29th February

A bit of herping this evening produced a few frogs but no toads infact there have been only a few in the last couple of weeks in my unofficial toad crossing. A field vole was watched for a while along the road. My pond was more productive with mating frogs and lots of newts.

25th February

Its was a lovely evening so I decided to pop to Amwell, leaving my camera behind to ensure lots of good birds I headed in. The camera trick did not work as there was little to be seen, I did a circuit and still nothing to be seen. I did eventually find some birds stonechats, 2 cettis warblers trying to out sing each other and 10 little egrets feeding on the island. The viewpoint had rabbit, water rail and snipe but no birders seen at all - they must have been twitching the Curlew at Tytenhanger! Still they missed nothing here. Hopefully better luck with my next quest, I drove to Oundle and easily found midwife toads (I did have some help) - many thanks to them.

24th February

A little jaunt to Norfolk, primarily touristy but managed a few stops. Some flyover cranes the highlight. But then onto Sculthorpe Moor where the usual fayre was on offer, a field vole the highlight although the near summer plumage bramblings are stunning, no sign of the willow tits but a barn owl proved that this really is a Hawk and Owl trust reserve. A walk round had a photogenic wren in the gloom. We were last out closing the gate behind us just after 4pm! Lyndford at dusk had nothing so we went home.

22nd February

Not much doing this week due to work pressures, but some good local stuff this week, the village produced a weasel, some roe deer and three grey partridges. But the highlights again in my garden with the continued presence of the tree sparrows and finally adding common gull to the garden list.

17th February

The Yorkshire Dipper - Arriving at Fishpond woods my quarry water shrew would be tucked up asleep as all the water was frozen, and so were we, we had a walk round with a nice collection of common woodland birds before heading to Mc D's for a tea. It was then off north to Watton, where we parked up and within a couple of mins we had cracking views of the black bellied dipper just by the cottage, it performed very well and was very photogenic, if only it would stop moving for a second. After having out fill off to tophill low, not been there for a while and ther were some new pits. Here the highlight of the reserve, where two drake smew were displaying to a female, totally stunning. Water rail from the feeding station and a woodcock trying to stay hidden, along with loads of tree sparrows and a dodgy greenfinch amongst the common birds. Good numbers of most ducks on the reservoirs, only redshank and snipe on the wader front. With the lovely weather it was a nice day out.

10th February

After 4 hours sleep I was on the road again this time to Norfolk, a couple of Barn Owls in the fens and excellent woodcocks at Wolferton, before my final destination at Heacham, where I was meeting up with the Wash Wader ringing group for a mourning of funnily enough the name gave it away - wader ringing in the wash. The plan was to cannon net Knot and turnstone the latter for a colour ringing project. Using the rising tide and a couple of people shepherd the waders to the nets (they must have done this before) the net was fired and withing a couple of mins all the waders were safely put into a holding boxes for processing. The catch singles of dunlin, barwit, grey plover and sanderling, as well as nine oyster crappers their nickname became apparent later and 30 each of Knot and turnstone. They were quickly processed and released apart from the tunrstones which had coloured rings added to each leg this took a little longer. Many Thanks to to all involved, I can't have been to much of a hinderance as I was invited back. I then headed to Scuthorpe where those mammals were waiting for me I hoped. I easily found the calling willow tit and some treecreepers great to see and contrast with the previous days short toed. From the hide the usual fare brambling, marsh tit, water rail and a nice bank vole others had seen a water vole but I could not find one. Totally exhausted I headed for home early afternoon, stopping for some grey partridges before my bed.

9th February

Bonjour - Well we did it arriving at Dover for the 4.15 ferry without incident until immigration, where we only had 3 passports for our party of four (I had mine),Dover didnot look appealing for a days birding so a bit of chatting to French immigration and a driving licence saw us through, we suspected the return might be more tricky! But for now it was game on we were on route and easily found the site, meeting up with the car from Northampton to share the spotting. First light saw us moving onto the beach and after a short while some Belgiums from the other end of the beach had found it, mobile phones are great allowing the message to be passed around. We all had great views of the wallcreeper and much respect the the Belgian who brought his tiny baby in the buggy down the cliffs onto the beach and back to see it. We watched the wallcreeper for a while, with guillemot, black redstart, med gulls and fulmarsfor company. The only waders a distant purple sandpiper and some turnstones. On to Boulogne where a glaucous gull was found by the docks. On to the woods where we had crested tits, siskin, marsh tits, brambling, firecrest, ST treecreeper, nuthatch, buzzard a couple of brimstone also of note. The next wood site had similar but much lower numbers of birds apart from a firecrest hotspot. No sign of black woodpecker anywhere. We headed back to Calais but nothing of note at the hoverport apart from some redwings and feral cats among the illeagle immigrants living in the dunes. A quick beer stop in the Hypermarket and we back at the ferry terminal and our passport plight resurfaced. After a stern talking to and some scrutiny of our documents we were allowed on the boat for some food and back home back just before midnight. A top day if a little nervy about our return.

7th February

Am not so well - An early finish from work and I headed to Amwell, not much doing a gull less gull roost, and a nanosecond bittern hardly top birding, not really made up for by 4 singing cetti's and a double digit little egret roost. The highlight was a hunting sparrowhawk.

2nd February

A weekend of other commitments but time for the two tetrads around my village, and they brought several goodies. It was cold and crisp and most of the usual species were seen on the farmland highlights were bullfinches and a buzzard close to my house the real prize came in the small marsh woodland where a willow tit had joined a small tit flock. Another buzzard and some fieldfares at the far end of the village then back home for a garden count and cup of tea, my tree sparrow had returned and allowed a few record shots. The second tetrad was much less productive with a few golden plover and a massive fieldfare flock with a few red wings for company a couple of run-ins with dogs not under proper control made this tetrad a bit dull compared to the first.

1st February

A barn owl alongside the A505 by Duxford was of note on a non birding day.

29th January

A quick look at the weather forecast and its impending doom spurred me into a lunchtime trip to Amwell, where the leviathan hide construction is nearing completion. It was pretty quite, a snipe was quite photogenic, the smew were distant as usuall. The herons were gathering looking like they are about to start courtship, 13 present, and the cormorants are in breeding plumage, the weather matched, it was like a spring day. A couple of little egrets and some goldeneye of note but not much else. The old hide and its feeders were busy with the common species the pick a great spotted woodpecker then back to work.

27th January

Garden Birdwatch - A relaxing day recovering and time for the garden birdwatch, starting late morning would not be ideal but I did anyway, numbers were down for all species and none of my regular scarce birds put in an appearance but a new bird did two male tree sparrows the first I have seen locally spent a few minutes in the garden.

26th January

Finally getting my car back from the garage Friday night I was keen to go out so with a list of birds / mammals in hand, I headed off early towards Norfolk with my plan little was I to know that I would only find one of my targets but even so I saw things not at all planned and had a top day. First stop was Ely where the ugly ducklings were easily found, things however got worse! No sign of the great white egret or the tundra bean geese in the Fens. The great grey shrike did show but the gale force winds made photography a little difficult a welcome surprise was a daytime badger which quickly went back into its sett once it had spotted me. Onto Sculthorpe Moor on stephen patemore's recomendation to try to get some small mammal photos, as they use the feeding station. Today they did not but the birds did and a good haul, water rails, large flocks of brambling, long tailed tits and chaffinchs the highlight was both marsh and willow tits at the same time amazing, allowing for a great comparison - good compensation for missing my small mammals. No report of the Ross's goose so I carried on to Cromer, I would come back for it later, well that was the plan anyway. The waxwing had gone AWOL, the ross's goose was reported and I had just driven past it - so much for planning. So total change of plan and off to waxham for the grey phalarope which showed very well to say the least down to 2 or 3 feet. Here I fell over sprained a wrist, ankle, knee and pulled a muscle in my leg (optics fine so don't panic), I managed to limp back to the car (where painkillers were waiting) and started to head for home, missing the cranes just up the road which did not please me. I stopped briefly at Cantley where the taiga bean geese showed extreemly well down to 1 mile or so! I was told about the Ross's goose and snow goose down the road visable from the car - ideal, they were easily found one ross's and two snow, and some whitefronts for good measure. I stopped for a lovely barn owl just opposite the geese before heading home not quite there was one more to come as I slammed on the brakes and drove up the verge in my ultra clean and repaired car, good job nothing was coming. The reason was a dark breasted barn owl just north of the road. This time I really did go home a day not as planned and missed may targets but turned out well.

12th January

Another ridecously early start, to meet the Stortford Crew, we arrived before them but the morons were already at Wolferton scaring all the pheasants away before the crew arrived, woodcock was little compensation. Hunstanton was more richer pickings, with the usual stuff suplemented with long tailed ducks, scaup and peregrine grey seal of note, now frozen solid we moved on the Brancaster staithe, where the Twite were elusive one flew over but the waders were more helpful, with a nice selection present including two greenshanks. A nice barn owl on the drive to Wells where we quickly got onto the black brant and a hybrid in the Brent flock. Then a tour round the Wells area before hooking up with the snow goose. The crew split, those in need headed to the sparrow while our car passing on to Salthouse where the buntings showed well only a single Lapland present though. Doing well but it then tailed off a little, no firecrest at Walsey but a barn owl was. But a water pipit was present at Cley visitors centre. Holkham to finish off but the geese were leaving as we arrived, a barn owl and kingfisher showed well, a mass twitch of a linnet was in progress! The geese eventually came in very late, muntjac and marsh harrier to finish with brown rat on the drive home.

8th January

Yanky Doodle Dandy - Blasting up the M11 from work at Lunchtime I arrived at Cley again but this time the crowds had gone and the white crowned sparrow showed well allowing a few pics in the poor light.

7th January

Completly Yanked off - Arriving well before dawn to get a good spot and the plan worked, I had a great view of the drive, a brambling was little consolation, although some folk got a bit excited at a peregrine and some gypos. I had to leave a weasel brightened the journey to the dentist a little.

6th January

Yanked off - Today after an early deer stake out, trying to get photo's, deer a plenty, photos not so. But not a bad haul, roe, white fallow, chinese water deer and muntjac a couple of crossbills, woodcock, tawny owl and a fox but not much else. So my dilemma of where to go next and of course I headed west to Oxfordshire for the Thayers gull ? which I did get some flight views but not great and as news broke of the sparrow in Norfolk I knew I shoud have headed east! I was not alone several other observers had the same thought. I picked out a nice adult caspian gull and a yellow legged gull on Dix pit not that made me feel much better. A general look around some other pits gave a kingfisher before heading to the Farmoor Gull roost, a place I have not been for at least 20 years, and not changed much either still bleak and birdless well did have water pipit and rock pipit.

4th January

A rather misty morning as I ventured to Amwell, where my first birds were 6 snipe one of them was a jack snipe, the smew were elusive as always so heading down to the bottom of the lake or should that be end? anyway a drake and redhead were present and a group of three drakes were hiding in the corner. stonechats were showing nicely when one of the other regulars heard and Oik, we both picked it up in flight and it dropped in at the back of the reserve. Wandering over that way and the oystercatcher was there but not for long it headed towards Ware. bullfinch and GS woodpecker the highlight in the woods, the viewpoint had Cetti's showing nicely for a change before work beckoned.

1st January

2007 was not quite as manic as previous years due to work pressures, but even so it was quite a good one. The highlights bird wise were Pechora pipit, Turkestan Shrike, Eagle Owl and Sharp tailed sandpiper So some 2007 year totals, 283 birds (less than last year but not bad considering how busy I have been with other things), 40 mammals surpassing last years total the highlights being superb views of lesser horseshoe bats and the humpback whale. 44 butterflies (less than last year) highlights chequered skipper, Glanville Fritillary and large blue 24 dragonflys (less than last year) highlight being southern damselfly, but a miserly 8 amphibians and reptiles highlight the lovely Aesculapian Snake.

Key events An obvious one was finding my first MEGA, this was a Bufflehead, a juv male on Ardnamurchann during the summer. A morning with the Rye Meads Ringing Group was excellent, but the most memorable was getting bitten by an adder while rescuing it from the road, and my subsequent day trip to hospital.

After showing you some of my best photo's in 2007, I have posted some of my worst to show my photographic skills are indeed mixed.

Some were weather affected like the Gyr in torrential driving rain, some taken at night bufflehead at 10pm, some long distance - LRP chick and some others no excuses just badly taken!