Paddling

\Thursday 29 January 2014

Spent the morning carrying out the regular monthly riverfly monitoring in Ewelme Brook. Managed to find all 5 of the expected species and somewhat surprised to find "clouds" of newly hatched Olives as well as a few with half formed wings about to leave their watery home.

Olive close to "fledging"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blue Winged Olive

Farm survey

Sunday 25 January 2015

Nothing very unusual amongst the 361 individual birds of 35 species counted round Battle Farm, Preston Crowmarsh. One special moment when I peered over the bank of a stream to find myself looking down on the back of a Kingfisher no more than a foot beneath my feet. It didn't see me for a few seconds until it turned its head on the side to preen its neck and was off - magic!

Of course the camera was in a rucksack on my back.

Blackcap sex change?

Saturday 24 January 2015

The male Blackcap that has been gracing my Benson garden all winter so far seems to have morphed into a female. Strange to watch the behavior of the two sexes. The male was forever being chased out of the garden by the Robin but the female sees off Blue Tits and a Chaffinch and even had a go at a Starling. At one stage it had a face off with the Robin but certainly held its own.

33 species at Ewelme Watercress Beds

Tuesday 20 January 2015

Nothing out of the ordinary but the Green Sandpiper was back (seems to find alternative home when it's warmer) and Water Rail, Kingfisher and Heron all seen. A few more days/weeks and something more unusual might get attracted to the warm water - hopefully.

Dorchester WeBS

Monday 19 January 2015

One of the better visits with LT Duck, Pintail, Egyptian Geese and Goldeneye of note. Goldeneye and Pintail are surprisingly few and far between at Dorchester.

Distant view of Long-tailed Duck on Sailing Club Pit

Similarly distant view of a Grey Heron taking some "rays"

Two new year ticks for 2015

Sunday 18 January 2015

Nothing very exciting but I had not seen Pied Wagtail or Stock Doves on the Ewelme reserve this year.

Very quiet

Wednesday 14 January 2014

Not a great deal going on at a cold windy watercress beds this morning. Not seen the Green Sandpiper for a while and I wasn't prepared to stand still long enough for the Water Rail to put in an appearance. Best of a bad lot was a female Bullfinch feeding on nettle seeds - not seen that before!

Deer, deer, deer, deer, deer, deer

Thursday 8 January 2015

Walked along the river from Benson - very muddy but rewarded by a "flock" of 6 Roe Deer. I continued up the river of life where a male Goosander on the Thames spotted me at a distance and took flight.

Mobile Lapwing flock

Monday 5 January 2014

Counted 90 Golden Plover and 400 Lapwing at top end of Firebrass Hill above Ewelme. Later the Lapwing flock seemed to be flying around in random directions. On the beds Kingfisher and Water Rail seen but that about all apart from the more common stuff.

Would you believe it?

1 January 2015

In 2014 I spent ages looking for species number 66 for the Watercress Beds to equal the 2013 total and when I turn up today a dozen Golden Plover fly over my head! Other birds of note Green Sandpiper, Kingfisher, Goldcrest and Grey Wagtail.

Popped my head down to my Battle farm patch and the Chiffchaffs were very obvious as was a Goldcrest.