Monday 14th February 2011
I'd just taken my Dad to the optician and was on the way back up the A5 when the Mega alert sounded on the pager. Rufous Turtle Dove refound at Chipping Norton. What the hell do I do now? Go for it says Dad, aged 95. Like a true twitcher. We fuelled up in Coventry and I struggled with pager messages, Sat navs and phone to get the info I needed before we set off, but we eventually made it. There were surprisingly few people there and I found myself next in line to go into the house but unfortunately the bird hadn't been seen in the garden for some time. I was concerned about leaving my Dad in the car but also about losing my place at the head of the small queue. I ran back to the car park and reparked the car a lot closer. When I got back to the house the bird was showing in an Ash tree viewable between the houses. At first the Rufous Turtle Dove was just a shape near to a couple of Wood pigeons but it turned and in better light showed well albeit briefly. As people left the house it was my turn to go in, I made my way to the kitchen window. I was surprised by the number of people there. Apparently the bird had showed on the grass just outside the window in the morning and there were plenty of amazing photos to prove it.
Unfortunately the bird failed to show in the garden again, but I was happy with the views I'd had and Dad had enjoyed his day on the edge of the Cotswolds.
Monday, 14 February 2011
Thursday, 10 February 2011
BTO Survey
Thursday 10th February 2011
No sign of any Bewick's with the Mute Swans around Bodymoor Heath yesterday but did see a small flock of Golden plover the other side of the Belfry Golf course, and there were also 12 Common Snipe in front of the hide at Coton
Its my last chance to collect data for the area I'm covering for the BTO Atlas so I spent the day checking 3 of the four Tetrads I'm doing around where I live. I have to say its not the most exciting area for birdlife. Most of the time I spent counting Woodpigeons and Rooks. Still big flocks of Fieldfare in the area and I did see a couple of Yellowhammers where I hadnt seen them before. Apart from that the most 'interesting' experience was finding a sheep tangled in wire under a hedge in a very distressed state, I managed to get to a farm where the old fella was able to phone the owner of the sheep who said he'd come out straight away. So that was my good deed for the day taken care of.
No sign of any Bewick's with the Mute Swans around Bodymoor Heath yesterday but did see a small flock of Golden plover the other side of the Belfry Golf course, and there were also 12 Common Snipe in front of the hide at Coton
Its my last chance to collect data for the area I'm covering for the BTO Atlas so I spent the day checking 3 of the four Tetrads I'm doing around where I live. I have to say its not the most exciting area for birdlife. Most of the time I spent counting Woodpigeons and Rooks. Still big flocks of Fieldfare in the area and I did see a couple of Yellowhammers where I hadnt seen them before. Apart from that the most 'interesting' experience was finding a sheep tangled in wire under a hedge in a very distressed state, I managed to get to a farm where the old fella was able to phone the owner of the sheep who said he'd come out straight away. So that was my good deed for the day taken care of.
Tuesday, 8 February 2011
Now you see it, now you dont.
Tuesday 8th February 2011
Looks like our ration is one beautiful day a week and today was it. So it was a question of getting out there to see what you could find. Anything would be a change. Worked my way slowly towards the Tame valley starting at Bentley Woods near Atherstone. With no wind and a warming sun you could actually hear birds singing. The usual woodland species were about but no sign of Redpolls of any description. I headed towards Shustoke via the back lanes looking for any finch flocks in suitable habitat but couldn't even find any suitable habitat. Drove into Shustoke Res. to find the car park pretty near full so drove straight out again. By contrast I had Coton pools to myself. A pair of Shelduck were the most noteworthy birds. After a coffee at the Cedars it was on to Broomey Croft for lunch and then up the canal to Fisher's Mill and Dosthill via Sita hide where there was no sign of any Smew but I did see my first Kingfisher of the year. What have you been doing I hear you cry.
There were a few large gulls on Fisher's Mill north pool including a very good candidate for a first or 2nd winter Glaucous gull. Trouble was I was the wrong side of the river looking into the sun with only my bins and as I started to get to grips with the bird everything went up and dispersed. Apart from all that though I had a stunning view ! Not. I just take my hat off to those guys who can pick out a Slaty backed Gull amongst hundreds of foraging Lesser black Backs on a tip.
On the Dosthill Nature reserve was the first Oystercatcher of the year but no further sign of 'the Glauc' on the Dosthill lakes.
Looks like our ration is one beautiful day a week and today was it. So it was a question of getting out there to see what you could find. Anything would be a change. Worked my way slowly towards the Tame valley starting at Bentley Woods near Atherstone. With no wind and a warming sun you could actually hear birds singing. The usual woodland species were about but no sign of Redpolls of any description. I headed towards Shustoke via the back lanes looking for any finch flocks in suitable habitat but couldn't even find any suitable habitat. Drove into Shustoke Res. to find the car park pretty near full so drove straight out again. By contrast I had Coton pools to myself. A pair of Shelduck were the most noteworthy birds. After a coffee at the Cedars it was on to Broomey Croft for lunch and then up the canal to Fisher's Mill and Dosthill via Sita hide where there was no sign of any Smew but I did see my first Kingfisher of the year. What have you been doing I hear you cry.
There were a few large gulls on Fisher's Mill north pool including a very good candidate for a first or 2nd winter Glaucous gull. Trouble was I was the wrong side of the river looking into the sun with only my bins and as I started to get to grips with the bird everything went up and dispersed. Apart from all that though I had a stunning view ! Not. I just take my hat off to those guys who can pick out a Slaty backed Gull amongst hundreds of foraging Lesser black Backs on a tip.
On the Dosthill Nature reserve was the first Oystercatcher of the year but no further sign of 'the Glauc' on the Dosthill lakes.
Monday, 7 February 2011
A funny thing happened.....
Monday 7th February 2011
Decided to start exploring more of the countryside within a few miles of home with a walk round the outskirts of Nuneaton Golf Club towards Attleborough fields, Nuneaton. It wasn't much fun, the wind was even stronger than on Friday. There were few birds to be seen but I continued the recognisance. There was no-one else about, or so I thought, until I noticed someone waving their arms about, a couple of fields away. Funny I thought in a Dudley Moore sort of way, Funny. I tried to mind my own business and continue on my merry way but a glance back showed the waving was continuing and it was clearly a woman towing a small dog. Why, I considered? What does a lady and her small dog want with me in the middle of nowhere and the middle of the afternoon?
The persistant waving of a damsel in distress could no longer be ignored. But what was behind the frantic gesticulations? Perhaps her husband had collapsed further back along the path, perhaps she had come across a body in a ditch. I walked towards her regardless of my own safety. There are times in a birder's life when birds have to take to take second place, as long as they're not lifers.
'Where am I', was the greeting. 'Well I'm a stranger to these parts myself' was the reply, but in an attempt to reassure her, added I think we need to follow this path. The poor lady had become was completely lost and looked as if she had got stuck in some bog along the way. We chatted, as I called upon all my previous Duke of Edinburgh's Award training to navigate our route to safety. By the time we were back to the place she was to meet her husband it emerged I knew her son and had played Rugby with her husband for a couple of seasons at Nuneaton R.F.C. back in the good old days. Small world aint it.
Decided to start exploring more of the countryside within a few miles of home with a walk round the outskirts of Nuneaton Golf Club towards Attleborough fields, Nuneaton. It wasn't much fun, the wind was even stronger than on Friday. There were few birds to be seen but I continued the recognisance. There was no-one else about, or so I thought, until I noticed someone waving their arms about, a couple of fields away. Funny I thought in a Dudley Moore sort of way, Funny. I tried to mind my own business and continue on my merry way but a glance back showed the waving was continuing and it was clearly a woman towing a small dog. Why, I considered? What does a lady and her small dog want with me in the middle of nowhere and the middle of the afternoon?
The persistant waving of a damsel in distress could no longer be ignored. But what was behind the frantic gesticulations? Perhaps her husband had collapsed further back along the path, perhaps she had come across a body in a ditch. I walked towards her regardless of my own safety. There are times in a birder's life when birds have to take to take second place, as long as they're not lifers.
'Where am I', was the greeting. 'Well I'm a stranger to these parts myself' was the reply, but in an attempt to reassure her, added I think we need to follow this path. The poor lady had become was completely lost and looked as if she had got stuck in some bog along the way. We chatted, as I called upon all my previous Duke of Edinburgh's Award training to navigate our route to safety. By the time we were back to the place she was to meet her husband it emerged I knew her son and had played Rugby with her husband for a couple of seasons at Nuneaton R.F.C. back in the good old days. Small world aint it.
Saturday, 5 February 2011
Around and about
Friday 4th February 2011
Defied the gales to have a walk round the fields between Nuneaton and Burton Hastings. There are several well marked paths and I havent yet explored all this area. In the strong winds most of the bird activity was confined to the dense hedges near the village with Tits, Redwing and Bullfinch and a couple of Linnet flocks, probably involving over 100 birds, in the stubble fields. Apart from large numbers of Corvids and Wood Pigeon that was it. I've walked around this route for several years and I ve been critical of the way rough land has been cleared to maximise cultivation, hedges removed and the use of the 'conservation strip' around the fields for steeple chasing. I had a chat to the landowner /Farm manager planting bushes and saplings on one of the rough patches which has recently been 'tidied up'. I got a completely different impression of what was going on from our conversation. He was trying to develop conservation areas and pointed out several areas where planting and management had created habitat in which seed eating species could winter. When I asked about access he said there was no problem and that there were footpaths which gave good access. I certainly know of one path which takes you directly to the Lime Kilns pub on the A5 which still sells good Marston's Ale! I shall certainly continue to check out the area. To date my best birds have been Merlin, Stonechat, Little Owl, Peregrine and Kingfisher but I think the area has the potential for other goodies.
PS. The remnants of 6 Chinese Lanterns in as many miles today !
Defied the gales to have a walk round the fields between Nuneaton and Burton Hastings. There are several well marked paths and I havent yet explored all this area. In the strong winds most of the bird activity was confined to the dense hedges near the village with Tits, Redwing and Bullfinch and a couple of Linnet flocks, probably involving over 100 birds, in the stubble fields. Apart from large numbers of Corvids and Wood Pigeon that was it. I've walked around this route for several years and I ve been critical of the way rough land has been cleared to maximise cultivation, hedges removed and the use of the 'conservation strip' around the fields for steeple chasing. I had a chat to the landowner /Farm manager planting bushes and saplings on one of the rough patches which has recently been 'tidied up'. I got a completely different impression of what was going on from our conversation. He was trying to develop conservation areas and pointed out several areas where planting and management had created habitat in which seed eating species could winter. When I asked about access he said there was no problem and that there were footpaths which gave good access. I certainly know of one path which takes you directly to the Lime Kilns pub on the A5 which still sells good Marston's Ale! I shall certainly continue to check out the area. To date my best birds have been Merlin, Stonechat, Little Owl, Peregrine and Kingfisher but I think the area has the potential for other goodies.
PS. The remnants of 6 Chinese Lanterns in as many miles today !
Thursday, 3 February 2011
Bitterns in the Sun
Bittern, Brandon Marsh N.R.
Bittern
Bittern
BitternThursday 3rd February 2011
A few images of the East Marsh Bittern at Brandon Marsh N.R. today. Another bird flew over towards Newlands so there are at least 2 on site at the moment.
Wednesday, 2 February 2011
To the Woods
Wednesday 2nd February 2011
Not really back into the swing of local birding again yet. A few short walks round Caldecote and Draycote Water have produced very little in the way of birds. In fact the best bit of wildlife I've seen in the past week has been a dog fox in my dad's garden at Mere Green, Sutton Coldfield. I need to re acclimatise and get my eye in again. Having said that it was difficult today, even in Bentley Woods a strong wind was pushing the leaves about making it tricky to detect tell tale movements of birds on the ground. Did see 3 presumed Mealy Redpolls in the thicket next to the pond though. They showed briefly on some Birches before flying deeper into the thicket. Unusually the 3 white/grey Redpolls were on there own, although there was a mixed Tit flock 40yards away. I saw them again in flight briefly as they moved through the wood, but that was it. Plenty of noisy Nuthatches and Common Buzzards, a few Treecreepers and Goldcrests and a single Raven summed up the rest of the sightings.
Not really back into the swing of local birding again yet. A few short walks round Caldecote and Draycote Water have produced very little in the way of birds. In fact the best bit of wildlife I've seen in the past week has been a dog fox in my dad's garden at Mere Green, Sutton Coldfield. I need to re acclimatise and get my eye in again. Having said that it was difficult today, even in Bentley Woods a strong wind was pushing the leaves about making it tricky to detect tell tale movements of birds on the ground. Did see 3 presumed Mealy Redpolls in the thicket next to the pond though. They showed briefly on some Birches before flying deeper into the thicket. Unusually the 3 white/grey Redpolls were on there own, although there was a mixed Tit flock 40yards away. I saw them again in flight briefly as they moved through the wood, but that was it. Plenty of noisy Nuthatches and Common Buzzards, a few Treecreepers and Goldcrests and a single Raven summed up the rest of the sightings.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
