It rained virtually all day today, which precluded any opportunity to go out birding. Instead I spent the morning shopping in Windsor, before heading back to Pinner from Burnham this afternoon.
I still managed to add a couple of easy year ticks in feral pigeon (Windsor) and pheasant (Littleworth Common). However, the birding highlights were a buzzard perched beside the Windsor relief road and a fly past grey heron outside my girlfriends window in Burnham.
Saturday, 3 January 2015
Friday, 2 January 2015
New Year Birding
January 1st - Jubilee River (32 species)
I managed to get out for a couple of hours this afternoon along the Jubilee River & Dorney Wetlands, where I managed a respectable 32 species. Unfortunately, the recent ringed necked duck was not to be found (at Bray GP perhaps), but there was a decent selection of commoner species including cetti's warbler, little grebe, kestrel and a few fieldfare.
January 2nd - Hambleden Valley (28 species, 48 for year)
It was a beautiful sunny day today, so we went for an eight mile walk from Hambleden up the valley towards Turville & Skirmett adding another sixteen species to the year list.
The highlights were a raven near Hambleden village and a female stonechat just outside Skirmett. There were lots of raptors to be seen with dozens of red kite, good numbers of buzzard and singles of kestrel & sparrowhawk. We also had a few flyover redwings in the car at Mill End, and a mistle thrush was merely a sideshow to the impressive herd of fallow deer with a number of majestic stags.
I managed to get out for a couple of hours this afternoon along the Jubilee River & Dorney Wetlands, where I managed a respectable 32 species. Unfortunately, the recent ringed necked duck was not to be found (at Bray GP perhaps), but there was a decent selection of commoner species including cetti's warbler, little grebe, kestrel and a few fieldfare.
January 2nd - Hambleden Valley (28 species, 48 for year)
It was a beautiful sunny day today, so we went for an eight mile walk from Hambleden up the valley towards Turville & Skirmett adding another sixteen species to the year list.
The highlights were a raven near Hambleden village and a female stonechat just outside Skirmett. There were lots of raptors to be seen with dozens of red kite, good numbers of buzzard and singles of kestrel & sparrowhawk. We also had a few flyover redwings in the car at Mill End, and a mistle thrush was merely a sideshow to the impressive herd of fallow deer with a number of majestic stags.
Welcome
This is my first attempt at a bird blog.
I live in Pinner, Middlesex, with most of my birding taking place at a variety of local sites. Tring Reservoirs, Stockers Lake, Jubilee River, Otmoor RSPB and Little Marlow GP are probably my most regular visited.
I grew up in East Sussex where I also bird regularly - Ashdown Forest, Weirwood Reservoir, Pulborough Brooks RSPB & Rye Harbour being particular favourites.
As I work, most of my birding typically takes place at weekends. However, I'm usually on the lookout where ever I am.
I usually expect to see 175-200 species most years with 2011 seeing my highest total with 219 species.
My life list is currently 274 species (although that does include five plastics - snow & bar headed goose, black swan, ruddy shelduck & a pelican of unknown origin!).
I live in Pinner, Middlesex, with most of my birding taking place at a variety of local sites. Tring Reservoirs, Stockers Lake, Jubilee River, Otmoor RSPB and Little Marlow GP are probably my most regular visited.
I grew up in East Sussex where I also bird regularly - Ashdown Forest, Weirwood Reservoir, Pulborough Brooks RSPB & Rye Harbour being particular favourites.
As I work, most of my birding typically takes place at weekends. However, I'm usually on the lookout where ever I am.
I usually expect to see 175-200 species most years with 2011 seeing my highest total with 219 species.
My life list is currently 274 species (although that does include five plastics - snow & bar headed goose, black swan, ruddy shelduck & a pelican of unknown origin!).
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