10 Goosander, 9 Siskin.... 1 Collared Dove !

Date: 15/12/2015

Location: Newton St Loe - Patch 

Weather: Grey start then drizzle

Other Species:

Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Goldcrest, Siskin, Goosander, Teal, Buzzard, Raven, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Redwing, Green Woodpecker, Common Gull,  Herring Gull - Plus The Usual

.....

BOC / Bristol Ornithological had walk today so added are

 Sparrowhawk, Fieldfare, Redpoll and Meadow Pipit. :) 

Headed out through lanes today towards Home Farm @12 O'clock Lane saw Nuthatch, Goldcrests and Treecreeper feeding also 2 Buzzard over

at Farm saw a large group of Chaffinch around 40+, Maybe a Brambling but couldn't confirm with photos :( Here the some of the Chaffinch flock.

After being told yesterday by BOB we had Goosander on Top Lake was eager to see if still about, I needn't had worried now 10 (5 Male + 5 Female).

Light was awful but looked happy on lake .

Teal numbers have dropped just one left ,

also Raven heard calling, but 10 Goosander ! 

No sign of Little Owl but on Alders on Lower Lake a group of Siskin feeding around 10+.

Then it rained ! 

Thanks For Looking :)

8 Goosander on the lakes today, 3 Females + 5 Males

Received a tweet from Robert Hargreaves - @rojobus
14/12/2015

Newton St Loe: 8 Goosander on the lakes today, 3 Females + 5 Males

+ Normal Teal, Heron, Kingfisher, Greater-Spotted Woodpecker, Redwing, Fieldfare and Goldcrests.


Goosander is a first time for us on our patch, will head out and try and get some pictures before they disappear! Takes our patch list to 82 !!

Many thanks for the sightings Robert!

No Cake but Grey Phalarope @ Farmoor Res

Date: 06/12/2015

Location: Farmoor Reservoir - 5 miles from Oxford 

Weather:  Grey very windy @ Farmoor but dry ! 

Other Species: Grey Phalarope, Great Northern Diver, Red Kite, Goldeneye, Kestrel, Buzzard.

Observation:

Had the weekend off, I'm 49 !

So a day trip was in order, weather not promising anywhere but, 

2 Grey Phalarope's @ Farmoor Reservoir near Oxford had been on twitter all week so decided at 7am Sunday morning to head up there, a lovely drive with no traffic! 1 hour and half later was stood on a very windy path of the almost 4 mile round Reservoir. Headed round to right and soon in sight were the Grey Phalaropes :)

Super little bird and really close down to 2m they just kept patrolling a 10 meter stretch in front of where I sat.

The wind was bracing ! The waves very choppy, suppose just like home .

After many many shots, most out of focus 

An extremely quick bird and the waves 

and wind.... Excuses excuses  !!

Headed on round lake with Goldeneye, Tufted Duck, Great Crested and Little Grebes and Coot being the majority. Although this gulp of Cormorants were enjoying the wind.

Groups of Greylag Geese c.50/60 in fields along the Thames

 and these two on the side of reservoir. A leucistic Greylag.

About a mile from the car park 

Spotted the Great Northern Diver, first winter very distant.

Last one of the Grey Phalorope.:) TICK !

Also on the 3rd December went to Slimbridge nice time lots of Plover, Lapwing and Curlew saw a Bittern no photo but cool,

Also saw the wild Great Scaup female, bad light again :(

Did patch walk on 5th very quiet and not much to report Mistle Thrush, Fieldfare and Redwing best with Buzzard plus kestrel in normal places did see this lenticular clouds over Seven Acre .

Thanks For Looking !

Pinch, Punch, Patch !

Date: 01/12/2015

Location: Newton St Loe - Patch

 Weather: Grey, Warm, Dry

Species:
Redwing, Linnet, Kestrel, Herring, Lesser Black Backed, Common and Black Headed Gulls, Stonechat - Male

Very quiet today this Grey Squirrel was all on the Dog Track.

Not much else on Fields or Severn Acre.
A large group of Gulls LBB 50+ on lower Globe fields.
Then on horse field in Village around 10 Common Gulls with Black Headed, Lesser Black backed and Herring Gulls feeding and bathing 

Good selection of Gulls

Walking back only 1 Stonechat seen

Almost back and a group of Linnets around 5/6 splashing in puddle on lane,
so well camoed !

Then a small group of Redwing and a final Kestrel.

Thanks For Looking !