Saturday 25th February - Welsh raid

As the Welsh were leaving their country in the thousands descending on London, Gary Howard organised a stealth movement in the other direction. Arriving at rendezvous points around the M25 from 5am, with Gary driving and passengers Mike Buckland, Richard Bonser, we arrived arrived on the edge of Newport just before 8am to see a Common Yellowthroat which had been found on the outskirts of Rhiwderyn just over a week ago.We walked the short distance across a couple of fields to where a small group of birders had gathered (numbers later swelling to around 300),  surrounding a clump of brambles in front of a field hedge. The bird was only the 9th recorded in the UK (It is common in US hedgerows).

After around an hour it was clear that the Yellowthroat was going to be elusive and other than some 'movement in the undergrowth' calls there were no significant views. The sun was appearing over the hill and then a soft 'tak tak' call revealed the Common Yellowthroat's presence, initially without showing but then it flew to a nearer bramble patch where it poked itself out at grass level a couple of times (luckily we were positioned pretty much in front of where it appeared in the long line of birders). Although distinctive with a bright yellow throat and undertail, the views didn't get much better than this as it remained elusive and continued to creep in a mouse-like fashion just in the undergrowth.

Having had our rewards we went on to Cardiff bay. We spent a short while trying to find the best place to access the foreshore and eventually (after getting lost in a place called Splott) we dumped Gary's car on a verge and walked through a gap in the fencing to follow a path around the Waterworks. There were good numbers of mainly Black-headed Gulls on the receding tide. A couple of adult Mediterranean Gulls were quickly found and then Mike expertly picked out a 1st Winter Bonaparte's Gull which flew and landed a couple of times but further away each time, but we had good views in good light through the scopes and in flight it showed clearly the black tail band and white outer primaries. Along with the increasing number of gulls, Pintail, Shoveler, Shelduck Bar-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Turnstone and Curlew were on the mudflats.

We then moved onto Cosmeston Lakes near Penarth in search of a Lesser Scaup, where we were hoping to get exceptional close views. On arrival, this rather crowded location had a lot of bread-filled Swans, Gulls and ducks near to the car park and cafe ! - A Whooper Swan proved to be of feral pedigree without a BTO ring and the Lesser Scaup was not in the vicinity. We walked through to a second lake which was marginally more wild, and soon found the drake Lesser Scaup on the far bank with Pochard and Tufted Ducks. We tried various angles around the lake to get that photographic opportunity as the light was great, but it was all a little distant and through trees, but a good bird to see well through the scope.

We then headed home at a reasonable hour (They let us back across the boarder for free !) after a productive day in mild sunny weather and good company.

In case we were in any doubt as to which direction to go.

Around 300 birders were present in the 3 hours we were on site

Common Yellowthroat - rather skulking.

Nice shot of a bramble - The Common Yellowthroat wasn't giving itself up easily

Cosmeston Lakes, Penarth.

Lesser Scaup - distant and through the trees.

Male Tufted Duck

Black-headed Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull - remarkably healthy given it's head is on upside down.

14th - 17th February - Norfolk

With the girls on half-term, we had a 3 night stay in Norfolk , based in Holkham, consisting of 2 full days there plus a day either end of mainly journeying. The weather had warmed slightly to around 6c from the previous weeks' freeze but remained overcast  throughout.

Our first stop was at a small nature reserve near Fakenham called Sculthorpe Moor. It can be difficult to encourage  the girls to venture beyond a visitor centre when it's cold, but they're always up for a good boardwalk, and Sculthorpe's is pretty impressive, so we had a decent wander around. A speciality here is Willow Tit, although after seeing several obvious Marsh Tits, I thought I then had a good candidate (paler secondaries, white extended cheek patch and buffy brown flanks), but  it then pronounced itself as a Marsh Tit with a burst of song, not surprising they are mis-id'd without hearing calls. A good number of other commoner woodland species and a close Muntjac Deer, were present although a chainsaw gang working around the reserve probably kept a few birds hiding.

After checking in at our accommodation I had a late afternoon walk at Holkham with a Barn Owl, Pink-footed and White-fronted Geese, and a Water Rail being the highlights.

On Wednesday early morning I went to the Wells end of the woods, but saw very little so returned for breakfast. Hannah was studying for exams and the girls were very happy having found a comfortable spot in the hotel next to an open fire, so headed off to Titchwell.  Lots of people (as ever at Titchwell) were looking for the Arctic Redpoll around the visitor centre but there was no sign amongst the Lesser Redpolls present. Walking to the beach there was a male Scaup on the freshmarsh with Spotted Redshank, Ruff and Avocet among the more usual suspects. On the sea 2 Long-tailed Ducks flew past before landing and 2 Velvet Scoter were just off the beach with a single Eider and lots of Goldeneye, Red-throated Diver and Red-breasted Merganser. Back near the visitor centre I found the Coues's Arctic Redpoll feeding in Alders near the picnic area, showing its' unstreaked white rump fairly clearly through the scope.

I picked the girls up and we headed to Cley for lunch,  Hannah preferred the Holt shops so I went for a walk around the nearest hides at Cley marshes with Adie who kept the bird list until her hands stopped working with the cold. 2 Whooper Swans flew in, a close Little Egret kept us entertained catching fish until one of the several Marsh Harriers flushed it and lots of other wildfowl kept us looking.

On Thursday, I went for another morning walk at Holkham. The Pink-footed Geese (c2,500) were quite a spectacle coming into the grazing marsh for around 2 hours before heading off again. A Bittern flew in front of one of the hides, and 2 Rough-Legged Buzzards were seen at the far end of the marsh. I picked out 2 Greenland White-fronted Geese amongst the Eurasian White-fronts and a Peregrine was sitting in the field where the departed Geese had been.

After some lunch in Wells we all headed to Titchwell in the afternoon. Being half-term, the girls were given a trail quiz each to find various birds, mammals and landmarks (although I think Waxwing and Twite were quite ambitious asks). The bizarre battleship structure of the Parinder hide allowed some close views of Ruff, Golden Plover, Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit, Pintail, Teal, Wigeon and Gadwall. A Red-necked Grebe drifted past on the sea with one of yesterdays Long-tailed Ducks and a Redhead Smew on the freshmarsh on the walk back just as it started to rain. Adie, who had the shorter quiz, was gifted a label badge of choice and packet including a wildlife CD. Hannah was told she'd won a gold medal for her efforts and ended up with a brown plastic badge with 'Spot it' emblazened across it - she wasn't impressed.

Friday morning allowed for another walk to Holkham before we journeyed home, I found 3 Tundra Bean Geese in the Pink-foot flock and a male Merlin was perched up fairly distantly on a fencepost with 2 Barn Owls hunting in the same view.

It was a relaxing break and I ended with a good list of birds, 106 species.

Sculthorpe Moor - What looks like lingering mist is chainsaw smoke !

Muntjac Deer

Goldcrest

Little Green birdwatcher - Adie at Cley

Little Egret

Grazing Wigeon at Holkham

One Pink-footed Goose - His 2,500 buddies provided quite a spectacle.

Holkham Freshmarsh

Sunday 12th February - Frozen

Saturday was freezing, and Saturday night even colder, at home the temperature was -8c and it was a few degrees colder in Hindhead. Saturday was largely spent around the house with Han and Adie.

Starting at Fishbourne Creek on Sunday morning, it was bitterly cold, with a fairly low tide, the ice encrusted mud flats just needing Polar Bears running around to complete the scene. Fishbourne can be a good place in Winter for over-wintering waders you would normally expect to see in Spring, which is what I'd hoped for. There was a good number of commoner birds in the channels, plenty of Dunlin, Grey Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, Ringed Plover, Common Snipe, Wigeon, Teal, Pintail, Shelduck and Littile Egret. It took a quite a search before I found a Greenshank and then further up the wintering Little Stint. With cold toes and watering eyes I slowly wandered back picking up 2 Spotted Redshanks, and in the flock of Brent Geese a Black Brant. It was a decent haul of birds and only theWhimbrel eluded me.

I next called in at Hayling Island (just over the county border into Hampshire), where there has been a Shorelark present and it was being well watched on shingle bank when I arrived. There were also 12 Black-necked Grebes offshore with good numbers of Goldeneye and Red-breasted Mergansers.

I decided to head back to Thorney Island, calling in at Warblington on the way and was lucky enough to see the Cattle Egret as soon as I arrived, as it has a habit of being fairly elusive.A Great White Egret had been reported on Thorney Island and I had my hopes up of having a 3 Egret day - not often achieved in the UK but becoming easier with the expanded ranges of the 3 Egret species. Thorney Island is predominantly a military base, with a footpath which circumnavigates the island. There are viewing opportunities at the security gates but this often gets mixed reactions from the Sentries on duty !. I headed down the East side footpath with another birder, who was pursuing the same bird, as far as the Security gate which allowed limited views back up the channel. Other than Marsh Harrier, Buzzard and another Greenshank we saw very little, then approaching the cars again 2 other birders were waving frantically as they had the Great White Egret visible behind some reeds, a great way to end a rather cold day out.

Back at home, 6 Bramblings were seen ! Never had this many at Greyhound.

View across first field.

Hazel catkins were frozen

Long-tiled Tit 

More Brambling Pictures

Redshank at Fishbourne

Black-tailed Godwits

Arctic Tundra ? - view across Fishbourne Creek

Cattle Egret - Warblington

Brent Geese at Thorney

Friday 10th February - There's a Badger on my nuts !

We saw it/ him /her !!!!! -- Both tonight and last night - on Thursday it was around 9pm when I saw the Black and White stripes hovering around the stump with the nuts, tonight it appeared earlier at 7pm. It's quite difficult to see unless the upstairs bathroom light is on and the other lights are off, but the snow helps with reflection - getting any sort of picture is difficult as the camera won't focus through the glass in the dark.... but a result !

 His (?) name is Marvin ... apparently.

Meet Marvin the Badger.

Tuesday 7th February - The rice fields of Sussex

News at the end of last week was of a Paddyfield Warbler which had been seen at Pagham. A bird which breeds in Eastern Europe and Russia and more usually Winters in India. Although several birds have been recorded in the UK before, not often so in winter and with the freezing weather the birds chances of continuing survival seemed rather reduced, so I organised myself to take Tuesday to have a look for it.
Arriving first thing it was still below 0c and there were already 30 or so birders strung along the North Wall of the harbour looking for the bird. I spent the next 5 hours in a mixture between standing scanning in the more favoured areas and having to wander along the footpath to get some circulation into my feet as it was still freezing,  but without the bird appearing.

There were other birds to be seen.with Bittern, Water Rail, Bearded Tits and Kingfisher all showing over the frozen pools and reed beds, whilst the harbour had large numbers of Brent Geese, Golden Plover, Knot, Dunlin, Grey plover and 2 Avocets. Then at nearly 1pm, after the Sun had been out for an hour, the Paddyfield Warbler was found and in the following 20 minutes showed reasonably well although slightly distantly, but the sun was out which helped the views. For a standard brown accro warbler it was quite varied in its' plumage with  a particularly contrasting darker cap and paler collar and pale wing panels.  I was quite relieved to see it as I was pretty cold by that point and sought refuge in a warm vehicle shortly after !

A Paddyfield Warbler - But one I took at the Armash Fish ponds in Armenia in May 2010.

Sunday 5th February - Winter Arrives

Saturday was spent firstly in High Wycombe as Adie was in a Judo competition, her Judo coach is the only person that calls her Adelaide (unless she's been bad !) - we had to get there for 8.30 so it was an early start (She won a gold medal !), and then afterwards we drove into Central London to see a show (Umoja) which was a Christmas present for Adie. There were 'Severe Weather' warnings for the day but it worked out perfectly as the snow only arrived when we were around 30 minutes from home around 7pm. Overnight it snowed - it wasn't as bad at home as predicted , we only had a few cms. 3 miles up the road in Haslemere there was c15 cms. Sunday was spent at home feeling warm !

The snow revealed several overnight tracks across the garden, Pussy Cat, Fox and then .. Badger !, which I'd suspected before but have not yet seen evidence of one, but we were able to follow it's route around the place - Some chopped apple and seed left for the birds on a stump had vanished and the Badger must be the culprit but other than planning a midnight vigil with torches I imagine the beast will remain elusive to viewing.

Birds in the garden were still in good numbers with the 30+ strong Chaffinch flock still holding the 2 Bramblings. 4 Lesser Redpolls and 4 Siskins were regularly on the feeders with up to 10 Goldfinches and a still only a single Greenfinch. Along with Great Tit, Blue Tit and Coal Tit a party of 8 Long-tailed Tits visited in the afternoon and a single Marsh Tit was seen with a brief visit. Early morning around 20 Fieldfares flew over and 6 Redwings were on the path flicking leaf litter near the Chicken pen. A male Sparrowhawk had at least 3 attempts at grabbing lunch near the feeders but as far as I could see went away empty-clawed. 2 House Sparrows had a half hearted attempt to extract food at the seed feeders but appeared not to know how best to use them and gave up - strange but that's the first visit to feeders by House Sparrows this year. Other regulars of Nuthatch, Great-Spotted Woodpecker, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Starling, Jackdaw, Collared Dove, Woodpigeon, Pheasant made several appearances.

Now I need to make a plan for the Paddyfield Warbler !

Signs of a big fat Badger

Followed all the way to the food

The tiny Woodland pond has been frozen for a few days

The snow retreated pretty quickly in the morning.

Snowy Brambling in the garden

Friday 3rd February - Parrots in Sussex

I was off work today, replacing last Fridays (birthday) planned day off  when I had to work instead.

I went to Black Down at 8am just as it was getting light and it was freezing !! at -3c. The views from Black Down towards the South Downs on a clear day are stunning.

The Parrot Crossbill first reported last Sunday had been seen each day since but often only in the early morning. Parrot Crossbills are no longer offically recognised as rare birds since a small breeding population was found in Scotland, but Southern England has not recorded one for around 20 years, so its a good bird to have just 5 minutes from the house.  It's favoured spot was a group of scattered pines around a small pool and it was cohabiting with a large number of Common Crossbills. The drinking pool was covered with 2inch thick ice and a few of the gathered birders decided to break the ice to give the birds some water to access. Quite quickly I was viewing a large group of Crosbills feeding in the pines and one foray down to the drinking pool , initially with no sign of the 'Parrot' but after around half an hour of scanning through the flock in pines I caught glimpse of a more interesting bird but tucked out of full view. Gradually it emerged from thicker cover as it demolished the pine cones giving better views and  it was obviously the bird in question, although  at some angles the bill appeared less strong than I had imagined, but the bird was noticably of heavier build than all the Common Crossbills and did have a strongly decurved upper mandible, it also removed cones from the branches and took them away to unpick the seeds - not that this is specifically something that Parrot Crossbills do but it was farily impressive. The group of birds flew to a birch before going down to drink on the ice a few times. I had good views for around half an hour but managed no more than record pictures of the bird before the flock dispersed . I waited in the area for another hour or so with more birders arriving, but the Parrot didn't reappear and my toes were frozen so I went for a wander. Plenty of Siskin were in the area with a pair of Stonechat, Raven, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Marsh Tit, Great-spotted Woodpecker and 2 Brambling.
I headed home just after midday, I'd not seen the feeders since last weekend and notciced the number of Chaffinches had increased to over 30 and then to my delight 2 Bramblings, which until the last couple of weeks have seemed in short supply this Winter, but another new bird for the house which brings the house list up to 60 - not bad since July last year.

A view from Black Down at sunrise.



Conditions and distance weren't great for good pictures.





Parrot Crossbill  - a poor picture - it was a bulky bird and stood out from the female Common Crossbills

Breaking the Ice - Birders trying not to fall in.

Stonechat

Common Crossbil - still not a great pic

Brambling - impression of a Lark

Male Brambling on the bird table

Pair of Brambling at home