3 Little Owls !

Date: 03/02/2015

Location: Patch - Newton St Loe

Observation: A cold walk up through Campsite, with major building works going on and lots of disturbance :( on dog track Bullfinch just Females seen.

Headed up towards village not 100% but thought I saw Woodcock, would be a first but failed to ID !

Kestrel & Buzzard hunting over Seven Acre Wood.

Village quiet, Redwing over church only 10 or so, Song Thrush on track to college also 3 Bullfinch 2F 1M.

Sparrowhawk over Lake and not 1 not 2 but 3 Little Owls !! not seen them since 28th December 2014 ! I know only 2 here but honest 3 !

Top Lake Frozen 

There were 33 Teal  and 2 Grey Heron staring at water. With the gulls strutting on the ice !

At 'Top End' of lake saw Marsh Tit, 3 Nuthatch.

way home Buzzards, Kestrel.

Weather: Cold wind but some sunny skies

Other Species: Little Owl, Buzzard, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Green Woodpecker, 33 Teal, 10 Redwing, Bullfinch, Marsh Tit - Of Note.

Thanks For Looking !

Window Watch

Date: 2nd February 2015 - 2PM-2.30PM

Location:  Window Bird Count

Observation:  Decided to stay in the warm today and do a garden count. I waited for the people around our garden to move away and started the half hour count. Within seconds the tree was re-swamped with birds back on their feeders. The Finches on the Sunflower Hearts, whilst the Tits were on the mixed feeders and the Fatballs. It was hard to keep up with counting what was on our tree with constant movement, but I tried my best! We had a shortage of Chaffinches, but more and more return every day and clear up the dropped seed with help from the Collared's and Pigeons. The new Song Thrush and Blackbird pair feed on the worms under our tree and move onto the seed afterwards. We used to have to sweep our path as it was covered in dropped seed daily, but since buying the Kennedy Bird seed, there seems to be alot less dropped and that dropped seed is eaten by the ground birds! So a quick thank-you to Kennedy Bird Foods for the no-mess seed it really does what it says on the tin!

Weather:  Cloudy, Cold +Light Wind

Other Species: 3 Feral Pigeon, 2 Collared Dove, 2 Wood Pigeon, 5 Long-Tailed Tit, 7 Chaffinch, 8 Blue Tit, 6 Great Tit, 3 Greenfinch, 1 Coal Tit, 2 Blackbird, 25+ Redwing, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail, 6 Goldfinch, 2 Lesser Black-Backed Gull, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Robin

Thanks For Reading!

NYC Birding - Winter Storm Juno

"Please Do Not Feed The Birds" 

I arrived back from New York City early this morning, I was due to fly back on the 27th Jan but after flight cancellations due to the Winter Storm Juno hitting the city during the week, I had to stay longer in the Big Apple (what a shame!). This meant more time exploring the city and getting new bird ticks to try and beat Wayne (the other half of NSL-Birding) with life list totals.

 Ring-Billed Gull

As I was staying with family members and friends who weren't into bird-watching, I set a few hours aside every couple of days and tried to walk through Central Park as much as possible, although it proved in NYC there's birds everywhere, whilst shopping I spotted a small group of Sparrows outside Macy's ! In that group there was 1 White-Throated Sparrow, whom I put some grain down for, and within seconds I was surrounded by them!

White-Throated Sparrow

I caught the boat across to the Statue of Liberty, and there were stacks of Ring-Billed Gulls and Starlings, aswell as a small group of Brant Geese and Canada Geese. After a walk around the Island and some night shots of the Manhattan Skyline, I was up early the next day for a bus trip around the city, whilst waiting for a bus change, I spotted some little birds feeding in the bushes, 2 of which were Tufted Titmouse and then a Downy Woodpecker appeared!

Tufted Titmouse

Downy Woodpecker

I jumped off the bus and had a quick wander through Central Park, I heard the Red-Tailed Hawk within minutes but just couldn't find him, so moved on, there was a roost of Mourning Doves in one tree, with Blue Jays in the next tree across calling. I was just leaving the park when I saw some feathers falling from the tree above, it was only the "Pale Male" Red-Tailed Hawk on a kill about 10 foot above me, I snapped away and caught up with the others.

Blue Jay

Mourning Doves

Red-Tailed Hawk

The next day we woke up to snow (before this Storm hit) about 4-6 inches in most places, so another trip to take some pictures of Central Park in the snow was in order, again plenty of Blue Jays and seen at least 3 Red-Tailed Hawks around the park all sat just to far away for my 135mm lens.

Then a bright red bird flew straight in front of me and landed 3 or 4 foot away from me! A Northern Cardinal, amazing bright colored bird, which quickly attracted a crowd of non-birders. Overhead was a hunting Red-Tailed Hawk which is causing havoc with the Feral Pigeons / Rock Doves. Last bird of the day was a pair of Rusty Blackbirds, calling to each other.

Northern Cardinal

Rusty Blackbird

A week later and 7 new ticks, along with an extra 6 I got a few years back whilst in NYC, the storm was on it's way so all flights were cancelled and a travel ban was placed for NYC for that evening, exciting, after having to move hotels and re-book onto flights, we settled in for another 2 days (1 night) and spent more time in Central Park where I seen more of the same aswell as a Red-Bellied Woodpecker (only had my phone on me, so no pictures of this one unfortunately!)

After an amazing birthday spend in New York, and getting stranded, I'm glad to be home, and more blogs will be back soon! I will be returning to NYC to spend more time bird-watching there soon!

Thanks For Reading, Please Share This Blog!

Forest of Dean + Ticks

Date: 26/01/2015

Location: Parkend - Nags Head RSPB, Forest of Dean 

Observation: With Lauren still away in New York, and Snowed in! Her List is up to 10 new birds I think so it was of to the Forest of Dean for a couple of ticks. Not the stick on yer leg suck your blood kind ! 

Its the first time here so explore and wander! So with reports of Parkend being the place to go headed there early being tight decided not to pay toll, headed up towards Gloucester after traffic, should have paid the toll! 

Arrived at Woodgreens saw a Hawfinch and no camera handy !!!! Headed down to Nags Head RSPB and parked up, Goldfinch, Coal Tit and Greater Spotted Woodpecker on walk along to Cannop Ponds .

At Cannop Ponds Saw Nuthatch 4 Female Goosanders 

At main car park just missed a Dipper ! But 5 or 6 Mandarins Duck were Floating along.

Nice Tick 1

Headed Back round towards Parkend up to Church. Surprised to see so many people Scopes and cameras! Just missed Crossbill in puddle 5 ft in front of photographers!

Crossbills were in Trees above but white sky didn't help pictures .

But A Ticks a Tick ! 2

While watching Crossbills a Goshawk buzzed overhead then as I left 2 Sparrowhawk appeared over woods .

After walking down towards Parkend Train Station saw I think a Willow Tit ! 

On getting home checked sound it was making i think it is, another first ! 3 

             Headed back towards Nags head and to van. On Way home went to Fancy Viewpoint just a reckie almost dark so nothing about. Parking everywhere in Forest a definite return soon ! 

Weather: Grey Skies - no light :( 

Other Species: Coal Tit, Willow Tit or Marsh, Nuthatch, Mandarin Duck, Crossbill, Goshawk, Buzzard, Mistle Thrush, Siskin, Sparrowhawk & Lots of Great & Blue Tits.

Plus everything else I missed !