Golden Plover on Patch

Date: 18th-22nd/11/2018

Location: 
Stockhill, Cotswold Water Park, Slimbridge, Newton St Loe

Weather: 
From Blue,cold to Grey drizzle

Species Highlights: 
Golden Plover, Crossbill,Water Rail, Jack Snipe, Sparrowhawk, Yellowhammer.

Observation: 
My travels this week started on the Sunday 18th with Chew Valley then Stockhill trying to get a few ticks for Lauren, none at Chew but Stockhill and was very pleased to see a group of Crossbill feeding in the pines along main track.

Needed a ladder really but great to hear them and see them feed for a few minutes.

Next off was Cotswold Water Park with a Old Mate from my Post office days,  Headed to pit 125 for a long staying Great Northern Diver but it seemed had gone, but did get a Red Crested Pochard from middle of the lake but tick number 197.

On walking around pit 125, 59,68 and 74 didn't see much it was very cold and drizzled for most of the day the highlight was the largest collection of Little Egrets i've ever see at least 60+ birds with 2 Great White Egret were seen.

After seeing so little decided on Slimbridge for some guaranteed Bird action, Martin Smith hide first and after looking for like 10 mins with other birders I finally spotted the Jack Snipe buried in the grass.

The Willow hide was on form with 2 Water Rail seen throughout the day showing extremely well.

Checked out the other hides, from the Holden watched a Peregrine chasing small flocks. This Jackdaw looked particular nice against the Dumbles

Looked back in at the Water Rail, yep still showing with a constant stream of a admirers.

A fair few Bewick's around the site and from the Rushy they were flying around.

I kept popping back to see if the Jack Snipe had moved but it stayed hunkered down for most of the day, Wigeon were very jumpy, but shows how many birds were on site.

Light was awful, very grey, this Sparrowhawk was from the Willow hide returned twice but missed his prey.

Amazing how flat how he looks when diving.

Some sunshine just as i was about to go, but stayed in the Rushy for the last few shots.

 Male Teal.

Pintail.

Tufted Duck.

To finish a full framed Bewick no crop!

Thursday Morning and my patch, started on leaving front door and seeing a patch first, a Muntjac deer running along Sunnybank!!
After seeing the local dog walkers having a nice chat, i know!
I scanned fields and spotted.....

Golden Plover, WOW 14 birds seen.

Light was head on so walked back to other side of field, some of the birds looked much paler, but thought it must be the light? Skylark behind.

Really great to see them makes you wonder how much we all miss on our patches!

By kneeling down and poking camera through hedge managed a few closer shots. 
Think it my closest ever Plover!

Wider shot of 10 birds.

All time Patch tick 98 and year patch tick 82 I need 5 more to beat last years 87, getting close.

Headed on smiling to myself and was shocked to see a group of Yellowhammer back in their normal spot overlooking Globe fields, 2 even perched for so half decent pictures.

Normal stuff around with Redwing still in numbers around Send a Cow Woodland also 2 Grey Heron along back drive. At lakes the Mute Swan family have gone again! Jen back up on top lake, 2 Cormorants and 10+ Black Headed gulls.

20 Teal along with a single Male Goosander top end.

From Keep Redwing could be heard with small flocks of Tits buzzing around but only 2 Fieldfare seen.

Kestrel last tick, again!

On a much sadder note found this Tawny Owl, it looked like it was hunting and got tangled in Barbed wire fence, I previously heard one calling in the small woodland here, very sad it was still quite flexible so guess it must have been previous night.

Not sure how it got so tangled, It took a real effort for me to get it off wire.

Poor thing. I ended walk on 43 species, not counting Owl. 
Golden Plover and Muntjac highlights for sure.

Thanks For Looking! 

&

  Thanks For All Your Support!

If you enjoy our blog's, why not follow us on our social media:

Twitter

Facebook

Devon & Newton St Loe

Date: 12th/15th November

Location: 
Broadsands, Brixham,Slapton, Chew & Newton St Loe

Weather: 
Pretty good although overcast

Species Highlights: 
Cirl Bunting,Turnstone, Purple Sandpiper, Gannet, Fulmar, Ring Necked Duck, Water Pipit, Redwing.

Observation: 
Still trying for that #200 headed down to Devon for some Cirl Bunting and whatever else we could get, on arriving at Broadsands car park we soon saw a male and female Cirl Bunting feeding on ground.

The female stayed in the tree but this cracking male showed well.

From here we drove the few miles to Brixham Breakwater to see if any divers were about, unfortunately not but did mange Purple Sandpipers.

By lying down on the breakwater managed some decent shots, the sandpipers carried on feeding.

Also a bird missing from Lauren's #200 year list the Turnstone, i think you could say it showed quite well, as they do, feeding some 5 foot from her.

We took around 100 shots each of this lovely little bird it was feeding on a small piece of seaweed and looked like it was enjoying it!

A single Guillemot was floating around the Harbour but no divers were seen.

Did have this Grey Seal, reminded us of Pier 39 in San Francisco although they have 100 seals and Brown Pelicans, sunshine and no rusty metal as a backdrop, sad.

Another added to Lauren's list were Brent Geese.

As we left a Rainbow lit the spot that all the divers were probably!

Another very short drive around to Berry Head for lunch, plenty of offshore action to watch including this Porpoise, i was taking a picture of the Gannets so this wasn't on Porpoise !! Lol.

Fulmars

Plus those Gannets

Was amazed to see all the different plumages.

Thought we even saw a Skua but another just Gannet.

This one almost all black, i guess 1st year?

While eating our lunch a pair of Rock Pipits were looking for their lunch coming very close at times.

A Magpie looking splendid in the now sunshine, really showing his iridescent colors.

A tweet about a Franklin's gull came in at Radipole but we were 2 hr 30 mins away and then still 2 hours from home so decided to head to Slapton Ley to see if we could catch up with the long staying Ring Necked duck.

A few Tufted Ducks to search for but we found it.

A super looking Male, a life tick for us both.

A successful trip and 5  ticks for Lauren and 3 more for me, getting closer!
 Tuesday had to do a few jobs so had to wait until Wednesday to get out and decided on Chew Valley Lake. Looked for the M/f Red Crested Pochard but nothing to be seen so went to Morton hde a got a Water Pipit, 196 for me.

Not much else to see so headed up to Stockhill woods for a few more mushrooms not many about this year but did manage to catch up with a few Crossbill, saw around 10 birds flying and calling and even got a obscured shot of this female.

Thursday 10:45 Am bit earlier than last week headed out around patch,  fewer birds around top fields but Linnet and a single Skylark seen. into Village and House sparrow in all the normal places this week, but highlight was Redwings flocks of them in Send a Cow Woodland which was alive with bird song, even 2 Fieldfare( last year had 1 on the 26th Nov, so a week earlier)

Spent 20 mins trying to get one in focus in the awful light, will try again with blue i hope.

Jen the Mute back on Lower Lake, stranger. 
( 2 Adults, 2 Juveniles back on top lake, they've been away for 2 weeks, no ideal where ?) 

Kingfisher darting around, this inbetween lakes, water here around a inch deep!

Lake path closed still fixing Dam thought they'd done it! So had to detour and walked through college and down through upper woodland. The bird sounds here was louder than Send a Cow, Redwing, Blue, Great and Coal Tits along with Chaffinch sadly still no Marsh Tits seen or heard but very good to hear. Back round and returned via lower lake and Kingfisher still fishing, Ed the Bailiff told me he had Siskin feeding in the Alder but i failed to see them.

Back to Send a cow and still plenty of Redwing flying around, just before church footpath came across this Jay 1 of 4 that i'd seen today, feeding for a few minutes.

One of the local even stopped there car to let me get a bit closer, nice chap!

Back along lanes a female Kestrel was as usual the last tick for day, was almost home and saw these Pheasant making a right racket, missed the shot when they were airborne and fighting. So a good day ended on 41 species.

Thanks For Looking! 

&

  Thanks For All Your Support!

If you enjoy our blog's, why not follow us on our social media:

Twitter

Facebook