The Boy In the Bush Birding Log

More Gardening - 16/09/08

2008-09-16T09:13:00.001+01:00

Had a young Great Spot feeding on the peanuts for a couple of weeks but I've not seen him for a while. This is the first one we've had in this garden. I've also just seen a Heron fly over which is another new garden tick :)

Garden Tick - 08/03/08

2008-03-11T10:56:00.002Z

Had a Siskin eating the sunflower hearts today... a new garden tick!!!
We're also getting a pair Long Tailed Tits (and a hopefully breeding pair)and a regular Nuthatch. All new garden ticks!

Brambling

2008-01-04T10:38:00.000Z

Snow everywhere today and to mark the occasion I've just seen a Brambling cautiously eyeing up the bird table... the first time I've seen on in the garden!

Sparrowhawk - 10/10/07

2007-10-11T09:00:00.000+01:00

We had a Sparrowhawk in the garden today... around 5:30. We didn't see the "dive bomb" but saw it sitting on a hedge ripping up the poor soul it had just caught. It was a little downy and brown so it must have been quite young.

I've Moved

2007-06-05T16:49:00.000+01:00

This blog has been very very quiet, as indeed has my birding. We've moved from Yorkshire to North Wales and so I've had very little spare time. But now we've settled I'm back in action with an amazing garden and local patch to explore as well as Dee Estuary, Conwy and Talacre just down the road.

I've had a few new sightings, mainly in Spain (now added to my European list), but in general I've not had much time... until now!!!!!! :)

My new local patch, Halkyn Mountain, is fantasic. I've already got a decent list going just by walking the dog and seen some fantastic things. Today, we walked to one of the ponds and saw a wagtail I couldn't id (must have been a juvenile), and lots of lots of little fish. There were some big fish too topping the water and even a few goldfish in there!!! Yesterday, I saw a flock of around 200 starlings scattered over the grass presumably feeding and even one on a sheeps back! (there are sheep everywhere here!!!!) Buzzards are very common and my garden is already bursting with life.

So I'm going to try and keep this up to date again, take a few photos and even videos, and not just birds, but all the wildlife I come across in the garden, on the mountain and beyond.

More Youngsters

2006-06-29T14:29:00.000+01:00

Feeding in the garden we've had young Bullfinches and this morning young Magpies... boy do they make a racket at 5 AM!

And still they come...

2006-06-16T08:07:00.000+01:00

5 young Goldfinches this morning! And one even on the feeder itself.

Wagtails on my patch!!

2006-06-15T15:39:00.000+01:00

Just taken Laddie for his walk and seen 2 Grey Wagtails teatering around the stream by the bridge which is first for my local patch. Although there is a small stream that runs through my patch it rarely shows any signs of life, just the odd coke can... so it was very nice to see them.

More Fledglings

2006-06-15T14:30:00.000+01:00

The front feeder is now covered with young House Sparrows learning how to land on the perches and the Goldfinches are also back. Who needs Springwatch, just look out of the window!! (sorry Bill & Kate, only joking).

Fledgling Goldfinch

2006-06-15T12:34:00.000+01:00

Oh the joys of garden birdwatching. We've had a couple of Goldfinches coming to our front seed feeder (full of sunflower hearts) for a while. But today they brought 2 youngsters with them. The fledglings were stunning in their own right having the yellwo wing pairs of the adults but lacking the dusky feathering and facial features of an adult. Which is strange really, the juvenille being a typical LBJ but with a nice flash of yellow which kind of spoils the camouflage.

The adults filled themselves up with seeds while the fledglings sat in the tree quivering their feathers in a "feed me" kind of way then the adults landed next to them and regurgatated the seeds into the hungry mouths.

Without a doubt one of the best garden birding pleasures I've had, a delight (and I'm supposed to be working). If England win tonight this will have been a good day!! :)

Digley - 27/05/06

2006-05-28T12:32:00.000+01:00

Chaffinch, Lapwing, Tufted Duck, Swallow, Curlew, Canada Geese, Mallard and brillant views of a Common Sandpiper (on the rocks by the road). Amazing how it never stops teatering.

Cley - 13th to 20th May 2006

2006-05-28T12:06:00.000+01:00

We spent a week in Cley and came up with the follow moderate list that brought a first or two.
Cley (or Salthouse)...
Kestrel, Cuckoo, Avocet, Sand Martin, Ringed Plover (also saw young), Shelduck, Redshank, Mallard, Black Headed Gull, Tufted Duck, Greylag Geese (and goslings), Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Lapwing (plus chick), Oyster Catcher, Little Egret, Marsh Harrier (male and female... even saw a food pass)., Gadwall, Wigeon Kestrel, Reed Bunting, Pochard, Swift, Shouveler, Common Tern, Black Swan, Ruddy Duck, Dabchick, Mute Swan, and Meadow Pipit. Great place for hares and rabbits too. There were plenty of young around... Greylag Geese, Egyptian Geese(2), Coot, Lapwing, Ringed Plover, Mallard and Wheatear.

Blakeney...
Cuckoo, Brent Geese (50), Oyster Catchers, Herring Gulls, Little Tern, Sandwich Tern, Common Tern, Artic Tern Greylad Geese, Wheatears Little Egret and Linnet. Lots of Hares too.

Titchwell...
Quite quiet but did see 3 Common Sandpiper and a fleeting glimpse of a Bearded Tit.

Wiveton Downs...
Yellow Hammer, Red Legged Partridge, Skylark and Linnet.

Broads...
Spotted Flycatcer (mouth full of flies heading to nest in old oak) and Blackcap. Also Common Term (fishing) Coot, Heron, Mallard, Canada Geese, Great Crested Grebes (2 nests), Moorhen and Egyptian Goose.

Birding Catch Up

2006-05-28T11:48:00.000+01:00

Work had kept me so busy everytime I've sat at my desk recently I've not had any spare time to transfer my birding notes from scrawl to PC. So I thought I'd better put up one big post to get back up to date so I have a firm record of what I've been up to.

Fairhaven Lake, Lytham St Annes
Lots of waders around, but typically my wader skills are poor so I didn't really record all I saw... mostly Sanderling and Dunlin but that's unofficial. However, 2 nice ticks in the lake were Goldeneye and Red Breasted Merganser.

Llanfairfechan
Curlew, Redshank, Shelduck, Teal, Coot, Lapwing, Starlings and Oyster Catchers.

Pen-Sarn
Ringed Plover here feeding round the rocks. Nice tick for a busy beach.

Digley - 11/03/06
Pochard(2), Goldeneye (2) and heard Curlew

Macclesfield Forest - 05/04/06
Long Tailed Tits, Heron (9 nests), Dabchicks (4), Great Crested Grebe (2), Mallard, Coot, Tufted Duck, Canada Geese, Robin, Chaffinch, Tree Creeper, Kestrel, Cormorant (2 and diving plus 5 juveniles in a tree).

Blackmoorfoot - 08/04/06
Pair of Great Crested Grebe and first House Martins of the year.

Scout Dyke - 09/04/06
Great Crested Grebe, Sand Martins, Mallard, Coot and Tufted Ducks.

RSPB Conwy
Canada Geese, Redshank, Greylag Geese, Dabchick, Shelduck, Red Breasted Merganser, Tufted Duck, Coot, Blacked Backed Gull, Mute Swan, Lapwing, Moorhen, Mallard, House Martin, Great Crested Grebe, House Sparrow, Magpie, Pied Wagtail, Herring Gull, Kestrel, Oyster Catcher, Cormorant and Curlew. Just as we were leaving walking down the river a flock of Redshank flew right across us which was amazing.

Bronte Caravan Park
Canada Geese, Mandarin Duck (pair), Coot (nest building), Moorhen, Tufted Duck, Heron, Black Swan, Chaffinch, Wren, Great Tit, Mallard, Jays (5 in one tree), Blackbird, Goldcrest (actually in Haworth Park) and Housemartin. It's great for animals here too... we saw masses of frogs (much mating going on), deer, rabbits and bats.

Scammonden
Curlew, Willow Warbler, Blue Tits, Long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Great Crested Grebe, Mallard, Wren, Robin and Sand Martin.

Blacktoft Sands - 14/02/06

2006-02-14T17:00:00.000Z

I took the day off today and headed over to RSPB Blacktoft Sands... a reserve I'd not been to before. I liked the place very much, 6 hides within easy walking distance with varying views over small lakes and reeds. It's a great place for ducks and at dusk, various raptors (Merlin, Barn Owl, Hen Harrier) from the last, right hand side hide (for future reference). I heard reports of Avocet (early!!), Spotted Redshank, Snipe and Stonechat and dipped out on all of those. I did clock up most of the ducks though and got some superb views of a female Marsh Harrier so I was happy enough. This was the first outing of my new zoom eyepiece... loved it... even took a few phonescoping pics with it, this female Wigeon being a nice one.

So, list of the day was... Blackbird, Wood Pigeon, Pheasant, Reed Bunting (lost of these around the bird feeders), Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Great Tit, House Sparrow, Coot, Teal, Shoveler, Wigeon, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Shelduck, Lapwing (a few on an island but saw a large flock fly over), Marsh Harrier, Blue Tit, Mute Swan, Mallard, Dabchick, Moorhen and Greylag Goose (just 4). Better than working all day!

Drumming - 31/01/06

2006-01-31T15:49:00.000Z

I took Laddie out this morning and heard the first Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming of the year. He was on a tree at the end of the nearby field.

Big Garden Bird Watch - 29/01/06

2006-01-31T15:46:00.000Z

I did the RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch again, 8AM, results as follows...
Blue Tit (3), Blackbird (7), Robin (1), Great Tit (4), Chaffinch (3), Wren (1), Magpie (2), Carrion Crow (1), Jay (1), Dunnock (2), Bullfinch (2), Coal Tit (1), House Sparrow (3), Wood Pigeon (1), Collared Dove (1).

Stocks Reservoir - 28/01/06

2006-01-31T15:40:00.000Z

Stocks Reservoir in the Forest of Bowland was a gem of a find considering we just went as we were in the area and looked at a road map. There's a decent hide (you really need a scope though, it's a big place), good feeder station, a variety of habitat and loads of walks.

Feeder - Great Spotted Woodpecker, Coal Tits, Chaffinch, Great Tit, Blackbird

Reservoir - Cormorant, Mallard, Widgeon, Pheasant (by the waters edge), Pochard, Goldeneye, Tufted Duck.

Walking - Robin and an LBJ I couldn't place... I'm currently checking the books trying to figure it out... it was like a plumper, pale Dunnock (particularly a greyish head) singing a "seep" call atop a small perch in a grassy area of the edge of the wood.

Brimham Rocks - 14/01/06

2006-01-31T15:38:00.000Z

Red grouse, Great Tit, Jackdaw, Wren lots of Goldcrests, Reed Bunting, Bullfinch. This place is amazing but I wouldn't bother going in summer, it must be heaving with people.

Waxwings - 12/01/06

2006-01-12T13:19:00.000Z

Success! BirdGuides told me the Waxwings were still there this morning so I jetted off at lunchtime (12:30) and indeed saw them. There are only 15 this year as generally reported and they are feeding on the same trees in the Bingo car park. I also saw them sitting on a tree just over the road. If I kept a yearly list that would be a good tick... but I don't :)

There were also a pair of Mistle Thrushes sat on a floodlight in the car park.

No Waxwings - 08/01/06

2006-01-08T17:04:00.000Z

Waxwings (around 15 as opposed to last years 200-300) have been apparently sighted in the Bingo Hall carpark again but there is a poor crop of berrys there. I briefly visited today but there was no sign of them so I may have missed them this year :(

Garden Update - 08/01/06

2006-01-08T17:00:00.000Z

Just a quick post to say how the garden is getting on. Well all the usual birds are still flocking in although the Great Spotted Woodpecker hasn't been seen for a few days (I ran out of fat cakes so he may be sulking) and hardly any Greenfinches. But there have been plenty of sightings of Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Nuthatch and Jay.

Kingfisher - 08/01/06

2006-01-08T16:59:00.000Z

We took Laddie a walk along the canal near Elland/Sowery Bridge today and got he best views I've ever had of a Kingfisher. By that I mean it sat still and I could actually look at it through the bins rather than a blue flash hurtling off down the river. Wonderful bird :)

Mousey! - 05/01/05

2006-01-08T16:58:00.000Z

I just glanced out of the window today and saw a little brown mouse scurrying up the street and then into a hedge! Just shows what you can spot by glancing out of the window.

Carsington Water - 01/01/06

2006-01-08T16:55:00.000Z

The traditional Jan 1st birding day and a brand new location for me. As we were on holiday in Derbyshire we went for a potter around Carsington Water... Dabchick, Cormorant, Pochard, Coot, Moorhen, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, Lapwing (large flocks), Black Headed Gull, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Mute Swan, Robin, Carrion Crow, Goldfinch, Starling, Bullfinch, Great Tit, Dunnock and Tree Sparrow. That'll do :)

Cromford Canal - 31/12/05

2006-01-08T16:54:00.000Z

A great walk along Cromford canal in Derbyshire to round of 2005 and it was packed (well 12) with Dabchicks. I've never seen so many in one place and hardly saw any other bird there except the Mallards scrouning bread from the tourists.

Albino Blackbird - 27/12/05

2006-01-08T16:52:00.000Z

Saw a blackbird today while out with Laddie, feeding in a garden off my local patch. It had a completely white head, something which I believe is not THAT uncommon but a first for me :)

Local Patch Pheasant - 23/12/05

2006-01-08T16:51:00.000Z

A new local patch tick today... Pheasant (in the lower field where the horses are). I've heard them before but it's the first time I've spotted one.

Garden Blackcap!!!! 12/10/05

2006-01-08T16:50:00.000Z

A new garden tick today! A Blackcap joined the regulars at the bird table. Not seen him since mind but I'm glad he popped in!

Digley - 10/12/05

2006-01-08T16:48:00.000Z

A few bits on a dog walk around the reservoir... Goldeneye (pair), Robin, Jay, Canada Geese, Blue Tit, Long Tailed Tit and Black Headed Gulls.

Denaby Ings - 02/12/05

2006-01-08T16:43:00.000Z

Whoops. I forgot my RSPB card so ended up at Denaby Ings... where I used to go as a kid... rather than Old Moor. Saw a few bits though... Coots, Goosander(3m, 2f), Mallard, Gadwall, Black Headed Gulls, Teal (just 2), Moorhen, Grey Heron, Kestrel (perched on the far side opposite the hides), Shoveler (2m), Long Tailed Tits, Mute Swans and Blue Tits.

Also note, it seems I can no longer edit the dates of these posts so I'll have to manually add them to the titles... which is annoying.

Phonescoping Begins

2005-11-28T17:04:00.000Z

I've just a new mobile phone which, as planned, has a 2 megapixel camera and a digital zoom which means I'm finally going to start phonescoping. Phonescoping is simply holding your camera phone against your scope eyepiece and clicking... a poor mans digiscoping? Well not really, I believe it's all about the moment, taking a record of a new tick and always having your camera to hand. The results will never be as good as the latetst digiscoping equipment but it's not the point. Holding the phone against the eyepiece by hand and snapping a souveneir, that's the point.

I'm off to Old Moor on Friday to try out my new tripod which converts into a hide clamp and inevitably I'll be snapping a few shots with my new phone so I'll post my first efforts up when I get back.

I'm so fascinated by the phonescoping concept I've already bought the co.uk domain name and plan to put a site together dedicated to the cause... so watch this space!

Kestrel ON the Sky

2005-11-28T16:59:00.000Z

I've just taken Laddie for a walk and as I came off our drive a bird swooped past me and landed on a satallite dish on the house opposite... a Kestrel! I've never seen one on the patch before let along in the street... a nice treat! It sat there looking at me for a minute before flying off on his way.

New Garden Resident

2005-11-09T18:26:00.000Z

There have been a few changes in the garden birds recently. Gone are the larger flocks of Greenfinches and the like, the pair of Bull Finches are back after a few months off and the Nuthatch and Great Spot are still regular. But there's a new kid on the block, rarely seen until now, and no doubt the coming winter is driving him into the garden to stock up his winter supply. There's a Jay to be regularly seen, desperately hanging off the peanut feeder that's only as big as he is and grabing peanuts from the hole at the bottom (courtesy of the local squirrels).

North Wales

2005-10-23T14:09:00.000+01:00

Just got back from a week in North Wales and I did a bit of birding while I was there. The coast is fantastic for reserves, just pick a direction and you end up in one surrounded by waders!!

Great Orm - 17/10/05
Kestrels and Meadow Pipits around with lots of Oystercatchers in the Southern bay.

Gresford Flash - 18/10/05
Canada Goose, Greylag Goose, Coot, Black Headed Gull, Heron, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Mallard, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Starling, Buzzard (in a tree), Mute Swan and Wood Pigeon

Loggerheads - various
Grey Wagtail and Dipper.

Newborough Forest, Angesley - 19/10/05
Terrific place... Goldfinch, Cormorant (over sea), Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch (large flock of about 20 on the edge of the beach/forest), Raven (look massive when flying with crows, Magpie, Coal Tit (forest) and Crossbill. This was a new tick for me and I got an amazing view of a male ripping a pine cone off a tree, nibbing a few seeds then dropping it to the floor. He was a part of a small flock in the forest of about 10-15 birds.

There was also a small pond and hide just over the road...
Gadwall (4 or 5 pairs), Mallard, Coot and Dabchick.

Llyn Cefni - 19/10/05
Not as great a place but a hide and birds so...
Coot, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Pochard and Dabchick.

Llanferfechen - 21/10/05
Wow!... We started off by the car park and boating pong...
Black Headed Gull, Mallard, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Greenfinch and Great Crested Grebe (on the sea).
Then past the woods to...
Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Song Thrush, Chaffinch, Robin.
And onto the first reserve marsh...
Dunlin, Teal (cf 40), Little Egret (at least 4), Redshank (cf 50), Twite (flock of around 30), Wigeon, Goosander (just the one), Pintail (cf 50), Heron (1 flying over), Pied Wagtail, Starling, Jackdaw and Stonechat.
And onto the second reserve marsh, first hide...
Lapwing, Shoveler (1 pair), Wigeon (cf 400), Redshank (cf 600) and Mallard.
And onto the second reserve marsh, second hide...
Dabchick (2), Redshank (cf 200), Little Egret, Dunlin ( a few mixed in with the Redshanks), Snipe (3)
... and on the way back, to add to the tally, Blackbird and Herring Gull

What a day. 33 species.

So all in all, a good few birds and a couple of lifers. I'm off to pack ready to move to North Wales :)

Pub Owl

2005-10-07T21:30:00.000+01:00

We went to the pub on Friday night... hurrah. And on the way home at the top of the road we heard a Tawny Owl. I've heard it quite a lot since moving here hooting away while we're falling asleep but I've never seen it. But this night it was very loud and on turning the corner a large bird flew off from it's perch in a telegraph pole... yep... the Tawny Owl. So now I'm hooked and keep popping out for little walks after dark... you never know!!

Sefton Coast Trip

2005-10-03T19:43:00.000+01:00

We've been over to Lancashire this weekend to the Sefton Coast and seen quite a few cool things. For a start the campsite was covered with rabbits! (much to Laddies delight!) I also saw many Pied Wagtail, Robin, Blue Tit and Goldfinch.

The whole area is covering with reserves... mad. We first found a reserve by accident while wandering through the dunes (where we saw some Long Tailed Tits... Sandlake Nature Trail. I saw Mallard, Coot, Moorhen and Cormorants (one swimming and diving... looks amazingly low in the water when swimming... like a submarine with a perescope) and Heron.

We also went to Formby, National Trust, which gave amazing views of Red Squirrels. I never knew they made sucha funny noise! They are reasonably tame seeing as they sell "squirrel food" on the way in but it's still fantastic to see them in the wild. There were an awful lot of Magpies around for some reason, a few Jays and I also got some great views of a Kestrel hunting over a farmers field.

Finally we went to Marshside... Mallards, Greylag Geese, Canada Geese, Dabchicks and Redshank. There was also a Heron and a Pheasant standing next to each on the sand in front of the car park... very usual site!
But the Marshside highlights were the flocks... Starlings swooping around, 100s of Wigeon (reportedly 2000 yesterday) and around 50 Pink Footed Geese (also 2000 reported yesterday)... which is a new tick!!!!!!!! Yay!!!!!

The Lodge

2005-09-27T12:00:00.000+01:00

My RSPB volunteering took me to The Lodge today and while wandering round the reserve I thought "I bet I can tick Green WoodPecker here"... so I looked... and I did (first in a while) :)

Latest Garden Happenings

2005-09-20T19:41:00.000+01:00

A couple of interesting garden items... firstly the return of Long Tailed Tits who turned up around the front garden... where do they disappear to in the summer?

And also, twice now a Jay has dared entered the garden (brave sole) to take a drink from the bird bath.

Lincolnshire

2005-09-14T19:27:00.000+01:00

We went away to Sutton, Lincolnshire in the Bambi, a few waders just about anywhere on th ebeach (Sanderling?), a few Swallows also still around. One of the best sites were some baby House Martins being fed in the nest which was on a dodgy looking toilet block in the Sutton car park. Not the best place for them really but offered superb views.

The field from the campsite to the beach also threw up quite a few Wheatear.

We also visited Theddlethorpe Dunes... We followed the Rimac Trail and had a potter round... a great place. Saw a small flock of Oyster Catchers, 3 Kestrels, heard a Curlew and also saw Wheatear and Blue Tits

Anglers Country Park

2005-09-03T11:00:00.000+01:00

We went for a walk around Anglers Country Park today near Wakefield. This is one of my favourate local birding spots as, although it does have a hide, you can walk around the edge of the whole lake so on sunny days you can just sit with your scope and watch from any spot you like. It's a good job too as the wardens were doing some work around the hide (putting out rafts?) so there were scarely any birds around the hide at all. Fortunately on or above the rest of the place was packed with goodies... Canada Geese (around 140), Mute Swans (10-20), Greylag Geese (cf 10), Coots (dozens), Great Crested Grebe (again dozens, about 8 or so swimming together), Pochard (cf 20), Tufted Duck (cf 60), House Martins (dozens and dozens feeding over the water), Cormorant (flying over the water), Heron (flying over and landing to fish, Pied Wagtail (3 at various points around the edge of the water, Common Tern (fishing), Shoveler (3 with winter plumage so males and females look same), Common Gull (20), Black Headed Gull (75). Not a bad stroll.

But there were 2 extra treats. Firsly, a pair of Egyptian Geese (male and female as noticed from the green/blue feathers of the male) which I know are from escapees and now feral but I've never seen any before so it's a nice new tick. I even got a decent photo. I've discovered taking my video camera is a great way to get close up shots without too much hassle and it's reasonably quality (20x optical zoom after all) so....

And finally, now I'm not 100% but I think I saw a Tawny Owl. I need to do a bit of research as it was in broad daylight before I claim a tick but I don't see what else it could have been. It was on the ground at the edge of some woodland by a farmers field (cut crops, possibly wheat). It flew off into a tree and I could just make it out with my bins, but not too closely. It was soon off into the woods when I tried to get a little closer. But I'm pretty sure it was an owl, but it was far too big to be a Little Owl and I definately saw browny-red plumage when it flew into the trees. What do you think? I'm going to have a look round online and check my books but I'm reasonably convinced it was a Tawny Owl.

Local Patch Swallows

2005-09-02T10:00:00.000+01:00

There was a huge storm last night and since I've seen very few Swallows around... just one or two. So I think the storm may have given them to push to get moving.

Local Patch Swallows

2005-08-31T09:00:00.000+01:00

25 on the wires this morning.

Local Pacth Swallows

2005-08-30T16:30:00.000+01:00

15 today perched on the phone wires by the barn today... I'll try and get a nice photo at some point soon.

Local Patch Swallows

2005-08-27T09:58:00.000+01:00

Just seen 15 Swallows flying around the barn. This is by far the most I've seen all summer (usually only one or 2)... so they could soon be off for the winter... already!

It will be interesting to see what happens when they return as that lovely barn they call home is about to converted... an eviction notice has been served :(

Crows in the Garden

2005-08-26T10:20:00.000+01:00

A new garden tick... Carrion Crow... 2 to be precise perched on top of our tallest tree. This tree seems to be a crafty of way of getting a good garden tick as it's more of less the highest point around and indeed worked to get me the Waxwing tick last winter. So not the most unusual bird in the world but a new tick is a new tick.

TWO Great Spots!!

2005-08-24T16:54:00.000+01:00

Just when we thought our new garden visitor couldn't be surpassed... there were two today, one on each peanut feeder!!!! The first one was a youngster (red crown), the second an adult male (black crown, red nape).

Pond Update

2005-08-20T12:00:00.000+01:00

Well the pond is doing ever so well... we've popped a couple of snails in to try and keep the algae down a bit as it is getting a bit wild and the plants have certainly taken over... it's hard to believe it looks so established so quickly.

After our froglettes migrated we did feel the pond was a little empty but look! There are at least 3 around, one looks bigger than the others so I suspect an adult and 2 youngsters.

Bird Quiz

2005-08-18T16:30:00.000+01:00

Did you know there's a great online bird quiz... it's not only good fun but I think a great way to expand your knowledge while you're sat at the PC (gives me something to do when I do a print run for example). There are 3 levels, and today I've been playing level 1 and got...

Result:1200 Points
Everything right! Congratulations!
Congratulation! Ranking 1 out of 1017 of the daily list

Huzzah!!!! I must be getting better at this birding lark ;)

http://www.bavarianbirds.de/what/cbirding_e.html

Great Spot

2005-08-16T18:48:00.000+01:00

It's now official... we're getting a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the garden once or twice a day! He (and it is a he) is normally found hanging off the new peanut feeder but he's also hopped around the table and nibble of the table peanut feeder and even taken a drink from the bird bath today!!!

I've tried and tried to get good photo, this is the best yet using the dreaded digital zoom on my camera but at least it's not blurred (too much). But my "digiscoping on the cheap" skills are getting better, I've had a few encouraging attempts using the eye relief on my bins with my camera (although the bins need to be resting on something to keep them steady)... the point is hopefully I'll be adding more photos to my text heavy blog... they're not going to win awards as they will be mainly "record shots" but they'll do for me :)

Blackmoorfoot

2005-08-14T17:00:00.000+01:00

Doh! Seems I've missed a Little Egret in late July here... hey ho... it is one of those places you rarely see much but when you do!!!!

Had a trip up today to walk Laddie and saw... Great Crested Grebe (15 or so), Canada Geese (cf 50), Mallard (cf 20), a few Black Headed Gulls flying around, Swallows (just one of two), and a lone Tufted Duck.

Longendale

2005-08-06T11:19:00.000+01:00

A nice reservoir walk providing Oystercatcher (2 in a nearby field), Cormorants (3 on an outcrop sticking out of the pitifully low water level), Kestrel and a Grey Wagtail which we flushed from the bridge between the 2 reservoirs.

Great Spot in the Garden

2005-08-01T08:00:00.000+01:00

Woke today to see a Great Spottted Woodpecker in the garden. This is the third garden sighting but this time he was on the peanut feeder!!! Alas it was empty and broken waiting to be replaced... doh! So replaced it has been and now we're waiting... waiting... waiting...

Scottish Seabird Centre

2005-07-31T11:14:00.000+01:00

I as hoping to get a boat trip out to Bass Rock but the nice chap with boat informed us a swell was stopping play and unfortunately this lasted the whole weekend so I had to make do with Scottish Seabird Centre. Here I could play with remote cameras of the islands around zooming in on Gannets and Guillimots... great fun but not real birding is it.

However from the scopes on the observation deck I saw some real life Gannets and even found myself a Puffin bobbing around in the water. There was also a female Eider with youngsters swimming around near the harbour.

So no boat, but I had a fun time anyway.

RSPB Vane Farm

2005-07-29T11:00:00.000+01:00

I went to Vane Farm today in Scotland, braved the drizzle and while the place wasn't full of birds I did see 2 beauties. From the last hide there were 2 Snipe wading around really close to the hide showing amazingly well, and a Greenshank doing exactly the same. Terrific views through the scope.

Next time I'll stick it out till the Osprey turns up though!

As we drove away I also clocked around 150 Curlew in a field "next door".

Lerrocks Farm

2005-07-19T15:00:00.000+01:00

After Vane Farm we drove up to Lerrock's Farm where Red Kites have been reintroduced. Luckily we arrived just as they'd been fed and saw some amazing views of the Kites as well as the Buzzards who tagged along for an easy meal. Spectacular and a very friendly place to visit.

Goldfinch

2005-07-19T08:02:00.000+01:00

Just had a Goldfinch (a very rare visitor to our garden)on the sunflower heart feeder in the front garden... and yesterday we had a Greenfinch... for a long time our front garden feeder was ignored but it's finally getting a bit of attention (and gives me something to look at from the office window).

Garden Madness

2005-07-17T11:06:00.000+01:00

Just glanced out of the window today and there garden was packed with birds on the feeders, I've never seen so many... there must have been over 20 birds jostling for position... Great Tit (nibbling a strawberry on the table and drinking at the bird bath), House Sparrow, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Nuthatch and Greenfinch.

There has been a large increase in finches in the garden lately... they were once very rare visitors but no Greenfinches are among my daily visitors.

Lamb Cottage Caravan Park

2005-07-17T11:00:00.000+01:00

This place is a small caravan park in rural Cheshire with a nice walk through woodland over the road... a great place to spend the weekend, in fact so great, we booked to return the following weekend while we were still there.

The birding was quite good, they certainly encourage birds on site, but apart from hearing Tawny Owls the rest of the list are old favourites... Great Spotted Woodpecker, Treecreeper, Robin, Coot (there's also a fishing lake nearby), Black Headed Gull, Swallow (lining up on the site's overhead wires), House Sparrow and Nuthatch. I also saw a raptor around but couldn't ID it as I was in the woods and just got a fleeting glimpse between brances but I did find a Heron perched in the woods which was a nice little find.

Fairburn Ings in Summer

2005-07-10T09:00:00.000+01:00

I took a birding morning out to Fairburn today... saw some great birds and the place was brimming with butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies.

Here's my birding ticks...
Pick-Up Hide
Gadwall (female), Dabchick, Coot, Shoveler (female) and Moorhend (legging it across the decking on the approach to the hide).

Pond
I got a fantastic view of a Reed Warbler hopping around the reeds of a tiny pond just after the first metal gate on the way to the main hides. I could have watched it for hours (in fact there were 2 flitting around).

Gravel Pit
Greylag Geese (a small flock in fact), Black Headed Gulls (everywhere), Shelduck and Greenfinch (around the path and shrubs, not on the water obviously). There was also another Goose of some kind... pink and white bill, pink feet, pale brown... no idea what it was.

Bob Dickens Hide
Black Headed Gulls (cf 200), Great Crested Grebe (some on the next), Canada Geese (cf 30), Mute Swans (cf 100), Moorhen (some on the nest), Lapwing (just the one) and 2 pairs of Tufted Ducks.

Village Bay Hide
Cormorants (quite a few flying over the whole reserve too), Coots (some on the nest), Black Headed Gulles, Great Crested Grebe, Mallard (with chicks), Pochard, Ruddy Duck, Mute Swans, Heron and Tufted Ducks.

As I wandered around I kept seeing various LBJs... possible Willow Warblers among others... but the habitat is quite varied and my call recognition isn't nearly good enough so I'm afraid, except for the Reed Warbler it was a frustrating LBJ day. There was also one bird I caught a quick glimpse off... black cap, brown bird with a call like a trumpet charge... ba baaa ba baaa... but haven't been able to ID it. But it's all about learning, it would be no fun if there wasn't constantly new things to learn and when I think what I can recognise now compared to 2 years ago I smile and know I'm getting better and better all the time. I did, for example, hear numerous Yellow Hammers and even though I didn't see one I was very content to know I'd picked out they were there.

Digley in the Sunshine

2005-07-09T13:20:00.000+01:00

A lovely day today and we took Laddie around Digley Reservoir. I took my bins, naturally, and my first treat was spotting a Little Owl basking on a wall in the sunshine. Billberry Reservoir (the little one next door) seemed have a few things to see... I flushed a small wader which flew off before I could ID it and I'm sure I saw a tern of some sort... but both and indeed others seem to gather on a small sandy island right at the far side so I couldn't ID anything without my scope. Funnily enough however I'm sure I could see a Grey Wagtail over there as I could see a smaller bird teetering with flashes of yellow... odd how I could ID the smallest bird there.

There were also Swallows and Martins around as well as the usual Canada Geese on the reservoir. I also clearly heard an Oystercatcher although I didn't see it (I suspect it was somewhere near the "magic" island).

Finally, 3 or 4 small Kestrels were seen over the farmland at the top of the hill... I don't know if they were youngsters but they were small and it was usual to see so many together.

The garden birds have just gone mad!

2005-07-06T09:35:00.000+01:00

I've just fulled up the sunflower heart feeder in the garden and put some of Bill Oddies "Song Bird Crumble" on the table and the moment I stepped in the house down they came! I've never seen such a sudden frenzy, there were birds on every perch and the peanut feeder crammed with jostling Blue Tits.

Blue Tits (including the juvenilles that are hanging around and now feeding themselves quite happily), Greenfinch, Nuthatch, Bullfinch (one pair as usual), House Sparrow (went straight for the "Song Bird Crumble"), Starling (also went to the "Song Bird Crumble"... 2 birds, one a juvenille being fed by it's parent) and even Chaffinch (we don't get many).

The rewards for spending a few quid on sunflower hearts cannot be measured.

Bempton Cliffs

2005-07-03T14:00:00.000+01:00

We took a trip to Bempton Cliffs this afternoon with the hope of seeing more than Gannets this time (not that there's anything wrong with Gannets anyway! And we got some excellent views of everything you'd expect at Bempton... masses of Gannets (and some great views of fluffy chicks), Kittiwakes and Guillemots. And there were also a number of Puffins (great fun to watch in flight, I even saw one clutching a fish) and Razorbills, although both these species in far less numbers.

Bempton is also a great place for Meadow Pipits and I got he best view of one I've ever had! It was perched on a pole before flying off... makes a change to see one up close as opposed to recognition through song and flight pattern.

Blackmoorfoot

2005-07-02T10:48:00.000+01:00

I took Laddie a walk around Blackmoorfoot reservoir today, see if anything was around... Tufted Duck, Black Headed Gull, Mallards (some juvenile), Great Crested Grebe, Kestrel, Pied Wagtail, Canada Goose (just the one hanging out with some Mallards), Crows and Blackbirds.

There were 2 treats... 2 Oystercatchers flew by and I came across a family of Swallows. The parents were swooping around feeding and I could just make out a baby (still quite fluffy) around what presumably is the nest site. And an odd one at that... inside the cylindrical drainage "thing" that sticks out into the water. Mind you, lots of insects on tap and fenched off from the rest of the world with irons gates under lock and key... quite a sensible nesting place really.

Piethorne Valley, Lancashire

2005-06-19T11:00:00.000+01:00

We decided to take Laddie somewhere new for a walk today and went to Piethorne Valley, a group of farmland reservoirs that have a few accessible paths around them. I took my bins, of course, and I'm glad I did as it turned out to be a great birding spot, especially to get to grips with various LBJs!

By far the best area seemed to be the South side of Piethorne Reservoir but there were things to see just about everywhere except, funnily enough, the so called "Nature Reserve" section.

So what did I see... Swallow, House Martin (nesting in the houses near the car park), Curlew (at least a couple flying around and calling), Canada Geese, Chiffchaff (recognised by it's call rather than "chiff-chaff" song... I was quite proud!), Pied Wagtail, Goldfinch, Meadow Pipit (IDed by it's call and flight pattern... I'm getting the hang of this!), Wheatear (quite a few of these in various plumage) and finally a new tick for me... Stonechat complete with it's "2 stones knocked together" call.

This place is only 20 minutes down the road and was useless for water birds despite having nearly 10 reservoirs around, but it's superb for migrant LGJs.

Dee Estuary

2005-06-17T17:00:00.000+01:00

My RSPB volunteering took me to Dee Estuary today... only one hide but a great little reserve. There was a great show of Black Headed Gulls noisily mobbing a Buzzard and some superb close up views of Black Tailed Godwit and Knot (1000+) from the hide.

I've finally tried out my monopod in a hide and it worked just as well as I expected... slightly extended and resting between my legs on the bench it works as well as any hide clamp in my opinion (except you can't let go).

Garden Update

2005-06-12T19:09:00.000+01:00

I've just been watching the garden feeders and table... lots about! I've seen the usual suspects today... Bullfinch, Nuthatch, Wood Pigeon, Blue Tit and Great Tit. There have also been big increases in Greenfinch and House Sparrow recently... which must be related to breeding. The best bits today though were the juveniles. We might not have had any one in the new nest boxes but I've had a good view of a young Dunnock just now as well as the cutest young and fluffy Blue Tit chirping away while it's parent fed it sunflower hearts. It did make a few successful trips to the table itself but is still quite reliant on Mum just for the moment.

And another Oystertcatcher

2005-06-12T11:00:00.000+01:00

Another Oystercatcher today, this time at Scammonden this morning. A great view of a Heron at in the conifers on the far side of the reservoir too and there are still lots of Willow Warblers singing away.

There were also a few Pied Wagtail around the lower car park... including a juvenile... fluffy, shorter tail but with it's pied tail stripes in tact.

Ogden Water Oystercatcher

2005-06-11T18:31:00.000+01:00

We've just been to Ogden Water, West Yorkshire, to walk Laddie and there was a lonely Oystercatcher flying around the reservoir... got some cracking views of the this lovely looking bird in flight.

Marshside

2005-06-09T17:00:00.000+01:00

I went to Marshside yesterday doing my RSPB voluntary work and, as I just happened to have my bins with me, a very nice guy gave me the guided tour. I visited all 4 hides and saw... Dunlin, Oystercatcher, Avocet (the views here are incredibly close... and there were chicks on full view too!!), Shelduck (masses of them, again plenty of chicks), Swallow, House Martin, Greylag Goose (and chicks), Mute Swan (and chicks), Red Shank, Lapwing (including juvenile), Curlew Sandpiper, Tufted Duck and Shoveler (with chicks).

I had gone under the misapprehension the best time to visit is winter for the enromous flocks on wintering waders but a spring visit revealed some amazing views of various waders and chicks. A good place to see Barn Owl as well around dawn and dusk. A terrific place.

Almost forgot... some great views of Brown Hares too!

Garden Firsts

2005-06-09T08:00:00.000+01:00

I saw 2 Damselflies around the pond yesterday (I think they were Large Reds) and this morning I saw a Greater Spotted Woodpecker! It was perched in next doors tree which precluded me from having a garden tick but it flew off reasonably low across our airspace so I'm having it!. I've put out extra peanuts now I know she (I think) is around so here's hoping!

Curlews Galore

2005-06-04T16:00:00.000+01:00

As we drove home from North Yorkshire a large bird flying across the moorland caught my eye. Fortunately there was a small car park just in the right spot so we pulled up, I grabbed my bins, and was duely treated to the best Curlew scene I've ever seen. In flight, on the ground and calling, there were 3 or 4 pairs offering magnificent displays. Absolutely superb. It's amazing to see a Curlew call close up, seeing that huge beak open and close. The place was near Little Cock Hill off the A6033.

Swinsty & Fewston Reservoir

2005-06-04T11:00:00.000+01:00

A jaunt with Laddie around this North Yorkshire reservoir produced... Mallard, Cormorant, Graylag Goose (20 odd flock on the water), Canada Geese, Curlew (calling and feeding on farm land near the outflow, Great Crested Grebe, Swallow, House Martin and Carrion Crow

Scout Dyke

2005-05-30T11:00:00.000+01:00

We took Laddie to Scout Dyke today and I took my bins along to see what I could see amongst the many fisherman... glad I did! There were the usual suspects around such as Carrion Crow, Coot (complete with babies) and Mallard.

There were also a pair of Great Crested Grebes with 3 young which gave me a sight I've always wanted to see... one of the babies being carried on the adults back! Absolutely wonderful.

There was also a terrific view of a Heron, a Lapwing flew over, a Yellowhammer and around 10 Canada Geese (in the field) with a Greylag Goose tagging along.

What else... well a few Swallows and a pair of Reed Buntings who showed for an eternity, beak stuffed with insects presumably to feed nearby young.

But the best sight of the day as a male Linnet sitting on top of a tree surrounded by gorse, singing away and puffing out his Summer pink breast... my first Linnet! A good day... Scout Dyke seems to be a great place for smaller birds rather than wildfowl... I'll be back!

Garden Pond 3

2005-05-28T13:06:00.000+01:00

The pond is already full of life... it's amazing really. The relocated frog spawn has turned into numerous tadpoles that should have legs very soon and we've even had a frog in there of his own accord. How do they know? There are also lots of insects and pondlife creepy crawlies making a new home for themselves and even the plants are coming along nicely. I'll put a new post up with a photo when the tadpoles develop to the next level.

Honley Wood

2005-05-28T13:00:00.000+01:00

We've just been walking Laddie in Honley Wood... a place quite close by but somewhere we've not been before. There were quite a few birds around singing their springtime hearts out (Blue Tit, Chaffinch) and a few Carrion Crows and House Martins milling around the farm. The best finds today were a pair of Bullfinches... the male feeding insects to the female, a treat to watch and at least hearing a Cuckooeven though we didn't see it.

We also wandered into something that felt like an Alfred Hitchcock scene. There was a large colony of nesting Starlings making an enormous racket as we wandered through what was probably the middle of it. There were dozens and dozens of juveniles (i.e. no spots) in the trees... it was rather amazing actually.

House (Sparrow) Guests

2005-05-20T12:00:00.000+01:00

It looks like a pair of House Sparrows are nesting in the roof tiles of the house opposite my office window again... which will make for some fun daytime viewing.

Patch SBJ

2005-05-19T21:30:00.000+01:00

A new bird on my local patch today... a SBJ. I got a pretty good view of it suggesting a Chiffchaff or Willow Warbler but the little fellow kept his beak well and truly shut so your guess is as good as mind. I've not seen it since nor heard the call either bird. Hey ho. I will have to console myself that at least there was a new bird even if I'm not sure what it was.

Twice now I've also seen a pair of Goldfinches around which suggest a nesting pair on the edge of the "tree field".

Spanish Birding

2005-05-17T13:10:00.000+01:00

We've just been on holiday to Spain (Murcia) and armed with my bins and European field guide managed to do a spot of birding. We took in the common birds as well as going on a couple of little birding trips... and it was fanastic with quite a few new ticks!

General
I saw quite a few common species in a variety of places around Mazzaron... House Sparrow, Feral Pigeon, Swallow, Swift, Blackbird, Black Wheatear, Spotless Starling, Serin, Crested Lark and White Wagtail. Quite a common site down on the beach were Yellow Legged Gulls and a Little Egret who spent many hours hopping around the rocks just out to sea, persumably after the little fishies.

07/05 - A Mountain Road
We just stopped for 10 minutes after a Bee Eater flew across us (I'm not 100% on this as I have a suspicion it may even have been a Roller. Anyway, we did hear a Cuckoo and got a new tick with a Woodchat Shrike. There was also another Black Wheatear.

09/05 - Sierra De Almenara
A mountainous national park... which was shut. Neverless we saw a few things... Blackbird, Jays, Serin and Chaffinch. We also saw brown coloured squirrels.

10/05 - Coastal Path
We walked along the coastal path just a short distance and saw Yellow Legged Gull, Serin, Kestrel, Black Wheatear, Spotless Starling and Crested Larks... which as the week went on we discovered are everywhere as soon as you're out of the town. We also came across some small lizards, greeny/browny and stripey but with orange tails and legs. I will look up what these were, remember my blog is mainly a place to write up my notes :)

10/05 - Birding Drive
We set out on a drive to look for Hoopoes and Bea Eaters... and we found them!! We followed a mountain road that also went through various fields and over a large river bed (home to nesting Bee Eaters. Crested Larks were everywere we looked and we even managed to come across a family of Quail complete with chicks. And just as we were heading back a Little Owl was sat in a tree right at the side of the narrow mountain road and even flew away to the mountain side when he's decided he's showed long enough. And not to format mammals, we even saw a tiny rabbit by the side of the road. A great wildlife drive for sure.

11/05 Salinas de San Pedro
This place is a great little reserve... salt lakes and bits of desert right on the coast. And it certainly didn't disappoint... Ringed Plover, Avocet, Shelduck, Hoopoe (amazing views here), Black Headed Gull, Crested Larks, Flamingoes (yes real wild ones!!) and best of all, Black Backed Stilt. This was my favourite bird of the whole trip, an amazing looking creature that looks even more amazing in flight. There were also some little waders around, probably Little Stint but my small brown wader skills are poor... so I'm not sure. But I will make sure I'm better equiped for next time!

There were also lots of lizards around but we came across a Common Chameleon (see photo)... it was moving extremely slowly across the path, I don't know if he hadn't warmed up or he was old but it was most odd. An amazing creature to see though!!

15/05 - Final Walk
I think I must have got my eye in by now as on the final day we walked for 10 minutes along the dry river bed near the house and saw most ticks I'd been collecting all week in one go!... White Wagtail, Black Wheatear, Blackbird, House Sparrow, Collared Dove, Spotless Starling, Swallow, Serin, Bee Eater (sitting on a wire as they do) and Hoopoe... some great views of him cracking a seed pod on the floor and gorging on it's contents.

In short... go to Spain... the birding is fantastic and I only dabbled!!

Garden Goldfinches

2005-04-28T07:30:00.000+01:00

2 Goldfinches on the sunflower heart feeder when I opened the curtains this morning! A very rare sight in our garden and a fine start to my day.

Geese on my patch!

2005-04-26T09:21:00.000+01:00

2 Canada Geese flew over my local patch this morning... nothing amazing I know but it is a tick for my patch!

First Swallow of 2005

2005-04-24T17:19:00.000+01:00

The first Swallow of the year arrived today swooping over the barn and tree field on my local patch. They often nest in the barn so I will be watching closely!

Pugney's Country Park

2005-04-24T11:00:00.000+01:00

I'd never been here before even though it's only 1/2 hour away so we took Laddie for a walk round today to see what's what. At first it seemed a little too busy, stacks of people around... then I found the wildlife "bit"... fantastic! A great looking hide to check out, trees, fields, dyke... I can see myself spending many many hours pottering around here. A quick scan while walking Laddie showed Heron, Cormorant, Great Crested Grebe, Canada Geese (complete with cute babies) and Willow Warbler. There were a few other species around on the wildlife lake which will definately get me in that hide as soon as possible.

Scammoden

2005-04-23T17:06:00.000+01:00

We took Laddie to Scammodem reservoir today. If you part in the lower car park it really is a fantastic little place to walk. From a bird point of view however, don't expect much on the water (although always look) but the trees, fields and moors around through up some treats. This place is only 10 minutes away from me by car and I truly intend to visit it as much as possible... there's no excuse when it's 10 minutes away!

So today I saw the following in or over the fields... Kestrel, Mallard, Canada Geese and Pied Wagtail. I also had some great views and listening pleasure from a new summer arrival, Willow Warbler... a bird which I have learned not to try and distinguish from a ChiffChaff until it opens it's beak!

Local Patch Mallards

2005-04-21T09:00:00.000+01:00

It seems like it's been raining for days... it probably has... the field at the back is part of a flood plain where there is much underground water. It's been pretty boggy for quite a while but we've now got to the stage where I saw a pair of Mallards happily sat in the middle of it this morning. My local patch is usually compeltely void of wildfowl... just to goes to show you the most common bird can be a treat.

Garden Pond 2

2005-04-19T18:25:00.000+01:00

We have progressed! The hole was lined with pond liner, weighed down with slabs of concrete and filled with water. We've added a couple of plants and some nice cobbles and a bit of gravel and give our roaming frog spawn a proper home. All we can do now is sit, wait and watch. We also plan to but some more plants etc around the pond and lose a little more patio... the broken up piles of patio slabs will be great hiding places for all sorts of garden creatures piled around the pond/wildlife area of the garden. All in all I'm very pleased :)

Successful Fat Cakes

2005-04-19T18:09:00.000+01:00

My home made alternatives to fat balls have been proving highly productive! I'm onto my second batch and have so far had Starling, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Dunnock, Robin and most impressively Long Tailed Tit... who are quite the regular visitors now! My second batch use sunflower hearts rather than seeds but it makes little difference (other than keeping the lawn clean).

I've also had a rather loopy squirrel dangle on the fat cake cage gorging himself... I managed a slightly out of focus photo of the event...

Ilkley Moor ba Wheatear

2005-04-17T18:07:00.000+01:00

We went for a nice long walk with Laddie at the weekend and came home through Ilkey, stopping of for a cuppa and a wander on Ilkley Moor. What a fabulous place. From a birding point of view there were quite a few Wheatears around.

Birthday Birding Equipment

2005-04-05T23:29:00.000+01:00

It's my birthday... and being quite "birdy" I wanted "birdy" things which brought forth a rather excellent mixture of books.

But I also got some very nice equipment. Firstly, a monopod. I did a lot of research into whether to try a monopod for my scope (and indeed which one to get) and came to the conclusion it was just what I needed. I love using my scope but always end up trying to balance it on walls etc as I cannot be bothered with a big cumbersome tripod everytime I nip out for an hours birding. And so I got a Manfrotto monopod and it is fantastic! It's light, strudy and extremely quick to set up. I couldn't be more happy with it. Now when I wander around Blackmoorfoot and see a spec on the other side I can ID it in seconds... and then carry on my way. I've also got a small ball-head with it. Now most of the time I have it locked anyway (i.e. I may as well not have a head!) but it is very useful in 2 important ways...
1. I can pan upwards into the sky if a bird flys over (and no matter how hard you lean a monopod over you can't see THAT high up
2. It allows me to fold the scope flat against the monopod (and lock it) for carrying making it extremely small and easy to carry.

The only thing I can't do with it is take photos... it's steady but not THAT steady with a camera and scope hanging off it... which was never my intention but it does bring me to my other new piece of kit...

I've wanted to try digiscoping for a while. In fact when I first rediscovered birding I thought I would be an avid digiscoper in no-time. The principle was inspiring... you have a scope, you have a digital camera... put the two together and you're taking shots like the pros! Professional results on a budget! Yes?! No. You see the more I looked into it I began to realise most of my equipment wasn't good enough, I need a camera with threads, a better tripod (mind is very very cheap), expensive attachments... in the end it seemed as cheap to me to buy a digital SLR or at least a compact with a big zoom. But then I finally found the answer and bought myself a birthday prezzie. This amazing adaptor does everything I thought digiscoping represented... it will fit any camera, clamp to your scope and after twisting a few knobs, you're away! £30. I haven't had much of a play with it yet other than making sure it worked... and it does... but I can't wait to start playing. .. I don't expect to be on the inside cover of Birdwatching Magazine next month but I do expect to have a great deal of fun... and will no doubt be posting a few of my efforts right here.

Birthday Bempton Cliffs

2005-04-05T22:17:00.000+01:00

We went to Bempton Cliffs today as a birthday treat (happy birthday me)... a place I've not been before but a place I will definately go back to. We also visited Flamborough Head and Fraithsthorpe sands (to eat our chips).

Bempton Cliffs
Gannets - Lots of lots of Gannets, some on the cliffs, some flying, and some great views of courtship with shaking heads and touching bills.
Cormorant - Just the one flying across the sea.
Jackdaws - Plenty of these guys around.
Pied Wagtails - A few of these around the fields.
Herring Gulls - A couple on the cliffs, lots on the fields.
Kestrel - Nice view of a Kestrel hunting over the fields.
Skylarks - Could hear these everywhere again over the fields and got some great views too.
Meadow Pipits - Again could hear them seeping away and got some smashing views.

Flamborough Head
Gannets - More gannets out over the sea but this time diving! It was an amazing site, I could have watched them for hours the way they swoop and hover over the waves then all dive down together... sploooooooooosh. Fantastic. Birding hi-light of the day! (and not actually at Bempton)
Skylarks - Again heard them everywhere and got some great views.
Meadow Pipits - And again some great views.
Cormorant - Just the one.
Herring Gull - perched on the cliffs.

Fraithsthrope Sands
We only stopped here to eat our chips and give Laddie a run but managed to see...
Great Grested Grebe - On the sea and diving!! Not seen that before.
Kestrel - Amazing Kestrel close ups over the fields.
Lapwings - A couple flying around the fields.
Mallards - Quite a few taking up residence on flood ponds in the fields.

A great day all in all... the Gannets were stunning and the amounts of Skylarks and Meadow Pipits gave me a wonderful chance to notice the differences in these birds plumage, size, song and flight patterns. Marvellous.

New Local Patch Tick

2005-04-05T09:00:00.000+01:00

Just walking Laddie today and saw a Pied Wagtail on the roof of the dis-used barn close to our house... which is a new local patch tick. I will of course be watching for House Martins taking up residence in that very barn shortly as they did last year.

Front Garden Long Tailed Tits

2005-04-04T22:12:00.000+01:00

Our front garden is usually quite void of birds... we do have a feeder out but it's rarely visited. But we do have a tree that attracts tits at this time of year with it's juicy young shoots and today I saw 2 Long Tailed Tits out there which was a first.

Local Patch Events

2005-03-30T08:00:00.000+01:00

I was out with Laddie this morning as usual and it was a wet and misty morning. Two things of note happened both of which require a bins equiped return.

Firstly, I could hear a very loud drumming Woodpecker coming from the edge of the woodland (just by the little bridge where there's a gap in the fence to get into the field)... had I got my bins I'm sure I would have spotted it so I must take a look around.

Secondly, a Mallard flew right past me... the third time I've seen them fly across my 99.9% land local patch recently but this time it landed! I saw him (male) land on the little stream in the very field you can only access through that very hole... so again I'd better go and have a sneaky look!

Dippers at Loggerheads

2005-03-29T10:00:00.000+01:00

We took Laddie to Loggerheads in North Wales again this morning and saw a Dipper again in exactly the same place as last time (by the bridge over the river on the main foot path)... except this time there were 2 of them! And it very much looked to me like they were building a nest under the bridge somewhere. I don't know if that is where a Dipper is likely to build a nest, I will certainly endeavour to find out and will definately pop back in May to see if there are any fledglings around.

Garden Greenfinches

2005-03-27T14:15:00.000+01:00

We've just had 3 Greenfinches at once... 2 on the feeder (sunflower seeds) and 1 on the table (sunflower seeds)... now I realise that's not exactly amazing BUT we so rarely get any finches in our garden for some reason, it is actually a record!

Also today a Blue Tit and Great Tit have finally been feeding from the feeder in the front garden. There have also been a number of House Sparrows and Blue Tits feeding on the fresh tree shoots... it's great to watch them dangling upside down on the thinest of thin branches to get to the juicy shoots.

Garden Pond

2005-03-26T12:51:00.000Z

Today I finally started our wildlife garden pond. So I thought I'd take a photo and pop it into my blog to keep a record of the progress. So far I smashed up 6 paving slabs with a sledge hammer (what fun!) and have dug a big hole... next step is to line it with sand and pond liner... then fill it up, pop a few plants in and watch.

I was actually a little inspired to crack on with the pond this Easter weekend as we found an old plant pot, not only full of rain water, but full of frog spawn! So hopefully I'll be able to re-home it very soon but I'll need to progress from day 1 sharpish...

Homemade Fat Cakes

2005-03-25T20:00:00.000Z

Suet/Fat balls are expensive aren't they. £2 a pop and in the cold spell the garden birds were getting through one a week. So this week I decided to make my own. I had a look round on the web and found some vague recipes and ideas but basically made it up...

1/3rd Vegetable Fat
2/3rd crushed peanuts, raisins, oatmeal and sunflower seeds

I melted the fat, mixed it all up then spooned into paper bun cases... et voila!
Once set I put a couple into my fat cage that dangles from the bird table and watched. Good news... the birds actually like them! All in all that probably cost me a pound to make about a months supply.... good eh!

Digley Reservoir

2005-03-25T10:00:00.000Z

The same morning as my early trip to Blackmoorfoot we took Laddie for a walk around Digley reservoir and saw Canada Geese, Tufted Duck (just one) and 3 Mallards (one of which was a domestic cross).

There was a large amount of unusal bird noise and activity going on around us in the sky and surrounding moorland and farmland I will definately go for a proper birding trip to Digley soon as I'm sure there's lots to to see. The local bird club website has reports of Sand Martins which I'll definately look for... there's an old quarry at Digley which would be my first port of call in search of those.

One I'm convinved I also saw a Little Grebe on the water. I was quite a way off but I'm sure it was small, reddy brown headed and diving... but when I got closer 5 minutes later it was no-where to be seen... but nor was there anything else. I'm not happy enough to call it a tick... but I'll be keeping an eye out for it next time.

Return to Blackmoorfoot

2005-03-25T07:00:00.000Z

Laddie got me out of bed at some unGodly hour today so I decided to make the most of it and have an hour or 2 back at Blackmoorfoot, this time on my own. I certainly didn't see as much but did see 2 Lapwings in the same field as last week. We did hear Skylarks last week to but didn't see any and again this morning I could hear them... then one landed in a field, I grabbed my scope, and got a superb close-up of one... very very pleased.

Back at the reservoir I saw a few Mallards and 4 Great Crested Grebes.

Blackmoorfoot Club Trip

2005-03-19T15:00:00.000Z

I went to a local birding spot today (Saturday)... a place I have been before and not seen much. But today was different, today I was with a few members of the local bird club incluing the recognised expert of the area... and boy did the number of species I see shoot up. It just goes to show what a little experienced guidance can do for you.

Potato Lane
Potato Lane is basically a couple of hundred yards from the Blackmoorfoot reservoir that gives excellent views of a farmer's field of just the right consistency for many birds. I've been told to keep an eye out for Skylark, Meadow Pipt, Stonechat and Dotterel.

The birds I did see however were Lapwing (about 10), Golden Plover (about 30), Wheatear (2 female, 1 male hopping on and off a dry stone wall) and a Little Owl who was hiding away in an alcove of another wall.

Orange Wood
This small wood sits beside the reservoir and didn't offer much today although the birds we did see were Kestrel (at the edge of the wood), Great Tit, Blue Tit, Pheasant (in a field beyond the wood), Jay and Long Tailed Tit and we could hear Robin and Blue Tit.

The Reservoir (from the inlet and/or hide)
Mallard, Tufted Duck (3 male, 2 female), Golden Eye (2 male, 1 female), Great Crested Grebe (3), Goosander (3), Teal (8) Herring Gull (1), Lesser Black Backed Gull (2), Black Headed Gull (numerous), Common Gull (numerous) and Goldcrest (dotting around at the side of the hide).

A tip I learned about the reservoir itself is that the birds tend to stay on the NW side on windier days... the bit you can't get a good look at without access to the locked hide... and a Kingfisher often perches just outside the hide too... I will have to enquire as to how to gain a key.

All in it all it was a fabulous 2 hours.

Dipper

2005-03-08T13:39:00.000Z

A new tick today! We took the dog for a walk at Loggerheads Country Park (again) and I and I saw something, well, dipping into the river. I didn't have my bins but certainly got a good enough view to see smallish bird, browny/black with browny/red crown and a large white breast... a confirmed Dipper. It was cleary feeding from the river and flew off just a little further downstream after getting my excellent bins free view.