What are we doing, Red-breasted Goose.

Brian wanted to try again to find the Red-breasted Goose that had been around a few places in Essex, around Wallasea.   

The weather is horrible, and the forecast for the rest of the day says heavy rain, so not a lot is going for it, but being mad, we decide to give it a go anyway.

We have heard the bird had been seen at Paglesham Eastend Essex. That is around the back of the bank at Wallasea reserve.

On finding the road, we park at the bottom end of it; it's still raining heavily, but we have found the large flock of Brent Geese a long way off, and Brian picks out the target bird within minutes. This is a good year tick for us. 

We spent a short time watching the bird, not as long as we would have liked, as we were getting soaked.

Back in the car for a warm-up and drive around to Wallasea reserve. Somehow, we talk ourselves into walking out to the hide, and the ground is just puddles, and it is very unpleasant indeed.

There are not a lot of birds flying about, as you can imagine, in the hide for some relief from the rain, and all we could find for our troubles was a single Ringed Plover, another year tick, but we wanted more for our heroic troubles.

Still, two-year ticks are better than none, and as Brian always says, if you get out there, you might just find something.  

                                                          

First trip of year to Norfolk gets me 21 year ticks.

With us all being free for the day, we decided to take our first trip to Norfolk to add to our tick list for the year.  

So off before six am on a dark, rainy morning. First stop was Hunstanton, knowing that we would tick Fulmar, we also got Red-breasted Merganser, so it was a good start.

Off now to Titchwell, first up, we check if the Tawny Owl is still in the Ivy-covered tree on 

The first boardwalk from the visitor centre, to our surprise, we spot it straight away, tucked up behind the Ivy, on the walk up to the beach. Jimmy and I got a few ticks, two Pintail, and some Curlew, Avocet, and Pinkfoot flew over.

Up at the beach, the tide was in, and waders were in low numbers. Out on the waves, we see three Long-tailed ducks, a Red-throated diver, and then two drake Eiders pass through.

We also tick Sandeling and see hundreds of Oystercatchers, all needed for year ticks.  Off to have a look in at Brancaster Staithe, three ticks here in Bar -tailed Godwits, Turnstones, and Grey Plover. 

We hear about Glossy Ibis at Stiffkey floods, so we set off to find them, on arrival we hear gunshots and people walking back tell us the Ibis had flown off. We are told that two Ibis had been seen at Morston Quay, so we set off to get them. We park for free, as it is a National Trust and I am a member. A short walk soon gets us another year tick when we see two Glossy Ibis not too far out, and a single Greenshank is seen. 

Off to Salthouse looking for Twite, but no sign of them, but got lucky when thirteen Snow Buntings flew over our heads. 

Brian asks if we want to go see the Eastern-Black Redstart, but it's not a bird we can tick, but we want to see it anyway. Brian had seen the bird when he came here on his own, so we went to an alleyway where he had seen it, and there it was, high up on a windowsill.

It flew down to a wall and was mobile as it kept flying up and down and back to the windowsill.

A great day out with the boys, now for the drive home.  With another twenty one tear ticks on the list.

                                                          

Turnstone

Oystercarcher

Greenshank

The non-tickable Eastern black Redstart.

Nice looking bird.

Curlew

Bar-tailed Godwits

                                                      

 

     

Another Lifer ( Killdeer ) at Ripley Hampshire.

The three of us meet up at 5.45 am for the two-hour trip to Hampshire in the hope of seeing a lifer for all three of us that was seen yesterday at Ripley Farm reservoir.  

We were told parking was bad, with not a lot of places near the farm. When we arrive around 8am, we pull into a layby and find one space there, so it's a good start to the day. 

Out of the car, we take the path up the side of the farm for about a mile till it opens out and a small group of birders has the Killdeer in their scopes, and all three of us have another Lifer. 

The bird is a fair way over the other side of the water, and not many photos were being taken.

It was easy to pick out as it walked about on the bank of the pool. It was bigger than a Ringed Plover with two neck bands and a longer neck and tail.

After a couple of hours watching the bird, we don't think it is going to come any closer for any decent photos, so it's off to see if we can find the Great-tailed Grackle that has been around for some time. It is only 20 miles away, in Holbury. so although it's not a bird, we can count it as a tick; we had to go for it. I have not seen one before, in Britain, and as we pull into Southbourne Avenue, we spot it before even getting out of the car.  

Parked up, we spent an hour watching the Grackle walk right up to us and then flying up to a wall or the trees nearby when it would bust into a call that we all found very funny.

So off home after a really nice time, and really got lucky as the weather forecast said it was going to rain nearly all day, but we never got wet, so it was a real bonus.

                                                          

                                                               

The Great -tailed Gracle

                                                                                

                                                                              

It is there just. The Killdeer.

Part of the twitch.

Top left corner on the ridge.

Quick trip to Lemsford Springs.

 With very little time to spare, Jimmy and I decide to head up the A1(m ) to the small reserve in Hertfordshire, Lemsford Springs.    

A reported Jacksnipe was the aim. It took us 40 minutes to reach the springs in Welwyn Garden City. 

We really were on the clock and were pleased to find the entrance gate open for us.

It's only a few minutes' walk to the first hide; it had a few birders in there, but they were very accommodating and made room on the bench for an old boy, much appreciated.

One Jacksnipe was in the middle of the water, right in front of the hide, to give us great views of it.

We only spent 15 minutes watching it before we headed back to the car, probably the shortest time we have ever spent on a birding trip. 

We were told that two more Jacksnipes were seen at the second hide, but not as good a view as we got from the first hide. On the way home, it's reported that there are now five Jacksnipe being seen. A very quick year tick, but well worth the effort. 

Also seen while there were some Green Sandpipers, Grey Wagtails, and Common Snipe.

    

                                                        

                                                                 

                                                                            

                                                                           

                                                              

New year list off and running.

With Brian under the weather on New Year's Day, we had to wait until January 2nd, when we set off for Abberton, which is only an hour away from home, just in case Brian was still feeling a bit under the weather and it's not too far to drive home.

On arrival, just after 8am, we spot the 3 Bean Geese in a field with the Greylags just before the causeway. At the causeway, 2 Little Stints are seen, Green Sandpiper, Goosander, Black-necked & Salvonian Grebe, and a Marsh Harrier flies overhead.

A look over the road reveals a Rock Pipit and a perched Kingfisher, always a nice sight to see.

White-fronted Geese are seen opposite Billet's farm.

A drive round to Lodge Lane, where Jimmy soon picks out the Lesser Scaup, and we see Greenfinch, Song Thrush, Mistle, Redwing, and Fieldfare. Some of the birds were in a large garden down the Lane, and as we were looking, a fellow who lives there invited us to look round the back of the house, where he had fantastic views over the area and the reservoirs. 

Although we never added to the tick list, it was greatly appreciated.

Back to the causeway, we pick up a few more ticks and then pop into Ardleigh reservoir and tick the Red-necked Grebe so easily, as it was the only bird on there.

On the 3rd Jan, we head off to St Albans, a nice, easy trip as it is only 30-odd minutes to get there.

A Yellow-browed Warbler was the aim, and we found it within 10 minutes in Verulamium Park, just by the Cathedral. We spent over an hour watching the Warbler feeding on the leaves and not troubled by us at all. Nuthatch, Goldcrest, and Grey Wagtail are seen.

Not far away is the lovely little Watercress reserve. Here we get Lesser Redpoll, Bullfinch & Siskin. So, a nice start to our birding year. So, without going too far from home, and with 13 ticks seen in my own garden, my year total is not too bad at 87. 

                                                        

 

Grey Phalarope over KGV Reservoir.

A 9am call from Brian to say he was heading over to the KGV Res as a Phalarope had been reported there, we all needed one for a year tick, so we arranged to meet him over there.  

It's local to us and only takes 15 minutes despite the 20-mile-an-hour traffic through Chingford. As we park up, Harry is on the way back from seeing the bird. He tells us the Phalarope had moved down to the southeast corner of the south basin.

Brian was already down there watching the bird; this is only a short walk from the car park along the top end of the reservoir. The walk got even shorter when Brian was heading back towards us, as the bird had flown up to meet us and landed not far away near the edge of the water.

We get a really good view of what turned out to be a Grey Phalarope, not as reported a Red Phalarope.

Always nice to see Harry and other local birders when we visit here, and meet a new birder in Richard, who was the one to find the bird. 

                                                                  

The Grey Phalarope.

Brown Shrike in Suffolk gives me another lifer.

After missing out on the trip to Spurn on Wednesday for the Black-faced Bunting that Brian & Jimmy went for. I was glad when this Brown Shrike popped up on Birdguides around  9am this morning. A phone call to Brian to see if he could make the trip gets a thumbs-up reply, and to meet up at 10 o'clock. 

We arrive at Heath Rd, Upper Hollesley, Common in Suffolk, around noon, and we find a fair number of cars parked up, but we manage to get parked just off the main Road by Gobblecock Cottage and see a small crowd of birders lined up on the other side of the Road. 

We soon get talking to a local birder, who tells us the Shrike has been seen on & off over the last hour.  We didn't have to wait long before Jimmy and I had another lifer. It was really nice for Jimmy, as he had dipped this species on two other occasions.  I was with him on one of those trips, so a big high five on getting this tick.

Over the next couple of hours, we had great views of the Brown Shrike, although it never came close enough to get great photos.

A nice little twitch not too far from home, and nice to see John P and Howard. along with some other known faces.  It's been a while since we have been out birding together, so this was great to do this trip and to get to see this cracking 1st winter Brown Shrike. I was told the first for Suffolk.                      

                                               

Brown Shrike