Two Lifers! (sort of)

After tidying up a few things at home I set out to Dungeness to see the long-staying odd female Stonechat variant that had had recently been DNAd as stejnegeri.

I hadn’t got far when I saw the escaped Greater Rhea along Fowlmere Road! Not something you see every day, so I stopped and got a photo as it ran – top-speed – across the fields below Foxton Woods.

Carrying on to Dungeness, I eventually found where I was supposed to go and spent the next couple of hours chasing the Stejneger’s Stonechat. It was associating with a male Common Stonechat, and although they often perched on bushes as Stonechats do, they were always distant and vary wary and mobile making it a bit of a challenge and photographing them even more difficult. A Peregrine was also noted.

Dungeness
31 December 2016 13:44 - 16:50
Cloudy 6C 8SW
Shoveler, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Cormorant, Great Crested Grebe, Kestrel, Peregrine, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Starling, Stonechat, Siberian Stonechat (stejnegeri)

 

 

 

Edit (01/01/2017): A much better picture from Adrian Webb who I was standing next to when he took it.

Edit (05/01/2017): The Rhea eventually got caught.

Edit (18/01/2017): The DNA analysis on the Stonechat was redone as there was doubt as to why it should be Stejnegeri. It turned out to be an aberrant Common Stonechat!

Horsey

At my parent’s house with the boys (Michelle ill). Mum decided she’d like to go to Horsey to see the Seals. So off we went. Nice sunny afternoon and saw a few birds, including two Short-eared Owls and at least ten Red-throated Divers offshore. Lots of Seals obviously, mostly Grey, but also one Common.

Horsey
28 December 2016 12:05 - 15:30
Sunny after heavy frost 1C 4S
Pink-footed Goose, Red-throated Diver, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Sanderling, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Short-eared Owl, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Wren, Starling, Robin, Stonechat, Dunnock, Pied Wagtail, Grey Seal, Harbour Seal

Fowlmere

Last gasp year-tick when a Bittern flew in front of the hide at dusk. Excellent views. A Kingfisher also brightened up an otherwise misty late afternoon.

Fowlmere
27 December 2016 14:40 - 16:34
Misty -3 3SW
Teal, Mallard, Pheasant, Bittern, Little Grebe, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard (heard), Water Rail (heard), Moorhen, Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon, Barn Owl, Kingfisher, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Wren, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Robin, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Yellowhammer (heard), Reed Bunting, Muntjac

Peregrine in Cambridge

A new bird for the Botanic Gardens during an afternoon stroll around. Peregrine seen flying over towards the city. Presumably the “Cathedral” bird.

Cambridge Botanic Gardens
23 December 2016 14:30 - 15:10
Overcast 9C 14SW
Peregrine, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Great Tit, Wren, Blackbird, Robin, Goldfinch (heard)

Barcelona Dip

Last afternoon in Barcelona and we thought we’d all catch the train to Vallvidrera. Myself and Tom were going to look for Red-billed Liothrix whilst Michelle and Sam could relax in the park. We left in light rain, but by the time we got there half an hour later, this had changed to heavy rain. The park wasn’t what we’d expected either. Nothing wrong with it but we thought it was going to be more of a provincial town park rather than a woodland walkers/cycling park. And the rain was getting worse. There were also no cafes or bars for Michelle and Sam to sit in, and so after half an hour they’d had enough and returned to the city. Myself and Tom carried on but it was futile. The rain was occasionally torrential, and birding pretty impossible. After an hour, seeing only some Serins and a Crested Tit we called it a day and headed back.

Vallvidrera
19 December 2016 14:30 - 15:15
Torrential rain 13C 11NW
Mallard, Woodpigeon, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Magpie, Jay, Firecrest, Blue Tit (heard), Crested Tit, Chiffchaff, Sardinian Warbler (heard), Blackbird, Robin, Grey Wagtail (heard)

Llobregat Delta

On holiday with the family in Barcelona to watch the Barcelona derby. Took the morning out to try and find Moustached Warbler in the Llobregat Delta next to the airport. Getting to the airport was easy enough (same train as we’d come on a couple of nights ago). Getting from the airport to the adjacent wetlands was problematic. In the end I had to get a taxi for €20 and worry about how to get back again later (a combination of two buses).

Finding the Warbler wasn’t easy and in the end I had to settle for brief flight views as one flew into the bottom of some reeds before disappearing. Not ideal, and I’ll have to see another someday, but just about tickable.

A great site though. Crag Martins, a single Red-rumped Swallow, Firecrest, Great White Egret, Water Pipits, and two Black-necked Grebes were some of the highlights. A Common Darter was also seen. Probably the only one I’m likely to see in mid-December.

Llobregat
18 December 2016 09:45 - 13:00
Patchy cloud 14C 14NW
Greylag Goose, Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Little Egret, Great White Egret, Little Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Water Rail (heard), Moorhen (heard), Coot, Lapwing, Black-headed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Magpie, Firecrest, Crag Martin, Red-rumped Swallow, Cetti's Warbler (heard), Chiffchaff, Sardinian Warbler, Robin, Grey Wagtail (heard), Pied Wagtail (heard), Meadow Pipit, Water Pipit, Reed Bunting, Cormorant (sinensis), Stonechat (rubicola), Moustached Warbler, Spotless Starling

Foxton

No birding as such, but a Red Kite low over the garden, a Fox in the fields, and a Winter Moth on the cabin window.

Foxton

Quieter than last Sunday afternoon with no sign of the Merlin. Highlights were a Grey Wagtail at the sewage works and two Treecreepers (one heard only) along different parts of the Hoffer Brook.

Foxton Sewage Works
11 December 2016 12:37 - 13:17
Mostly sunny 9C 10SW
Mallard, Buzzard, Moorhen (heard), Black-headed Gull, Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Great Tit (heard), Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Redwing, Robin, Dunnock, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch, Reed Bunting

Foxton
11 December 2016 14:07 - 16:27
Patchy cloud 13C 9SW
Red-legged Partridge, Pheasant (heard), Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Kestrel, Black-headed Gull, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Green Woodpecker, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Skylark (heard), Long-tailed Tit, Treecreeper, Wren, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Redwing, Mistle Thrush (heard), Robin, Dunnock (heard), Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Corn Bunting, Grey Squirrel, Fallow Deer

Dusky Thrush

Although I had seen the Kent bird in 2013, it had been accepted by the BBRC, and was on my list, I was never really happy with it as I thought it probably had Naumann’s influence in it. With that in mind, and having a free day, I travelled with Michelle to the lovely village of Beeley in the southern section of the Peak District in Derbyshire. Michelle found a very tasteful coffee shop, and I saw the Dusky Thrush. A good morning.

After a coffee and making a donation to Dukes Barn who had kindly let us into their grounds and pretty much organised the whole event, we briefly headed to Bakewell before going on a walk around the grounds of Chatsworth House. Finally we headed back to Bakewell where Michelle looked around the shops whilst I found a pub to watch the football scores come in. A good day!

Beeley
10 December 2016 10:15 - 12:00
Mostly sunny 12C 12W
Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Dusky Thrush, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing, Robin, Grey Wagtail (heard), Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch

Chatsworth House
10 December 2016 13:30 - 15:45
Overcast with light drizzle 11C 12W
Mallard, Pheasant, Buzzard, Kestrel, Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jay, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest (heard), Blue Tit (heard), Great Tit (heard), Wren (heard), Blackbird, Fieldfare, Redwing, Robin, Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch, Grey Squirrel, Sika Deer

Fog

No birds!

Lots of House Sparrows roosting in the garden Bay Tree though, making a racket late afternoon. Difficult to tell how many. Maybe 50?

Botanic Gardens (semi) Rares

The Botanic Gardens pond is being drained and dredged for the first time in it’s history. It’s now a couple of weeks underway and the lack of water is attracting birds to the mud. Unusual visitors included a Grey Wagtail, Little Egret (first time I’ve seen one actually in – as opposed to flying over – the gardens) and two Grey Herons (first time I’ve seen more than one bird). Didn’t have a ‘proper’ camera, but took a record shot of the Egret…

Cambridge Botanic Gardens
05 December 2016 14:31 - 13:59
Hazy cloud 3C 2E
Little Egret, Grey Heron, Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Coal Tit (heard), Blackbird (heard), Robin, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch (heard), Grey Squirrel

Foxton Rares

Found two in one afternoon! Went out on a sunny afternoon heading for the fields on the east side of the village. The hill leading up to Rowley’s Hill held several hundred small birds: Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, Yellow Hammers, Corn Buntings, Reed Buntings, and Linnets. It looked so promising that when I got to the bottom corner I decided to walk back to Foxton to check the Hoffer Brook and give it another circuit. Good decision as on the second time around, an adult male Merlin flew from the top of the hill and perched in the Hawthorn hedge leading down the hill. Hopefully it will be around for a bit with the ample food source available.

At dusk, I noticed many small birds flying into the corner at the end of Hall Farm track. Mostly Buntings and Finches, but also a Tree Sparrow.

Both the Merlin and the Tree Sparrow were only my second for Foxton.