Lesser White-fronted Goose and Chinese Water Deer

Went to Buckenham Marshes with the family after leaving my parents to see the Lesser White-fronted Goose that had been present for a few days. Took a bit of finding but eventually had good but distant views amongst Tundra Bean Geese and a few Greater White-fronted Geese. A Peregrine also performed quite nicely and the other birding highlight was a Jack Snipe in flight. Cetti’s Warblers were heard and Wigeon were seen surprisingly closely, though unfortunately the light was pretty poor for decent photography – see below!

By far the best sighting of the day wasn’t a bird. When talking to Tom regarding some distant Swans (they turned out to be Mute Swans), Tom flippantly mentioned a Muntjac when describing their location. I couldn’t see it, so but after scanning, realised immediately that it was in fact a Chinese Water Deer in the foreground. A new mammal for all of us!

Buckenham Marshes
30 December 2011 13:12 - 20:51
Patchy cloud 6C 9W
Mute Swan, Bean Goose, White-fronted Goose, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Barnacle Goose, Egyptian Goose, Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Shoveler, Pheasant - heard only, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Peregrine, Moorhen, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Ruff, Jack Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Cetti's Warbler - heard only, Wren, Starling, Song Thrush, Pied Wagtail

Minsmere

Christmas visit to the parents, the afternoon of which I went by my self to Minsmere. First Bittern of the year at dusk (awful shot in no light below) was an obvious highlight, as well as a female Red-crested Pochard, and two Whooper Swans. Distant Red-throated Divers were moving through at several a minute during a brief sea-watch. Rest of birding in strong wind and occasional rain was difficult to say the least.

Minsmere
29 December 2011 12:25 - 16:04
Overcast with squally showers 8C 19W
Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, White-fronted Goose, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Barnacle Goose, Shelduck, Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Pintail, Shoveler, Red-crested Pochard, Tufted Duck, Pheasant, Red-throated Diver, Cormorant, Bittern, Great Crested Grebe, Marsh Harrier, Sparrowhawk, Moorhen, Avocet, Lapwing, Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jay, Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Cetti's Warbler, Treecreeper, Wren , Starling, Blackbird, Robin, Chaffinch, Goldfinch

Short-eared Owl at Fowlmere

Spent the whole afternoon at Fowlmere. Very dull until last thing. Gave up waiting for the Hen Harrier to come in to roost (it didn’t) so went to see if there were any Barn Owls by the Paddock (there wasn’t, but one was seen by the Shep). Instead, I managed to flush a Short-eared Owl that was sitting on a fence post. Just about the first good self-found bird there for me.

I also began trailing Bird Journal to record sightings. Works very well. Results below…

Fowlmere
28 December 2011 13:09 - 16:35
Overcast 10C 14SW
Teal, Mallard, Pheasant, Grey Heron, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Water Rail (heard), Moorhen, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Barn Owl, Short-eared Owl, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker (heard), Magpie, Jay (heard), Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Robin (heard), Dunnock (heard), Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch (heard), Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Bullfinch (heard), Reed Bunting, Corn Bunting

Hayley Wood

Went to Hayley (Gamlingay) Wood with the boys, primarily to look for Nuthatch and Marsh Tit, neither of which I had seen this year. Got them both and had a nice walk to boot.

Fowlmere at dusk held little, though the Hen Harrier was apparently roosting.

Fowlmere

 

Fowlmere with Tom mid-afternoon. Not a lot apart from the Hen  Harrier. Took a couple of poor shots in worse light. It’s a female (2nd calendar year at least) with two generations of secondaries visible.

Hen Harrier at Fowlmere

Spent from lunchtime on at Fowlmere. Virtually nothing (just a flock of twenty or so Mistle Thrushes were the only birds of note) until a Ring-tail Hen Harrier flew in at dusk. It hawked around the reedbed for five minutes or so before roosting on the reserve.

Hen Harriers and a Otter

Three ringtail Hen Harriers in the air together along the Icknield Way, by Grey’s Farm, south of Royston. Also three Red Kites, four Buzzards, two Kestrels, and eight Grey Partridges. There were a  good number of small bird like Linnets and Corn Buntings that the raptors were obviously using as a food source.

Late afternoon at Fowlmere, an Otter was seen very briefly

Foxton Snipe

A Common Snipe flew across farmland south of the village towards Fowlmere bird reserve. New for the village.

Blackcap and Little Owl

A Blackcap (heard only) in a large Tit flock (Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, and Great Tit) in the Botanic Gardens, Cambridge.

In the evening, a Little Owl Little Owl was seen whilst driving between Fowlmere and Thriplow.

Golden Plovers

About three hundred Golden Plovers went over south whilst I was watching Sam play football in Duxford. Nearby, about fifteen Grey Partridges were seen on the journey home.

Fowlmere held very little. Just a fly-over Redpoll and ten Teal.

November Moth

A November Moth in the house to start December!