Chipperfield - 3.4.14

After a day at work neither myself or Carey could be arsed to cook so we wandered around to the Two Brewers pub in the village and after a lovely meal we walked back home. But I was briefly stopped in my tracks along King's Lane as presumably one of last years Firecrest was singing from the same gardens as last year. This was great news that they are still around and it brought my year list up to a nice round 140.

Hilfield Reservoir - 31.3.14

Little Gull

 

During work I received a couple of text messages informing me of a Little Gull at the res so as I finish at 3pm on a Monday I was down there promptly. On site were Steve Murray and Joan Thompson with her hubby. I got onto the gull which was an adult winter bird with just the smallest hint of black on the face. Soon after Joan left and no sooner was she out the gate then I heard the call of Sand Martin overhead. Initially I picked out 5 but the number rose to 9 before the disappeared. I had a quick look at the logbook and read that Red-Legged Partridge had been seen the day before under the feeders. I couldn't recall ever seeing one here so I turned round and looked down to the feeders and sure enough a single RLP was feeding on the floor! Just as I was walking down the steps to the car a Red Kite was seen in the distance. Not a bad hours birding.

Fen Drayton RSPB - 30.3.14

Baikal Teal.

 

On Thursday I joked to my son that if news from his parents evening was bad I'd punish him by dragging him out birding all weekend! Luckily for him his work had improved and so he'd escaped. But then as we were in town on Saturday shopping in Boots the mega alert went off! Due to plans to visit the cinema with my brother the twitch had to be delayed. Sunday morning and news was positive that the bird in question was still present so I dragged my boy along anyway! A short trip into neighbouring Cambridgeshire saw us arrive on site in just over an hour. As we drove up the entrance track 2 Red-Legged Partridge were in the fields to the right and then straight onto the year list. I parked up with a couple of other cars just before the very weird guided busway. Basically it's 2 concrete tracks running through the middle of the reserve that normal single and double decker buses run on! A nice 1 mile walk eventually found us on the track down to Moore Lake at the far west end of the reserve. A couple of Cetti's Warblers burst into song along the way as were a few Chiffchaff. Eventually we came across a few other birders and from the hide I got onto my first ever BAIKAL TEAL. It was a stunning pristine drake fully winged and un-ringed keeping mainly to itself but loosely associating with a few Teal and Wigeon. I got Tom onto it and he replied yeah I got it and its very nice! (I'll make a birder out of him one day!). We watched swim from left to right picking off flies from the surface of the water. Once we'd had our fill of this bird I had a quick scan of the islands and picked out the head and upper body of an Avocet which was a nice year tick. On the walk back to the car I had a quick scan over another of the lakes as the day before it had held Scaup, Garganey and Smew. Apart from a Scaup and a few Goldeneye I didn't have time to have a good look for the other species. There have now been 4 accepted records of Baikal Teal so as long as this bird keeps looking wary, not eating bread thrown at it and flies off soon it has a good chance of being number 5.

Watford - 28.3.14

2 Chiffchaff were heard singing from the yard at Wiggenhall Road first thing and another was singing at Harebreaks Rec. The Lesser Redpoll count at Cassiobury Park had risen up to 4.

KGVPF - 27.3.14

Whilst cutting the cricket squares for the first time this year a Red Kite flew over. Once finished a Chiffchaff could be heard and 3 Meadow Pipit flew over.

Quiet - 26.3.14

A Sparrowhawk flew over Wiggenhall Road depot first thing.

Golden Garden Tick - 25.3.14

Whilst sat on the sofa looking out the window I noticed a large flock of birds flying south away from the flat. I grabbed my bins and sure enough they were Golden Plover! I counted roughly 70 birds before they disappeared out of view.

Watford - 24.3.14

On the way to Cassiobury Park a drake Tufted Duck flew over Rickmansworth Road and West Herts sports ground. From the direction of flight it most certainly flew out from the park. In the park 2 Lesser Redpoll were still around the yard.

Portland - 22.3.14

The Iceland Gull

 

A nice weekend away with Carey was planned but the drive down Friday night nearly ruined it all before it began. We had planned to leave home about 4.30pm but due to an accident in the country lanes meant Carey didn't get home till just gone 5. Once on the M25 good progress was made for all of about 4 junctions when we hit traffic all the way down to the M3. Then it really got bad! We reached Whinchester services at 9pm and then the thunderstorms started! Eventually we reached the hotel on Portland at 10.30pm totally shattered but before we could go to bed the bulb in the loo blew so the hotel manager had to come and replace it!

The next day dawned sunny with a brisk wind. First port of call was down to the bill for a nice wander in the fresh air. 2 Raven flew over the car park and on the rocks by the lighthouse the first Wheatear of the year was seen. a couple of Fulmar were out at sea and 2 Little Owl were in the obs quarry again. I then bumped into Chris Sharp, Paul Frost and Ephraim Perfect to whom I got onto one of the owls. I said goodbye to them and went for a drink in the café. Next stop was Ferrybridge where a quick scan of the mud saw a few Ringed Plover and Turnstone but then I came across a lovely 3rd winter Iceland Gull. I'd received a text from Chris that he'd seen the same bird at Chesil Cove after I'd given them directions and so I thought I'd call him to let them know it was here. They arrived quickly and got onto it. Shortly after I picked up a smaller and paler looking plover in with the Ringed Plovers. I got the others onto it and we were in agreement it was a Little Ringed Plover our first of the year. They headed off home and we went to Lodmoor hoping for a Sand Martin but only a Cetti's Warbler saved the visit becoming my 133rd species of the year.

Knutsford - 20.3.14

While finishing off the marking out a Chiffchaff was singing away at Knutsford rec and a Meadow Pipit flew over.