Hard frost: 7.12.10

Very cold morning, with these garden shots being taken around 7.30a.m. Thermometer read

-5C. Resident birds already at the feeders, with chaffinch, great, blue and coal tits present along with blackbirds, starlings, house sparrows and jackdaws. Good numbers of black headed gulls lazed their way north along the Ash Valley

A cold wander to start the week

A wander around the east side of the parish this morning gave up little apart from usual residents. A flock of 15 long tailed tits, mixed with several great and blue tits were good to see as well as a feeding party of 34 redwings. These were feasting on hawthorns. A common buzzard called but was not seen, as was a great spotted woodpecker. Several black headed gulls headed north, but the freezing fog and minus temperatures made it a morning to be on the move and not one to spend 15 minutes trying for a good photo. Corvids seemed to be keeping warm by constant fly pasts and 8 fieldfares were feeding on the frozen polo fields. An early morning search for local barn owls drew a blank, but some recent pellets will encourage me to return to one favoured site later this afternoon.

Amwell visit: 4.12.10

A midday visit to Amwell Nature Reserve in Hertfordshire, between Ware and Stansted Abbotts was a worthwhile trip. Foggy and cold, with snow still on the ground meant I was expecting a good movement of birds, with specific winter visitors being observed.

This was indeed the case, with 2 smew, a pair of goosanders, a pair of pintail and 2 mandarins being observed. Over 5 snipe were feeding near the viewing point along with 8 moorhens. A study of Hardmead Lake through the scope gave distant views of 2 female goldeneyes, plenty of great crested grebes and tufted ducks, shoveler, pochard, mallard and cormorant all counted in excess of 30. 3 red crested pochard were on nearby Hollycross Lake along with a solitary female ruddy duck. In nearby trees over 30 siskins were first heard and then seen. Finally, a quick visit along the footpath to Tumbling Bay gave views of a single female goosander on the water with 50+ tufted duck and pochard.

A raptor was seen being mobbed by jackdaws; this turned out to be a harris hawk, an escaped local resident.

Finally, as the light began to fail the gull roost began to increase with lesser black backed, herring, common and black headed gulls numbering over 200.

Photos show the gulls on the ice, the pair of goosanders heading north, pintail pair and a couple of a cormorant that was clearly not well and probably had a broken wing.

Garden surprise 4.12.10

Looked out of the window this morning so find an unusual visitor perched on the chapel roof at the bottom of the garden: a grey heron, shown here.

The seed and peanut feeders continue to attract great, blue and coal tits along with chaffinches, blackbirds, robins, house sparrows and dunnocks.

Another day off! 2nd Dec

Another enforced day off due to weather conditions as Ash Valley Golf Club is closed. Hence, another morning walk in search of the elusive 100th bird species. Still no success. However, good numbers of skylarks (20+) were observed near the golf club. The bird of the day was undoubtedly a chiffchaff; one of several that now over winter in the UK. Bet it regrets its decision. This rare sighting was found along the footpath off Chapel Lane. Other birds were all the regulars, with 4 bullfinches at Westland Green, 5 cock pheasants together, good numbers of fieldfares (40+), redwings (25) and blackbirds (75) The house sparrow colony at Home Farm appears to be flourishing, with over 20 hanging around the farmyard along with goldfinches and chaffinches.

Photos show a male house sparrow and 3 local views.

Another cold walk; 1st December

This morning I set off from Tescos in Bishop's Stortford with a view to follow the paths north of the A120 and check out the lagoon near Hadham Hall. Very few birds about due to minus temperatures and a stiff breeze in open places.

Regular winter residents were witnessed in small numbers, with a jay near Hadham Lodge, several magpies and 4 red legged partridge. The small ponds around Hadham Hall were frozen, with only the large lagoon still ice free. However, not a single bird was to be found either on or around the lagoons. Jackdaws, rooks and crows frequented the church tower and a party of 4 goldfinches were feeding on burdock seeds along Nut Walk.

3 bullfinches had earlier been witnessed near Stocking Wood and to these I added several green and chaffinches along the paths. A song thrush was found amongst a flock of fieldfares, but really, not a lot to be seen.

2 unusual birds on a snowy morning 30th Nov.

An early morning walk in a dusting of snow was rewarded with good views of, firstly, a snipe. This was flushed from a field opposite South Cottages. Only the 3rd village record. Later at Westland Green, 2 lapwings were observed heading high in a westerly direction. Again, the 3rd record.
A morning garden watch gave views of: great tit, blue tit, coal tit, robin, starling, greenfinch, chaffinch, goldfinch, jackdaw, carrion crow, collared dove, house sparrow and wren. Following this was a walk over the golf course and around Alder Wood. A common buzzard was being mobbed by 3 jackdaws whilst 3 green woodpeckers were witnessed. Black headed gulls headed north along the Ash Valley and 3 bullfinches were found feeding on fruit along New Road.
Photos attached show the snowy scenes south and south west of The Ford.
From the top:

New Road

South Cottages

Ford Hill

Looking south east from 2nd fairway.

The rest are of trees found around the golf course.

Siskins arrive

Whilst playing golf last Saturday, I noticed a flock of 40+ siskins near the 6th tee. They were in the same alder trees that held a similar number last year. I returned on the Sunday morning with scope, bins and camera, but no sightings. Quite possible for redpolls and a brambling to be mixed in with them. Consequently, I shall try again for this flock as it will probably remain faithful to this wood, especially as it is named after their favourite food: Alder Wood.

On the golf course today

Foul weather has limited the club to 4 brave souls going out to play a round. All 4 didn't finish the 18 due to a drop in temperature combined with a rise in wind speed and horizontal drizzle.
Consequently, spending time viewing the course from the club house. Good numbers of birds;
On the feeders:
5 Great tits
4 blue tits
2 coal tits
1 greenfinch
2 chaffinches
8+ starlings
Viewed from the club house
1 great spotted woodpecker
3 green woodpecker
2 jays
50+ fieldfares
20+ redwings
100+ starlings
1 pheasant
12 goldfinch
2 dunnock
1 robin
2 carrion crows
250+ wood pigeons
1 skylark over.

New Species (sort of!)

A harvest mouse was found this morning at Ash Valley Golf Course, near the 4th tee. Unfortunately the creature was dead, but upon inspection there appeared to be no puncture marks from a predator. This may give some credence to the fact that there is a population of them here. A humane trap is being sought. The smallest British rodent and the only Old World mammal with a prehensile tail. Need to check on the numbers of these creatures within Hertfordshire. Few photos to follow.