Croxley Common Moor

I made a late afternoon visit to Croxley Common Moor with Steve Carter where a male Common Redstart had been discovered by Geoff Lapworth. Other species of note included Lesser Whitethroat (1), Common Whitethroat (3), Common Cuckoo (1), Barn swallow (2).

                                                                  Redstart (male).

                                                               Large Puffball.

Viginia Water, Surrey

A complete circuit of the lake in sunny, cool conditions provided the following species:-
Great-crested Grebe, Mute Swan, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Mandarin (5 inc 4 drake), Common Buzzard (1), Common Pheasant, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Feral Rock Dove, Stock Dove (pair), Woodpigeon, Green Woodpecker, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Wren, European Robin, Common Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Common Magpie, Eurasian Nuthatch, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Common Chaffinch, European Goldfinch. 

                                                                  Mandarin (drake).

                                                                 Western Jackdaw.

                                                            Bog Arum (White variant).

27-04-13 Stockers Farm & Stockers Lake

A mid-afternoon visit in unsettled conditions provided the following species of note:-
Stockers Farm;
Egyptian Goose (pair), Common Tern (2 over), Black Tern (1 over briefly), Barn Swallow (3), Northern Wheatear (2 on flooded field).
Stockers Lake:-
Little Egret (adult at nest), Common Buzzard (1), Red Kite (1), Common Tern (9), Black Tern (1),
Cetti's Warbler (singing male), Sedge Warbler (3 singing male), Reed Warbler (4 singing male),
Barn Swallow (2), House Martin (10).  

Maple Lodge Nature Reserve & Lynsters Farm

A late afternoon visit produced the following species of note:-
Maple Lodge
Little Grebe (4), Great-crested Grebe (1 from shell hide), Common Teal (3), Gadwall (4), Mallard (duck with brood of young), Common Buzzard (1 mobbed by resident pair of Carrion Crow), Common Chiffchaff (1), Blackcap (3).
Lynsters Farm
Greylag Goose (20), Canada Goose (24), Egyptian Goose (11), Stock Dove (4).

                                                      Grey Heron from Rotunda Hide.

                                                        Gadwall (male) from Shell Hide.

                                                   Gadwall (female) from Shell Hide.



   

Woodoaks Farm

A morning visit in sunny mild conditions with my daughter Emily provided the following species:-
Common Buzzard (2), Stock Dove (1), Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Green Woodpecker (1), Eurasian Skylark (singing male), Wren (singing male), Dunnock (singing male), European Robin (adult with food), Common Blackbird (male with food), Song Thrush (2 singing male), Lesser Whitethroat (singing male), Blackcap (9 including displaying pair), Common Chiffchaff (5 singing male), Willow Warbler (2 singing male), Goldcrest (displaying pair), Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Jay (1), Common Magpie (4), Western Jackdaw (3 pairs nest building), Carrion Crow, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Common Chaffinch (female with nest material), European Greenfinch (singing male).
Mammals:-
Muntjack
Butterflies:- 
Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock.

                                                             Lesser Whitethroat.

                                                              Common Chiffchaff.

    

 

Stockers Farm & Stockers Lake

A brief early evening visit produced the following species of note:-
Stockers Farm
Egyptian Goose (pair on flooded field), Common Sandpiper (on flooded field), Barn Swallow (4), House Martin (2), Ring-necked Parakeet (4 over), Little Owl (1).

                                               Egyptian Goose (pair) at Stockers Farm.

                                                          Mallard (drake) at Stockers Farm.
 Stockers Lake
Little Egret (1), Common Buzzard (4 over causeway), Cetti's Warbler (singing male on causeway), Eurasian Nuthatch (singing male).

Broadwater Gravel Pit

An afternoon visit in sunny, mild conditions provided the following species:-
Great-crested Grebe, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Gadwall, Mallard, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Common Goldeneye (4 female), Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Pheasant, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Northern Lapwing, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Ring-necked Parakeet, Eurasian Cuckoo (singing male), Common Kingfisher (1), Green Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, European Robin, Common Blackbird, Sedge Warbler (singing male), Common Whitethroat (singing male), Blackcap (13 singing male), Common Chiffchaff (6 singing male), Goldcrest (3 singing male), Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Jay, Common Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Common Chaffinch.
Mammals:-
Rabbit, Common Pipistrelle (feeding above lake).
Butterflies:-
Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Brimstone.  

19-04-13 Croxley Common Moor

A brief afternoon visit produced the following species of note:-
Northern Wheatear (1), Whinchat (1), Common Whitethroat (3).

                                                          Northern Wheatear (female).

                                                                Whinchat (male).

Stockers Farm & Stockers Lake

After being laid up in bed for a few days with flu and a chest infection it was no wonder that I was now beginning to fall foul to cabin fever! No better treatment then than a brief visit to Stockers Farm where earlier in the day Geoff Lapworth had discovered a Common Sandpiper on the flooded field. To my delight the bird was still present during my late afternoon visit. On the meadow above the flooded field a pair of Northern Wheatear and pair of Mistle Thrush fed while overhead 4 Barn Swallow chased insects. Then on to Stockers Lake where the following species of note were observed:-
Little Egret (2 in flight above the causeway), Common Tern (4), Sedge Warbler (2 singing male on causeway), Reed Warbler (1 singing male on causeway), Willow Warbler (1 singing male in alders).

                                                  Common Sandpiper at Stockers Farm.

                                                     Sedge Warbler at Stockers Lake.

Stockers Lake & Bury Lake

A late morning visit to conduct WeBS counts in mild but windy conditions provided the following species:-
Great-crested Grebe (7), Great Cormorant (8), Grey Heron (26), Mute Swan (35), Black Swan (1 Bury Lake), Greylag Goose (2), Canada Goose (64), Gadwall (6), Mallard (43), Northern Shoveler (2), Common Pochard (4), Tufted Duck (53), Red-crested Pochard (4 drake), Common Goldeneye (4 inc a drake), Red Kite (1), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (1), Common Buzzard (1), Common Kestrel (female), Common Moorhen (4), Eurasian Coot (49), Northern Lapwing (1), Black-headed Gull (51), Lesser Black-backed Gull (4), Common Tern (2), Stock Dove (3), Woodpigeon, Common Kingfisher (1), Green Woodpecker (1), Great-spotted Woodpecker (1), Barn Swallow (4), Grey Wagtail (3), Pied Wagtail (2), Wren (5), Dunnock (1), European Robin (6), Common Blackbird (2), Mistle Thrush (1), Song Thrush (1), Cetti's Warbler (singing male on causeway), Blackcap (1), Common Chiffchaff (7), Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Common Magpie (6), Western Jackdaw (3), Carrion Crow, Common Starling (7), House Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch (2), European Goldfinch (2).
Butterflies;
Small Tortoiseshell (3).

                                                     Black Swan (escapee) at Bury Lake.

 

Grey Wagtail on River Colne at Stockers Lake.

Croxley Common Moor and the Withey Beds LNR

A busy afternoon at the moor where dogs and their walkers seemed to be everywhere although bird life was still very evident. A total of 8 Chiffchaff were noted among the Hawthorn present along the river bank while overhead a male Common Kestrel was busily hunting. A Eurasian Sparrowhawk was briefly mobbed by a Lesser Black-backed Gull while a pair of Long-tailed Tit were observed taking nesting material back to the nest in the heart of a large bramble bush. I discovered my first butterfly for the year, a Small Tortoiseshell as I made my way back to the car.  
Then on to The Withey Beds LNR where I flushed 15 Common Snipe and a single Green Sandpiper as I made my way along the boardwalk.

                                          Colt's-foot in bloom at the Witheybeds LNR.

   

Stockers Farm, Stockers Lake & Bury Lake

An afternoon visit in milder weather than of late provided the following species of note:-
Stockers Farm
Little Owl (2 in crack willow on the flooded meadow), Common Buzzard (1 overhead), Barn Swallow (1 over the flooded meadow), my first of the year!
Stockers Lake
Cetti's Warbler (a very mobile singing male present on the causeway), Common Chiffchaff (1 singing male), Reed Bunting (2 singing male on the causeway).
Bury Lake
Red-crested Pochard (3 drake), Common Tern (1).

                                              Red-crested Pochard (drake) at Bury Lake.

Stockers Lake & Stockers Farm

A brief visit to Stockers Lake with Steve Carter produced a singing male Cetti's Warbler and 2 Common Tern from the causeway. Earlier in the day Geoff Lapworth had noted 6 Common Redshank on the flooded field at Stockers Farm but on our arrival the only species of note was several Eurasian Wigeon.

                                                 House Sparrow (male) at Stockers Lock.



 

Rainham Marshes, Essex

A day spent at Rainham Marshes RSPB Nature Reserve produced the following species:-
Little Grebe (6), Great-crested Grebe (2), Grey Heron (9), Little Egret (15), Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Common Shelduck, Eurasian Wigeon, Gadwall, Common Teal, Mallard, Northern Pintail (6), Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Eurasian Sparrowhawk (1), Common Kestrel (female), Common Pheasant (male), Water Rail (8), Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Northern Lapwing, Common Snipe (5+), Eurasian Curlew (1), Common Redshank (2), Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Feral Rock Dove (3), Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Green Woodpecker (1), Great-spotted Woodpecker (1), Common Skylark (male), Meadow Pipit (2), Pied Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, European Robin, Common Blackbird, Song Thrush (2), Cetti's Warbler (4), Common Chiffchaff (5), Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Common Magpie (5), Carrion Crow, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting (9).

Mammals:-
Red Fox, Brown Rat, Water Vole.  

                                                                    Little Grebe                                                                  

  

                                                                        Water Rail

                                                         Red Fox among the reeds.

                                                              Common Chiffchaff.

                                                                Common Magpie. 

Day trip to Swanage, Dorset

A family day out offered an opportunity for a spot of birding and a chance to catch up on a few species missing from my year list. The morning began well while during our breakfast stop at Winchester services I noted a single White Wagtail and Coal Tit from the comforts of our car. An hour or so later we arrived on the outskirts of Poole Harbour and as the tide was still low we stopped to have a quick pan with the bins over the salt marsh. Species of note included Common Curlew, Common Redshank, Ruddy Turnstone and a large gathering of some 50 or so Sanderling feeding along the shoreline.

Arriving at the Sandbanks chain ferry late morning and during the five minute crossing we notched up a Sandwich Tern and a pair of Pale-bellied Brent Goose. Twenty minutes later we arrived at Swanage and headed off to Durlston Country Park to partake in the annual Easter egg hunt and of course a spot of birding. Species of interest included Northern Fulmar (1), European Shag (4), Peregrine Falcon (3 above Durlston Castle), Common Kestrel, Rock Pipit,  Northern Wheatear (1 male at Anvil Point Lighthouse), Common Stonechat (male), Black Redstart (female) both noted below Anvil Point Lighthouse, Meadow Pipit (3), Blackcap (1) and a single Common Raven drifting around for several minutes along the cliffs and above Durlston Castle. After spending a pleasant day in the sunshine and sea air it was time to return home and while waiting for the chain ferry at Sandbanks we noted  a grand total of 17 Red-breasted Merganser all making their way out to sea from Poole Harbour in a ten minute period as the sun began to set. Finally a stop off at Poole Harbour produced our last chance to view the feeding waders in the fading light notably a gathering of some 50+ Godwits annoyingly unidentifiable due to poor light.  

A full list of species noted as follows:-
Northern Fulmar, European Shag, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Brent Goose, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Red-breasted Merganser, Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Common Pheasant, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Sanderling, Common Curlew, Common Redshank, Ruddy Turnstone, Sandwich Tern, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Feral Rock Dove, Woodpigeon, Northern Wheatear, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, White Wagtail, Common Stonechat, Black Redstart, Wren, Dunnock, European Robin, Common Blackbird, Blackcap, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Common Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Common Raven, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet.      

                                                               White Wagtail.

 

                                                                     Brent Goose.

                                                                   Black-headed Gull.

                                                                     Herring Gull.

                                          Common Raven.

                                                                     Rock Pipit.

 

 

 

Woodoaks Farm

An afternoon visit in cold, windy conditions produced the following species of note:-
Red Kite (2), Sparrowhawk (female), Northern Wheatear (3 male), Meadow Pipit (1), Fieldfare (c50), Mistle Thrush (1), Yellowhammer (5).

                                                   Wheatear (male) at the manure pile.

                                           Wheatear (male) in paddock below old orchard.

 

31-03-13 Staines Reservoir

An early evening visit provided the following species of note:-
Slavonian Grebe (1 present on south basin near tower), Little Grebe (2 on north basin), Common Shelduck (male on north basin), Long-tailed Duck (female on south basin), Common Goldeneye (14  on south basin), Little Ringed Plover (10 feeding on shoreline of north basin).

                                                                 Slavonian Grebe

                                                                  Little Ringed Plover

                                                             Long-tailed Duck (female)

                                                                    Shelduck (male)