Lee Valley, Epping Forest and local birding

A trip to Lee Valley started well when I added Red-legged Partridge to my year list. Five birds were seen in fields before reaching the farm. The trees bordering the farm held a nice flock of Chaffinch and within that flock were at least five Brambling, for another year tick. Redwing and Fieldfare had been two glaring misses, but today both were seen together in trees around the farm.

Seventy Acres Lake proved less productive, There was no sign of the Bittern or the redhead Smew even after a fairly lengthy search. The only addition to the list was a Water Rail from the New Wildlife Discovery Centre.

A very smart-looking Silver Wood Duck was found along the River Lea.

Silver Wood Duck

Before heading home we stopped at one of the Epping Forest car parks and very quickly found several Mandarin Ducks. A Treecreeper was also added to the year list. 

January 6th

Brian still needed Red-necked Grebe, so I offered to go with him to King George V Reservoir, hoping it would still be at the site. The first bird found was the juvenile Great Northern Diver.

Great Northern Diver

The Red-necked Grebe proved more difficult, usually, it is found in the south end of the South Basin but it was nowhere to be seen. Walking towards the causeway we found several Little Grebes and Great Crested Grebes and another scan from the causeway gate eventually located the Red-necked Grebe. We scanned through large rafts of Tufted Ducks and found a smart drake Scaup among them.

Scaup

After arriving home dad said he had a job to do in Wanstead and with the now regular Caspian Gull just around the corner in Snaresbrook we jumped in the car with him. The bird was spotted while driving past Eagle Pond. We parked the car and enjoyed watching it for a short while before returning home.

Caspian Gull

First Norfolk trip of 2022

Having delayed the trip to Norfolk yesterday, We set off for Titchwell this morning, stopping on route at Southery where we found four Bewick Swans before adding Fulmar at Hunstanton.

Titchwell produced a few decent birds, with Great Egret, Great Northern Diver, and Water Pipit the best of the fifty-plus species seen. 

Sanderling

Island Hide

We left Titchwell and headed for Holkham, stopping briefly at Wells to tick a Cattle Egret. After parking along Lady Anne's Drive we headed off along the footpath and emerged onto the beach. We reached the roped-off area and quickly found the four Shorelarks. The saltmarsh held 50+ Snow Bunting which we were enjoying until a dog off the lead went bounding through the flock the owner seemingly unconcerned. Before leaving we scanned the sea and had views of three Velvet Scoter and a nice raft of Common Scoter.

Pink-footed Geese

The new year begins locally at King George Reservoir

Normally we would spend the first day of the new year on the Norfolk coast, but with Brian unable to travel due to a hospital trip we decided to stay local and visit the King George V Reservoir. We weren't looking for big numbers, instead, we were hoping to connect with two local rarities. The first of which was a Great Northern Diver. We found it on the Western side of the South Basin. 

Great Northern Diver

The second target a Red-necked Grebe was proving much more elusive, but eventually, it was found in the South-Western corner of the South Basin on the return walk.

Having managed to find both target birds we then spent the remainder of the visit scanning the reservoir for additions to the year list, adding two of the three winter duck species when both Goldeneye and Goosander were seen. 

Apart from a couple of windsurfers from the Sailing Club, the sheep were the only other things present on the walkout to the causeway.

Not a big total to start the year but we were happy to have connected with our targets today.

Pacific Diver: Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir, Glamorgan

Ever since a Pacific Diver was found on a Glamorgan reservoir on the 11th, Brian had been itching to see it. It would be a lifer for all three of us and would also complete the set of divers seen in Britain. But it just hadn't been possible. Transport issues, no entry to the reservoir, and only very distant views from outside contributed to our decision not to travel. But with the bird's continued presence and a seemingly more tolerant approach to birders allowed on-site within the last week we cracked and made plans for this morning. 

We left at 5am, and after 200 miles along the M4, we arrived around 8.30 having encountered some heavy rain showers on the way. We parked in Margam Cemetery and were soon joined by another couple of birders, one of which had made the trip earlier in the week and knew a good spot to scope the reservoir from. I hadn't even set the scope up when Brian had spotted the diver in the Northeast corner!

Viewing area from Margam Crematorium

Pacific Diver

 

Essex and London birding in December

With Brian's car off the road since the trip to Flamborough, It was down to dad to provide the transport. we made several trips within the home county in December.  On the 12th we twitched a local rarity, a Red-necked Grebe at King George V Reservoir, and managed to connect with all five species of grebe while on-site as well as decent views of the Great Northern Diver for another welcome year tick.

King George V Reservoir

On the 15th we made an early morning trip to Wallasea Island,  shortly after parking the car we enjoyed close views of Corn Bunting and had distant views of a ringtail Hen Harrier. As we made our way out towards Caroline's Hide, three Twite flew directly overhead and landed among the reeds ahead of us. From the hide, we located three Spoonbill on Stokes lagoon and a male Merlin perched on a small bush in the distance. As we started the walk back to the car Brian spotted another ringtail Hen Harrier and we watched it for several minutes as it hunted along the sea wall bordering the River Crouch.

The path leading to Caroline's Hide

One of the views from the hide

While at Wallasea, the continued presence of the Black Guillemot at Gunners Park was reported. We were only a few miles away and decided to head south and hope it was still present. A short walk to the sea wall and the Guillemot was seen immediately to the left of Barge pier. A new addition to my Essex list.

Black Guillemot

Yesterday we made the seven-mile trip to Walthamstow Marsh, hoping to connect with the Dusky Warbler that had been present since the 14th. After a couple of hours, there was no sign of the bird, and we headed towards the car park. We walked along the footpath bordering the railway line and met another birder who said he had heard the Dusky Warbler. After several minutes we heard it call and after staking out the area, eventually enjoyed several excellent sightings as it flitted about among the brambles either side of the fence.

Taiga Flycatcher, Flamborough Head

A Taiga Flycatcher was found at Flamborough on the 4th of November, unfortunately, a pre-arranged blood test prevented me from going the following day. However, with regular reports of the bird's continued presence throughout the day, Brian decided he was heading north early this morning.

We left at 4.30am with a plan to drop in at North Cave Wetlands and hopefully catch up with a Green-winged Teal that had been present since the 22nd of October. We parked up and headed along the footpath towards Turret Hide. The hide overlooks Island Lake and as soon as we entered the Green-winged Teal was found around the small island right in front of the hide. This was my first visit to this reserve and is one I would very much like to explore more thoroughly on another visit.

Footpath leading to Turret Hide

View from Turret Hide overlooking Island Lake

Green-winged Teal

Having received no news either way on the Flycatcher, we decided to head off to Blacktoft Sands and hopefully connect with the long-staying White-tailed Plover.  Having seen the Rainham bird in 2010 we hadn't needed to visit beforehand. However, it was now only 20 miles from our location so it was an easy decision to visit. As with the Green-winged Teal, the White-tailed Plover was seen as soon as we entered Xerox hide. We were watching the bird feeding alongside Redshank and Dunlin when news came through that the Flycatcher had been found.

White-tailed Plover

We left Blacktoft Sands soon afterward and headed North-East, arriving at the car park along South Sea Road around 11am. A short walk from the car park and we are looking at a Red-flanked Bluetail. It's flitting about at the back of a group of trees adjacent to the car park. Further along, the path is a larger group of birders all intently focused on the top of nearby trees trying to locate the Flycatcher. We joined them and were soon enjoying our first views of the bird among the tree canopy. With patience and following the bird's movements we enjoyed some excellent views. It remained high up in the canopy for the majority of the time we were present but did venture lower on occasions. It was also nice to hear it call several times.

Taiga Flycatcher

We left for home but encountered car troubles on the way. Luckily we were able to get Greenflag recovery and eventually arrived home at 2.30am via three service station drop-offs and pick-ups.

Greater Short-toed Lark, My 400th British Bird

At the start of the year, my goal was to reach the 400 BOU life list target. As the new year began my list total was 394. Unfortunately due to Covid restrictions, the first 3 months of the year put paid to any chance of new additions to my list. The restrictions began to ease in April but we were still not sharing a car with Brian which meant I missed the Mockingbird in Devon and the American Herring Gull in Cornwall. My first addition to the list arrived at the end of April when dad and I travelled to Barcombe Cross in East Sussex. The White-throated Sparrow made us wait before suddenly appearing at the picnic table after an anxious wait. (Total 395)

White-throated Sparrow

It wasn't until June 12th that I had the chance to add to my list. We were now able to share a car with Brian and he offered to make a return trip to Ham Wall in Somerset for a River Warbler that he had already seen the previous week. It had been present since the 4th June and thankfully it was still reeling away when we arrived. It showed superbly for the majority of the time we were on site (Total 396)

River Warbler

June 30th saw us heading north to Bempton Cliffs hoping to connect with the Black-browed Albatross. We left home at 12.30am and arrived before first light hoping it had roosted on the cliffs overnight. The news was not good and after two and a half hours there was no sign! Then disappointment turned to joy and relief when it suddenly was seen flying towards the viewpoint. We watched it flying back and forth before it settled on the cliffs allowing for some fantastic views. (Total 397)

Black-browed Albatross

Black Stork had long been on my wish list and in August I had the chance of seeing one. The first report of a juvenile was on the 8th. When it was still being reported on the 17th, we made the trip to Frampton Marsh in Lincolnshire. We arrived to negative news but after a short walk picked it up in flight. We managed several flights views and on a couple of occasions watched it resting on the ground before being flushed by the farmer. (Total 398)

Black Stork

After a quiet September, A Long-toed Stint was found at St Aidan's RSPB reserve in West Yorkshire on the 8th. We made the trip the next day and thankfully after negative news the stint was re-found. Being only the third record for Britain, it naturally attracted big crowds. My list now stood on 400, but I had included the Black-eared Wheatear in Lancashire, which as yet has not been accepted. So to be sure of hitting my target I needed another lifer. (Total 399)

Today I had the chance when Brian offered to take me to West Runton for the Greater Short-toed Lark. It had been present since the 29th and it was still being reported yesterday. The journey to West Runton did not go to plan. A journey that should have taken two and a half hours did in fact take 4 hours! On the plus side, we had received positive news on the bird's continued presence.  As we drove down the lane towards the car park we could see a small group of birders looking into a ploughed field. We joined the other birders and Brian managed to pick the bird out among the Skylarks and Linnets. Suddenly the flock took to the air and as yet I hadn't seen the bird! The flock circled around and soon landed in the field again. Thankfully this time I managed to get my scope onto it and enjoyed some great views. This bird might ultimately become my 401st or 402nd if the Black-eared Wheatear is ever accepted or if Ruddy Shelduck is ever added to the British List, but right now, this is my 400th BOU bird. 

 

The ploughed field at West Runton

Greater Short-toed Lark

After a couple of hours enjoying the bird we moved on and stopped at Cley for a brief Seawatch, where we managed to add Great Skua to the year list. Our final stop before heading home was to Holkham where we walked out towards the gap and found four Shorelarks within the roped-off area