Quite white

Wednesday 25th March 2009

Didn't try too hard today I must admit. Such a grey day I felt distinctly grey myself. Thought I'd picked up a White wagtail at Broomey Croft but it was just an intermediate 1st winter / 1st summer Pied - see photo.

Father Christmas was still doing his Aerobics sessions on Canal pool and despite struggling to hold his erection in the gale force wind was proving successful in deterring the Black headed Gulls who have moved en masse to Cliff pool. Other birds seen on Cliff today : Common Snipe, Shelduck and Oystercatcher

Basic instincts

Tuesday 24th March 2009

The venue for todays Birding adventure was based on the old tried and tested methods combining the latest technology and instinct based on years of experience. An holistic approach whatever that means. So I looks at me pager, thats the technoloy bit. Kittiwakes at Rutland Water. A-Ha ! Now the instinct bit, me hair is all over the place, must be very windy. If its windy then must be a chance of seabirds at Draycote Water. Fine, decision made. However the whole thing falls apart if things change.

Firstly the technology is only as good as the data fed into it. So the 3 Kittiwakes at Rutland becomes 1 Kittiwake and no longer constitutes an influx. Cant they count up to 3 in Leicestershire, perhaps they all wear gloves being that bit closer to Siberia. Now at this point I feel I should include a disclaimer as I know, having lived there, that most people in Leicestershire have got a bloody good sense of humour probably something to do with the football team or making ladies tights, I dont know. Anyway no offence intended.

OK so the other part of the equation, the instinct bit, let me down as when I got to Draycote the wind had been downgraded to a strong breeze. No self respecting sea bird would be diverted from its true course in such conditions. So with no prospects of finding anything vaguely Paleagic it was more photos of Grebes and Divers with a nice Wheatear thrown in.

Up the Villa

Monday 23rd March 2009

If you support a Football team, the second thing you think about on a Sunday or in this case a Monday morning is how you're team did the previous day. It'll give you a lift, a bit of a buzz or if you're team was stuffed by Liverpool you need something to distract you asap. For me the perfect tonic is a day's Birding - you can make you're own arrangements.

So to the Hams Hall distribution Park to wander round any bits of waste ground I can find. Almost immediately a Ringed Plover(122) flies over calling and then on some waste ground two Wheatear (123) are located. Despite a strong wind its a good start to the day even though theres no sign of the Black Redstart which was reported yesterday. Moving on to the Sailing lake at Kingsbury Water Park the rain begins but theres time to check for Hirundines before the heavens open, at least 20 Sand Martins are feeding over the water.

As the rains continue its time for lunch, a Gales pastie - a tasty alternative to Pork pie and very local. However, difficult to eat in a confined space, a bit dry and crumbly so you need some sort of plate or container but half a pastie is very filling.

Next stop Broomey Croft and Moan of the day: Why do people put bird food on the benches? Not one bench but every single bench in the place had seeds, nuts and who knows what rotting away. Benches are for people, fortunately I dont need to sit down every 5 minutes but some people do. So its a bit stupid to use benches as bird tables. Some people seem to want to turn wildlife into pets....

Birds seen on the Water Park: Chiffchaff, Lesser Redpoll, Oystercatcher, Common Snipe, Redshank, Goldeneye.

At Coton a single Swallow (124) battles against the wind while a Green Woodpecker clings to the large oak near the hide.

Back at Hams hall I meet up with Steve Cawthray. We both scan the waste ground and soon relocate the Wheatears and also the Black Redstart and a couple of Red legged Partridge.

A good days birding and I hadn't given the Villa a second thought.

Love is in the air

Saturday 21st March 2009

Isn't March shooting past? After the initial arrival of early migrants signs of migration seems to have slowed a bit although a few more Chiffchaff were singing at Brandon Marsh today and several Sand Martin were over East Marsh. It was such pleasant weather I couldn't stay in all day. There was plenty of activity at Brandon most of it quite noisey as the fishermen prepared for their season by clearing trees from various fishing ponds. On East marsh the Oystercatchers were particularly active in their initial attempts at mating and there were encouraging numbers of Common Snipe. A Coot did its best to take the Micky out of the Photographers in the Carlton hide by wearing its own camouflage. So nothing spectacular just nice to be out.

Testing times 2

Friday 20th March 2009

Time for another little test, not all these shots were taken in the UK but are potential Spring migrants with a couple of exceptions. I think they get progressively more difficult from the top down. See what you think.

Goats remembered

Thursday 19th March 2009

Unable to get out and about for a couple of days due to having my 6 pack repaired. Rather inconvenient cos I'm missing out on a Tame valley birders Curry night and a pint with the Church End Thursday night Club. Still important to get fit for the deluge of Mediterranean overshoots that descend on the Midlands in the next couple of months.

The next bit comes courtesy of Max Silverman who felt I'd achieved 'old goat' status. Cheers Max. There are still a few characteristics of goats that I haven't yet acquired. My experience of goats particularly in Cyprus, Lesbos and Fuerteventura is that as well as being picturesque on a distant hill, up close they're are not so endearing. Their digestive systems produce considerable quantities of Methane gas, which is emitted at regular intervals. The reason Goats have bells is not to produce an evocative soundtrack to a walk through aromatic hillsides of Mediterranean islands but rather to drown the sounds of the incessant farting of these wandering ruminants. Anyway it got me thinking about Goats and Birds, as you do, and I remember some goat farms on my travels that have attracted some good birds.

On Fuerteventura, at Los Molinos the area around the goat farm had Egyptian Vultures at close quarters, with Barbary Falcon, Plain and Pallid Swift also seen there. The area around the Goat farm, at Anarita Park, near Paphos, Cyprus was notable for wintering Finsch's Wheatear, Lesser Kestrel and Rock Thrush while the Goat farm at the start of the track up the Potamia valley on Lesbos regularly held Sombre tit, Middle spotted Woodpecker with Olive tree warbler a little further up the valley.

Red Kite Day

17th March 2009

Had to go over to Wellesbourne this morning so took the opportunity of taking a walk around Wasperton. The main aim was to locate Corn Bunting at this formerly reliable site but it was such a pleasant day it was nice to walk over to Charlecote across the flood meadows. Still plenty of Fieldfares about, c100 on the meadows plus a small number of Redwing. Also plenty of Skylark but no Corn Bunting. I had a chat with a local farmer who explained he had turned over several fields to growing trees rather than cereal crops, perhaps a reason for the apparent decline in Corn Bunting numbers in the area. Other species seen Treecreeper, Green Woodpecker, Mistle Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard and Yellowhammer.

With a good deal of the day left I moved on to Draycote water. Inspired decision as it turned out. As I started to walk towards Toft a large raptor flying low disappeared behind trees around the old dinghy park. I ran up the steps of the ex cafe to get some height (being a short arse can be a disadvantage some times). Even though the bird continued to fly away there was no mistaking the profile of a Red Kite. Only my second in Warwickshire, the first being at Brandon Marsh last year. I managed to get some distant record shots and some very distant record shots as the Kite gained height and circled over the Grandborough valley. According to Richard Mays Draycote is enjoying a good run of Raptor sightings, with records of Hen Harrier and Marsh Harrier as well as Red Kite in the past few days.

Other species seen during the afternoon: Chiffchaff, Great northern Diver, Goosander, Grey Wagtail and Meadow pipit