Sunday 19th April (60 species - 121 for year)
Last weekend, I made my second trip of the year to Tring Reservoirs. Unlike my first fogbound visit, it was lovely to see some sunshine, even if the temperatures when I arrived were a little above freezing.
I started off by heading around to the jetty. It quickly became apparent, there were huge numbers of hirundines feeding above the lake, mostly sand martins but with a few swallows and house martins among them. The trees behind the jetty were alive to birdsong - chiffchaff, blackcap and my first willow warblers of the year. As I headed back around towards the car park, a beautiful male yellow wagtail landed on the bank just in front of me and a little further around, I found a second bird.
The hide itself was quiet. The water levels seem quite high at present. In the woods behind the hide were several singing blackcaps.
Heading up to the dry canal (which is now not so dry in places), I found a couple of singing whitethroats. A manure covered field did not yield the hoped for wheatears, but there were several yellowhammers and a song thrush in compensation.
Heading along the canal towards Tringford, the grasshopper warbler that had been heard earlier that morning was sadly silent, but heading across the field, I spotted a fine mistle thrush.
Tringford was quiet, but Startops held large number of common terns and another yellow wagtail. A closer inspection of the bales revealed both a redshank and a common sandpiper.
Marsworth held more terns plus a calling cettis warbler.
Back at Wilstone, an oystercatcher was the only new bird of note.
I then decided to head up to Inchcombe Hole near Ivinghoe Beacon, where large numbers of ring ouzels have been sighted recently. The Hole itself was heavily disturbed by walkers, so I headed over to the back where I spotted a group of birders intently scanning a far field. Sure enough, there were up to ten ring ouzels - mostly male - to be found. Heading back to the car, a buzzard flew low overhead.
A great end to a good day!
Sunday, 26 April 2015
Sunday, 12 April 2015
The Ridgeway (Streatley to Bury Down)
Sunday 12th April (24 species - 112 for year)
It was a breezy day today, but some beautiful sunshine. In need of getting some miles in my legs in preparation for attempt to climb Ben Nevis in May, we headed out to the Berkshire Downs and the Ridgeway. It was a good chance to get some farmland birds and perhaps one or two migrant year ticks.
As we climbed the hill away from the car park, a singing blackcap soon got my attention. As we reached the top of the hill, a number of displaying red kites and buzzards soon appeared.
As the scenery got more spectacular, a sudden alarm call revealed two red legged partridge scurrying away from us.
just before our planned lunch spot at Bury Down, my second year tick put in an appearance, a beautiful male yellowhammer, which I almost trod on during the return journey.
The raptor count went up as a kestrel passed overhead, with another seen much closer shortly later. Just before the end, the buzzards and red kites provided more great close up views and a pair of red partridge were in the field by the car.
It was a breezy day today, but some beautiful sunshine. In need of getting some miles in my legs in preparation for attempt to climb Ben Nevis in May, we headed out to the Berkshire Downs and the Ridgeway. It was a good chance to get some farmland birds and perhaps one or two migrant year ticks.
As we climbed the hill away from the car park, a singing blackcap soon got my attention. As we reached the top of the hill, a number of displaying red kites and buzzards soon appeared.
As the scenery got more spectacular, a sudden alarm call revealed two red legged partridge scurrying away from us.
just before our planned lunch spot at Bury Down, my second year tick put in an appearance, a beautiful male yellowhammer, which I almost trod on during the return journey.
The raptor count went up as a kestrel passed overhead, with another seen much closer shortly later. Just before the end, the buzzards and red kites provided more great close up views and a pair of red partridge were in the field by the car.