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Thursday 31 October 2013

Stockers Lake & Stockers Farm

An early afternoon visit in dull, mild conditions provided the following species;
Great-crested Grebe, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Black Swan (1), Canada Goose, Eurasian Wigeon (17), Gadwall, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Red-crested Pochard (11 including 6 drake), Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Ring-necked Parakeet (20), Common Kingfisher (1), Green Woodpecker (1), Grey Wagtail (1), Pied Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, European Robin, Common Blackbird, Redwing (15 over briefly), Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit (6), Blue Tit, Great Tit, Common Treecreeper (1), Eurasian Jay (2), Western Jackdaw (1over), Carrion Crow, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Siskin (6), Eurasian Bullfinch (male calling briefly).
From the causeway I also noted a Muntjac Deer swimming from island to island below the Osprey pole.
Stockers Farm
5 Northern Lapwing were present on the wet meadow.


                                                         
                                                                 Red-crested Pochard








 


Sunday 27 October 2013

Broadwater Gravel Pit

An early afternoon visit in mild but windy conditions provided the following species:-
Great-crested Grebe, Great Cormorant, Little Egret (1), Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Greylag Goose (54), Canada Goose (3), Egyptian Goose (2), Eurasian Wigeon (3), Gadwall, Common Teal (8), Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Common Goldeneye (2), Red Kite (1), Common Buzzard (1), Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Northern Lapwing (75), Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Stock Dove (2), Woodpigeon, Ring-necked Parakeet (1), Common Kingfisher (2), Green Woodpecker (1), Great-spotted Woodpecker (1), Wren, European Robin, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Common Treecreeper (1), Eurasian Jay (2), Common Magpie, Western Jackdaw (c20), Carrion Crow, Eurasian Siskin (2). 

                                                       Goldeneye (female with juvenile)


Thursday 24 October 2013

Osprey continues to perform at Maple Lodge

After spending a few days in Edinburgh with my better half I was desperate to get down the reserve and catch up with the juvenile Osprey that had been present since Sunday. I arrived at the reserve at 09:30 with birding pal Steve Carter and we headed off to the Long Hedge Hide. On entering we found the hide already occupied with Geoff Lapworth, Dale Ayres, Paul Ward and others all viewing the bird which was present on top of the Long Hedge. After gaining a few brief glimpses and taking a few record shots the bird took off and began to cirlce the reserve before landing on Alders opposite the hide. It remained on its perch for some minutes before eventually taking off again and briefly landing on trees near the Shell Hide. It then took off again and suddenly launched itself into the water and grabbed a small Roach which it carried away.
Other species noted included at least one singing male Cetti's Warbler and a single Kingfisher.

                                                             
                                                              Osprey with Roach



Sunday 20 October 2013

Osprey at Maple Lodge

At noon today Geoff Lapworth and Tony Hulls observed an Osprey catching a fish near Long Hedge from the Teal Hide. It then briefly perched with the fish (no pun intended) before flying off.  

Monday 14 October 2013

Common Raven at West Hyde

While out this morning conducting wetland bird survey counts at Pynesfield north gravel pit,  West Hyde I observed a single Common Raven in flight overhead calling briefly as it headed south. This is my first record of this species on my local patch. 

Saturday 12 October 2013

Maple Lodge Nature Reserve

An early afternoon visit in sunny, mild conditions provided the following species of note:-
Little Grebe (5), Common Buzzard (3), Red Kite (1), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (1), Ring-necked Parakeet (2), Green Woodpecker (1), Common Kingfisher (1), Cetti's Warbler (singing male from phragmites), Chiffchaff (1 in Long Hedge), Eurasian Jay (2).
Other fauna noted included a single Migrant Hawker dragonfly observed at the Long Hedge and a Muntjac flushed from the plantation.

                                                            Migrant Hawker (male) 

                                                       Kingfisher (female) from Teal Hide.


Thursday 10 October 2013

Maple Lodge Nature Reserve & Lynsters Farm

I visited the reserve early afternoon to find the work party busily working away while the contractors were finishing off installing the new tern rafts to both clubhouse and marsh lakes. Despite the disturbance 2 Common Snipe showed well from Rotunda Hide and from Shell Hide a lone Kingfisher was briefly noted. Overhead 2 Common Buzzard and a single Red Kite took advantage of the windy conditions to hunt while a single Rook struggled past. A full list of species encountered as follows:-
Little Grebe (6), Great-crested Grebe (Lynsters G.P), Grey Heron (1), Gadwall (Lynsters G.P), Common Teal (1), Mallard (7), Northern Shoveler (2), Common Pochard (3), Tufted Duck (Lynsters G.P), Common Buzzard (2), Red Kite (1), Common Moorhen (8), Eurasian Coot (16), Common Snipe (2), Black-headed Gull (2 over), Feral Rock Dove (2 over), Stock Dove (1), Woodpigeon, Ring-necked Parakeet (1), Common Kingfisher (1), Green Woodpecker (1), Wren, Dunnock, European Robin, Common Blackbird, Redwing (3), Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Jay (2), Common Magpie, Western Jackdaw (5 over), Rook (1 over), Carrion crow, Common Starling (c100), Common Chaffinch.
  

 

Monday 7 October 2013

Virginia Water, Surrey

A late morning walk with my wife following the footpath around the lake provided the following species:-
Great-crested Grebe, Great Cormorant, Mute Swan, Gadwall, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon, Ring-necked Parakeet, Wren, Dunnock, European Robin, Common Blackbird, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit,
Great Tit, Eurasian Nuthatch, Common Treecreeper, Common Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Common Chaffinch.

Autumn is a good time of the year to find interesting fungi and I happened across a lone Fly Agaric amongst a small area of Birch. 


My wife discovered an odd looking moth caterpillar crossing the path which I believe to be the larva of the Pale Tussock. 











   

Sunday 6 October 2013

Broadwater Gravel Pit

A late afternoon visit in mild conditions provided the following species:-
Little Grebe (4), Great Crested Grebe, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Canada Goose (4), Eurasian Wigeon (10), Gadwall, Common Teal (6), Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Red Kite (1), Common Buzzard (1), Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Northern Lapwing (13), Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Ring-necked Parakeet (3), Great-spotted Woodpecker (1), Wren, Dunnock, European Robin, Common Blackbird, Common Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Common Treecreeper (1), Eurasian Jay (2), Common Magpie, Western Jackdaw (5), Carrion Crow, Common Chaffinch.

                                                      View of the lake looking east.

While walking along the footpath adjacent the River Colne I happened across the remains of what I believe to be a young Mute Swan. All that remained was a stripped leg with colour ring attached. I have forwarded the information on and am now awaiting a reply.