Saturday 31 March 2012

Evening Wander 31.03.12

A walk around the fields north and east of Hadham Hall gave a good species list in a short time. Red legged partridge, greater spotted woodpecker were seen along with common buzzard before I reached the lake. Here there was 1 little grebe, only my second parish record. At its usual roost was the resident barn owl whilst a solitary lesser black backed gull headed south. Yellowhammers, chaffinch, goldfinch and greenfinch were added in Hadham Hall grounds along with mallard, coot and moorhen. Photos show silhouetted chiffchaff, moorhen, half moon and ground ivy flower.

Amwell 30.03.12

A few hours birding at Amwell NR was very pleasant although nothing too exciting was seen. Good numbers of cetti's warbler and redshank along with several calling chiffchaffs. Then, a quick visit ti Stansted airport lagoons for a reported stone curlew which had moved on shortly after being discovered. Photos from top:
2 greylag landing
Grey heron
2 x goldeneye just outside Amwell bird hide
Canada goose
Distant redshank
Distant reed bunting.

Friday 30 March 2012

New moth 30.03.12

An early grey was in the trap this morning, a new moth for the garden. A common species that is on the wing between March and early May.

Thursday 29 March 2012

Dungeness and Oare Marshes: 28.03.12

An early start to pick up Gary and Dave before a drive to Dugeness bird observatory and RSPB reserve. On the beach by 7 and into the sea watch hide. Good movement of birds east: tealk, pintail, brent geese, red breasted merganser and gannet. Following this, where me met up with Stuart and Therese. A wander around the desert and trapping area offered little more than a couple of chiffchaffs. Disappointing as we were hoping for better migrants (black redstart, wheatear?). We then headed off to the RSPB reserve and immediately came across the long tailed duck, along with expected wild fowl, buzzards and marsh harriers. The latter showed well, with 6 in the sky along with 3 buzzards. Not to much of note before we went over to the Arc pit where we added ruff and goldeneye. A quick stop on the Causeway meant we scoped both white wagtail and water pipit along with the 1st little egret of the day. Following a shop for pies, stuart and Therese had to head home so the 3 of us headed for Oare Marshes on the north coast. Plenty of sandwich terns as well as a ciuple of grey ploverson the estuary and godwits, avocets, greylag and redshank on the reserve. A compact reserve with good concentrations of birds. A good godwit flypast showed several to be in summer plumage. A reed warbler was heard, making it 8 year listers for me: sandwich tern, sand martin, med gull, reed warbler, whute wag, ruff, water pipit and red breasted merganser.
Apart from a desperately jammed M25 and M11, a glorious day in hot, balmy conditions. A species count of 82, so a good total. Photos show:
Linnet
Dunnock
Black tailed godwits. Note the superb summer plumage on one near the top.
More godwits
Great crested grebe
Hybrid grelag goose
Marsh harrier
Egret with roosting avocet
Start if summer plumage godwit
End of winter plumage godwit
Highland cattle
Reed bunting
Meadow pipit

Few moths 29.03.12

More examples of regular moths last night, with early thorn, red chestnut (both photographed) and a clouded drab being all that remained in the trap. This was probably due to my lte start as I didn't check the trap until 8 a.m.

Tuesday 27 March 2012

More photos of new moths

1 more daylight photo of last night's brindled pug and 2 more of the confirmed red chestnut.

Monday 26 March 2012

New moths 26.03.12

What began as a promising night went the same way as yesterday, with temperatures dropping markedly. Consequently what moths were on the wing were early flyers, including a common quaker, March moth, a new moth for the garden, a suspected red chestnut (2 photos before it roosted properly) and another new moth for the garden, a brindled pug, also attached.

Weekend round up 26.03.12

Firstly, an evening mothing in Millennium Wood. Weather looked promising but after 8.30 the temperature dropped and little was on the wing. Several quakers, an engrailed (photo) and micro moth diurnea fagella (2nd photo) were all that made an appearance.
Two photos of the local jackdaws that squabble every morning about property issues at the chapel at the bottom of our garden.
Finally, a local wander on a bright but frosty morning. Usual fare seen, in all 27 sp of birds.
Photos;
  • engrailed
  • diurnea fagella
  • the chapel jackdaws
  • garden and chapel
  • male great spotted woodpecker (note red on neck)
  • sunrise
  • male pheasant
  • chaffinch
  • 2 green woodpeckers
  • yellowhammer
  • 2 hares
  • long tailed tit

Friday 23 March 2012

Best garden moth night. 23.03.12

By far and away the most successful moth trap night. No new species but good numbers. 1 engrailed, 1 chestnut, 1 clouded drab, several hebrew characters, plenty of both small and common quaker. Also micro moth emmelina monodactyla and what is probably a dark form of diurnea flagella (moth number 663) From the top:
Small quaker
Hebrew character
Emmelina monodactyla
Common quaker
Clouded drab
Chestnut
Engrailed
Diurnea flagella

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