Thorpe Park Pits

Spent some time today at the pits near Thorpe park the object of the trip was to see if I could find any Smew. I had 1 male on the pits opposite Thorpe Park and 2 females on the pit next to the parkwhere there was also a female Scaup. I was just about to leave when a Bittern flew across and landed on the back of the pit

Birds From Public Transport Part 2

1 that I forgot from the main list Long Tailed Duck.....................B



And from the train coming home from Chichester today
Ring Tailed Hen Harrier near Pullbough and bullfinch
This now brings the list to 120

Birds Seen From Public Transport

As I have said that I do not drive I would be putting together a list of birds I have seen from Public Transport
The list of 117 species seen from 1980 to 2008 (UK Only)
Please click on the image below to see the full list

Mistake

If you had seen the post on London Wetland Centre the Common Tern was a typing eror have now removed it

London Wetland Centre

Spent the morning at the Wetland Centre in London

This is a site I have been watching since the early eighties when it was called Barn Elms Reservoir when it was 4 concrete basins, I do like what the WWT have done here

The reason for today's visit was that a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker has been seen in the last week, we did manage to find one with a bit of effort

The only down side was we had to tell some chilldren that you do not throw plastic pots in the lake do wish parents would teach there children what is right after all this a nature reserve not a rubbish dump

A list of 44 Species seen follows


Mute Swan
Wigeon
Gadwall
Teal
Mallard
Shoveler
Pochard
Tufted Duck
Little Grebe
Cormorant
Grey Heron
Moorhen
Coot
Lapwing
Snipe
Great Black-headed Gull
Common Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Herring Gull
Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon
Woodpigeon
Ring-necked Parakeet
Kingfisher
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Water Pipit
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Fieldfare
Redwing
Mistle Thrush
Chiffchaff
Goldcrest
Long-tailed Tit
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Jackdaw
Carrion Crow
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Brambling
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Siskin

Selsey Sea Watch

Sunday 30th November Took the bus from Chichester to Selsey I walked to the bill via the main car park lots of gulls on the sea including Herring, Black Headed, Common, and then one gull caught my eye which turned out to be a Mediterranean Gull which was quite close down to 15 feet away. Also on the shore there where Turnstone other birds seen walking to the bill Greenfinch, Blackbird, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock
Set my self up on the bench at bill house for a 2 hour sea watch after settling in. Some birds started to move I saw Cormorant, 20+ Gannets 3 Red Throated Divers, Great Blacked Backed Gull, more Turnstone, Brent Geese, But eventually the cold and the rain got to me on the walk back a Great Skua flew past so it was off for coffee and wait for the bus back

A Short Video Clip of The Iberian Wolf
as I have said not the best video but will give you a idea of how far away it was I am still working on my video so there will be more to follow

Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Went to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition on Sunday worth seeing

Pictures of Brent Geese at Pagham

Sunday At Pagham

On Sunday 2nd I took the bus from Chichester to the Information Centre at Pagham Harbour LNR. I checked to see what had been seen in the last few days, not a lot on the board I then started my walk of (5 miles) this is a walk that I do on a regular basis. I start by having a look around the centre where I had Goldfinch, GoldCrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit then it is on to the hide over looking the ferry pool birds on and around the pool Shelduck, Teal, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Redshank, Black Headed Gull, Common Gull. And more Goldcrests in the bushes. Then I go along the side of the long pool where I had Mallard, Moorhen, Coot, and Water Rail. the path then turns into the west side Birds seen on the fields to my right where Pheasant, Lapwing, Magpie,Linnet, and a Cetti’s Warbler calling birds on the harbour included Little Egret, Wigeon, Cormorant, Grey Plover, Curlew, Brent Geese, Great Black Backed Gull along the path I had Stonechat, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chiffchaff the path then continues to Church Norton church yard only birds of note here where Red Legged Partridge, Greenfinch, after the Church yard I take the path back down to the harbour where I had a large flock of Brent Geese, Ringed Plover, Sanderling,. more Wigeon Oystercatcher, more Cormorant, a large flock of Dunlin, Herring Gull, Grey Plover, Little Egrets, I then turn right and continue to have a look at the paddocks on your right and the sea on your left just before the paddocks in the bushes I found a Firecrest, there was not a lot to see in the paddocks so I then continue along the shore path watching the sea where there where Great Crested Grebe, Oystercatcher , Sanderling, Herring Gull, linnet, I then take the path between the severals that takes you to greenlease farm where I had Blackbird, another Chiffchaff I then take this path back to the road that takes you to Church Norton where I had Jay, Blackbird, Dunnock, Blue Tit,, and Great Tit and then back to the church yard where there was a Kestrel, Chaffinch, in the car park I then take the path back along the west side past the long pool back to the information centre and the bus back to Chichester quite a nice pleasant walk for a Sunday. The weather was dry and sunny for part of the walk with a light breeze