Whooper Swan feed at WWT Martin Mere....30/12/2011

This video took an age to upload on Youtube!! Apologies for the bumpy ride at the end of the video, I reckon I was pushed.lol!
My camera gave up the ghost after taking this video, the on/off switch went kaput! Maybe it was all the wet weather? I am borrowing a Panasonic FZ45 at present until I get my camera fixed. My pics may improve.lol!

A trip 'Up North'....29th-31st December 2011

North West to be precise, Burscough, Ormskirk, Lancashire! WWT Martin Mere was a reserve I have had on my 'to do' list. So on Boxing Day on impulse I booked a farm B&B that just happened to have it's land bordering the reserve and what a good B&B it was too! The farm won a woodland farm award in 1985 after planting a large number of trees, they took part in 'Operation Tree Sparrow' in 2004 which helped to create the ideal environment for birds on their land and an official bird survey discovered they had a huge number of bird species thriving in the area! Well done to them! Around the farm were Starling, House sparrow, Dunnock, Blue and Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Blackbird, Song Thrush and Robin, I am sure given more time and better weather I would have sighted Tree Sparrow, Corn Bunting and Skylark. Whooper Swans passed over the farmland early in the mornings, great to see and hear!
It was a very, no extremely windy day on the Thursday (29th)! A visit to RSPB Marshside Nature Reserve would have been much more enjoyable if it had stopped raining and the wind had died down somewhat, as it was you couldn't face the wind as it took your breath!! Birds viewed across the marsh from Sandgrounders Hide were Wigeon, Teal, Little Egret, Little Grebe, Coot, Moorhen, Grey Heron, Lapwing, Canada Geese, Pink Footed Geese, Curlew (1), Starlings and a fantastic display of speed from a hunting Peregrine!! High Tide was at 1.30pm but with the strong wind there was no way I was going to get out the scope and scan the shoreline. The visibilty was very poor but with binocular views it was clear that there were hundreds and hundreds of birds across the shoreline, maybe a visit sometime in the future will be more productive as far as positive species sightings go.
Friday the 30th and the wind had died down but goodness me did it rain...it didn't stop all day! However the weather did not stop the enjoyment of walking around WWT Martin Mere. On arrival a volunteer was most helpful in giving information about the reserve. The first stop was a coffee break then a quick walk around the 'Collection' area. The Asian short-clawed Otters were a real treat to see...when they kept still which wasn't very often.lol! The male Eider Ducks were very vocal but the females were not impressed as they ushered the males away, comical to see. A smart looking duck that I rarely have the pleasure of seeing 'in the wild'!
Views from the Ron barker Hide would have been better in drier weather however the two Marsh Harriers that were gliding low over the marshes and putting the Lapwings and Ducks up were an absolute delight to see. Highlight birds seen were Pintail, Shoveler, Shelduck, Teal, Tufted Duck, Pochard,and Ruff. High numbers of Pinkfeet, Whooper Swans, Lapwings and Wigeon were a joy to see! Tree Sparrows were seen around and on the feeders, I was particularly pleased to see these birds!
I noticed that Martin Mere has relatively few Jackdaws, Magpies and Crows in comparison to Slimbridge where every other bird seemed to be a Corvid. Very few visitors were about due no doubt to the torrential rain during the day, however it did not deter me, maybe 'Midlanders' are made of stronger stuff.lol! I purchased a signed copy of 'The Urban Birder' by David Lindo from the WWT shop, judging by the first couple of chapters it was a good purchase.
The people I spoke to 'Up North' during the short trip were all very helpful and friendly.
A good trip to end 2011 with and one which I hope to do again maybe in the Spring or early Autumn 2012.


Whooper Swans, Burscough.


RSPB Marshside


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WWT Martin Mere.....Collection Birds.

Andean Goose



Black-necked Swan

Chilean flamingo

Coscoroba Swan

Crested Screamer


Eider Duck

Patagonian Crested Duck


Rosybill

White-fronted Goose
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Pigeon Tree

Tree Sparrow

View from Ron Barker Hide, WWT Martin Mere



Whooper Swans on 'The Mere'

Happy New Years Day Mr. Robin....01/01/2012

My favourite bird the Robin was my first bird sighting in my garden on this New Years Day. I had heard a Robin and Blackbird when it was still dark and wondered which of the two would be the first sighted, as it happens I didn't sight a Blackbird until on my walk a couple of hours later. Woodpigeon, Dunnock, Carrion Crow, Magpie and Feral Pigeon were the next arrivals and in the afternoon a Sparrowhawk flew at speed across the garden.
I decided the circular walk around Brake Lane would be the best choice for a local walk today, a good choice as it turned out. A Fieldfare was the first bird spotted as I started my walk followed by a Blue Tit of which I was to see plenty of during the walk. Along a hedgerow were 5 Yellowhammers and a few Chaffinch plus a Robin. Nearing the bridleway and paddocks a green Woodpecker flew across the nearby field then I heard and saw a Jay, whilst scanning for the Jay I spotted a Treecreeper and then a Nuthatch! A mixed flock of Siskins and Goldfinch were feeding in the Alders that are in one of the huge gardens. A small flock of Long-tailed Tits were also in the same garden but Goldcrests normally seen in this area eluded me today. The bridleway was extremely muddy and slippy after the recent rain so caution was needed, hence my head was kept looking down instead of looking up ahead of me! Mistle Thrush, Fieldfare, Redwing and a flock of 30+ Pied Wagtails were seen in the paddock alongside the wooded area plus a few Blackbirds. On the lake were Black-headed Gulls (which are scanned for anything different, there never is though, one day maybe), the Mute Swan family, Mallards, Coot, Moorhen and a Little Grebe. As I arrived back at my car I spotted a bird perched on the wires that run alongside a public footpath between fields, a Corn Bunting thought I as I looked at the silhouetted shape through my bins! I walked slowly up the footpath and it was a Corn Bunting, I have seen a couple here in the past. As I walked back down the path I heard Skylarks and spotted four above me and then a Raven cronked as it flew over the field, a good end to my walk! I ended the walk with a count of 34 species, I was well pleased as the area covered is relatively small compared to other local walks.

A brief look back at 2011.

I look back on 2011 as being a good year for me. I have found some really good local areas and hope to seek out more in 2012. A highlight for me was in April when I found a female Ring Ouzel, I was over the moon with this self found sighting. A great feeling! WWT Broadmoor Wood was another highlight in April, the Bluebells looked awesome, another visit on the cards in 2012 will be a must! Anglesey in June was a great trip with Curlew Sandpiper and Common Rosefinch being a real treat to see! My Algarve holiday in June and the fantastic day of Guided Birding in the Alentejo was unforgettable. In July the two sub-adult Tawny Owls that I came across have to be high on my unforgettable moments list of 2011. My weekend in Wales was brill with visits to Ynis-hir, Cors Fochno and the Dyfi Osprey Project with super views of the male Osprey and 3 chicks! September in North Norfolk and my first UK Little Bittern at Titchwell also ranks high on my 2011 list! My October Algarve holiday was a real treat and in glorious sunshine, again a Little Bittern at Quinta do Lago was the highlight but all the birds I see in Portugal are a delight and the same goes for the UK! December has up to now been a good month, with the return of the Winter Thrushes that I have seen on my local walks and also the flocks of Siskins. My birding year hasn't quite finished yet so a post in the New Year will be forthcoming all being well.
All that is left for me to say now is 'Happy New Year and Great Birding to Everyone in 2012!

Holy Cross, Clent, Worcestershire....24/12/2011

A mid afternoon walk along a public footpath at Holy Cross produced Bullfinch, Goldfinch, Redpoll(sp), Blackbird, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit (20+, Goldcrest, Robin, Magpie, Redwing and a mystery bird silently swooping out of trees which was possibly a Tawny Owl, it was too fleeting for a positive ID. The views were splendid and on a clearer day would be even better. A new area for me and one that I hope to keep a check on throughout the changing seasons.

Merry Christmas everyone!

A Spring Like Day....22/12/2011

How lovely it was to be out walking in the glorious sunshine this morning, far removed from the dull and gloomy days of late. Two Grey Herons flying overhead were the first sighting as I started my walk in search of the Siskins that I had seen earlier in the week. On the lake were the usual birds minus the Tufted Ducks. There were plenty of Black-headed Gulls on the water and many were bathing, a large flock were in a ploughed field soaking up the sunshine. I caught up with the Siskins as they fed in a stretch of Alders, too many to count as they flitted from branch to branch, Goldfinch were mixed in with them. The sound of the Siskins twittering away as they fed was a pleasure to hear.I scanned the trees for Redpoll but the sun was very bright and for the most part I was looking at silhouettes. Blue and Great Tits were also in the Alders. Other highlight birds today were Long-tailed Tit, Blackbirds (plenty), Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Dunnock, singing Robin, Jay, Buzzard x 2 soaring, Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Green Woopdpecker that I had 3 sightings of possibly the same bird each time.








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An ebert of Siskins....20/12/2011

I intended my visit to the lake again to feed the Ducks etc to be a quick one, I wished once there that I could have stayed a little...no, a lot longer! On arrival 9 Fieldfare passed overhead then as I started to walk towards the lake I was amazed to see in the distance a flock of 90-100+ Siskins! Something must have startled them as they several times wheeled and turned, they looked like a murmuration of Starlings! I watched them for a couple of minutes until they disappeared from view beyond the trees! How I wished that I had more time to spend here and seek out the Siskins and whatever else was around and about, maybe tomorrow or Thursday.
The usual birds were on the lake with the addition of 3 Tufted Ducks (2m,1f). The melee began when the Black-headed Gulls lifted from the water and a nearby paddock! The Canada Geese again got short shrift from the Mute Swan family, I really do feel sorry for them.lol! A pair of Mallards where doing a courtship display, nodding their heads (or bobbing their bills) as they faced each other, nice to see. A Yellowhammer was a nice sighting perched on a hedgerow in the sunshine.