Lammas Meadow, Little Paxton - 13 April 2013

Freshening southerly winds today after a clear late night, increasing cloud through the morning bringing rain by early afternoon. 

Stayed very local today with intermittent watches from the balcony and a couple of hours in the morning at Lammas Meadow.

2 White Wagtails were on the flash with 2 Yellow Wagtails, a trickle of Swallows were heading north along the Ouse with 28 counted plus 6 House Martins during the morning. 30 Redwings were lingering still, 6 Chiffchaffs and 2 Willow Warblers were singing from the copse. 

A cream crowned Marsh Harrier flew north mid morning brought to my attention by one of the White Wagtails...

 Female White Wagtail  

White Wagtail looking warily though helpfully at an overflying Marsh Harrier

Grafham Water - 12 April 2013

A change in the weather system with combination of a westerly airstream which encouraged summer migrants to move northwards and showers which dropped them in to feed and rest.

Spent four hours from 06.40 covering most of the site except the far west end.

The first-winter male Velvet Scoter was still off the Dam as was a single female Red-breasted Merganser and 14 Wigeon. Good numbers of Goldeneye still with 141 counted including a very flighty flock of 96 off the dam which may well have been migrants stopping off. A pair of Goosander flew high east. 8 Avocets were on the lagoons and 10 Redshank were along the Dam. 3 Yellow-legged Gulls (1 4th calendar year bird, 2 adults); 22 intermedius Lesser Black Backs were off the Dam early morning then headed off high north-east as did a tight migratory flock of c450 Black-headed Gulls. 6 Common Terns flew through north with two lingering off Mander. 

Male Avocet - 8 were on the Lagoons today 

An arrival of Hirundines was evident - c. 30 Swallows off Mander with 8 through north-east, 16 Sand Martins also off Mander with 7 through south-east and 14 House Martins through east. 

Sand Martin resting 

Singing Chiffchaffs were in evidence, 32 were counted and there were 3 singing Willow Warblers. Still c. 35 Redwings were at the north end of the Dam with c. 200 in Diddington Wood though none were seen elsewhere. A single male Yellow Wagtail was below the Dam then flew off south, a White Wagtail was at the Lagoons, 16 Meadow Pipits at the Dam and a single Rock Pipit flew north. 6 Siskins were at the Lagoons. 

Redshank - were unusually confiding on the Dam this morning...

Lammas Meadow - Little Paxton 11 April 2013

A day of showers with easterly winds again required a post work wander around Lammas Meadow.

The rain had brought in 180 Redwings which were excitedly chattering in the mature Poplars at the southern end of the meadow before re-locating to a central hedge, became very silent then all took to the air and headed off east north east gaining height 'seeping' as they went. 
A passage of large gulls mostly Lesser Black Backs with fewer Herrings were heading north-east not the usual flight line taken to the Grafham roost and so were likely to be on the move. 
Otherwise a couple of Teal, 3 Chiffchaffs, 4 Reed Buntings and 2 squealing Water Rails were  about it. 

Redwings - pre-departure gathering

Redwings - heading off to points north-east

Great Ouse Little Paxton - 10 April 2013

Warmer weather from the south combined with an incoming weather front encouraged a wander around the local area and couple of hours river and sky watching from the balcony in the early evening...

An Osprey through low north-east at 19.17 hrs, 3 Common Terns through north-east, 3 Little Egrets, 15 Common Snipe on Lammas Meadow flash, 1 Swallow north, c.20 Redwings,  1 Willow Warbler and 6 Chiffchaffs.

Grafham Water & Paxton Pits 8 April 2013

Freshening easterlies today, after a very cold start  temperatures reached a heady 10 degrees at midday. A wander along Grafham Dam in the early morning was followed up with a lunchtime visit to the northern end of Paxton Pits.

The first-winter drake Velvet Scoter was off the dam still and even closer to the shore, 1 adult Yellow-legged Gull flew over south, c 60 Redwings were around Marlow with many now singing their chattering songs from the treetops seemingly restless for departure, c.65 mostly migrant Blackbirds in the same general area was a very good showing (falls of this species on the east coast yesterday and today apparently) c 30 Linnets and c 40 Meadow Pipits were doubtless also migrants. 

First-winter drake Velvet Scoter 

Paxton Pits at lunchtime delivered a single cream crown Marsh Harrier heading over east at 12.38 , 3 Smew (1 drake), 2 4th calendar year Yellow-Legged Gulls, 2 Ringed Plovers, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 1 Knot, 2 flighty Rock Pipits and 4 - now singing - Chiffchaffs. 

Did a little birding over the weekend mostly very locally, the most interesting observation was a marked passage of Black-headed and Common Gulls north-east along the Great Ouse valley on Saturday with 8000 Black-heads at least and not following the usual flight line. Otherwise 21 Snipe and a single Jack Snipe on Lammas Meadow on Saturday were rather nice to see on the doorstep... 

Little Ringed Plover - Paxton Pits

Grafham Water - 5 April 2013

No let-up with the cold weather, a fresh north-easterly wind and cold again this morning but at least the bright sunshine was encouraging.

The only summer migrants seen were 6 Chiffchaffs. The first-winter male Velvet Scoter was off the Dam and just within photographic range, the Slavonian Grebe was in Devils Creek, a male Smew and female Red-breasted Merganser were off Hill Farm, still 70 + Goldeneye with the adult males now displaying vigorously. An adult Little Gull out in the middle looked reluctant to take to the air at all and just two Yellow-legged Gulls were seen,a second calendar year and an adult. Winter thrushes were much in evidence with various groups of Redwing totalling  300+ including 40 on the stubble north of the Dam and fewer Fieldfares at c. 50. 

First-winter male Velvet Scoter riding the Grafham swell....

Paxton Pits - 31 March 2013

High pressure still dominating the weather with dour cloud cover and cold easterly winds. Wandered around the north side of Pumphouse Pit  to the Offord Pumping Station. 

3 Smew still (1 drake), 4 Goosander (1 male), 2 Jack Snipe along the north shore of Pumphouse Pit near the bund, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Ringed Plovers, a littoralis Rock Pipit, 4 Chiffchaffs c 30 Lesser Redpolls and a 3rd calendar year Caspian Gull were the highlights. 

Passable flight shots of Jack Snipe