Owls and mud at Hawling

 Short-eared Owl hunting close (Pete Walkden)

 Barn Owl

 The great wall of Hawling

What you guys looking at !

(Pete Walkden)

With the weather set fair and no wind the temptation to head to Hawling was to big a draw on Sunday afternoon. The journey took just under an hour around Winchcombe and into Gloucestershire. Pulling up in my usual place I some what underestimated the muddy road sides as my BMW duly sank to a position of no return. 

Given my helpless position I decided I'd make the most of the time anyway and set my scope up and await the Owls. As if by perfect wish, the first Short-eared Owl appeared out of the long grass and sat up on the wall which I grabbed a quick digiscoped image.

Within a few minutes 4 Shorties were out hunting the meadows. Their distinctive barking call always makes a great listen and it wasn't long before the Owls were clashing in front of audience of birders and photographers. A couple of times one of the Owls rose to around 250 metres before spectacularly descending. Watching these Owls is true natural phenomena and it's great to see them hover quickly before pouncing on their prey.

Thankfully a fellow birder and wife with a Land Rover came to my rescue by pulling me out of the thick mud I was stuck in much to my relief and I then had a quick drive around and found a more firm place to park. With the light fading I decided to try and locate the Barn Owl I saw last year. After about 5 minutes of walking I was treated to some fantastic views of the Owl hunting along the walls and he even perched up where I took a shot (in very bad light).

Another great afternoon in Hawling……………...

Jack Snipe headline at Gravel Pits

 Canada Geese feeding on Pophills fields

Lower Pophills fields

Finally a good morning at Salford Priors Gravel Pits on Sunday where we only had to battle the cold for a change. A pair of Goldcrests greeted me as I got out the car before I spotted a flock of 90 Canada Geese behind the Pophills pit. I picked a small number of Yellowhammers in the hedgerows whilst a flock of 60 Golden Plover could be seen towards Alcester.

The main pit and Pophills were both very quiet and wildfowl numbers seemed low. After passing the workings we tried one of the old lagoons for Jack Snipe and we flushed 10, my highest total on the site. We recorded an additional 25 Snipe on the rest of our walk. 

The wintering Common Sandpiper flew over as we walked the main meadow towards the bunds. We decided to walk over the bunds to try and see what else was about, over head were 6 Common Buzzards circling we also picked up a Sparrowhawk and Kestrel hunting. There are two small pools that can only be seen from the top of the bunds and we found a Water Rail and 50 Teal. Other sightings included a couple of Reed Buntings and a Song Thrush both needed for the Patchwork challenge ! 

Strictly Draycote

 View from the feeder end of the water

A treble - Smew, Goldeneye and Great Crest Grebe

Close up of Smew

Draycote Water

A cold and clear forecast made me determined to make the most of Saturday morning with a couple of good hours birding at Draycote Water. The afternoon would be spent at the NIA (Barclaycard Arena) watching Strictly Come Dancing for the wife's birthday. 

The drive took around an hour and I duly paid my £2.50 parking fee. I headed straight down Farborough Bank where I located the wintering Drake Smew among the Goldeneyes and Tufted Ducks. A super looking duck and I managed to grab a couple of digiscoped images.

There had been a couple of White-fronted and Pink-footed Geese reported lately however there was no sign out on the water or in the fields behind. There were big numbers of Great Crested Grebes along the bank whilst the Pied Wagtails flew constantly backwards and forwards feeding on the rocks.

I then headed round to the far end where I caught up with a flock of around a dozen Tree Sparrow. They did seem to be rather on edge and were not hanging around to be digiscoped. Heading back around the waters edge there were 20 Goosander whilst my first Kingfisher of the year flew past out looking for an early lunch. 

Sadly no time to try out the coffee and cake in the visitor centre, next time perhaps. 

Finch flocks at Gravel Pits

 Main Pit

Pophills fields

I hope these photo's don't give the impression that it was a nice today at Salford Priors as it was freezing cold and wet ! 

Pophills Pit was quiet again, no doubt the local jogger flushed everything off early so I explored the fields. My view from the road showed 70 Greylag feeding and there must have been 1000+ Wood Pigeons among the crops.

As I walked down the hedgerow I came across a flock of 20 Yellowhammers and 50+ Greenfinches & Chaffinches. I found a spot out of the wind and watched them come in and out of the crops. They were also joined by three Stock Doves, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Buzzard, Red-legged Partridge, Pheasant, Rook and a mixed flock of Redwing and Fieldfare.

Passing the plantation it was good to see the first Coal Tits of the year and there was the normal good numbers of Goldcrests.

On the main pit there was no sign of the recent Scaup but there were a flock of 140 Canada Geese (my highest number for site). Other sightings included Grey Wagtail, 13 Black-headed Gulls, nice Cormorant, Herring Gull, four Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 19 Little Grebe, eight Pochard, two Shoveler and 20+ Teal.

Warwickshire December Sightings

Warwickshire December Sightings

Warwickshire sightings submitted to Birdwatching magazine. If you have an area that you would like included please drop me a tweet or email.

Brandon Marsh:  Sightings included Shelduck, 62 Wigeon, 38 Shoveler, Goldeneye, three Water Rails, Bittern, Little Egret, Barn Owl, Stonechat, Cetti’s Warbler and Chiffchaff.

Dassett Hills District: A Rose-ringed Parakeet was visiting garden feeders in Priors Hardwick. Merlins were noted at Burton Dassett, Knightcote and Stoneton, while Barn Owls were widespread including at least four at Knightcote. A Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was at Wormleighton, while Knightcote had sightings of Grey Partridge, Jack Snipe and Willow Tit. Woodcock and Willow Tit were at Fenny Compton, with 85 Golden Plover near Wormleighton Res. There were 42 Wigeon and two Gadwall at Farnborough Park. A huge influx of Woodpigeons to the district including flocks of around 3000 at both Avon Dassett and Wormleighton.

Draycote: Sightings included Pink-footed Goose (19^th), two Shelduck, Pintail, Red-crested Pochard, two Common Scoter, 37 Goosander, Smew (from 21^st), four Little Egrets, 25 Little Grebes, Merlin, Water Rail, up to four Yellow-legged and three Caspian Gulls in the roost, single Barn and Short-eared Owls, two Chiffchaffs and 30 Tree Sparrows.

Salford Priors GP: Records included 26 Little Grebe, two Shelducks, nine Wigeon, 32 Gadwall, 85 Teal, ten Shoveler, five Pochard, 74 Tufted Duck, single Scaup, Goldeneye and Goosander, Peregrine, five Water Rail, Jack Snipe, 49 Common Snipe, Dunlin, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, a Caspian Gull (14^th), Barn Owl, 5000 Woodpigeons, 800 Fieldfare, 665 Redwing, and two Chiffchaffs.    

Tame Valley: Ladywalk NR hosted 21 Goosander, four Chiffchaffs, a Siberian Chiffchaff (23^rd) and two Brambling. Scaup were reported at Shustoke and Coton. Up to two Merlins were recorded around Wishaw and Kingsbury. Shustoke also held Red-crested Pochard, ten Goosander, Dunlin, Common Sandpiper and a Peregrine. Wishaw recorded 11 Grey Partridge, 1000 Golden Plover, 41 Skylark and 5 Corn Bunting. Kingsbury hosted 310 Wigeon, Red-crested Pochard, 12 Goldeneye, seven Goosander and Yellow-Legged Gull, while a Water Rail was present at Coton.

Other sites: Earlswood Lakes hosted 20 Goosander, a Woodcock and two Gadwall. Lighthorne Quarry had Water Rail, Jack Snipe, 30 Common Snipe and Green Sandpiper.

Napton Res had Goldeneye, three Water Rail and 1400 Common Gulls, while three White-fronted Geese were at Alvecote Pools. A Merlin was at Radway, with overwintering Stonechats at Charlecote, Morton Bagot (two) and Tysoe. A Brambling was at Combrook.

Mark Avery - Fighting for Birds

A trip to Slimbridge always gives the opportunity to browse the latest releases and try to spot a new gem or one I'd missed. 

Mark Avery's "Fighting for Birds" fell into the later as it was actually published in 2012. A paperback of 324 pages kept me absolutely riveted from cover to cover.

The book charts Mark's journey from boyhood to RSPB and beyond. I particularly enjoyed the chapter on Farmland birds which details the battles of birds like Grey Partridge and the Skylark. Both species that have declined dramatically in Warwickshire. 

Some of the issues raised massively increased by own awareness of some of challenges conservation faces going forward. 

Simply an awesome read and great value for money.

Fog on the pits

 Always going to be tough work

Fieldfare at the hedgerows

Pophills Pit

Thick fog greeted me on arrival on Sunday at the Gravel Pits and matters got worst when a jogger flushed every bird on the Pophills Pit except for a few Coot. Not the best start. After watching a Goldcrest at close quarters I set off with Jon on the reverse of our normal circuit hoping the fog would clear by the time we reached the main pit. 

A Grey Wagtail whizzed over our heads and there were good numbers of Redwing and Fieldfare along the east border. Passing the first lagoon the wintering Common Sandpiper took flight away from us. With plenty of time on our hands we walked through the main meadow where we found 20 Snipe and one Jack Snipe.

A pair of Shoveller were on the small pit where the Cormorant roost. Four Cormorant took flight as we passed. 

We then walked to a strip of woodland on the south end of the pits. There were a flock of 15 Goldfinches and then we picked up my first patch Treecreeper ! A real find for us. It was good to see this little bird go about its daily business. Leaving the woodland we flushed another 15 Snipe, one Jack Snipe as two Roe Deer crossed the meadow in front of us. 

Finally reaching the main pit it was good to see the female Scaup was still present among the Tufted Ducks and Pochard. Hopefully the weather will be better next weekend and I can report a more comprehensive species count.