Hayley Wood

Spent the last couple of hours of the day after the rain cleared at Hayley Wood. Primarily went for a couple of last gap year ticks: Marsh Tit, Tawny Owl (not yet seen), and Woodcock. The other reason for going was to look for Lesser-spotted Woodpecker. Don't know if they've been seen here in recent years, but the wood looks perfect for them.

The first year tick (the Tit) was fairly simple. With regards to the Owl, there were several calling (over five). Some close (I must have been under the tree at one point). But couldn't see any. Gave up when it was getting properly dark as I didn't have a decent torch on me. At least I got a couple of flyover Woodcocks (the third target) whilst waiting. No sign of the Lesser 'peckers of course (though Great-spotted Woodpecker and Green Woodpecker were both heard).

Hayley Wood
27 December 2015 14:24 - 16:59
Light rain after much earlier rain 13C 11SW
Greylag Goose (heard), Pheasant, Woodpigeon, Tawny Owl (heard), Woodcock, Green Woodpecker (heard), Great Spotted Woodpecker (heard), Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Marsh Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Nuthatch (heard), Treecreeper, Wren, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Robin (heard), Chaffinch, Grey Squirrel, Muntjac

Christmas Day Little Egret

Took my usual quick Christmas day walk.This year in the rain. Very quiet with the only bird actually on the Mere being a Little Egret. Amazing to think that a few years ago (well, probably best part of a quater of a century) I actually twitched my first ones.

Fowlmere
25 December 2015 12:11 - 13:08
Rain 13C 12SSE
Pheasant (heard), Little Egret, Water Rail (heard), Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Barn Owl, Green Woodpecker, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit (heard), Long-tailed Tit, Wren (heard), Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing, Robin (heard), Dunnock (heard), Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Siskin (heard), Bullfinch, Reed Bunting

Starlings

Went for a walk with Michelle to Thriplow to watch the Starling roost that I'd noted very distantly three nights ago from Fowlmere Road (also watched a couple of nights ago with Michelle from the same spot). Unfortunately the size had dropped by about half since the last viewing but still nice in front of the full moon. Shame I didn't take a decent camera with me.

Tundra Bean Goose

An excellent afternoon at Fen Drayton. Lots of ducks on Drayton Lagoon and scanning through them I found a couple of male Red-crested Pochards, a bird I've not seen for a couple of years. I then carried on around to Moore Lake where upon entering the hide I was told that a Slavonian Grebe was present as well as several Smew (including a drake). All good and after watching them I left the hide at 3pm to quickly get around to the Gull roost on Ferry Lagoon.

I decided to take the north route and walk along the river (to make my journey for the afternoon circular) and spotting a flock of Greylags in the field west of Drayton Lagoon I was in two minds whether to scan through them or not as I was short of time as the sun was going down fast. But lifting my bins to give a cursory look I was amazed to see what I immediately recognized as a Tundra Been Goose! Although it was loosely associated with the Greylags it was on the edge of the flock and not properly mingling. It was also in long grass and I needed to see the feet to determine it wasn't Pink-footed. Eventually I saw the legs and they were orange, so confirming my initial identification.

After watching for twenty minutes or so, I rushed around to the Gull roost where I found a Caspian Gull and two Yellow-legged Gulls (all adults).

The day was also notable for the lack of passerines. In particular, I didn't actually see a Thrush all afternoon!

  

Fen Drayton
20 December 2015 13:03 - 16:42
Overcast 13C 15S
Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Bean Goose (rossicus), Greater Canada Goose, Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Shoveler, Red-crested Pochard, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Smew, Cormorant, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Great Crested Grebe, Slavonian Grebe, Buzzard, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Lapwing, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Caspian Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Green Woodpecker, Magpie, Jay, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest (heard), Blue Tit (heard), Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Wren (heard), Blackbird (heard), Robin (heard), Dunnock, Meadow Pipit (heard), Goldfinch (heard), Bullfinch, Reed Bunting (heard), Grey Squirrel

Amwell

Quite a few people at Amwell after a report of a possible Azorean Yellow-legged Gull (it was probably just a Herring Gull). It wasn’t seen, but in the gloom two Yellow-legged Gulls were found (an adult and a 2W) and a 1W Caspian Gull (or hybrid?). Then, I found the bird of the afternoon: An Adult Little Gull, something of a rarity in winter. Cetti’s Warbler(s?) and a Bearded Tit were also heard.

Amwell 
13 December 2015 13:58 - 16:15
Misty 8C 6S
Greylag Goose, Greater Canada Goose, Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Shoveler, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Lapwing, Little Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Caspian Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Bearded Tit (heard), Cetti’s Warbler (heard), Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Redwing, Robin, Dunnock (heard), Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch  

  

Botanic Gardens

An extremely quiet walk around – it was already getting dark on the shortest afternoon of the year -  was made more interesting by a new bird for me in the Gardens when a flock of around twenty Linnets flew in briefly.

Cambridge Botanic Gardens
10 December 2015 14:35 - 15:00
Overcast 12C 19SW
Mallard, Moorhen, Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon, Magpie (heard), Goldcrest (heard), Blackbird, Chaffinch, Linnet, Grey Squirrel

Fen Drayton

Fen Drayton for the afternoon, partly to try out my new tripod, and partly to just get out. Quiet until dusk when I found (I guess re-found, one had been reported a few days before) a female type Long-tailed Duck as it swam in front of the Gull roost I was watching. The roost held two adult Yellow-legged Gulls and a 2W Caspian Gull as well as a 1W Herring Gull with white primaries.

Fen Drayton
06 December 2015 12:16 - 16:37
Overcast 14C 19SW
Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Egyptian Goose, Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Shoveler, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Long-tailed Duck, Goldeneye, Cormorant, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Buzzard, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Lapwing, Snipe, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Caspian Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Barn Owl, Short-eared Owl, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Wren (heard), Starling, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Redwing, Robin (heard), Dunnock (heard), Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Bullfinch (heard), Reed Bunting, Corn Bunting, Rabbit