Great Ouse Valley - Little Paxton - 29 March 2013

Cold again with occasional snow/sleet flurries.

Started the day off with a couple of hours from the balcony from 08.00 which delivered a high flying Short-eared Owl heading north-east at 08:35, 2 Rock Pipits north-east and c 40 Redwings north-east. 

Then did a shortish spell at the northern end of Paxton Pits where there were 3 Smew (1 drake), 1 + Little Ringed Plover, 2 Ringed Plovers, 3 Ruff which flew north at 11.48 and 4 Chiffchaffs along the road to the pumping station. 

Drake Smew loafing 

Grafham Water - 28 March 2013

Yet another cold morning with remnant snow drifts along the dam road and a welcoming biting easterly wind though not feeling quite as raw as it has been during the last few days. 

Spent five hours from 8.00 am working the site along the north and south shores. 

A first-winter drake Velvet Scoter was the highlight but was unfortunately too far away to be photographed and has apparently been present since the  24 March, the drake Smew was off Hill Farm, the Slavonian Grebe initially off the Dam then flew to the west end, c 86 Goldeneye still, 210 Shovelers were massing at the lagoons, just 6 Redshank were counted, 6 Yellow-legged Gulls comprised 2 adults, 3 second calendar year birds and 1 third calendar year, 8 Dunlin together were on the shore west of Marlow. 

Passernes were in short supply, 3 Chiffchaffs, a single flock of c.30 Fieldfares, a scattering of Redwings, 6 Linnets and 2 Siskins were logged. Finally a Sand Martin which flew west over the Dam against an unlikely backdrop of snow looked strikingly out of place 

Grafham Water - 22 March 2013

Fierce conditions this morning, although the air temperature was 3 degrees a bitterly cold easterly wind originating way east of the Baltic made it feel more like -3. Spent five hours from 08:00 hrs covering the  Dam, Marlow, Hill Farm, Lagoons and Fishing Lodge and adjacent areas.

The highlight was an unexpected mini 'fall' of Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests with 9 of the former all typical collybita types calling only not singing, and c. 23 of the latter away from their typical spring haunts feeding in low scrub and brambles in locations that made it quite evident that they were migrants e.g 2 in an isolated Hawthorne below the dam. The peak spring period for Goldcrests migrating through the UK back to the continent and points east is mid March to mid April and the fierce easterlies doubtless forced them to drop in to feed and rest...

Other sightings included 2 drake Smew (1 Lagoons, 1 west of Hill Farm), 28 Shelduck on the Lagoons, a total count of 128 Goldeneye, the Slavonian Grebe between the lagoons and the Yacht Club mid morning, 2 Ringed Plovers and 2 Dunlin, along the north shore, 1 Turnstone in Dudney Creek, 10 Redshank (definitely fewer than yesterday), 5 Yellow-legged Gulls, 1 Rock Pipit seen in flight only west over Marlow, 8 Redwings, 8 + Siskins at the lagoons, 4 Redpolls sp at the lagoons and a small flock of 17 Yellowhammers with 4 Reed Buntings in the stubble field north of the Dam. 

Smew

Goldcrest

Grafham 21 March 2013

A light ENE wind and mostly overcast with the sun breaking through occasionally, not quite springlike but getting there.....

At home a little bit of movement along the Ouse valley this morning with 11 Golden Plovers north, 1 Curlew north-west,  and c 20 Meadow PIpits also north-west.

 A lunchtime visit to Grafham covering the dam, lagoons and fishing lodge areas;  

The Slavonian Grebe was again off the Dam, a male Garganey on the Lagoons where there were also 12 Avocets, c.40 Shelduck,  c. 20 Redshank and 3 Snipe, an adult Kittiwake was  distantly off the fishing lodge, 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls,  12 Fieldfares flew north, a male Greenland Wheatear was at the north end of the dam and 16 Siskins flew over north-east.

male Garganey

Slavonian Grebe

Avocet 

17 March 2013

Started the day with a casual couple of hours vis migging from the Little Paxton  balcony, 26 Waxwings which flew over east calling were the highlight otherwise a trickle of Redwings over, 8 Reed Buntings NE and 3 Curlew NW were the best of it then heavy rain set in until very late afternoon.

Spent the last two hours of gloomy daylight at Grafham scanning the gull roost from the Dam and along the north shore. 3 adult Yellow-legged Gulls and at least 2 adult Kittiwakes were in the roost, an adult Mediterranean Gull came in over the Dam with a group of Black-headed Gulls, a Turnstone was on the dam as were 2 Oystercatchers and 8 Common Snipe dropped into the flooded stubble field north of the Dam at dusk. A lone Chiffchaff was at the north end of the Dam as were c.30 Redwings and 8 Fieldfares.

Grafham - 16 March 2013

Covered the Dam and adjacent areas followed by a shortish scan from the Yacht Club until 10.30 ish...

4 windblown adult Kittiwakes were the highlight with 5 Yellow-legged Gulls, the Slavonian Grebe, a Rock Pipit (race littoralis) and a flock of 300+ Fieldfares over being the other notable sightings.

Grafham 14 March 2013

Following a lone Swallow north along the Ouse late morning, a late afternoon visit to Grafham in relatively benign conditions....

The Slavonian Grebe was still off the Dam as was the male Common Scoter, the gull roost was split so rather awkward to sift through; 6 Yellow-Legged Gulls, 2 second calendar year (first-winter) Caspian Gulls and a single juvenile Iceland Gull (a pale one) were  the pick. 

A couple of other sightings locally in the last few days are worthy of mention; a total of 8 Brent Geese flew north along the Ouse Valley on 9 March on a day when they were on the move across south-east England; a female Merlin at Toseland has, I suspect, been in the general area all winter but who really knows(?). 

Grafham Water - 22 February 2013

With a air temperatures just above zero and an extreme wind chill factor from a biting easterly, the five hours walking was real graft this morning, fortunately there was sufficient variety of birdlife around to make the walk worthwhile.

Although wildfowl numbers have been very low in recent weeks there were 120 + Goldeneye, 2 Goosanders, the first-winter male Scaup off the yacht club, a redhead Smew in Littless Creek. The Slavonian Grebe that has been around for a while was off the dam. A Turnstone was just west of the Mander CP, 6 Redshanks, 2 Green Sandpipers were in this area also and c.60 Black-tailed Godwits flew through north-east despite the fierce wind. A walk around the west end of the reservoir afforded shelter and a few passerine sightings which included 2 male Blackcaps, 10 Siskins, 4 Lesser Redpolls and 7 + Nuthatches in Littless Wood. 

Scaup - first-winter drake 

Marsh Tit

Nuthatch 

Ouse Washes - 16 February 2013

Clear blue skies, a gentle south-westerly  breeze and higher temperatures than of late tempted me out to the Ouse Washes for most of the day with a nice long walk from Welches Dam along the Old Bedford River bank northwards past the railway bridge to the pumping station. 

There were good numbers of wild Swans around though most were distant apart from a few close flybys, as expected there were masses of Wigeon though very few Pintail with just 20 counted, c40 Goldeneye, a pair of Goosanders and a pair of Smew were all north of the railway bridge. Waders were restricted to c 280 Golden Plovers in the adjacent fields and a flyover flock of c 200 some with shades of black appearing on their bellies; several Redshank and 2 Ruff. 2 cream crown Marsh Harriers were quartering the reed swamp along the railway embankment and a Short-eared Owl hunted along the farmland edge north of the railway bridge late afternoon. Very few Gulls were noted though a juvenuile Glaucous Gull which flew south along the wash late afternoon was impressive as always. 

The best of the passerines were two Water Pipits which were feeding in an area of mud and vegetation near the railway bridge and flew off high towards the flooded fields on the west side of the river, a male Stonechat, 4 Kingfishers added a splash of colour to the afternoon and 6 Corn Buntings blended well into the buff/brown tones of the arable landscape. 

a typically distant flock of Swans - these were mostly Bewick's

a flight of Wigeon 

Grafham Water 9 February 2013

Spent the morning covering the area near the dam and the west end of the reservoir from 0800 to 11.30 am; a pleasant sunny bright morning with a light south-westerly breeze.

A modest selection: 4 Bewick's Swans were still at the west end, the female Red-breasted Merganser and first-winter male Scaup were off the the dam, 6 Goosanders (2 males) off the Yacht Club, a lone redhead Smew was in Littless Creek, 5 Yellow-legged Gulls (2 ads, 2 2nd calendar year and 1 4th calendar year; 6 Redshanks, 2 Green Sandpipers, c.30 Siskins and 
c. 40 Lesser Redpolls. 

 Lesser Redpoll (male)

Red-breasted Merganser (female)

A Norfolk weekend 1-3 February 2013

The traditional February weekend away now re-located to Norfolk during which we encountered some spectacular north sea sleet squalls brought in by a bitingly fierce northerly wind.

The weekend kicked off on Friday with an en-route visit to the Ouse Washes at Welches Dam where in addition to rather distant views of wild swans  a flock of c.200 Golden Plovers allowed closer scrutiny but were eclipsed by a series of impressive large overflying flocks of Goldies totaling c 2000, 5 Ruff (all males) were around and a couple of Goosander were just about it.. 

Saturday morning dawned with massive storm clouds coming in over the north sea and a light dusting of snow as we walked along the Wash bank at Snettisham. The crystalline clarity and fiercely bright light enhanced the high tide wader roost spectacle. In addition to the anticipated large numbers of Knot, Dunlin, Bar-tailed Godwits etc the numbers of Pintail, Wigeon and Brent Geese were impressive; three Long-tailed Ducks which flew north close inshore were an added bonus.  

Oystercatchers

Knot and a lone Turnstone

We then headed for Holkham for the afternoon, several skeins of Pinkfeet flew overhead en-route. The weather deteriorated with massive rain and sleet storms sweeping in limiting our visit to a couple of hours, the best sightings were an adult Black Brant or hybrid with a small flock of  bernicla Brent Geese which also held a single adult hrota; some decent sized flocks of Pinkfeet were around with flocks arriving from the south and engaging in some frisky flight displays; just 4 White-fronted Geese and 2 Barnacle Geese. 

A strong westerly wind for the Sunday morning walk from Cley to Salthouse and back made birding hard work with 3 Red-throated Divers, a single adult Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Marsh Harriers and an impressive grazing flock of c.900 Brents being the best sightings. 

A final stop off at Woodwalton Fen was too late for any roosting Harriers but we did manage a single Woodcock at dusk and a couple of heard only Long-eared Owls.