Friday, 20th February '09:
Spellbrook (west), Trims Green, Tedambury Marsh, Wallbury and the Wash
Today I decided to take a little time to try and find a couple of SP's Tednambury birds.
these were Cetti's Warbler (a chance at a work-patch first) and Barn Owl for my yearlist.
If a chance of a new local bird species were not enough....
...an addition to my Spellbrook mammal list was utterly unexpected find.
A slightly more reasonable count today with 41 species, highlights:
- Water Rail 2 - heard around wash
- Stockdove 7 (5 tednambury, 2 over Spellbrook west)
- Canada Goose 42 (2 west over spellbrook lock, 33 tednambury and 7 more just South along the Stort.
- Little Grebe 5 - spread either side of Spellbrook lock
- Kingfisher 1 north along Stort at Tednambury
- Reed Bunting - ONE SINGER at Tednambury
- Cormorant 3(4)
- Grey Wagtail 1 - Spellbrook lock
- Linnet - only two to be found around new farm building!
- Cetti's Warbler - Sat for a while hoping this distant calling bird would come a little closer, or even give a nice full verse... only one poor distant view of bird passing between hiding places to reward my efforts tho all thanks is due to StephenP for being the dedicated birder he is!
not the first time i've been drawn to poach one of Stephen's local star finds...
...and caught in the act, too :-)
Stort River (Due North of Spellbrook Lock):
A new mammal species on my local list!!!!
Silt left from recent flooding was the perfect medium to leave a blinding row of prints in superb condition that crossed the tow path and disappeared into the Grebe-infested waters. The star shape I associate with Mink struck me like a wet fish as i searched through the usual Moorhen , Mallard and dog track found at this spot.... there was only one problem with the Mink theory, they were massive!
I pressed a 50p into the mud to show just how big they were.
Undoubtably one of my work-patch highlights from my 6 years of walking this stretch.
OTTER on the Stort!
Thursday, 19th February '09:
Hayter, Spellbrook (west):
Today I managed 29 species with little to write home about
- Bullfinch 1 calling bird at Hayter unsexed due to appauling lighting, despite close range
- Stockdove 3 over
- Canada Goose 4 - east over at 1010 Hrs
- Fieldfare 30 - South over Hayter at
Trims Green:
- Kestrel, singing Skylark everywhere and a few Meadow Pipit
Wednesday, 18th February '09:
Highlights from todays count of only 27 species
Hayter, Spellbrook (west):
- Fieldfare 15 north as we rushed through the main gate at 0725 Hrs
- Goldfinch & Greenfinch roost still active but with only around 40-50 in each is a remarkable drop in numbers
- Collared Dove - mating
- Mistle Thrush 3 singing from Hayter land at once!!!
- Bullfinch 1 - male visible from Hayter smoking shelter
- Magpie - the shelter nest is well underway
Trims Green (South):
- STONECHAT 1 - Male, on junction due North from Tharbies Farm again.... looks like it's been worth our while coming past at least once a day ;-) Special thanks to SteveE for putting up with all my eccentric requests... cheers man
Missing 'gimme's' today: WREN, Redwing, Kestrel and Goldcrest
Tuesday, 17th Feburary '09:
One of my fav mammal pics...
...taken last Sunday at Hatfield Forest NT
Hayter, Spellbrook (west):
0715
- Golden Plover 2 North-West
- Fieldfare 50+ over North
- Woodpigeon 150+ over North in less than 2 mins
1020
- Cormorant 1 - over South-East
- Green Woodpecker - One bird calling all day from Spellbrook Farm
1340
- Kingfisher 1 - hunting the brook just North-West of Hayter's main carpark.
- BADGER 1 - despite following the tracks from the large system of sets nearby, this is my first living sighting in Spellbrook since starting work at Hayter in October 2002! Animal was pretty large and along with unusual timing (lunch o'clock!) may suggest an ousted Boar?
Monday, 16th February '09:
Mistle Thrush singing at most suitable sites at the moment.
This video was taken yesterday at Hatfield Forest
using a mind boggiling 180X optical Zoom (3X camera, 60X scope!)
Hayter, Spellbrook (west):
Trims Green:
Sunday, 15th February '09:
Today I concentrated on getting some video footage instead of taking pictures...
.....here's the Great Crested Grebes putting the finishing touches to their new nest.
Hatfield Forest:
Most of my time spent following deer and listening for Marsh Tit :-)
- Great Crested Grebe - Pair nest building
- Nuthatch 2
- Mistle Thrush 13 - many vocal
- Jay 9
- Redwing 37+
- Fieldfare 69 (one flock of 43)
- Goldfinch - largest flock 18
- Chaffinch - largest flock 15
- Treecreeper 3
- MARSH TIT 3 - In mixed Tit flock at the North end of forest
- Cormorant 2
- Coot - only one noted still?
- Siskin 20-25 In trees just North-East of the Doodle Oak
+ reasonable numbers of Canada Geese, Teal, Tufted Duck, crows and tits
Stansted Airport Lagoons:
I have never seen the water levels anything like this...
...the lagoons are overflowing into the surrounding stream!
- Coot/Moorhen - only species in any decent numbers (and Stockdove)
- Grey Wagtail 1
- Teal 5
- Tufted Duck 1
- Stockdove 13
- Meadow Pipit 2
- Mistle Thrush - more singing here too
Saturday, 14th February '09:
Fieldfare - still giving us superb views from the comfort of our living room :-)
Harlow Mill Beefeater:
A Family Meal :-)
Friday, 13th February '09:
Kestrel eating a worm around North Field, Hayter, yesterday
Honeysuckle Close:
- Fieldfare - aggresive bird still present
Thursday, 12th February '09:
Hayter, Spellbrook (west):
Wednesday, 11th February '09:
Trims Green:
- Redwing + Fieldfare c.50 - mixed flock
- GREY PARTRIDGE 2 - 150 yards North-East of Blounts Farm
- Golden Plover 23
- Stock Dove 30 - A very large count for me indeed
Spellbrook Lock:
- Little Grebe 5 ( 3 on South side with 2 more just North)
Wallbury:
- Fieldfare 29 - over South West
Thorley Wash:
- Cormorant 3 (1 Immature) all South along/over the river Stort.
- Kestrel 1
- Mute Swan 2
field with horses on the South side of Pig Lane:
- Goldfinch c.50
- Redwing 40+
- Cormorant 2 (One a different Immature from previous sighting)
Pig Lane Lock:
- Grey Wagtail 1
- Little Grebe 1 - my 6th of the walk just north of lock
- Cormorant 1 - 6 is more than more than i would expect along this stretch
