Garden Bird Watch and Gull frustrations

Did the Garden Bird watch in the morning from the conservatory as it was raining. Here are the results...



Then went to Fen Drayton in the afternoon, partly because I've been going there a lot on Sunday afternoons lately, and partly because an adult Franklin's Gull was found in the roost there yesterday.

Caught up with the Slavonian Grebe first of all, before wondering around without seeing much apart from a female Gooseander until it was getting dim when I started watching from the North end of Ferry Lagoon with one other birder. Most of the Gulls were at this end, even though the majority of the hopefuls seemed to be on the South side. After a while and seeing most of the Gulls head over West, I decided to try Drayton Lagoon. Amazingly I was the only one there (I'd have thought some of the crowd would have wondered down as that's where the Gulls were heading). I scanned through the Black-headed Gulls without joy, but kept checking my phone for news so that I might be able to make a dash back to Ferry Lagoon if it appeared there and there was enough light left.

Eventually it did appear on the phone: At Amwell! I texted Barry to say I may as well give up looking here and he agreed! Unfortunately it flew south before dark, obviously heading for one of the London reservoirs.

Fen Drayton
31 January 2016 13:45 - 17:25
Overcast with light rain 8C 19W
Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Greater Canada Goose, Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Pintail, Shoveler, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Goosander, Red-legged Partridge, Grey Partridge, Pheasant, Cormorant, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Little Grebe, Slavonian Grebe, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Lapwing, Woodcock, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Cetti's Warbler (heard), Long-tailed Tit, Starling, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Redwing, Robin (heard), Dunnock (heard), Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Lesser Redpoll

Glaucous Gull

Like yesterday, half an afternoon without work, so went birding in the wind. Unlike yesterday where I failed to find any Gulls of too much interest at Milton Tip, today I found an adult Glaucous Gull in the roost on Drayton Lagoon. Nice Starling display there too.

Fen Drayton
27 January 2016 14:00 - 16:00
Cloudy 14C 20W
Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Greater Canada Goose, Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Shoveler, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Buzzard, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Lapwing, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Glaucous Gull, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Green Woodpecker (heard), Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest (heard), Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Treecreeper, Wren (heard), Starling, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Redwing, Robin, Dunnock, Pied Wagtail (heard), Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Lesser Redpoll, Lesser Redpoll, Yellowhammer

Wicken Fen

Afternoon at Wicken Fen. Usual bits 'n' bobs, including Short-eared Owls, ring-tail Hen Harrier, and Barn Owls. Also a nice Starling roost.

  

Wicken Fen
24 January 2016 12:45 - 16:52
Overcast 13C 12S
Mute Swan, Greylag Goose (heard), Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Shoveler, Cormorant, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Hen Harrier, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Barn Owl, Short-eared Owl, Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker, Magpie, Jay (heard), Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit (heard), Cetti's Warbler (heard), Long-tailed Tit, Treecreeper (heard), Starling, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Redwing (heard), Stonechat, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Lesser Redpoll, Bullfinch (heard), Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting (heard), Western Roe Deer

Buntings

Spent an hour at Fowlmere Road early afternoon. I'd noticed the Bunting flock there building up massively in recent days. Yesterday there was a flock of around 200 Corn Buntings. Smaller numbers today (but then I did only stand in one corner), but over 200 Yellowhammers today! Unlike yesterday, the Buntings were generally easier to see as they were initially bathing and drinking in puddles by the field entrance. Unlike yesterday I'd also got a 'scope so spent an hour in the corner grilling the flock rather than wondering around the fields. No surprises, but I reckon there must be something good in there somewhere. Also a large flock of Fieldfares (around 100) feeding with the Buntings on the stubble.

 
Fowlmere Road
13 January 2016 13:15 - 14:20
Sunny 6C 13S
Pheasant (heard), Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Rook, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Skylark, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing, Robin, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Corn Bunting

Shepreth Tick

Went to Shepreth L-Moor for a quick lunchtime bash in the hope of adding a Jack Snipe to the list (it looks perfect for them at the moment). Failed to do that, but added a Barn Owl instead that was hunting around the southern section!

Shepreth L-Moor
11 January 2016 14:11 - 14:43
Cloudy 11C 10W
Lapwing, Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon, Barn Owl, Green Woodpecker (heard), Rook, Great Tit, Wren (heard), Blackbird, Redwing, Robin (heard), Chaffinch, Bullfinch (heard), Yellowhammer (heard), Rabbit

Bonaparte's Tick

The Bonaparte's Gull was back, so I was back. Connected this time and even took a really poor picture before it flew off again after about twenty minutes of viewing. Headed over to Startops after that to see a reported Scaup, but no sign. Still, didin't care too much.





Wilstone Reservoir
09 January 2016 10:12 - 11:18
Overcast occasional rain 12C 15S
Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Shelduck, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Shoveler, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Pheasant, Cormorant, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Lapwing, Bonaparte's Gull, Black-headed Gull, Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Blackbird, Grey Wagtail (heard), Pied Wagtail

09 January 2016 11:30 - 12:25
Overcast with rain 12C 15S
Mute Swan, Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Shoveler, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Black-headed Gull, Magpie, Robin, Chaffinch

Bonaparte's Dip

The Bonaparte's Gull that had made a brief appearance earlier on in the week returned to Wilstone Reservoir. As soon as I heard I jumped in the car and headed down, only for it to fly off again whilst I was on the A1. I turned around and, just as I was arriving home, it turned up again, so I turned around again, only for it to fly off again just as I arrived. Several hours driving for a year-tick Shelduck.

Wilstone Reservoir
08 January 2016 12:14 - 13:31
Patchy cloud 14C 9S
Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Shelduck, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Shoveler, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Pheasant, Cormorant, Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Blue Tit (heard), Great Tit, Starling, Blackbird, Grey Wagtail (heard), Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch (heard), Goldfinch

Kingfisher

A Kingfisher in the Botanic Gardens in Cambridge during a lunchtime visit was only the third one I've ever seen there and the first for just under three years.

Cambridge Botanic Gardens
05 January 2016 13:40 - 14:04
Cloudy 9C 7S
Mallard, Woodpigeon, Kingfisher, Magpie, Jay, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit (heard), Great Tit (heard), Coal Tit (heard), Blackbird, Robin (heard), Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch (heard), Western Grey Squirrel

New Year's Day Wild Goose Chase

Awoke reasonably early at dawn (considering the few drinks I'd had the night before) and noted the first birds of the year in my parent's garden in Claxton as: Pheasant, Blackbird, and Jay. Started the day birding at Buckenham Marshes. It's only a mile away as the Bean Goose flies, but is a fifteen mile trip by car due to it being on the other side of the river Yare.

Pink-footed Goose was the first of the Geese I saw, followed by Greylags, Canada Goose, White-fronted Goose, and eventually, after a couple of hours of searching, and a long walk, two Bean, Not much else apart from the usual Ducks such as Wigeon, and a couple of Peregrines, but I did manage to get views of a Cetti's Warbler. Nice to get this one out the way as I didn't actually see one last year!

At around midday I left to head for the coast. I decided upon Winterton as it was the nearest and there was only a few hours of daylight remaining. A mistake. It was packed full of New Year's Day walkers, dog-walkers, and Grey Seal watchers. I walked as far as Horsey where a Swallow (didn't see it) was present, but that was equally as busy. Best bird was a close in Grey-throated Diver.


 
 

Buckenham Marsh
01 January 2016 09:09 - 12:13
Clear 7C 7E
Mute Swan, Bean Goose, Pink-footed Goose, White-fronted Goose, Greylag Goose, Greater Canada Goose, Barnacle Goose, Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Pheasant, Little Egret, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Kestrel, Peregrine, Moorhen, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Great Tit, Skylark (heard), Starling, Blackbird, Robin, Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Reed Bunting, Chinese Water Deer
Winterton
01 January 2016 13:00 - 16:02
Patchy cloud 9C 8E
Pink-footed Goose, Fulmar, Pheasant, Red-throated Diver, Black-throated Diver, Cormorant, Little Egret, Great Crested Grebe, Marsh Harrier, Kestrel, Guillemot, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Skylark, Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Stonechat, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Rabbit, Grey Seal