Buff-bellied Pipit again + Slavonian Grebe

Nothing planned for today until Jimmy calls out that Brian is going to the Queen Mother Reservoir in Berkshire to get another look at the Buff-bellied Pipit for a year tick.
We stop at Staines Reservoir on the way, as it turns out we should not of bothered as all we got was cold, a few Tuffed Ducks, Goldeneye, Great crested Grebe, but no year tick, so we move off to try for the target bird at the other reservoir.
We pay for a permit & park the car, then up the steps for a view over the water.
The bird has been reported by one fellow, but nobody else had seen it.
After a couple of hours still no sign of the bird, so we go for a warming cuppa in the nice cafe on site, the place is now full of birders all round the Reservoir.
Still no sign of the target, but a pair of Peregrines are on a structure in the middle of the water, a Long-tailed Duck is spotted with the Tuffed.
We have been here for a few hours now & we think it is time to go home, but a fellow birder tells us a Slavonian Grebe is right down the far end of the reservoir,so Jimmy & myself make the decision to go looking for it, Brian stays behind as he has already had a sight of it.
It's a long, long walk, in the end it's worth the walk as Jimmy gets it in the scope, I only get quick views of the Duck as it keeps diving, but it's a view.
Walking back now as it's been a long time to keep Brian waiting, as we go a couple of birds drop down on the side of the water in front of us, at first we think it's only Pied Wagtail as we had been seeing them all along the edge, but no it's 2 Buff- belled Pipits.
As we get on to them we hear Brian's voice behind us , he had followed them down from the top end of the Reservoir.
That is good as we all get a really good view of the 2 birds before they fly off over the fields.
Time to walk back now, as we go maybe a couple of hundred birders are heading down to try for a view,  I don't think they will see them at the moment, I hope the birds come back for every body to see them today as they all put in a long shift on a really cold day.
On the way home we see 3 Red Kites, Jimmy was the only one of us who needed them for a year tick so good for him.      

   

Hawfinch at Bramfield.Mandarin & Firecrest at strawberry pond

A phone call from Robert sends me to Bramfield to meet him to try for the Hawfinch at the church.
I arrive first & see the bird within a minute.
It flies off over the road & out of sight.
Robert is here now & we scan the garden opposite the church, a few more birders have arrived by now.
A single Hawfinch soon shows in the trees, it is a really good view.

Hawfinch

Robert says it's the best view he's ever had of one, so well worth the trip, as we stand here a couple of Nuthatch show well. Its nice to see Robert out & doing some birding at last, hope this wets the appetite for him, shame he hasn't more time to join myself & the boys more often.

I was here with the boys just before xmas, there was at least 7 here then, only the one this time but a great view of it.
As I stand by the church wall next to the house a single Black Redstart pops on to a wall a scuffy looking one, it stays only  a brief while, which is a shame as I tried to get a photo, but it was to quick for me.

Nuthatch

It's not a very nice day,& Monday morning, but still people have turned up to do some birding.
It's nice to have people to have a good old talk to.
As we stand about talking I see a Redkite flying around above our head,
we see a lot of these now days which is really good to know.

We pop round to the shop for Rob to get a coffee to keep him going as he's been up all night for his work.

  Time to head home saying Goodbye to Rob, I head to Epping Forest to see the Mandarin ducks that are there every year at Strawberry Pond at High Beech.
I know they are peasant as the boys saw them yesterday.
I park just off the road by the first pond, I walk 50 yds or so into the forest down the path & on the right hand side is the pond with the ducks on .
As soon as I get there they are very visible up to 10 or more, always a nice colourful sight to see.

Photo taken I start back to the car when I see a Firecrest in the bush in front of me, the light is really bad, but I try for a photo anyway.  
Off home for lunch a nice few hours 
spent birding, sorry boys it beats work anyday.                    

Firecrest

                                                                                       

Mandarin Duck

Crane & Bewick + male Hen Harrier at Walland Marsh

Off to the old favourite Dungeness today. We meet at 6 o'clock & the drive is 90 miles.
We stop off at Walland  marsh a new place for us to visit, a common Crane is reported there.
Brian gets us to the right place & we park by the pub the Woolpack, we walk a round a large field across a style up onto a mound, after about 1/2 hour Brian spots the Crane standing out in the open giving great views in the scope. We have heard Bearded Tits, also Cetti's Warbler already.
A nice place this with good views all over the fields, we see a few Marsh Harriers, also female Hen Harriers.
We get talking to a fellow birder, he tells us where to go for some Bewick Swans, so we bid goodbye & set off up towards Lydd, about a mile away a couple of scopes are looking over the field already on the Bewick, 60 or more on show.
After spending a long time scanning for any Whooper Swans without luck we are about to go when Brian stops to have a word with a birder who was scoping the Swans,he tells us a male Hen Harrier is often seen here,just as he says it a bird comes into view( HALLELUJAH ) my first Male Hen Harrier, Jimmy & Brian are also very happy as they haven't seen one for ages. It flies up & down in full view for a long time, what a great sight to see, at the same time a Merlin drops down from a fence post it gives a quick sighting only.

Back in the car & off to look for the Great White Egret, it is  picked out as soon as we get  there, a couple more are  seen near by.
Tree Sparrow are on the feeders by the house as usual.
Off to the beach now looking for the Glaucous gull, a lot of people are here for it, but it never shows today for us.
A scan of the sea reveals 6 common Scoters passing through, many many Great crested Grebe sitting on the water + 1 Leucistic one.
Gannets are following a boat along, a few Guillemot also spotted, Kittiwake are on the beach, Red throated divers are plenty. It's cold & windy so We head for the cafe for a cuppa & toast to warm us up.
Next off down to the reserve visitor centre, we see Smew are here & can be seen from Dennis hide, a quick scan & we see 3 female & 1 male Smew
We make a decision to drive the 20 miles to Dover, in the harbour a couple of Shags are sitting on a wall, in the water a nice Red-breasted Merganser swims  about.
A walk along the pier shows a Razorbill, but not much else, but on the way back on the rocks some Purple Sandpipers are seen.
108 birds seen already so up & running for 2013,   Happy new year to all fellow birders.  

Great white Egret

Tree Sparrow

Dover Castle

Kittiwake

                            

           

First day 89 counted in Norfolk 1st jan 2013

Up early for the 2 hour drive to Titchwell, it's the first day of a new year, so every bird seen counts as a tick.
The first bird seen was the same as last year, a Barn Owl sitting on a fence post, we go on to see 4 more during the rest of the day.
We stop off at Wolferton Triangle to try for the Golden Pheasant, but after going round the triangle 5 times, we give up without seeing them, we don't want to waste to much time as Titchwell is waiting.
we pick up all the usual stuff, to really get the ticks going.
The Red-crested Pochard shows well, also Pintail.
We move down to the beach & see a nice Eider, Longtail Duck also seen, plenty of Sanderling & Turnstone walking about on the beach. A Fulmar spotted a long way out is nice.
On the feeders are Greenfinch, Chafffinch, Goldfinch, & a favourite of mine a few Brambling.

Off to Cley now we spot the Lesser canada Goose that we got last week, so we ticked it for this year. The Scared Ibis is standing not to far away from the road.
On to Stiffkey, Marsh Harrier, then female Hen Harriers fly by,  




Brambling, Greenfinch, Chaffinch.

    Before we head home a stop off at Buckenham Marsh to watch the thousands of Rooks coming in to roost, the noise is something to behold.
A great start to the year 89 birds seen, a little down on last year, but still a nice total.

Wallasea Island Barn Owl

The last trip of the year, one more try to see a male Hen Harrier.
We set out at 12 o'clock for the 40 mile trip just past Southend on sea,the car park is right where we have to be, just a walk up the bank to scan across both the water & the fields.
The first bird we see is a Peregrine sitting on the ground for about an hour, it's a fair distance away, but good views in the scope, plenty of Brent Geese on the water,a Redshank also seen.
It's really blowing a gale, so Jimmy & myself drop down to get out of the wind, we soon pick out some Corn Bunting, at least 3 Kestrel, 2 Stonechat sitting up showing well.2 Little Egrets, 1 Marsh Harrier.
Time is getting on & we move back up to another spot, we stop in the car & look out for any Raptors.
Not to long to wait before a Barn Owl flies right towards us & gives great views.
Just as we think about going a Short-eared Owl gives a brief show not to far away from us.
So no Hen  Harriers, but a pleasant afternoon out despite the wind.
And finally good bye to the old faithful boots, they have kept my feet dry all over this wonderful country of ours, many counties, plus Scotland & Wales. I might just hang them in the shed as a reminder of all the good times they have been on with me.
My year total ended on 252 Birds, only a few dips over the year so a really great year. .                                                                                         .
                                                                                    
                                                                                    

                                                                                       





Hello the new

Goodbye the old

 



2012 Best Birds Seen

Spanish Sparrow



Puffin



Desert Wheatear

A really great year spent with the boys, going all over the country & seeing 251 birds, that is about 26 more than last year & the best year so far.

We have seen some really great birds & been to many nice places & meet some old & new faces,
along the way we have had some laughs.
I must say a big thank you to Brian for driving us all over the place, & along with Jimmy spotting all the birds for me.                                                

Hoopoe

These are the best birds that I got a good  enough photo off for the year
The best place that we visited had to be our trip to Scottland, the White-tailed Eagle, 5 Golden Eagle, Crested Tit,& many more that I never got near enough to get a photo off, but the sight off these birds will stay in the memory for a long time.
The best bird of the year for me has to be the Hoopoe as we chased it for 3 years, & it was our target bird for the year.
I have seen many birds for the first time this year,& I am looking forward to seeing many more next year, I just hope Robert can find the time to tag along with us a bit more in the new year. so happy birding to all, & a very healthy & happy new year.



Glossy Ibis

Dark-eyed Junco



Waxwing

Great white Egret




hornemann's Artic Redpoll



Alpine Swift

Buff-bellied Pipit



 

Sacred Ibis + Richardson's Canada Goose.

Unexpected trip to Norfolk, the weather is not going to be as bad as we first thought, so we meet up & 2 hours later we arrive at Salthouse Beach.
The target a Richardson's Canadian Goose, off down the Beach towards Kelling, we get half way & no sign, so we jump in the car & drive to Kelling, it''s about 1 mile away.
Car parked we walk down a trail, it brings us out over looking the fields by Salthouse.
Brian soon spot's some Geese a long way over the back of the field, & soon picks out the target bird, it is a great deal smaller than the rest of the Canadian Geese, but a bit bigger than the Brent.



Just a little smaller( on the right)

We want a better view, so we go back to Salthouse car park, we then walk along to the Geese, this is a much better view.   


Richardson's Canada Goose

Now we head to Cley, on the way there Brian thinks he's seen the Sacred Ibis in with some Swan's, so the car stops in a lay by, over the road & straight on to the Ibis,just as we see it it flies off a bit farther away, but still giving us a view.

I take a photo as it flies , but it is only a record shot.

We move on to Stiffkey Saltmarsh, as we spend an hour here, we see 3 Female Hen    Harriers, 1 male Marsh Harrier, some Redshank,Little Egrets, Curlew. but the male Hen Harrier never showed again.

That's enough for today now into Burger King, then off home to start thinking about xmas.