paulo Oliveira following his latest visit on 24 August.

Manga before

Manga after

The PNM and SPEA have now developed an action plan for the breeding colony. Immediate measures needed include covering areas with anti-erosion materials and constructing artificial nesting burrows, both of which have proven successful on other seabird breeding colonies on neighbouring Bugio island. Other planned work includes taking steps to help the natural vegetation recover through seed dispersal.

Norte before

Norte after

The PNM and SPEA are now seeking financial help to cover the costs of the materials and manpower needed to implement these essential emergency measures. BirdLife International has set up a secure online donation web page to help collect the urgent funds to help Zino’s Petrel. Click here to find out more and to donate.

Credits: SPEA

Photos: Parque Natural da Madeira

In Association with Birdlife International

Marmora's Warbler (Sylvia sarda)-Blorenge, Gwent & Iberian Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus ibericus)-Wentwood Forest, Gwent. 13/06/2010

2010-06-15T21:00:00.004+01:00

Iberian Chiffchaff-Phylloscopus ibericus

After a disappointing start to the World Cup for England there's nothing better than a good old twitch to lift the spirits and a Warbler double header in Wales would do just that. The destination, first Blorenge, Gwent to see only the 5th Marmora's Warbler for Britain and then off to see the long staying Iberian Chiffchaff at Wentwood Forest, Gwent.

I awoke Sunday morning at 6:45am feeling rather groggy but couldn't determine whether it was due to the alcoholic refreshment I had consumed during the England-USA game or just the result or Robert Greens unfortunate error which was continually flashing before my eyes over and over. I figured it would be a bit of both and pressed snooze on the alarm. It went off a couple of times before I thought better of it and turned it off completely finally waking about 8:45am all the better for it, with the missus in tow we set off for Wales.

Blorenge

I arrived at Blorenge as mid-day approached and after finding a place in the car park wandered down the road to the dozen or so birders viewing the area, of course by the time I had finally found a spot to park the Marmora's Warbler had been on show, sung well and now had disappeared and gone silent. Typical I thought but I'm sure it's happened to us all on one or more occasion, I wasn't too downbeat as there was still plenty to hear and see whilst I waited and searched for the Marmora's.

The heather and ferns that covered the hillside were busy with bird activity, plenty of Meadow Pipits on show and often down to a few feet as they perched on the tops of the vegetation, Tree Pipits sang continuously whilst I was there and as soon as one finished singing and returned to it's perch another started. In the distance a Cuckoo could be heard calling every now and then as well a distant Willow Warbler, a couple of Swallows flew through as did 2 Swifts. A male Whinchat appeared and disappeared in front of us only giving me the briefest of views but eventually it did return later and showed very well, a rather tatty male Wheatear also put in a very brief appearance as it searched for food along the roadside bank before flying over the road and down the hillside.

Tree Pipit

I had now been here for 3 hours and there was still no sight or sound from the Marmora's Warbler, birders had come and gone, passers-by had stopped to ask what we were looking at and the weather had changed so many times that I didn't know what season it was. The clouds were slowly rolling across the hillsides towards us, the few blue patches of sky were no more and the wind started picking up. It actually managed to blow over 3 tripods whilst I was there and I'm sure that's got to be some kind of record, I don't ever recall seeing 3 go over on any twitch I've been to.

Meadow Pipit

I'd met a very nice gentleman from Wiltshire who had seen the bird on previous occasions and had returned to see it again today, we had been chatting and trying hard to find the Marmora's to no avail and as 3pm approached I finally cracked. I was dying to point Percy at the porcelain if you no what I mean and as they clouds were getting more ominous I decided that it had beaten me and I would have to come back another time, that and the fact that my other-half was sat in the car and although she had a book with her and is very tolerant I was probably pushing it, I also hadn't told her that we would be going to see the Iberian Chiffchaff on the way home!

I took one last scan across the habitat before packing up my scope, there was still no sight or sound from the Marmora's Warbler so I said my goodbyes. I was sure I would get home and read on Birdguides that the bird was seen just after I left and all I could think about was when I could get back to try again. I wandered back to the car and popped my scope in to the boot, just as I was shutting the boot I noticed a bird fly past from the hillside in front of the car park and over the road. I then heard the Marmora's song and then nearby birder located it, I rushed over and immediately got it in view as it sat in the vegetation singing. It stayed here for no more than 45 seconds before it flew back across the road and in to a small tree on the roadside, it sang again briefly before dropping down out of sight. That's probably the closest I've come to not seeing a bird, in fact I don't think you can cut it much finer. I wished I could have had some longer views and had a chance to get some photos but I was certainly delighted to have finally seen it and if it remains I will probably return to Blorenge.

Meadow Pipit

So after all the excitement I left Blorenge slightly relieved and headed towards Wentwood Forest, Gwent in search of the Iberian Chiffchaff. On arrival at the Cadira Beeches car park a Wood Warbler could be heard singing from the opposite side of the main road, just as I was about to go in search of the Iberian Chiffchaff I met another birder who was returning to see it, this made life much easier as he led me straight to the area where the bird frequents and as we approached the area the Iberian Chiffchaff could be heard singing.

Edging our way along the path we soon came to a copse of small trees and could hear the Chiffchaff in a young Silver Birch in front of us, all of a sudden the bird appeared towards the top of the tree before flitting out of sight on the far side of the tree where it stayed for a few minutes continually singing and giving brief views through the foliage. Every now and again it would make its way through the tree canopy and in to view snatching a few flies as it went, after a few minutes of getting quick views here and there it perched in full view and began to sing giving us amazing views. Incredibly it stayed still long enough for me to grab a few photos before flying to a nearby oak tree where it began singing while flitting round the tree.

Iberian Chiffchaff-Phylloscopus ibericus

It would be easy to overlook this bird without hearing it call and in contrasting light the bird looked very different, when it was in the open the yellow tones to the top of the throat/breast, flanks and vent were evident, the white belly and green hue to the upperparts as well. The supercilium is generally quite bold and in good light the yellow tones can be seen towards the front of it but in dappled shade the bird looked much darker and the yellow tones were less obvious.

Iberian Chiffchaff-Phylloscopus ibericus

Iberian Chiffchaff Song

It was very active whilst I was there, continually searching for food, singing and even the odd preen here and there. Elsewhere in the wood both Garden and Willow Warbler could be heard singing and nearby a Common Whitethroat's scolding call could be heard. The weather then took a turn for the worse and the rain started to gently fall, I decided to make a hasty retreat and said farewell and thank you to the Frampton birder making it back to the car just in time, it then proceeded to chuck it down most of the way home.

So the day could have been a lot worse, I could have dipped on both but instead managed to see 2 Lifers. I fluked the Marmora's and got amazing views of the Iberian Chiffchaff, I pulled that one right out of the bag, now if only England could do the same!

Red-footed Falcons (Falco vespertinus) - Wilstone Reservoir, Herts. 29/05/2010

2010-06-14T00:15:00.000+01:00

Wilstone Reservoir

I decided to take a visit to see the adult male Red-footed Falcon which had been found on the 26th May at Wilstone Reservoir in Hertfordshire, I had read Lee Evans detailed blog on the bird after he had seen it and also seen Alan Stewart's brilliant photos of the bird eating a vole. The bird looked to good to miss and as I have only seen female and juvenile birds till now I had to go and have a look at this fantastic looking male bird.

It was a beautiful day, nice and warm with a few clouds against a blue sky. I arrived at Wilstone Reservoir and met a small group of birders at the top of the steps, it was obvious they were watching the Red-footed Falcon so I made my way over to them. I asked politely if the bird was still showing and was shocked to find out that a birder from Wiltshire, Nigel Pleass had spotted a second bird amongst the group of Hobbies and adult male Red Foot, this second bird was a 1st summer male and blended in incredibly well with the Hobbies making it difficult to find when lost to view. They continued back and forth hawking insects along the cemetery end of the reservoir often going out of sight behind the trees only to return moments later, this continued all afternoon with both Red Foots being particularly active.

Mute Swan

I eventually made the decision to walk down to the jetty where the views were very good, both Red-footed Falcons continued to fed often drifting over the reservoir towards where everybody was standing only to turn at the last moment and head back towards the tree line on the bank. The skies were filled with Swift that weren't particularly evident by eyesight alone, you could see good numbers but that multiplied when looking through binoculars, an evening count estimated numbers at 2,200 birds. Whilst watching the Red-footed Falcons a Curlew flew in from the direction of cemetery corner, dropping low over the reservoir it couldn't make it's mind up where to land and eventually headed towards the car park and was lost to sight due to the glare from the sun.

Back at home both Rook and Carrion Crow are already taking their young in to the fields and we seem to be finding a few strays that need a little help from time to time, I don't like to interfere with mother nature but when the odds are stacked against you I don't think it hurts once in awhile. The fact that the Buzzards are sat in the trees watching them, Red Kites are circling overhead, there's a pair of rather large Hawks that reside very close and huge numbers of Deer around all the time doesn't come in to it, okay it does so I picked him up and moved him, he repaid me by sh**ting on me, that's the thanks you get!

Lakenheath & Weeting Heath, East Anglia 21/05/2010.

2010-06-10T22:40:00.002+01:00

Cuckoo

My first visit to Lakenheath was back in 2005 when I was desperate to see Golden Oriole at this site, this was before the visitor centre and toilets had been built and much of the reserve habitat was still being improved. I recall the day itself was very hot with great views of Marsh Harrier, Hobby and Cuckoo and eventually a few good glimpses of male Golden Orioles flying through the popular plantations, the views were brief but hearing it's fluty call more than made up for it not showing particularly well. My everlasting memory from the day would be despite the fact that the Golden Oriole is a bright yellow and jet black bird they can be a bugger to see.

A very close friend of mine has a son who has taken a bit of an interest in birding and of course soon found the Golden Oriole page in his bird guide, taking an immediate liking to this species he has been asking me to take him to see one since last autumn and I promised as soon as they returned this summer we'd take a visit to Lakenheath. Each time I visited them he asked me if they were there yet and when we would be going, that then followed by him telling me he'd seen them on their bird feeders so I guess you can say he was rather enthusiastic. Despite him continually asking throughout October, November, December, January and February I managed to quell his excitement until the Orioles arrived and then arranged the trip to Lakenheath and then on to Weeting Heath.

Sedge Warbler

Reed Warbler

We seemed to have picked the warmest day of the year so far and left with clear blue skies beckoning us towards the fens. We arrived at Lakenheath in very good time and an already busy reserve car park, after parking up we made our way to the visitor centre to have a quick look around and check the sightings board. We left the visitor centre and were soon greeted by the chattering calls of Sedge & Reed Warbler along with a few Reed Bunting from the reeds next to the path, this continued along the path right up to New Fen viewpoint and we had some exceptional views as the birds actively sang amongst the reeds. I really love this time of year when the once cold quiet winter reed beds suddenly come to life with bird song and activity, most of all from the warbler species that sing almost constantly and flit between the reed stems. Hobbies swift-like in their flight hawk overhead and the final part to the birders quintessential English summer, the Cuckoo. We hadn't gone 500yrds and there was so much going on around us it was difficult to know where to look at times, we came to a halt to watch a very vocal Sedge Warbler clinging to the top of the reeds right next to the path, it didn't seemed bothered by us and continued to chatter away right up to the point where I got my camera out and then it dropped in to the reeds. I waited for a few minutes and managed to get a few photos as others appeared and disappeared around me but I wasn't so lucky with the Reed warblers which were skulking low down in the reeds, I was tempted to go back towards the visitor centre and try where they were showing much better but there was no way my little birding buddy was going to let me steer him away from the Orioles.

New Fen viewpoint

We continued along the path towards New Fen viewpoint now hearing and seeing the odd Common Whitethroat around the scrub next to the railway track, a Cuckoo then flew over giving us great views which my friends were certainly pleased with, the clear blue skies really gave us great views and with 2 possibly 3 calling I hoped we might get better views of one perched up at some point. We continued passed the New Fen viewpoint and on towards Trial Wood with the calls of a male Cuckoo coming from the wood next to us, it was so close but obscured by the tree canopy so we decided to see if we could get a closer view by taking the footpath south towards the Railway track. We hadn't gone far when the unmistakable fluty calls of a Golden Oriole came from the same wood, we stopped in our tracks and listened scanning the trees whilst waiting for it's next call which it did at regular intervals but it was impossible to find. We edged our way along the path listening to both Golden Oriole and Cuckoo as we went, still no luck seeing either and after a couple of minutes the Oriole stopped calling. The Cuckoo or should I now say Cuckoo's flew in to the trees above us, firstly a male which perched in the tree tops above us quickly followed by a Rufous coloured female which was soon partly obscured in the trees, then from nowhere another male flew in to join the others. The males began calling to the female to which she replied with her bubbling chuckle, this continued for a few minutes allowing me time to get a few photos before they flew off one by one towards the last popular plantation. We were all very pleased at such good views and I actually managed to get a few good photos which was added bonus, fantastic birds and to see 3 together was a great moment.

Cuckoo

We followed the path along to the third plantation where right on cue a male golden oriole began to call, waiting patiently with a small group of people we scanned the poplars. The male showed briefly a couple of times as it flew between the popular stands but certainly not great views, it continued to sing on and off for over an hour and in which time Hants & Berks birder Andy Johnson had turned up. After waiting for the Oriole to appear and discussing the berks bird race that we had both taken part in a week before it was time for us to head off, I said goodbye to Andy and back towards the visitor centre we heeded with a fly over Hobby passing us near New Fen. The calls of Common whitethroat, Sedge and Reed Warbler still going ten to the dozen and yet another Cuckoo sighting overhead. I was certainly impressed at how the reserve has matured, the visitor centre is very nice and of course the staff are very friendly. Big thumbs up from me for RSPB Lakenheath and although we didn't get to see the Orioles up close the visit was well worth it.

After leaving Lakenheath we headed for nearby Weeting Heath with the hope of seeing Stone Curlew, although having visited before I did have my doubts as the heat would certainly give off a certain amount of heat haze and unless the birds were in close it would be difficult to get good views. From the west hide a Stone Curlew was spotted far off in the distance, more of a shimmering blur than anything recognisable but eventually as the temperature cooled and the bird moved it became more evident. We left the hide meeting a group of people watching another Stone curlew on the far side of the road, again shrouded in heat haze but this time more distinguishable than the last view. The day was very rewarding especially with the close views of Cuckoo at Lakenheath, I never tire of watching these fascinating birds and lets hope the current decline can be overturned, just imagine an English summer without the iconic call of the Cuckoo!!!

TABCG Berkshire Bird Race 2010.

2010-05-26T00:30:00.003+01:00

No sooner had I returned from the TABCG Wales trip my attention turned to the TABCG Berkshire Bird race on 15th May. In 2000 the TABCG re-started the yearly event of bird racing in Berkshire , it involves 3 people per team which must identify(see or hear) as many different species from midnight till 7pm. The current Berkshire Bird Race record is 121 recorded by Andy Swash, Ian Collins, Neil Bucknell and Steve Abbott in 1990 and equalled by Fraser Cottington, Adam Bassett and Andy Johnson in 2006.

Since I started bird racing in 2004 I have never broken the 100 species barrier, a few close calls with 98's left our team reeling that we hadn't enough time to get to another site or that we'd missed this or that, 2 species that's all we needed! The teams that usually win are extremely devoted and spend many hours in the field checking numerous sites before the race and thus giving them a better chance at finding those elusive species and getting a good total, our team on the other hand turn up at midnight and do the best we can. Over the years lessons have been learnt, new sites discovered and this year I decided to plan our route with a bit more precision and the added luxury of a few back-up sites should we need them. The team remained the same as last year with Roy Rose, Cathy McEwan and I.

As some of the species and sites are sensitive I have omitted them from the race report.

I met the other team members at 11:30pm in Englefield and by midnight we found ourselves walking along a stony track somewhere in Berkshire. It was a cold clear night and as we continued on foot 2 teams passed us in vehicles on their way to their starting points. At 12:01am a Wood Pigeon suddenly flushed from a Ivy clad tree next to the track and we were off and running. It didn't take long to add our second species as in the stillness of the early hours we picked up on a call coming from the hedgerow a little further down the track. I recognised this call straight away, it was the begging calls of 3 young Tawny Owls which continued to call at length. This hadn't gone unnoticed and we were soon joined by another team as from out of the darkness appeared Roger Stansfield, Robert Godden & Ken Spring, a bit of early morning/bird race banter ensued and we departed on foot leaving the other team searching for the mysterious calls coming from the hedge, In good nature and the spirit of the bird race I did tell them that it was young Tawny owls but they wanted to see for themselves so we left them to it and continued on. Arriving at our next point a Lapwing called from nearby rolling the tickometer on to 3, it wasn't long after this that we passed another team as they left the area, last years winners Marek Walford, Derek Barker & Paul Bright-Thomas. For the next 30 minutes we walked slowly and quietly listening out for bird calls and being rewarded with a sort after species during this period, it was time to leave and we headed off back to the car saying our goodbyes to Roger Stansfield & co as we passed them. We hadn't gone far when we heard something on the track in front of us, suddenly 2 maybe 3 Badgers came running towards us and almost through our legs, then scurrying off in to the bushes. Pulses back to normal we headed onward. We arrived at the car just in time to hear another crepuscular species calling as it flew overhead, good timing as it meant that we didn't have to go looking for another later on. We departed at 1am with the tickometer now on 5.

The night time stint can be hard work and although you have until around 4am when you need to be somewhere for dawn chorus time passes quickly especially when searching for Owls, Nightjar and Woodcock. We always seem to have a hiccup with one of these species, we either can't locate one of the Owls or can't find Nightjar or Woodcock which is a real kick in the teeth when you're only a short way in to the bird race. If you miss some of these species during the twilight hours there is very little chance of getting them later in the day. We decided to try a few locations that had been fruitful on previous years drawing a blank at the first one, it was then off to a location that had once been good but not so over the last few years, we were passing and it made sense to stop off. We pulled up in the car hearing an Owl calling down the road behind us, Roy was sure it was a Barn Owl but I knew different, I had heard this strange echoing call often outside a cottage we lived in some years back, I had even filmed the culprit and added it to my youtube page. The calling continued and at first I had a little trouble convincing the team it was in fact a Little Owl, as we walked down the lane towards the call I did my best to impersonate a Barn Owl screech to show the others that's what a Barn Owl sounded like. It wasn't a great impersonation by any means but suddenly a Barn Owl called out from a farm building no further than 20ft away from us, I can tell you it sh*t the life out of me, re-covered from shock and now laughing I looked at Roy and said "that was a Barn Owl and the other a Little Owl, lets go" . This meant that by 1:31am we had ticked all the Owls and the tickometer now showed a huge 7. We then spent time checking a few sites for Nightjar and Woodcock getting nothing extra other than a Pheasant, the decision was made to cut our losses and head towards Hosehill Lake LNR where we added Black-headed Gull, Nightingale and Sedge Warbler before heading off towards East Berks.

I had already seen a flaw in my route with the lack of Nightjar and Woodcock, we should have been closer to our dawn chorus site if not on it listening for these 2 crepuscular species that had now slipped by which was a major blow. We continued eastwards picking up a singing Robin in the streetlights and then had a few difficulties finding a site which was new to us all, in fact we lost a lot of time while we drove round looking for a parking spot but eventually made it to Caesar's Camp in Bracknell. We were behind time as the sun was already starting to rise but a quick walk along the footpath brought us to our destination. A crescendo of bird song filled the cold still morning air, a few of the common species were soon heard followed by both male and female Cuckoo, Tree Pipit, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Blackcap, Song Thrush and Chiffchaff. We left Caesar's Camp at 5am with 23 species under our belt and headed off towards Windsor Great Park. This was another area we had never tried before but within 15 minutes of being there we had added another 10 species including Ring-necked Parakeet which saved us another stop elsewhere, we left with Slough in our sights picking up another 7 species as we drove.

Slough Sewage Farm

Another new site greeted us in the form of Slough Sewage Farm, from a M4 motorway bridge you can view the majority of the pits that host a number of wildfowl. A Pied Wagtail took us to 41 and after a 25 minute scan of all the viewable pits and wildfowl we left heading towards the Dorney area with our total now standing at 51. A flyover Egyptian Goose kept the score ticking over followed by a Green Woodpecker, at Dorney we added another 10 to the list which included Great crested Grebe, Greylag Goose, Reed Buning, Goldfinch, Reed Warbler, Cormorant, Willow Warbler, Sparrowhawk, Greenfinch and Swallow.

M4 Slough(6:17am)

Dorney

Leaving Dorney at 7:30am our total now stood at 63, the weather was now much warmer with the sun beating down, in fact it was the complete opposite of the cold twilight hours that had greeted us some eight or so hours before. We arrived at our next destination, Wishmoor Bottom, with the hope of finding a few of the elusive heathland species. The first few hundred yards of this site are in the county of Surrey so until we reached the boundary we couldn't start counting, it was handy as nothing really showed until we made our way out on to the heath. We soon found Stonechat followed by a number of other species and before long we had covered the heath on foot and found ourselves at the woodland edge, we listened for Crossbill with no joy. Plenty of birds were flitting about but all species we had seen already until Roy picked up on a bird feeding on the floor at the edge of the wood, it continually dropped from the tree branches to the woodland floor giving us a difficult time trying to identify it as it was out of sight. Eventually it perched long enough for us to add Redstart to the days total along with Treecreeper, Coal Tit and Siskin. The long walk back to the car added nothing new although we did have some excellent views of Treecreeper, the tickometer now stood at 70 but time was ticking away.

Wishmoor Bottom

It was now time to head eastward stopping off at Moor Green Lakes first, here we added 4 species to take the total to 74, Long-tailed Tit, Nuthatch, Common Tern and Redshank and then on to Lavell's Lakes in Hurst. Here we added another 5 species with Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher, Sand Martin, Dunnock and Little Egret taking the total to 79 before setting off towards Burnthouse Lane in Theale. The idea was for us to make our way westward stopping off at a few of the Theale area gravel pits before continuing on to sites such as Lower Farm GP's, Thatcham Discovery Centre and Greenham Common.

It was now approaching 2pm and the time where you are repeatedly seeing already recorded species, this point can be a bit of a low as you are now starting to feel the effects of being on the go for 14 hours. I feel that adding a few species here and there is vital, whatever you do you need to keep the score ticking over, it's certainly a morale booster. We had a good site 3 stops along the next part of our route, somewhere that should get us a few of the harder found species and by the time that we had arrived there we had added Red Kite, Little Ringed Plover and Kestrel along the way. We entered the woods at Roundoak Piece again, this time in daylight and bathed in full sun unlike the cold and silent twilight hours when we had stopped here and failed to find Nightjar or Woodcock. Our luck was much better this time around finding 7 species that we desperately needed, these included Bullfinch, Crossbill, Goldcrest, Mandarin Duck and Hobby, we were now on 89.

We continued west stopping off at Padworth where we met the cycling team of Mike Taylor, Phil Bysh and Adrian Lawson, they looked a little red in the cheeks but in good sprits. Nothing to add here so we left for Woolhampton only adding 2 species in House Martin and Cetti's Warbler. Crookham Common was next, this area is at the far eastern end of Greenham Common and hosts a few small wader pools with some gorse bushes dotted around the returning heathland, the pools were quiet with nothing new to add. At 4.50pm we finally added Linnet to the list as one flew overhead calling and just as we were about to leave I found a Wheatear which now took us to 93.

Crookham Common

Greenham Common

Our next stop was Lower Farm where after parking up we made our way to the hide. It came as a bit of a surprise to see the water level very high and most of the scrub on the islands very overgrown making it very difficult to view certain areas of the lake, there was little about which we hadn't seen already until at 5:45pm a Pochard appeared at the far end of the lake taking us to 94 for the day. Thatcham Discovery Centre was our next port of call where we hoped to find Red Crested Pochard, unfortunately it was nowhere to be seen. Time had now got the better of us and any hopes of making it to Combe Wood and the Berkshire Downs soon evaporated, it was disappointing to say the least as making it to these sites could well have added another 6 species to the list. We decided that we would head back towards the finishing post and stop off at a couple of sites on the way, we still needed to find Yellow wagtail and Grey Partridge so headed towards Englefield.

Reaching Englefield we headed straight for a usually productive spot, in previous years we have found Grey Partridge here but despite searching the surrounding fields only Red-legged Partridge showed, there were no Yellow Wagtails either. A small consolation was finding a Mistle Thrush that now saw us on 95, the 100 mark was now well and truly gone and at 6:40pm we arrived at the finishing post with 20 minutes spare to check out the surrounding gravel pits.

We took a quick walk across to Hosehill LNR where Roy and Cathy found a Dunlin feeding on the island shoreline which was added to the list, with nothing else new for us on the lake we made our way to the finishing post with a few minutes to spare. The tickometer had finally stopped on 96.

Congratulations to the winners Marek Walford, Derek Barker & Paul Bright-Thomas who won with an extremely good 113 species on a day when there didn't seem to be many migrants passing through. As for us it's back to the drawing board, we seemed to have a good route planned this year but just ran out of time. On any other day a list of 96 species would be good going but not when your bird racing against some of Berkshires finest ;-)

2010 TABCG Berkshire Bird Race Results

1.Marek Walford, Derek Barker, Paul Bright-Thomas 113

2.Fraser Cottington, Adam Bassett, Andy Johnson 107

3.Hugh Netley, Steve Ricks, Martin Hallem 102

4.Andy Horscroft, Ken Moore, Nigel Cleere 101

5.Robert Godden, Roger Stansfield, Ken Spring 99

6.Ashley Stow, Roy Rose, Cathy McEwan 96

7.Chris Robinson, Renton Righelato, Jim Burnett 92*

8.Mike Taylor, Phil Bysh, Adrian Lawson 91*

9.Jan Main, Hilary Morton, Maryanne Thomas 72**

*Entire Race Completed On Bicycle

**Most Of Race Completed On Foot

The "Bird of the Day" was Teal, recorded by Mike Taylor's team

Our List For The Day

Little Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
Cormoant
Grey Heron
Little Egret
Mute Swan
Greylag Goose
Canada Goose
Egyptian Goose
Shelduck
Mandarin Duck
Gadwall
Mallard
Pochard
Tufted Duck
Red Kite
Common Buzzard
Sparrowhawk
Kestrel
Hobby
Red-legged Partridge
Pheasant
Moorhen
Coot
Little Ringed Plover
Lapwing
Dunlin
Redshank
Black-headed Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Herring Gull
Common Tern
Feral Pigeon
Stock Dove
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Ring-necked Parakeet
Cuckoo
Barn Owl
Little Owl
Tawny Owl
Swift
Kingfisher
Green Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Skylark
Sand Martin
Swallow
House Martin
Tree Pipit
Meadow Pipit
Grey Wagtail
Pied Wagtail
Wren
Dunnock
Robin
Nightingale
Redstart
Stonechat
Wheatear
Blackbird
Song Thrush
Mistle Thrush
Cettis Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Reed Warbler
Common Whitethroat
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
Godcrest
Long-tailed Tit
Coal Tit
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Nuthatch
Treecreeper
Jay
Magpie
Jackdaw
Rook
Carrion Crow
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Siskin
Linnet
Crossbill
Bullfinch
Reed Bunting

Take a Bow.

2010-05-23T15:00:00.000+01:00

TABCG Wales Trip 02/05/2010

2010-05-21T20:00:00.002+01:00

A year soon rolls round and with it the annual pilgrimage to Wales with the Theale Area Conservation Group. A chance to get some great views of species such as Dipper, Redstart, Wood Warbler & Pied Flycatcher amongst a whole host of other welsh specialities. I have been coming on this trip with the TABCG since 2004 and it's certainly the highlight of the spring calendar for me, a chance to see some fantastic birds and enjoy the welsh scenery.

We arrived at Goldcliff with some familiar faces greeting us as we meet up with the rest of the TABCG group, even a Chiffchaff calling from the same tree in the car park just as it has on previous years was in full song. As the rest of the group had already walked the site and the fact that some members of the group were already tucking in to their packed-lunch boxes it was a good time for Roy and I to head off and have a look. We were told that it was a bit quiet but a Spotted Redshank was present on the far side of pools.

As we approached the first screen a light drizzle began, the pools themselves were very quiet and I can't recall seeing them quieter than this on previous visits. A solitary Redshank appeared then disappeared, Shelduck were present along with Lapwing and what looked to be a Plover that disappeared round the back of the main island and out of sight, It didn't reappear. As I scanned through the gloom and around the back of the wetlands a pair of Avocet were being harassed by a Shelduck, this continued until all three took flight and headed off across the wetlands. As I viewed the far side of the wetlands I noticed a small black blob which could be seen hugging the waters edges around the reed beds. It soon became evident that it was a Adult Spotted Redshank, it was a pity we couldn't have had better views of it due to the weather and distance but it was certainly nice to see. Black-tailed Godwit also present. It soon started to rain again and the decision was made to head back to the car and catch up with the other at RSPB Newport Wetlands.

We arrived at RSPB Newport Wetlands and headed out on to the reserve to meet up with the group, it was cold, wet and windy so there would be little chance of us finding any Bearded Tits but try we did. As we walked up the path towards the wetlands Cetti's & Willow Warbler could be heard along with a few Chiffchaff calling from nearby. From the first screen we scanned the reed bed where we had seen them on previous years, Reed & Sedge Warbler were present and could be heard signing from the Reeds, the odd Reed Bunting appeared clinging on to the reeds in the wind but little else. On the water was Little Grebe, Pochard and Tufted Duck, a few Mute Swans, Canada Geese and Coot.

Roy and I continued to the lighthouse to find the group on their return, the tide was in and there was little to be seen and of course the weather was still sh*te. We wandered back to the first screen for one last view before a cup of tea in the visitor centre and got some great views of large groups of Swallows clinging to the Reeds, you know I've never really given it much thought to why they do this? is it to take a breather from all that frenetic energy whilst on the wing? are they watching insects rising from the water and picking them off as they do so? or are they simply getting out of the weather? oh so many questions and so little time!

We made it back to the visitor centre dry but a little cold, a cup of tea was on the menu for some while others perused the shop. We soon met an incredibly nice gentlemen who works at the reserve, in fact I'm pretty sure he is the reserve warden(apologies if I'm wrong), anyway after introducing himself as Matthew Meehan we had a good long chat with him, he gave us a few more sites to visit for next years itinerary and whilst we were chatting I noticed the new Collins Bird Guide 2nd Edition. I'm going to digress for a minute so please bare with me as it will all make sense in a minute or so. I've been wondering whether to buy the 2nd edition since it's release and every time I am somewhere where it's on sale I have a look at it, unfortunately these are usually brief glimpses as I flick through the pages. I know all of us will have a variety of favoured bird guides but for me the Collins Bird Guide is the best, I was first introduced to it by my late father back in 2002 ish when he gave me a spare copy of his when I took up birding again. He thought of it so highly he referred to it as his bible and as such I saw it fitting to place his copy in his coffin when he passed away in 2004. It soon became a favourite of mine and is always close to hand, those of you that haven't got a copy then the new 2nd edition would be highly recommended. So anyway back to the RSPB visitor centre at Newport Wetlands where I giving close scrutiny to the 2nd edition and also chatting with the group and Matthew Meehan, I'm thinking to myself which species needed improving in the old edition and I'm soon heading to the Shrike page to see if the Brown Shrike has been updated...... it has and just as I view the pictures in the book the conversation around me turns to the Staines Moor Brown Shrike, freaky moment as nobody saw what page I was on!!!! (I have since bought the Collins 2nd Ed from Amazon at a bargin £8.99) From the visitor centre windows a Cuckoo was found perched on a dead tree bow, it remained in sight for a few minutes giving everybody a chance to see it, we were fortunate as we didn't get to see or hear anymore during the trip. As we left the visitor centre we were halted in our tracks by a singing Lesser whitethroat in the hedge, patiently we waited for it to show which it did before quickly dropping down in to the hedge again, Chiffchaff were present as was a Blackcap singing from the car park.

Our next stop is one of my favourites on the day and has remained a very faithful site over the years to see Dipper. A small bridge with room for one car to pass over at a time straddles a fast flowing river with rock formations pertruding from it's stony bed, the bridge itself has a number of small viewing places along both sides allowing views up and downstream. After leaving the Newport Wetlands amongst wet and cloudy skies it was uplifting to see the sun breaking through the clouds, the glints of sunshine seemed to bring life to the river below and on which we looked down upon. No sooner had we arrived at the bridge a Dipper was spotted below, it sat preening on the rocks at the waters edge giving great views of this fantastic bird before darting under the bridge and downstream, a quick shuffle to the other side of the bridge brought the bird back in to view. I've been trying for as long as I've been coming on this trip to get some decent photos of the Dippers here but due to their inability to sit still for too long they can be difficult to digiscope at the best of times, the fast flowing water doesn't help with the auto-focusing either and the majority of my attempts end up in the recycle bin. I seemed to have a bit better luck this year when I was lucky enough to have a Dipper sit on a rock just upstream from the bridge, I managed to grab a few shots just before it flew off which are certainly my best attempts to date. Also from the bridge a pair of Common Sandpiper were together on the rocks at the waters edge and also the regular sighting of Grey Wagtail. I could stay here all day and watch the Dippers they really are fascinating to watch as they search for food under the fast flowing water but time was ebbing away and it was time to leave for our next destination.

Common Sandpiper.

Dipper.

We headed off to Llangorse Lake in Powys with the hope of seeing both Garganey and Whimbrel that had been reported the day before. As were driving along the tight country lanes I suddenly recalled a visit here 2 or 3 years ago when we arrived just as a local church was emptying, it was mayhem as there is very little space to let cars past but luckily we were later this year and had missed the church turn out. As soon as we got to the car park we immediately spotted 6 Whimbrel sat on the waters edge, most of them were preening except one individual who was stood up and obscuring another wader in front of it. Whilst we waited for the unknown wader to show itself I spotted a male Garganey next to one of the nearby islands, it was hiding behind a rock formation and often going out of sight but despite this when it was on show it looked stunning. The unknown wader appeared from behind the Whimbrel and to our delight it was a Bar-tailed Godwit which was a very pleasant surprise, the Godwit remained with the Whimbrel feeding in the grass along the edge of the lake giving really good views and I can't recall ever seeing one so close. The skies above the lake were filled with Swift, Swallow, Sand & House Martins busily feeding on the wing and in the hedgerow next to the car park a Garden Warbler sang at length giving us time to track it down and see it.

Whimbrel.

Whimbrel & Bar-tailed Godwit.

Bar-tailed Godwit.

Garganey.

Whimbrel & Bar-tailed Godwit.

Bar-tailed Godwit.

Whimbrel & Bar-tailed Godwit.

I have to say that I love the Welsh countryside, the rolling hills and steep mountainous terrain, the fast flowing streams and rivers and more importantly the vast open desolate spaces devoid of human interference. Maybe it's because of this that our next stop is my favourite part of our trip to Wales. I was inspired the first time I came to the Elan valley, not just because of the bird species that I would see here but the overall grandeur of the place.

Elan Valley.

Roy and I headed off towards the footpath that leads across the river and zig-zags up the side of the hill on the edge of Cnwch Wood. We hadn't gone far and were approaching the bridge when we heard and spotted a Pipit singing from a tree about 100yards in front of us, it was slightly obscured by branches so we moved to a suitable position to get a better look and were rewarded with great views of a Tree Pipit. It continued singing from the tree before taking flight and rising upwards in full song, once at a suitable height it held it's position in mid-air whilst still singing until it changed song pitch and spiralled back down to the tree. It's been a bit hit and miss over the last few years catching up with them here so it was a good start to the walk, unfortunately only 4 or 5 people from the group saw it as it flew off when a car drove down the visitor centre road.

Pied Flycatcher.

We continued across the river and to the beginning of the footpath stopping immediately as we neared the gate, a Pied Flycatcher was calling and it was close. We stood scanning the trees whilst it continually called and then suddenly it dropped down from a tree and in to view, we had fantastic views as it flew to the trees beside us and it remained in the area that the rest of the group caught us up and got to see it as well. It had a lot of brown in the wings especially the primaries and some on the head, nape and shoulders, possibly a 1st Summer bird. Frustratingly it didn't sit around long enough for me to get more than a couple of photos at a time which wasn't ideal.

A Redstart called and appeared soon after followed almost immediately by a calling Wood Warbler and a Treecreeper, we hadn't even started up the footpath so things were looking promising. A few hundred yards along the path and a crescendo of Warbler song greeted us, Wood, Garden & Willow Warbler all singing along with Chiffchaff and Redstart, what made life a little easier for us was the fact that many of the trees still had very few leaves on them. They seem to be 2 or 3 weeks behind the trees in the home counties in leaf foliage. By the time we reached the top of the hill we all had seen some great views of the species we set out to see, Goosander, Red Kite, Common Buzzard and Raven added to the sightings but sadly no Tawny Owl or Peregrine this year.

Garden Warbler.

Raven.

Fox Moth Caterpillar.

Before we head for home we always stop off at a few locations up in the hills near Elan giving us the chance to look for Wheatear, Stonechat and Whinchat. Leaving Elan a pair of Goosander were seen flying over a reservoir and at our final destination both Wheatear and Stonechat were present along with Meadow Pipit. So it was an incredibly long day but despite the initial cold and wet weather it was very enjoyable with some added additions to our usual trip sightings.

Dungeness, Kent. 02/04/2010

2010-05-16T19:30:00.003+01:00

Dungeness.

A planned trip to Minsmere with a friend and his son to see the Lesser Kestrel was hastily re-arranged as the bird did a disappearing act and instead plans were made to visit Dungeness. The weather reports gave indication that it wasn't going to be too good but the decision was made to go anyway. As I wandered through the early morning mist and along the Estate lane to the pick-up point the chattering of Rooks from the nearby Rookery could already be heard, the odd 'Kaar' rang out across the open fields as if to assemble the troops for the days foraging in the fields and further up the lane a lone Robin sang with vigour from one of the tree tops.

The journey was fairly uneventful with a few Common Buzzards being spotted on the way, the weather on the other hand was looking ominous and the further we travelled the darker the skies got until the rain began. Remarkably as we reached Old Romney the rain stopped, the clouds started to break and small patches of blue sky began to appear.

Arriving at the Dungeness lighthouse we were greeted by blue skies with and the odd wispy white cloud, it was brisk but the morning sun brought with it a typical bright spring morning. I turned my attention to trying to find a Black Redstart before we made our way to the beach, despite searching and listening I couldn't find any and we made our way towards the sea. At the top of the beach the strong sea breeze hit us forcing us to lean in to the wind to steady ourselves. Even through my scope it was difficult to see anything, the sea was choppy and anything seen soon disappeared behind a wave. We walked along to the hide at 'The Patch' and from inside the hide managed to pick out a flock of Common Scoter drifting west, also present were a few Great Crested Grebes, Cormorant and plenty of the usual Gulls. Deciding to try for the Penduline Tits at the Hanson ARC pit we headed back to the car finding 2 Wheatear on the approach road before we left.

Penduline Tit.

Parking at the Hanson ARC car park we headed east along the footpath passing departing birders as we went, the news was that all 3 Penduline Tits were showing well. Continuing along the path we reached our destination, a small mound at the end of the path which had now become the watchpoint for the Pendulines. Here a small group of people stood looking in to the reedbeds, immediately the birds showed in the Willows behind the reedbeds but all to brief to get a good view as they dropped out of sight. A male Reed Bunting kept everybody on their toes as it appeared and disappeared amongst the Willows, with the sun facing us it became difficult to identify quickly and every time it appeared everybody swung round to see if it was a Penduline which brought a few laughs, Cetti's Warblers were in good voice and bursting in to song and the occasional Chiffchaff were singing. The Pendulines then reappeared at the top of the Bulrushes where they started to feed giving good views once you could find them through the plant stems, it wasn't easy at first but once you had your eye-in the views became better until they moved to where the sun was directly facing you. They stayed feeding for a couple of minutes until they flew off together. As most had now seen the birds they left leaving just the three of us which meant I could try for a couple of photos if the birds returned, they did return and after we had looked at the birds through my scope I tried for a couple of photos. It was nigh on impossible to say the least, the sun and the reed stems obscuring the birds made it very difficult but I did manage a couple of "record shots". We watched the Penduline Tits for another ten minutes until they flew off and we then headed off to the Hanson ARC hide.

Penduline Tit.

The skies were just starting to cloud over as we reached the hide, a faint calling Wagtail caught our eye as it flew over but it was too quick to see and i didn't hear the call until it had passed over, our thoughts led us to Yellow Wagtail. From the hide the water seemed quiet with the usual wildfowl present, a few Goldeneye, good numbers of Swallow, Sand & House Martin were flying low over the waters surface feeding and a Marsh Harrier put in a brief appearance before being lost to sight. Leaving the hide we found the Yellow Wagtail and again the Marsh Harrier could be seen quartering the pits north of the hide. As we neared the car park we stopped to view the hedges hoping that a Tree Sparrow might be lurking somewhere in the undergrowth, almost immediately we noticed two sat in hedge with one remaining in view long enough for us to get some really nice views.

Goldeneye.

Tree Sparrow.

After a quick look in the visitor centre we made our way out in to the reserve, the weather was starting to worsen rapidly and we knew it was only a matter of time before the heavens opened. Zach had taken on a childrens RSPB competition that would win him a piece of chocolate for Easter if he answered all the questions that were hidden in the hides around the reserve correctly, this certainly gave him added incentive to drag his little legs for a little while longer. Views from both Firth and Makepeace hide brought the usual wildfowl with a couple of unmentionables and a few Cetti's again were in full song. We headed towards Scott hide just as a light rain shower started, the skies were now blanketed grey as far as the eye could see and the decision was made that we would turn back after Scott hide. The small pit north of Scott hide held a welcome sight that appeared through the rain, a Slavonian Grebe which slowly headed towards us from the far bank. We stood watching as it preened whilst floating towards our direction, the rain had now stopped giving me a chance for a couple of photos which were dependant on whether the Grebe would start feeding again, it didn't and I snapped away before suddenly noticing a Black-necked grebe some 50yrds away and getting closer. I'd been so focused on watching the Slavionain Grebe I hadn't even seen the Black-necked until now, unlike the Slavionain Grebe which was just starting to moult in to summer plumage the Black-necked Grebe was still in winter plumage and of course it was an exceptional field lesson in shape and profile. The Black-necked Grebe turned away from us and headed back along the eastern edge of the pit and out of sight just as the rain returned. Zach had now answered all of his quiz questions and completed the anagram(Swallow was the answer if you really want to know)so we decided to make our way back to the visitor centre getting a another view of the Black-necked Grebe before we left.

Slavonian Grebe.

Back at the visitor centre Zach collected his winnings and managed to convince his dad that a new bird book was called for(he has also convinced him to buy the Collins Bird Guide 2nd Edition, good going Zach you're leaning fast). We had a quick look around the shop and then headed to the Britannia for something to eat before heading for home. A good day before the rain arrived and especially pleasing to see both Slavonian and Black-necked Grebe together and the Penduline Tits which were a lifer for me.

Welcome To Wherever You Are.

2010-04-17T15:29:00.007+01:00

Transmission will resume shortly

2010-02-01T01:23:00.004Z

Listen to the silence, let it ring on.

Eyes, dark grey lenses frightened of the sun.

We would have a fine time living in the night,

Left to blind destruction,

Waiting for our sight.

And we would go on as though nothing was wrong.

And hide from these days we remained all alone.

Staying in the same place, just staying out the time.

Touching from a distance,

Further all the time.

Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year.

2009-12-24T23:11:00.000Z

Full House Of Thrushes. 23/12/09

2009-12-24T22:34:00.006Z

With the Cotoneaster berries now frozen solid and as hard as ball bearings most of the feeding activity seems to have changed to ground feeding by the Winter Thrushes, the softer berries can be consumed easier and with large amounts of berries laying in the snow it's rich pickings. There's nothing unusual with seeing Blackbird, Redwing and Mistle Thrush around the garden but Fieldfare seem to be very scarce here at the moment, a few passing groups at the end of October and a few scattered flocks along hedgerows towards dusk on a couple of occasions recently and that's been it. Since the snow arrived last Thursday there have been a handful of Fieldfare hanging around, no doubt due to the cold weather and the activity of accumulating numbers of Winter Thrushes in the area.

Magpie

At 11am a quick scan round the garden found Mistle Thrush, Fieldfare, Redwing and an amazing 22 Blackbirds all feeding together under a tree on fallen berries, I can't ever recall seeing so many Blackbirds at once before and it was interesting to watch them all feeding together with the other Thrushes, plenty of squabbling despite the abundance of berries. A lone Starling was sat in the top of one of the old Oaks chattering away to itself and both Magpie and Jay were further down the tree. Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Blue, Great & Long-tailed Tit were all actively seeking food from any available source as were 2 Robins and a Wren.

Starling

Nearing lunchtime I was just heading down the driveway to clear some snow when I heard an unmistakable prruk-prruk-prruk sound, knowing exactly what it was I stopped in my tracks and looked skyward. The calls were getting louder and closer when suddenly a Raven appeared over the tree tops and flew straight over my head, it was quickly followed by another and continually calling they flew over heading west. Absolutely brilliant views of these huge Corvids. Long diamond shaped tail, broad fingered wings which were swept back as it glided over, the much used description of the "Maltese Cross" was very apt indeed.

I ventured out again after lunch to put some food out for the birds and at the same time digiscope them eating it, easier said than done as one tuff-ars*d Magpie accompanied by 2 Wood Pigeons flew down and after flushing everything else ate the lot. I tried again and scattered more than enough to keep them going, to be honest all of the Thrushes were interested in berries and berries alone, not even a few specialist mixes would change their feeding habits. I was looking through the many different types of Blackbird we had on show, Males, Females, 1st Winter birds and noticing their slightly different plumage tones and bill colours, I was getting quite engrossed when I noticed a Thrush hop through the view of my scope and behind a tree, quickly panning across I found a Song Thrush along with the Blackbirds meaning that I had seen all the 5 common/winter Thrushes in the garden in one go. Over the next hour or so I managed to see them all feeding together under the same tree, getting photos of them was going to be slightly harder as they constantly squabbled with each other which in itself seemed a bit crazy as there are so much food to go around. At times there were up to 30 Thrushes on the ground feeding together, the Fieldfares argued with the Redwings and the Song Thrush, the Mistle Thrush argued with the Redwing and the Blackbirds arguing with everything that came near.

Blackbird

Song Thrush

A walk across the nearby fields late afternoon brought sightings of Bullfinch and a few Tit flocks and surprisingly one Skylark singing from high above the snow covered fields. In truth it was very quiet with not a lot to be seen, hard to believe a few months ago I was watching Chiffchaff, Willow & Garden Warbler, Whitethroat and Spotted Flycatcher along these very hedgerows. A surprising find was a herd? of 6 Greater Rheas in one of the nearby farm fields, they certainly looked out of place searching for food amongst the snow and not the normal non-native species that is found in farms today. Pheasant, Partridge, Quail, Guinea Fowl and now Rhea's, god knows what carnage they'd cause if they got lose!

Greater Rhea

Buckinghamshire Snowscape

2009-12-23T13:05:00.000Z

Arctic Blast

2009-12-20T13:30:00.000Z

Late on Thursday evening the snow arrived, it began failing lightly at first but in time became whipped up to a flurry as strong winds blew across the landscape, large snowflakes began to fall in blizzard fashion and soon covered the ground as far as it was possible to see. It continued on into the early hours when it was possible to watch through the window due to the bright white snow lighting the surface outside, once the eyes had adjusted to the dark almost everything could be seen.

By morning the snow had covered everything in it's path and the sun which was now just warming up shone down on the transformed landscape lighting it perfectly, the trees and shrubs glistened with trails of snow across their bows and branches and the once green lawns and fields were now covered with a good 5-6 inches of snow. The world seemed a very quiet and different place indeed, the usual hustle and bustle of passing motorists had fallen silent leaving the cold crisp but sunny morning to the birds and I.

Robin

My gardening friend suddenly appeared from nowhere as I cleared some of the more delicate shrubs of snow, sat on a branch next to me it puffed up it's red chest and ruffled it's feathers as if to say "bit chilly this morning isn't it". There was little chance I was going to unearth any worms for it but it didn't deter it from following me all around the garden for at least an hour, it's impossible to imagine what birds have to go through during these cold spells and just a small offering to our feathered friends can go a long way.

Blackbird

Redwing

A frenetic energy seemed to building up amongst the Winter Thrushes until it consumed them and the berry frenzy began. Redwing, Blackbird and Mistle Thrush were soon busily flying to the Cotoneasters in sorties, they were joined by a few Fieldfare which in truth didn't hang around long and had departed by mid-morning. The majority of the Rowan trees have few berries left and it certainly seems that these have been targeted first, most of the Thrushes have now turned their attention to the Cotoneaster's which have grown so large they are no longer bush size but full grown trees which hold thousands of berries from almost every branch, I had hoped that they would remain for a longer period just in case we had a waxwing invasion but no such luck! A Red Kite was circling the fields and a rufous underwinged Buzzard flew over North and an hour later flew back over heading south, I've had good views of the local Buzzards and this is not an individual I recognise. Common Pheasant, Green Woodpecker, Blue, Great & a single Coal Tit, Nuthatch, Jay & Magpie all in the garden.

Redwing

By lunchtime a few snow flurries had passed through and the sun was now shining brightly across snow covered roof tops and fields, the wind had dropped completely and although it was still chilly the sun brought life back to what looked like a stark white wilderness. I'd learnt from my earlier photo attempts of the Redwing that I needed a bit of light on them and the sun behind me so I wandered off to find a decent position, I found a spot and after clearing some snow from around my feet I positioned myself in good view. The Redwings took a bit of time getting used to me nearby but after a number of Blackbirds flew in and started feeding it was too much for them and they soon joined in the melee, 2 Fieldfare returned and a Mistle Thrush soon followed and entered the feast. It was incredible to see this activity up close and with little time to loose they devoured berry after berry in front of me, a few squabbles in-between mouthfuls from the Blackbirds seemed the only interruptions as they gorged themselves as quickly as possible.

Redwing

I got some really good views of them feeding and in turn managed a few good photos, I usually find them quite a wary bird and often difficult to photograph due to the fact they fly off at the slightest movement. With the snow, blue sky, red berries and of course the Redwings themselves it all came together quite nicely and I was really pleased with the results. The Thrushes continued to feed long after my feet went numb and my camera batteries went dead, the cold was too much for both us and the camera and I went off to recharge.

Redwing

Mid-afternoon the skies became overcast with a slight pink glow and I was sure we were in for more snow, a walk across the footpath and out in to the fields founds areas much deeper with almost 8 inches of snow. There was little sign of life and apart from a few small Tit flocks and a couple of Bullfinches calling from the hedgerows it was extremely quiet. The snow didn't return and as night fell temperatures plummeted leaving a very cold night indeed.

Saturday was similar but without snowfall, blue skies and sunny spells highlighting the surrounding countryside but the cold temperatures now leaving hidden icy patches that became treacherous underfoot. The Thrushes remained busy in the Cotoneasters all day and the majority of the garden birds were present, I am concerned however by the fact that I haven't heard a Goldcrest in the garden for the last couple of days as we usually have 2 that are always present, these cold spells can have devastating effects on this species and many succumb to the cold weather. A Red Kite that drifted over was the only other bird of note. By the end of MOTD on Saturday evening snow was beginning to fall again, a light flurry continued into the early hours adding to the covering that was already present.

Blast From The Past - Finches & Buntings

2009-12-17T18:00:00.001Z

Chaffinch-Skirmett, Bucks.

Brambling-Lavell's Lake, Berks.

Greenfinch-Skirmett, Bucks.

Goldfinch-Skirmett, Bucks.

Siskin-Skirmett, Bucks.

Lesser Redpoll-Sonning, Oxon.

Yellowhammer-Aston, Berks.

Blast From The Past - Sparrows

2009-12-17T17:54:00.001Z

House Sparrow-Portland Bill, Dorset.

House Sparrow-Mill End, Bucks.

Tree Sparrow & House Sparrow-Mill End, Bucks.

Tree Sparrow-Mill End, Bucks.

Blast From The Past - Corvids

2009-12-17T17:50:00.000Z

Jackdaw

Carrion Crow

Raven

Brown Shrike (Lanius-cristatus) Staines Moor. 10/12/2009

2009-12-13T23:40:00.001Z

Staines Moor

I returned to Staines Moor today for the 4th time to see the Brown Shrike which has now been present for over 2 months. With the storms that have constantly raged across most of the country now easing off and clear skies returning it made perfect sense to spend what little time I had free with the long-staying Brown Shrike. With overcast skies now making way for sunshine and blue skies I hoped that I could at last get some really good photos. I had visited a week before when a break in the weather tempted me back to the moor to attempt some photos only to arrive and the clouds close-in. I was pi**ed off to say the least as when I had left home it was a beautiful sunny winters day and as I entered the moor the overcast skies closed in and the light dropped giving me little chance of any decent photos, it was a real pity as the bird was perched in a hawthorn bush 200yards from the footbridge. Don't get me wrong it was an absolute pleasure to see the bird up close and in full view but I couldn't help cursing the weather for ruining my attempts to photograph it, my attempts were blurred and disappointing as you will see from the photo below but despite this I had the best views of the Brown Shrike to date. If you're going to see it I think It's certainly worth looking at the bushes on the left-handside of the river after crossing the footbridge before you go stomping out on to the moor.

Brown Shrike

I arrived at Hithercroft Rd(TQ040743) and made my way along the footpath which is now a mud and water filled quagmire(wear boots if your going to see it!) and entered the Staines Moor, in front was a small group of birders viewing the thickets to the right of the bridge where the Shrike was TQ033735. The Shrike was quite active as usual dropping to the floor on occasion whilst hunting and then disappearing behind the thickets, I noted a few Bumble Bees during my stay so I presume it's still feeding well and there must be a good number of Beetles etc about. It remained at distance for long periods and continued to feed. I wandered along the footpath after being told a few Water Pipits were present around the flooded areas of the Moor and it didn't take long to hear Pipit calls above the traffic noise from the nearby motorway, locating them was another problem. The constant noise soon drowned out the calls as I got closer and it was only when a Stonechat flushed a couple of "small brown jobs" from a flooded pool 70yrds in front of me did I get to see anything, one was a Meadow Pipit which flew in to a bush where it was soon joined by a few others but one bird dropped down to the edge of the pool. I inched myself closer to see over the tops of the grass and along the edge of the pool finding a Water Pipit feeding, it wandered along the edge of the pool giving me just enough time to view this dumpy grey-brown pipit with a clear white eye stripe and wingbars before it took flight across the moor, I searched again for it without any luck so headed back towards the Shrike viewing point.

Brown Shrike

As I approached the footbridge in the distance I noticed a brilliant blue object sat in one of the Hawthorn trees, through my binoculars I could see it was a Kingfisher which was peering down in to the river below. I took a wide berth and grabbed my camera and readied my scope, it was way to far to digiscope effectively and I hoped by walking slowly away and around it rather than towards it I would be able to get in range. It was some way off but I managed to slowly approach it without disturbing it, with the backdrop of the Hawthorn berries it looked spectacular and in true fashion as I took my 3rd photo it flew to another bush and then off down the river. Even without managing to get any good photos they are always a pleasure to see so I was happy all the same. I've seen this behaviour before on the Berks/Bucks border near Hambleden Weir where they sit in the trees on the River Thames bank watching the water below them, it always seems to be in winter and I presume the river is choppier and a higher vantage point is probably better to see prey from.

Kingfisher

So I was just getting over the fantastic view of the Kingfisher when I noticed a large bird sat in the top of one of the many thickets around the footbridge, closer inspection showed it was a female Pheasant which was feeding on the berries in the bush. Lets face it Pheasants probably are given little respect due to the fact they can come across as incredibly daft birds at the best of times, I'm sure many of us have been in situations where a Pheasant has decided to cross the road in front of us only to turn round and head back where it came from. Despite this they are clever birds which adapt to the best of opportunities, I have watched them at close quarters feeding from bird tables and using Squirrel guards to stand on to use bird feeders where they feed happily.

The problem is Pheasants aren't the smallest birds and although she acrobatically tried to pick off the berries from the top of the bush the small branches she was perched on couldn't take her weight and eventually she fell out of the bush and on to the ground below. Had it been anything else, especially a human they would have no doubt caused an injury, this Pheasant just fluffed her feathers looked over her shoulder as if to see if anybody was watching then sauntered off through the grass, an amusing moment of mother nature to say the least.

Pheasant

The Brown Shrike showed briefly again before disappearing again and while waiting for it to reappear I noticed a Fieldfare fly in to a bush next to the five of us now watching the Shrike. The Fieldfare soon started feeding on the Hawthorn berries which gave me the opportunity to get a few photos. I've always found Fieldfare relativity timid and getting close enough to get a good photo can be extremely difficult, this bird seemed more interested in feeding and although wary remained long enough for me to get a couple of photos before it was time to leave.

Fieldfare