randombirder

There's certain birds that you just have to see.  I had joked about not having WRYNECK on my life list and had hoped that this would be the year that I would eventually see one. The last few days had seen an influx of drift migrants propelled by an easterly onshore breeze depositing a decent number of Wryneck onto coastal areas with a large proportion of these in eastern and southern counties. Yesterday a report came in of a rare inland sighting at Stapleford in Herts, which was interesting as one was seen at the same location last year.  It was also close by, but not close enough for an excursion using public transport. Well that's what I thought. Last night was a bit boozy, a night out in Camden and with a few pale ales consumed, I felt a bit jaded this morning.  With the bird still present, and finding out that Stapleford was a few miles from Hertford East station, I jammed onto the train with my bike. Eventually finding the location, there were grown men st...

Hi, my name is Jonathan and I'm a fair weather birder.  When the rain poured, I stayed in.  So this morning, I peered out of the window, checked the clouds, checked the pavements.  It was dry.  So I headed for the patch. A thoroughly decent day that started off at the Marshes with plenty of hirundines overhead, mainly House Martin with around 50 darting around.  Two Swallow then shot through and around 20 Common Swift were still hanging about.  The Marshes were generally quiet with four Lesser Whitethroat seen with half a dozen Common Whitethroat , and a singing Willow Warbler . The best sighting were of two Whinchat on the north marsh in exactly the same location as the single bird seen on Sunday. Moving onto the reservoirs and two Shoveler were showing close to the shore on No.4 with large numbers of Tufted Duck .  Two juvenile Greater Black Backed Gull dropped into No.4 before circling round and heading away. East Warwick was reasona...

Another lovely morning with sun and high cloud but generally quiet where Wanstead down the road was having a great time.  My first Whinchat of the autumn was present on the north marsh.   Willow Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat were active in the usual spots and a Reed Warbler was alarm calling by the boardwalk.  Around 30+ Common Swift and 100+ House Martin were present over the waterworks.

A lovely cool sunny morning started with a bit of interest on the paddocks with three juvenile Yellow Wagtail and a 1cy male Northern Wheatear . Two juvenile Kestrel were hunting over the cow field.  There were still plenty of juvenile Willow Warbler with at least a couple attempting song.  Track 13 was relatively productive with a Spotted Flycatcher in amongst three Lesser Whitethroat , and other common warblers.  A Hobby flew over where there were 50+ Swift and 100+ House Martin .  A Peregrine flew high west.

It started cool, overcast with a little bit of rain in the air.  It felt good for a fall of common migrants. Well, it turned out to be a bit of struggle to find any quality and while a lot of other London sites are picking up Redstart, Whinchat, etc, Walthamstow seems to be lagging behind. The Marshes were relatively quiet today but there did appear to be an increase in Willow Warbler numbers with at least ten lovely bright juveniles seen.  A Lesser Whitethroat was present down Track 13.  A return visit uncovered the male Northern Wheatear seen yesterday.  A Kingfisher called as it flew up the relief channel and a Little Egret waded in the shallows. Onto the reservoirs, Common Swift numbers were still high with 100+ present, but House Martin seem to have increased with 150+ there with a decent number of Sand Martin . A juvenile Willow Warbler was flitting within the greenery opposite No.5, six Shoveler swam close to shore on East Warwick, and a sing...

Just over a week now before I start my new job so trying to cram in as much as possible.  Another stunning morning, cool and still, with wisps of high cloud. The day started with a smart male Northern Wheatear on the paddocks that remained for a while before being relocated later on at the cow field.  There was a decent mix of Warblers down Track 13 with a Garden Warbler being my first record on the patch.  A total of five Lesser Whitethroat , six Willow Warbler (including two singers) with several Blackcap , Chiffchaff , and Common Whitethroat .  Overhead, the large numbers of Common Swift were still present with 150+ and 100+ House Martin . A real surprise was a Firecrest that called a couple of times within scrub as viewed from the bench mound.  Attempts to catch a glimpse of the bird were in vain. Other birds seen were two Kestrel , a Sparrowhawk , and two young Green Woodpecker . Northern Wheatear

A much more pleasant day with clear skies and lighter winds.  After a text from Jamie Partridge, I caught up with the Spotted Flycatcher that after a brief search was seen feeding in bushes off Track 13.  In this area there were at least four Lesser Whitethroat with at least another four seen around the reserve.  There were around 15 Common Whitethroat most of which appeared to be juvenile birds and at least six Willow Warbler including one singing! A group of c100 Common Swift were over the waterworks, and two Yellow Wagtail called as they flew north. A Sedge Warbler skulked in bushes by the bridge opposite the paddocks, and both Kestrel and Sparrowhawk were on the hunt and the flock of fifteen Linnet around the paddocks remained. A Kingfisher flew up the old river Lea, where a Grey Wagtail was feeding along the margins. Reports of Common Buzzard, Hobby, and Northern Wheatear on site.

So today, myself and Jamie Partridge concentrated on the Marshes with a brief excursion up to Springfield Park and it produced a decent mix of stuff without anything really outstanding.  My first autumn  Hobby was seen spooking the 200+ Common Swift that are still in situ around the waterworks.  By the paddocks, there were at least two Lesser Whitethroat associating with four Common Whitethroat  and a Reed Warbler . A minimum of three Willow Warbler were seen in the scrub with a few Blackcap and Chiffchaff . Wandering up and onto Springfield failed to produce anything significant, but on the way back into the Marshes, a young Common Buzzard flew low over the paddocks predictably being mobbed by Gulls.  A Yellow Wagtail  called as it flew over the river.

Cool and breezy with the occasional light shower.  A quick peek into Walthamstow Marshes held very little apart from two juvenile Kestrel and a couple of Common Whitethroat . A bit more on offer at the reservoirs with 250+ Common Swift swirling around No.4/5 and Coppermill Waterworks as well as 100+ House Martin and 50+ Sand Martin .  A flighty juvenile Yellow Wagtail appeared on the causeway between No.4 and 5. On East Warwick, a juvenile Green Woodpecker flew from the bank, a Goldcrest called from the bushes alongside Coppermill Lane, and Blackcap , Common Whitethroat , Reed Warbler , and a singing Cetti's Warbler were all present.

The Birdfair for me was always about the serious birdwatcher, the twitcher, and the seasoned traveller whimsical about trips to far off lands and the purchase of expensive optics.  It was where a community with a passion for avifauna congregated to extend the boundaries of knowledge, travel, and spend.  It was full of birdwatchers. This year I decided to make my first pilgrimage to the fair.  With opportunities to assist David Lindo with his Vote National Bird  campaign, and contacts at Birdlife Malta , this was the perfect time to go and associate with my ornithological peers. Entering the site on the first morning turned me a little giddy with the sight of all the exhibits, the throng of eco-tourism stands lined-up against the edge of large canvas marquees, eight in all, ogled by wide-eyed visitors.  From Panama to Packham, Belize to Binoculars, or Costa Rica to Conservation, the Birdfair is a microcosm of the birding great and good. ...

Apparantly it was quiet out on the reserve today.  So with a total of 21 species of wader seen today (19 at Titchwell and 2 more at Cley), 14 Spoonbills , Marsh Harrier , and Bearded Tit , I was happy with these quiter moments. The star performer was the Spotted Crake that dispelled its' skulking characteristic by wandering out in the open at midday, and feeding for around five minutes before heading back into cover. Waders noted were, Avocet , Black-Tailed Godwit , Lapwing , 200+ Knot , 50+ Ruff , 25+ Golden Plover , one Wood Sandpiper , 45 Dunlin , seven Spotted Redshank , 50+ Bar-Tailed Godwit , Redshank , seven Sanderling , 12 Turnstone , one superb adult summer Grey Plover , one Common Sandpiper , one juv Little Ringed Plover , two Ringed Plover , one Greenshank , and a single Whimbrel .  Other notable species included a juvenile Water Rail , and an adult winter Mediterranean Gull . At Cley, the additions were two Green Sandpiper , and four Common Snipe . ...

Why I decided to take a detour on my way to the reservoirs I'm not really sure but it had been a while since I had visited Walthamstow Marshes, so thought I would drop by to see what was about.  Twice shy about a return visit having been disillusioned by constant harassment from dogs and prurient activities of wanton men, I was put off. But the habitat here is great for passerines, and at the right moment it can produce migrants of local interest. It was a lovely sunny morning, welcome respite from the unsettled weather of recent days.  Stopping off at the pedestrian bridge opposite the paddocks, three Little Egret were wading in the shallows of the relief channel.  Viewing the other way, my attention was immediately drawn to a bird that darted out of the trees onto the bank of the channel.  It turned out to be an female/imm type Black Redstart that after feeding for a short while was chased off by a Robin. The paddocks held a couple of juvenile Pied Wagtail ...

It was windy, cool, blustery, the standard meteorological mixer of sunshine and heavy showers. There were also plenty of Common Swift over the reservoirs perhaps 150+ flirting against the breeze.  At one point after a heavy shower, a cloud of them appeared over No.5 picking off insects before their long southerly migration. There were also 80+ House Martin and 20+ Sand Martin .  Three Common Sandpiper were around the edges of No.5. A count of 955 Tufted Duck was an increase on the last count a couple of weeks ago that included 340 on No.4 and 475 on the Warwicks.  There were three Grey Wagtail on East Warwick.  A flock of 30+ Chaffinch flew out from trees along the track from No.5 to East Warwick.  In the scrub on East Warwick, the first two Willow Warbler of the autumn were bright juvenile birds associating with four Chiffchaff . Heading back along the path towards the pumphouse, two Lesser Whitethroat were flitting within a bush on the banks of...

                                                                                                        This was the battle between club and countryside.  Today the football league season started.  The bully boys of organised sport had returned a month too early in my opinion, elbowing out our summer sports such as cricket and tennis, major sporting events that are still in progress.  Definitely at least a yellow card offence. I'm always so bitter about the new campaign of a football season.  It's because I don't quite feel ready for it.  Football should commence on the climatic change of our seasons and a defined deterioration of our weather.  It should be played when all the other major sports...

A few bits and pieces today in humid and gloomy conditions.  Two Common Sandpiper were very flighty and vocal on No.5.  There were plenty of Common Swift with around 25 counted in amongst Sand Martin and 80+ House Martin .  A Kingfisher flew across No.3. On East Warwick, the scrubby area on the south side provided cover for a mixed flock of titmice  along with three Chiffchaff , two Blackcap , and an early record of a juvenile Goldcrest which was a little unusual. Another first for the autumn were four Shoveler that had parked on the bank of West Warwick where two juvenile Common Tern were being attentively chaperoned by the adults.  Two very young Lesser Black Backed Gull were taking cover on the island on East Warwick.  A flock of seven Chaffinch flew over No.1.

Very warm, but dire on the birding front.  Just a handful of House Martin and a couple of Common Sandpiper .  A Common Whitethroat was present by the railway line.

Back onto the hunt for new birds (conventionally known as twitching) it was The Prof  that once again prompted a trip up to the Ouse Washes.  This was exactly the same location that I had visited for the American Wigeon earlier on in the year. Black-winged Pratincole site - Ouse Washes RSPB near Pymoor The reason for this particular visit was to connect with a reasonably long staying BLACK-WINGED PRATINCOLE currently on a scrupulous UK tour, that was first seen in Northumberland in mid-June.  Almost seven weeks later, we were enjoying the bird hawking insects with itself being pursued by hirundines presumably mistaking this adept aerobatic as a threat from a small falcon. The wader was quite distant but since the initial sighting, the pratincole flew round and across our standing position into a pond obscured by ragwort.  With the sun still behind us, and still early enough not to have been affected by heat haze, these were reasonable views.  Aroun...

Taking advantage of the South West trains summer saver (£15 rtn for a day trip), we headed down to Christchurch joining the throngs of weekenders and holiday makers for a walk along our fabulous coastline. Boarding a boat from the Quay, the vessel spluttered over to Mudeford where we then alighted for a walk onto Hengistbury Head. Mini-Golf and ice-cream, and a couple of pints in the sun.  Happy Summer! There were a couple of Whimbrel on the pond at the end of Mudeford beach, and a fem/imm Northern Wheatear settled on the Head.

A warm evening but a little breezy.  Still plenty of Common Swift around with 80+ mostly seen above No.4 and No.5.  A similar number of House Martin were above the Waterworks with a few Sand Martin mixed in.  Good numbers of Common Sandpiper  with two on No.5 and six on East Warwick.  Two Kingfisher flashed through across No.1, there were 17 Great Crested Grebe on East Warwick, and a family party of Reed Warbler between No3. and No.4. Egyptian Goose   Coppermill Stream Malaysian Airlines A380-841 9M-MNA from KUL

It's August already.  I like August.  August is a good month for migrants.  So this evening I hit the patch hoping to see clouds of waders passing through and the bushes filled with passerines. What I got instead was typically routine.  A Common Sandpiper flirted around the periphery of No.5, with three on East Warwick.  Around 70+ Common Swift wheeled above No.4 and No.5, perhaps the last few days before they leave our shores for another year.  A dozen Sand Martin were also present.  Six juvenile Shelduck appeared to have earned their wings feeling the freedom of flight with the adults.  Two Grey Wagtails were active around No.5. juvenile Herring Gull Boeing 747-867F of Cathay Pacific Cargo B-LJC from DEL - LHR