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

North Trip Pictures

After a lot of hazzle I have now been able to upload some of the pictures from the trip north the first 5 where taken at Bembton Cliffs and the last 5 where on the Pennies


Kittiwake

Fulmar

Razorbill

Guillemot

Gannet

Lapwing

Common Sandpiper

Golden Plover

Red Grouse

Black grouse

Tuesday 10th May

Finnished work early to day after I was droped of in Towcester went for a walk couple of birds you would expect to see Cuckoo and Kingfisher plus some common species on the way back from work was talking about whast you might expect to see in the area and the chap who gave mwe a lift said there had been red kite seen in the area well it was a supprise when I had one fly over head while I was walking along the water meadows I then had a look around the church yard and yet another supprise sitting on top of a grave stone a nice male Pied Flycatcher so a nice evening walk

Update

Friday 29th April

Late start today so decided to do a little shopping then on to Climping beach as they have sorted the car park out do not mind parking here now but be warned if you park in the road do not think it is out of the way so no one will know wrong they do book you for it after a coffee we went for a walk along the road behind the dunes towards the golf course lots of Whitethroats and we had 3 Lesser Whitethroats all new birds for the year other birds seen included Blackbird, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Pheasant, Magpie, Buzzard, Black Headed Gull, Gold Crest, Then we had a look around the small wood by the car park birds seen included Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Green Woodpecker plus most common species

Saturday 30th April

Today decided we would start by going to a site in West Sussex to see if we could see Dartford Warbler on route we had Black Tern on the pits at Chichester alongside the A27 also had House Martin then on to the site for the warbler as I was not sure how they had coped with the winter plus the fact it was a bit windy we did not see any but did have a Crossbill fly over the car park, We then decided to head for Pulbourough RSPB reserve on the way across we were passing a National trust reserve when I spotted a raptor so we stopped at the car park and walked through the trees to see if we could rer-locate it after a short time I found it on a thermal and it turned out to be a female Goshawk, we also had a look around the common again for Dartford Warbler but still no luck, Then it was of to Pullbourough where we had lunch then did the walk around the reserve where we had Nightingale, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Willow warbler, Chiffchaff, we had a look of Jupp’s View where we had Little Ringed Plover, Egypton Goose, Buzzard, Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Little Egret, Redshank then on to the hanger more of the same here we then continued on round as we passed through the gates leading to the Winnpenny Hide there were more Nightingales singing and we also had a Spotted Flycatcher other birds seen Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Great/Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, House Sparrow, Green Woodpecker, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Rook, Magpie, Mistle Thrush, We also had Marsh Tit in the car park area so ended a very pleasant days birding

Sunday 1st May

First stop today was Selsey Bill did just over a hours sea watch sopme nice close Gannets Pom Skua, Artic Skua, Common Tern, Sandwich Tern, other wise very quite we then had a walk around part of Pagham Harbour from the church car park around by the several through the fields and back to the car park most of the common birds you would expect to see after lunch which we had in the church yard we then took a look at the Ferry pool birds seen included Avocet, Whimbrel, Little Ringed Plover, Greenshank and I had a Wood Sandpiper fly in again plenty of common species, We then drove round to mill lane on route we had a Cuckoo then stopped at Halsey Farm where we had a short walk and found Turtle Dove

Short Update

Not done much Birding or Nature watching due to heavey work load but this weekend will be getting out and about so will post reports