Tom took control of the garden birdwatch and got the following. We had a brief flurry of snow during it, but it didn’t settle.
In the afternoon I went to Fowlmere and saw nothing (heard a Redpoll) so last thing went to Deadman’s Hill to see mostly nothing instead, though did in the end manage a Barn Owl, a couple of Kestrels, and a “Black Bunny”.
Light overnight snow made for a picturesque Fowlmere. I started at Manor Farm and caught up with the two overwintering Firecrests. A couple of Buzzards were also noted.
In the evening I returned. It was quiet (just seven Teal on the semi-frozen mere) and the Barn Owl (again screeching.)
A quick evening walk produced a couple of Snipe and a Barn Owl screeching from the nestbox.
Again with Tom, I spent the afternoon at Grafham. We went mainly to see the two immature drake Velvet Scoters that Tom needed. These we saw after a short while, and so went on a long walk in order to attempt to see a Slavonian Grebe at the far west of the reservoir that Tom was keen to see but unfortunately we could not find it. At dusk, we ended at the sailing club car park and scanned the gull roost. We managed to find a couple of Great Northern Divers and a few more Goosanders, and when nearly dark, I found an interesting gull. Like yesterday, I sent a message to cambirds hoping to get some help:
“Also, a “white-winged” gull was in the roost. I initially assumed it to be a 1w Glauc’, but if it was, it was a very bleached individual as it was virtually white. I then got to think about a leucistic HG, particularly as it may have shown an adult-type bill. Unfortunately it was so dark and murky that it was impossible to tell. I’d only watched it for about a minute before it got chased further away by what was either a 1w HG or LBB (it was that dark!) In flight the primaries appeared pure white, but there may have been a few light brown markings on the coverts. It also appeared larger than the chasing gull.”
When I used to regularly do gull roosts, pure leucistic HGs (i.e. including pure white primaries) were much rarer than Glauc’s, but Glauc’s and Icelands seem to be thin on the ground these days, so I guess a HG is just as - if not more - likely. Anyway, second mystery bird of my weekend!”
I got a response the following response from Mark Hawkes, which suggests the bird was a Herring Gull:
“A leucisitc Herring Gull has been seen occasionaly (sic) roosting at Grafham Water for several winters now (and quite probably the same bird is seen more regularly in the Bedfordshire roosts). On first sight, it can appear very much like a white-winged gull, but the mantle is pale grey, unlike a young Glaucous or Iceland.”
At midday, accompanied by Tom, I went to Manea hoping to see the three fabalis Taiga Bean Geese that had taken up residence. We failed as they had apparently been flushed north before we arrived. We did however see over one hundred Bewick’s Swans, several Whooper Swans, and a Pink-footed Goose. Also, amongst the feral Greylag Geese was a very pale individual which seemed to resemble the eastern form, rubrirostris. Later in the evening I sent the following to message to the cambirds which describes the bird:
“Whilst myself and my son were dipping the Taiga Bean at Manea this afternoon, we found a very pale Greylag. It had a definite pink (rather than orange) bill and broad white fringes on the upperparts that were a lot more contrasty than the fringes of the other Greylags. Unfortunately the leg colour could not be determined as it was always slightly behind a bank.”
Unfortunately, opinion was that it was probably a hybrid, which it well could have been, though not an obvious one, and certainly not like the obvious Greylag x Swan/Chinese Goose suggested. Lee Evans suggested that rubrirostris should be larger (which it didn’t appear to be), but who knows?
We then continued to Eldernall hoping to see the two rossicus Tundra Bean Geese. These were new for Tom, and after a bit of effort they were found amongst four Pink-foot and two White-fronted Geese. Two Barn Owls and a Little Owl were also seen at dusk.
Early morning at Fowlmere searching for the recent Little Egret and the Mealy Redpoll. Succeeded with the first, but failed with the second. A single Redpoll was heard (and maybe seen), but that was as close as it got. The immature Mute Swan that stayed on whatever water was ice-free during the cold snap, was unfortunately found dead.
Also saw a Carrion Crow without a tail doing a wobbly impression of a Bateleur!
Spent several hours near the Alders next to the Spring hide waiting for the flock of Redpoll that apparently contained a Mealy. Unfortunately no Redpolls came in, but a female Brambling was some compensation (first this winter.) It only stayed for a minute or so before departing with a Chaffinch flock. A Treecreeper and the years first Greenfinch anywhere (presumably they moved south with the cold snap) were the only other birds of note.
Lying in bed early morning, drinking a cup of tea, I heard a small flock of Mute Swans go over the garden. Had I been more awake, I’d have realised they would have been a garden tick (hard to believe) and I’d have bothered to look out of the window!
Later at Fowlmere, a Nuthatch was calling, but could not be seen. The second missed tick of the day.
Presumably the same Woodcock (same time – 4:30pm, same place – by the highpoint bench.) Also, up to eighty Corn Buntings.
Twenty-two Corn Buntings roosted by the mere hide (a slightly larger group was flying around prior to dusk.) A Woodcock was seen well just before it got too dark.
Quick lunchtime walk in the snow. Lots of Redwings. Moorhens were feeding on the snow-free grass under the Cedar of Lebanon.
Tom also recorded eleven Fieldfares on the garden apple tree.
Took a walk at dusk in the snow. Not much to be seen apart from the lonely Mute Swan on the lake. The drive down was more interesting (apart from the ice): Seven Grey Partridges, a flock of around fifty Linnets with a single Corn Bunting (a flock of about thirty were also seen at Fowlmere), and a Buzzard; all between Foxton and Fowlmere.
Spent the afternoon with the family at Snettisham. The recent full moon meant that the majority of the Pink-footed Geese arrived after dark (we heard them), but we saw some good skeins at dusk.
Tom did well, finding both a male Hen Harrier and a couple of Shore Larks that we knew were in the area. Several Scaups were another highlight. The usual variety of waders were also on display (with a particularly large number of Grey Plovers) but amazingly, no Knot!
Another Peregrine at Amwell! Distant, but appeared to be adult (perhaps yesterday’s other bird?) Went to Amwell mid-afternoon (Buzzard at Buckland en-route) where the pit was mostly frozen. The following birds were seen:
Shelduck
Red-crested Pochard x 3.
Smew – male and two Redheads.
Yellow-legged Gull – adult.
Little Egret x 13.
Bittern x 2?
A Barn Owl was seen just outside Fowlmere village on the way home.
Three separate afternoon visits to Fowlmere (one with the family). Started well with at least one immature Peregrine . A second falcon mobbed the bird which also appeared to be a Peregrine (same size and structure) but was lost to view. The Peregrine I watched took a Wood Pigeon but it some how escaped.
Other highlights were a Buzzard and a couple of Bank Voles.
Also recoded were the following:
Mute Swan
Mallard
Red-legged Partridge
Pheasant
Kestrel
Water Rail
Black-headed Gull
Mew Gull
Stock Dove
Collared Dove
Green Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Skylark
Meadow Pipit
Wren
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Fieldfare
Song Thrush
Redwing
Mistle Thrush
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Jay
Magpie
Jackdaw
Rook
Carrion Crow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Linnet
Bullfinch
Reed Bunting