Broadwater Gravel Pit

An afternoon visit in overcast conditions with light rain produced the following species:-
Great Crested Grebe, Great Cormorant, Little Egret (2), Grey Heron, Mute Swan (2), Canada Goose, Eurasian Wigeon, Gadwall, Common Teal (6), Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Common Goldeneye (7), Goosander (2), Red Kite (1), Common Kestrel (1), Water Rail (4), Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Northern Lapwing (1), Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull (2), Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull (12), Woodpigeon, Ring-necked Parakeet (2), Common Kingfisher (1), Great Spotted Woodpecker (1), Grey Wagtail (2), Pied Wagtail (1), Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Common Blackbird, Song Thrush, Redwing, Common Chiffchaff (23), Goldcrest (8), Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Common Treecreeper (1), Common Magpie, Carrion Crow, Common Chaffinch, European Goldfinch (12), Eurasian Bullfinch (3), Common Reed Bunting (3).
Along the length of River Colne an incredible 23 Common Chiffchaff were present feeding among the overhanging foliage beating my previous tally of 18 observed on the 24th January. Goldcrest numbers had increased too with a total of 8 seen.

Great Grey Shrike at Slapton, Bucks

I decided to head off into Buckinghamshire and to the Grand Union Canal at Slapton where a long staying Great Grey Shrike has been present for well over a month now. Not knowing the area I drove along the Horton Road and parked by the canal bridge, number 120, located on the outskirts of Slapton village. I then walked down the towpath for the half mile or so to bridge number 118 where the bird had been regularly observed. I was expecting a long winded search but on my first scan of the fields I picked up the Shrike at relatively close quarters. It sat on top of a Hawthorn for some minutes surveying the area before flying off and landing on overhead cables on the far side of the field. Other species recorded included Common Buzzard (1), Common Linnet (c60), Yellowhammer (c15), Common Reed Bunting (2). Two Hare were also noted chasing each other around the arable fields.

                           A record shot of the Great Grey Shrike, taken in poor light.

 


     

Broadwater Gravel Pit

A morning visit in sunny, mild conditions provided the following species:-
Little Grebe (1), Great Crested Grebe, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan (5), Greylag Goose (2), Canada Goose (12), Egyptian Goose (4), Eurasian Wigeon, Gadwall, Common Teal (3), Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Common Goldeneye (6 including 3 drake), Goosander (pair), Red Kite (1), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (1), Common Kestrel (1), Water Rail (1), Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Northern Lapwing (28), Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Stock Dove (1), Woodpigeon, Ring-necked Parakeet (1), Common Kingfisher (1), Green Woodpecker (1), Great Spotted Woodpecker (2), Grey Wagtail (2), Pied Wagtail (1), Wren, Dunnock, European Robin, Common Blackbird, Song Thrush, Goldcrest (4), Common Chiffchaff (18), Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Common Treecreeper (2), Eurasian Jay (1), Common Magpie, Western Jackdaw (3), Carrion Crow, Common Chaffinch, European Goldfinch (3), Eurasian Bullfinch (3), Common Reed Bunting (4).
A fantastic number of Chiffchaff present along the River Colne side of the lake all making the most of the mild weather catching many of the emerging insects flying around. There has been a Siberian Chiffchaff amongst them recently but I did not see it today. One of the birds I photographed was sporting a BTO type metallic ring but I'm unable to read it despite my best efforts.

 

23-01-15 Troy Mill Gravel Pit

A late morning visit produced a lovely pair of Grey Wagtail present on the Troy cutting.

Staines Reservoir

A brief visit produced three Little Grebe and a male Greater Scaup at close quarters on the north basin.

Stanwell Moor

A late morning visit in dull, cold conditions produced the following species:-
Little Grebe (3 on river colne), Little Egret (2), Grey Heron (1), Mute Swan (2), Northern Shoveler (1), Tufted Duck (1), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (male), Common Kestrel (2), Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Black-headed Gull (2), Herring Gull (2 over), Woodpigeon, Ring-necked Parakeet (5), Green Woodpecker (2), Great Spotted Woodpecker (1), Common Skylark (2), Water Pipit (3 on bank of river colne), Wren, Dunnock, European Robin, Common Stonechat (2), Common Blackbird, Song Thrush (3), Redwing (23), Mistle Thrush (2), Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Jay (1), Common Magpie, Carrion Crow, Common Starling (40), European Goldfinch (15).

                                      Common Kestrel (first winter male) present with kill.

                                       

   

New tick for the garden

This morning I had a surprise visitor to my garden feeding station, a Stock Dove that remained for some ten minutes or so. I manged to take a record shot through the double glazing before it departed.

Black Park Country Park

An afternoon visit in sunny but cold conditions provided two new species for my year list, Woodcock and Tawny Owl. While walking in the vicinity of the heathland a single Woodcock was flushed by a park ranger who was busy cutting back the gorse. The bird flew a full circuit in front of me before disappearing into nearby woodland. Then while returning back through the woodland towards my car I was alerted to the agitated calls of Eurasian Jay and Common Magpie. As I neared the area in question a Tawny Owl appeared from the canopy and landed in front of me. I watched it for a few minutes before it took to the air and headed toward thicker cover. A full list of species observed as follows:-
Great Crested Grebe (2), Mute Swan (2), Greylag Goose (1), Canada Goose (2), Egyptian Goose (2), Mandarin Duck (22), Mallard (39), Tufted Duck (15), Red Kite (2), Common Buzzard (2), Common Kestrel (1), Common Moorhen (1), Eurasian Coot (34), Woodcock (1), Black-headed Gull (28), Common Gull (1), Woodpigeon, Ring-necked Parakeet (1), Tawny Owl (1), Green Woodpecker (2), Great Spotted Woodpecker (1), Grey Wagtail (1), Wren, Dunnock, European Robin, Common Blackbird, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Nuthatch, Common Treecreeper, Eurasian Jay (2), Common Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Common Chaffinch, European Goldfinch.

                                                            Mandarin Duck (male).

                                                           Mandarin Duck (female).

                                                                Egyptian Goose.



     

Wanstead Park, London

I headed off early morning so as to have an easy and fairly quick journey into London and I am pleased to report my plan was successful. On arrival I headed off to Heronry Pond where a reported Slavonian Grebe had been present for some days now. After two circuits of the pond I eventually located the bird present briefly with a single Little Grebe. It continually fed on small fish and was constantly pestered by Black-headed Gulls who were keen to rob the bird of its catch. A full list of species observed as follows:-
Little Grebe (1), Great Crested Grebe, Slavonian Grebe, Grey Heron (1), Mute Swan (2), Canada Goose (10), Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Feral Rock Dove, Woodpigeon, Ring-necked Parakeet, Common Kingfisher (1), Green Woodpecker (1), Great Spotted Woodpecker (1), Wren, Dunnock, European Robin,
Common Blackbird, Redwing, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Jay (1), Common Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Common Chaffinch, European Goldfinch.

                                    A record shot of the Slavonian Grebe I took in low light.

Black Park Country Park, Buckinghamshire

An afternoon visit in mild but windy conditions produced the following species:-
Great Crested Grebe, Mute Swan, Greylag Goose (1), Canada Goose (4), Mandarin Duck (31), Mallard, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Red Kite (1), Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Common Gull, Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon, European Robin, Common Blackbird, Redwing, Mistle Thrush (1), Common Chiffchaff (1), Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Nuthatch, Common Treecreeper, Eurasian Jay, Common Magpie, Carrion Crow, European Goldfinch.

09-01-15 Staines Reservoir & Stanwell Moor, Surrey

An afternoon visit to Staines Reservoir produced the following species of note:-
Great Northern Diver (1 on south basin), Black-necked Grebe (2 on north basin), Little Grebe (1 on north basin), Greater Scaup (male on north basin).

At Stanwell Moor a total of 2 pairs of Common Stonechat were seen.

                                            Common Stonechat (male) at Stanwell Moor.

Day Trip to East Anglia 05-01-15

I decided to partake a day trip to East Anglia with the aim of seeing as many species as possible. The sites I visted included Mayday Farm located in Thetford Forest near Elveden, Snettisham RSPB Nature Reserve, Hunstanton and Titchwell RSPB Nature Reserve with the following species observed.

Little Grebe (1 Snettisham, 3 Titchwell), Black-necked Grebe (1 Snettisham), Fulmar (1 Hunstanton cliffs), Great Cormorant (Snettisham, Titchwell), Little Egret (1 Titchwell), Grey Heron (Snettisham, Titchwell), Mute Swan (Snettisham, Titchwell), Pink-footed Goose (c800 Snettisham), Greylag Goose (Snettisham, Titchwell), Brent Goose (c100 dark-bellied, Titchwell), Egyptian Goose (2 Snettisham), Common Shelduck (Snettisham, Titchwell), Eurasian Wigeon (Snettisham, Titchwell), Gadwall (Snettisham, Titchwell), Common Teal (Snettisham, Titchwell), Mallard (Snettisham, Titchwell), Northern Pintail (2 pairs, Titchwell), Northern Shoveler (Snettisham, Titchwell), Red-crested Pochard (female, Titchwell), Common Pochard (Snettisham, Titchwell), Tufted Duck (Snettisham, Titchwell), Common Goldeneye (Snettisham, Titchwell), Red-breasted Merganser (pair at sea, Titchwell), Western Marsh Harrier (1 Snettisham, 1 Titchwell), Common Kestrel (Snettisham), Merlin (1 Snettisham, near Rotary Hide flying inland), Common Pheasant (Snettisham, Titchwell), Common Moorhen (Snettisham, Titchwell), Eurasian Coot (Snettisham, Titchwell), Eurasian Oystercatcher (Snettisham, Titchwell), Pied Avocet (13 Titchwell), Ringed Plover (1 Titchwell), Golden Plover (c200 Snettisham), Grey Plover (Snettisham, Titchwell), Northern Lapwing (c150 Snettisham, plus present Titchwell), Red Knot (c1000 Snettisham), Sanderling (Titchwell), Dunlin (Snettisham, Titchwell), Ruff (1 Titchwell), Common Snipe ( 3 Titchwell), Bar-tailed Godwit (Titchwell), Eurasian Curlew (Snettisham, Titchwell), Common Redshank (Snettisham, Titchwell), Ruddy Turnstone (Snettisham, Hunstanton,  Titchwell), Black-headed Gull (Snettisham, Titchwell), Common Gull (Snettisham, Titchwell), Herring Gull (Snettisham, Titchwell), Lesser Black-backed Gull (Snettisham), Great Black-backed Gull (Titchwell), Feral Rock Dove (Snettisham), Woodpigeon (Mayday Farm, Snettisham, Titchwell), Common Skylark (2 Titchwell), Meadow Pipit (Titchwell), Pied Wagtail (1 Snettisham), Wren (Mayday Farm, Snettisham, Titchwell, Dunnock (Snettisham), European Robin (Mayday Farm, Snettisham, Titchwell), Common Blackbird (Mayday Farm, Snettisham, Titchwell), Fieldfare (20 Snettisham), Song Thrush (Mayday Farm), Mistle Thrush (1 Mayday Farm), Goldcrest (Mayday Farm), Long-tailed Tit (Mayday Farm), Coal Tit (dozens Mayday Farm), Blue Tit (Mayday Farm, Snettisham, Titchwell), Great Tit (Mayday Farm, Snettisham, Titchwell), Eurasian Nuthatch (2 Mayday Farm), Common Treecreeper (Mayday Farm), Eurasian Jay (2 Mayday Farm), Common Magpie (Mayday Farm, Snettisham, Titchwell), Western Jackdaw (Titchwell), Rook (Titchwell), Carrion Crow (Mayday Farm), Common Starling (Titchwell), Common Chaffinch (Mayday Farm, Titchwell), European Greenfinch (Snettisham, Titchwell), European Goldfinch (6 Snettisham, Titchwell), Eurasian Bullfinch (10 Mayday Farm), Common Reed Bunting (3 Titchwell).

                                                     
                                                       Bar-tailed Godwit at Titchwell.

                                          Eurasian Curlew feeding on the beach at Titchwell.

                                                           Grey Plover at Titchwell.

                                                      Black-headed Gull at Titchwell.

                                                Brent Goose (dark-bellied) at Titchwell.

                                                      Ruddy Turnstone at Hunstanton.