Hope3less blogging!

Well its been a long time since my last blog!
I have some photo's to post and some adventures to report but but most important is no pic but a new bird for the UK - an adult Roller! Yes indeed!

I may have some other year ticks to report soon and some maybe UK ticks or even lifers and one might be a tick for the future! (I think they are called armchair ticks when they are potential splits !)

More of that later!

Chiswick House 4

Chiswick house 3

Chiswick House 2

Chiswick House

A pictorial visit to Chiswick House in Chiswick Gardens.

On Thursday I joined the Mayor and Mayoress plus the Deputy Mayor on a tour of Chiswick House. There were lots of other mayors from around London Boroughs there as well.(as well as a couple of local cllrs - two of whom had been Mayors!).

After the welcome speeches about Colin's two charities we were given a guided tour of Chiswick House by a guide from English Heritage.

I am not going to repeat any of that as it was brimful of exciting information and historical context. If you want to visit CH then there is a superb website - google Chiswick House and gardens.

I am very familiar with the gardens as I have wakledseveral dogs there - who are very welcome!

The House nope not before!
There will be a series of pics taken inside the House.If you wish to learn more go to the website.

(the tour then had tea and cake (I had another meeting to get too so missed that!) and they then went to hogarth's House - I have been a long time ago - but I think I would have preferred that as I have a bit more in commopn with Hogarth's politics than the builder of CH.
I will upload the pics later as they seem to be reluctant to appear at the mo!

Nightingale s at Pulborough Brooks

Once again - especially for Tommy!
These are all Pat's photo's taken on a good Canon camera and 100-400 telephoto lens!
Sedge Warbler is the other bird shown!
April 29th was a great day to hear and see Nightingales at PB!

Catch up after problems with Blogger and my pc!

Long time no post!

Today - Forest of Dean - Nagshead RSPB and to Symonds Yat.

New birds for the year
Pied Flycatchers! At least 5 males and 2 females seen and we think at least twomore heard!
A pair of Wood Warblers!
The male was very loud and demented! Fliting from branch to branch and it was only when we also spotted the female we understood his behaviour!

We missed any Spotted Flycatchers but meet a guy leading a group who told us about a pair at SY.....we let him know about some laces we had seen Pied Flies and Wood Warblers- fair does!

off to S Yat - first time for me.....and lo we heard a Spotted Flycatcher as we crossed the bridge!
Yes we were told by the helpful RSPB workers where the SF perched - and yes he was about!
Peregrine male out hunting!

After 15 mins up popped the boy! Bob had gone off to see if he could see it from beyond the bridge so there was a suspense - would Bob have seen the target bird?
Yes he had and was coming to check I had seen same!
great - so for me 3 new year ticks and 2 for Bob!

no Furry pigs seen tho....

I will update later (maybe tomorrow) on birds seen since the last post - Nightingale photos from Pat and Sedge Warbler!

I think I am on 245 now for the year - need to update Bubolisting for defo numbers!

Catch up

Well the blog has been a bit uncooperative recently and I could post a blog!
So how to catch up?

Tuesday was a quick trip out to North Cambs for Blue-winged Teal - most co-operative!
Right there in front of the hide - and turned his head to us and then had a bit of a preen before sleeping again!

We had gone to Welney first in search of the Blue throat- we appeared and someone claimed to have seen it-no sounds at all. Gave up eventually as breakfast called!
Went over to Welches Dam and whilst looking at the BWT - pager says Bluethroat showing well!
Back we race and guess what? It probably had been out for a minute or two! pooh!

Apparently a Crane had been seen - well we looked and couldn't find it- Bob went and the blokes who had told us about it came in set up scopes (we only had our bins with us- left the scopes in the car!) and said - its gone. With that so did we....off to Weeting Heath to see if a Stone Curlew could be found. We walked in paid our money bought and ate an ice cream and reached the hide...in we went - and a Stone Curlew walked from the nest and lookedup and preened whilst we watched!
so 2/3 aint bad!

Thursday had me going to Pulborough to track down LRP and migrants. Very good too- Nightengales in full song felt like everywhere....plus Cuckoo and Lesser Whitethroats! all new for ther year list! but also warblers, Whitethroats!
I got back in time to visit Staines Res and saw some Black Terns! NIce.
Even nicer was a full summer plumaged Slav Grebe!

Saturday was Staines Moor with Stanwell Moor! First Hobby of the year!

Now where to go on Monday - probably local and do a round up of Bedfont CP, Stanwell and Staines Moors and Staines Res! Keep an eye on the pager for anything unusual at Barnes....

Next Friday Pat and I are going to visit Sussex in order to escape a certain occasion and it will probably be Pulborough first - somewhere on the coast and then WWT at Arundel for Pat to go on the boat and do some photography!
Finish with a nice meal at the Black Rabbit and return in time for the road to be open again after a party top of my road - so my car will stay parked from Thursday afternoon if I can get a place somewhere in my road!

Now I have heard Swifts above my house for the last week or so and again above the car on Tuesday and again the other night but see them....not a chance!

Warblers at the Wetlands

This morning I thought a quick trip to the Wetlands might be a good idea.
I am going birding in Kent tomorrow to finish at my neices on the Isle of Sheppey early evening.
Well migrants are everywhere!

Whitethroat, Sedge and Garden Warblers all gave themselves up to view! All tracked down by their songs and or calls!

It was great to see the Reed Warblers outenjoying the sunshine and singing along with Blackcaps and Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs!

Lots of Butterflies about as well but no new ones!
The Frogs were in seriously loud voices too!

More sun, migrants and Butterflies!

This afternoon I went to Barnes for a short visit and was very surprised to see a lovely adult male Ring Ouzel in the St Pauls School Playing Fields nearest to the Hammersmith Bridge (A305).

I was happy to hear and see up to 5 Willow Warblers at the Wetlands centre.

The song is spring/summer for me!

No Little Ringed Plovers but if I were a LRP I wouldn't stay around a place that is inaundated with Crows!
Far more than I ever remember at Barnes at this time of the year.
There are more Sand Martins around and Lapwings have nests.
I also saw a Brimstone Butterfly and yet more Orange Tips!

On my return journey I didn't see the Rouzel but it might have been further over by then.

Butterflies

Meant to say today was a good butterfly day as well!
Comma, Green veined White, Orange Tip - male what a stunner!Small white and Holly Blue!
added to my Pecocks of the other week - 6 so far!

Another flashed past me - no chance of an id - it could have been a female - I can only do males unless the female looks the same!

First Swallow(s)

Today I was able to get out in the sunshine !
This afternoon I needed to go to Bedfont Lakes CP to renew my "Friends of" sub.
This accomplished I had a really good chat with two of the staff about the birds and mammals in the park. (there is a special Nature Reserve that we friends of have access to - its open to the public on a Sunday afternoon for a ouple of hours- so its worth being a friend for the access you can have with few or no one around!
On hearing that there had been 2 swallows overhead today - this reminbded me I was on my way to Stanwell Moor to a farm where Swallows and House Martins breed.
When I arrived and walked to the sound of birdsong from hedgerows and trees and shrubs - lo there were 1,2,3 and 4 Swallows in the sky feeding! A little later I spotted one House Martin - there may have been more but I only saw one!Yet more Swallows were in the skies and displaying.

I went for a walk by the river and there were birds a plenty - Greenfinch,Chaffinch and lots of tits - Blue,Great and LTails, HSparrows,Blackbirds, Robins and Wrens.
oh and many the corvids flying over - a Buzzard and Wood Pigeons and Collared Doves(lots of these!)
Mute Swans, Canada Geese, Mallards and Coots on the lake and then I spotted a Stonechat! The first I have seen this year. My 200th bird species!

All this and BA planes taking off from nearby Terminal 5.

I then walked to Staines Moor spying a Little Egret taking off one of the pools and adding Chiffchaffs to the day list! A loud Green Woodpecker announced his presence even if I didn't actually see him!
But on my way back across the bridge a bird flew out of the trees across to another tree and a gorgeous male Redstart perched up! That was a special find!

It was then time to face the traffic home as there is quite an important football match to watch tonight!

A visiting South African goes british birding!

Sal came over to England to visit her sisters and do some genealogy! She also wanted to do some British Birding so Allan and I arranged to meet her at Barnes. Sal was staying in London for this part of her trip.Allan and his wife Catherine were joined by Sal's nephew and neice.
Thursday 31st March.
Despite the windy and rainy conditions - it got better later!
Sal was able to id some of the Birds and we added several more to her list! The funny bit was in the collection where we had to be careful of which birds she could tick and which were "plastic!".
We heard several others - Goldcrest, Goldfinch and Cetti's but no sign! As for the Reed Buntings that are all over the place they were invisible!

Ducks- Mallard, Gadwall,Shovler,Wideon,Tufted,Teal
Waders- Redshank, Lapwing
Oh yes and for the first time ever I watched a Snipe swimming!
Little and Great Crested grebes.
Cormorants and Grey Herons
Mute Swans, Coots and Moorhens.
Herring, Lesser and Greater B Gulls - (where were the BH Gulls?)
Crow, Jackdaw, Magpie and a Jay
Robin, Great ,Blue and LT Tits.
Chaffinch,Starlings and those green things that make a noise!
Canada and Greylag Geese and Mute Swans
A year tick for me - Sand Martins...
no birds of prey seen - altho someone reported a Red Kite! Sal had seen lots of those!
I may have forgotten some.....

Interesting all three of us - Sal, Catherine and I are retired teachers! (all ealy of course!)
The other area of interest is SA and Kruger-
so it was interesting to hear how Allan and Catherine fell in love with Africa( honeymoon in Kenya) and then the buying of a house within driving distance of the Kruger!

A really good day!

The Hunt for a UK lifer!

On Thursday evening Bob and I discussed a trip to Suffolk.
It as in 1991 that Bob saw his Short-toed Treecreeper - and many more in Espana. Me well I have seen a few in Espana and none in the Uk so it was a no brainer where we would be starting on Friday.
I had been tempted on Thursday when news came through but I was committed to going to Rainham (hopefully for Garganey's) and I had to be back in time to go to a meeting for 7.30pm.
We went vis North cicular to M25 and M11 and then A14 - what a good way to get to Felixstow nice and straight forward! We arrived just before 10am - parked near to the Compound and was watching the ST Treecreeper within 5mins! Brilliant!2 people stayed where they were and got us on to the bird whilst some had run round to all the others on the other side- they couldn't have seen the bird then.
We watched it moving about up the trees and then it perched right up and suddenly flew off around the Fort!
Nice! 398 BOU Life List!
So at this after a wander around the Fort it was off to the Suffolk coast.
Sizewell - where we watch Black Redstarts - were amazed at the numbers of Kittiwakes on the towers out at sea- and had a nice cuppa with a Ham and cheese toasty!
Off to Minsmere to see what was about - nothing in particular but we went to a hide to see Avocets for Bob's year list and then to the sea where Bob picked up a Black throated Diver off the beach! Yaarr! we also had some Red-throated divers begining to turn into their lovely summer plumage!
Finally it was Dunwich - a long walk to the water wotsits.....where we watched a beautiful Hen Harrier hunting- lots of skylarks a few Mipits and then Redshanks, Lapwings anf yes Ring Plovers! all displaying and creating a merriment of sounds plus gulls ducks and geese! and then a couple of Snow Bunting tumbling - a male Marsh Harrier was above some trees and then Bob went onwards to try to locate a couple of Penduline Tits (dipped) and I sat down to watch the birds - shingle does have its uses!
A flock of Twite flew past landed and then flew on!

Eventually we met up again and drove over to Dunwich Heath looking unsucessfully for Stonechats!

A good day though as the weather was sunny and warm mainly but best of all lacking wind and not wet!


Rainham - oh yes a pair of Garganey's!
Hen Harrier distant over the Thames and not really much else!
Too many people (with push chairs and walking about) !

On Tuesday in osterley park my first Peacock butterfly of the year and then on Wednesday one in my Garden, another at Rainham. No other Butterfly seen by me yet!
Bob has had a couple of others - help another listing competion! (This is one I have no hope of winning!)

Up date

Trip to Dungeness on Friday ensured that I managed to catch a Penduline Tit and Black Redstart but missed most of the migrants that I saw appear on my pager or when I got home!I really wanted a Black throated Diver or a Pom Skua but no new sea birds for me!
I had a little run down to Devon on Saturday afternoon to overnight to collect a sighting of some nice Cirl Buntings and the female Surf Scoter off Dawlish.
My visit to Portland was unusually rewarded with Hoopoe and Wheatear plus more Black Redstarts!
I was tempted to go for the Little Gull at Chichester but directions were not good - if I had realised where it actually was I would have found it!
Still some good birding in better weather!

Another catch up!

Well a saunter(not!) out to Essex today and a Green-winged Teal!

Now I have a chance of catching up with the birds that Bob managed to see when he had some time to go birding when I was working!

Not that he had connected with the Slaty-backed - but then if he had gone on Wednesday 16th - when he was on the Isle of Sheppey -I reckon we would have met up at the car park at Rainham! Instead he had 6 hours on the following Monday not seeing it.

Now Coue's Arctic Redpoll - would be nice for the year list. First Coue's seen by me was in 2005 at Titchwell where I had Lesser, Mealy and Arctic all in my scope at the same time!That was an experience.
Although my first Hornemanni Arctic was stunning - especially as it was on Unst(2009) and the 1st winter would probably never seen a human before!

So I am trying to see if I can get to Richmond Park tomorrow afternoon to seek out a bird that was seen on Friday - although I see it is still on the pager as probable. Better get over to Johnny Allan's blog and see what he has to say about the bird!

Following Bob about.

LOL!
Well I couldn't go birding on Saturday and Bob couldn't go on Sunday. Independently we managed to decide to go for the rather nice looking Ferruginous Male Duck in Suffolk.
Bob picked up on a Green winged Teal on the way back.
Me well I scored a Green Sandpiper!
I hear there are some doubts about the "pure" GWT. I await further information- I havent spoken to Bob re this and as he is off to Espana for a while we may not get to discuss this bird in detail until he gets back!
(no doubt an email or two may flitter across the Bay of Biscay!)

May be visiting Richmond Park later today to see if an Coue's Arctic Redpoll is still about- it appears very elusive.

Isleworth Waxwings the sequel!

Now for something completely different!






Why different they are my record shots this afternoon on a local birding expedition!

After my further afield exploits it was interesting to see Waxwings back in Isleworth.
There are few berries about but these birds find them!

Oh yes bit behind on my blog....
now what has been occuring a day when Bob and I searched for two bird species that are sadly becoming scarce locally in the south of england!

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and Willow Tit both found in sensitive places. We are sworn to secrecy!

Monday saw me return to seek out an Iceland gull despite the weather and Bob and I deciding we were not going anywhere. I had a day off so why not I thought - cant bear dipping! Iceland gull was where Bob had described and I had spent considerable time seeking it- on Monday bird was forgiving! I was looking for a 1st winter when in reality the bird is turning into a second year plumage!Still there it was- phew.....

oh and did I say I saw the White-tailed Eagle? I did? and yes I did!
I love raptors!

Shame about the Waxwings locally was my photographer friend was going pout tonight so not returning home after work but anyway they had flown off at 3.30.

White-tailed Eagle

At last!

(more later!)

NZ birds

On Tuesday as it was raining heavily in the morning, instead of exploring somewhere north of Cambridge for spring flowers we retreated to Barnes!

Pat managed to catch this photo of a Long tailed tit- no idea how she managed it as it was flit,flit, flitting everywhere!

We had good sightings of a Cetti's.
There will be a few more photos downloaded soon!




oh and two photos fron NZ - Pat visited friends of ours after Christmas and they stayed fora few days at the very North of North Island(see gull chick!) - and she also went to tiri tiri matangi island where the NZ robin was taken.
Cant download these at the mo....

Slaty-backed Gull revisited

With thanks to Andrew Lawson for permission to use photos of the Slaty-backed Gull.

Trip today to Arne in Dorset.
Target Birds- Spoonbill, Avocet and Dartford Warbler.

Briefly - 8 Spoonbills found!
I saw 2 Dartford Warblers including one up and singing on a bush really close!
We dipped the Avocets!

we then went to Swanage to a Country Park next to the sea and saw a Shag!

There were other birds including great views of a Peregrine hunting at Swanage.

Hundreds of Godwits - lots of Brent Geese -

Mammals as shown - this was one Stag and his Deer!
We saw enormous numbers of these plus a huge Stag who was lying on the ground - with the biggest antlers!

So 3 Year ticks!

The Dartford Warblers were special as there dont appear to be many about.

Must get some Dinner!

Bob will try for the Slaty- backed Gull tomorrow - of course it showed today despite the tip not working!

Dorset/Hants

Well whilst a variety of birders were either in Oxon or at Rainham - this happy Eagle wandered west!
It seems this has become my half term! Weather was suposed to be dreadful all week after Monday but has been surprisingly clement especially in the south for Wednesdy and Thursday!

Well I needed a RBG x 2 - yup Ring-billed Gull and Red -breasted Goose.

Bob went for a wander one day in the week a couple of weeks ago when i was up to my eyes in meetings! Dab nab it!

So as Gossie has not been reported since 6th Feb (does that mean anything - I decided that the Poole park RBG would be worth a look!
I was worried about the Goose - since it and the Brents have been flying to IOW and all points in Hants!
So I thought lets target the rbg first and go to Keyhaven (hoping for some waders I hadn't seen- nope - that bit didn't work out!) so when I had looked around Keyhaven
no RBG - lets look at Pennington --hohoho a couple of birders were looking at

yes! RBG so get in there my dear!
I do love Red b geese - in fact I do often go and see the tame ones at Barnes - just cos I can!
I will see them one day in the wild in Europe....in quantity!
Anyway time to be getting on as i had limited time today!
So to Poole......1st winter Ring-billed Gull ( a different character to my friend Gossie!) but i was in fortune and the boy was present! Yes.

Pager is a friend indeed and news of Cattle Egret(s) was welcome...not been many i could go for this winter!
Fordingbride is becoming a favoured place in the winter!

Well not F but A!

Still grateful for the wellies still not cleaned...muddy path and there they were - bit of a shock as only one on the pager but there were two! with the Little Egrets (I have had a few! but too few to mention!)

I then had a couple of phone calls from Council Officers! - one had been asked to ringme when a letter was ready to be signed and his colleague nearby in the same section but with a different job picked up I was available to talk! lol to be a Cllr!

Anyway it was obvious I should get back earlier than I thought so I had to give up ideas of tagging the WTE ...at Hordle!

Lovely thing was when I did get back to the Civic centre an Officer asked me about the difference between a Crow and a Raven!This lead to conversations about RNP- the Falcon the council brings in to clear the Ferals - must remember to find out when the Falconer comes in I really want to see this!
and Woodpeckers!

3 nearer to Bob!

When I came home tonight after a meeting or two...I see there were 3 Golden Pheasants at Brownsea.....when am I going to see these beauties again?

See I am on missionary activity in spreading the good news re birds!

A mega week!

Phew what a week so far!
Went to Dungeness to try again for the Glock.

I was happy this morning as I saw not only the Glaucous but also a Slav Grebe on the sea!Nothing else new that I could id altho there were one or two divers- decided they were red throated!
Nothing new on the Arc or around the reserve so
went off to Hythe to see if the Purple sandpipers would be cooperative and they were!
(nowt new that I could see at Greatstone!)

So thought I might drop in on Oare or Elmley ......possible owls?
On route the pager went off. Pulled over to look and THAT Gull was back at Rainham on the tip.
That decided me- so off to Rainham.i had parked up and news came through that it had relocated to Wennington Marshes. Thank goodness for pagers!(and one Andrew Lawson - who had relocated said gull- nice one Andy!)


GBBG, Herring G, GBBG, GBBG, Herring ..... "its here in my scope" what?
I look up from my bins and the guy says "look here, quick"

Do I need another invitation - in focus and YES! yes GET IN!

2nd Lifer of the week! Wow!

I then managed to get back on the gull! Great- thats a goodie!

I was then having to drive around the Motorway to home to change and get ready for a
Governing Body Meeting.

Several had heard about the "Oriental Turtle Dove" - I had taken in my Collins to show them...no point talking about the Gull though!

Not sure where I might go tomorrow - but I have to be back for meeting at 5. Not sure I can manage another Twitch! its all too stressful!

Thanks to Andrew Lawson for permission to use his photo.

The Forest of Dean (campaign against govt sell off)

This is one of very many "Old Oak Trees" who have Yellow ribbons tied around them!

I was waiting for Bob to return in the car - waiting at the side of the road and the tree just begged to be photographed - fortuitously the battery held out long enough for this fine specimen to be taken!

A wonderful campaign to keep our trees public and not sold off for profit to this Condem govt ---get involved if you can sign the petions!

Oriental Turtle Dove

With many thanks to Roger Wyatt who I met in the kitchen of Steve and Sharon's home in Chipping Norton yesterday afternoon.Great photos!
Thanks Steve and Sharon for opening your home for us!

A wonderful day in the New Forest!

Brilliant birding day ....Gos at least 7 - with at least 6 views plus a dozen Ravens and 20 odd Buzzards and 5 or so Crossbills before we left New Fancy.
To Cannop - my goodness what are they doing to our stream?

But I finally pinned down a Treecreeper there were so many I had to score!
Wellies the order of the day but its seriously muddy , squelshy - I wouldn't have walked down the stream if I had known!
Off to a well know site for Dipper and wow good sightings as it fed on cadice flies!
no Grey Wags - so off to another site - oh back to Cannop but where the tea mobile thingy is usually but none today but 3 Grey Wags and a Yellow -legged Gull!In different places...and my mate Bob spotted the gull (birds a lot in spain) when i looked at it it was very clean and quite dark mantled ( between Lesser and Herring in colour!)...what about the legs - no show - we changed out of our wellies and bird flew and perched conveniently on the bank - bright yellow legs! great!
On our way home - (I had two important meetings tonight!) I spotted a couple of Grey Partridges in a field!

(forgot to mention I had a nice SEO on the way down...I love wols!)

on way home we had 44 plus Red kites - it was too dark to see any on the way down!

I keep the best to last!

On our way home my pager went off and there it was - Oriental ( Rufous) Turtle Dove!
Where? Chipping Norton!
Brilliant
instructions to follow.....
when they came through...very clear..and £5 (when we got there to Birds International - no problems there!)

We travelled through sunlit countryside...yes the orb was in the sky again!

Chipping Norton - find a central Car Park now where is The Lays - Bob does not have sat nav!
Pass an Estate Agent ...there - go in " not buying a house today , but where is "the Leys"?
Helpful comments and then the young man got out a map and explained where to go ...and gave me the map...a woman gave helpful short cuts!

we were off!

we reached our destination...flew off ten mins ago - we missed it by 2 mins and we missed it by 10 seconds! We were all in this together I looked at the back garden from the road and saw - bins up..a Brambling!

we decide to see if we can go in...
made very welcome - the owner a lovely guy - just take off the shoes then you will get hot with the outer clothes...
I am desperate for the loo...no problem...

Then we are waiting ....searching....
" cup of tea or coffee?"

then spot! wow in tree above a wood pigeon...a scope came forward and there were the tell tale neck markings!

yes! both Bob and i had got others on to the bird and seen it in the scope - so we were off with thanks to all concerned.

The owner and his partner and the Oxon birders and there will be a photo - thanks to Roger - on this blog when I have received it!

Very happy Eagle!
Great birding day...
thanks to Bob for the driving and good company!

Local patch!

A couple of years ago I used to show friends a Grebe that is not easy to see.

I decided that it was time that I went to Staines Reservoir today and guess what not one species of Grebe but two!

Black necked Grebe for the year list- very nice!

Where did the yellow globe go?

Update

Tuesday - I had two meetings this morning postponed/cancelled! Great but I couldn't go far...so where - no contest lets try to see the GGS!

off to Thurlsley Common in Surrey ....arrive and find a few birders about...walk around none I recognise!

I carry on and get to the hill where I saw Goshawk last year.....none this!
What is that yellow globe in the sky?Oh yes.....its the Sun! WOW!

In the sun and perched up yes a Shrike! GGS! Beautiful - there is the bird a good few mins and then gone! Never to be seen by me again!

Where to now...I had heard of a Firecrest nearby so it was off to explore the wilds near Puttenham!

I arrive and there is a couple of birders intently watching ...what?
I get near and one says "Firecrest!"
I look and there fliutting about in that distinctive style a Firecrest! I love Firecrests so feisty!

Phew......
I have run out of time and have to get back to change for yes more meetings!

Red crested Pochards

Well Monday arrived and after a bit of blogging andcatching up I was free to go out birding!
Destination? Stockers Lake! Well Bury Lake for the above and then a wander around Stockers for what ever could be found!

Bury Lake was first - must get those Red Crested pochards! There they were two pairs!

on to Bury Lake and what have we here lovely male Smew! Always a lovely duck!
Then Goosander! and yes its a pair! (Sounds like Valentines Day is about! LOL!)

Goldeneye s as well.

I go in search of Kingfisher ....and lol I dont believe it there is one! hooray and yes my luck must be in - I here a treecreeper...where is the little bird? after about 20 mins of searching...I think its going to be blocker for the beginning of the year!
So still no sighting of Treecreeper!
Those were the highlights!
If dipping can be a highlight!
So where to next - back to Barnes!

Cetti is the quarry and eventually after hearing one ...it pops up and looks me in the eye...well actually no it doesn't really it popped up and I looked in its eye and it popped back down! lol.
Still with Chiffchaff as well its not a bad day!

Norfolk again!

We had arranged to go back to Norfolk to pick up the birds we dipped 3 weeks ago and last Sunday!
Talons crossed that American Wigeon, Shorelarks were still at Cley and we also wante another trip to Stubbs Mill for the Cranes!

We arrived at Cley with the pager telling us that a Glaucous Gull had been on the North Scrape first thing. We were there about 10 and no sign!
So then off to the East Bank and finally we spotted the American Wigeon, I am so glad that Bob spotted the white amidst all the wigeon on the bank in amidst the grass.
The wind was really gusting and blowin' a great deal....so would there be any Shorelarks to be seen?
We walked to the end of the East bank and ther were some birders way to the east in between the shingle dune(to the beach) and the sheltered area before the pools.

We meet a pair of birders returning whohad seen the Shorelarks altho they were being kicked along the area further and further by a small group of other birders.
Bob whizzed off and I walked along normally (foot still not perfect!)without saying anything we had both thought bet there is a greedy photographer not content with giving the birds room to feed and get reasonable shots but wanting just that better shot! Why is it that some do this?
I arrived to see all 5 watching the Shorelarks and Bob had one in his scope- yes - I looked for a bit longer and there was a lovely adult male in all his glorious make up!
Oh yes and guesss what at least one of this group had a long lens!

We left after watching the birds for a while.

There had been a Tundra Bean Goose reported at the Hangs with Pink feet...so consult the map and try to find the Hangs! So we drove around and saw no geese at all - Bob got out a couple times to check the fields - but directions were sadly lacking!

So to Sheringham......a little sea watch ...no Purple Sands as people on the beach walking dogs or what ever - so we sat in a shelter and watched the sea!

We had Turnstones near our feet as they boldly picked up any crumbs left by the visitors!

We spotted a Rock Pipit at the same time!

The only other new bird a Great Northern Diver - soon after came a Red throated and the contrast in size was noticeable - apart from Gulls and Oystercatchers the only other bird seen was a distant Gannet!

We attempted to find a Fudge Duck (f) on the Broads but unfortunately a long division to North Walsham left us without much time - so we abandoned the effort
- and dived off for Stubvbs Mill. We arrived earlier than usual - and watched lots of Marsh Harriers....Bob went for a walk came back having seen a nice male Bullfinch and a couple of Siskins...
we waited and waited - then wow a family group of 3 Cranes flew in from the right and on towards a field followed closely by 4 more!

We waited - and after seeing a Merlin.....and my feet in wellies statrted to get cold...we left happy with our Crane sightings.

So 3 targets all connected with plus 2 more for the year list!

Great White Egret

A record shot - from hand held camera on a scope on a hide clamp all very wobbly!LOl.

Trip to Hants and Dorset

Phew - what a day!
Spents hours this morning seeking the Great White Egret that has been resident at Blashford Lakes this winter. Zip.Dip.
We saw hundreds of Finches and other passerines! Including brilliant male Bramblings and Siskins(year tick!) and finding a Mealy Redpoll (year tick) and a Lesser.
But the numbers of chaffinches, greenfinches, siskins, and tits - including a Marsh Tit
were stunning!

We finally gave up and went to poole to seek an American visitor - a Long billed Dowitcher - looks like a Godwit with short legs!;)- well the wind had got up and we parked at the NW end and walked to the NE end - lots of common waders- dunlin, redshank, noisy Oystercatcjers - gulls galore including a nice Med Gull.A few Godwits...so when we got to the NE end there was the quarry - showing beautifully inn a quite area with one Godwit! Lovely!
Pager - GWE seen from Ivy Lake Hide....so dash from Poole back to Blashford!
(more later - got to go to a Meeting!)
Did we see it?

Hoho ho!
We arrived speedily and whizzed to the North hide Ivy Lake. Enterung the Hide we saw - GWE! yaarrhhh! Head poking up in the reeds - just as we were sorting out the scopes.....a Bittern flew across a channel of water next to the hide out of the reeds , landed and then promptly flew back. A pale coloured Bittern. Almost immediately a very Dark coloured Bittern stalked across the channel - brilliant! It then stood with its head and neck showing for a bit (meanwhile the GWE is more visiible) then the Dark Bittern stalked slowly back across the Channel!
At this point the peeps at the only opening window in the hide (note not a clever idea...shouled be more that do open!)left the hide and Bob and I commendeered it!
The dark Bittern then decided to fly from the reeds acroosss the front of the hide and away! Stunner!

At this point the GWE began moving towards the open channel (further back than the Bitterns) and I was even able to get a couple of record shots digi hand held scoping!

We actually were able to watch the entire bird stalking frogs across the channel of water and then stand upright and visible at the other side wow!

What a bonus!
I neglected to mention I finally saw Pied Wag!

We left looked at the feeders again and then departed for Blackwater Arboreatum for
Hawfinch. We arrived at about 2.45 and both od us but separately heard Crossbill - no sightings. The wind had got up and not good to see any birds at all!
But as I wandered towards some pine trees a bird flew - landed on a bare leafed tree at the top and yes! Hawfinch - it then flew into a Pine tree about 2/3rds up!
We then heard another and another call!

Bob then spotted a Gos! Damn missed it!

great excitement today!

137 Year list!

Bushy Park 2nd February

Iceland Gull on Fair Isle

Looks like my friend Tommy has found an Iceland Gull off Fair Isle!
Way to go Tommy!

Bushy Park and Barnes

Well a gentle stroll through Bushy Park this morning for a couple of hours with Bob
increased my year total by 4!
Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers - rather more Green around. Mandarin Ducks - 4 males noted plus one female.

A roosting Tawny Owl was the best!

My first Snowdrops of the year.....a chance meeting with the Royal Parks Ecologist was very interesting.

He had been in a meeting earlier that day and they witnessed a Sparrowhawk consuming a Pigeon - he even had photographs.

At Bob's suggestion I visit Barnes in the afternoon (I usually go first thing) was rewarded by finally sighting Bittern for the year! Also heard was a Cetti's but where the little rascal was I could not locate!

So year list is 131....and awaiting Cetti's to be seen!

Last years Bittern - on ice! Battery in camera ran out whilst at Bushy so did not have it with me!I will post a couple of pics later when they have been downloaded!

Sunday SEO

Short eared Owl gave a great flying and hunting display over Thornham Marshes on Sunday.
On Monday Dean Eades posted some photos he had taken that day of ......Short eared Owl.
With Dean's permission I give you SEO!

Yesterday in Norfolk

I will return to post more - got a very busy day at the Council so may finish this tomorrow.

Briefly - 25 year ticks including a lifer! (Reached 400 UK life Birdwatch listing ya!)

over 90 species spotted - may have missed one or two that we did see!

So the Lifer?

Norther Harrier - this bird behaves more like a Marsh than a Hen seemingly not frightened of people - that does not mean an escape - until he came here I bet he had never seen any humans.
This photo showsTitchwell hide in the background and its the nearest I have found (so far) like our view on Sunday -I will be seeking permission from the photographer as I did not have camera in my pocket when the bird was seen down to25-30 feet! Unbelievable!

It wasstunning and all its features were clear! That mask is something else!

Some photos!

For Tommy!

The waxwings are the local flock at Isleworth - thanks to Gavin -Nature boy wanders - Bird Ringing (awaiting permission)
The Red head (Smew) is from Dungeness and thanks to Mike Gould also awaitig permission.
The bittern is from Barnes WWT thanks Pat!