A quick dash to Suffolk where the Lesser Kestrel showed for a few mins between the showers but a little distant and very different to the views in Spain from last week. The great grey shrike was still present. I dashed off the Kessingland and quickly got onto the pallid swift before missing the alpine swift at Lowestoft, but a firecrest in the coastal scrub was worth the diversion, some chips and back home from a good but brief trip.
29th March
After an apointment I managed to get to Westleton for a couple of hours, the weather was shocking high winds and heavy rain, not surprisingly the lesser Kestrel did not show. The great grey shrike was more helpful and a herd of red deer and a lone muntjac kept me entertained during the wait.
With the toad crossing now starting in earnest I took the opportunity to take a few photos and survey the local ponds, a few common newts were picked from the road and one proved photogenic. But the prize were two great crested newts leaving a pond, frogs and toads also obliged.
15th March
At dawn I joined Peter Oakenfull at Lemsford Springs nature reserve where he had started trapping water shrews for a BBC filming event to be followed by an event for some of my friends at the weekend. Peter had already caught 1 water shrew which he brought along for me to see but we need at least 3, 2 for the BBC and one for us, a beautiful morning had us checking the 40 or so traps, a pygmy shrew was found in one of the first few followed by a wood mouse and then a common shrew. A flyover kingfisher was my first of the year, then we had the prize a cracking water shrew and we had another common shrew and wood mouse to finish. We set some additional traps to hopefully catch that final water shrew. A flyover sparrowhawk as I left for work rounded off the morning nicely.
14th March
Off to Hebden bridge first thing where we easily found two dippers at the same spot as the previous evening, but they eluded the camera apart from a record shot. The journey home was broken by a stop at Anglers CP, where we quickly found the ring necked duck which kept distant during our visit. There were a good number of goosander well over 20 birds and some had started to display - a sign of spring perhaps!
13th March
A quick look at Long gutter edge as I was passing did eventually yield a mountain hare crossing a snowfield but that was the only brief sighting in well over an hours wait. A couple of red grouse were also present. A brief view of a dipper in Hebden bridge was to be followed up the next day.
12th March
We reached Lound CP mid afternoon on our journey to Hebden Bridge for the weekend not wildlife related but I got a few goodies in anyway. In between the brief showers we had excellent views down to a few feet of the long staying red necked grebe, what an excellent encounter and well worth the detour, after some food at the cafe we headed off to our next stop. It was an unusual one in Cottingham near Hull, here we found the two long staying orange winged amazons which were untroubled by my presence, perhaps their origins expains this.
7th March
After some important stuff in the morning I was able to get out again, this time I zipped up to Sculthorpe Moor (note they will be charging for entrance from 1st April) I managed to catch the tail end of the goshawk display, a nice treecreeper posed for photos as did two bank voles from the main hide. Bullfinches and both marsh and willow tits put in an appearance, but the golden pheasant was more elusive hiding in the holly as I left. I headed up to Titchwell with a couple of grey partridges on the way. The woodcock was showing near the car park, but I could not locate the common redpoll and there was not a great deal out of the ordinary on the reserve or on the sea. A young grey seal on the wildfowlers marsh was of interest with the RSPCA in attandance but he was fine. A water rail under the feeders but no sign of the redpoll. I gave up and headed home stopping for some hares in a field which were of interest as were two roe deer in the adjacent field. A muntjac wrapped up the day.
6th March
After a stressfull week at work and with another to come I was keen to get out, I kept it localish but miss timed the tide at Southend, but Rossi the long staying ring billed gull was present but a bit distant on a sandbank, a grey seal was also present. Most of the gulls were distant and it took me a while to pick out a couple of med gulls and a cracking adult caspian gull. Next stop was Rainham which was full of non birders and kids which made it a bit hard as the water vole I spotted was cery easily spooked, but I got a couple of pics. With little else on the reserve I headed to the tip to check out the gulls. A iceland gull was on one of the pools but no sign of the glauc. I headed to the beach where a large number of gulls were roosting and the glaucous gull was easily picked out of the mele. Onto the stone barges but no water pipits so I moved on to Connaught water which was even worse than Rainham and held no mandarin ducks, but the long staying drake red crested pochard was present and a couple of other dodgier individuals. I visited another one of the ponds in the area which held 3 pairs of Mandarin ducks. Final stop was East Hyde where a random bit of river has been holding some jack snipe and three were present on my arrival, showing well. A short walk away a little owl was also showing well finishing off the day.
1st March
With a few things to do in the Manchester area I hastily arranged to go up today to co-inside with the Parkgate high tide which with the wind direction and low pressure system hopefully would be a good one. I hit Worlds end for dawn and quickly found 4 male black grouse lekking, but they were distant, a few poor record shots mainly due to the heat haze despite it being a few degrees below was troublesome. I then headed for Chester and my first non wildlife stop before getting to Parkgate about 10ish. Things were slow and some photographers were not confident about the tide. A peregrine sat on a tree stump the whole time I was there but was alive. Two ringtail hen harriers passed and were about for a good deal of the time and two short eared owls were present but distant. The spoonbill flew over being pushed off the marsh by the rising tide, which started to come in very quickly. The herons and crows were picking off the small mammals, several voles sp and shrew sp went this way and a harvest mouse, eventually the water reached the bank and a few bank voles who escaped the onslaught found refuge, the water vole found it easier going. No terrestrial predators which was a shame but not a bad show. I headed to Manchester and after I had a hour before dusk so headed for the moors but only found a few red grouse
28th February
A family get together for another sad event, a few red kites braving the rain the only thing of note. On the way home I stopped at Stansted Abbots to catch a signal crayfish for which I had a licence (which was only valid for a few nano seconds) which I must admit is a complete waste of time and effort obtaining in the grand scheme of things. Anyway I easily caught my one crayfish with my crabline which I must admit was a monster.
27th February
A much later start than anticipated, (all ale induced at the Chappel Winter beer festival), saw me at Lyndford Arboretum where despite the pouring rain the resident white pheasant (leucestic) was in the paddocks, I have seem him for the last two years, along with 3 hawfinches a couple of crosbills were not pinned down to photograph. A few hares and a muntjac on the way and grey squirrel in the car park. My next stop was binned due to the rain so I headed to North Walsham where the waxwing was showing in Sainsbury's car park. Last stop was Strumpshaw fen where I was hoping for Otter and there had been one earlier but I would not have seen it given my departure time. It was quiet and despite several hours no sign but there were a few bits to keep me entertained, 4 chinese water deer, water vole, bittern, bearded tit and a few lesser redpoll the pick.
19th - 21st February
The car must have known that a trip to Scotland was in the offing as I broke a wheel earlier in the week (yes the wheel is cracked so I need a new wheel), I borrowed a smart alloy one from my brother as the space saver was a waste of space so to speak! But he probably wanted it back before I took it 1000 miles to Scotland and back. Two days later and the news of a bearded seal on Orkney got the juices going. So Friday arrived and I was hoping for news on the Bearded Seal before I left, but had booked the ferry and negotiated with the wife my leave of absence, so was committed either way, so no news either way when I left work for the long trip to Gills Bay did not make much difference. I headed north alone as I have no mates - ahh, well the ones I have are either sane or had something better to do with their weekend. The trip north was a real effort with the Friday night traffic, blizzards and every inch of the M6 being dug up. I made slow progress to my first stop at Charnock Richard for some supplies and then the going was easier, and coupled with 2l of Diet Cherry coke (other brands are available and indeed Pepsi Max brought me home) and an assortment of other caffeine and stimulant containing products I made it to Inverness through the -12° temperatures and the roads the roads got very difficult to pass. It was pretty uneventful wildlife wise a tawny owl and loads of rabbits, until somewhere near Freswick I saw eyeshine in a field, I hit the brakes and slid down the road onto the verge. The eyeshine was still there, I had a torch beside me but the camera was in the boot, a wildcat was staring at me 60 yards away, just a face peering out from the grass.
I slipped out of the car going for the camera and next thing it was on the road in front of me and as it came towards me when my hopes were dashed, although big and scruffy it was just a large friendly tabby cat with a nice thin tail and it headed off across the fields towards a farm not bothered by me at all.
I made it to Gills bay without and further adventures and got a hours kip before the ferry. The ferry crossing was calm and loads of fulmars including a blue fulmar passed before I was ready with the camera and was never seen again, plenty of auks and gannets were seen and as we neared St Margret's Hope, long tailed duck, eider, red breasted merganser and slavonian grebes became more common.
I disembarked and headed for the scene of the crime, and was greeted by an empty slipway apart from a redshank annoyed at my presence. I did a quick scan of the area and located a group of seals on the other side of the village by a derelict white van. I drove round (well I was tired) to find a group of common seals. I drove the length of the shore to Kirkwall and back looking for any seals but nothing so returned to the slipway, where I met some local birders, some who had seen the beast on Thursday. They were surprised at my long distance twitch and were very helpful, they offered some info on a couple of birds to visit while I was here so I didn't have a totally wasted trip. A quick bite to eat in Kirkwall and more scans of the bay without success before heading to Stromness where the iceland gull was quickly located in the harbour, but with little else I returned to Finstown and resumed my search, a couple of brown hares were found on the way.
I met another birder who had been keeping tabs on the seals and had noticed a large pale one loosely associating with the 20 or so common seals in the bay for the last week or so and had assumed that it was the bearded seal after the fact, he gave me some info on a raft of velvet scoter which I duly went and ticked off a short while later. But he had not seen the seal today, so I continued my search as the the light started to fade. I pulled over for a hen harrier quartering on the side of the bay and met a dog walker and I explained my visit, he told me about seal that lived on the island further along from where I was, I drove to a suitable spot and scoped the island where several seals were hauled out and was pretty sure one was the bearded seal but the light was not good and heavy snow started to fall so no photos. I hoped for better in the morning.
I awoke in agony as my calf was cramping and it hampered me all day, but as the pain subsided I took in the beautiful scene the whole place covered in snow and the light was amazing, after some painkillers I drove to the spot where I had seen the seals the previous evening hoping for the bearded seal, but only a couple remained and not the one I was after - dam! or something like it! Some red grouse were seen on the moor behind me but they were little compensation. I popped into Kirkwall for some fuel and took a few pics of the common birds by the supermarkets before one last lap, I started my route again but really gave up before Finstown and took some photos of the mergansers and some waders. I ended up back at the slipway in Finstown and scanned the seals there was one much larger pale one by the white van. I drove round and took a look and it was the bearded seal I got the camera and took some pics feeling somewhat relieved. Although I am used to long distance dips this would have been a classic. My luck had finally changed, a quick look at the watch and I really needed to head towards the ferry and get those owls on the way, an orkney vole was unfortunatly a road casualty roll on the summer. I made a couple of unscheduled stops for crippling views of long tailed duck and great northern diver before stopping at the owl viewpoint, after a couple of minutes I realised I was looking inn the wrong tree and two long eared owls were sitting in clear view. A quick check of the watch and I had time for some photos and video etc, another check of the watch and the time was the same - back to the car and oops it had stopped a while earlier, I needed to be at the ferry ASAP. A couple of minutes later I was at the ferry and boarded, but in my haste I forgot to disable the car alarm and I spent the entire journey turning it off with the remote, it however self arms again every few mins.
I had planned to have some food on the ferry but the kitchen was only open when the ferry was moving and with the sea a little choppy, and I get sea sick in the bath, I opted for the outside deck all the way and I could turn the car alarm off. Anyway plenty of the usual birds on the journey back, but a problem with having no mates was having to cover both sides of the ship, I was bound to miss something and I did, I missed an otter, I moved to the other side of the ship as it entered the water well behind the ship and it raised its head before diving and we moved away before it surfaced again, damm! But I had better luck being on the right side for a couple of harbour porpoises and I had the camera ready for a change. I left the ferry and rang the man with the little bunting in his garden and was told to come and take a look. It was a stunning view from their lounge with the old man of Hoy visible and a cracking vista to the west. Within minutes the little bunting had arrived feeding on the ground and after a couple of pics I set off for the long journey home. I kept an eye out for deer on the way back but it took until Perthshire before I saw any when a herd of over 100 red deer were feeding by the A9. I could not jam in on anything else on the way back apart from two muntajc at the edge of the village in the early hours. - What a trip 8 mammal species and 70 bird species.
18th February
Sorry for the delay I have been working every hour available including weekends! but finally my January video is ready.
12th February
A sad day at a family funeral in north London and as I left I realised I was near Borehamwood, so as the weekend was work orientated I dropped in at last light to see the monk parakeets, about a dozen were buzzing around but I only got one perched briefly.
9th February
A brace of grey partridges on the way to work and a fox on the way home.
7th February
Having no real plan as working yesterday changed my plans, I contacted Farnboro John for some inspiration, but he also was unsure of what to do but expressed a desire to photgraph Chinese Water Deer (CWD) so leaving from mine we got to Woodwalton Fen about 9am, the place was unusually full of cars, considering the weather and time of year, but it was a fishing match so no cause for concern. We had the reserve to ourselves and headed for the bank where we quickly located 10 chinese water deer scattered widely but non in photographic range. We tried some near the north end but they moved away, but we did locate a couple of hares and rabbits. John spotted a deer feeding close to the bank and the south end of the reserve so with our expert fieldcraft not required as we stayed behind the bank and got within good photo range before going over the top, and getting some good pics. We saw a muntjac further down the bank but it was always moving away from us and we got a few photos but nothing of any quality, a grey squirrel added to the mammal tally on the walk back. Back at the car with a cup of tea we pondered what else to do as it was assumed by both of us that the CWD photos would take up the whole day and we had nailed it in 2 hours or so. A quick plan was drawn up and we dashed off to Letchworth where in a small park we were greeted with 5 black squirrels. They were very active but we got a few photos and we did also find a single grey squirrel. Last stop was Fowlmere where the sightings board got our attention with a couple off otter sightings in the week. But first we checked out the fallow deer but they were too distant for photos and the weather turned so we headed for the 'comfort' of the main hide, which did little to keep the elements out. A sparrowhawk and a pair of wigeon the birding highlights. John noticed a muntjac and we got some great views of it as it approached. The otters did not appear and a hypothermia set in we retreated to the car after a very productive day.
6th February
Having to work today changed plans so I popped to Ravensthorpe Reservoir before work, not much apart from a pair of smew but it was good to get out.
31st January
Up at the crack of dawn, a bitterly cold morning with snow overnight on Dartmoor as I walked through the forest plantation to Bellever Tor after a couple of minutes I located the great grey shrike perched high up silhouetted against the rising sun, a cracking sight. I got a few pics then it swooped down on something and carried it to a bush which I assumed was its larder. A few more pics and I headed off to Plymouth, stopping for a few rather sorry looking ponies on the way. I had a little time to kill in Plymouth and did a scan of the bay from the Hoe, nothing of note apart from a grey seal but some photogenic house sparrows and a dunnock made up for the lack of anything else. My appointment in Plymouth over I had a very good journey home, not a bad weekend at all.
30th January
I had to be in Plymouth most of Sunday, so with lots of goodies in Devon I decided to make a weekend out of it. I arrived at Topsham recreation ground (Devonish for dog toilet, I assume) at first light and spent 20 mins searching the banks before locating the spotted sandpiper roosting under a slipway. My attention was taken by a commotion behind me gulls squabbling over food, when I looked back the sandpiper had gone, I approached its position but no sign , I assumed if it had flown down stream I would have seen it so I searched upstream to no avail a goosander, two snipe and a grey wagtail were found, I was joined by a local birder who joined the search but without success. I moved on in search of the cattle egret at Powderham. This was not in its usual place but a stunningroe buck was bounding across the field, leaping over a fence and off into the woods. I tried a bit further for the egret but could see a brent goose flock in the distance, so I drove to the church parked and headed towards them along the sea wall . They were quite approachable and I easily found the red breasted goose amongst them along with at least one pale bellied brent. I noticed a couple of colour ringed birds and was joined by another local birder trying to read them but it was difficult in the long grass so I left him to it. I scanned the estuary but nothing out of the ordinary, so I returned to the cattle egret hunt. I passed a field on the other side of the road which contained several egrets, and on closer inspection one was the cattle egret feeding with little egrets and a grey heron. A quick U turn and I headed off to Dawlish warren, I spotted a large herd of fallow deer but after looking at the map they were probably in the grounds of Powderham castle so may be a captive herd. I arrived at Dawlish warren where the ticked inspector was booking cars in the car park for no tickets, yet it was only £1.10 to park all day! I wandered into the reserve locating the black redstart in the kraal by the visitor's centre . Several confiding meadow pipits on the walk to the viewpoint where after a little search I found the long staying female surf scoter feeding alone, there were also slavonian grebe, red breasted merganser and common scoter on the sea. A quick look on the estuary but no sign of the long tailed duck, which was apparently up one of the creeks. Time for some food as it was over 24 hours since I last ate (well it was a pizza hut all you can eat buffet so it lasted well) so after a quick sandwich and a Cornish or Devon pasty, I didn't really care which, it was off to Broadsands . Here I met some visiting birders who had been waiting for some time for the cirl buntings and had missed everything else , a brief but heavy snow shower was unexpected but my luck was in and a short while after 4 cirl buntings flew in a male and 3 females, but were quickly disturbed and flew off by some screaming kids on bikes coming too close. The other birders please with my red breasted goose information headed off in search of it . I however wanted to get a couple of pics and did eventually when a couple dropped in (2 males and a female) and I managed a few pics before they were disturbed by yet more inconsiderate people , this time a dog walker who walked his dogs right up to the area. My luck had obviously had run out as I could not find the Siberian chiffchaff or firecrest in the marsh. A quick look at the sea with two black necked grebes for my effort, a quick cup of tea to warm up as it was now bitterly cold in the fading light. Nothing else to report as I headed to the chip shop for some rather rubbish chips, which I fed to the gulls.
29th January
Finally a fox on my way home from work at the edge of the village.
26th January
A brief stop at Grafham water while I was passing the Mander car park. Three great northern divers were easily found along with two goosanders but nothing else. A biting northerly wind forced my retreat
24th January
A morning walk round the local fields and woods was rather uneventful a hare the pick until I located a mixed tit flock in some small trees. It contained a willow tit wow!, I fumbled for the camera which was in the rucsack and managed a rather poor record shot before the flock had moved through, I tried to follow but lost them. Next was my two bird atlas squares, but they were a little disappointing compared to the early mornings effort, with nothing or real note. I headed off to Stotfold. Here in a stubble field 700 or so corn buntings have congregated, while I was there the flock was mostly split in two with about half dropping into the field to feed, while the rest roosted in the trees. At one stage they were flushed and the whole flock provided a fantastic sight whirling round the trees. My last stop was the centre of Letchworth where in a park I located about 15 black squirrels along with a single grey squirrel for comparison. With the light fading I walked back to the car and encountered a wood mouse who posed for my photographs.
23rd January
A trip out with the Stortford Crew to north west Norfolk, barn owl on the way to Wolferton, but not pheasants here although a nice muntjac was a bonus. Snettisham had a monster hare that looked almost deer like in size. The In the car park we scored a cracking barn owl, this one or possible another was seen again a short time later. ruddy duck on the chalet lake was all we could muster but the birds were performing in the air, skein after skein of pink footed geese going over. We reached the wash where even more were still roosting along with loads of waders. The most spectacular was a flock of at least a couple of thousand bar tailed godwits something I have never seen before. The shore larks performed well on the beach as did another barn owl. There was a purple sandpiper on one of the islands amongst the commoner stuff. Some brent geese had appeared on the wash and we watched a common seal in the channel with another out on the mudflats. Back near the car park the first of two peregrines was spotted along with several white fronted geese. A quick stop at Hunstanton produced the regular fulmars and a quick look on the sea clocked up eider and common scoter. A whiz to Wells and almost a drive by pair of scaup but we did have to get out of the car for them all be it briefly. We checked out the brent geese flock on the golf course and quite quickly picked out two black brants, everything was clicking into place today except the snow goose had just done a bunk from Holkham, but we went anyway after a bit of lunch. At least three barn owls but possibly more were seen, we had a little wait for the snow goose with a muntjac a bittern and a woodcock to keep us going. Someone picked up three taiga bean geese before the snow goose flew in with a massive flock of pink feet. We made a quick dash for Titchwell but not much was happening a few ruff and some pintail the pick. A really good day and the rain held off as well.
21st January
Finally a little bit of dry bright weather so a lunchtime wander around some local sights was in order. Nothing out of the ordinary but just a pleasant walk seeing and photographing a few of the common species also enjoying the nice weather.
18th January
Finally feeling somewhat better this weekend after a few weeks of illness, I felt upto to a lunchtime excursion to Pitsford Reservoir. Which on the north side of the causeway was still largely frozen. I located one of the great white egrets but it was distant as were the smew and goosander but the goldeneye were being more co-operative posing for some photos.
17th January
Time to release the harvest mouse which being the handler, I selflessly did not take my camera, however Farnboro John and Derek were better equiped. So after biting me loads I let him go, and he performed well crawling up and down some dead vegetation for a couple of minutes, a real stunner and some cracking photos were had.
16th January
Some bat hibernacular checks today produced daubentons, natterers, whiskered, brants and single greater horseshoe bat not a bad day in some terrible weather.
13th January
My cat disturbed me during Reading's cracking victory over Liverpool, it had a very small mammal which I assumed would be a pygmy shrew, but upon its rescue it was clear it was a harvest mouse which I do get from time to time in the garden and the fields surrounding it. Not what I was expecting as my next mammal this year not even seen a mouse, fox or any deer.
9th January
No real birding this weekend but a barn owl coming back from the hospital this evening (a different area to one earlier in the week) was some compensation for being laid up all weekend and early into the week and feeling rubbish all last week, but at least now I will be getting better and can get out later in the week.
8th January
A brief visit to Grafham water on the way home good numbers of birds present but probably due to smaller bodies of water being frozen. I located one of the great northern divers in front of the sailing club. It took a while to locate the velvet scoter near the tower but it was distant and elusive as usual. There were at least 5 drake red crested pochards showing much better near the dam. I did not stay long as I was feeling really unwell.
6th January
I had to do a double take on the way to work at our office near Ely (not my usual base), I had to do a double take as a Senegal parrot flew across the road in front of me, not quite what I had planned for the bird of the day. I had planned to visit the rough legged buzzard at Coveney early afternoon, however he did not have the same schedule as I and we never met up despite an extensive search, well OK by someone else before me who had been there all day. I visited a few tracks in search and saw over 20 brown hares and a merlin whizzed past at high speed but no buzzard. By now the icy wind had taken its toll and my recovery from illness was exposed as a sham so I headed for home but not before stopping for a plastic fix, a good selection of dodgy ducks and geese were present on the river with the muscovy ducks over 40 were present within 200 yards of my car so I did not have to travel far. A lesser Canada goose was also present amongst the Canada's. Now it was time to go home my plastic fix satisfied.
5th January
The morning commute started very well with a woodcock at the edge of the village along with a Brown hare. Rabbit was added at work.
4th January
Finally able to leave the house but still not well, I made it to work only adding a few species at lunchtime as it was dark on the way there and home. But just outside my village I stopped to watch the local barn owl patrolling the field edges.
1st January
Being laid up with Swine flu since my last post I have not done anything but bird from the house when I felt able to. So a very quiet start to the year stock dove and yellowhammer the best the Garden could muster. At least one brown rat is still present as is the regular grey squirrel is visiting my feeders regularly.
2009 Summary
Well an interesting year in contrast to 2008 as I stayed in the UK for most of the year the main trip was a fortnight in Florida which was excellent but I still managed to miss some goodies. My UK birding was a bit up and down and I managed only 250 bird species in the UK the glacous winged gull, black eared wheatear and eastern crowned warbler the pick. Also I managed to get a lot of butterflys (41 species) finally getting my last resident species wood white and had an exceptional dragonflies year with 29 species but once again missed scarce blue tailed damselfly, but the willow emeralds were an unexpected bonus so a very productive year. The real highlight was the mammals I had another good year in which I saw 53 species the highlights being scilly shrew and northern bottlenosed whale and of course those skunks and the trouble involved. Some of my mammal photos of 2009 can be seen in the slideshow to the right. And finally herp wise it was 12 species adding edible frog to the list.
