Red Kites and Ravens put on a flying display.

Great lunch time, parked up next to Prospect Hill/High Wood Hurley Berkshire, 14 Red Kites, 2 Ravens and a supporting cast of Woodpigeons, Stock Doves, Blackbirds, Chaffinches, Pheasants, Carrion Crows, Magpies and a Robin.

Top Field

Lower Field (You can see the Horizon Office Building where I work when required)

Return to QMR for 226

On Monday 26th Novemeber after working in central London, on my way home I went back to the Queen Mother Reservoir for the Long-tailed Duck reported on goingbirding. Quickly found the LT Duck close to one of the sailing club slip ways (see Below).
Long-tailed Duck (for better photos go to http://www.berksbirds.co.uk/photos.asp).

Great Sky in this photo looking over the reservoir.

Other birds seen: Great Crested Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Cormorant, Tufted Duck, Peregrine, Black-headed, Common, Herring & Great Black-backed Gulls, Woodpigeon, Ring-necked Parakeet, Grey & Pied Wagtail, Blackbird, Jay, Magpie & Carrion Crow.

Human League - Brighton Dome

Tracey and I went to the Brighton Dome on Friday 23rd Novemeber to see the Human League in concert, they were great, I loved growing up in the 80's.

5th Grebe of the year

21st November I was working in Hurley Berkshire, so at lunchtime took the short drive to the Queen Mother Reservoir to see the Red-necked Grebe, taking my year list on to 225.

Looking towards the Tufted Ducks and the Red-necked Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Looking back at the sailing club.

Aylesbury Waxwings

20th Novemeber

Back to Hemel Hempstead for work in the morning and then to High Wycombe in the afternoon, so in between went to Aylesbury to see the waxwings. Arrived at Gatehouse Way around 14:45, No Waxwings on show, so had a walk around seeing Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon, Pied Wagtail, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Greenfinch & Goldfinch. I then moved the car so I could eat my lunch while the trees next to the Micha building were in view, then a flock of birds flew in, a quick look confirmed them to be the waxwings, so I got out and counted 18. Before I left to go the High Wycombe, I sent Lee GR Evans a text message with the news. Year list - 224

Foggy Fleet Pond

16th November took the dogs for a walk around a very foggy Fleet Pond.

Foggy Fleet Pond from Sandy Bay, highlight of the walk was here as in the alders was a mixed flock of Siskin, Lesser Redpoll and Goldfinch.


All the dogs in the wooded area near the car park.

A tale of two Salvonians

15th Novemeber, On holiday this week, finished redecorating the bathroom, so time for some birding, first stop Manor Lake Thorpe Surrey for the long staying Salvonian Grebe. I parked down Church Approach and walked down the footpath to view Manor Lake. I scanned the lake and quickly found the grebe in the SW corner, and watched it as it dived at regular intervals. Up to 223.

SW corner of Manor Lake (Salvonian Grebe is on the water between the viewing panels and tree)

Great start to the day, headed back home to collect the dogs and then of to Pagham Harbour (Church Norton) Wesr Sussex. Arrived at the Church Norton car park around 12:30, then we walked down to the harbour, but did not get very far as the tide was in, and it was a very high tide covering all the footpath. So we walked back to the car park and then down the road until we got the road/footpath on the left which goes through the farm.

.Looking round the farm buildings, birds seen here and on the way to the Severals, Kestrel, Red-legged Partridge, Pheasant, Woodpigeon, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Robin, Blackbird, Great Tit, Jay, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling and Chaffinch. Then on to the beach and looked over the Serverals adding Mute Swan, Mallard, Coot and low over the reeds a Sparrowhawk.

On the beach near the Severals looking towards Pagham Harbour. Oystercatcher and Turnstones on the beach.

Polly and Thomas.

Charlie and Reg.

We then walked along the beach up to the harbour mouth seeing some Skylarks, Tide going out. Gulls seen Black-headed, Common, Herring and Great Black-backed. Out on the sea Great Crested Grebes and a Salvonian Grebe.

Birds on the water and roosting in the harbour, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Little Egret, Grey Heron, DB Brent Goose, Shelduck, Wigeon, Teal, Pintail, Red-Breasted Merganser, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Lapwing, Knot, Dunlin, Curlew and Redshank.

Roosting waders - Knot, Grey Plover and Turnstone.

Looking back towards the hide at church Norton.

The Harbour Mouth

We then started to return to the car park at Church Norton as all the footpaths were now clear of water. On the way there were Stock Doves in the trees, and then one last look over the harbour mud, adding Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwit, I then saw a very pale large bird! Which turned out to be a Leucistic Curlew, and finally in the trees in the car park Greenfinch and Goldfinch.