Local birding Sightings (10th to 24th January)

 

Pintail swimming among Greylags

First Oystercatcher is back

Goosanders

 Salford Priors GP :- Our year list has crept up to 80 with the additions being a nice party of 14 Goosander (7 drakes) on the main pit, a Sparrowhawk, flyover Golden Plover, Oystercatcher, Marsh Tit, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Grey Partridge and a Kingfisher on the river at Broom. Up to 60 Brambling have been recorded inside the recording area.

John and I met up on Sunday to do the WEBS account are recorded the following:-

2 Little Grebe, 3 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 19 Mute Swan, 400 Greylag, 345 Canada Geese,1 hybrid Greylag x Canada, 3 Gadwall, 105 Mallard, 1 Pintail, 6 shoveler, 1 Pochard, 44 Tufted Duck, 4 Goosander, 14 Moorhen, 68  Coot, 1 Oystercatcher , 1 Golden Plover, 3 Snipe, 70 Stock Dove, 27 Skylark, 20 Meadow Pipit, 1 Grey Wagtail, 4 Cettis Warbler, 2 Treecreeper, 1 Redpoll. 

Brambling

Common Buzzard

Brambling

Redwing

Old Yarr :- 40 Brambling, 60 Chaffinch, 20 Greenfinch, 100 Redwing, 2 Common Buzzard

Coughton:- Little Owl, 2 Goosander, 8 Mandarin

Studley:- Marsh Tit, Tawny Owl, 4 Manadrin

Corn Bunting

Yellowhammer

Stonechat

Littleton :- 30 Corn Bunting, 20 Yellowhammer, 1 Stonechat

Further afield

Hawfinch

Crossbill

I did make a trip over to Bewdley & the Wyre Forest for two special species I always try and see annually. I saw 12 Hawfinches briefly at Jubilee Gardens and a pair of Crossbills at Eyemore Wood. At the same time there were plenty of Siskin feeding in the alders.

Sightings;- N.Duggan (all photos unless stated), J.Bowley, M.Clarke, M & D Stinton, J.Cassidy, P.Hands, C.Lane & R.Evans.

Pallas's Warbler and more Starlings than you can count

Pallas's Warbler

Pied Wagtail

Waiting for the Stalings

Grey Heron

Finches & buntings galore

 

Marsh Harrier

This way.....

Who doesn't love a Sunday at the Sewage works

We both fancied going to see the Starling murmuration at Otmoor on Sunday, with the overnight fog due to clear, we set off down the M40 after breakfast. We had to wait for our first Red Kite to flyover, once the first had we then saw them at regular intervals.

 

Our morning target would be at Abingdon Sewage Works, although sounding grim it was easy walking under foot and only about ten minutes from where we parked. As soon as we turned into the lane we could hear a number of wintering Chiffchaff that were feeding on the abundance of insects. I'd only seen one Pallas's Warbler previously which involved brief views up a private drive however this was substanically better with the bird showing instantly low down before flying up above me before crossing over to the high conifers. The stunning individual was very speedy which made for great viewing but very difficult with my camera to get any shots at all. There were loads of Pied Wagtails and a Siberian Chiffchaff present.

 

From there were drove close to Otmoor where we lunched at the Abingdon Arms, highy recommended. Otmoor was very wet making welly boots essential. On the marsh 2 Peregrines were taunting the wildfowl constantly flushing them as they hunted for a late lunch. A female Marsh Harrier could be seen throughout our visit, another first of the year and Red Kites could be also observed at regular intervals.

 

From the hide there were a nice selection of birds feeding on seed placed on the paths includinh Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Chaffinch but no Brambling which was strange given local numbers.

 

In all honesty, the Starlings were disappointing. There were thousands and thousands to be seen but they didn't arrive until very late. In addition they didn't roost in the reeds so there was no big murmuration which is what we really wanted to see.  The walk back to car seemed longer than normal with the cold temperature and muddy wellies.

Blue sky birding at RSPB Middleton Lakes

 

Great White Egret

Middleton Lakes

Mrs D wrapped up

Taking the Egret photo

Little Egret

Great White Egret

Egyptian Goose

Goldeneye

First Kingfisher of the year

With blue skies forecast, we were out early to make the most of the morning at RSPB Middleton Hall Lakes. It isn't somewhere we often visit but we fancied a decent circular walk within a short drive.

The car park was empty when we arrived so we had the place to ourselves. The walk down through the wood was very muddy but the improved network of paths on the reserves made it pretty easy under foot.

Our first birds were three Goldeneye of the first pool including a stunning drake. Further along the path a Kingfisher flew in and shortly after 2 Egyptain Geese landed in one of the boundary fields.

From the lookout, we got some great views of both Great White & Little Egret and we also observed big numbers of Lapwing, Wigeon, Greylag, Shoveler, Pintail, Goldfinch & Linnet. 

After finishing our circuit, we went over to the hall for a coffee where we sat outside. A Kingfisher was feeding in the brook in company of a Pied & Grey Wagtail.

 

Local sightings (3rd to 9th Jan)

River walk in Studley

Alternative parking at the plantation

Brambling

Tawny Owl

River bend

Brambling

Brambling

Redwing (Studley)

Salford Priors GP:- 4 Brambling, Red Kite, good numbers of Fieldfare & Redwing, Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, Mistle Thrush, 3 Gadwall, 7 LBBG, 3 Yellowhammer, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 30 Wigeon, 6 Shoveler, 2 drake Pintail, 1 Snipe, 40 Cormorant & 2 Stonechat. (Year list now 66)

Studley East :- Tawny Owl, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, Redwings feeding in church on yew berries, 35 Pied Wagtail, 100+ Fieldfare, Lesser Redpoll feeding in alders, 15 Teal, 60 BGH, 150 Starling

Shelfield Green :- 3 Bullfinch, Buzzard, Raven 

Arrow Valley Lake :- 3 Little Egret & 6 Goosander

Moorgrove Coppice :- Woodcock

Sightings ND/ MC / RE / MD

 

Wintering Stonechat kickstarts year at the pits

 

Male Stonechat

Female Stonechat

Meadow Pipit

Starling

Linnet

Pied Wagtail

 

Peregrine

A very steady start to the year at Salford Priors where I recorded 57 species around the different areas. The best find of the morning was a pair of wintering Stonechat close to Marsh Farm. This pair showed very well in the winter sunshine.

I bumped in Mark at the top of the recording area who had the same idea to see if feeders would get us a couple of additional species. The plan worked well as we added Great Spotted Woodpecker, Coal Tit  and Nuthatch. (Sightings only from 2nd Jan)

New Year birding

 

Glossy Ibis

 

Bewicks Swans

Pintail

Black-tailed Godwit

Goldeneye

Close up

Chiffchaff

Ruddy Duck 

With some blue sky forecast we had a lovely start to the New Year at Slimbridge, Gloucestershire. Taking advantage of the members entrance, we were enjoying the great selection of birds before the rush commenced. 

Highlights included Bewick's Swan, a group of wintering Ruff, Dunlin, Teal, Lapwing, 6 Common Crane (1 unringed), Pintail, Pochard, Shelduck, Barnacle & Brent Geese, Peregrine, Skylark & the stunning flocks of Golden Plover.

As we left Slimbridge, a Glossy Ibis was feeding in the field next to the canal which was a excellent way to round off the morning.

On Monday 3rd January, we called into a reported site in Leicestershire to see a female Ruddy Duck (after dropping the youngest son back at Loughborough). It was sad to hear DEFRA had picked up on the report also and were on site the days after our visit.