Walking to the Boat - to write my blog - I saw 2 COMMIC TERN on the canal. They are called commic as its very difficult to tell the difference between a common and artic tern.... I think they were common. Derek told me he saw 2 artic tern on the canal at Hemel so maybe they were the sames ones.....
Birds, Butterflies, Wildlife and Flora around the UK. Covering Berks, Bucks, Herts, and any twitchable destinations
Friday 4 May 2012
Stork over M25 Tuesday April 22nd
Bit late putting this entry on but I saw what I believe to be a WHITE STORK flying overhead on Tuesday 24th April.
I had to stop on the A41 to send an entry into Birdguides!
I have been asked to fill out a rare bird form as also put the entry on Herts Bird Club. It was JUST in the county.
I had to stop on the A41 to send an entry into Birdguides!
I have been asked to fill out a rare bird form as also put the entry on Herts Bird Club. It was JUST in the county.
Standlake Monday 30th April
After work I headed off the Standlake in search of the storks.
On the way I headed to Burnt Oak Lane - on the edge of Reading somewhere - near the AWB or whatever its called. A Bar Tailed Godwit had been there, but not when I had arrived.
Present was a pair of GADWALL, EGYPTIAN GEESE, a pair of MUTE SWAN , GREYLAG and CANADA GEESE.
On to Standlake.
Quite a comedy twitch this one - the directions showed the storks were 3 gates in along the edge of the Thames. Due to the amount of rain it was very wet. I had my suit trousers tucked into my socks and my eccos on. However, the water was up to my ankles! "Oh a twitcher I am" I thought as I waded through the water , over fences and finally arrived to see 6 WHITE STORKS. Very nice - like something out of Africa or something!
I waited to get a shot of all 6 and got one. Then I heard and saw a KINGFISHER - so went off to get a pic. Not bad considering the light was poor. Also saw COMMON TERN, about 20 GOLDFINCH, PHEASANT and 3 WHIMBREL flew over - heard by their call. Got quite a nice shot of one of them.
Sad news - one of the storks hit a power line the next day when they flew off. Gutted.
On the way I headed to Burnt Oak Lane - on the edge of Reading somewhere - near the AWB or whatever its called. A Bar Tailed Godwit had been there, but not when I had arrived.
Present was a pair of GADWALL, EGYPTIAN GEESE, a pair of MUTE SWAN , GREYLAG and CANADA GEESE.
On to Standlake.
Quite a comedy twitch this one - the directions showed the storks were 3 gates in along the edge of the Thames. Due to the amount of rain it was very wet. I had my suit trousers tucked into my socks and my eccos on. However, the water was up to my ankles! "Oh a twitcher I am" I thought as I waded through the water , over fences and finally arrived to see 6 WHITE STORKS. Very nice - like something out of Africa or something!
I waited to get a shot of all 6 and got one. Then I heard and saw a KINGFISHER - so went off to get a pic. Not bad considering the light was poor. Also saw COMMON TERN, about 20 GOLDFINCH, PHEASANT and 3 WHIMBREL flew over - heard by their call. Got quite a nice shot of one of them.
Sad news - one of the storks hit a power line the next day when they flew off. Gutted.
Bracknell work 30th April
As I headed from the engineering block back to the main building a SWIFT few over head. First one of the year!
College Lake 28th April
It was so cold at Wilstone that I headed off with Francis to College Lake - leaving hardcore Steve to check out what was around.
Loads of people were in the big viewing area
There was a RINGED PLOVER being lairy and having a go at a COMMON SANDPIPER. Also present - plenty of REDSHANK, SHOVELER,a pair of RED CRESTED POCHARD which may be the pair that have been on Startops for ages.
Also a LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL right at the back of the reserve.
Even in the viewing area it was cold and wanted to get home. Geek tastic morning.
Loads of people were in the big viewing area
There was a RINGED PLOVER being lairy and having a go at a COMMON SANDPIPER. Also present - plenty of REDSHANK, SHOVELER,a pair of RED CRESTED POCHARD which may be the pair that have been on Startops for ages.
Also a LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL right at the back of the reserve.
Even in the viewing area it was cold and wanted to get home. Geek tastic morning.
Wilstone 28th April
Wilstone Reservoir Saturday 28th April
So its pissing down with rain and I head off to the ressie for a peek to see if anything juicy has come down - the next couple of weeks are supposed to be very good for migrants - apparently....
Steve and Francis were there - huddled under a brolly!
Francis pointed out a LITTLE GULL - a life tick! Got a not bad pic with the lumix which isnt bad as it was moving about quite a lot.
Also SANDMARTIN and SWALLOW a plenty. The usual other stuff but not listing it!
So its pissing down with rain and I head off to the ressie for a peek to see if anything juicy has come down - the next couple of weeks are supposed to be very good for migrants - apparently....
Steve and Francis were there - huddled under a brolly!
Francis pointed out a LITTLE GULL - a life tick! Got a not bad pic with the lumix which isnt bad as it was moving about quite a lot.
Also SANDMARTIN and SWALLOW a plenty. The usual other stuff but not listing it!
Balscote
Balscote Friday 27th April
Birdguides informed me that a dotterel was in a place called Balscote in Oxon - so I thought I would go after work. The weather was terrible - really cold and raining.
So I headed off and eventually found the site - right next to the nature reserve. A few birders were there.
I saw the DOTTEREL - amongst a load of GOLDEN PLOVER in really nice summer plumage. I got a record shot of the dotterel with the camcorder - I didnt have the lumix with me (Doh!) but at least its a better shot than the one I had from Norfolk which is a blurred lump.
A great little site with lots going on - WHINCHAT by the puddle, a WHIMBREL on the pond with a couple of YELLOWHAMMERS in the hedge. PIED WAGTAIL, CANADA GEESE, LAPWING, a SWALLOW and a couple of NORTHEN WHEATEAR completed the trip.
Nice to get a better record shot of the dotterel, but still want a better one!
Birdguides informed me that a dotterel was in a place called Balscote in Oxon - so I thought I would go after work. The weather was terrible - really cold and raining.
So I headed off and eventually found the site - right next to the nature reserve. A few birders were there.
I saw the DOTTEREL - amongst a load of GOLDEN PLOVER in really nice summer plumage. I got a record shot of the dotterel with the camcorder - I didnt have the lumix with me (Doh!) but at least its a better shot than the one I had from Norfolk which is a blurred lump.
A great little site with lots going on - WHINCHAT by the puddle, a WHIMBREL on the pond with a couple of YELLOWHAMMERS in the hedge. PIED WAGTAIL, CANADA GEESE, LAPWING, a SWALLOW and a couple of NORTHEN WHEATEAR completed the trip.
Nice to get a better record shot of the dotterel, but still want a better one!
LMGP Friday 27th April
I couldnt resist a stop over on the way to work to Little Marlow Gravel pits.
The weather was touch and go but I had about 30 mins of pretty nice birding.
From the car park I saw a nice male BLACKCAP
On the reserve I was told about a COMMON SANDPIPER that was sneaking along the edge of a far back. A couple of record shots on the camcorder - as this was all I had with me.
A couple of COMMON TERNS were having a nice bit of courtship on one of the spits.
Other sightings include:
LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL, CORMORANT, LAPWING, MALLARD, WIGEON, COOT, GADWALL, a pair of EGYPTIAN GEESE, GREAT CRESTED GREBE, an unusual looking duck hanging around with a MALLARD - I will put that on random ducks dot com to see what it is - some sort of hybrid i'm sure.
I thought I spotted a kingfisher so decided to investigate around the other part of the nature reserve - close to the gravel pit site. I saw and heard a CHIFF CHAFF, BLUE TIT, BLACKBIRD, WREN, ROBIN WOODPIGEON, CHAFFINCH, MAGPIE, a couple of RINGED NECKED PARAKEETS, and COLLARED DOVE.
It started to rain and was getting a bit late so I thought I best head off to work.
On the way back I saw a GREY HERON, a DUNNOCK sitting up nicely on a hedge - record shot but a bit blurry. Camcorder is good, but it aint a camera!
Not a bad little bird injection before work.
I couldnt resist a stop over on the way to work to Little Marlow Gravel pits.
The weather was touch and go but I had about 30 mins of pretty nice birding.
From the car park I saw a nice male BLACKCAP
On the reserve I was told about a COMMON SANDPIPER that was sneaking along the edge of a far back. A couple of record shots on the camcorder - as this was all I had with me.
A couple of COMMON TERNS were having a nice bit of courtship on one of the spits.
Other sightings include:
LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL, CORMORANT, LAPWING, MALLARD, WIGEON, COOT, GADWALL, a pair of EGYPTIAN GEESE, GREAT CRESTED GREBE, an unusual looking duck hanging around with a MALLARD - I will put that on random ducks dot com to see what it is - some sort of hybrid i'm sure.
I thought I spotted a kingfisher so decided to investigate around the other part of the nature reserve - close to the gravel pit site. I saw and heard a CHIFF CHAFF, BLUE TIT, BLACKBIRD, WREN, ROBIN WOODPIGEON, CHAFFINCH, MAGPIE, a couple of RINGED NECKED PARAKEETS, and COLLARED DOVE.
It started to rain and was getting a bit late so I thought I best head off to work.
On the way back I saw a GREY HERON, a DUNNOCK sitting up nicely on a hedge - record shot but a bit blurry. Camcorder is good, but it aint a camera!
Not a bad little bird injection before work.
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