Stockers Farm & Stockers Lake

A late afternoon visit provided the following species of note:-
Stockers Farm
Eurasian Wigeon (21), Common Teal (2), Northern Shoveler (4), Northern Lapwing (30), Eurasian Oystercatcher (1), all present on the flooded field.
Stockers Lake
Grey Heron (at least 11 occupied nests), Little Egret (3), Northern Shoveler (c60), Red-crested Pochard (pair), Common Goldeneye (6), Ring-necked Parakeet (1).

23-02-13 Great Northern Diver at Staines Reservoir

A brief visit on route to work late afternoon in very cold conditions paid off when the immature Great Northern Diver appeared close to the causeway on the north basin. The female Scaup was again seen although distant and a single Little Grebe busily fed at close quarters.

                                                          Great Northern Diver

Stockers Farm, Stockers Lake & Bury Lake

A mid-afternoon visit in cold conditions provided the following species of note:-
Stockers Farm
Eurasian Wigeon (56), Common Teal (4), Northern Shoveler (2), Northern Lapwing (17), Eurasian Oystercatcher (1), Mistle Thrush (1).
Stockers Lake
Common Goldeneye (5), Red-crested Pochard (male), Mistle Thrush (1).
Bury Lake
Northern Shoveler (46), Common Goldeneye (3). 

                                         Eurasian Oystercatcher at Stockers Farm.
 

Barn Owl again at Heathrow Airport

Early this evening at approx 20:00 I noted a single Barn Owl in flight at the engineering base near Hatton Cross adjacent technical block J. This is probably the same bird that I saw back in December.
It looked rather odd as it quartered the concrete taxiway no more than two or three feet up before drifting towards the fields at Cranford. If it continued along the same route it would eventually end up at Osterley Park, possibly it's roost site.

12-02-13 Stockers Farm & Stockers Lake

A brief afternoon visit provided the following species of note:-
Stockers Farm
Eurasian Wigeon (39), Northern Lapwing (28), Fieldfare (20).
Stockers Lake
Smew (male from shoveler hide), Red Kite (1), Marsh Tit (1 at east side of lake), European Goldfinch (8 feeding on burdock), Eurasian Siskin (c40).

                                          Record shot of Marsh Tit at Stockers Lake.

 

Troy Mill Gravel Pit

A brief afternoon visit in cold, wet conditions provided the following species of note:-
Little Egret (1), Common Kingfisher (1), Lesser Redpoll (3).

                                                         Lesser Redpoll.

Maple Lodge Nature Reserve & Lynsters Farm

A late morning visit in dull, damp conditions produced the following species of note:-
Maple Lodge N.R
Great-spotted Woodpecker (1), Eurasian Jay (3), Eurasian Bullfinch (pair feeding on blackthorn buds in long hedge).
Lynsters Farm
Greylag Goose (30), Canada Goose (124), Snow Goose (1), Egyptian Goose (5), Common Gull (1).