Deer Park and Wooltack Point

Hello, 

Today Neil McMahon, Lynne Barnet, Helen Franklin and I walked around the Deer Park and Wooltack Point. At first we walked at Wooltack point seeing Stonechats, Wheatear, Razorbills, Guillemots, Kittiwakes, Fulmars, Choughs, Gannets, Linnets, Meadow Pipits, Goldfinches, Linnets, Ravens, Whitethroat, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Greater Black Backed Gull, Herring Gull, Gannets, Shags and Puffins. Mammals were Porpoises and Grey Seal. 

Next was Deer Park, birds seen there were Lesser Black Backed Gull, Greater Black Backed Gull, Herring Gull, Ravens, Jays, Rooks, Coughs, Jackdaws, Crows, Common Buzzard, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Whimbrel, Ringed Plover, Black Tailed Godwit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Meadow Pipits, Rock Pipits and Pied Wagtail. 

Two Sparrowhawks were chasing each other over Marloes today. Also Goldcrest, Goldfinches and Chiffchaff. 

Regards, 

Jacob

These pictures of Gannets were taken Wooltack Point.

Pembrokeshire

Hello,

Today was suppose to be our first day on Skokholm but the strong winds stopped the boat from docking on the island.

Instead we took a walk around Dale and Marlos. Birds included on this walk on the coast were my first ever Whimbrel below Dale fort, multiple Curlews, Oystercatchers, I heard some Redshank, at least four Ravens and two Little Egrets.

Birds seen by other members of the Northants Ringing Group was Stonechats, Choughs and Peregrines.

Regards,

Jacob

Bird Ringing sessions recently...

Hello, 

Yesterday a Ringing Session at Harrington Airfield caught seventy-eight birds of which seventy were new and the remaining eight were retraps. Birds caught were seven Linnet, two Goldfinches, 15 Long Tailed Tits, 10 Blue Tits, 14 Whitethroat, four Willow Warbler, four Chiffchaff, four Dunnocks, three Yellowhammer, two Reed Bunting, a Great Tit, two Blackbirds and there Green Woodpecker. 

Later that day was spent at Pitsford Reservoir seeing a Little Egret, a Shelduck, a Yellow-Legged Gull, two Ruddy Shelduck and three Dunlin. The duck trap was set catching seven Mallard, one of which was a retrap. 

Today the CES took place at Pitsford Reservoir catching another seven Mallard, a Moorhen, a Carrion Crow, four Kingfisher, a Green Woodpecker, eight Blackcap, four Blue Tit, two Marsh Tit, Willow Tit, one Great Tit, one Bullfinch, four Chaffinch, twelve Chiffchaff, four Dunnock, one Goldcrest, one Greenfinch, one Blackbird, twelve Wren, one Long Tailed Tit, six Reed Warbler, three Robin, one Sedge Warbler, one Song Thrush and five Treecreeper. Overall they caught eighty-four birds.

Jacob 

Pitsford Res - Last two days

Hello,

Yesterday two hours were spent at Pitsford Reservoir in the Scaldwell Bay locating a number of birds including: The two Ruddy Shelduck in the mouth of the Walgrave Bay, four Black Tailed Godwits, a Dunlin and a fine looking Yellow Legged Gull.

Birds today at Pitsford Reservoir were the Ruddy Shelduck still in the mouth of the Walgrave Bay and a Yellow Legged Gull by the Bird Club Hide.

 

When I returned from Pitsford Reservoir the Vulcan was going over my house for the best part of an hour and a half. The images below what I obtained in that time.

Regards,

Jacob

Pitsford CBC

Hello,

This morning and early afternoon, the last Common Bird Census of the year took place. Many birds were on show including a Osprey seen from the causeway early morning, one or two Redshank, two Little Egret, multiple Siskins noted around the reserve, three Black Tailed Godwits in the Scaldwell bay at mid-day, two Greater Blacked Back Gull, a family party of Gadwall (five ducklings), two Yellow Legged Gull, a juvenile Willow Tit, two Wigeon, two teal, a Red Crested Pochard, a Lesser Whitethroat and two Green Sandpiper.

There was also young Red Kites flying around with its parents possibly breeding in the area, Common Buzzards were also flying around with young and were Sparrowhawks. There were many juvenile birds around the whole of the reserve.

Insects on view were large numbers of butterflies including Commas, Red Admiral, Marbled White in the Scaldwell Bay, Peacock and Green Veined White. Dragonflies being viewed around the reserve were Common Hawker, Southern Hawker, Black Tailed Skimmer, Common Darter and Four-spotted Chaser. Damselflies viewed were the hundreds of Common Blue Damselfly but there was a rare variety around. A single Beautiful Demoiselle in the Holcot Bay.

Regards,

Jacob

 Beautiful Demoiselle 

 Two out of three Black Tailed Godwits

Marbled White 

 A Hawker/Emperor species

A Greater Blacked Back Gull in the Walgrave Bay eating a big dead Carp.

Evening spent at Pitsford

Hello,

This evening I spent time at Pitsford Nature Reserve. Birds of note in the Scaldwell Bay were a single Common Sandpiper feeding on the bund, a Yellow Legged Gull, this staying juvenile Shelduck and a Little Egret.

The following picture shows a Mute Swan being harassed with its young by a Lapwing at Summer Leys LNR. Also the following picture after that shows Lapwings at Pitsford Res.

Jacob

Yesterday evening

Hello,

Yesterday evening was spent at Pitsford Reservoir, Scaldwell Bay. Birds of note at Pitsford were a single Common Sandpiper briefly standing on a cut willow before departing towards the Maytrees Hide, three Little Egrets (which were all situated in the willow trees) and a young Shelduck feeding in front of the Bird Club hide.

Jacob

Summer Leys LNR

Hello,

Today at Summer Leys it was quite quiet but birds there included a Redshank, three Little Ringed Plover, three Oystercatcher, four Shelduck, two Little Egret and a Egyptian Goose.

An interesting behaviour was being observed from one of the first hides from the main car park. A Mute Swan was hissing at a Lapwing then the Lapwing flew high to franticly attempt to dive bomb the passing Mute Swan and its Cygnets.

At Summer Leys there was many Dragonflies including Migrant Hawker and Black Tailed Skimmer.

Jacob

Pitsford Reservoir

Hello, 

Today at Pitsford Reservoir I saw a Goldeneye in eclipse plumage sitting on the bund at 10:05, three Redshank flew past but couldn't be relocated at 10:55, a Little Egret in the Willow Trees next to the bund at 11:05, a Green Sandpiper was to the left of the Bird Club Hide from 11:20 till mid-day and a Willow Tit was by the The New James Fisher hide at 12:10. 

A Hobby was over Scaldwell at 13:00.

Jacob

Pitsford update

Hello,

Today only held time for a short excursion at Pitsford Reservoir in the Scaldwell Bay. Birds noted there were a third winter plumage Yellow Legged Gull, a Little Egret and a Oystercatcher.

Jacob

Stortons Ringing extravaganza

Hello,

This morning and early afternoon we enjoyed a ringing session at Stortons Gravel Pits. We caught many birds counting up to one of the highest ever caught on site, the number of birds caught were 127. Species caught included: Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed tit (of which most were moulting), Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler (the only bird caught was moulting), Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Cettis Warbler, Treecreeper and Bullfinch.

Birds on-site included Sparrowhawk, Lesser Blacked Back Gull, Grasshopper Warbler, Kingfisher and Common Tern.

Regards,

Jacob