Fowlmere

A brief walk in the sun mid-afternoon. No birds. Nice, close views of a Weasel though.

Garden Birdwatch and Fowlmere

Only got one hour in before dusk. Two Grey Partridges and a Teal was about the lot.

Garden Birdwatch in the morning.

Redpolls

Spent two hours looking at the Redpolls at Fowlmere. Three altogether including the possible Mealy amongst thirty or so Siskins. Also a Peregrine as I arrived and thirteen Teals.

Digiscoped photo doesn’t prove much apart from it having all white UTCs which I already knew.

Redpolls

A quick visit to Fowlmere at midday. Didn’t even make it to the Spring Hide as I stumbled upon a flock of about thirty Siskins that contained singles of both Lesser Redpoll and Mealy Redpoll.

Still no Shrike

Tried again for the Great Grey Shrike in Barton. Still no luck. Funny place to go birding.

No Shrike

Got a phone call from Andy Watson to say that a Great Grey Shrike was seen on a farmer friend of his land near Barton. We tried until dusk, but no sign. Just a Buzzard.

Fowlmere

A bit under one hour mid-afternoon in the sun, where the Cetti’s Warbler was heard and three Siskins seen.

Fowlmere

Went out late afternoon after it eventually stopped raining. Kingfisher (first actual sighting for a long time) and Cetti’s Warbler (first sign of for an even longer time.)

Amwell

Just managed one hour last thing. Red-crested Pochard x 3, Smew x 4 (1 male), Pintail x 2. A reasonable number of large gulls roosting, but nothing special amongst them.

The now famous Pink-footed Goose was also seen swimming with Greylags.

Rainham

With Tom. A Caspian Gull and a Yellow-legged Gull (both adults) were not much compensation for dipping Slaty-backed Gull. A Cetti’s Warbler was heard and a Hare seen at very close range.

Fowlmere later was quiet.

Waxwings

Mid-afternoon I took Sam into Cambridge to see some Waxwings outside the Panton Arms. He’s been very keen to see some and his face lit up when he saw them through the ‘scope. Quite touching. There were nine in total.

Whilst driving home, a Little Egret flew from the Botanic Gardens; quite a surprise!

Fowlmere last thing was rather dull.

Fowlmere

Fowlmere dawn and dusk with a long break in between. No birds apart from three Grey Herons (quite unusual.) Grey, wet and windy at dawn. Calm and clear at dusk with nice sunset with crescent moon and Jupiter (camera phone picture below.)

Shepreth L-moor

A first visit to Shepreth at dusk produced the first Snipe of the year.

Slow Start

Although I’ve hardly been down there so far apart from last thing in the afternoon, this pretty much sums up the year there so far…

Fowlmere

Fowlmere last thing in the rain is rarely exciting and this occasion proved to be no exception. Four Teals and a heard-only Kingfisher (first for some time) were the only birds of note. Hardly any passerines apart from Corvids.

Blackcap

Whilst searching for Waxwings outside the Panton Arms in Cambridge, I found a male Blackcap. Gave up with the Waxwings and went in the pub instead.

Fowlmere

Only made it down for first visit of the year late afternoon. By that time it was incredibly quiet even by it’s own high (low?) standards! Birds recorded…

Mallard – heard.
Pheasant
Moorhen
Sparrowhawk
Black-headed Gull
Wood Pigeon
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Meadow Pipit
Wren
Dunnock – heard.
Robin – heard.
Redwing
Fieldfare
Blackbird
Blue Tit
Goldcrest – heard.
Jay
Magpie
Jackdaw
Rook
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Reed Bunting

Snettisham

Went to see the Pink-footed Geese roost at Snettisham on the way home from my Suffolk. Great flocks of swirling Knot too and all the usual waders etc. Also a single red-head Smew.

Dingle Marshes and Minsmere

First bird of the year was a Tawny Owl shortly after midnight; the first bird seen was a male Blackbird; both from my parent’s garden. Started the year proper (later than I wanted) where I left off at Dingle Marshes…

Snow Bunting x c. 30
Bar-tailed Godwit
Eider – female.
Shore Lark x 11
Twite x 3 in flight.
Spotted Redshank

I then spent the afternoon at Minsmere. Quieter than usual (particularly Passerines), with highlights being the following…

Smew – drake and redhead.
Green-winged Teal
Marsh Harrier x 4
Bewick’s Swan x c. 10 over when nearly dark.

Other species recorded during the course of the day…

Great Crested Grebe
Cormorant
Little Egret
Grey Heron
Mute Swan
Brent Goose
Greylag
Shelduck
Mallard
Gadwall
Pintail
Shoveller
Wigeon
Teal
Pochard
Tufted Duck
Pheasant
Moorhen
Grey Plover
Lapwing
Turnstone
Dunlin
Redshank
Curlew
Common Gull
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Green Woodpecker
Skylark
Meadow Pipit
Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
Redwing
Fieldfare
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Marsh Tit – heard.
Long-tailed Tit
Magpie
Jackdaw
Rook
Carrion Crow
Starling
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch