New Year list starts at Rye Meads and Amwell

 Early start and arrived at Stanstead Innings at first light. Usual fare as I wandered around to the Otter Hide near the River Lea. Nothing unusual here but the light was better so some pleasing shots of Gadwall and Cormorant.

The website stated that Rye Meads reserve was closed, so I decided against walking all the way around via the water treatment works. Long walk to discover I couldn't access the reserve, so back to the car and I drove around. Not only was it open, but the busiest I have ever seen it. 

Not too much on the board so I headed off to visit the hides. Again, nothing unexpected until a small bird flew overhead as I came out of the Kingfisher Hub. It dipped down into a row of willows near the boardwalk and was lost to view. Spent half an hour checking for this bird to confirm it was a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker but was unable to find it. Later in the day it showed well and some lucky souls got photos.

A female Blackcap by the Ashby Hide was pleasing before a final check on the Draper Hide but just Shoveler, Gadwall, single duck pochard and a Green woodpecker.

Off to Amwell in what remained good light until around 2.15 when it clouded over. Again, expected birds here, with Long Tailed tits everywhere. Highlight was two pairs of Red crested pochard.

 Red kites and Common buzzards overhead and a Kestrel on the way home with plenty of photos to process.

Egyptian goose at the Yachting Club

BHG, Amwell

LBBG, Amwell

Red Kite high over Hollycross Lake

Long tailed tit, Amwell

Redwing, Amwell

Very distant Red crested Pochard pair

Tufted duck

Cormorant

LBBG, Rye Meads

Lapwings from the Gadwall Hide

Blue tit from the Kingfisher Hub

Drake mallard portrait

Coot

Female Mallard portrait

Well hidden Green Woodpecker

Shoveler

Canada Goose, Rye Meads

Jay, Stanstead Innings

GSW near the Yachting Club

Series of a Gadwall having morning wash in low light from the Shoveler Hide, Stanstead Innings

Another Long tailed tit

Cormorant from the Otter Hide

Drake Gadwall from the Otter Hide

Female Tufted duck

First light at the Yachting Club

Early morning Tufted duck

Early morning coot

Species List:

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
15. Tufted duck
16. Pochard
17. Red Kite
18. Common buzzard
19. Kestrel
20. Pheasant
21. Moorhen
22. Coot
23. Black headed gull
24. Herring gull
25. Lesser black backed gull
26. Common gull
27. Stock dove
28. Wood pigeon
29. Collared dove
30. Green woodpecker
31. Great spotted woodpecker
32. Lesser spotted woodpecker
33. Dunnock
34. Robin
35. Wren
36. Cetti's warbler
37. Blackcap
38. Blackbird
39. Song thrush
40. Mistle thrush
41. Redwing
42. Long tailed tit
43. Great tit
44. Blue tit
45. Coal tit
46. Chaffinch
47. Goldfinch
48. House sparrow
49. Starling
50. Jay
51. Magpie
52. Rook
53. Carrion crow
54. Jackdaw

Norfolk 29.11.22

 Great to be back in Norfolk but the light was just dreadful and sometimes considerably worse! Visited Holkham Gap on the beach where Red breasted merganser, Goldeneye, Red throated diver and Slavonian Grebe were noted out to sea. No sign of the hoped for Shorelarks, but Common scoter through my scope became Rick's 200th bird for the year.

Off to CleySpy to get Rick kitted out with a new scope and tripod and then off to Gramborough Hill at Salthouse. Virtually birdless so headed east to Titchwell where the light meant photos were impossible, as proved below!

Titchwell held a mixed flock of finches feeding in alder along the footpath from the entrance but high water levels meant very few waders on the Freshmarsh.

The beach was better with plenty seen including good numbers of Bar tailed godwits. Out to see, just Great crested grebes. By 3.45pm we watched 7 Marsh harriers come into roost before returning home by 6.40. A good day and Rick very pleased with his new scope. 

Species list:

1. Red throated diver
2. Great crested grebe
3. Slavonian grebe
4. Cormorant
5. Little egret
6. Great white egret
7. Mute swan
8. Whooper swan
9. Greylag goose
10. Pink-footed goose
11. Brent goose
12. Shelduck
13. Mallard
14. Gadwall
15. Wigeon
16. Teal
17. Shoveler
18. Tufted duck
19. Common scoter
20. Goldeneye
21. Red breasted merganser
22. Red kite
23. Marsh harrier
24. Kestrel
25. Merlin (possible, very brief glimpse)
26. Pheasant
27. Moorhen
28. Oystercatcher
29. Golden plover
30. Grey plover
31. Turnstone
32. Lapwing
33. Dunlin
34. Sanderling
35. Redshank
36. Curlew
37. Snipe
38. Black tailed godwit
39. Bar tailed godwit
40. Black headed gull
41. Common gull
42. Herring gull
43. Lesser black backed gull
44. Great black backed gull
45. Wood pigeon
46. Collared dove
47. Skylark
48. Rock pipit
49. Meadow pipit
50. Pied wagtail
51. Dunnock
52. Cetti's warbler (heard)
53. Goldcrest
54. Robin
55. Blackbird
56. Redwing
57. Long tailed tit
58. Great tit
59. Blue tit
60. Wren
61. Treecreeper
62. Chaffinch
63. Brambling
64. Goldfinch
65. Greenfinch
66. Siskin
67. Linnet
68. Starling
69. Jackdaw
70. Rook
71. Carrion crow
72. Magpie
73. Jay

Redshank at Salthouse

Dunkins on Titchwell beach

Black tailed godwit, Titchwell

Black headed gull, Salthouse

Titchwell beach curlew

Titchwell Little egret

Little egret, Titchwell beach

Great white egret at Titchwell: 3.25pm in near darkness. 200th second at 3200 ISO!

Day at Abberton Reservoir

Early start for a day at Abberton reservoir near Colchester. Arrived at the Layer Breton Causeway in very poor light where plenty was noted. Goosanders, up to 10 were the main pick whilst 100's of Shovelers, Grey herons, a strange hybrid Baikal teal were all to be seen. Great egrets and 20 Little egrets, a flyby kingfisher, teal, mallards and several pochards.

Off to a view point looking over the reservoir: Dunlin, a solitary little stint, numerous lapwings and golden plover all in view before we headed to the 2nd causeway in search of several rarer species. Came across a female Scaup mingling with 100's of tufted duck whilst we watched a female Hen harrier pluck and eat a dead bird before it got fed up with the attention of 2 carrion crows and flew off with the prey. Redshank, Meadow pipits and good numbers of Pied wagtails on the dam.

Off to the splendid visitors' centre for a 10.30am coffee and then a wander to the 3 hides overlooking the water. A ruff from the Hide Bay Hide but no sign of the Bewick swans or Great Northern diver. A few visitors reported a short eared owl near the island hide, but not apparent when we returned to check the area so a plan to head towards Mersea Island. 

As we drove over the causeway again we noted a fair few birders so parked to check what the interest was. A Long tailed duck, Slavonian grebe and male Scaup were all relatively close in and by the time we had finished here it was too late for a drive to Mersea. Consequently, headed back to Layer Breton causeway and caught up with another Kingfisher and more Goosanders, the most I have ever seen at this site. A grey wagtail made the day list before we headed back home via Marks Tey. A 73 species day being an excellent return for a visit to just one site. Well worth a winter trip, but do wrap up warm as it is always freezing cold on the causeways!

Species List:

1. Great crested grebe
2. Slavonian grebe
3. Little grebe
4. Cormorant
5. Grey heron
6. Little egret
7. Great Egret
8. Mute swan
9. Greylag goose
10. Canada goose
11. Egyptian goose
12. Mallard
13. Gadwall
14. Wigeon
15. Pochard
16. Teal
17. Baikal teal hybrid
18. Pintail
19. Shoveler
20. Tufted duck
21. Scaup
22. Goldeneye
23. Goosander
24. Red kite
25. Sparrowhawk
26. Common buzzard
27. Marsh harrier
28. Hen Harrier
29. Kestrel
30. Red legged partridge
31. Pheasant
32. Moorhen
33. Coot
34. Golden plover
35. Lapwing
36. Dunlin
37. Redshank
38. Ruff
39. Black tailed godwit
40. Snipe
41. Black headed gull
42. Herring gull
43. Great black backed gull
44. Lesser black backed gull
45. Common gull
46. Stock dove
47. Wood pigeon
48. Kingfisher
49. Great spotted woodpecker (heard)
50. Skylark
51. Meadow pipit
52. Pied wagtail
53. Grey wagtail
54. Dunnock
55. Cetti's warbler (heard)
56. Stonechat
57. Robin
58. Blackbird
59. Fieldfare
60. Long tailed tit
61. Great tit
62. Blue tit
63. Wren
64. Reed bunting
65. Chaffinch
66. Goldfinch
67. Linnet
68. House sparrow
69. Starling
70. Magpie
71. Rook
72. Jackdaw
73. Carrion crow.

Pochard drake and Tufted duck

Great crested grebe

with a Perch for lunch

Redshank

Great egret

female Goldeneye

Common gull

Goldfinch

view from Hide Bay Hide

Lapwings

dozing drake Pochard

female Scaup

drake Scaup

Redshank

female Goosander

drake Goosander

Grey heron

hybrid Teal x Baikal Teal

Little egret

Male Kingfisher

Grey wagtail

Black headed gull

Muntjac

Male kingfisher