Sunday 28 February 2010

Continued appalling weather 28.02.10




With the A120 awash, the footpaths streams and any agricultural land a quagmire, I have not managed too many forays out recently. A trip to Broxbourne Woods for the reported hawfinches was non successful despite an hour of searching and listening and so I have resorted to photos of the moon! Good moon last night (27th Feb) as I listened for owls. 1 tawny and 2 little owls heard.
I received a report from a village resident of a rough legged buzzard moving through Little Hadham air space, so need to be vigilant in buzzard watching over the next few days. Reported to have been seen heading towards Sawbridgeworth and with the aerodrome around Trimm's Green already holding a peregrine and merlin recently it is possible that it could be around Matham's Wood near Green Tye.
Now booked 28th March for a dawn chorus walk. All welcome, meeting at L.H. Village Hall at 5.45 am and finishing around 9ish. Please let me know if you intend on coming so we don't go without you. Note: clocks go forward this day!!

Friday 19 February 2010

North of the A120 19.02.10




A walk back from the town gave up views of most of the regulars. With sunny periods, the light was good but the temperature still low. 2 buzzards were seen over the lagoons east of Hadham Hall. The lagoons themselves offered just the 2 feral duck and the 3 mute swans that have taken up winter residence. A grey heron was also near the lagoon, shown here.

A solitary herring gull lazed across the fields and several coot, moorhen and mallards were observed on the Hadham Hall ponds. A song thrush was witnessed along the footpath behind the school where also the 3rd buzzard of the walk was recorded.

Photos depict the grey heron, mute swan, singing robin, buzzard and a view across the full lagoon, looking south to Cradle End. Finally, a surprise in the sky, a chinook helicopter!

















Sunday 14 February 2010

Trip to Lisbon










































































































A 5 day trip to Lisbon (7th - 11th) was most relaxing and enjoyable. Although not a birding trip, in the process of wandering around places such as the estuary, botanical gardens and local parks, plus a trip across the River Tejo to Montijo and Alcochete, several species were seen. Turnstones and whimbrels were spotted along the river with hundreds of yellow legged gulls. Ring necked parakeets and (presumed) monk parakeets flew in the parks whilst a bus trip across some 19th century salt pans gave views of black winged stilt. Blackcaps, willow warblers and chiffchaffs were in the parks and a single sardinian warbler was first heard and then seen in Parque Eduardo VI. Black shouldered kites and cattle egrets were witnessed from the bus near Alcochete where also swallows and house martins were already busy refurbishing last years nests. Good to see these summer birds so early in the year, making it feel like summer. That is, until we got off the plane at Gatwick into -1C !
Butterflies were also evident, with red admirals and an unidentified fritillary both seen in the botanical gardens.
Soon to be attached are some general views from around the city, including the symmetrical patterns of Parque Eduardo, looking down to the city centre and the river.

Saturday 13 February 2010

13.02.10 Unusual sight




On a walk back from town, via Cradle End, Green Street and Muggin's Wood I came across a most unusual sight. This was in the form of a kingfisher flying along the ditch in Green Street. Not a place I have associated with this species. My 5th record of this bird within the parish. Far too quick for a photo, unfortunately.


Also on offer was a nuthatch in the large oak tree on Brick Kiln Hill, a black headed gull heading north, several fieldfare and redwings and a solitary long tailed tit.


Snowdrops were in evidence along Green Street, shown here, but nothingelse to encourage me into thinking it is yet spring.


Another attachment shows a collared dove on lines, also in Green Street.

Friday 5 February 2010

5.2.10 Ridge and Ash Valley




The first day of 2010 where the temperature crawled into double figures. Consequently a lot more bird activity in the mid afternoon. A little owl at its usual roost, too far away for a photo was a highlight along with a total of 6 common buzzards. A pair were involved in high courtship flights, shown here. Several redwing and fieldfare were recorded as well as goldfinch and chaffinch. A solitary black headed gull headed north, passing a southerly herring gull. In all 26 species recorded in bright light and a pleasing blue sky. Other photos show a singing robin and the fast flowing River Ash.

2.02.10 Walk north of the village.




A very quiet day, with little to note apart from the usual suspects. A search for the previously mentioned stonechats didn't produce a sighting. Maybe moved on during the cold snap. Very few birds were braving the early moring cold air apart from the usual corvids, tits and finches. Several redwing and a flock of 9 fieldfare were noted.

Garden surprise 30.01.10


Being in the garden before dusk gave the opportunity to watch a grey heron. It settled on the chapel roof but was off as soon as I appeared with my camera. A pleasant photo in the evening light. Also recorded was a female sparrow hawk gliding north over the Ash valley.

This is me

This is me
At the end of another Norfolk Coastal footpath walk. 47 miles, 3 days 99 species of bird. September 2009

Caley Wood view

Caley Wood view
sunshine through the canopy 29.05.08

A walk along the Warta Valley, Poznan, Poland. Feb 2007

A walk along the Warta Valley, Poznan, Poland. Feb 2007
Best birds on this walk: black and middle spotted woodpecker and short toed treecreeper

About Me

My photo
A primary school teacher for 30 years, I retired from teaching in July 2009 to set up my own science enhancement and communication company. The Primary Works offers science clubs, workshops and staged science shows nationwide. I have always been interested in bird watching since my early years. Apparently my first tick was after inquiring about a chaffinch and then receiving the Observer book of birds. By the age of 9 I had moved on to Tory Peterson's collins guide and was now involved on YOC birding holidays to Northumbria, Essex coast, Slimbridge and Yorkshire. My twitching rule is that I will willingly travel 1km for each gram the bird weighs. However, I have had many rarities just by being in the right place. I have travelled widely throughout Europe and also visited Australia and Sri Lanka. In 2016 I spent time at Portland Bird Obs and two trips to Aviero, Portugal. 2017 found me back in Sri Lanka in Feb/March, then July and back for New Year's Eve celebrations in December. Also returned to The Camargue in May for a 4 day trip. Few plans for 2018, but nothing yet booked apart from a trip to the IOW.

Grey heron

Grey heron
Over the allotment 28.09.08

Southern Hawker

Southern Hawker
Ridge footpath 27.08.08

Juvenile green woodpecker (17.08.08)

Juvenile green woodpecker (17.08.08)
Note the stripes, denoting a bird fledged this year.

common blue

common blue
Ash Valley G.C. 15.08.08

Indian balsam (impatiens glandulifera)

Indian balsam (impatiens glandulifera)
River Ash

azure damselfly

azure damselfly
River Ash 28.07.08

marbled white

marbled white
Discovered at Westland Green 22.07.08

ruddy darter

ruddy darter
Bush Wood 21.07.08

honeysuckle 19.07.08

honeysuckle 19.07.08
growing in hedgerow in Chapel Lane

cinnabar moth caterpillar

cinnabar moth caterpillar
Photographed on ragwort 19.07.08

Bittersweet

Bittersweet
Study of petals 11.06.08

male yellowhammer

male yellowhammer
08.06.08

common blue butterfly

common blue butterfly
06.06.08

River Ash

River Ash
looking south from the bridge at Hadham Ford

Common poppy (papaver rhoeas)

Common poppy (papaver rhoeas)
in rape field 29.05.08

Caley Wood sunshine

Caley Wood sunshine
29.05.08

Millenium Wood fox

Millenium Wood fox
24.05.08

common comfrey (symphytum officinale)

common comfrey (symphytum officinale)
06.05.08 banks of the River Ash

Garlic Mustard or Jack by the Hedge,(Alliara petiolata)

Garlic Mustard or Jack by the Hedge,(Alliara petiolata)
flowers, leaves and fruit edible . Good in salad and pesto

April showers

April showers
Double rainbow 30.04.08

Caley Wood bluebells

Caley Wood bluebells
22.04.08

Yellow Archangel

Yellow Archangel
Chapel Lane (20.04.08)

sunlight 16.04.08

sunlight 16.04.08
looking south west from Bush Wood

snowy buds

snowy buds
06.04.08 in Bush Wood

Looking north west

Looking north west
05.04.08 evening shower approaching

Back Garden

Back Garden
Easter Sunday (23.03.08)

Brick Kiln Hill

Brick Kiln Hill
Looking east (23.03.08)

No play today

No play today
The 2nd hole at Ash Valley golf course

Teasel head

Teasel head
Bush Wood (21.03.08)

Reflections

Reflections
daffodils at Bush Wood pond (21.03.08)

Swollen River Ash

Swollen River Ash
The river at the bottom of Winding Hill 16.03.08

Daybreak over the chapel

Daybreak over the chapel
Thursday 13th March

Wild daffodils (narcissus pseudonarcissus)

Wild daffodils (narcissus pseudonarcissus)
growing in Bush Wood

January snowdrops

January snowdrops
Banks of River Ash, north of Much Hadham

Good Moon

Good Moon
From garden 24.01.08

Village Green

Village Green
Looking east towards Acremore Street

Looking south before Hadham Ford

Looking south before Hadham Ford
rare January blue sky

Useful sites

The following are some useful websites that may interest readers of this blog.
Firstly, Bishop's Stortford Natural History Society http://bsnhs.webplus.net/

Fellow birder, Gary Whelan's blog. Gives reports from our trips out together plus reports from his trips abroad. http://hairybirders.blogspot.co.uk
http://www.hertsbirdclub.org.uk/ The official herts bird club website. Frequently updated, listing bird sightings around the county. Offers links to many other websites. Both of these sites also offer links to yahoo discussion groups.
http://www.birdforum.net/ An international site. You can enter as a guest but become a member( free) to post comments, bird sightings and just about anything to do with wild birds. Good news updates, classified section for binoculars, cameras etc.
http://www.guidedbirdwatching.com/ A new site set up where you can contact people worldwide who will help you find good birds in their country. UK section being set up presently.
http://www.britainsbirder.co.uk/
Fellow birders blog. Strtford resident, Graeme Smith regulary birds the area south of Stortford as well as around Spellbrook and the River Stort from Spellbrook to Twyford Locks. Some superb bird photography: Graeme uses a digital camera attached to his powerful telescope to get detailled images of the birds he sees. Well worth a browse.
Two local sites that may be of interest can be found at
http://www.thehadhams.com/ www.thepelhams.net/content/section/12/139/

South Easterly walk

South Easterly walk
black, normal, red extended walk

South Westerly route.

South Westerly route.
Black usual, red extended

North Easterly walk

North Easterly walk
black short, walk. Red, extended

North West Patch

North West Patch
black route regular. Red route the extended wander