More patch birding

Hello,

This weekend I completed more patch birding at Pitsford Reservoir in a attempt to get my patchwork challenge list up as I am in a constant competition amongst my young birding friends (yes I know, I actually have friends) also it is because every weekend something different has turned up and migration has worked its magic. Well, neither Eleanor Morrison or myself yielded no new birds for the year list on Saturday however it did provide plenty of common things which were 1-2 Redshank, a Green Sandpiper, a few Snipe, a Yellow-Legged Gull, a handful of Siskins going over, a Grey Wagtail, a Shelduck, 20 Pintails (14 drakes), two Great White Egrets, three Kingfishers and three Red-Crested Pochards (2 drakes).

Today however was slightly different with the departure of some species and an influx of others. Todays totals included a Redshank, three Snipe, a Grey Wagtail, a Shelduck, 25 Pintails, four Great White Egrets in all different bays above the causeway and a Kingfisher. Although, the highlight of the day was when Adrian Borely found three Black Tailed Godwits near the Maytrees hide which was an addition to my year list at Pitsford Reservoir. A first winter female Scaup was also seen today but I didn't see it.

A meander round Blueberry Farm this evening up the track showed a Barn Owl and two male Stonechats while plenty of Meadow Pipits were feeding on the fields as the Goldfinches were on the cover crop next to the track.

Regards,

Jacob

Goldfinches

Barn Owl

Stonechat

Great White Egret

Past Spurn trips and Patching weekend

Hello,

Sorry for the lack of posts lately, I should have done a couple really in the time I last uploaded as I have been to Spurn twice during that time. First time for Migfest and to compete in the Young Birder of the Year award which was expertly won by George Dunbar. A good friend of mine who I am not at all jealous about winning, why would I be? The last time was for a birding holiday during the October half term with Eleanor Morrison, Harry Witts, Frank Osterberg and Dawood Qureshi (to look at Twitter accounts click links at bottom of post). During this trip I managed to get eleven lifers! These including Yellow Browed Warbler, Little Bunting, Tawny Pipit and Siberian (Stejnegers) Stonechat. The Tawny Pipit and Little Bunting were both self founds and are waiting to be accepted although Little Bunting is more likely to be as I have some horrific record shots, they were both found along Chalk Bank on the 25th October in a matter of five minutes from each other.

Little Bunting

Black Redstart

Redstart

Eastern Black Redstart

Eider

Long-Eared Owl

Long-Tailed Duck

Red-Flanked Bluetail

Snow Bunting

Yellow-Browed Warbler

Yesterday morning and early part of the afternoon was spent meandering around the big side of Pitsford Reservoir in aim to get a few a patch birding ticks for the year. I managed to catch up with the Great Northern Diver which was found the day before, I saw it from Pintail Bay at about 15 meter range unfortunately without my camera. Other birds on the south side of the causeway were three Dunlin, a Brambling, 1-2 Stonechat(s) and two Ravens. I then got to the lodge and located another pair of Ravens calling in the trees. A short stop in the Goosander Hide didn't provide much apart from a Great White Egret. I then got to the Scaldwell Bay were I located another single Great White Egret, a Redshank, a Siskin, a Brambling and 4 Common Snipe. 

This morning was spent ringing in the top of the Scaldwell Bay where we caught 65 birds in total, the highlights being of this were two Meadow Pipit, a Bullfinch, eleven Goldcrest including a bird from elsewhere, two Great Spotted Woodpecker, eight Blackbird, fourteen Redwing, a Song Thrush, a Grey Wagtail which was ringed as a youngster at Stanford Reservoir this year, a Kingfisher, a Willow Tit, three Mallard and five Moorhen. The undoubted highlight was a Woodcock which found its way into a mist net. 

Other birds on-site today included a Crossbill which flew over 07:30, four Great White Egrets, two Scaup at 14:00 (Adrian Borely had 5 at one stage), a Brambling, a Siskin, two Shelduck, a Snipe and just generally a lot of passage going on. 

Regards, 

Jacob 

Woodcock

Meadow Pipit

Moorhen

Kingfisher

George Dunbar: https://twitter.com/georgedunbar_

Eleanor Morrison: https://twitter.com/EcoBittern 

Harry Witts: https://twitter.com/polychloros 

Frank Osterberg: https://twitter.com/frank_osterberg 

Dawned Qureshi: https://twitter.com/GoWildForBees