Birding in February takes me up to 117

Monday 2nd to Wednesday 4th February I was working down in Bournemouth, and I managed just the one lunchtime walk on Wednesday, going around Hengistbury Head Dorset, adding: OYSTERCATCHER & ROCK PIPIT. 

While at work on Wednesday I noticed a lot of Pied Wagtails arriving on the nearby roof tops, and when I left work I passed this tree down Commercial road in which were the roosting pied wagtails.  

2015 Year List = 105

On Friday 6th I headed up to Coventry and after I had completed all my calls, I drove home via Deeping Lakes which is near to the village of Deeping St James Lincolnshire. Using the instructions that had been posted on the Peterbirder Yahoo group, I made my to the hide and found the post in the water, and sure enough on the island was a roosting LONG-EARED OWL.

2015 Year List =106

Monday 9th and back to Hurley Berkshire, and at lunchtime had a walk around the perimeter of Robinswood, got close views of a fox warming itself in the afternoon sun, added BULLFINCH.

2015 Year List =107

Back in Hurley on Wednesday 11th, and I made the short drive to Bray gravel pits for the reported drake Ring-necked duck, I slowly went through all the wildfowl but I could not find him.

Monday 16th to Friday 20th I had work in Redhill, and I put in some extra hours on the first four days, which enabled me to finish early on the Friday. I spent this afternoon in and around Burpham West Sussex seeing 50 species of bird. Highlights: I parked up near the church and walked down to view the flood plain, seeing the 26 BEWICK’S SWANS, around the wastewater treatment works were 10 Chiffchaffs and a FIRECREST. In the churchyard a pair of Bullfinches, out to the grain store Red Kite, Kestrel, Buzzard (2), Short-eared Owl, RAVEN (2), RED-LEGGED, GREY PARTRIDGES & YELLOWHAMMERS.

2015 Year List =113

Thursday 26th and another day on call, even though it was raining, I started the day down at Stokes Bay Gosport Hampshire for the drake SURF SCOTER and the two COMMON SCOTERS. I went to Stokes bay road and parked in the car park next to the sailing club. After putting on my waterproofs I walked on to the beach and soon found the scoters, they were west of were I was, so I walked until I reached the next car park as they were on the sea opposite of here. After watching them for a while, I got tired of wiping away the rain from my glasses and optics, not a great fan of birding in the rain. So I returned to my car, dried the rain from all my lenses and sent an e-mail to Hoslist Yahoo group.

Next stop Southsea Castle where I found five PURPLE SANDPIPERS, still raining.

Then on to Chichester gravel pits for the TUNDRA BEAN GOOSE, I parked up down School lane, and walked around East trout lake to view the fields where the geese (Tundra Bean, Greylag & Canada) were feeding. Then back to the car once again to dry off, as it was still raining. Some good birds seen, but this time, I've had enough of the rain, so headed home.

2015 Year List =117

0 - 103 in 31 days

1st January 2015 and the start of a new year list, spent the day at home (Farnborough, Hampshire) and noted the following birds,

BLACK-HEADED GULL, WOODPIGEON, COLLARED DOVE, PIED WAGTAIL, ROBIN, BLACKBIRD, COAL TIT, BLUE TIT, GREAT TIT, JAY, MAGPIE, CARRION CROW, STARLING, HOUSE SPARROW & GOLDFINCH.

2015 Year List = 15
2nd January and back to work, started the year with a day down in Brighton East Sussex, so at lunchtime went to the Brighton Marina adding TURNSTONE, COMMON GULL, HERRING GULL, GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL, FERAL PIGEON & JACKDAW

2015 Year List = 21

On the 5th, 6th, 8th & 9th I was working on the Croxley Green Business Park, which is right next to Croxley Common Moor Hertfordshire, so on these four lunchtimes I added: GREAT CRESTED GREBE, GREY HERON, MUTE SWAN, CANADA GOOSE, MALLARD, SHOVELER, TUFTED DUCK, RED KITE, KESTREL, MOORHEN, COOT, RING-NECKED PARAKEET, KINGFISHER, GREEN WOODPECKER, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, WREN, DUNNOCK, SONG THRUSH, REDWING, GOLDCREST, TREECREEPER, NUTHATCH, CHAFFINCH, GREENFINCH & REED BUNTING

2015 Year List = 46

On the Wednesday 7th January I was on call, so I shot down to Chichester Gravel Pits West Sussex, to look for the reported Dusky Warbler. I parked up near the footpath that runs next to Ivy lake, and followed other birders down to East trout lake. Where the searching began, the warbler was located between Triangle lake and Copse lake, and only the briefest of views where obtained, then it flew out of the cover and across Triangle lake landing low down in the lakeside bushes and trees, where it moved along feeding giving great scope views, a new bird for my UK list. Also durning the search added: CORMORANT, LITTLE EGRET, GREYLAG GOOSE, POCHARD, DUSKY WARBLER, CHIFFCHAFF, LONG-TAILED TIT,

2015 Year List = 53

I left Chichester GP's happy and headed for Walpole Park Gosport Hampshire for "Waldo" the RING-BILLED GULL, he was quickly located between the boating lakes, also added: LITTLE GREBE, DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE & SPARROWHAWK.

2015 Year List = 57

Then on to Bransbury Common Hampshire, a new site for me where I had a great end of the day adding: HEN HARRIER (male), BUZZARD, PHEASANT, BARN OWL, TAWNY OWL & GREAT GREY SHRIKE.

2015 Year List =63

For all of the W/C Monday 12th January 2015 I was working in Bracknell Berkshire. Monday lunchtime I made the short drive to Maiden Erlegh Park Reading, adding: WOOD DUCK, MANDARIN, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL & STOCK DOVE.

2015 Year List =67

Tuesday 13th I went to Moor Green Lakes at lunchtime adding: BARNACLE GOOSE,

EGYPTIAN GOOSE, WIGEON, GADWALL, TEAL, GOLDENEYE, SMEW, GOOSANDER & LAPWING.

2015 Year List =76

Tuesday 20th as I was working near Hounslow, lunchtime was spent up at Staines Reservoirs Surrey, were I added: GREAT NORTHERN DIVER, BLACK-NECKED GREBE & SCAUP.

2015 Year List = 79

Wednesday 21st and working in Hurley Berkshire, so this lunchtime I added: MEADOW PIPIT, FIELDFARE & MISTLE THRUSH.

2015 Year List = 82 

Thursday 22nd and after I had finished my calls in Sheffield, I made the short drive to Glossop, so I could drive along the A57 Snake Pass, great views with all the snow, and  RED GROUSE easy seen because of the snow.

2015 Year List = 83

Tuesday 27th and after I had finished my call in Basildon Essex, I drove to the RSPB reserve Bowers Marsh where I added: CETTI’S WARBLER, 

I then drove to RSPB reserve Wallasea Island and had great views of SHORT-EARED OWL, MARSH HARRIER & ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD, also added: SHELDUCK, RINGED PLOVER, GOLDEN PLOVER, DUNLIN, CURLEW, REDSHANK, SKYLARK, STONECHAT & LINNET.

2015 Year List = 96

 
Friday 30th and on my way home from working in Coventry i stopped at the RSPB reserve Otmoor Oxfordshire, seeing 43 species of bird, adding: WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, ROSS’S SNOW GOOSE, PEREGRINE, WATER RAIL, SNIPE, MARSH TIT & ROOK

2015 Year List = 103