Richardson's Cackling Goose, Norfolk

This morning we travelled to Norfolk hoping to find a Richardson's Cackling Goose. In 2012 we saw one at Kelling, but the powers that be decided it had dubious credentials, therefore it wasn't accepted and didn't make my list. 

We left home early stopping at Welney on the way. Connecting with Tree Sparrows among the bramble bushes and three Cattle Egret flew up and over the road in front of us. A Barn Owl landed on a nearby fence post and flew even closer while hunting along the fence line. Thousands of Whooper Swans were in nearly all the surrounding fields. 

Positive news came through that the Cackling Goose had been seen, so we headed to Brancaster and found a space on the concrete pad along Mill Road. The goose was still present, but distant in the far sugar beet field with a large flock of Pink-footed Geese. It took a while to locate the goose, but with helpful directions from Graham J I eventually located it at the front of the Pink-foots. Hopefully, this bird will make it onto my list.

Holkham was our next destination and we got lucky when we connected with a Firecrest in trees near the outlook cafe. A seawatch from the gap was productive picking out a Velvet Scoter among the numerous commons along with Long-tailed Duck and several Red-breasted Mergansers.

Lesser Scaup and Jack Snipe

With only the morning available for birding today, we stayed relatively close to home and a trip around the M25 to Staines Reservoir. We arrived shortly after first light and headed through the kissing gate and up the ramp to the causeway. A Lesser Scaup had been reported from this site since the 16th of January, with further reports suggesting the bird had been present since the 20th of December! Several birders were already present and all had their scopes trained on a sizable flock of Pochard. We quickly located the Lesser Scaup among the flock. It was asleep for the majority of the time we were on site, waking briefly to stretch a wing.

Lesser Scaup among Pochard flock

With time limited we cut the visit short and headed back along the M25 and up the A1(M) to Lemsford Springs in Hertfordshire. The reserve was much busier than normal, due to the fact that three Jack Snipe had been showing well from the hide recently. We squeezed into the hide and found one of the Jack Snipe asleep on a small frosty mound of earth. We soon found the other two birds tucked under the front edge of the watercress bed. As well as the Jack Snipe there were fourteen Green Sandpipers, two Common Snipe, as well as Grey Wagtails and Little Egrets present.

Jack Snipe

A short time spent birding today adding a couple of decent year ticks and a new addition to my London list with the Lesser Scaup.

A fantastic raptor day in Cambridgeshire and Norfolk

This morning we headed north into Cambridgeshire, arriving at Eldernell in Peterborough for first light. Before leaving the car park Brian spotted a group of four Cranes heading southeast. We headed west from the car park and walked along the grass bank finding a single Long-eared Owl roosting among the brambles. We watched it from the grass bank so as not to cause it any disturbance and then headed towards the small copse further along the track. A Tawny Owl had been seen earlier in the week and it wasn't long before we found it roosting in its favoured tree. I managed to add another couple of year ticks on the walk back with a single Green Woodpecker and a large flock of Fieldfare perched in a tree behind the copse. 

Long-eared Owl

Tawny Owl

We met a few newly arrived birders and while chatting enjoyed fantastic views of a male Hen Harrier along with a Peregrine, Buzzard, Marsh Harrier, Red Kite, Sparrowhawk, and kestrel. A scan with the scope located another four Cranes on top of the distant bank. From the gate, at the car park, we added a Kingfisher to the year list.

We headed fifty miles northeast to Holkham Beach. We decided to give Holkham a miss on New Year's Day due to the huge amount of people present. Today as we drove along Lady Annes's Drive we stopped to ask a couple if they had seen any Grey Partridge, only to be told No, but we have just found a Long-billed Dowitcher! I've seen a few of these birds in previous years but this has to be the closest view I've ever enjoyed.

Long-billed Dowitcher

 

As we reached The Lookout cafe, we found a small covey of six Grey Partridges in the adjoining field. 

Grey Partridge

We walked along the beach to the roped-off area and quickly found both Snow Buntings and Shore Larks busily feeding. 

Snow Buntings and Shore Larks

Our last stop today was Warham Greens hoping to see the Pallid Harrier we failed to see on the 1st of January. Today we parked on the concrete pad at Warham Greens instead of at Stiffkey. When we reached the marsh we were greeted with a Great Egret, then several Marsh Harriers, and a ringtail Hen Harrier. soon we had our first views of the Pallid Harrier. It remained distant, flying low in and out of the longer vegetation in front of the pine trees. I enjoyed good scope views of two Merlins for another addition to the year list along with at least three Barn Owls as well as Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, and Buzzard. As the light began to fade the small gathered crowd began to depart. We stuck it out and were rewarded with another view of the Pallid Harrier as it flew over our heads to roost out on the marsh.

A cracking day, watching some fantastic birds.

Dungeness

Today we made our first visit of the year to Dungeness, beginning with a seawatch from the hide. We were greeted with fierce south-westerlies. The freezing cold winds and the low sun made viewing conditions difficult, but we managed to add Gannet, Kittiwake as well as Razorbill and Guillemot to the year list.

Sunrise at Dungeness

We had a brief look at Arc Pit, but water levels were very high, resulting in no exposed islands, thus no waders were present. A flight view of a Bittern was the best we managed.

We headed across the road and parked up by Boulderwall Farm and enjoyed good scope views of two Ravens feeding on a goose carcass and a Glossy Ibis emerged from a ditch for another year tick. A drive around Walland Marsh produced two groups of Bewick's Swans and then the three Whooper Swans we were searching for were found.

Glossy Ibis

We stopped at Swalecliffe on the way home hoping to see the Pallas's Warbler, but although we heard the bird calling we didn't manage any sightings. The foreshore held good numbers of Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Turnstone, Redshank, Sanderling, and Oystercatchers, but there was no sign of the reported Purple Sandpiper among them.

Waxwings

A free morning today saw us go in search of the Waxwings in Ipswich. As we turned into Blanche Street we found the single Rowan tree. The tree was full of white rowan berries, but there was no sign of the Waxwings. A quick search of the surrounding area and we found all seven birds perched at the top of a nearby Oak tree. They spent the majority of the time we were present in the Oak tree, venturing down to eat a few berries every half an hour, but quickly flying back to the Oak.

Before heading home we made a detour to Lynford, stopping on the way in Euston, there was no sign of any Golden Pheasant but I added Coal and Marsh Tit to the year list.

Lynford proves very disappointing, the feeding station is no longer in use. This used to be alive with birds but not any longer. There are still some feeders by the bridge and we watched the usual Marsh, Coal, Blue, and Great Tits coming in to feed. There was a large flock of Siskin feeding in the tops of the nearby trees, but there was no sign of any Hawfinch on this occasion.

Watercress and Lemsford Springs Nature Reserves

This morning we visited the Watercress Nature Reserve, a small little gem tucked away at the end of a row of houses in St Albans, Hertfordshire. It's a four acre site owned by St Albans District Council and leased, managed, and maintained by the Watercress Wildlife Association, which is a group of local residents and volunteers. The rain was falling as we entered the gate, A male Bullfinch was seen in the scrub bordering the reserve and while watching the feeder we added Siskin and Lesser Redpoll. The rain became heavier as we walked along the footpaths forcing us back to the car. 

The rain showed no signs of easing so we decided to visit Lemsford Springs. Another splendid little reserve only seven miles away. The watercress beds had seven Green Sandpipers busily feeding. Little Egrets and Grey Wagtails were also seen but no Snipe or Water Rails were found.

Watercress beds at Lemsford Springs

Green Sandpiper

Lee Valley, Bittern

The weather forecast again today was not encouraging, and with that in mind we stayed local and began with a wander through Epping Forest. Strawberry Hill Pond had four Mandarin Ducks roosting on it but more unusual was the presence of a single Tufted Duck. In between the rain showers, we managed to add Goldcrest, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, and Great Spotted Woodpecker to the year list.

Reports of the Bittern showing well at Lee Valley in recent days and the fact that we would be out of the rain was all that we needed to visit. As we entered the hide the Bittern was seen walking across one of the channels, it soon emerged from the reeds and gave superb views. 

We spent a couple of hours in the hide and along with the Bittern we also added a Yellow-legged Gull to the year list. Water rail has been almost guaranteed from the hide in recent years, but today there was no sight nor sound of any while we were on site.

January 5th

This afternoon dad and I made another visit to KGV Reservoir. On the west side of the south basin, We saw a Black Redstart perched on the boundary fence, it soon took flight, heading over the navigation channel and landing on a factory roof. A Scan of the north basin from the causeway failed to locate either of the two target birds so we continued walking, and scanning as we went. The Great Northern Diver was soon found along the eastern edge, spending much of its time asleep. A small flock of redwing was another addition to the year list. There was still no sign of the Slavonian Grebe, but a scan from the far western corner eventually located the target. It was found among a group of six Goosanders. 

KGV Reservoir, Red-necked Grebe

Dad and I made arrangements to meet Brian at KGV Reservoir this morning, and while waiting for him to arrive I scanned the south basin and found the Red-necked Grebe. 

Red-necked Grebe

The water company was carrying out work along the eastern side of the south basin so we had to walk the long way around to get to the causeway. Having stayed in yesterday I still needed several of the commoner species and I duly added Canada Goose, Pochard, Grey Heron, Jackdaw, and Greenfinch before reaching the causeway. Scanning through the Tufted Ducks I managed to pick out a male Scaup and got Brian and dad onto it. As we began scanning from the causeway the rain started to fall and it soon turned into a heavy downpour. We managed to find a male Goosander before the constant heavy rain forced us back to the car.

There were reports of Great Northern Diver and Slavonian Grebe present on the North basin but the rain was just too heavy to search for them today.

Norfolk, A new birding year begins

The new year began with a trip to Norfolk. Driving along the A10 Brian spotted a Barn Owl perched on a fence post at the side of the road. A brief stop at Hunstanton in the semi-darkness added Fulmar and Oystercatcher before we moved on to Titchwell. Compared to previous years the reserve was relatively quiet. We walked out to the beach, picking out the usual species as we went. The foreshore was much more productive than the sea, with only three Red-breasted Mergansers of note.

Brancaster was the next site visited, where a Hume's Leaf Warbler had been present since the end of November.  Strong winds and looking directly into the sun made for challenging conditions, but we were hearing the bird calling frequently and eventually had several sightings of the bird.

A scan from the gate overlooking Holkham Freshmarsh proved rewarding with excellent scope views of the IOW released White-tailed Eagle sitting in a dead tree, causing panic among the wildfowl and waders when it made a short flight. There was a very pale Common Buzzard sitting in a tree alongside another Common Buzzard and this must be the bird being reported by some as a Rough-Legged, which was confirmed by a couple of locals who were present. We added White-fronted Goose, Great White Egret, and Bewick Swan before leaving.

Stiffkey was our last stop, we walked back along the muddy footpath toward Wareham getting views of  Marsh and Hen Harriers. Distant views of what looked like the Pallid Harrier were just too distant to confirm with any certainty so will not make it onto the list.

Signage at Stiffkey