Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Dorney Wetlands
A little ringed plover was a nice surprise on East Marsh. I had been breaking my back looking through one of the lower windows (who designed these blooming hides?!) when another birder turned up and kindly let me look through his 'scope. It had a very clean lens (unlike my bins) so the view was wonderful.
I walked to the weir, seeing lesser black-backs, herring gulls and common terns. A peregrine flew in high from the north, changed its mind and went back. A buzzard perched on one of the floodlights on the farm until a magpie chased it off.
Back at the bridge, I thought I'd try again just in case the plover had come closer - and it had! It was on the island closest to the hide and I watched it foraging for some time. It must have been able to see me but evidently decided I was harmless.
No doubt the plover (a female, I think) was just passing through, which is usual for this species at this site.As I was leaving, a sharp call made me look back to see a common sandpiper glide across East Marsh onto another of the islands close to the hide. But it was time to go home.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Dorney Wetlands
I was about to lean on the fence near the boardwalk when I realised it was crawling with what I later discovered are Alderflies. Perhaps their presence accounted for the large number of birds feeding over the river today.
Among the many common terns was this Arctic tern. I identified it correctly but was pleased to have it confirmed.
Glancing to my right I saw a bunch of black-headed gulls and a summer-plumaged little gull. I just wish I could have got pictures that did justice to both this pretty, pink-flushed gull and the Arctic tern.
The gull settled on the water for a while and then flew over to the farm. Five minutes later it returned, but it hunted further and further downstream until I lost it altogether.
Two hobbies were also taking advantage of the fly-hatching. A wheatear and a common sandpiper were on the islands, and a lesser whitethroat was still singing in the hedgerow.A very good morning!
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Cow Down
This distant lapwing chick was one of two, being protected - confusingly - by three adults as a red kite cruised lingeringly and low over their field.
Two years ago we saw our first lapwing chicks on 26th April over the border near Scutchamer. They obviously breed early up on the "wuthering heights".
Singing whitethroats throughout the walk, our first house martins at Down Barn and a male reed bunting on the Ridgeway were the only other birds of interest.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Dorney Wetlands
Two lesser whitethroats were warbling and rattling, but although one of them hopped frequently into an "open" tree, I could only get a poorish picture. It does however show the black "wrought iron" feet.
Dorney Corner - where the wetlands meet the common - held a sedge warbler singing from blackthorn blossom, in competition with a blackcap singing from a willow; and a willow warbler could be heard further along the hedgerow.
A snipe was on East Marsh.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Taplow garden
When I opened the bedroom curtains this morning the first thing I saw was a plane high up, travelling eastwards and leaving a neat, straight vapour trail across a cold blue sky.
The second thing I saw was a male bullfinch in the copper beech. By the time I'd gone downstairs he was in the pyracantha in the garden, and a female was nearby. I took the photo through the patio door from between the curtains. A garden tick.
Planes have been taking off from Heathrow all day, at longish intervals. Most of them headed west with just one or two going over the house. It's still relatively peaceful. I think we're so used to their noise, that it seems almost spookily quiet without them.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Burnham Beeches
Mandarins - both ducks and drakes - were very mobile and vocal this evening. Two males flew over the moat calling and then landed in a tree for a whistling contest. Not sure who won.
The only other birds of note were six bramblings in Egypt Woods, feeding rather acrobatically in wind-swayed birches.
Friday, April 02, 2010
Dorney Wetlands
A green sandpiper was at the weir. I saw my first swallow of the year but managed to miss a redstart.
Egypt Woods
In the afternoon, I had the pleasure of Greger's company - chiefly, I suspect, so that he could use some new software on his mobile....
It records the length, duration and elevation of your walk - plus your speed and how many calories you burn. It's especially useful here (superimposed on the satellite photo) because not all these paths are shown on the OS map; now I can plot my lesser spotted woodpecker sightings more accurately.
The woods were quiet, but from the path we did briefly see a very high firecrest which was, frustratingly, chased further into the trees by a great tit.
