I only managed to get out properly birding once this weekend, despite having 4 days off work, as I had a busy schedule of family and friends to see.
I managed to get a good walk in on Good Friday with the dog, covering the finger ponds and rowing course, and it was nice to finally get some good numbers of singing Chiffchaff, after a quiet week regarding that species. Otherwise, an Oystercatcher and Shelduck on the flooded fields near Radcliffe viaduct were about the only other thing of interest, as well as 7 displaying Buzzard above the rowing course.
Saturday, I managed to get a good visit to blotts pit and the surrounding area, where I added to the mornings tally of little egrets to total 6 for the day. Otherwise 4 oystercatcher and a patch-first Stonechat were highlights. Thats 3 patch ticks in as many weekends...
Things slowed down after that, with only two brief and rather uneventful visits whilst walking the dog on Sunday and Monday. I missed out Monday morning, as a couple of little gulls and 3 Brent geese were noted, among other things, but you can't help these things sometimes. The little gulls seem to have been part of a mini influx, as birds were noted at several sites across the county this morning. The evenings are longer now, so at least I'll be able to make the most of this and hopefully the species tally will begin to increase.
Monday, 28 March 2016
Wednesday, 23 March 2016
#patchgrey
I only managed one proper visit to the patch over last weekend, as I was in Wales on Saturday cleaning out some Pied flycatcher nest-boxes which are monitored by the ringing group. It was a good, but tiring day, but its always nice to see Red Kites and Ravens, and I even flushed a Woodcock which was nice.
Sunday, I was leading the volunteer group on the patch, so got down early to see if there was much about before we entered blott's pit to remove willow saplings from the waters edge. After an initial scan of the area, I decided to check facebook as in the distance I could see Alan Clewes looking at something. I was right, he had reported a Grey Plover which had been present for over an hour now. I couldn't see if from where I stood so wandered round to the middle viewing screen but despite scanning, I didn't see it. I later heard from him that it had been there the whole time I was stood there, so I felt a little stupid. Luckily the bird stuck around despite our being there for most of the morning, and Alan got me on it at around 1pm, so I was pleased with that, as its a notts tick for me.
Other birds around included another Curlew and a Redshank, and I heard my first Chiffchaff of the spring. Otherwise, a Ringed Plover was on site on Friday evening.
Sunday, I was leading the volunteer group on the patch, so got down early to see if there was much about before we entered blott's pit to remove willow saplings from the waters edge. After an initial scan of the area, I decided to check facebook as in the distance I could see Alan Clewes looking at something. I was right, he had reported a Grey Plover which had been present for over an hour now. I couldn't see if from where I stood so wandered round to the middle viewing screen but despite scanning, I didn't see it. I later heard from him that it had been there the whole time I was stood there, so I felt a little stupid. Luckily the bird stuck around despite our being there for most of the morning, and Alan got me on it at around 1pm, so I was pleased with that, as its a notts tick for me.
Other birds around included another Curlew and a Redshank, and I heard my first Chiffchaff of the spring. Otherwise, a Ringed Plover was on site on Friday evening.
Tuesday, 15 March 2016
Decent day on the patch
I sacrificed a weekend ringing waders in Norfolk, for a weekend spent at home getting a few bits done, as well as wanting to get out and do some proper birding round Holme Pierrepont. On saturday I was down there at 8:15 to walk the dog, and had a pleasant stroll around the watersports centre and finger ponds. There were loads of birds singing, but no spring migrants. The only highlight were a pair of Shelduck in the flooded fields near the viaducts, and for the first time in weekes there were no egrets there.
After dropping the dog at home and feeding her, I had a coffee and then got on my bike and headed back down with my scope to check out the A52 pit and Blotts. A look in from the gate next to the A52 resulted in a redhead Smew, only the second i've seen this winter, and a nice surprise. Not much else of note, although I counted just under 500 Wigeon on the far bank.
I cycled round to Blott's country club and parked the bike up there, before wandering clockwise round Blott's pit. There wasn't a great deal on the water, as much of the wildfowl has departed, though a few Goldeneye remain. I added Jay to the year-list, with a couple squawking around in the woods to the south of Blott's. On the banks of the wet-grassland I noted a Curlew, my first for the site. This is another one of those species which has eluded me for ages on the patch, despite being recorded several times a year. In fact, I have barely seen any in the county, aside from some up at Collingham and Besthorpe on a few occasions, so I was actually pretty chuffed with this! 4 Oystercatcher were also nice, but I did feel a little short changed at the lack of any sand martins or ringed plover!
After dropping the dog at home and feeding her, I had a coffee and then got on my bike and headed back down with my scope to check out the A52 pit and Blotts. A look in from the gate next to the A52 resulted in a redhead Smew, only the second i've seen this winter, and a nice surprise. Not much else of note, although I counted just under 500 Wigeon on the far bank.
I cycled round to Blott's country club and parked the bike up there, before wandering clockwise round Blott's pit. There wasn't a great deal on the water, as much of the wildfowl has departed, though a few Goldeneye remain. I added Jay to the year-list, with a couple squawking around in the woods to the south of Blott's. On the banks of the wet-grassland I noted a Curlew, my first for the site. This is another one of those species which has eluded me for ages on the patch, despite being recorded several times a year. In fact, I have barely seen any in the county, aside from some up at Collingham and Besthorpe on a few occasions, so I was actually pretty chuffed with this! 4 Oystercatcher were also nice, but I did feel a little short changed at the lack of any sand martins or ringed plover!
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| Patch tick! |
Tuesday, 1 March 2016
Snipes at dusk
I had a brief visit to the patch this evening after work, in which I was surveying the waters edge around the islands and scrapes on Blott's pit for Willow saplings, which are to be hand-pulled for the next volunteer session.
One of the small reed stands in the centre of the scrapes was obviously attractive to Snipe, as i counted 29 birds as they flushed on my approach, a site record for me. Otherwise pretty quiet, although I guess the fact I was stomping around the waters edge didn't really help matters.
One of the small reed stands in the centre of the scrapes was obviously attractive to Snipe, as i counted 29 birds as they flushed on my approach, a site record for me. Otherwise pretty quiet, although I guess the fact I was stomping around the waters edge didn't really help matters.
Patchwork Update: February
Species: 73
Points:77
Additions this month: 6
Pheasant, Shelduck, Water Rail, Buzzard, Redshank, Goosander
I feel I could have pulled a few more out the bag in February, but in the end I finished the month on the same as the last two years, 73 Species. The fact I went away to Lincoln, Norfolk and Edinburgh over 3 of the weekends meant that visits were limited, although I did mange to get at least one visit in on every weekend, but not always at the best time of day, and not always covering a lot of ground.
Highlights included the first returning Shelduck of the year,a species that I've only recently started seeing regularly on the patch, since the habitat work done a couple of winters ago. I also didnt see one til the end of march last year, and there have now been 2 pairs that have stuck around all month. Starling murmurations have been spectacular too, and Wigeon numbers on the A52 pit have been excellent, with a flock of just under 1000 birds recorded late in the month. Another good one would be the 1st Goosander I've seen in a few Winters on site, which would be better had I actually seen it properly, but it was just a speck in the distance when it was pointed out to me... guess it still counts.
It has been a tough month though, and sometimes it feels like going through the motions, with very few new additions, but thats patch birding for you, especially in late winter. I really would have expected to have seen Jay, Skylark and Meadow Pipit by now, and i'm still gunning for some less common bits before the main spring passage such as Whooper Swan or some scarce duck, but its just a case of sticking at it and seeing what turns up.
Previous march totals are 79 (2014) and 81 (2015), so my target is at least 8 additions this month, lets see how I do.
Points:77
Additions this month: 6
Pheasant, Shelduck, Water Rail, Buzzard, Redshank, Goosander
I feel I could have pulled a few more out the bag in February, but in the end I finished the month on the same as the last two years, 73 Species. The fact I went away to Lincoln, Norfolk and Edinburgh over 3 of the weekends meant that visits were limited, although I did mange to get at least one visit in on every weekend, but not always at the best time of day, and not always covering a lot of ground.
Highlights included the first returning Shelduck of the year,a species that I've only recently started seeing regularly on the patch, since the habitat work done a couple of winters ago. I also didnt see one til the end of march last year, and there have now been 2 pairs that have stuck around all month. Starling murmurations have been spectacular too, and Wigeon numbers on the A52 pit have been excellent, with a flock of just under 1000 birds recorded late in the month. Another good one would be the 1st Goosander I've seen in a few Winters on site, which would be better had I actually seen it properly, but it was just a speck in the distance when it was pointed out to me... guess it still counts.
It has been a tough month though, and sometimes it feels like going through the motions, with very few new additions, but thats patch birding for you, especially in late winter. I really would have expected to have seen Jay, Skylark and Meadow Pipit by now, and i'm still gunning for some less common bits before the main spring passage such as Whooper Swan or some scarce duck, but its just a case of sticking at it and seeing what turns up.
Previous march totals are 79 (2014) and 81 (2015), so my target is at least 8 additions this month, lets see how I do.
Tuesday, 9 February 2016
A few year ticks
At the weekend, I went to Lincoln for a bit of a booze-up, so seeing as I was going out that way, I thought it'd be rude not to drop into Girton to see the White-fronted Geese and Great Northern Diver that had been reported there over the last 2 weeks. Getting to Girton, I had a wander up the track between the A1133 pit and the Sailing lake, stopping to scan from the very limited viewing spots. No diver. I bumped into Nick Crouch, and we went to look for the geese, but any geese we did see were heads down, out of the wind, so had no luck there either. Nick told me about another spot to view the roadside pit from, so I headed back to my car and had another look, and within a few minutes I had fantastic views of the diver only 50m or so out. It showed excellently, and didnt dive once while I was there, just sat there.
The next day, with a bit of a sore head, I headed back to Girton at about 2pm, and headed straight to the sheep fields north of the sailing lake, to have another look at these geese. The large flock of greylags were a lot more visible and very soon I was looking at the group of 7 White-fronted Geese, before they flew off behind a bank in the field, leaving the greylags behind. These were the first white-fronts I've seen since 2012 i think, so long overdue. The Great Northern Diver was still on the roadside pit, and a few birders were there this time round, but it was a lot more elusive, diving constantly and very mobile.
I had a quick look in at Collingham, seeing 7 Curlew and a Green Sand, but couldn't locate the red-head Smew that had been reported. After this I headed down for a quick look at HP before it got dark, bagging a Pheasant for the patch yearlist before getting out the car. Blotts was very quiet, wildfowl numbers were especially low, but there were lots of small gulls and 2 Shelduck, a nice early addition for the year, I hadn't expected these til later in the year on the patch.
Heading back to my car, I noticed a good-sized murmuration of Starlings, so headed to the reedbed in Skylarks NR for a better look and to see them go in to roost in the reeds. It was an awesome display, and I got a cheeky Buzzard and Water rail on the patch yearlist too.
The next day, with a bit of a sore head, I headed back to Girton at about 2pm, and headed straight to the sheep fields north of the sailing lake, to have another look at these geese. The large flock of greylags were a lot more visible and very soon I was looking at the group of 7 White-fronted Geese, before they flew off behind a bank in the field, leaving the greylags behind. These were the first white-fronts I've seen since 2012 i think, so long overdue. The Great Northern Diver was still on the roadside pit, and a few birders were there this time round, but it was a lot more elusive, diving constantly and very mobile.
I had a quick look in at Collingham, seeing 7 Curlew and a Green Sand, but couldn't locate the red-head Smew that had been reported. After this I headed down for a quick look at HP before it got dark, bagging a Pheasant for the patch yearlist before getting out the car. Blotts was very quiet, wildfowl numbers were especially low, but there were lots of small gulls and 2 Shelduck, a nice early addition for the year, I hadn't expected these til later in the year on the patch.
Heading back to my car, I noticed a good-sized murmuration of Starlings, so headed to the reedbed in Skylarks NR for a better look and to see them go in to roost in the reeds. It was an awesome display, and I got a cheeky Buzzard and Water rail on the patch yearlist too.
Saturday, 6 February 2016
Patchwork Update: January
The first month of my third year doing the 'Patchwork Challenge' down at Holme Pierrepont went pretty well. Out of the 3 years., this has been my best January for number of species so far, with 67 seen. In comparison, I had only seen 63 species in January in 2015 and 65 in 2014. Looking at these numbers it seems that if I'm hitting the mid-60's mark, then I'm doing OK.
With a few more visits, I probably could have notched up a few more, but being limited to weekends and having other responsibilities, I have only been able to hit the main part of the patch ,maybe once a week, but have been able to get to the lesser visited northern end of the patch whilst walking the dog.
Highlights this month are a female Smew at the end of the month, an annual species, but not always easy to catch up with; a couple of Yellow-legged Gulls have been nice additions, again annual visitors but I usually see them later in the year; a flock of 22 Golden Plover was a first for the site for me, it seems a species I should have seen a lot sooner, but for some reason always eluded me; the first returning Oystercatcher was bang on time at the end of the month; and a Treecreeper, a common bird, but again not always easy to catch up with on patch, one I was particularly glad to pick up.
There are still some gaping holes in the list, which should be filled before the spring migrants rock up, including such easy birds as Pheasant, Buzzard and Meadow Pipit, and other which shouldn't take too much finding like Jay, Coal Tit, Water rail and Redshank.
I've ended February on 73 species in the previous two years, so I'll be doing well if i can add around 10 species this month.
With a few more visits, I probably could have notched up a few more, but being limited to weekends and having other responsibilities, I have only been able to hit the main part of the patch ,maybe once a week, but have been able to get to the lesser visited northern end of the patch whilst walking the dog.
Highlights this month are a female Smew at the end of the month, an annual species, but not always easy to catch up with; a couple of Yellow-legged Gulls have been nice additions, again annual visitors but I usually see them later in the year; a flock of 22 Golden Plover was a first for the site for me, it seems a species I should have seen a lot sooner, but for some reason always eluded me; the first returning Oystercatcher was bang on time at the end of the month; and a Treecreeper, a common bird, but again not always easy to catch up with on patch, one I was particularly glad to pick up.
There are still some gaping holes in the list, which should be filled before the spring migrants rock up, including such easy birds as Pheasant, Buzzard and Meadow Pipit, and other which shouldn't take too much finding like Jay, Coal Tit, Water rail and Redshank.
I've ended February on 73 species in the previous two years, so I'll be doing well if i can add around 10 species this month.
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