JAN 13TH 2013 - UK SOMERSET LEVELS DAY 2

Cheddar reservoir, Blagdon & Chew valley lakes, Mendip Hills (woodlands & farmland walks)

What a glorious sunny day, it was very cold but remained dry and sunny from dawn till dusk. We set off from Meare at 8:30am having checked out of the hotel.

We drove 10 mile to Cheddar Reservoir which was flat as mill pond but there was a very cold breeze once were we on the embankment around the water. This did deter us, we quickly found an unexpected Redhead - Smew, it was not far out and associating with a bunch of Tufted Ducks. Other species new for our weekend list were Goldeneye, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Raven. We walked a quarter of the way around the circular reservoir looking for Scaup but couldn't any, there were plenty of Wigeon, Common Pochard, Shoveler, Gadwall and about 2000 Eurasian Coots!

Redhead - Smew and with Tufted Duck below

Next we visited the Lake at Blagdon where both Lesser and Greater Scaup have been seen in recent weeks. But alas we couldn't find any, again there were plenty of the common ducks and Great Black-backed Gull which was new for us.

We stopped at several places at Chew Valley lake, the first was Heron's Green Bay where we added Ruddy Duck and Common Shelduck to the tally, then we drove round to Herriot's Bridge and found a Grey Wagtail and two Chiffchaffs, both new species for us.

The group at heron's green bay, Chew Valley lake

We spent a couple of hours at the visitor's centre where we ate lunch. We found a superb male Goosander there and lots of Goldeneye. Our penultimate walk was taken after we drove up over the mendip hills where a covering of snow lay everywhere. We took a short walk into a wood but only found Coal Tit, Common Buzzard and a Magpie.

snow on the mendips

 Lastly we followed a bridle-way across some arable fields where we hoped to find a few 'farmland' species. We saw a good number of birds, mainly Common Starling, Rooks, Jackdaws, Carrion Crows and Magpies but also quite a few Fieldfares, Robins, Chaffinches and Redwings. We were delighted to find a small flock of Tree Sparrows as well as Song Thrush, a perched Common Buzzard and a perched Raven. Our last birds of the walk were a bunch of Greenfinches which looked great in the late afternoon sunlight.

We boarded the bus for the last time and set off for Gillingham where the group had to catch their train back to London, along the way we saw huge flocks of Northern Lapwing and afield full of Common Gulls, very impressive numbers.

After I had dropped the group off and was approaching home in North Perrott a barn Owl flew alongside the bus for a short while - a great bird to finish off the weekend.

ADDITIONS TO NEW YEAR LIST

104. Smew
105. Goldeneye
106. Ruddy Duck

107. Goosander
108. Eurasian Chiffchaff
109. Coal Tit
110. Tree Sparrow
111. Barn Owl

JAN 12TH 2013 - UK SOMERSET LEVELS DAY 1

HAM WALL RSPB RESERVE - CATCOTT LOW - WESTHAY MOOR - GREYLAKE RSPB - SHAPWICK HEATH

A dull miserable, wet day with a biting easterly wind which got colder and colder as the day went on - perfect you might say for a good old English birding day out.

I collected my group from their hotel in Meare at 7:30am it was dark and it was raining. We drove the short distance to ham Wall and walked along the old railway track to view the reedbeds. As it got light the reedbeds erupted as thousand upon thousands of Common Starlings left their roost. It was truly spectacular, most of the birds came over the top of us and the noise was deafening. A couple of Marsh Harriers swooped into the masses of birds but we didn't see a 'hit'.

After the Starling fest we walked back to the car park noting many species in the clear light of day: Long-tailed Tit, Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, Goldcrest, Chaffinch, Greenfinch and on the water and marshes we saw Common Snipe, Gadwall, Shoveler, Wigeon, Teal & Mallard, Pied Wagtail, Little & Great White Egret (3), Great Cormorant, Mute Swan & Grey heron. We also heard several Water rails and cetti's Warblers.

Back at the hotel we ate a lovely breakfast before setting off for Westhay Moor - this trip was very short lived as the rain came down much heavier, the pathways were flooded and not many birds were in view, so we abandoned Westhay and drove to Catcott Low.

The large hide at Catcott looks over a huge flooded meadow which is managed for breeding waders, today it was full of ducks and quite a few Common Snipe. Hundreds of Teal, Wigeon, Shoveler and Mallards were joined by lesser numbers of Northern Pintail. We also saw Common Buzzard, Peregrine Falcon and a Common Kestrel.

Next we stopped off in Ashcot to buy our lunch before driving down to Greylake RSPB reserve. In the car park there we found Reed Buntings using the feeders and from the hide where we ate our lunch we were bowled over by the number birds present. Common Snipe numbers must have exceeded 100 whilst Teal , Wigeon, Shoveler and Gadwall numbered in their hundreds, as did Lapwing. We saw half a dozen Little Egrets too and a pair of Peregrine falcons sitting on a fence. A raptor flashed across the water scattering the wildfowl and then it perched on a fence post, a fine female Merlin had graced us with its presence. Fantastic really for all the group to get in-scope-views of such an elusive species.

female Merlin at Greylake today

On the boardwalk two or three of the group found Brambling (3) and as we set off to search for Cranes we saw a large flock of Fieldfares. We spent an hour or so searching in vain for the Cranes and eventually gave up. Our last stop was back at Greylake which produced a Ruff which was feeding in amongst a large flock of Lapwings.



We returned to ham Wall and then walk across to Shapwick heath where we found another Great White Egret and to our great delight a flock of 10 Whooper Swans flew over us. Our return to the Starling roost was disappointing, it was very cold and windy which rain in the air. The Starling didn't like it and quickly dropped down into the reedbeds to roost, not a flying murmuration tonight.

At 5pm we were back at the hotel which gave us good time to get warm and ready for dinner.


ADDITIONS TO NEW YEAR LIST

98. Marsh Harrier.
99. Lesser Redpoll
100. Great White Egret
101. Gadwall
102. Whooper Swan
103. Merlin

JAN 11TH 2013 - UK NEW YEAR LIST

WEYMOUTH - PORTLAND HARBOUR - FERRY BRIDGE AND PORTLAND BILL

A glorious morning clear blue sky and a note a whiff of a breeze. It was like a May morning in Weymouth.

My first stop was at the southern end of the Harbour where I scanned from the Royal yatching Club, I got my target bird within minutes: Great Northern Diver in the bag, also seen Red-breasted Merganser, Oystercatcher, Common Scoter, Razorbill, Shag and lots of Med Gulls.

At Portland Bill it was quite quiet but after a while I got onto a couple of species that I needed for the year: Guillemot & Kittiwake  in the bag: also seen Northern Gannet, Razorbill, Rock Pipit, Red-throated Diver (2) and many gulls. I popped into the Bird Observatory and met up with a few old chums, it was great to chat and reminisce.

Rock Pipit

I slowed down as I passed Ferrybirdge and looked over the ground where a few photographers were pointing their lens, would you believe I spotted a Snow Bunting whilst i was travelling at 30 miles an hour? Next stop was at Sandsfoot castle to look for Black Redstart, Firecrest and Chiffchaff, I missed them all but did see Slavonian Grebe fairly close and a flock of 23 Brent Geese.

Portland Bill

At 12 noon I arrived at Abottsbury Swannery where i parked at the beach and walked along Chesil Bank to view the pools with the sun behind me. There was many birds present including my target species: Greater Scaup and Long-tailed Duck both in the bag!!

At 1pm I was on my way home before I drove to Meare on the Levels to meet up with my weekend birding group.

ADDITIONS TO THE NEW YEAR LIST

92. Great Northern Diver
93. Guillemot
94. Kittiwake
95. Greater Scaup
96. Long-tailed Duck
97. Grey Wagtail (seen on the 9th at Musgrove Hospital grounds, Taunton).

JAN 8TH 2013 - UK NEW YEAR LIST

Not a birding day I'm afraid but I managed to take an hour out and went to visit a nearby village.

It was dull and overcast again with fine rain in the air. It took 10 minutes to get to Norton Sub-Hamdon about 5 miles from North Perrott. My target bird was the Hawfinch, a flock of 10 had been seen over the last few days in the vicinity of the Rectory and the Church.

It took five minutes to locate four of these lovely beasts, but all were quite distant and they refused to come down from the canopy. I managed to snap off a few shots all quite bad but the best are shown below.

ADDITION TO MY YEAR LIST

90. Hawfinch

JAN 7TH 2013 - UK NEW YEAR LIST

WEYMOUTH, FERRYBRDIGE & PORTLAND HARBOUR, DORSET

NEW YEAR LIST NOW STANDS AT 89.

I took wifey shopping today to Weymouth - how convenient! I got 2 full hours watching birds in Portland Harbour - and wifey got to use my credit card for 3 hours!! Tough, I know, and it could have been a very expensive bird watching outing - time will tell.

It was another dull over cast day with fog and drizzle over the hills as we drove from North Perrott to Weymouth via Dorchester. I logged a new bird whilst circumnavigating a roundabout at Dorchester in the shape of a Mediterranean Gull. There were about 50 gulls near the roadside and several adult Med Gulls were clearly visible - I shouted "Med Gull" and wifey shouted "artic. lorry coming this way"! Oops!

Anyway, I almost cleaned up in the harbour, I stopped first at the yachting Club near Sandsfoot Castle where I logged Black-necked Grebe (14), Med Gull (11), Red-breasted Merganser (23), Shag, Cormorant, Common Scoter (3 -female), Great crested grebe and not much else.

Med Gulls at the Yachting Culb

At ferrybrdige I found the regular Snow Bunting on the roof of the visitor's centre! Another 356 Med Gulls were on the mud flat and not much else. From Portland castle I scoped a Black-throated Diver and saw two dark ducks out in the distance (I thought they were female Eider).

Snow Bunting at ferrybridge

I then went back to ferrybridge and walked across the main road to scope the harbour from there. I had a great 30 minutes: first I found two Velvet Scoters (my two dark ducks from earlier), then I got onto a Slavonian Grebe, then a single 1cy Eider Duck, another two Common Scoter, 65 Red-breasted Mergansers and lots of Med Gulls.


Back at Ferrybridge I scoped down the fleet towards Abbottsbury and found a small flock of Brent Geese, two Little Grebes and 4 Oystercatchers (the waders I saw today).

Shags and a Cormorant at Portland Harbour

Well, my 2 hours we up so I drove back into Weymouth making a quick stop at Radipole Lake which was pants, although I did take this picture shown below of a Med gull.

ADDITIONS TO THE YEAR LIST:

81. Black-necked Grebe
82. Mediterranean Gull
83. Common Scoter
84. Snow Bunting
85. Black-throated Diver
86. Slavonian Grebe
87. Velvet Scoter
88. Eider Duck
89. Brent Goose

JAN 6TH 2013 - UK NEW YEAR LIST

AXMOUTH, SEATON (LYME BAY) & LYME REGIS, ALL IN DEVON

YEAR LIST NOW STANDS AT 80

Another dull overcast day with very fine drizzling rain (how nice), the good weather lasted only two days.

Nevertheless Dawn and I set off for Seaton to walk along the sea front before driving the short distance to Lyme Regis for lunch.

At the beach it stopped raining and the sea was very calm, but there were hardly any birds out there! It took quite a lot of searching before I found a solitary  Northern Gannet. We walked to the southern end of the bay and eventually found a number of birds out on the water. The best was Red-throated Diver (1), Razorbill (2), Shag (4) and Great crested Grebe (14).

 Along the river Axe on the way out of town we stopped to view the gull roost where we saw: Oystercatcher, Redshank, Bar-tailed Godwit and all 5 of the common types of gull.

When we arrived at Lyme Regis the rain began again I walked along the breakwater called the 'Cob' where I found Rock Pipit (5), Pied Wagtail (2) and the lovely Purple Sandpiper (7).

Purple Sandpipers are a very reliable and an obliging species at Lyme Regis

We ate a light lunch before driving home through thick fog and drizzling rain.

ADDITIONS TO YEAR LIST

74. Shag
75. Razorbill
76. Northern Gannet
77. Bar-tailed Godwit
78. Rock Pipit
79. Purple Sandpiper
80. Red-throated Diver

JAN 5TH 2013 - UK NEW YEAR LIST

UPTON WARREN NATURE RESERVE

NEW YEAR LIST NOW STANDS AT  73

The superb reserve at Upton Warren is a well maintained area full of birds. I made a short stop there this morning on my way back from mom's house in droitwich. I was here in December when I listed the Waxwings.

The first hide was surrounded by bird feeders which were well attended by Blue and Great tits, Robins, chaffinches, bullfinches, Reed Buntings and several Moorhens, Coots and 5 big Brown Rats!!

A Water Rail came right out into the open area near the feeders and on the main pool I saw: Great crested grebe, Common Pochard, Teal, Tufted Duck, Great cormorant, Grey heron and lots of Mallards.

From a second hide I saw 60+ Common Snipe but no sign of a reported Jack Snipe. 9 Eurasian Curlews dropped in as did a flock of Lapwings.

Reed Bunting - female

ADDITIONS TO THE NEW YEAR LIST:

70. Reed Bunting
71. Great-crested Grebe
72. Common Snipe
73. Water Rail

JAN 4TH 2013 - UK NEW YEAR LIST

SEVERNSIDE, AUST WARTH AT BRISTOL & SLIMBRIDGE - WILDFOWL AND WETLANDS

59 SPECIES RECORDED - NEW YEAR’S LIST NOW STANDS AT  69

A full day out at last! I set off at 6:30am in the dark and headed towards Bristol where I had arranged to meet my good friend Richard for a day out birding. It was just getting light when I arrived; it was raining as expected and quite dull.

Bewick Swan

After a short walk along the shore of the River Severn I met up with Richard and began birding in earnest. It brightened up and stopped raining but a bitter westerly wind was coming face-on as we looked over the river.

We soon began listing species: Turnstone (32), Curlew (22), Dunlin (2), Oystercatcher (5), Shelduck, and lots of gulls, a few finches – Linnet, Goldfinch, and Greenfinch.

Lapwing

After we got very cold we drove round to the open meadows near to Aust Warth. We then spent 2 hours walking through boggy grass and very muddy footpaths where yours truly took his first tumble of the year – it didn’t take me long did it?

There weren’t many birds out on these marshes even though the tide had come in – we found more Dunlin, Redshank, Lapwings, Mute Swans, Shelducks and listed all of the 5 common gull species. A large flock of Eurasian Curlews sat on the shoreline. A solitary Peregrine Falcon sat on the grass, either contemplating a meal or just resting after one.

Teal & Common Pochard

Next we drove up to Slimbridge where spent the rest of the day looking out over the flood meadows from the superb hides found there. A good list of species was soon in the note book, it wasn’t the variety of species but the sheer numbers that was so impressive. Golden Plovers numbered in the thousands, as did Lapwing and there were hundreds of Teal, Wigeon, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Pintail, Shoveler, Canada Geese, White-fronted Geese, Bewick Swans and Shelduck. Wader numbers were not as high but we did see plenty of Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwits, Curlew, Ruff and Redshank (40+). 

Smaller passerines at the bird feeders added a few new species to the list – a couple of male Bullfinches were very nice, also Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Robin, Dunnock and a surprising bird on the nut feeder was a Jackdaw!

ADDITIONS TO NEW YEAR LIST

35. Gt Black-backed Gull 

36. Black-headed Gull

37. Dunlin

38. Ruddy Turnstone

39. Pied Wagtail

40. Eurasian Curlew

41.Common Shelduck

42. Oystercatcher

43.  Eurasian Wigeon

44. Eurasian Linnet

45. Greenfinch

46.  Eurasian Teal

47. Peregrine Falcon

48. Canada Goose

49. Meadow Pipit

50  Mallard

51. Common Gull

52. Tufted Duck

53. Lesser Black-backed Gull

54. Black-tailed Godwit

55. European Moorhen

56. Eurasian Coot

57. Golden Plover

58. Northern Shoveler

59. Common Pochard

      60. Greylag Goose

        61. Ruff

        62.  Grey Heron

        63. Bewick Swan

      64.  Redshank

      65.  White-fronted Goose

      66.  Northern Pintail

      67.  Great Cormorant

      68.  Bullfinch

      69.  Little Egret

JAN 3RD 2013 - UK NEW YEAR LIST

After an early morning dentist appointment I managed to get out for an hour or so. I walked from the cottage we are staying in at North Perrott, Somerset into some orchards which were lined with alder, ash and brambles. Some open maize fields held large flock of finches and the orchards still had fallen fruit which was being devoured by the winter thrushes.

Brambling - it was high up in a tree when I digiscoped it

The Chaffinch flocks held at least 5 Bramblings and probably more, I also saw a large Siskin flock which flew off and several individual Siskins feeding close by.

My walk produced 25 species four of which went on to my new year list: which now stands at 34.

31. Long-tailed Tit
32. Wren
33. Siskin
34. Brambling

JANUARY 1ST - UK: NEW YEAR LIST

happy New Year.

What a lovely start to the year, the weather was superb, clear skies but chilly. We had spent the night with our friends Debbie & Nick at their home just south of Salisbury, Wiltshire.

I got up at 7am and left the house as it got light at 7:30am my first bird of the year was a Eurasian Magpie (pica pica) which flew up from the garden lawn.

I restricted my walk to local lanes and the suburbs of the village and listed just 20 species. All the common garden birds were noted together with a Goldcrest.

Later in the day I went for a much longer walk over the chalk downs with Nick. We crossed open fields, meadows and climb a chalk ridge from where we could see down to the coast, Southampton was in view with the Isle of White in the background.

A view of Salisbury from the chalk ridge

I listed several new species for the new list:  A flock of Yellowhammers (12), Raven (2), Common Kestrel were seen in the fields whilst a Mute Swan sat in a distant pool.

On the return journey we walked back along country lanes passing through a couple of villages where we founds all 5 winter thrushes:  Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Redwing and Fieldfare. We also saw Jay, Lapwing, Common Buzzard and Herring Gull.

2013 Annual list so far:

1. Magpie
2. Robin
3. Jackdaw
4. Rook
5. Chaffinch
6. Blackbird
7. Blue Tit
8. Common Pheasant
9. Wood Pigeon
10. Great tit
11. Goldcrest
12. Dunnock
13. House Sparrow
14.Collared Dove
15. Common Starling
16. Goldfinch
17. Carrion Crow
18. Gt Spotted Woodpecker
19.  Common Buzzard
20. Mute Swan
21. Yellowhammer
22. Eurasian Kestrel
23. Jay
24. Fieldfare
25. Redwing
26. Song Thrush
27. Mistle Thrush
28. Northern Lapwing
29. Herring Gull
30. Common Raven