While walking the dog last night I had brief views of an Owl alongside the roadside hedge. I presumed it was a Barn Owl, but it was difficult to tell in the darkness.
I had been home about half an hour though when I could hear my own Barnies going absolutely ballistic.
I crept outside to see the wild Barn Owl cruising around my garden, as well as landing in a neighbours tree to screech loudly back at them.
The noise carried on long after I'd gone to bed, so I shall be interested to see if it comes back again tonight.
Thursday, 29 July 2010
Wednesday, 28 July 2010
Our Goosanders are thriving
I decided to go to Olney Mill today to see how the young Goosanders were getting on.
Mike Wallen had seen them from the main bridge over the A509 a couple of weeks ago, so I checked here first. Sure enough the mother and 3 youngsters were present all busily diving for fish. The young birds were now almost as big as mum, so have hopefully got a great chance of survival.
A Kingfisher flew down river as I stood on the bridge and 2 Common Terns were persued by their 2 hungry offspring.
At lunchtime I took a walk down to Ravenstone Sewage Works, to see if any autumn migrants were in yet. Unfortunately not, but a female and a juvenile Grey Wagtail, several Linnets and a small flock of Goldfinches were seen.
At work this afternoon I found this discarded Grass Snake skin. The silver object is a fifty pence piece to give some idea of scale.
I've added this last photo especially for Paul, who a couple of days ago said he hadn't seen a Red Admiral this year. Since then I seem to have seen loads.
Mike Wallen had seen them from the main bridge over the A509 a couple of weeks ago, so I checked here first. Sure enough the mother and 3 youngsters were present all busily diving for fish. The young birds were now almost as big as mum, so have hopefully got a great chance of survival.
A Kingfisher flew down river as I stood on the bridge and 2 Common Terns were persued by their 2 hungry offspring.
At lunchtime I took a walk down to Ravenstone Sewage Works, to see if any autumn migrants were in yet. Unfortunately not, but a female and a juvenile Grey Wagtail, several Linnets and a small flock of Goldfinches were seen.
At work this afternoon I found this discarded Grass Snake skin. The silver object is a fifty pence piece to give some idea of scale.
I've added this last photo especially for Paul, who a couple of days ago said he hadn't seen a Red Admiral this year. Since then I seem to have seen loads.
Monday, 26 July 2010
Just 11 Spoons for me !
I had earmarked today as a birding day, hopefully to go and twitch something, but as most things within reasonable distance had done the off, I decided a day at Cley Marshes sounded like a good bet.
Now a month ago I hadn't even heard of a Polish Swan but on the dyke by the visitor centre a pair of Mutes with a brood of 7 had 2 of this type!
From the three main hides a variety of wading birds could be seen, including Black-tailed Godwits, Avocets, Dunlins, Golden Plovers,still in their summer plumage, Ruff, Lapwings and a few Green Sandpipers.
Now a month ago I hadn't even heard of a Polish Swan but on the dyke by the visitor centre a pair of Mutes with a brood of 7 had 2 of this type!
From the three main hides a variety of wading birds could be seen, including Black-tailed Godwits, Avocets, Dunlins, Golden Plovers,still in their summer plumage, Ruff, Lapwings and a few Green Sandpipers.
View from Dawkes Hide of feeding Black-tailed Godwits.
A couple of Juvenile Marsh Harriers were hunting over the marshes.
Walking around the reserve I ended up at the North Hide, where many waders could be seen on the scrape. These were mainly Black-tailed Godwits and Dunlin, with a few Redshanks, Ruff and Lapwings. There was apparently 2 Curlew Sandpipers in with the Dunlin , but the heat haze was so bad I was never going to pick them out.
The best birds on show however were the group of 11 (yes eleven) Spoonbills that were standing on one of the mud islands at the back of the scrape. By far the most I've ever seen together.
This Swallow had a nest right outside the door of the hide.
Moving on to Arnold's Marsh, more Blackwits and Avocets were seen, along with a lone Spotted Redshank. Then down the East Bank where I had several encounters with Bearded Tits and saw my first Painted Lady of the year.
Painted Lady
A couple of Juvenile Marsh Harriers were hunting over the marshes.
Walking around the reserve I ended up at the North Hide, where many waders could be seen on the scrape. These were mainly Black-tailed Godwits and Dunlin, with a few Redshanks, Ruff and Lapwings. There was apparently 2 Curlew Sandpipers in with the Dunlin , but the heat haze was so bad I was never going to pick them out.
The best birds on show however were the group of 11 (yes eleven) Spoonbills that were standing on one of the mud islands at the back of the scrape. By far the most I've ever seen together.
This Swallow had a nest right outside the door of the hide.
Moving on to Arnold's Marsh, more Blackwits and Avocets were seen, along with a lone Spotted Redshank. Then down the East Bank where I had several encounters with Bearded Tits and saw my first Painted Lady of the year.
Painted Lady
Sunday, 25 July 2010
Just Bad Timing.
I nipped over to Summerleys early this morning in the hope of seeing the Pectoral Sandpiper that had been around for the past couple of days.
Alas it was not to be as despite a complete search of the site the only wading birds I could find were, a Ringed Plover, a Common Sandpiper, a couple of hundred Lapwings and a heard but not seen Oystercatcher.
Lots of waterfowl, especially Coots, Mallards, Black-headed and Lesser black-backed Gulls, Common Terns, Mute Swans and Cormorants. Tufted Ducks look to have a good breeding season with at least 8 broods around the site.
There were also many young smaller birds around the place, with Great, Blue and Long-tailed Tits, Garden Warblers, Whitethroats, Tree Sparrows, Robins, Dunnocks, Green Woodpeckers and Bullfinch all seen.
Along the old railway line a Grasshopper Warbler reeled away strongly.
I was not impressed later in the day when I heard that a Purple Heron had dropped into the reserve at lunchtime for a couple of hours - a species that still eludes me in this country.
Alas it was not to be as despite a complete search of the site the only wading birds I could find were, a Ringed Plover, a Common Sandpiper, a couple of hundred Lapwings and a heard but not seen Oystercatcher.
Lots of waterfowl, especially Coots, Mallards, Black-headed and Lesser black-backed Gulls, Common Terns, Mute Swans and Cormorants. Tufted Ducks look to have a good breeding season with at least 8 broods around the site.
There were also many young smaller birds around the place, with Great, Blue and Long-tailed Tits, Garden Warblers, Whitethroats, Tree Sparrows, Robins, Dunnocks, Green Woodpeckers and Bullfinch all seen.
Along the old railway line a Grasshopper Warbler reeled away strongly.
I was not impressed later in the day when I heard that a Purple Heron had dropped into the reserve at lunchtime for a couple of hours - a species that still eludes me in this country.
Friday, 23 July 2010
Thats why theyre called Common Sandpipers
A lunchtime visit to Gayhurst Quarry today.
On Fishing Pit Common Sandpipers seemed to be everywhere. I would start counting and then another one or two would fly across and land. Now had I already counted these or not. Then a Buzzard and shortly afterwards a Kestrel put everything up into the air...Start again! After a lot of recounts I am confident there were a minimum of six, probably more, and to confuse it even more there was a single Green Sandpiper in amongst them. Two Oystercatchers and several Lapwings made up the wader numbers.
On Motorway Pit a lot of the Terns have moved away, although there were some new fluffy chicks, possibly from birds that had failed earlier on the main island. Two Little Egrets stood on the island and one was in the stream, where a Kingfisher shot by.
Both broods of Swans were present including the two 'Polish' youngsters
A smart Little Grebe was the only other noteworthy bird.
On Fishing Pit Common Sandpipers seemed to be everywhere. I would start counting and then another one or two would fly across and land. Now had I already counted these or not. Then a Buzzard and shortly afterwards a Kestrel put everything up into the air...Start again! After a lot of recounts I am confident there were a minimum of six, probably more, and to confuse it even more there was a single Green Sandpiper in amongst them. Two Oystercatchers and several Lapwings made up the wader numbers.
On Motorway Pit a lot of the Terns have moved away, although there were some new fluffy chicks, possibly from birds that had failed earlier on the main island. Two Little Egrets stood on the island and one was in the stream, where a Kingfisher shot by.
Both broods of Swans were present including the two 'Polish' youngsters
A smart Little Grebe was the only other noteworthy bird.
Thursday, 22 July 2010
Migration over Lathbury
Working at Lathbury today, I had to take cover from the rather heavy showers every now and then. So standing in a Greenhouse I had the chance to survey the skies. Quite a bit went over today so autumn migration has obviously started, but also some obvious local movement.
First up a Cormorant, then a Little Egret, 3 Common Terns a few Black-headed and Lesser-Black-backed Gulls and then at lunchtime a group of 8 waders had me scrambling for my bins - these turned out to be Black-tailed Godwits on their way south. I put out the news in case they had gone down at Willen, but nothing came back, so I guess they kept going.
First up a Cormorant, then a Little Egret, 3 Common Terns a few Black-headed and Lesser-Black-backed Gulls and then at lunchtime a group of 8 waders had me scrambling for my bins - these turned out to be Black-tailed Godwits on their way south. I put out the news in case they had gone down at Willen, but nothing came back, so I guess they kept going.
Wednesday, 21 July 2010
Looking for Ratty
A trip down to the South of the county tonight with Paul on a quest to add Water Vole to his mammal list.
Starting off at Latimer bridge we walked along the crystal clear River Chess in the direction of Chenies.
Birds encountered along the way included Little Grebe, Kingfisher, Red Kite, Sparrowhawk and Hobby.
Finally stopping to scan from the road bridge near to Mill Farm a fine Water Vole posed right in the middle of the river for a brief few moments. This was to be our only sighting despite stopping off at several points including the designated Water Vole Watchpoint.
The walk back as dusk fell gave us 4 seperate Little Owls on fenceposts, 2 calling Tawny Owls in the nearby woods and a screaming young Sparrowhawk in nearby trees.
A brief stop at Sarrat Waterworks with the torch again failed to find any voles, but several bats were detected, including Soprano Pipistrelles.
Starting off at Latimer bridge we walked along the crystal clear River Chess in the direction of Chenies.
Birds encountered along the way included Little Grebe, Kingfisher, Red Kite, Sparrowhawk and Hobby.
Finally stopping to scan from the road bridge near to Mill Farm a fine Water Vole posed right in the middle of the river for a brief few moments. This was to be our only sighting despite stopping off at several points including the designated Water Vole Watchpoint.
The walk back as dusk fell gave us 4 seperate Little Owls on fenceposts, 2 calling Tawny Owls in the nearby woods and a screaming young Sparrowhawk in nearby trees.
A brief stop at Sarrat Waterworks with the torch again failed to find any voles, but several bats were detected, including Soprano Pipistrelles.
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