Amwell and Local 14.04.15

An early start for Amwell Reserve some 8 miles away, leaving before 6.30a.m. I was heading off to see if the bluethroat that had been discovered the previous day had stayed overnight. It hadn't, but a wonderful morning, with a cracking sunrise through mist that hung to the water of Great Hardmead Lake. pair of snipe, 2 redshanks and a pair of oystercatchers were noted along with the regular Amwell birds. I left about 30 birders still on site, but no positive news was issued for the rest of the day. I knew I should have found time to pop along on the Monday evening, when it showed, albeit, briefly.

Amwell sunrise

snipe

early morning redshank

little egret

little egret

female reed bunting

Today, I popped over to see of the trio of owls were showing in the sunlight and warmth. Car thermometer read 24.5C this afternoon! Indeed, the 3 owls were present. I rigged up some camouflage barrier and crawled a little closer than beforehand, without disturbing the owls. I was still 100metres distant and they were happy to remain in place. Close enough for a few sharper record shots.
a family of 4 mute swans and 3 drake mallards were on the lagoon, with 2 swallows feeding overhead. Blackcaps and chiffchaffs called from the blackthorn hedge as a solitary yellowhammer called from further afield.
In the distance, 2 fallow deer. I tried to stalk these, getting a little closer but nowhere near enough for a good shot. These here are blurred by heat haze. As I turned to go back into the hedge for cover, I noted the white hart was with them, but gone into thick woodland before I could fire off a worthwhile shot. All in all, a successful wander.

roach in Hadham Hall moat. Large shoal here, today

Good neighbours

From a little further away

Closer crop

Fallow deer

100th moth

A set of 4 moths in the trap this morning: Emmelina monodactyla, small and common Quaker and, the 100th moth for the year, an Early grey, shown here.
Very slow for moths this year. By this date last year I had taken 193 moths of 23 species whereas this year 102 moths of only 11 species!

Amwell visit

A late afternoon, early evening visit to Herts and Middlesex Reserve at Amwell. 3 little ringed plovers were evident from the watchpoint along with a solitary redshank. One of the LRP's saw off a snipe but the rest were as per normal: shoveler, tufted duck, drake pochards, great crested grebe, 2 little egrets, grey herons, gulls (mainly BHG and common,) 40+ cormorants, teal, gadwall etc
The barn owl had not put in an appearance by the time I left around 7.30, but by then the light was too poor for a really worthwhile photo. A blackcap was heard near the level crossing and 3 swallows noted heading north overhead.

displaying lapwing

LRP and moorhen

little ringed plover

2 of the 3 that were present

LRP and redshank

Failing light for photos

2nd part of Village Spring Survey

Having covered the east and north of the parish yesterday, recording 40 species of birds, I set off this morning to search the westerly area. In the process I added; canada goose ( 2 over), coal tit, lapwing (1 over), teal (4th parish record) kestrel, linnet, little owl, song thrush and mandarin to take the total to an impressive 49 species. Also on offer, another resident barn owl checked and found to be present. This old boy has lived in his tree hole for over 6 years and lost his mate in 2011 when she was killed by a car early one morning. His offspring still inhabit the next parish to the west. He is now getting a little grey and tired, spending much time watching the world go by from his favoured tree.
The mandarin are free flying birds that crop up all over the parish, but favour a flooded gravel pit where there is plenty of fallen willows for them to roost and nest. Here, too was the pair of teal, a new bird for this site. Nuthatches were at nest holes whilst coal tits were in the local firs. Still no goldcrests to see.
A walk over the golf course failed to provide a hoped for wheatear, a regular haunt for them on spring migration. Maybe tomorrow? A dawn chorus walk over this patch on Sunday morning may provide a sighting.
Butterflies were even more evident than yesterday: 20+ small tortoiseshells, 6 peacocks and 2 brimstone males.

Aging barn owl at his tree. Been present for 6+ years here.

2 flyover canada geese. Not a regular village sight

white dead nettle (lamium alba)

red version of cowslip. (garden escape?)

one of over 20 small tortoiseshells seen this morning

mandarin drake at Westland Green

2nd walk of the day

After lunch I checked out the area east and north of Hadham Hall. The 2 barn owls and tawny owl were both in residence again, in the same tree and a pied wagtail got on to the day list, as did coot and moorhen, taking the list to a total of 39 species.
Following this I popped over to Millennium Wood, where the 2 resident buzzards were aerial and 2 chiffchaffs called. The highlight of this visit was a first sight and sound for the year. A very dark silhouette shown here.

good bed of wood anemone

Hadham Hall heron

common dog violet

goldfinch

wood anemone

lesser celandine with accompanying pollen beetles

ground ivy

coltsfoot

male blackcap

Excellent walk on local patch 08.04.15

Setting off from Tescos, I wandered around Cradle End, Bury Green, Clintons Farm and along Acremore Street and down the hill to Hadham Ford. Wide variety of birds, butterflies and flowers on show. Stocking Wood, near Bury Green had large clumps of wood anemone, dog violets and ground ivy as well as lesser celandine. The first few bluebells were just coming into bud.
In all, at least 8 chiffchaffs were heard and 4+ buzzards noted.A single red kite near Bury Green was followed by the 1st of the 4 buzzards. A swallow over Clinton's Farm
 was a first for the year in the parish, but no other migrants were seen or heard.
Yellowhammers, dunnocks, tits and finches all seen, as was a fine male sparrowhawk at Clinton's Cottages, but too fast for a photo.
Butterflies were: small tortoiseshell (3), peacock (2) and first comma of the year.
All in all, best wander of the year so far and worth noting all the bird species:
mallard, common buzzard, sparrowhawk, red kite, pheasant, herring gull, wood pigeon, collared dove, green woodpecker, great spotted woodpecker, skylark, swallow, wren, dunnock, robin, blackbird, chiffchaff, great tit, blue tit, long tailed tit, nuthatch, treecreeper, magpie, jay, jackdaw, rook, carrion crow, starling, house sparrow, chaffinch, greenfinch, goldfinch, bullfinch, yellowhammer In total: 34 species.

male robin in good voice

nuthatch inspecting possible nest sites

red kite over Bury Green

treecreeper

common buzzard

rapid flyby swallow. 1st village record for the year

chaffinch

chiffchaff

superb yellowhammer

dunnock

1st comma of the year

Glorious in the garden today

Plenty of signs of spring in the garden this lunchtime. Large white butterflies a first for the year along with 2 small tortoiseshells, male brimstone plus tawny mining bee, honey bee, bee flies and 7 spot ladybird.

small tortoiseshell

7 spot ladybird

tawny mining bee, perhaps?

Minsmere Trip 05.04.15

A flying visit to Minsmere Reserve on the Suffolk coast, hoping for a few year listers in the way of arriving migrants. Only got 2 new birds, a 2nd year caspian gull on the scrape and 2 sandwich terns over the scrape and out to sea again. Other notable birds: party of 4 bearded tits from the North Wall, 70 black tailed godwits from the East Hide, distant female black redstart from near the dragonfly pond and a few goldcrests near the Visitors' Centre. Otherwise, fairly quiet, with buzzards seen en route.
A quick trip to Dunwich Heath for dartford warbler was not a success, plenty of chiffchaffs calling though, along with finches and several reed buntings.

From the North wall looking south over the scrape

busy goldcrest

nice head shot of goldcrest

female bearded tit

male bearded tit

3 of the 4 distant bearded tits

grey heron from East Hide

Excellently plumaged black headed gull

very distant female black redstart

Thorley Wash Reserve and local walk 04.04.15

Firstly, a quick trip to Thorley Wash, where a solitary swallow over was the highlight, my first of the year. All very quiet with the only other notable birds being 4 chiffchaffs, 20 goldfinches and the resident pair of common buzzards.
Earlier, from the back garden, I had watched 2 red kites and 3 common buzzards soaring high to the south of the village.
Following Thorley I took myself off to check on one of the local pairs of barn owls. Both were visible in their tree hole. However, most surprisingly, was a roosting tawny owl in the hole next door, just 1 metre away. A most unusual sight. Other birds of note around the village were the return of the mute swan pair to the lagoon near Hadham Hall + a couple of calling chiffers. Hopefully, Minsmere tomorrow

distant 200 metre shot of 3 owls of 2 species in the same tree.

returning mute swans, pen in front, cob behind.