Friday, February 5, 2016

...and so it starts again, welcome 2016

...and so it starts again, welcome 2016, Monday 4th January and back to work, this time in Aldgate, so at lunchtime had a walk around the Tower of London & St Katherine Docks, seeing: CORMORANT, TUFTED DUCK, COOTBLACK-HEADED GULLHERRING GULLLESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLGREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLFERAL PIGEONWOODPIGEONCARRION CROW.





TOTAL FOR YEAR = 10

Tuesday 5th and after doing a call in Colchester, I drove to Abberton Reservoir Essex for a great afternoon's birding on and around both of the causeways. I parked up in the visitor centre, and went in to see what had been seen that morning, I then drove to the car park next to the Layer De La Haye causeway, got changed into my birding clothes, which now include Country Innovation Falcon trousers. I walked along the causeway, making a note of all that was seen, these included SLAVONIAN GREBE & BLACK-NECKED GREBE then back to the car, for the short drive to Billets Farm, then a short walk to the hide to view the AVOCETs BEWICK’S SWANs. Back to the car and I drove around to the Layer Breton causeway where I added some more to the list, which included a fine drake SMEW. I then decided to walk the footpath across the fields back to LDLH causeway, then across the causeway and the footpath across the fields back to LB causeway, where I found that the Smew had moved closer the the road. 51 species of bird seen, including the above, GREAT CRESTED GREBE, Cormorant, LITTLE EGRETGREY HERONMUTE SWANGREYLAG GOOSECANADA GOOSEEGYPTIAN GOOSEWIGEONGADWALLTEALMALLARDPINTAILSHOVELERPOCHARD, Tufted duck, GOLDENEYEGOOSANDERBUZZARDPHEASANTMOORHEN, Coot, LAPWINGREDSHANK, Black-headed gull, COMMON GULL, Herring gull, woodpigeon, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERPIED WAGTAILWRENDUNNOCK, ROBIN, BLACKBIRD, FIELDFARE, REDWING, LONG-TAILED TIT, BLUE TIT, MAGPIE, JACKDAW, ROOK, Carrion crow, STARLINGCHAFFINCHGOLDFINCH & REED BUNTING. Also Swan Goose & Domestic White Greylag Goose.









TOTAL FOR YEAR = 54

Thursday 7th and after doing a call in Brent Cross, I drove to Borehamwood Hertfordshire to spend my lunchtime with the MONK PARAKEETs, also seen Woodpigeon, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Blue tit & Carrion crow.


TOTAL FOR YEAR = 55


I had a part to return to High Wycombe so after Borehamwood I drove to Tringford Hertfordshire to have a walk around Startop's End & Marsworth Reservoirs, before going to High Wycombe, where I added six to the year list, birds seen: LITTLE GREBE, Great crested grebe, Cormorant, Grey heron, Mute swan, Greylag goose, Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Shoveler, Pochard, Tufted duck, RED KITE, Buzzard, WATER RAIL, Moorhen, Coot, Black-headed gull, Woodpigeon, KINGFISHERGREEN WOODPECKER, Pied wagtail, Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Fieldfare, MISTLE THRUSH, Blue tit, Starling, also Domestic White Mallard.








TOTAL FOR YEAR = 61

Friday 8th, with no site visits or calls to do, I decided to head out and do some birding in Hampshire, I started at Rooksbury Mill LNR Andover, where I saw the two RING-NECKED DUCKs. I also added SONG THRUSH GREAT TIT, along with Cormorant, Mute swan, Gadwall, Mallard, Tufted duck, Moorhen, Coot, Black-headed gull, Woodpigeon, Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Magpie, Chaffinch.





TOTAL FOR YEAR = 64


Then from Andover I drove down to Eastleigh sewage works, and after a short wait the YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER, flew in the the bushes that I had seen it on Christmas eve. This time I had better views and even managed some record shots, also added CHIFFCHAFF & GOLDCREST. Also seen, Mute swan, Moorhen, Herring gull, Woodpigeon, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song thrush, Long-tailed tit, Blue tit, Magpie, Carrion crow, Goldfinch.



TOTAL FOR YEAR = 67


Finally I made the journey along the M27 to Southsea, where I parked up near the castle, and went to view the gulls on Southsea common, where I picked out the ICELAND GULL, a few other birders doing the same thing. Then I had a walk around the castle where I had good views of SHAGPURPLE SANDPIPERs ROCK PIPIT, also saw Cormorant, Black-headed gull, Common gull, Herring gull, Great black-backed gull, Feral pigeon, Woodpigeon, Pied wagtail, Blackbird, Carrion crow, Starling





TOTAL FOR YEAR = 71

Tuesday 12th and I started the day birding Sandy lane Pyrford Surrey, where I saw the following: SPARROWHAWK, Woodpigeon, Great spotted woodpecker, Wren, Robin, Goldcrest, Long-tailed tit, Blue tit, Great tit, NUTHATCHTREECREEPER, Magpie, Jackdaw, Chaffinch, BRAMBLING & Goldfinch. I then made my way to Letchworth for call.



TOTAL FOR YEAR = 75

After I had finished the call, I had time to go to RSPB Reserve Ouse Washes, where I noted 30 species, which included WHOOPER SWANKESTRELCOLLARED DOVESTONECHATHOUSE SPARROW TREE SPARROW for the year list.







TOTAL FOR YEAR = 81


Friday 15th and a day working in Kings hill Kent, so at lunchtime I drove to West Malling and had a walk around Manor Park, seeing 32 species: Little grebe, Gadwall, Mallard, Tufted duck, Moorhen, Coot, Black-headed gull, Feral pigeon, Woodpigeon, Collared dove, Great spotted woodpecker, Pied wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song thrush, Redwing, Mistle thrush, Goldcrest, Long-tailed tit, COAL TIT, Blue tit, Great tit, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion crow, House sparrow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch & SISKIN.








TOTAL FOR YEAR = 83


Thursday 28th, and as I had been working down in Bournemouth all week, I made some time to have alunchtime walk around Upton country park Poole Dorset. Always nice to get out in the sun, and someone had been putting seed on fence posts around the country park, enabling me to get some nice photos. A nice mix of habitat in which I noted 46 species, Little grebe, Little egret, Mute swan, Canada goose, SHELDUCK, Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Pintail, Shoveler, Moorhen, Avocet,
DUNLINBLACK-TAILED GODWITCURLEW, Redshank, Black-headed gull, Common gull, Lesser black-backed gull, Herring gull, Feral pigeon, STOCK DOVE, Woodpigeon, Green woodpecker, Pied wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song thrush, Redwing, Mistle thrush, Long-tailed tit, Coal tit, Nuthatch, JAY, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion crow, Starling, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, LINNET & BULLFINCH.













TOTAL FOR YEAR = 91