15th January

Dungeness Area

Today we visited the Dungeness are in south east Kent as we were driving down the temperature dropped as we drove over the weald a stop for breakfast at a little Chef this is one of the ones to be closed so will need to find somewhere else in future after breakfast we headed for Walland marsh, Near Lydd we had a small flock of Lapwing and Golden Plovers plus Common Gulls in a field we then continued  to a spot we know for Tree Sparrow where we found some on the feeders and in the trees nearby on crossing the marsh we had a flock of 49 Bewick’s Swans  as the farmer has done a lot of clearing around the barn area  no sign of Corn Bunting or Yellowhammer, Our next stop was the RSPB reserve centre here we checked the list to see what was about we then took a walk around part of the reserve stopping at a couple of the hides hopping to see Pintail but we had no luck all day with this bird (there was a group of wildfowlers being show around  the guy leading them was a bit over the top he was making more noise telling them about the ducks and other birds than the group themselves) birds seen on the way to Christmas Dell hide included Little Egret, Shovler, Gadwall, Wigeon, Cormorant, just as we were approaching  the hide Bob found a Raven from the hide we had 2 Red Head Smew then the group arrived so we moved on stopping at Denge marsh hide where had a Marsh Harrierso it was now back to the car, Meadow Pipit was added to the list we then stopped near the wardens house where we had more Tree Sparrows then it was off to the car park at the ARC pit we walked to the shelter hide here we had 2 more red head Smew  bob also had a Drake Smew then it was off to the main hide after talking to some birders there we found the bird we had come for the Long Tailed Duck but no sign of the Great White Egret that had been seen earlier in the day we had a quick look at the pit from the road but added no more birds to the list, We now decided to have a look at the sea taking in the flocks of Gulls on route, our sea watch produced 40+ Gannets, Guilimot, Razorbill, Brent Geese, lots of Kittiwake and 14+ Red Throated Diver’s ,we stopped to have a look at the Gull’s again but no sign of the Glaucous Gull, We now decided to return to Walland marsh and have a look at the spot for raptors  hoping for a Barn Owl with no luck but we did watch the Marsh Harrier’s coming into roost we had 10 in the air at once, It was a cold day not as cold as some we have had in past years< And so another good days birding comes to a end, Have arranged o go to the Isle of Sheppey next Sunday

Spanish Sparrow / New Forest and Blashford lake

Spanish Sparrow

I had arranged to go to Hampshire with me mate Bob and Corrina  for the Spanish Sparrow we set off a little after 7 o’clock and where at the spot for the sparrow just after 9 o’clock we joined the rest of the birders and after a short time the Sparrow appeared in the hedge then flew across the road  where we all had good views of it (I did attempt to take some pictures but the bird was too far away and they are not that good ) on leaving here we had a Brambling fly in front of the car, Our plan for the rest of the day was next to see if we could see the Red Eyed Junco that had been present since Christmas near Beauliue  after a minor mix up over witch road to take we arrived at the car park and set off for the short walk to the spot here we had a good number of Crossbills which was nice to see after a while the Junco appeared in the tree with the Crosbills and a flock of Reed Buntings, Our next port of call on the agenda was Blashford Lakes on route we stopped for breakfast come lunch then on to the lakes where we had a Ferruginous Duck on the feeders from the woodland hide we had  Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, Great Spotted Woodpecker after speaking to a local we headed to Ibsley where in the fields we had a Whooper Swan 3 Bewick’s Swans and then someone told us there are some Egyptian Geese in the field further back we had a pair of Common Buzzard and some Canada Geese,  After this we headed back to Blashford Lakes and returned to the north hide where we had 2 Water Rails and a brief sighting of a Bittern  we also had some close views of Sisins and lesser Redpoll, The next stop on the list was Blackwater  arboretum for Hawfinch  we arrived at about 2 30 and it was very quite after a short stroll around  bird life picked up Coal Tit, Wren. Robin then Bob found 5 Bullfinches in a tree by now more birders had turned up and aftera short time Corrina found a Hawfinch at the top of a tree which we all had good views off as we were leaving me and Bob had another Hawfinch, As Corrina had a meeting we now had to start heading for home just before leaving the car park Bob heard a Song Thrush singing this was located then back to the car and home so ending a good days birding

The Chilterns and Stockers Lake

8^th Jan 2012

Chilterns / Stockers Lake

We decided to have a look for Red Kites today so off we set for the Chilterns driving along the M40 we started seeing our first Kites by the time we left the motorway we had seen 12+ birds we then drove  through Christmas Common looking for more Kites finding one and two on the way we then took a road out of the village and found a spot where there were 10 birds flying around and I managed to get some pictures (see end of report) also had a Common Buzzard  as we were driving back towards Stowenchurch  we came across something dead on the road and above us where 8 more Kites  we now decided to head for Stockers Lake Red Kites seen 60+ birds + a selection of common birds

Stockers Lake

On arriving at the car park we decide to have lunch (homemade soup and rolls) birds seen during lunch on Springwell Lake  included Gadwall, Great Crested Grebe, Black Headed Gull, Robin, Blackbird, Chaffinch Coot, Moorhen, Fieldfare, Long Tailed Tit, Then after lunch we had a walk around part of Stokers Lake where we had more Gadwall, Shovler, Goosander,  Heron, Canada Goose,  back at the car we had a coffee and I had a short wander around and found Siskin, Redpoll,  as the temperature started to drop we headed for home

1st to the 4th Jan 2012

1^st  Jan 2012

Decided on a trip to west Sussex today  started at the burgh at Burpham was hoping to see the Rough Legged Buzzard  saw a few birds on route, On arriving at the car parking spot the first raptor that we saw was a Red Kite we then spoke to a couple who told us the R l Buzzard  had flown behind the farm and landed out of sight, So we walked along the road past the farm to see if we could see it after a short time I had a Peregrine chasing a flock of Starlings we also had a Kestrel we then continued on past the farm where I found a Buzzard sitting in a bush but even through the scope you could not make out what it was as it was misty and it just started raining there had been a Common Buzzard seen before we arrived we then found some where to get out of the rain but after a while we realised that it was getting heavier so it was a Buzzard Sp we then headed back to the car where we had lunch after lunch the rain had not eased off so we then headed to Arundel WWT where we spent the rest of the afternoon   Birds seen on the downs and at Arundel included Yellow Hammer, Marsh Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Blackbird, Linnet, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard, Gadwall, Snipe, Black Headed Gull, Birds seen on route included Rook, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Starling, Magpie,

2^nd Jan

Today spent some time on Staines Reservoir where we had Great Northern Diver, juv Shag, Cormorant, Scaup, 2 Water Pipit, Black Necked Grebe, Goldeneye, Wigeon,  then we had a look at the pits at Wraysbury we parked by  the station and looked at the pits here we I found 2 red head Smew on our way back to the car we had Mistle Thrush and then found a small flock of Redwings with 1 Fieldfare other birds seen included Tufted Duck, Shovler, Teal, Pochard, Wren, Robin, Long Tailed Tit, Ring Necked Parakeet

Total number of species seen over the 2 days was 61 so not a bad start to the year

4^th Jan

Have added Goldcrest, Song Thrush and heard a Tawny Owl at Witley station

Local Birding

Over the past couple of days I have visited a couple of sites that I have not been to for the past 2 years the first was a walk along the river Hogsmill this is now called the Hogsmill Local nature Reserve a lot has changed and it was a nice pleasant walk lots of local bird life I started from the A3 and walked through to ruxley lane in Chessington then back across to the Chessington industrial estate the area between the A3 and Malden Manour is now call the Hogsmill open space the area the other side of the Ewell road is the Bonsgate open space  the river in places is a bit over grown so a visit in the spring and summer looks good for summer visitors

The second site was the Woodland Gardens in Bushy park

A lot of changes here the car park is now inside the gardens and there are toilets and a cafe the first part of the gardens  had some common birds then I went into the second part this was a lot better for wildlife the area where the trees have fallen are very good

Will be looking at some more of the sites I used to visit years ago

Update

Doing some local birding this week will post a report later

Donna Nook Grey Seals

Saturday 26th November
Today we wenrt to Donna Nook in Linconshire to see the Grey Seal Colony here are some pictures

Red Kites

Some pictures of the Red Kites on the Chilltons Saturday 12th November

Saturday 29th October

Spent some time at Pullbough Brooks RSPB today we where trying to see if we could see the Short Eared Owl that is about but with no luck there are some wintr ducks in Wigeon, Pintail we also had a Blacktailed Godwit, Ruff plus a selection of ythe birds you would expect to see we spent some time on the Hanger where we had a close Peregrine Falcon sittinbg in a tree plus the adult and juv Marsh Harrier

owI havehe blog sorted will be putting some pictures up from ove the last couple of years

North Norfolk Coast

Saturday 16th October

Today me and my mate took a trip to the North Norfolk Coast our aim was to see if we could see the Rufus Tailed Robin that had been found late Friday as we where checking the pager on route it became quite clear that the bird had gone over night as it was a clear evening by 10 o’clock we decided to head straight for Stifkey to see if we could see the Bluethroat that had been found after parking and walking out we heard a Yellow Browed Warbler in the trees by the road and decided we would have a look for it on our way back we then went out to the salt marsh we there where about 30 birders already looking for the Bluethroat it had started on the footpath but then flew out on to the salt marsh where it was seen briefly we spent the best part of a hour there with no sign so we gave up and headed back to the car on route we had a few brief glimpses of the Yellow Browed Warbler. Our next stop was Wells Wood to see if we could see some more Yellow Browed Warblers as there had been 4 reported there we heard 2 birds but no sightings after a stop for lunch we then headed to Holme where there was a Red Flanked Bluetail that had been ringed and released early this morning after paying the parking fee we headed for the pine trees where we joined the birders looking for it aafter a short time we had some views of the bird as it was flying between the pines then the bird flew over our heads and came down in the fenced of area here we had some godd views of it. We then decided to head for Salthouse as there had been a Richards Pipit seen earlier in the day but no sign of it when we arrived we then joined some birders watching some thing out to sea asking what they had they said they had a large bird coming in of the sea but there was some debate on what it was we found the bird they where on and you could tell it was a Owl as there had been Short Eared Owls coming over the past couple of days that is what they thought it was but the debate went on as it did not look right for one after a lot of debating over the bird we all came to the conclusion that it was a Long Eared Owl, It turned out that a couple we where talking to had seen the Rufus Tailed Robin yesterday not that many people saw the bird only about 30. We then had a look at Arnolds marsh where we had a Peregrine and 2 Marsh Harriers so ending a good days birding