London

Red Deer Richmond Park London UK

Trip to Hampshire

As I have not done much Orchid watching this year today a trip into Hampshire to see if we could find any Autumn Lady's-tresses still plenty about and some going over so ends my very short season 10 species seen this year

Cattle Egrets

Trip out today to WWT Arundel to see the Cattle Egrets

Northern Lights

Station Walk

Todays walk was from Hackbridge to Mitcham Common
The bird I was after today Little Ringed Plover which I did find but a very pleasant afternoon plenty of Warblers singing but not much chance of pics Cetti's, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Black Cap, Garden Warbler, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, and just as I was coming to the end of the walk a Nightingale singing, plus many of the resident birds you would expect, Butterflies seen Small White, Peacock, Comma, Orange Tip

Orange Tip

Comma

North West Norfolk (part two)

Sunday 28th February 

Me and Bob had planned a second trip to North West Norfolk to see if we could find the birds we did not have time for on the first trip, We had it all planned by going straight up to Wells.
I got to Bobs for half past eight on arriving Bob said the White Stork was showing at Welney so we re arranged our plans and headed towards Welney, As we got near to Ely for our breakfast stop we checked and found the Stork had flown north, So after breakfast we carried on up the A10 and checked again it had been seen in the distance very briefly so we decided to carry on towards to coast we had a quick look at the Wolverton scissors for the Golden Pheasant but no luck.

Thornham
We stopped here to see if we could locate the flock of Twite (as we only had one bird the last time) but no luck we did have Curlew a few Gulls .

Titchwell RSPB
we had a look at the information board to see what was about then set of for the beach passing the feeders we had Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Blue / Great / Coal / Long Tailed Tits, Then took the path to the beach, after short distance we saw some people photographing a Water Rail so I took some pics myself

Water Rail

 Then then continued on some one said there is a Water Pipit showing just ahead so we stopped to have a look (not doing bad for them this year) other Birds seen included Mallard, Teal, Gadwall, Wigeon, Pintail, Avocet, Black Tailed Godwit, Redshank, Grey Plover and a selection of Gulls

Pintail

We kept scanning as there had been a Spotted Redshank and Greenshank seen but we had no luck with them, So we arrived at the beach where the tide was out no sign of the Red Necked Grebe but plenty of birds including Common Scoter, Goldeneye, Red Breasted Merganser, Knot, Sanderling, Bar Tailed Godwit, Dunlin, and Gulls, then walked back to the car park was going to have a coffee but it was busy and time was getting on, 

Redshank

Brancaster Staithe

We headed here because the Red Necked Grebe had been seen here but no luck we kept checking for the Stork but no news birds here more of what we already had,

Burnhan Overy Staithe

We pulled up at the side of the road and started scanning I said what is that large white bird Bob got the scope on it juv Spoonbill, Here we had a selection of geese Greylag, Canada, Egyptian, Brent, We also had a Common Buzzard sitting on the top of a small tree then it settled on the ground.

Holkham Fresh Marsh

Here we parked by the B1155 they are making it difficult to park here now but this was a quick stop where we found White Fronted Goose.

Wells Next the Sea

We pulled up on the car park our target bird here was the see if the Shag was still about as we had not heard anything on it for a couple of days a quick scan  and we moved along to the end of the car park where we found it

Shag

Blackney Fresh Marsh

we parked and walked out along the sea wall our Target Bird here was Lapland Bunting spoke to a chap coming back who said they where showing despite the birders trying to get pics of them we arrived at the spot with a few other birders and after a short time we had them flying over our heads and one came down along the path but before we had a chance to get a better look a dog put it up we then had 6 again fly over and got good in flight views but as is was getting late sadly they looked like there where going to roost so no pics.

On the way back to the car we checked and found that the Stock was back at Welney so after another look at Brancaster Staithe for the Grebe still no luck, So of we set done some checking on phone for the time it would take to get back to Welney then on the A10 we got stuck behind a slow moving bus so held us up a bit, When we did get to the Information Centre at Welney it was dark but thanks to the light pollution coming from the centre we found the Stork roosting on the flood behind the centre on a island in the middle so we where quite chuffed we got it (would have been nice to see it in a bit more light but still a nice bird and we know it is from Poland as there is a Polish ring on it).

So we then set of for home stopping for something to eat back to Bob's for 1/4 past 10 then I had another hour Trains and buses a nightmare so ended a very long but pleasant days birding 

Sadly the Stork turned out to be a Escape 

Year list now stands at 160

  

Beddington Farmlands

Started out today heading for Croydon on route I checked to see if there was any thing about noticed there was a Iceland gull seen at Beddington Farmlands so got of the tram at Mitcham Junction and walked across Mitcham Common to the Farmlands on my walk to the fenced of area I had Redwing, Fieldfare, Tree Sparrow, Blackbird a selection of Tits, As I was not planning on coming here I did not have my scope so it took some time to locate the Iceland Gull plus I had a Adult Mediterranean Gull It was a bit frustrating as a Peregrine was putting the gulls up but did get a good in flight view of both the Gulls so in the end turned out to be a very pleasant afternoons birding, Year list now stands at 155

Richmond Park National Nature Reserve

After a nice relaxing day at 15-00 hours I decided to get some fresh air where to go finally decided a trip into Richmond Park National Nature Reserve (still seems funny calling it that) so set of on my bike entered the park by Ladderstile gate and headed for Penn Ponds,After a coffee I set of past white lodge towards Richmond gate and along past Pembroke Lodge then at the junction at Ham gate I headed back into the centre of the park stopping at the back of the Isabellla plantation, Then retuning to the Penn Ponds I then walked around the upper pond and as I got back to the car park I heard a Tawny owl call so set of to find it as I got near the wood it was in I saw it fly of to my right so continued on round back to the car park from here I went back past White Lodge and headed for Roehampton Gate then took the cycle/footpath towards Robin Hood Gate along here I had a second Tawny Owl fly across in front of me, I then continued on to Kingston gate and so of to home so ending a very interesting couple of hours in the park will be doing a lot more of this seeing areas that I do not normally do,Getting used to the bike now so the New Forest will be good when I get down there

Barns And Thursley Commons

Today me and my mate Bob decided to try for the Firecrest on Barns common I met him there and we spent 3 hours we had good views of 3 birds 1 north of the station and 2 south of the station.

We then decide to have a look at Thursley Common we walked out to Shrike hill where we had Woodlark (20+ birds) we then walked back to the car talking to another birder as we got near the car the birder found the Great Grey Shrike on the top of a tree in the distance, From here we drove back towards the A3 and parked in a layby and walked on to the common from here we spent some time here looking for Dartford Warbler we had brief views of 2 birds, What was surprising we did not see any Stonechats. So back to the car and homeward bound, A very pleasant days birding

Forest of Dean and a Dip

Tuesday 16 Feb

Set of at 7 this morning for a Trip to the Forest of Dean our first stop the other side of Oxford was for breakfast what a saga that turned out to be we where the only ones in the place but still took over half hour to get breakfast as it was do cold the first time we have been along the M40 and no Kites, So after breakfast yes we did get it in the end we then set of for our next stop at Gloucester to see if we could see the Penduline Tits on route we had a Buzzard sitting in a field , After more hold ups at Cheltenham we arrived about a hour later than planned  at 10 - 30 (as we found out later the birds had flown back behind the hotel over the road) we met a few people who said they had not seen them so we decided to continuer on in to the forest and if we had time come back later here we had our first bird of prey in the air a Sparrowhawk,

The Forest
On arriving at 11-30 we set of for the raptor watch point we set of for the top of the hill as we got there some one said there is a Goshawk sitting (our target bird) we got on it just as it flew, over the next half hour it put on a good show this bird was of to the right while scanning we had Siskin and Crossbill fly over of to the left we had a Buzzard and 2 Ravens, so we kept scanning and then straight out in front we had a pair of Goshawk displaying, Also while here we heard Wild Boar down in the valley in front of us but no sign, so on to our next stop Cannock ponds we park by the works at the end of the ponds here we had Grey Wagtail and on the feeders Blue Tit, Dunnock, Long Tailed Tit and a very brief view of a Marsh Tit plus a small section of ducks on the ponds, Our next stop was at Parkend near the pub to see if we could find Dipper but here the stream was quite high plus to many people with dogs so no Dipper but we did here a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker but could not locate it,So then a stop for some thing to eat and drink, Then onto our next stop we decided to have a look at Cannock stream further up Bob took the path by the stream and I took the upper path as we where hopping for Bullfinch sadly no Bullfinch, Then Bob called out Dipper so I made my way down to the Stream and finally got on it I did try to follow it for a picture but it was to flighty so no luck,But while on the top path I did hear another Lesser Spotted Woodpecker again no sign, Then we decided to have a look at the feeding station the other side of the ponds near the car park we where hopping the marsh Tit would show as we had been told it was showing well earlier, We spent some time here we had 5 species of tit Great, Blue, Coal, Long Tailed and only got a brief view of the Marsh, There where plenty of other birds to see Chaffinch, Greenfinch,Reed Bunting, Robin, Nuthatch, Blackbird, and on the pond Bob found 2 Yellow Legged Gulls,

As time was getting on we decide to have another look for the Penduline Tits at Gloucester so of we set doing well until I told Bob to take the wrong exit at the roundabout on arriving we where told they are there but as we got to the couple who where still there they said they had just flown further down along the reeds and as the light was fading it appeared they had gone to roost so taking the wrong exit at the roundabout cost us the birds so that was the Dip of the day (that is 2 lots of Penduline Tits we have tried for and not seen this year) so then homeward bound we stopped at Oxford on the M40 for something to eat then set of until we reached the M25 all going well then we sat in a traffic jam for 40 minutes going nowhere so finally getting back to Bobs at just gone 9 then I had a easy trip home so ending a good but frustrating day in the Forest of Dean
My year list is now 152 plus 1 Heard