River cottage field trip

Anna & I went on a trip to Axminster to experience River Cottage for real. A lovely meal at River cottage canteen, and an over priced night with a measly breakfast set us up for a day at River Cottage HQ. I had set off early for a trip to Exminster for a rose coloured starling dip. On the way to RC, we stopped off at Charmouth, a piece of coast famous for fossil scavenging. It looked like an ideal place for migrant stop overs, and straight up I got onto 2 NORTHERN WHEATEAR. Shortly after a male STONECHAT and a RING OUZEL. Quite pleased with this showing - it just looked ideal for migration. 

Northern Wheatear digiscoped

Onto River Cottage HQ for fun, food, cooking lessons from the team on the telly, and a massive River Cottage bonus, HUGH was there!! We had an excited fit waiting for the book signing moment... Hugh thought he knew Anna (oh yeah what's going on here then) and had a nice little chat about herbs and signed the book. A great day with nice weather to boot.

Denz and our hero Hugh F.W.

On the way home we stopped at Ham Wall RSPB as the P.B. grebe had been showing well. Second dip of the day! A fair nimber of SANDMARTIN were skimming the surface. Year list to #106. A music filled journey back to the Lamb for a few beers completed a whistle stop 2 day tour - I think we passed through about 9 counties!

Who KNEW we would meet HUGH!!!! :)

Berko Black Red Start Bonus

A quick visit to the Locks and also pick up a key from Clare - a twitch and a chore in one!! Flitting around quite a lot, saw it two or three times the best view pictured. Chirpy little beauty - first female BRS and best views yet and oh so close to home! Thanks to a local who called this one in ....

A beauty in the Locks , Berko

Wigeon Dip

Awoken early by a tweet text staing an American Wigeon was at Lea Farm GP by Dinton - so dragged myself there on Saturday morning . When I got there it was then a hybrid and I had real difficulty seeing it.
Annoying!!!
Anyway took the opportunity to try out my digiscope solution using various adapters and stepping rings up to 58mm for the Ziess (rather than paying money for the Ziess adapter) results looked good especially in very poor light.
Then off to Sensei Len & Henrieheta's to plan the tournament for next week. Good job I was there in person as we had lots of planning to sort out.
Then home for a trip to Newbridge (of White Stork fame) with Anna - we stayed at the Rose Revived - lovely time and pub.
Random snow downfall in the morning!!

Staines year ticks

A trip to Staines reservoir on the way home from work on Thursday - brought a distant view of a RED THROATED DIVER, a closer GREAT NORTHERN DIVER both on the airport side of the Ressie. On the other side a summer plumage SLAVONIAN GREBE was caught on film. Probably about 20 Goldeneye were present. Year list to #102

Great Northern Diver (juvenile)

Slavonian Grebe at Staines

Goldeneye

Freezing Tring

A morning visit to Tring on Mother's Day - absolutely freezing. Did a quick circular - with a longer stay on Marsworth - only the common of note. Too cold to hang about and house stuff to sort out. 

Common Gull on Marsworth 

Hawfinch Year tick #99

Wifie was on a singing course in Hatfield so I took the opportunity to check out Bramfield - which produced two HAWFINCH - in poor light it must be said and in the tops of the trees...I had a nice leisurely walk around the village for a couple of hours. Nothing much exciting on the bird front, no other birders (there were in the morning) - and plenty of people paying their respects in the graveyard putting fresh flowers etc.

One of two Hawfinch in the graveyard trees

Green woody on the field 

House sparrow in the village

Greenfinch showing nice wing pattern

Common Gull on the way back to Hatfield

4 Lifers in 2 days - London to Norfolk

Sunday midday I set off to Rainham Marshes - well an industrial site nearby a clocked up a

BLACK REDSTART (Lifer #266)

Then off to Norfolk - Waverley Forest in fact in search of 'the mound' that looks over the marshes. Eventually found said bit of forest and in great light spotted a ROUGH LEGGED BUZZARD (Lifer #267) with a fellow birder- at real distance but the Zeiss scope showed the features really well, and then it flew across the field showing the long white tail very nicely. Also two SHORT EARED OWLS patrolling, a MARSH HARRIER and a STOCK DOVE (year ticks)

Stayed at Travel Lodge in Norfolk (curry mess on the towels whoops) and then awoken at 4:40 by a motorbike!!

Got up and out at 6:06 and off the Wolverton , and after going down the first corner, turned right up the next and wallop - two beautiful GOLDEN PHEASANT (Lifer #268) showing nicely on the side of the road. I showed a couple of cars where they were, had a better view then off to the Norfolk coast by 7:30. Great start. 

Then to Salthouses where 4 SNOW BUNTING and about 20 TURNSTONE (year ticks) were so close to the car in the car park great views of stone turning with an audience of buntings!

Then to Cley- down the beach track to the Eye Pool where a solitary PURPLE SANDPIPER was showing nicely (Lifer #269) as well as a couple hundred DARK BELLIED BRENT GEESE (year tick) 

I met Red at Cley, and offered him a lift back to the snow bunting and inwards to Titchwell. No luck on the bunting but we saw a barn owl hunting on the way.

Red (O'Hara) then showed me a great spot opposite Twitchwell where a shed load of yellowhammer were hanging out by the farm barn.

Titchwell was showing a fantastic SPOTTED REDSHANK on one of the lakes as well as some great BRAMBLING views by the feeders -  also AVOCET on the main 'lake' and some KITTIWAKE on the sea, and OYSTERCATCHERS a plenty, BLACK TAILED GODWIT and SKYLARK singing and one sitting on the ground (where Twite are sometimes seen) - all year ticks . 

I hope to meet up with Red in Norfolk again - top bloke and real local knowledge. 

3 hour ish drive back to Hemel to meet up with Anna and see the solicitor , the latter being a stressy experience . Waitrose therapy of lots of nice things to eat rounded off the day at home nicely.

Four lifers in two days and on my own steam - awesome!!- and with limited phone / bird guides due to beer induced power cable disaster after Lamb Golf beer experience. 

Quite a few days. 

Other pics to be added iPad can't handle this much info!!

Black Redstart at Rainham Ind area 

Rough Legged Buzzard on the marshes at Waverney Forest 

Golden Pheasant at Wolferton 

Purple Sandpiper at Cley Eye

A pair of Golden Pheasants

Snow Bunting at Salthouse car park 

4 Snow Bunting - taken from car window 

Spotted Redshank at Titchwell

Hundreds of Dark Bellied Brent Geese at Cley

Pintail at Titchwell

Avocet at Titchwell 

Female Brambling at Titchwell

Male and Female Brambling

Purple Sandpiper 

Black tailed  Godwit

Spotted Redshank (Good light!)

Herts trip with Rob

A circular type trip around Herts with Rob, starting at the cricket club trying for a little owl but no luck. Then up to the top the hill by the golf club for possible Siskin or redpoll but nothing... So onto the reservoirs starting at Tringford where Red Crested Pochard were showing well, Kingfisher etc - then around Startops, lunch at the pub then back through Marsworth to the car. Wilstone next for a circular then onto College Lake where Snipe and Sparrowhawk were present. 42 species for the day - a pleasant day out - all be it a bit overcast.

No year ticks for me but Rob clocked up a few newbies so job done!!

Snipe at College Lake