Foxton

A walk around the sewage farm area produced a Chiffchaff just north of the pond. First overwintering record in Foxton?

Foxton
24 November 2016 15:24 - 16:13
Overcast 7C 11NE
Red-legged Partridge, Pheasant, Buzzard (heard), Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Chiffchaff, Wren, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Robin, Chaffinch

Fowlmere

Fowlmere first thing. Cold and misty. Lots of Thrushes and a (or some?) flyover (presumed Lesser) Redpoll, my first of the year here, though unfortunately not seen in the gloom.

Fowlmere
23 November 2016 07:59 - 09:02
Misty 4C 8NE
Teal, Mallard, Pheasant, Grey Heron, Buzzard, Kestrel, Water Rail, Moorhen, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Green Woodpecker (heard), Magpie, Jay, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Skylark (heard), Cetti's Warbler (heard), Long-tailed Tit, Treecreeper, Wren, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Robin, Dunnock (heard), Greenfinch (heard), Linnet, Lesser Redpoll (heard), Bullfinch, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Fallow Deer, Muntjac

Forster’s Tern

My second UK Forster’s Tern, the first being 17 years ago, also in Essex just down the road from this one at Mistley Quay on the Stour Estuary. Nice place, nice bird, though took a bit of waiting around in the cold for.

Mistley
20 November 2016 13:21 - 15:56
Misty with drizzle 5C 1SE
Mute Swan, Brent Goose, Shelduck, Pintail, Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser, Cormorant, Little Egret, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Oystercatcher, Grey Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, Turnstone, Dunlin, Redshank, Forster's Tern, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon, Kingfisher, Goldcrest (heard), Starling, Grey Wagtail (heard), Pied Wagtail

Little Egrets

Four Little Egrets in flight, seen from the train near Addenbrooke’s on my way in Cambridge this morning.

Foxton Birding

Messed about in front of the computer for a bit making a Foxton Birding Site Map!

Hartlepool Headland

Went to Hartlepool Headland with Mathew Mellor to see the Eastern Black Redstart and do some sea-watching. Reasonably successful in both. Got the Redstart and got several reasonable but brief views early on before it became elusive.

Sea-watching produced…

Little Auk x 4
Glaucous Gull 1st winter
Sooty Shearwater x 1
Arctic Skua x 1
Bonxie c.20
Velert Scoter x 1
Red-throated Diver x c.10

Also many Kittiwakes going through (1 Sabine’s reported with them) and several Gannets, Auks etc.

A number of Purple Sandpipers were on the beach and showed very nicely. The waves were also spectacular!

Hartlepool Headland
06 November 2016 09:15 - 14:10
Heavy rain showers 8C 20NE
Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Scaup, Eider, Common Scoter, Velvet Scoter, Goldeneye, Red-throated Diver, Sooty Shearwater, Cormorant, Shag, Sparrowhawk, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Curlew, Turnstone, Purple Sandpiper, Redshank, Arctic Skua, Great Skua, Razorbill, Little Auk, Guillemot, Kittiwake, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Glaucous Gull, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling, Blackbird, Redwing, Robin, Black Redstart (rufiventris), Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit

Fowlmere

First visit to Fowlmere for some time. A late Chiffchaff was the highlight. Also one of the Barn Owl young was outside the nest-box.

Stopped by along Fowlmere Road to scan a field being ploughed with a large number of Gulls on…

Black-headed Gull x c.200
Lesser Black-backed Gull x c.30 (mostly adults)
Herring Gull x c.10 adults
Yellow-legged Gull x 1 adult.

Fowlmere
04 November 2016 13:41 - 14:45
Rain 8C 4NE
Greylag Goose, Teal, Mallard, Red-legged Partridge, Pheasant, Buzzard (heard), Moorhen, Woodpigeon, Barn Owl, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit (heard), Skylark (heard), Cetti's Warbler (heard), Long-tailed Tit, Chiffchaff, Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Fieldfare (heard), Redwing, Robin (heard), Dunnock, Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch, Reed Bunting (heard), Rabbit

Fowlmere Road
04 November 2016 14:50 - 15:00
Rain
Pheasant, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Carrion Crow

Autumnal Colours

Lovely colours in the Botanic Gardens during a lunchtime walk in Cambridge. Not many birds though

Cambridge Botanic Gardens
03 November 2016 13:40 - 14:05
Clear 8C 8SW
Mallard, Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jay, Jackdaw, Blue Tit (heard), Wren, Blackbird (heard), Robin, Grey Squirrel