Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Two birds at least were very vocal, but I still didn't hear any pinging. The calls today were the same dry "tik" heard yesterday, but there was also a falling "tyu" or "dew". A reed bunting was present for some of the time, but these calls seemed to be coming from the reedlings.
Another birder with two small dogs (John Bowman, as I learnt) was there when I arrived. We talked for quite a lot of the time and at one point the two small dogs barked defiantly at a tractor, yet one bird was often in sight (just) at the edge of the reeds close to the bank.
The birds were on the Bucks side of the picnic tables, which made them very handy for a quick visit; and they were still there when I dragged myself away. A buzzard flew over.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
I returned to Burnham Beeches hoping for lesser-spots in the place where I had my last encounter, but I was unlucky.
However, there were plenty of chaffinches, and this was a nice way to get onto a brambling, hidden in the gloom of a holly. A bird seen a bit later from the front had the brownish head and plain face of a female.
A bit further on another bird high in a beech tree had the grey and black head of a winter male; so at least two bramblings were present in the woods this morning.
At home, a Red Admiral butterfly careered over the garden.
A bit further on another bird high in a beech tree had the grey and black head of a winter male; so at least two bramblings were present in the woods this morning.
At home, a Red Admiral butterfly careered over the garden.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Burnham Beeches
Late afternoon, I had about an hour for a walk in the darkening woods; and just on impulse I followed a different route. Hearing a distant drumming I walked towards the sound; but some crows in the tree-tops were making odd chattering noises and I thought at first I'd been mistaken.
Then I heard different, soft tap-tapping sounds; and there above me was a female lesser spotted woodpecker, fairly high and very active. I watched her foraging for some time.
From somewhere behind me I heard the drumming again. It was a quietish, brittle sound, repeated after a pause; but the most remarkable thing about it was how much longer in duration it was than the great spotted woodpecker's drum.
The female stopped foraging every now and then as though to listen. Let's hope it was a male and they're an item! This was only the second time I've got onto this species by sound, so it was a doubly welcome experience - even though I failed to see the drummer.Sunday, February 19, 2012
Abbey Park Farm
This red-legged partridge seemed to be sunning itself on the roof of the empty cottage.
A bullfinch was in the overgrown garden.A male yellowhammer was a nice sight among the fieldfares at the top of the tree as he's the first one I've seen here for several years.
Two or three reed buntings were still around.
They were later seen feeding with a large flock of chaffinches (and the yellowhammer) near the pond, on a strip that held corn in the summer. A container that might be a pheasant feeder was nearby.
Two or three reed buntings were still around.
They were later seen feeding with a large flock of chaffinches (and the yellowhammer) near the pond, on a strip that held corn in the summer. A container that might be a pheasant feeder was nearby.Half a dozen redpolls landed in the hedgerow but I couldn't get a clear shot. One male was extremely rosy.
Six buzzards were spiralling up in the blue sky calling, half a dozen lapwings were vocal and displaying, and a heron by the pond was a woods tick. I had no luck today with lesser spotted woodpeckers in the woods, where huge numbers of redwings were heard chattering and coal tits were observed mating.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
A walk up the woods was an antidote to twitching, of which I've done quite a bit lately with mixed results: goosanders (yes), bearded tits (no) and Siberian chiffchaffs (unresolved).
Lesser spotted woodpecker was my target bird this morning, but I had to work hard for this little tinker. I'd almost given up hope of seeing one when I stopped to look at a great spotted, which was some way off the path. Something smaller moved away from it, and I thought I recognized the "jizz" of a lesser-spot and clicked off a couple of shots.
This is how I saw the bird, with the lens on full zoom. I've posted it uncropped but slightly brightened (it was pretty dark in the woods). I wasn't even sure exactly where the bird was, which is why it's lopsidedly near the bottom of the frame, left of centre.
I also saw one lesser redpoll but only heard siskins. There were three buzzards, a treecreeper, several goldcrests and nuthatches, and a large flock of redwings foraging on the ground in the leaf litter.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
I returned to Dorney Common this morning to see if I could tell which of several chiffchaffs was the Siberian. A singing Cetti's warbler distracted me initially and I took a picture as it appeared briefly high in the reeds.
The two lower pictures might show the Siberian chiffchaff - they might not.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
On our approach to Terminal 5 at Heathrow this morning we saw a group of people near the roundabout with tripods and optics. Naturally my antennae went up and I looked wildly around for a crane or something while Greger nervously watched the road; but of course they were plane-spotters, not birders. (Der - the proximity of the airport might have been a clue.)
With the rest of the day to myself where could I go but Dorney, where so much is happening? Goosanders had been reported and there were four fishing just below the weir. I stood there for ages getting loads and loads of rubbish pictures and also getting frozen stiff. Plus, I stepped in dog poo, but it wasn't a day to get annoyed about trivial things. Here's a record shot ("record shot" being birderese for "crap photo but I'm going to inflict it on you anyway").
On the path down to the common I had good views of a Cetti's warbler which once again was making its way along the opposite bank and not caring who knew it. (I unilaterally declare Dorney to be the local hotspot for seeing these birds.)
Walking back I saw a water rail on the far side of the river walking carefully on the ice in front of the reeds. Quite a number of birds were foraging on the north bank. Too far for the camera really, but here's a novelty shot of a lapwing, two golden plovers, a fieldfare and a snipe.
In the golden evening sun the wetlands looked beautiful. Anything seemed possible, and I left reluctantly. Thursday, February 09, 2012
Dorney
A couple of Siberian chiffchaffs had been reported along Roundmoor Ditch, so I decided to twitch them this afternoon. And a blooming cold afternoon it was, too.
I couldn't resist snapping a Cetti's warbler yet again at the bend in the stream.
In low branches just beyond the second reed-bed, with two yellowish chiffchaffs for comparison, a greyish bird with white underparts was foraging. (NB should be grey-brown, not cold grey.)
However, I snapped away at whatever moved and don't necessarily claim these particular photos show the Sibe.
My first kingfisher of the year, flying parallel with the stream towards the road, was a bonus. But I had no luck with bearded tits on the walk back to the car park.
Sunday, February 05, 2012
We parked at Dorney Wetlands and Greger went off towards the rowing lake on a round walk.
There was a vast raft of ducks on the river, no doubt displaced from iced-over lakes; they were mostly tufties, pochard and wigeon. There were also a few shovelers and one sleeping shelduck.
A water rail was standing on reeds in the boardwalk area, complaining peevishly to whoever would listen.
Seven golden plovers went up with lapwings and gulls and flew calling off to the west. A Cetti's warbler was singing and chattering in Roundmoor Ditch and among all the reed buntings were a chiffchaff and this grey wagtail.
Greger came into view across the common and we walked back together. A snipe on the island near one of the hides looked a bit unhappy; first one I've seen here for a long time.
And there's still a pair of stonechats present, favouring the posts and undergrowth on East Marsh.
Greger came into view across the common and we walked back together. A snipe on the island near one of the hides looked a bit unhappy; first one I've seen here for a long time.
And there's still a pair of stonechats present, favouring the posts and undergrowth on East Marsh. 