A good start to 2019

Date: 
21/12/2018 till 10/01/2019

Location:
Slimbridge, Newton St Loe, Chew Valley, Lodmoor, Radipole, Portland Bill.

Weather: 
Alsorted.

Species Highlights: 
Blackcap, Siskin, Black Redstart, Golden Plover, Goldeneye, Water Pipit, Black Necked Grebe, Lesser Yellowlegs, Brent Geese, Purple Sandpiper, Jack Snipe, Bewick Swan, Wigeon, Water Rail

Observation: 
It's been a while since last post, but a lot has happened!
To start on the 21/12/2018 our Blackcaps have been visiting our feeders i've never seen both on tree at once but both male and female our visiting.

We've had plenty of birds visiting feeders Redwing, Coal Tits, Blue, Great, Long Tailed Tits all visit regularly along with Greater Spotted Woodpecker.

On the 26th December Boxing me & Lauren did our traditional Walk although picture were few we did manage a count of 48 species which this time of year is pretty decent.


The normally active Goldcrest stopped still!

A large group of Common Gull along back drive, lauren counted around 160.
(not all in this picture)

Always a good spot for Rook, Jackdaw and Crow.

On the 29th December I did another Patch walk but couldn't better our previous walk, did beat the Common Gull count. 250, took me a while but counted them all.

You may remember my Van Broke down, this was code, on checking internet it seems it's gonna be expensive......more to come on this.

That was the end of 2018, a good year for us. 
I ended on 281 birds worldwide,
202 uk birds with 35 life ticks. 
Along with 58 species of uk butterfly.

Lauren ended year on  251 worldwide with 192 Uk ticks and all 58 Butterflies too!!

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So the first day of a new year and using the wifes Polo we set off early towards Clevedon, a glorious start to day with sunshine.

Within a few minutes we spotted the female Black Redstart this our number 13th bird of the year. It didn't show very well and was very mobile.

Next off a slow dash up the M5 to Slimbridge ( wife Polo) a good place to start the year, Golden Plover  in full flight, weather was now grey and overcast so not many pictures but lots to count.

Sparrowhawk on the prowl, Zeis hide. 
Leaving Slimbridge we dropped into Frampton Court a first for us both, managed a few more ticks, will definitely pop in again. Our plan was to drive across to Cotswold Water Park then back towards home and drop into Marshfield, Red Crested Pochard was it from CWP & Marshfield by the time we got there was nearly dark so ended day with Red Legged Partridge and 67 species.

 Got my van back on the 05/01/2019 with a price tag of £980!!!!! a bit more than i was expecting, first trip a short one to make sure all was good so headed down to Chew valley, a good plan as it turnned out, plenty of Goldeneye around the lake this from the Dam.

But the highlight was the Water Pipit from Stratford hide, most of the afternoon it paraded in front he hide.

A rare treat.

Best we could mange for the Black Necked Grebes at Chew unfortunately always distant.

Monday morning the 7th Jan we headed to Weymouth area with high hopes Lodmoor first and the long staying Lesser Yellowlegs not in the promised sunshine, it was almost dark!
A few more spots like Marsh Harrier, Med Gull but headed off to Ferrybridge to miss the the tide again!

Around 20 Dark Bellied Brent geese were cleaning and feeding but no waders to be seen.

From Harbour side we picked up Red Breasted Mergansers and a few Black Necked Grebes but again nothing else.

While watching a group of Skylark started to feed, a bird we never get to see close.

Twice that day we headed to Radipole to see Ring Necked Duck, we counted many Tufted and despite looking in all its normal spots couldn't find it, we heard Bearded Reedlings and saw some great looking Mediterranean gulls in car park. So after dinner we drove back over on to Portland.

The dark skies never really improved making photography difficiut, and not many birds to see anyway. Walking down through top fields only spot was a Stonechat, down to cliffs and Gullinott, Gannet was it.

On bill tip we finally managed to see the Purple Sandpiper at close range feeding in the now incoming tide.

Lauren back at work and some great weather forecast (typically) so headed up to Slimbridge again, Spot the Jack Snipe.

High Shutter, low iso and flocks of Wigeon.

A wonderful spectacle.

Plenty of photographers in the Willow hide spying the 2 Water Rails.

But light was best out onto the Tack piece.

Unringed Common Cranes.

Mum Dad a 3 juveniles

Took so many pictures of the Wigeon flocks.

Buteo buteo or Common Buzzard.

The Snowdrops are coming, followed by Spring !

I found the Ring Necked Duck, shame its not at Lodmoor. We are going to Canada on the 23rd Jan so expect to see a few in the wild plus a few other goodies i hope.

Staying on the captive side obviously American or Caribbean Flamingos.

Jackdaw so pretty in the sunshine.

A final look in on the Jack Snipe and he's woken up! The hide was full but managed a few over the shoulder shots.

To end the I day positioned myself in the Rushy hide and this little Dunlin landed strolled past.

No visit to Slimbridge would be complete with plenty of shots of the Pintail and other fly past birds.

Bewick very close no crop.

Tufted Duck.

Shelduck.

O go on then another Pintail.

Last one of my fantastic day Shelduck. Slimbridge in the sunshine no better place!

So for anyone that's interested our UK count for this year stands at
Wayne: 107
Lauren: 101

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Birthday and new Patch tick

Date: 02/12/2018

Location: 
Chew Valley, Clevedon, Slimbridge, Cotswold Water Park, Marshfield,Hackpen hill, 
Newton St Loe.

Weather: 
Drizzle, overcast,some blue sky.

Species Highlights: 
Water Pipit, Black necked grebe, Black Redstart, Water Rail, Red Crested Pochard, Merlin, Linnet, Tree Sparrow.

Observation: 
Our week started at Chew Valley lake with 3 Water Pipit from Morton hide, a tick for Lauren, also saw the 2 of 3 Black Necked grebes, too distant for pictures and weather like pea soup!
Even this shot of the water Pipit and Pied Wagtail difficult to see.

From Stratford the search went on for the Red Crested Pochard & Lesser Scaup that had been reported, no joy but good to see this leucistic Coot, just. 
Pictures do get better in this blog i promise!

Monday morning and we drove down to Clevedon on the Bristol coastline to see the Black Redstart, Lauren found it within a few minutes of us arriving, giving her another tick.

Next M5 to Slimbridge and some Redpoll had been seen, but not by us. The Water Rail from Willow hide was showing very well as normal.

After a couple of hours wandering around the site seeing 2 Peregrines, Common Cranes flocks of Lapwing, Wigeon and Plover and the growing population of Bewick's we headed off to our next destination.

45 mins later we were at pit 44 Cotswold water park and good views of the resident Red Crested Pochard, around 40 birds seen, much better views than my attempt a couple of weeks ago!
Male with a mouthful.

female and another tick for Lauren, still no new ones for me!

Back down the M5 and on way home we dropped into Marshfield, pulling off A46 a flock of Red Legged Partridge were  covering the lane a great site, never seen so many.

Scanning the fields and Lanes we spotted this white Pheasant a east target you'd think but apparently it's been around since 2017 and still avoiding the dumb ass shooters!

Corn bunting, yellowhammers with flocks of Redwing and Fieldfare were in good numbers and also this stunning Merlin hunting the flocks, Lauren managed better shots as i was driving!

The sun was being to set giving the Red Legged Partridge a lovely golden glow.

Buzzard feeding on worms. 

A good day was had and 118 miles travelled giving Lauren a few more ticks leaving her on 187 thats 13 left.

Tuesday was my birthday so was determined to get those last 3 ticks and headed to the Marlborough downs, had so good intel on Tree Sparrow. 
Parked at Hackpen hill and started my walk, I remember the route along the Ridgeway from 20 years ago riding my motorbike along the tracks, good times!
1000's of Linnets were swarming across the tracks and fields with Corn buntings Yellowhammers in very good numbers.

This sky when i started was blue with lovely sunshine but just 15 minutes into walk mist overcast almost dark skies were overhead. my hunt for Tree sparrow took me towards Barbury castle but all i could see was Bunting, Y'hammers and House sparrow. 
Had a call for Robert on a BOC walk around Newton st Loe  telling me he'd just seen a Dipper!!!  
AAARRRGGG (I had to wait till thursday to check that out)

Great to see Red Kites gliding over the countryside, Saw many, i mean 100's of Red Legged Partridge along with Pheasants, hoping for just one Grey Partridge but nothing.

I walked for 7 miles at this point seeing lots but photography very difficult with light and no cover a car/van hide would have been better i think, heard this Kite calling, unusual i thought.

Just about given up and about 1/4 mile from my parking spot and I saw a Tree Sparrow !!

Saw 3 birds but very jumpy these the best shots i could manage,  if only i'd walked the route other way around! 
But still a nice day and put me on 198 for the year.

Thursday and Patch walk day, time to look for that Dipper.

A very slow day it seemed with very little up over on to fields with just the one Yellowhammer seen, did see a group of 6 roe Der the most i've seen for some time. Through village and Redwings could be heard overhead with groups in most tree's, still only 2 Fieldfare on entire walk.
Lake all swans back in place did see Dad Mute trying to chase of the remaining Cygnets, Teal number at 30 now but little else to report.

Got to where Robert had seen Dipper, no sign so headed to top woodland and small stream which runs into lakes. 
To my amazement just 10 ft from water edge and a Dipper jumped up and perched on log !!

Using the trees as cover and adjusting my camera setting i got a few more shots.

Bird was singing, maybe a sign of territories ? also seemed in good condition, i left the Dipper in same spot on small stream, hoping it stays. Glen Maddison had seen the Dipper on lower section back in April 2017 but it seemed very elusive. 
Very glad to have finally caught up with it. 
This bird puts Newton St Loe Patch total on 99 species, who would have thought back in 2010 when we started looking for birds our list was at 50 species now 99, this year we are slightly down, at moment year list is 83, last year our best at 87 but still time?

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