Lynford Arboretum

Highlights: Hawfinch, Common Crossbill, Marsh Tit, Nuthatch, Siskin, Sparrowhawk, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush and Goldcrest.

Marsh Tit

Common Crossbill

Hawfinch

Blue Tit

Nuthatch

Siskin














We then went on to Lackford Lakes to look for Bittern and Lesser Redpoll...

Highlights: Hot Chocolate and a bag of crisps. During the hour or so we spend walking round I took a total of zero photos.

Tawny Owl(s): Heard and SEEN

After hearing a Tawny Owl calling again this evening, we had to try and find it. We discovered there were in fact two birds calling to each other in close proximity. I managed to see one in flight briefly, and lit up by a street lamp, it was a spectacular view. Hopefully my next post on the owls will contain photos!

Tawny Owl

A Tawny Owl was calling at a very close distance from the house late this evening. The sounds it made were incredibly loud and fascinating to listen to. I went out to try and find the owl but the call was further away so it must have flown off.

Gibraltar Point NNR

RSPB Coach Trip Highlights: Red-Throated Diver, Common Scoter, Black Brant, Sanderling, Brent Goose, Shoveler, Bar-Tailed Godwit, Redshank, Sparrowhawk and two Porpoises.

61 species in total.

Shelduck

Shoveler

Shoveler

Reed Bunting

Redshank

Gibraltar Point

Gibraltar Point

Black Brant (back right, with the full white collar and white flanks)

RSPB Rainham Marshes

We had a great 2.5 mile guided walk around the reserve.

Highlights: Avocet, Cetti's Warbler, Dunlin, Pintail, Stonechat, Water Rail, Curlew, Golden Plover, Ruff, Rock Pipit, Snipe and Peregrine.
55 species in total.

Blue Tit

Stonechat (male)

Rock Pipit

Ruff

Ruff

Reed Bunting

Goldfinch

Dunnock

Gadwall

Amwell Nature Reserve

Highlights: Kingfisher, Siskin, Buzzard, Grey Heron, Reed Bunting, Shoveler and Song Thrush.
35 species in total.

Song Thrush

Song Thrush

Siskin

Lemsford Springs

Highlights: Green Sandpiper, Grey Heron, Little Egret and Grey Wagtail.

Little Egret

Little Egret

Green Sandpiper

Film of a Little Egret

East Hyde

Highlights: Jack Snipe, Common Snipe, Grey Wagtail, Teal, Little Grebe, Gadwall and Wren.

Jack Snipe

Grey Wagtail









Grey Wagtail

Pegston Hills

Highlights: Red Kite, Skylark, Green Woodpecker, Lapwing and Fieldfare.

Pegston Hills

Red Kite

Red Kite

An Evening with Chris Packham

We went to see Chris Packham talk about wildlife photography at the Gordon Craig Theatre this evening. The talk was very interesting and engaging and his photos were outstanding. It was a great evening and ended with me giving Chris my blog details and getting this photo with him.

Wallington Road (near Baldock)

Highlights: Grey Partridge, Yellowhammer, Buzzard, Red-Legged Partridge, Fieldfare and Kestrel.

Red-Legged Partridge

Buzzard

Hare

Ickleford Common

Highlights include; Kingfisher, Water Rail, Goldcrest, Yellowhammer, Chiffchaff, Grey Wagtail and Little Egret. 32 species in total.

Yellowhammer

Goldcrest

Water Rail

Wren

Grey Wagtail

Chiffchaff

Purwell Ninesprings

Today at Purwell Ninesprings: Jay, Reed Bunting, Great-Spotted Woodpecker, Wren, Song Thrush, Skylark and at least 2,000 Woodpigeon.

Woodpigeon

Woodpigeon

Woodpigeon

Song Thrush

Goldcrest in garden

We had great views of a goldcrest today in the garden for the first time in a while.

A day on the East coast...

Getting up at 5:15 and heading off to the coast in a couple of inches of snow - you'd have thought we were bonkers. But after a three-and-a-half hour journey we reached the east coast in blue sky and no freshly fallen snow on the ground. I took over a thousand photos and we saw 76 species of bird in total.

Salthouse Beach Car Park

We went to Salthouse in the hope of having good views of Snow Bunting (a bird I had never seen before) - instead we had incredible views. At one point we must have had about 20 of them within 7 or 8 metres. We also had close encounters with Knot, Dunlin, Turnstone and Teal. We also saw a few hundred Brent Geese fly over. A great start!

Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting

Snow Buntings

Snow Buntings

Knot

Turnstone

Dunlin

Teal