Thursday 9 July 2015

Titchwell and Cley Visit 08.07.15

Having emptied the garden moth trap I set off for Titchwell at 4.45am, stopping for coffee enroute and was wandering around the reserve by 7am Very poor light for most of the morning and by the afternoon, too wet for birding in comfort. Consequently, just a few snaps of disappointing quality.
Titchwell was overloaded with 400+ avocets and 200+ godwits. 11 juvenile bearded tits were feeding on the mud by the island hide, cetti's, sedges and reed warblers called and occasionally flitted.
The beach was deserted apart from a hobby giving all the swallows and martins a hard time. Also seemed interested in the linnets in the bush at the end of the footpath as you arrive at the beach, so back to the Parrinder hide. More avocets and godwits, several dunlin and 3 little gulls insect dipping on the far side of the Freshmarsh. First year lister of the day. The tatty chinese water deer was noted again on Thornham Marsh as egrets and huge numbers of swifts flew overhead.
Having found a solitary summer plumaged spotted redshank,  too far away to get a worthwhile photo I headed back to the VC where the moth traps were being emptied. Scalloped shell and obscure wainscot were new for me. I handed over a privet hawkmoth to be shown to the public who were gathering to look at the potted and labelled moths, always a good moth to show folk. Coffee and a marvellous bakewell tart before I was off. Thought I'd get to the east and then work my way back, so off to Cley, with a brief stop at Warham Greens. High tide and oystercatchers, egrets, spoonbill and gulls roosting but nothing of note, as you would expect in early July.
Pasty and another coffee at Cley before heading off to the hides. From Daukes, an eclipse garganey, lister number 2 along with plenty of colourful ruff in a variety of guises and all in a state of grand disrepair. In amongst the roosting ruff, a pale greenshank, upturned bill noticeable through the scope that I shared with others in the hide. A little ringed plover made the day list as did a variety of wildfowl, Marsh harriers  were seen from the Bishop's Hide before the first of regular downpours.
Off to Kelling Heath where I beat a hasty retreat to the car as the heavens opened again. By 4 it looked to have set in, so contacted Gary who lives near Holkham and we met up at The Edinburgh for a chat and a couple of fine pints of Wherry at a pleasing £2.00 per pint. Been several weeks since we had chatted, so good to see him.
In all 71sp for the day, so not too bad for July.
Chiffchaff

grey heron

Titchwell wren

3 bearded tit, juvenile males

4 of the 11 juveniles that were by the island hide

chinese water deer


ruff

avocet

garganey

some of the 13 Cley spoonbills
hobby over bushes at Titchwell

flyby redshank in very poor light.
Species list:
little egret, grey heron, spoonbill, mute swan, greylag goose, shelduck, mallard, shoveler, teal, garganey, red kite, marsh harrier, common buzzard, kestrel, hobby, pheasant, moorhen, coot, oystercatcher, avocet, little ringed plover, lapwing, dunlin, redshank, spotted redshank, greenshank, black tailed godwit, bar tailed godwit, curlew, ruff, little gull, black headed gull, lesser black backed gull, common tern, sandwich tern, stock dove, wood pigeon, collared dove, swift, GSW, skylark, sand martin, swallow, house martin, pied wagtail, wren, robin, dunnock, blackbird, garden warbler, blackcap, white throat, cetti's warbler, sedge warbler, reed warbler, chiffchaff, great tit, blue tit, long tailed tit, bearded tit, magpie, jay, jackdaw, rook, carrion crow, starling, house sparrow, chaffinch, goldfinch, linnet, reed bunting

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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