Sunday 24 January 2016

First farm survey of 2016

Sunday 24 January 2016

35 species round the Preston Crowmarsh Battle Farm including a new site bird - Little Egret (number 92)! I didn't take it with me from Ewelme - honest!

Little else of note though.

Saturday 23 January 2016

Usual stuff at Ewelme

Saturday 23 January 2016

Biggest surprise was two Little Egrets together for the first time this winter. Green Sandpiper and Water Rail but the Mandarin seemed to be hiding from me.

Monday 18 January 2016

Dorchester WeBS count

Monday 18 January 2016

First WeBS count of the year and I hoped for something better following a few days of cold weather but the only surprise was a Shelduck amongst the 1755 water birds of 20 species. Top bird (by number) was Wigeon with 500 individuals and 248 Lapwing were of note.

Sunday 17 January 2016

It's all happening

Sunday 17 January 2016

Two new birds for the 2016 cress beds list, a Buzzard (more surprised by its absence up to now than its appearance), but a fly past of a Raven kronking away was a nice surprise.

All the usual - Little Egret, Mandarin and Water Rail noteworthy.

Saturday 16 January 2016

45th species for 2016 on the cress beds

Saturday 16 January 2016

The colder weather seems to have brought the green sandpiper back to the warm water of the beds.

I always thing Herons perched in trees look a bit odd but probably not as odd as when they are on roof tops!

Little Egret still around and so is the Mandarin but seems to spend more time on Kings Pool - I suspect someone is filling it with bread!

Still no Meadow Pipit or Snipe but highlight of the day was a GREENFINCH.


Sunday 10 January 2016

All the usual

Sunday 10 January 2016

Not much change on the watercress beds with Little Egret, Kingfisher and two Water Rails on show. A bonus was one or two Lesser Redpoll feasting on Nettle and Willowherb seeds.


Sunday 3 January 2016

Filthy morning

Sunday 3 January 2016

Just about managed to identify Little Egret, Water Rail and Chiffchaff at the cress beds through the rain.