Friday, 11 April 2014
Friday April 11
More news from the opposition. Haselor scrape has now produced an Oystercatcher, seen by John Coombes and Mike Inskip. Another tricky bird for the Morton Bagot patch.
Thursday, 10 April 2014
Thursday April 10
A text message from Mike. He has had two Common Sandpipers at Haselor scrape today. Its a good place for the species, and bang on time, whereas at Morton Bagot they scarcely occur in most years.
Wednesday, 9 April 2014
Wednesday April 9
Does evening birding get duller than this?
Starting at 19.10 I made the mistake of ignoring a couple of singing Chiffchaffs, 20 Yellowhammers, and the Tawny Owl, all of which I could have photographed, in order to reach the "Wheatear field" as I like to call it.
Sadly there were still no Wheatears bouncing around on it. Next stop was the Flashes. By the time I got there the the light was fading fast, and after a quick scan so was my optimism. True, the Green-winged Teal was still present along with 41 of its European counterparts, and three Green Sandpipers. But there wasn't much else.
The light faded and I was left with a stark choice of landscape photos or sheep.
So here are both.
Starting at 19.10 I made the mistake of ignoring a couple of singing Chiffchaffs, 20 Yellowhammers, and the Tawny Owl, all of which I could have photographed, in order to reach the "Wheatear field" as I like to call it.
Sadly there were still no Wheatears bouncing around on it. Next stop was the Flashes. By the time I got there the the light was fading fast, and after a quick scan so was my optimism. True, the Green-winged Teal was still present along with 41 of its European counterparts, and three Green Sandpipers. But there wasn't much else.
The light faded and I was left with a stark choice of landscape photos or sheep.
So here are both.
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| The flashes with quad bike for added interest |
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| A tree (Oak) |
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| Pink woolly jumpers |
Sunday, 6 April 2014
Sunday April 5
Rain? What rain? Having said I was forsaking the day's birding due to the forecast, the day dawned grey but dry, and if anything it brightened up slightly. So a change of plan was negotiated, and I joined Dave for another go.
It was also much windier than yesterday, and for some reason such conditions often cause gulls, normally absent, to fly over. It was a gull, well two gulls, which provided the morning's only highlight.
We had started at the church, still expecting rain to wash out proceedings, and marched swiftly to the flashes. Over the fields beyond the flash field a small group of Lesser Black-backed Gulls were joined by one, then two Common Gulls. Not quite a year tick (I saw one fly through in January), these are still scarce birds here. Worth a punt for the photo year list as we may not see any more this year.
Distant though. So sorry about this, but here is a true "record shot" of them.
They came no closer, and we turned our attention to the flash itself. The Green-winged Teal was still here, and 36 Teal, two Snipe, and a Wigeon. Yawn.
A quick circuit of the patch produced a lateish Redwing, two singing Blackcaps, four Chiffchaffs, and about five fly-over Cormorants. We returned to the flash to find more gulls, mostly Lesser Black-backs (barely half a dozen), three Black-headed Gulls, and a second-winter Herring Gull. Also, the flash now contained five Green Sandpipers.
Back at the cars, Dave headed off while I wandered around the church looking for something to photograph. I came up with a Jackdaw pretending to be Father Christmas
and a singing Dunnock.
There will be better weekends.
It was also much windier than yesterday, and for some reason such conditions often cause gulls, normally absent, to fly over. It was a gull, well two gulls, which provided the morning's only highlight.
We had started at the church, still expecting rain to wash out proceedings, and marched swiftly to the flashes. Over the fields beyond the flash field a small group of Lesser Black-backed Gulls were joined by one, then two Common Gulls. Not quite a year tick (I saw one fly through in January), these are still scarce birds here. Worth a punt for the photo year list as we may not see any more this year.
Distant though. So sorry about this, but here is a true "record shot" of them.
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| 66. Common Gulls |
A quick circuit of the patch produced a lateish Redwing, two singing Blackcaps, four Chiffchaffs, and about five fly-over Cormorants. We returned to the flash to find more gulls, mostly Lesser Black-backs (barely half a dozen), three Black-headed Gulls, and a second-winter Herring Gull. Also, the flash now contained five Green Sandpipers.
Back at the cars, Dave headed off while I wandered around the church looking for something to photograph. I came up with a Jackdaw pretending to be Father Christmas
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| Ho Ho Ho |
There will be better weekends.
Saturday, 5 April 2014
Reality check
After the excitement of the last few weeks I suppose it was inevitable that a quiet day was on the cards. I switched to Saturday because the forecast for tomorrow predicts rain for most of the morning.
It was pretty cloudy this morning, but the rain held off. Good visibility and a light south-westerly breeze. It never felt as though migrants would be on the move.
So nothing new to see. The main diversion at the flashes was the presence of two Little Owls in an Oak tree.
Scanning the flashes produced the usual suspects; a drake Wigeon, 33 Teal, two Snipe, and the female Gadwall. I then did a quick circuit and returned to add a Little Ringed Plover and three Green Sandpipers to the list. Oh, and this chap is still here.
It seems almost sacrilegious to say this, but I'm getting a bit bored with the Green-winged Teal now. However, not everyone is, and I met a couple of birders, Colin and Dawn, who were visiting the site for the first time. I enjoyed pointing out the waders on offer, and also a pair of Ravens which had been flying around all morning.
So no new migrants on offer, unless you count a Blackcap which sang, unseen, from the middle of Stapenhill Wood, but enough to keep me going.
Postscript:
This afternoon John Chidwick saw a Yellow Wagtail at the flashes.
It was pretty cloudy this morning, but the rain held off. Good visibility and a light south-westerly breeze. It never felt as though migrants would be on the move.
So nothing new to see. The main diversion at the flashes was the presence of two Little Owls in an Oak tree.
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| The two Little Owls |
Scanning the flashes produced the usual suspects; a drake Wigeon, 33 Teal, two Snipe, and the female Gadwall. I then did a quick circuit and returned to add a Little Ringed Plover and three Green Sandpipers to the list. Oh, and this chap is still here.
It seems almost sacrilegious to say this, but I'm getting a bit bored with the Green-winged Teal now. However, not everyone is, and I met a couple of birders, Colin and Dawn, who were visiting the site for the first time. I enjoyed pointing out the waders on offer, and also a pair of Ravens which had been flying around all morning.
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| A Roe Deer |
So no new migrants on offer, unless you count a Blackcap which sang, unseen, from the middle of Stapenhill Wood, but enough to keep me going.
Postscript:
This afternoon John Chidwick saw a Yellow Wagtail at the flashes.
Thursday, 3 April 2014
A gentle reminder
The news is not so good today. The Avocets have gone, and the only bird I have heard about is the first Swallow of the summer.
Matt Willmott (English Nature) has the ear of the local landowners, and I'm afraid one of them has been bending it. I'm not sure what has happened, but I have been asked to remind visiting birders to stick to the footpaths.
We enjoy very good relations with the locals, and they have always been very friendly. I suppose the little purple patch of the last few weeks has encouraged more visitors than usual, and although I can honestly say I haven't seen anyone stray from the footpaths, I guess someone must have.
Anyway, stick to the paths please (buy an Ordnance Survey map if you have to), and hopefully there will be no need for any friction to develop.
Good birding
Rich
Matt Willmott (English Nature) has the ear of the local landowners, and I'm afraid one of them has been bending it. I'm not sure what has happened, but I have been asked to remind visiting birders to stick to the footpaths.
We enjoy very good relations with the locals, and they have always been very friendly. I suppose the little purple patch of the last few weeks has encouraged more visitors than usual, and although I can honestly say I haven't seen anyone stray from the footpaths, I guess someone must have.
Anyway, stick to the paths please (buy an Ordnance Survey map if you have to), and hopefully there will be no need for any friction to develop.
Good birding
Rich
Wednesday, 2 April 2014
The rarities keep on coming
I had planned to go to the patch tonight anyway, but the speed with which I would get there was increased considerably by a phone call from Lyn at around 16:00. Mike Lane had phoned to say he had found two Avocets on the flash.
Bloody hell! I tried hinting loudly to my boss what a shame it was I couldn't just get up and go, but it was no good, I would just have to sweat it out. I did the decent thing and texted the regulars, so by the time I was home most people had seen them.
By 18:45 I was there, hot and sweaty, and relieved. They were still there.
I remembered the camera, but not the spare battery. After taking several shots of sleeping Avocets, I got the chance to take one of them feeding..and then the battery ran out.
Mark Islip and Mike Inskip were there when I arrived. Dave was on his way. So what else was here? Well the Green-winged Teal was still present, with 38 Teal for company. The Green Sandpipers built up to five by dusk. A single Little Ringed Plover, and a couple of Snipe, plus the usual Lapwings etc.
A reminder that it is still very early spring came when 11 Fieldfares flew over, and several Meadow Pipits flew out of the field behind us.
Once Dave had arrived and ticked, we decided to use the last of the murky light to check out the pool. This contained an impressive 14 Tufted Ducks, just one short of the record. We also noticed that the Tawny Owl was showing, though we remained far from its tree.
I suppose like most patch watchers I have a little hit list of "birds I would love to see on the patch". That's two crossed off this spring already.. What next?
Bloody hell! I tried hinting loudly to my boss what a shame it was I couldn't just get up and go, but it was no good, I would just have to sweat it out. I did the decent thing and texted the regulars, so by the time I was home most people had seen them.
By 18:45 I was there, hot and sweaty, and relieved. They were still there.
 |
| 65. Avocet |
Mark Islip and Mike Inskip were there when I arrived. Dave was on his way. So what else was here? Well the Green-winged Teal was still present, with 38 Teal for company. The Green Sandpipers built up to five by dusk. A single Little Ringed Plover, and a couple of Snipe, plus the usual Lapwings etc.
A reminder that it is still very early spring came when 11 Fieldfares flew over, and several Meadow Pipits flew out of the field behind us.
Once Dave had arrived and ticked, we decided to use the last of the murky light to check out the pool. This contained an impressive 14 Tufted Ducks, just one short of the record. We also noticed that the Tawny Owl was showing, though we remained far from its tree.
I suppose like most patch watchers I have a little hit list of "birds I would love to see on the patch". That's two crossed off this spring already.. What next?
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