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

Seawatching Aberporth

Hello,

I have been staying in Aberpoth, Ceredigion for over a week now and I have been Seawatching everyday from the coastal path that runs out of Aberporth. I have been fortunate while doing my daily seawatching but the regular birds include three figure Manx Shearwater counts sometimes going into four figures and me not being able to get accurate counts so ending stopping, Gannets, Kittiwakes, Common Scoter, Fulmar, Shag, Cormorant, Guillemot and Razorbill. Most of the birds are going south-west.

However I have had quite a few highlights at the same time, with Puffin on the 30th July, Storm Petrel and two Sooty Shearwaters on the 2nd, a adult Little Gull on the 3rd, a juvenile Black Guillemot on the 4th and a adult Pomarine Skua on the 5th.

There has also been a lot of waders around the cliffs and on the seaweed covered rocks below including large numbers of Oystercatchers with the highest count being 70, two Common Sandpiper, three Whimbrel and five Redshank.

Most of the time, there is a small pod of Bottlenose Dolphins, today there was two mothers and calfs.

Regards,

Jacob

Black Guillemot

Bottlenose Dolphin

First 24 hours in Wales

Hello,

Yesterday we arrived at Aberporth in Wales and straight away I went to Seawatching. All birds were flying south west unless stated, the Seawatching produced 28 Common Scoter, thousands of Manx Shearwaters, a Puffin, two Shag, two Cormorant, 200+ Guillemot/Razorbill loafing and 18 Gannet over 10+ Bottlenose Dolphin.

I returned twice during today the highlight was three Whimbrel and a Fulmar but nothing else different from the last. However three Dolphins showed better and the pictures are below.

A visit to Poppit Sands produced 36 Curlew, a Grey Wagtail, a Little Egret and two Siskin.

Regards,

Jacob

Bottlenose Dolphins

Devon Birding

Hello,

I am staying in South Devon for a week and doing a bit of birding here and there. We arrived on last Saturday however I didn't really get the opportunity to go birding till the Monday. On Monday I visited Berry Head in the bright conditions which weren't forecasted. This meant that the seawatch was fairly unproductive apart from the 1000 or so Guillemots on the cliffs.

On the next day (Tuesday) I visited Dartmoor, Princetown for the fruitless search for the juvenile Lammergeier which had been sighted a few times there in the last ten days. However it was not in the area around Princetown in the 2 hour search I completed. However other birds were a lot of breeding Siskins, Meadow Pipits, Skylarks and general common birds. Once we had finished in Princetown, I visited Burrator Reservoir where I found a Dipper and two-three Grey Wagtails. In the evening I visited Clennon Valley Lakes where a Bee-Eater was present in the level field to the west of the Caravan Car Park. I only saw it briefly and heard it calling briefly before I couldn't relocate it so I guess it flew back over the Caravan Car Park.

Wednesday morning I again visited Berry Head were the forecast was right with strong winds and rain creating a half productive seawatch. The totals came too six Gannets, twelve Kittiwake, eighteen Fulmar, six Cormorant, ten Shags, thirteen Greater Black Back gull, forty-two Herring Gull and 99 Guillemots on the water and 1000's on the cliffs...

Today (Thursday) I visited Labrador Bay where I noted 14 Cirl Buntings! Somewhat 12 of these were  singing males and the rest were female feeding along the tracks. Other birds noted were 1+ Peregrine which was calling frequently...

Regards,

Jacob

Cirl Bunting

Fulmar

Jackdaw

Long Day Count SP54

Hello,

Yesterday I completed a Long Day Count on the tetrad SP54 which is in the south of the county Northamptonshire. The 12 hour count was sufficient in finding 68 species with my first Spotted Flycatchers of the year probably being the highlight, a possible total of 4 were seen. Other birds seen were a foraging Willow Tit, Kingfishers, a Grey Wagtail, a Yellow Wagtail, a Raven with young and the early morning start provided the sound track of calling Little Owls and Tawny Owls. On this excursion around the south of the county, mammals definitely stole the show with a buck Roe Deer, lots of Muntjac Deer, noctule-types Bats and Water Vole.

A Black Tern was at Pitsford Reservoir (Scaldwell Bay) in the afternoon and it was still present this morning last being seen at 13:30.

Regards,

Jacob

Black Tern

Summer Migrants

Hello,

Today was spent at Pitsford Reservoir and there was obvious signs of spring. First thing lots of Common Terns were in the Scaldwell Bay while at 11:00 a Arctic Tern joined them for a brief period of time, while only one Common Sandpiper was along the causeway yesterday another one joined it over night and during strong periods of rain and wind large numbers of hirundines were over the reservoir with sixty plus Common Swift, one hundred and fifty House Martin, one hundred Swallow and twenty Sand Martin. A Hobby took chance and was watched plucking a Martin. Other birds noted during the rain were a couple of Siskin, a Common Whitethroat and two Yellow Wagtail.

Regards,

Jacob

Weekend fun!

Hello,

On Saturday I spent most of the day birding my patch which is Pitsford Reservoir solidly for hours on end. This provided me with a really good view of the migration which was occurring during the day as I don't usually see it as I am at school during the day. So birds going through were small numbers of Black-Headed Gulls, Swallows, Sand Martins, House Martins, Pied Wagtails and Meadow Pipits. However the most notable bird that dropped in with a couple of Black Headed Gulls was a 1st Winter Little Gull which proceeded to catch flies up and down the Scaldwell Bay. Other birds of-note included a Yellow-Legged Gull, Little Egret and a Common Whitethroat.

Yesterday a ringing session took place at Harrington Airfield with a capture of 126 birds of 17 species. The majority of the birds caught were Yellowhammers with 68 processed. Other birds were 17 Chaffinches, 2 Linnets, a Lesser Redpoll, 3 Reed Buntings, 2 Blackcaps, 2 Green Woodpeckers. Four Wheatears were caught out of the 6 there. Other birds on-site included 2 Ring Ouzels, 3 Redstarts, two Yellow Wagtails, a Raven and two Willow Tits.

Regards,

Jacob

One of two male Greenland Wheatears caught. This race can be told just by the bigger size.
Courtesy of Eleanor Morrison.

Goshawk

Hello,

This morning was spent at Pitsford Reservoir in the Scaldwell Bay with Eleanor Morrison, this amount of time was sufficent in finding a couple of Siskins, four Blackcap, four Willow Warbler, two Osytercatchers. The best two birds of the day was a male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker by the feeding station seen by David Arden and a immature Goshawk was flying infront of the Bird Club hide.

Over the last week I have added three new species to my patch birding: Goshawk, Nuthatch and Feral Pigeon.

Regards,

Jacob

Spring Migrants

Hello,

Today was spent trying to get an image of the very mobile Lesser Spotted Woodpecker which I found yesterday. It was very vocal today during the first part of the morning but as the day went on it continued to feed and become increasingly mobile. Even though it is very mobile it only sticks to one little copse called compound 16. Other birds at Pitsford today included 20 Siskins, two Oystercatchers, two Kingfisher, two singing Willow Warblers, a Raven, a Osprey, 10 Swallows and 60+ Sand Martins.

Regards,

Jacob

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Hello,

Today a ringing session took place down the Old Road Feeding Station at Pitsford Reservoir, not a large number of birds were caught but a enough to make the morning worth while. The totals came too 31 birds of which 21 were new. Yellowhammers were the most common species caught this morning with eight being trapped. Other birds caught were five Reed Bunting, four Mallard, three Long Tailed Tit, two Tree Sparrow, two Chaffinch and singles of Treecreeper, Lesser Redpoll, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Robin, Blue Tit and Dunnock. Birds on-site while the ringing took place was a Oystercatcher, a Curlew and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker calling up the Scaldwell Arm.

Once I had returned home and watched the regular garden visitors of Siskin, Nuthatch and Marsh Tit; news came through of a male Gargeney which was sitting on some floodwater opposite the 'Windhover Pub' down the Brampton Valley. It was still there by the time we arrived and we got great views of this smart duck as it was feeding on the edge of the water. A Green Sandpiper was also present.

Regards,

Jacob

Pitsford Patch Birding

Hello,

Today was spent birding around Pitsford Nature Reserve, the morning in the Holcot Bay which held a Kingfisher and four Siskins. The most interesting things flying around were the Butterflies which included a Small Speckled Wood and two Brimstones.

This evening in the Scaldwell Bay produced even more Siskins, a Lesser Redpoll, a House Martin, a Sand Martin and a fishing Osprey.

Regards,

Jacob

Summer Leys

Hello,

This morning was spent having a wander with Eleanor Morrison around Summer Leys Nature Reserve. This reserve is managed by the Wildlife Trust and the water levels were not perfect but pretty decent for waders compared with Pitsford, hence why there were quite a few Lapwings, six Oystercatchers, five Redshank and a Little Ringed Plover was reported.

Other birds on-site included a House Martin, six Sand Martin, eleven Cetti's Warbler, six Chiffchaff, a Scaup, two Grey Wagtails, two Kingfishers and five Siskin. Osprey and Peregrine were reported and two male Garganey were also reported on the adjacent lake across the road.

A brief visit to Pitsford Reservoir produced a Swallow and a Stonechat still.

Regards,

Jacob

Garden Birding

Hello,

Most of the day was spent watching the many birds I have coming to my garden at the moment, these included three Siskins, a absolute corker of a male Brambling, three Nuthatches, a Marsh Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Chiffchaff which was actually feeding on seed for the second day. A good bird for my garden came in the form Carrion Crow.

A brief visit to Christies Copse at Pitsford Reservoir this after produced a singing Chiffchaff and a Woodcock was seen in the morning by Neil McMahon.

Regards,

Jacob

Easter Holidays Day 3

Hello,

This morning saw me blundering around the south of Pitsford Causeway in search of Hirundines on the move, which they obviously were with sixty plus Sand Martin and four Swallows feeding low over the water from 'The Pines'. Other birds on-site included a Ruddy Shelduck still, a Green Sandpiper on pools below the dam, a Stonechat also next to the 'The Pines', a male Blackcap and five Chiffchaffs.

This afternoon was spent doing the feeders at the Old Road Feeding Station but the only birds of note was a Chiffchaff and three Sand Martins. Meanwhile nearby 200+ Golden Plovers were circling a field near Scaldwell.

Regards,

Jacob

Easter Holidays Day 1

Hello,

Today was the first day of my Easter holidays and I spent it down on my patch (Pitsford Reservoir). I spent the morning walking around the public side which provided views of two singing Chiffchaffs, a Lesser Redpoll, a couple of Siskins flying over, eight Golden Plover over and a Sand Martin.

This evening was spent watching the Gull Roost from the sailing club and no gulls of interested decided to land onto the water however the Ruddy Shelduck was in the vicinity and so was twenty-one Sand Martin with two Swallows.

The fields in-between Brixworth and Scaldwell hosted 250-300 Golden Plover, the biggest number I have ever seen there.

Regards,

Jacob

Pitsford Patch Birding

Hello,

This evening was spent at Pitsford Reservoir were I found my first two Sand Martins of the year along the dam, were they fed up for a couple of minutes before moving on, I then saw the Rock Pipit but only for a short while by the valve tower but I couldn't relocate it afterwards. I also saw the Ruddy Shelduck, two male Grey Wagtails, quite a lot of birds were feeding on the grass below the dam: Thrushes, Skylarks, Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails made up the most of them.

Regards,

Jacob

Weekend Day trips

Hello,

Over the weekend I spent both days on car trips the one on Sunday was with the Northamptonshire Bird Club to the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire and the one on Saturday visiting a couple of sites inside of Norfolk.

First of in Norfolk we visited Dersingham Bog which provided a life tick on the form of two singing Woodlark, this put me up to 225 Bird Species in the UK. Other birds on this site included a pair of Stonechat and plenty of Siskins with some flying over and others feeding on the coniferous trees around the bog.

Stonechat

Next site was Hunstanton to attempt to capture some shots of Fulmars which were breeding on the cliffs, they were very difficult to capture behind the bushes on the cliff top but I am pleased with just one image out of a hundred. Other birds were Brent Geese flying under us, confiding Turnstones and plenty of waders on the rocks below. 

Fulmar

Turnstone

We then visited the RSPB reserve Titchwell which was very good too. It provided views of more Siskins around the car park in quite close waters but just in the dull conditions hence no pictures but there was also two Brambling there two. We slowly walked up towards the coast which provided views of about 120 Common Scoter and a couple of Sanderlings, on the walk up to the coast it provided close quarter views of the Avocets which are now starting to pair up. We also saw a Water Pipit, three Marsh Harrier, common coastal Waders and Waterfowl. 

Grey Plover

Avocet

Teal

Little Egret

We then raced home when news came through that 11 Common Scoters were on my patch which is Pitsford Reservoir. We saw them while seeing a Dunlin and a adult Mediterranean Gull. 

Sunday began and we found ourselves in the Forest of Dean but before we were watching some Penduline Tits on a lay by pit, they seemed very vocal and ready to move on. In the Forest of Dean we espied on some Hawfinches which have taken up residence at Parkends Green, three displaying Goshawks at New Fancy view which was shut off till 10:30am due to a half marathon, some Mandarin Ducks at Cannop Ponds and Symonds Yat Rock provided plenty of Buzzards and Ravens while a Peregrine went off on a probable hunting trip. 

My second life tick of the weekend was a Great Grey Shrike which was watched eating Newts at Crab Tree Hill, while were there some Crossbills were whizzing around, a couple of Stonechats and a Goosander. 

Regards, 

Jacob

Hawfinch

Great Grey Shrike

Raven

Penduline Tit

Mandarin Duck