Sunday 8th February (23 species - 79 for year)
A lovely sunny afternoon and some free time saw me heading over too the causeway at Staines Reservoirs where some interesting birds had been seen of late. Sadly the slavonian grebe seen yesterday was nowhere to be found, but I did succeed in tracking down my other three targets.
First up was a male scaup that looked especially resplendent in the winter sunshine. Good numbers of goldeneye were keeping him company.
Looking across to the other basin, some hard searching found my next year tick, four black necked grebe. They must have been almost a mile away, so very hard to make out.
Tick three was the long staying great northern diver. The low sun made viewing difficult at first, but he soon swam into sight allowing for some good views.
A late bonus was a shelduck in among the wigeon just before I got back to my car.
This site isn't that far from me - just half an hour - I really should go there more often.
Sunday, 8 February 2015
Stockers Lake
Saturday 7th February (45 species - 75 for year)
Stockers Lake near Rickmansworth is my local patch. I've been birding it for ten years now and built up a list of 100 species in that time - make that 101 now, with one of three wintering stonechats seen in the flooded field at Stockers Farm. Also present were a flock of meadow pipits, which were my first for the year, whilst in the fields behind were good numbers of fieldfare and redwing.
Stockers Lake itself held good numbers of wildfowl with goldeneye being the highlight. Both smew and goosander have been seen this winter, but not this weekend. There were however good numbers of red crested pochard.
Lots of common birds to be seen too with a calling treecreeper being a year tick.
There were signs of spring with singing great tits & chaffinches, displaying great crested grebe and drumming great spotted woodpecker.
A lovely morning.
Stockers Lake near Rickmansworth is my local patch. I've been birding it for ten years now and built up a list of 100 species in that time - make that 101 now, with one of three wintering stonechats seen in the flooded field at Stockers Farm. Also present were a flock of meadow pipits, which were my first for the year, whilst in the fields behind were good numbers of fieldfare and redwing.
Stockers Lake itself held good numbers of wildfowl with goldeneye being the highlight. Both smew and goosander have been seen this winter, but not this weekend. There were however good numbers of red crested pochard.
Lots of common birds to be seen too with a calling treecreeper being a year tick.
There were signs of spring with singing great tits & chaffinches, displaying great crested grebe and drumming great spotted woodpecker.
A lovely morning.