early December 2008

Saturday, 13 December 08:

 Adult Black-headed Gulls at  M'sMP (Southern Country Park) 

Trimms Green:

Kate kindly taking me on a drive around the work patch

• Lesser Black-backed Gull 7 - South
• Common Gull 2 - South
• Woodpigeon 150+
• Jackdaw + Rook 100+
• GREY PARTRIDGE 1

A Blue Tit also from M'sMP (Southern Country Park) 

Wednesday, 10th December 08:

A male House Sparrow from the other day at M'sMP (SouthernCP)

....this is prob my best shot in a while :-)

Honeysuckle Close, Bishop's Stortford:

From my back door in 45 mins this afternoon

• Robin 5 (or more) singing nearby
• Black-headed Gull 14 - South (4, 2, 4, 3, 1)
• Common Gull 36 - South (17, 19)
• Woodpigeon 46 - One a min :-)
• Collared Dove 7
• Dunnock 2
• Wren 1
• Blackbird 7
• Fieldfare 1 North
• Goldfinch 8 (2 local, 2E, 3S)
• Chaffinch 1 West
• Pied Wagtail 1 - South-West
• House Sparrow 3(4) - nearby but not seen
• Starling c.45 birds with the largest flock only 2
• Rook + Jackdaw - A few of each West

Tuesday, 9th December 08:

One of the five Moorhen that are almost always found on the E edge of the water.

Michaels Mead Pond (Southern Country Park Lake):

A hobble around the local pond with Rick...

...cheers, by the way, i wouldn't have made it there and back on foot :-)

A remarkable number of decent photos considering how few i actually took...

I will have to spread them over a few day's blogs!

highlights today:

• Bullfinch 2 - choosing not to pose for photo as per usual
• Tufted Duck - usual drake
• Water Rail 1 - vocal bird
• Black-headed Gull 22 - highest count on the water
• Common Gull 4 - One present on lake and 3 more over
• Reed Bunting 1
• Mistle Thrush 1 - singing from line of trees towards Thorley Church

   the 'cooperative model of the day award' goes to this rather fearless Dunnock

Saturday, 6th December 08: 

   

A Tufted Duck, Adult and 1st Winter Black-headed Gulls

Michaels Mead Pond (A.K.A. the lake at Southern Country Park, Bishops Stortford, Herts):

• Sparrowhawk - Female hunting over
• JACK SNIPE 3
• Water Rail 2
• Siskin 1 - amongst the goldfinches
• Tufted Duck 2 - Resident Drake joined by another!

Thursday, 4th December 08:

A Cormorant posing in the distance during last weeks Goosander fun at Hatfield Forest Lake

Stortford Park Farm (east):

          In a bit of pain so only a short visit...

• Green Woodpecker 3
• Fieldfare 5
• Redwing 7
• Mistle Thrush 6 - I'm sure these birds appeared recently with the winter thrush.  I don't think this many survived from the pair that bred here.... and besides, I'm sure they vanished in mid-Autumn.
• Song Thrush 1
• Common Gull 16 (4 on playing field and 12 over South)
• Black-headed Gull 2 - South
• Goldfinch 7 - Oddly few
• Greenfinch 9 - Also very few!
• Pied Wagtail 3 - Still coming down to the lawns to feed occasionally.... will overwinter?
• Bullfinch 4 - Two pairs. One Pair, as usual, at bullfinch corner.... Another pair beside East-Edge-Pond was un unexpected bonus.
• Blue Tit 10+
• Great Tit 4 (2, 2)
• Goldcrest 4(+)
• Starling 15+ gathering in usual tree before dusk
• Dunnock 5 - One in particular was singing on and off during my whole visit
• Blackbird 20+ Still lots about, with most hanging around the bushes at the crossroads (footpaths) between SPF(east) at 'east-edge-pond' and Hillmead Primary School
• NO Long-tailed Tits was odd.  I've noted them and Goldcrest at almost every site I've visited for some weeks.

          Okay not amazing stuff but fantastic to get out again... may need a few days to recover :-)

Monday, 1st December:

 

A couple of dodgy cameraphone efforts: Collared Dove and Kestrel

Hayter, Spellbrook (west):

          A very quiet day.... after tomorrow i'll be out of action for sometime methinks.  Having a minor Op which should incapacitate me for a week or two... I'm bored just thinking about it :-(

• Kestrel - Female hunting north field
• Fieldfare 7+
• Green Woodpecker 1

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