30 in the 29 days of February

Wednesday 3rd February after working in Bournemouth, I popped into Blashford lakes, going to the woodland hide, and seeing: Sparrowhawk, Woodpigeon, Great spotted woodpecker, Dunnock, Robin. Blackbird, Coal tit, Blue tit, Great tit, Jackdaw, Chaffinch, GREENFINCH, Goldfinch, Siskin, LESSER REDPOLL & Reed bunting. I then went to the Ivy lake north hide hoping for Bittern, I stayed there until closing time, NO Bittern, but did see: Great crested grebe, Cormorant, Grey heron, Canada goose, Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Shoveler, Tufted duck, Moorhen, Coot, Black-headed gull, Woodpigeon, I watched Wren, Robin, Goldcrest, Long-tailed tit all feeding in the reed bed & finally Magpie.

TOTAL FOR YEAR = 93

Sunday 7th February, I started at Thursley Common Surrey where with other birders, had great views of the GREAT GREY SHRIKE. I then went to Woolmer forest near Bordon Hampshire, hoping for Crossbill. The Red flags were up, so I walked around the perimeter track, seeing: Canada goose, Mallard, Shoveler, Pochard, Tufted duck, Buzzard, Coot, Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Redwing, Goldcrest, Long-tailed tit, Coal tit, Blue tit, Great tit, Carrion crow, Goldfinch & Siskin.

TOTAL FOR YEAR = 94

Wednesday 17th February, and as I was working near Dinton Pastures CP Berkshire, I had a lunchtime walk around the lakes seeing: Great crested grebe, Cormorant, Little egret, Grey heron, Mute swan, Canada goose, Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Pochard, FERRUGINOUS DUCK, Tufted duck, Goldeneye, Red kite, Buzzard, Pheasant, Water rail, Moorhen, Coot, OYSTERCATCHER, Lapwing, Snipe, Black-headed gull, Common gull, Stock dove, Woodpigeon, Green woodpecker, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song thrush, CETTI’S WARBLER, Goldcrest, Long-tailed tit, Blue tit, Great tit, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Jay, Magpie, Carrion crow, Starling, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Bullfinch & Reed bunting.

TOTAL FOR YEAR = 97

Thursday 18th February, and after working in Bournemouth, I went to Blackwater Arboretum New Forest, and I waited for the Hawfinches to come in to roost. While there I saw: Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Song thrush, Goldcrest, Coal tit, Blue tit, Carrion crow, Chaffinch, Siskin & HAWFINCH.

TOTAL FOR YEAR = 98

Friday 19th February, work took me to Redhill, and after I had finished the call, I went to Papercourt water meadows near Ripley Surrey. I parked up near Papercourt farm, and walked down to the lock, and then out on to the water meadows, seeing the following: Cormorant, Canada goose, Egyptian goose, Teal, Mallard, Kestrel, Pheasant, Moorhen, Black-headed gull, Stock dove, Woodpigeon, Collared dove, RING-NECKED PARAKEET, BARN OWL, Wren, Robin, Stonechat, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song thrush, Redwing, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Long-tailed tit, Blue tit, Great tit, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion crow, Starling, House sparrow & Siskin. I went for Short-eared owl but none seen.

TOTAL FOR YEAR = 100

As I had no work scheduled for Friday 26th February, I spent the day birding in Hampshire, started the day at Mark Ash Wood, New Forest. There were some other birders already there, I soon had MARSH TIT, and then heard drumming so I walked towards where it was coming from and then saw the LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER, high up on a dead branch. Also seen here: Stock dove, Green woodpecker, Wren Robin, Blackbird, Song thrush, Blue tit, Great tit, Nuthatch. Treecreeper & Chaffinch. I then went to Acres Down New Forest, when I walked up to the viewing point, two birders that were at Mark Ash Wood, were already there, and they put me on to GOSHAWK, a new bird for me, enjoyed watching these birds displaying, and one flew over us, also good views of WOODLARK. Before they left for Keyhaven/Pennington marshes (also my next destination) that told me about some Crossbills they had seen earlier. I went down into the wood and soon located the COMMON CROSSBILL, also had great views of Hawfinch. Then on to the coast, met up with the other two again I noted 57 species of bird, adding the following to the year list: SPOONBILL, DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE, LONG-TAILED DUCK, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, GOLDEN PLOVER, GREY PLOVER, KNOT, RUFF, SNIPE, BAR-TAILED GODWIT, SPOTTED REDSHANK, GREENSHANK, TURNSTONE, MEADOW PIPIT, WATER PIPIT & DARTFORD WARBLER. The total for the day was 75.

TOTAL FOR YEAR = 121

...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, COOT, BLACK-HEADED GULL, HERRING GULL, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL, FERAL PIGEON, WOODPIGEON, CARRION 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 EGRET, GREY HERON, MUTE SWAN, GREYLAG GOOSE, CANADA GOOSE, EGYPTIAN GOOSE, WIGEON, GADWALL, TEAL, MALLARD, PINTAIL, SHOVELER, POCHARD, Tufted duck, GOLDENEYE, GOOSANDER, BUZZARD, PHEASANT, MOORHEN, Coot, LAPWING, REDSHANK, Black-headed gull, COMMON GULL, Herring gull, woodpigeon, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, PIED WAGTAIL, WREN, DUNNOCK, ROBIN, BLACKBIRD, FIELDFARE, REDWING, LONG-TAILED TIT, BLUE TIT, MAGPIE, JACKDAW, ROOK, Carrion crow, STARLING, CHAFFINCH, GOLDFINCH & 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, KINGFISHER, GREEN 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 SHAG, PURPLE 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, NUTHATCH, TREECREEPER, 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 SWAN, KESTREL, COLLARED DOVE, STONECHAT, HOUSE 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,

DUNLIN, BLACK-TAILED GODWIT, CURLEW, 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