Monday, May 15, 2017

April 2017 - Stars of CCTV

On Monday 3rd April after work had a nice walk with the dogs on Yateley common (MOD),











Tuesday 4th April, and on my way home from working in Bournemouth, I went to Tundry pond. I parked up near a footpath that took me over the Basingstoke canal, and out to Tundry pond and the surrounding fields. In my time there I saw: Great crested grebe, Grey heron, Mute swan, Greylag goose (also Domestic White Greylag Goose), Canada goose, Egyptian goose, Wigeon, Mallard, Tufted duck, Red kite, Pheasant, Moorhen, Coot, Black-headed gull, Woodpigeon, LITTLE OWL, Green woodpecker, SAND MARTIN, SWALLOW, Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Mistle thrush, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Blue tit, Jay, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion crow, Starling, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Linnet & Reed bunting.















TOTAL FOR YEAR = 153 (Hampshire year list = 141)

Friday 7th, and as I working in Bournemouth, for my lunchtime walk I drove to Ibsley bridge. First bird heard and then seen was a Cetti's warbler from the bramble next to the bridge. I then had a walk along the River Avon and back crossing the field, where I flushed a Snipe.
Cormorant, Little egret, Grey heron, Mute swan, Greylag goose, Canada goose, Mallard, Pheasant, Snipe, Black-headed gull, Woodpigeon, Green woodpecker, Wren, Blackbird, Cetti's warbler, Chiffchaff, Long-tailed tit, Jackdaw, Rook, Chaffinch & Reed bunting.







TOTAL FOR YEAR = 153 (Hampshire year list = 143)

Monday 10th and the start of another week working in Bournemouth, so drove to Hengistbury head for the lunchtime walk. I didn't see the reported pied flycatcher that was seen that morning, but did see the following: Cormorant, Little egret, Grey heron, Mute swan, Teal, Mallard, Pheasant, Black-headed gull, Herring gull, Great black-backed gull, SANDWICH TERN a couple seen in Christchurch harbour, Woodpigeon, Green woodpecker, Great spotted woodpecker, Skylark, Sand martin, Swallow, Wren, Robin, Stonechat, WHEATEAR a nice male in Barn field, Blackbird, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow warbler, Long-tailed tit, Blue tit, Great tit, Magpie, Carrion crow, Starling, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch & Linnet.







TOTAL FOR YEAR = 155

Tuesday 11th, and for lunchtime I went back to Ibsley bridge, for another walk along the river. One new bird for the year list: Cormorant, Little egret, Grey heron, Mute swan, Greylag goose, Canada goose, Mallard, Kestrel, Pheasant, Moorhen, Black-headed gull, Woodpigeon, Green woodpecker, Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Cetti's warbler, SEDGE WARBLER,  Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Great tit, Rook, Chaffinch & Reed bunting.



TOTAL FOR YEAR = 156 (Hampshire year list = 144)

Wednesday 19th, Last day in Bournemouth and completed my handover to my work colleague, who I had been covering for, so I went to Casbrook common. This is an area of Hampshire new to me, but went as nightingales had been reported. I parked up down Rudd lane, and followed the footpath through the wood and out on to the common. I went up to the area of bushes and buddleia, where I heard and saw two NIGHTINGALEs. Then out on to the mainly open grass area with scattered bushes, where I saw LESSER WHITETHROAT, WHITETHROAT, both singing, there was also a large pond, which looked like it was left over from gravel extraction. Also seen: Canada goose, Mallard, Pheasant, Coot, Woodpigeon, Green woodpecker, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song thrush, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Great tit, Nuthatch, Magpie, Rook, Goldfinch & Bullfinch.

















TOTAL FOR YEAR = 159 (Hampshire year list = 147)

Thursday 20th and another day working by the sea, this time in Brighton. I found the website: http://sussexheights.co.uk/sussex-heights-brighton-peregrine-falcons-nestbox-camera
I watched the pair of Peregrines, and saw on one of the webcams a ramp up to a roof top car park. I walked here and went up to the car park to watch the prergrines for a while. When back in the office I found out that you can rewind the webcams, so I did and watched myself up on the roof car park (you can see me under the yellow arrow). PEREGRINE, took the year list to 160, Herring gull, Feral pigeon & House sparrow.







TOTAL FOR YEAR = 160

The last week of April started with another on call day Monday 24th, and as I would be working on one site in central London the rest of the week, I took the opportunity to do more Hampshire birding. The day started at Acres down, New forest for: Stock dove, Woodpigeon, CUCKOO, Great spotted woodpecker, TREE PIPIT, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, REDSTART, Stonechat, Blackbird, Song thrush, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow warbler, Coal tit, Blue tit, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Carrion crow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Siskin, Linnet & Common crossbill.





TOTAL FOR YEAR = 163 (Hampshire year list = 150)

Then to Salisbury trench, New forest and on this circular walk noted: Stock dove, Woodpigeon, Wren, Robin, Redstart, Blackbird, Song thrush, Blackcap, WOOD WARBLER had great views as he sang and moved about the trees close to the footpath, Chiffchaff, Firecrest, Blue tit, Great tit, Raven, Chaffinch & Greenfinch.





TOTAL FOR YEAR = 164 (Hampshire year list = 151)

Then to Tern hide at Ibsley water (Blashford lakes), where I joined the other birders all watching the Bonaparte's gull. Birds seen: Great crested grebe, Cormorant, Mute swan, Canada goose, Egyptian goose, Gadwall, Mallard, Tufted duck, Little ringed plover, Lapwing, Dunlin, Redshank, Mediterranean gull, Little gull, BONAPARTE’S GULL, Black-headed gull, Lesser black-backed gull, Herring gull, COMMON TERN, Sand martin & Jackdaw.



TOTAL FOR YEAR = 166 (Hampshire year list = 153)

Last stop of the day was at Keyhaven & Pennington marshes, where I parked up at the end of Lower pennington lane, and walked down to the sea wall. I looked over Pennington lagoon and found some WHIMBRELs. Then along to Butts lagoon where there were REED WARBLERs, and two SPOONBILLs. The spoonbills relocated to Fishtail lagoon, where there was also a COMMON SANDPIPER, flying over the lagoons were four LITTLE TERNs. Also noted were: Little egret, Grey heron, Mute swan, Canada goose, Shelduck, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Pintail, Tufted duck, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Little ringed plover, Grey plover, Lapwing, Dunlin, Black-tailed godwit, Bar-tailed godwit, Redshank, Turnstone, Black-headed gull, Herring gull, Great black-backed gull, Common tern, Woodpigeon, Cuckoo, Sand martin, Swallow, Pied wagtail, Dunnock, Wheatear, Blackbird, Cetti's warbler, Whitethroat, Magpie, Carrion crow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Linnet & Reed bunting.















TOTAL FOR YEAR = 171 (Hampshire year list = 159)