Very Grey day in Norfolk 25.01.23

 Off to Norfolk and straight to Cley beach in misty and cold conditions. Very little out to sea, so a walk down the East Bank and a check for Snow buntings, but none apparent. Few obvious year listers here, along with a very showy Stonechat.

Popped into the Visitors' Centre for a coffee before heading, via Wells to Holkham Pines and Holkham Gap. As I drove towards Blakeney from Cley a Bittern flew right in front of the car and into reeds by the river.

At Holkham, a walk to find the Shore Lark and Snow Buntings, but all the birders here were reporting that they were not present. So it proved. A bouncing flock of Linnets was scant reward for a 3 mile walk, but a covey of Grey Partridge and a splendid Firecrest made the stop here worthwhile. Huge numbers of Wigeon and Teal, with 100's of Pink footed geese overhead, but no sign of the White fronted geese.

Popped into Brancaster and a quick check on the harbour, but just added Turnstone to both the day and year list. By now the light was really dark so I changed my plan and headed for Sculthorpe Moor near Fakenham rather than a wander around Titchwell.

Super reserve at Sculthorpe but the light was appalling, so left the camera in the car. Siskins and Redpolls darted around Alders and in with these, a larger Mealy Redpoll. At one of the many feeding stations, several Marsh Tits before I headed home in torrential rain.

Disappointing from the photography point of view, but good to be back in Norfolk, my first trip this year.

Species:

1. Great crested grebe
2. Little grebe
3. Cormorant
4. Grey heron
5. Little egret
6. Bittern
7. Mute swan
8. Greylag goose
9. Pink footed goose
10. Brent goose
11. Canada goose
12. Shelduck
13. Egyptian goose
14. Mallard
15. Gadwall
16. Teal
17. Wigeon
18. Pintail
19. Shoveler
20. Tufted duck
21. Common scoter
22. Red kite
23. Marsh harrier
24. Kestrel
25. Common buzzard
26. Grey partridge
27. Pheasant
28. Water rail (heard)
29. Moorhen
30. Coot
31. Avocet
32. Turnstone
33. Lapwing
34. Dunlin
35. Redshank
36. Curlew
37. Black tailed godwit
38. Snipe
39. Black headed gull
40. Common gull
41. Lesser black backed gull
42. Great black backed gull
43. Herring gull
44. Wood pigeon
45. Collared dove
46. Skylark
47. Meadow pipit
48. Pied wagtail
49. Dunnock
50. Firecrest
51. Goldcrest
52. Cetti's warbler
53. Stonechat
54. Robin
55. Blackbird
56. Song thrush
57. Fieldfare
58. Redwing
59. Long tailed tit
60. Great tit
61. Coal tit
62. Blue tit
63. Marsh tit
64. Nuthatch
65. Wren
66. Reed bunting
67. Chaffinch
68. Goldfinch
69. Greenfinch
70. Siskin
71. Lesser redpoll
72. Mealy redpoll
73. Linnet
74. House sparrow
75. Starling
76. Jay
77. Magpie
78. Rook
79. Jackdaw
80. Carrion crow.

Stonechat in very poor light

1000's of Wigeon, Holkham

Grey Partridge, Holkham

Firecrest, disappointing photo from Holme Oak at Holkham.

Abberton Reservoir visit: 22.01.23

 As Wendy had some work in Witham, I dropped her off at 10am and headed to Abberton, just south of Colchester.

Coffee in the wonderful Visitors' Centre and then around to the 3 hides overlooking the water. All birds are distant so a scope is fairly essential. Distant views of Long tailed duck, Caspian gull and a Great Northern diver along with thousands of wildfowl, including 2 Bewick's swans and a pair of Goosander.

Once I have completed the circuit, off to the 1st of 2 causways that cross the reservoir. From here, great views of plenty more Goosanders, Pochards, Black necked grebe before I encountered a distant female Smew.

Then, round to the Layer Breton Causeway where most of the water was frozen. Here, 100's of shovelers along with 10's of Pochards.

Super time with many year listers and some pleasing photos in good light.

Species List (YL = year lister.)

1. Great crested grebe
2. Little grebe
3. Black necked grebe (YL)
4. Great Northern diver (YL)
5. Cormorant
6. Grey heron
7. Great white egret
8. Mute swan
9. Bewick's swan (YL)
10. Greylag goose
11. Canada goose
12. Egyptian goose
13. Mallard
14. Gadwall
15. Wigeon
16. Teal
17. Shoveler
18. Tufted duck
19. Pochard
20. Goldeneye (YL)
21. Long tailed duck (YL)
22. Goosander (YL)
23. Smew (YL)
24. Red Kite
25. Common buzzard
26. Kestrel
27. Moorhen
28. Coot
29. Ringed plover (YL)
30. Lapwing
31. Dunlin (YL)
32. Redshank (YL)
33. Black tailed godwit (YL)
34. Black headed gull
35. Herring gull
36. Common gull
37. Lesser black backed gull
38. Great Black backed gull (YL)
39. Caspian gull (YL)
40. Wood pigeon
41. Skylark
42. Meadow pipit
43. Pied wagtail
44. Robin
45. Stonechat (YL)
46. Blackbird
47. Redwing
48. Long tailed tit
49. Great tit
50. Blue tit
51. Wren
52. Chaffinch
53. Goldfinch
54. House sparrow
55. Starling
56. Jay
57. Magpie
58. Jackdaw
59. Carrion crow
60. Rook

Robin in the car park being used to check settings on the camera.

Stonechat, photo directly into the sun.

Very distant Grey heron

Black tailed godwit

Great white egret in a distant tree.

Great crested grebe

Great white egret

drake Goosander

Goosander pair

Female Goosander

Same bird

Another drake Goosander

Great crested grebe

Bewick's Swan

Bewick's with a wigeon

Female Goldeneye

Another shot of a Bewick's

Wigeon drake

Very distant Caspian gull. Huge crop

sleeping Smew, female.

Drake pochard

Egyptian goose

Another Bewick's swan

Female Smew

Smew and Egyptian goose

Dunlin with female Teal

Shovelers on ice

Drake shoveler

Black headed gull on ice

A very distant Fox. About 3/4 of a mile away

Drake Teal

Tring Reservoirs and Stockers Lake 06.01.23

 Early start to Tring. First stop was Tescos for a coffee on the outskirts of Tring where a flock of Siskins were feeding in half light at 7.45am on Alder cones in the car park.

Off to Wilstone, the largest of the reservoirs and and a wander around the the hide. Light slowly got better but we knew birds would be distant so had left the cameras in the car. Usual fare: Shovelers, Teal, Tufted Ducks, Mallards, Pochards, Greylags, Canada geese, Cormorants and Lapwings. Upon leaving the hide, great views of a Goldcrest. Rick had a Med gull which wasn't seen again as we checked all the Black headed gulls

Further around we stopped to scan the far bank, a Green sandpiper was our only wader of the day (apart from the 100's of Lapwings.) A check on the trees here but just a Blue tit. Back to the car and a drive around to Startops, Marsworth and Tringford Reservoirs.

Nothing noteworthy on Startops, 2 pairs of very distant Goldeneye on Marsworth and 4 Little egrets, several Grey herons and a Great white egret at Tringford.

From here, back to Tescos for another coffee and then a walk around the entire perimeter of Stocker's Lake near Rickmansworth. Rose ringed parakeets were ubiquitous, shovelers a plenty, Long tailed tits everywhere, more Grey herons and a Water rail heard from the footpath.

Good numbers of Great crested grebe, before a trip back to the car and home for 4.30pm with a good trip along the M25.

Species List:

1. Great crested grebe
2. Cormorant
3. Grey heron
4. Little egret
5. Great white egret
6. Mute swan
7. Greylag goose
8. Canada goose
9. Mallard
10. Gadwall
11. Wigeon
12. Teal
13. Shoveler
14. Tufted duck
15. Goldeneye
16. Red kite
17. Common buzzard
18. Sparrowhawk
19. Red legged partridge
20. Water rail (heard)
21. Moorhen
22. Coot
23. Lapwing
24. Green sandpiper
25. Black headed gull
26. Common gull
27. Herring gull
28. Lesser black backed gull
29. Mediterranean Gull
30. Wood pigeon
31. Collared dove
32. Rose ringed parakeet
33. Pied wagtail
34. Goldcrest
35. Robin
36. Wren
37. Blackbird
38. Redwing
39. Long tailed tit
40. Great tit
41. Blue tit
42. Chaffinch
43. Goldfinch
44. Linnet
45. Siskin
46. House sparrow
47. Starling
48. Jay (heard)
49. Magpie
50. Carrion crow
51. Rook
52. Jackdaw.    In total, 10 year listers.

Hybrid drake mallard x ?

Drake Pochard

Grey heron

Shoveler drake

Siskin

Grey squirrel

Great crested grebe

Mute swan

Year List 2023 Updated 08.08.23

 

Drake Gadwall having a wash. Shoveler Hide, Stanstead Innings

Jay at food near the yacht club, Stanstead Innings

1. Great crested grebe
2. Little grebe
3. Cormorant
4. Grey heron
5. Mute swan
6. Greylag goose
7. Canada goose
8. Shelduck
9. Egyptian goose
10. Mallard
11. Gadwall
12. Teal
13. Shoveler
14. Red crested pochard (Amwell 02.01.23)
15. Tufted duck
16. Pochard
17. Red Kite
18. Common buzzard
19. Kestrel
20. Pheasant
21. Moorhen
22. Coot
23. Lapwing
24. Black headed gull
25. Herring gull
26. Lesser black backed gull
27. Common gull
28. Stock dove
29. Wood pigeon
30. Collared dove
31. Green woodpecker
32. Great spotted woodpecker
33. Lesser spotted woodpecker (Rye Meads 02.01.23)
34. Dunnock
35. Robin
36. Wren
37. Cetti's warbler
38. Blackcap
39. Blackbird
40. Song thrush
41. Mistle thrush
42. Redwing
43. Long tailed tit
44. Great tit
45. Blue tit
46. Coal tit
47. Chaffinch
48. Goldfinch
49. House sparrow
50. Starling
51. Jay
52. Magpie
53. Rook
54. Carrion crow
55. Jackdaw
56. Goldcrest (St Mary's Churchyard, Dunmow)
57. Nuthatch (St Mary's Churchyard, Dunmow)
58. Siskin (Grange Paddock)
59. Grey wagtail (Grange Paddocks)
60. Kingfisher (Grange Paddocks)
61. Linnets (Hadham Hall)
62. Skylark (Hadham Hall)
63. Great white egret (Tring)
64. Little egret (Tring)
65. Wigeon (Stockers Lake)
66. Goldeneye (Tring)
67. Sparrowhawk (Tring)
68. Red legged partridge (Wareside)
69. Water rail (heard Stockers Lake)
70. Green sandpiper (Tring)
71. Rose ringed parakeet (Stockers Lake)
72. Pied wagtail (Tring)
73. Meadow pipit (Stansted airport Lagoons)
74. Treecreeper (Much Hadham)
75. Fieldfare (Perry Green)
76. Raven (Sidehill Wood, Much Hadham)
77. Bearded Reedling (Rye Meads RSPB)
78. Greenfinch (Southern Country Park)
79. Tawny Owl (Hatfield Forest)
80. Hawfinch (Hatfield Forest)
81. Smew (Abberton)
82. Great Northern diver (Abberton)
83. Long tailed duck (Abberton)
84. Redshank (Abberton)
85. Great black backed gull (Abberton)
86. Dunlin (Abberton)
87. Goldeneye (Abberton)
88. Ringed plover (Abberton)
89. Caspian gull (Abberton)
90. Black necked grebe (Abberton)
91. Goosander (Abberton)
92. Black tailed godwit (Abberton)
93. Bewick's swan (Abberton)
94. Stonechat (Abberton)
95. Bullfinch (Little Hadham)
96. Pink footed goose (Wells)
97. Pintail (Cley)
98. Marsh Harrier (Cley)
99. Avocet (Cley)
100. Snipe (Cley)
101. Bittern (flew over road at Cley)
102. Curlew (Blakeney)
103. Oystercatcher (Wells)
104. Common scoter (Holkham)
105. Firecrest (Holkham)
106. Grey Partridge (Holkham)
107. Turnstone (Brancaster)
108. Marsh Tit (Sculthorpe Moor)
109. Lesser Redpoll (Sculthorpe Moor)
110. Mealy Redpoll (Sculthorpe Moor)
111. Sparrowhawk (Stanstead Innings)
112. Chiffchaff (Little Hadham)
113. Yellowhammer (Little Hadham)
114. Little Owl (Little Hadham)
115. Barn owl (Little Hadham)
116. Ruff (Heybridge Basin)
117. Golden plover (Heybridge Basin)
118. Grey Plover (East Mersea)
119. Black Redstart (Brightlingsea)
120. Bar Tailed godwit (Heybridge Basin)
121. Mandarin (Westland Green)
122. Gannet (Holkham beach)
123. White fronted geese (Holkham Freshmarsh)
124. Shore Lark (Holkham beach)
125. Snow bunting (Cley beach car park)
126. Sanderling (Titchwell beach)
127. Spoonbill (Cley Reserve)
128. Whooper swan (Titchwell)
129. Brent goose (Brancaster)
130. Red breasted merganser (Holkham beach)
131. Mediterranean Gull (Titchwell)
132. Sandwich tern (Dungeness)
133. Fulmar (Dungeness)
134. Willow warbler (SAL)
135. Swallow (SAL)
136. House martin (SAL)
137. Woodcock (over garden)
138. Sedge warbler (Stort Navigation)
139. Reed warbler (Stort Navigation)
140. Whitethroat (Spellbrook)
141. Little Ringed plover (Lea Valley)
142. Common Tern (Lea Valley)
143. Nightingale (heard, Lea Valley)
144. Reed Bunting (Stort Navigation)
145. Wheatear (Kelling Quags)
146. Ring Ouzel (Warham Greens)
147. Lesser whitethroat (Warham Greens)
148. Garden warbler (Warham Greens)
149. Sand Martin (Kelling quags)
150. Temminck's Stint (Titchwell)
151. Cuckoo (Titchwell)
152. Wood Lark (Kelling Heath)
153. Common sandpiper (Titchwell)
154. Whinchat (Kelling Quags)
155. Great white egret (Lakenheath)
156. Swift (Lakenheath)
157. Hobby (Lakenheath)
158. Stone curlew (Weeting Heath)
159. Whimbrel (Rye Harbour)
160. Peregrine (Dungeness)
161. Cattle egret (Dungeness)
162. Garganey (Filey Dams)
163. Red Grouse (North York Moors)
164. Shag (Flamborough Head)
165. Honey Buzzard (Wykeham Forest)
166. Kittiwake (Bempton Cliffs)
167. Puffin (Bempton Cliffs)
168. Guillemot (Bempton Cliffs)
169. Razorbill (Bempton Cliffs)
170. Bee Eater (Hightor Low)
171. Yellow Wagtail (Hightor Low)
172. Grasshopper Warbler (Flamborough Head)
173. Willow Tit (Wykeham Forest)
174. Tree Sparrow (Bempton Cliffs)
175. Common Crossbill (Wykeham Forest)
176. Manx shearwater (Cley beach)
177. Cory's Shearwater (Cley beach)
178. Sooty Shearwater (Cley beach)
179. Curlew sandpiper (Cley)
180. Wood sandpiper (Cley)
181. Red throated diver (Cley)

Siskin, Grange Paddocks

Kingfisher, River Stort

Treecreeper, Mill Wood, Much Hadham

Bewick's swan at Abberton

Goldeneye, Abberton

Female Goosander, Abberton

Drake Goosander, Abberton

Smew, possible 1st year male with Pochard, Abberton

Covey of Grey partridge by the cafe at Holkham

Sparrow hawk at Stanstead Innings

Guillemot at Bempton Cliffs

Puffin at Bempton

Fulmar on the cliff updraft

Gannet

Tree Sparrow

Black Redstart