Welcome to my birding blog - first launched 12th March 2012...
13thJanuary 2014 ff
January update
Monday 13th January
We drove to Bolton for a family visit but on the way home we stopped at the top of Blubberhouses Moor in the lay-by and, as predicted, we soon spotted a red grouse. The light was fading so no photos were taken. The following day I went up to Langdon Beck looking for black grouse and saw lots more red grouse which is when this shot was taken. More red grouse below!
Tuesday 14th January
I saw the largest number of black grouse I had ever spotted in the frosted field across from the inn at Langdon Beck - probably 30+ in total - well scattered not collecting as a group. Still too far for a really good close-up shot however.
On higher ground on the road to St. John's Chapel the red grouse stood out clearly in the snow.
Also seen that day: glossy ibis at Boldon Flats NR, rock doves [very beautiful white rumped blue birds] and lots of dunlin at Whitburn Cliffs.
Wednesday 15th January
I headed for Sandsend to see the iceland gull which appeared almost instantly as I got out of Tiggy. I grabbed the camera.
Later at South Gare a pair of stonechats entertained me: the male was very keen to be photographed: the female was much less confident. A peregrine fly-by at Saltholme Pools hide and many grey plover at Seaton Snook completed the day.
Friday 17th January
hundreds of common scoter at Reighton Gap but couldn't locate any velvets. Equally at Hornsea Mere in spite of spending a long time scanning no trace of the oft-reported scaup. Superb in flight views of the great white egret however.
Saturday 18th January
Off early to Southfield Reservoir south of Selby to hunt the slavonian grebe. I parked at Beaver's Bridge and walked west to the reservoir. The bird was on the western side of the central reservation that splits the reservoir at current water levels. Walk over the footbridge and continue [it gets very muddy] for about 200m. Fine selection of wildfowl plus little and great crested grebes.
10th-11th January 2014
When I get older, losing my hair, many years from now
Will you still be sending me a valentine, birthday greetings, bottle of wine?
If I'd been out 'til quarter to three, would you lock the door?
Will you still need me, will you still feed me when I'm sixty-four?
Well, I just made it. 64 I mean. And I'm losing my hair too! Got some greetings, drank some wine but not until I got back from a day's birding in Lincolnshire...
Friday 10th January
Set off very early and arrived at Cleethorpes Country Park for just after 8am. Lots of children cycling to school through the park from a large estate; dog walkers too. I walked right round the lake and saw a kingfisher and a selection of wildfowl. No sign of the black-throated diver. As I got back to the beginning I checked the narrow channel between the island just in case... and there it was looking up at me. I dashed back to the car, grabbed the camera and returned to the channel. The diver was out in the middle of the lake!
I sat down on a bench and waited. Perhaps a yapping dog had driven it away from its feeding spot? Slowly the bird returned. Eventually I got my wish: total frame filling!
After that thrilling encounter I headed south for Theddlethorpe Saint Helen and Brickyard Lane. When I arrived the road was blocked by a removal lorry and it didn't look as itf it was going anywhere soon. I had no option but to take the next lane down to the sea and walk back. This worked out ok and I could see several birders out on the sand back north by Brickyard Lane. I walked north. A flock of twite was soon espied.
Once on the ground I realised there were shore larks there too. In fact the larks were easier to approach...
There were no snow buntings but who cares? I'd never seen shore larks like this before. Clouds of golden plover filled the air.
Walking back a party of about 8 curlews raced overhead.
Large numbers of yellowhammers were congregating on the buckthorn in the dunes.
I set off for Freiston Shore RSPB in search of whatever might be there...
...such as my second great northern diver of the year...eyes wide open...
...and eyes wide shut...together with snipe, black-tailed godwits and ringed plovers.
Saturday 11th January
Barry and I set off at a fairly civilised time for Scarborough hoping for a firecrest at the Mere. We succeeded thanks to other sharp-eyed birders. A great start to the day. The turnstones were very cold: maybe a touch of frostbite for this fella?
The great northern diver was soon spotted only to disappear again. A bird dismissed as a cormorant turned out to be a young shag.
The diver eventually performed for me!
We set off for Bempton Cliff and saw fulmars and, nice surprise, a stonechat.
Final call at Hornsea Mere was very cold and neither scaup nor great white egret could be found. Nonetheless an excellent day's birding!
UK 110 2014
January 1st ff
As the earwig said as it slid down yet another leaf....
Ere we go again!!
January 1st:Cleveland
J1 was always planned as a trip to Hartlepool and its environs. The weather was not helpful but we set off bright and early knowing the rain might put an early stop to things. First call, Sadberge, north of the Dogs' Trust. No sign of dogs or an elusive great grey shrike but we did see the Bewick's swan with its attendant whoopers. Good start.
Ward Jackson Park, Hartlepool, can be a treasure trove for birds and this was no exception: from parakeet to treecreeper including two species of woodpecker [no, not that one!] we clocked up a good number of birds. Mistle thrushes, nuthatch there too - also good birds to see on January 1st. In fact, eventually we reached 71 birds for the day - not bad considering the weather which was much less friendly than last year when we scored 75 in the same Cleveland area. Just a few pictures I'm afraid from the Headland and North Gare.
Guillemot and curlew.
January 2nd Rufford & Budby
I arrived early at Rufford Park to join about a dozen birders whose scopes were already trained on the tall trees surrounding the car park. It can be so easy at Rufford and we soon had views of the hawfinches. Too distant to photograph, I left for Budby. Second attempt. I found the car park near the village which considerably reduced the walk to the crossways.
A robin was waiting for me at the Crossways.
However from there we walked about another mile, carrying scope and camera until we stopped in front of a conifer. Why? No idea. After a while, having put up my tripod and having hung the camera on it, I was glad to rest my back. Some young birders had walked over to a different, nearby, free-standing conifer. One that proved to be full of [14] parrot crossbills! And the sun was shining. People were scrambling over fences to get near until one chap [to some laughter] discovered the large metal gate wasn't locked and he opened it for the rest of us to pass through.
My shadow is pointing at the tree...
...and here come the parrotbills!
First of all, find a nice cone and detach it from the branch.
Then fly off with it.
Females do it too!
Later I drove back north to Broomhead to look for the two-barred crossbills but there was no sign. I did encounter a great spotted woodpecker in poor light at the feeder station. He agreed to stay very still whilst I took his photo!
A male common crossbill showed up. I think you can see his bill is much less 'robust' or less heavy than the parrot ones.
January 3rd North Cave & Blacktoft
Barry, Sheila and I went out birding for the afternoon to try to see the green-winged teal and some harriers. After some time we spotted the teal and a few other nice birds and headed off fairly promptly for Blacktoft to be in time for the roost. We were very lucky as we saw male [very briefly] and female hen harriers and, of course, marsh harriers. Just a couple of atmospheric images to remind me of that afternoon.
Marsh harrier...
...and the ringtail...
January 6th Hartlepool & Saltholme
A quiet day's birding with a redpoll which I saw on the feeders at Saltholme and assumed was lesser but the staff eventually decided it was a mealy - so that was nice. It looked a bit in-betweeny to me. An inbetweeny redpoll. Aren't they all?!
The wind was awful. Best photo of the day was taken with my iphone at South Gare.
January 7th Broomhead, Old Moor, Mirfield & Pugney's CP
Broomhead reservoir in the rain, standing by some denuded larch trees about 400m further down the road than the lay-by where you park for the feeder station. I had missed the birds by about 10 minutes. I arrived at 10am: just before noon a party of birds flew in. Double bars showing nicely. Third crossbill species of the year!! Here they are...
It was a very good day. Jay and buzzard also from Broomhead follwed by wren and fieldfare at Old Moor. The staff told me to look out for the willow tit in the bird garden. He showed up nicely on the furthest feeders. Then a drive to Mirfield to check the great northern was still on Sands Lane GP [now called Ladywood Lakes for some fishy reason!]. Finally as darkness fell a scamper to Cowood's Pool at Pugney's to see the white nun [drake smew] with a drake goosander showing well in the gloom. At the car park two birders had scopes pointed at the gulls on the water. They very kindly pointed out a yellow-legged gull introducing me to the finer points of identification of a second winter YLG. I wouldn't have given it a second glance!!!
Nine ticks that day. We're on a roll!
Postscript
So far this year: 96 UK
December 20th ff
Postscript 2013
North Cave 20.12.13
Ok, so it wasn't the last blog of the year. This is! Honest!
I knew this would happen. Oh well, here's what happened after that. Not a lot but worth recording nonetheless. The only green-winged teal I had seen this year was with Barry on Dorman's Pool on February 22nd in a howling gale, at a great distance and then only fleetingly and, at best, partially. The one at North Cave this December [20.12.13] was showing really well. Not quite as close as I should really like but you should be able to pick him out quite easily in these three shots.
If you can't see him, he's pretty well centre channel in the above shot and down left from the right hand moorhen, facing us in the second picture.
In the last one he's afloat just left of centre.
At home in Acomb, York 21.12.13
Suddenly something caused great alarm amongst the sparrows and a larger bird appeared to throw himself into the sparrows' normal bush by the feeders by the kitchen. Pictures through the double glazing from upstairs.
What's next?
Christmas Eve 2013
Barry and I set off early for Budby in North Nottinghamshire to see, we hoped, some parrot crossbills. I hoped to photograph them: Barry hoped for a lifer. End story: we dipped! However I did grab a few shots of a pair of jays near the Great Oak.
Near the site where the crossbills were supposed to be I spotted a small number of redpolls on hawthorn in the sun.
Some longhorn cattle watched the birders go by!
At Rufford we saw nothing but I wasn't really surprised - it's a very early morning location. By the time we arrived it was heaving with folk and the birds had probably drawn back into the woodlands.
Finally I headed for Mirfield: quite a trek but I knew an almost summer plumaged great northern diver was on the fishing lake formerly frequented by the ring-billed gull. No sign this winter, alas. A great crested grebe was near the roadside...
...and the diver was soon located too.
The year continues to entertain! What's next, I wonder?
The Grand Finale!
On Sunday 29th December Barry and I set off very early [6am] for Cheshire and North Wales. First stop would be Burton Marsh to see the American Buff-bellied Pipit. On site by 8am we were not the first to arrive but many arrived after us until the preferred site [as far as the bird was concerned] along the masses of tidal wrack became a bit of a scrimmage - to the masked annoyance of local walkers and cyclists. The bird was eventually seen by me on about three separate occasions, the best views being back by the entry gate where the birders were more sensibly spread out along the path edge. My photos are very distant and any kind of focus lock would be a challenge to the camera in separating bird from every other little brown thing. But it was my 400th British bird. I'd achieved that retirement ambition at last!
Additionally Barry's photos show that we also saw the reported siberian chiffchaff.
We tried Abergele for the hoopoes, but no sign. I had briliant views of two drake surf scoters in flight by the turbines at Llysfaen by the railway line.
A drive to Holyhead got us good views of black guillemot by the fish dock [see http://barryjohnbishop.blogspot.com/ ] and later of some chough at South Stack. In all my years of Welsh choughing I'd never seen chough bird-tabling. They were feeding off a wall outside a farm house until a gull disturbed the party!
Red of bill and red of feet...
...they disappeared. Over the wall and far away.....over the wall and far away....
Final score: Life list: 400
2013 UK list: 279 - second best year ever.
Can't be bad. To the North-east on January 1st! We start over...
Sunday15th December ff
The Last Picture Show?
aka: Ivor's Story
No, not the last picture show ever but I suppose this may be the last post before Christmas or even the last post of the year.
Anyway, after today's little outing that hardly matters. I managed to draw level with last year's year total of 278 and to reach a tantalising 399 on my life list.
However, Sunday first. I spent a quiet, ordinary day's birding round Hartlepool. No sign of the iceland gull I hoped to photograph. Plenty of Mediterraneans: 2 at Newburn Bridge and 3 on the rocks on the Headland. I finished up having lunch in Phil Stead hide photographing some common birds in nice light. But before all that I spent half an hour curlew watching along the North Gare access road...
A shoveler splashed down and disturbed the curlews. I suppose this is an astronomical bird: it's a partial eclipse!
A common gull caught my eye. I am puzzled by this picture: it's probably just a trick of the light or something but the bird looks as if it's got a prosthetic leg!!
On then to Saltholme. I was amazed to watch a redshank in deep water swimming happily across the pool. I hadn't seen this before.
Same redshank after his swim!
A shelduck was enjoying the [relative] warmth in December sunshine.
Mallards always seem to cackle like the laughing policeman! Here's one, squawking away!
Monday was a special day.
16.12.13
Up in the dark and on my way to Patrington Haven. Parked up by 8am - about 6 cars already there! I set off with another birder as we chatted about caspian gulls and other shared birding memories. Apparently the bird was showing well by the pumping station. Now unfortunately I had decided that the bird would be miles away on the mud so I took scope and bins. The bird was on the grass by the pump-house and could be watched at 30 feet! I had to make do with a mobile phone photo. Sorry it's pretty awful but at least I have a bit of a record. It was wonderful in flight: so white and pointed wings like a flying blade. Brilliant!!
Here's the photo.
I went back!
On Wednesday I couldn't make up my mind. Should I go back and try and get some decent photos of the gull? Would it be there? Would the weather spoil things? [The forecast wasn't great for the afternoon.]
I went back. I trudged back out to the pumping station. On the way I met folks who said it was still there.
Nearly there. Met a birder who said: 'Best get your skates on, mate. It's going down the channel out to sea!' I felt too fatalistic to try even looking for my skates. I was carrying scope, bins and camera. I had one speed available: slow walking. At least I wasn't wearing flip-flops!
No sign for an hour and 45 minutes. The wind was becoming ever stronger. Birder I was chatting with said, almost in one sentence: 'I'll give it 5 more minutes and then I'm off; what's that coming in?' I saw where he was looking and said: 'That's it! It's here!' I called. About a dozen scopes still there, still hoping. The light was beginning to go. First view - better than the camera shot at least.
Thought it might stay out there for some time.
Then it took off. For a moment it looked like it was off south-east Spurn-wards again.
But like Whittington, it turned again. The rest is, well, Ivor's story - in pictures.
Suddenly the bird was coming straight at us having circled round behind the pump house. About 10? feet over our heads, the next 4 images are uncropped.
The bird looked spectacular when photographed at this angle over the marsh.
Farewell, youngster. Here's hoping you find your way back to where you belong.
On the way back I met Alan Whitehead coming for another look. He had shoes on, I noticed.
So, folks, this will be the last post of 2013: I couldn't ever top that set of images could I? So a stunning place to finish - for now.
Had this photo in mind for some time as a good 'farewell for now' image. The old dog walks off into the undergrowth ready, we trust, to do it all again next time...
UK life list: 399.
Year list 2013 Final total: 278
I've been wondering... Bird of the Year? Dead heat: bridled tern and ivory gull.