Starlings, Ham Wall RSPB
Tawny Owl, Moore NR
Yellow-legged Gull, Moore
This Herring Gull at Moore seemed to be too attached tl this Asda carrier bag! Fortunately the bird eventually got rid of the bag.
The only free water left at HGF
Long-eared Owl, Marton Mere
Kestrel, Marton Merexxxxxx
Saturday 4th December
Xxxxx
I started this morning with a trip to Moore. It was a winter wonderland with snow everywhere and hardly any people. I didn’t see a single birder while I was there. A few Fieldfares and Redwings were in the field behind the car park and a female Bullfinch was on the path to the gullers hide. A Buzzard also flew over. Birchwood Pool was largely frozen except for a strip of free water far left. A few thousand gulls, mostly Black-headed and Herring, were either bathing here or stood on the ice.
Xxxxx
It was clear that there were decent numbers of gulls over the tip, however the tipping was taking place off to the left (from the hide) and most of the gulls were not clearly visible. There was a high turn over of gulls coming down to bathe and then leaving but relatively few large gulls. In fact I only saw 2 Great Black-backed Gulls all morning. The best two spots were an adult Yellow-legged Gull and a ringed argenteus Herring Gull. The latter (WB8T) was ringed as a pullus at South Walney Nature Reserve in the summer of 2006 and has not been spotted since. Like the ringer I wonder where it has been all this time? The Tawny Owl was in its usual roost, around the pool I picked up a Jay and a Kingfisher and then 2 more female Bullfinches back by the car park.
Xxxxxx
At HGF today the 2 Dunlin from yesterday were still present. A few Lapwings were asleep in the snow out on the ice. In the garden today few Tree Sparrows but 2 Reed Buntings and a Yellowhammer improved things. The partially leucistic Collared Dove is also visiting regularly. Around 50 Tree Sparrows and 3 Yellowhammers were at the feeding station. A Weasal also appeared here and kept popping up out of a tussock of grass near a Yellowhammer before retreating. Eventually it dashed off across the field.
xxxxx
Sunday 5th December
Xxxxx
Today was an absolute stinker for weather. Thick, freezing fog all day. A visit to HGF didn’t produce anything much. The Wigeon and Coots were still in the free strip of water – I suspect it is remaining free due to the concentration of birds here. There were lots of large gulls on the ice – unfortunately I couldn’t identify any of them because of the pea-souper.
Xxxxx
The feeding station held around 50+ Tree Sparrows with a Yellowhammer (male) and a few Chaffinches. A Buzzard was perched on its usual fenceline nearby and 8 Skylarks were in the stubble field opposite the feeding station. Up to 40 Tree Sparrows were hanging around in the garden today. For some reason they seem to prefer feeding here at the moment in preference to the feeding station despite the fact that there is more food at the latter site. I wonder why? 3 Reed Buntings and a Yellowhammer (female) plus the Pheasant were also in the garden today. In truth it was extremely busy with birdlife all day.
Xxxxxx
The highlight of the day appeared mid afternoon. I had gone into the foggy back garden to carry out some work on the rabbit runs. As soon as I stepped outside I heard multiple loud trills and looked up to see a Waxwing flock in the large Ash tree. I started flapping a bit and dashed back into the house before re-emerging with bins and my digiscoping camera. The Waxwings seemed to be making loads of noise – presumably the fog was concentrating their calls. There were at least 52 birds – they stayed for only around ten minutes and then flew off. I was really bowled over by the visit of these birds! To round off a cracking day in the garden I also had a garden tick today in the shape of a Grey Wagtail – presumably the bird that has been hanging around Waterworks Lane. It spent a while walking around the rabbit runs looking for insects.
Xxxxx
Monday December 6th
Xxxx
The Tree Sparrows in the garden this morning numbered at least 55 – by far the largest count I have made in the garden. A Yellowhammer was also present – it was very foggy again though and I didn’t have time to watch them for long. At HGF the fog finally lifted a bit. The pool is still almost completely frozen with the one narrow strip of free water. This morning the usual 47 Wigeon and 82 Coot were joined by a drake Shoveler. There were quite a few gulls on the ice with an increase in Common Gull numbers. 9 Grey Partridges were running around in Midhops paddock.
xxxxx
Having driven down through the country in freezing fog for several hours today I arrived in Somerset early (nowhere near as much traffic on the roads as I expected) and I decided to head over to Ham Wall RSPB for dusk. Everywhere today has been smothered in fog so it was a pleasure to walk around a reserve free of fog. Of all the new places I have visited this year, Shapwick Heath / Ham Wall is by far and away my favourite. This is a relatively new reserve – apparently the reed bed has only just matured and this is thought to be one of the main attractions for the Starlings. The first booming male Bittern only appeared here four years ago – this year there were 13 present!
Xxxxx
Various birds popped up as I walked towards the viewing platform. A Buzzard and then a Sparrowhawk flew across the path. Four Bullfinches flew out of the top of a tree, a Cetti’s Warbler called from some reeds near the bridge and a Water Rail crept along the ice in one of the frozen ditches. There were just a few birders present tonight and the sky was overcast even if it was free of fog. A Bittern flew out of the reed bed in front of us and headed straight over us. A flock of around 40 Lesser Redpolls also appeared in the top of a tree near the viewing screens and another Water Rail wandered around in a frozen ditch. Three more Water Rails were heard screaming and two more Cetti’s Warblers calling.
Xxxxx
It wasn’t long before the first Starlings started to appear. Almost immediately a Marsh Harrier appeared and seemed to have a half-hearted pop at the Starlings. Shortly after a Peregrine appeared and had a right go at the Starlings causing the flock to produce some stunning effects as it tried to evade the raptor. The Peregrine then had a pop at the Marsh Harrier before resuming its efforts at the Starlings. I think it mush have caught one – it dropped into the reeds and vanished for around 20 minutes before flying out again and causing mayhem once more.
Xxxxx
More and more Starlings poured in. They were not putting on great displays and were dropping straight into the reeds; however the sheer numbers were boggling. I conservatively estimate at least one million birds arrived tonight!!! A female Sparrowhawk also appeared and had a go at them while two Ravens and another Bittern flew over. A Woodcock also called from a small thicket of trees just as the light started to fade. I began to wander back towards the car park while listening to a calling Tawny Owl. At one place the path is much higher than the grassy strip bordering a reed bed and is also partly screen by a four foot bramble hedge. I looked down onto this area while being partly obscured – suddenly a Woodcock flew out followed by a Snipe which whizzed right past me. The source of their fright then appeared – a Barn Owl which ghosted along the grassy strip directly below me!
Xxxx
What a bloody amazing evening’s birding. I was only there for a short time and I saw a stunning line up of birds with the Starling Spectacular being the crowning glory. I really wish I could bottle up this experience and re-live it when I wanted!
Xxxxx
Thursday 9th December
Xxxx
Seven Tree Sparrows in the appeared in the garden just before I set off for work. At lunch I nipped over to HGF. The temperature was a balmy 7°C though the only free water was a small pool around 20 feet in diameter. 43 Wigeon, 12 Coots, 3 Mute Swans and 16 Mallard were crammed in here. On the ice were 135 Black-headed Gulls and 36 Common Gulls.
Xxxxx
The feeding station was busy today. After being away for several days I suspect they had long since hammered the last lot of seed and were hungry. 55 Tree Sparrows were joined by 34 House Sparrows, 22 Chaffinches and 6 Yellowhammers.
Xxxxx
I started this morning with a trip to Moore. It was a winter wonderland with snow everywhere and hardly any people. I didn’t see a single birder while I was there. A few Fieldfares and Redwings were in the field behind the car park and a female Bullfinch was on the path to the gullers hide. A Buzzard also flew over. Birchwood Pool was largely frozen except for a strip of free water far left. A few thousand gulls, mostly Black-headed and Herring, were either bathing here or stood on the ice.
Xxxxx
It was clear that there were decent numbers of gulls over the tip, however the tipping was taking place off to the left (from the hide) and most of the gulls were not clearly visible. There was a high turn over of gulls coming down to bathe and then leaving but relatively few large gulls. In fact I only saw 2 Great Black-backed Gulls all morning. The best two spots were an adult Yellow-legged Gull and a ringed argenteus Herring Gull. The latter (WB8T) was ringed as a pullus at South Walney Nature Reserve in the summer of 2006 and has not been spotted since. Like the ringer I wonder where it has been all this time? The Tawny Owl was in its usual roost, around the pool I picked up a Jay and a Kingfisher and then 2 more female Bullfinches back by the car park.
Xxxxxx
At HGF today the 2 Dunlin from yesterday were still present. A few Lapwings were asleep in the snow out on the ice. In the garden today few Tree Sparrows but 2 Reed Buntings and a Yellowhammer improved things. The partially leucistic Collared Dove is also visiting regularly. Around 50 Tree Sparrows and 3 Yellowhammers were at the feeding station. A Weasal also appeared here and kept popping up out of a tussock of grass near a Yellowhammer before retreating. Eventually it dashed off across the field.
xxxxx
Sunday 5th December
Xxxxx
Today was an absolute stinker for weather. Thick, freezing fog all day. A visit to HGF didn’t produce anything much. The Wigeon and Coots were still in the free strip of water – I suspect it is remaining free due to the concentration of birds here. There were lots of large gulls on the ice – unfortunately I couldn’t identify any of them because of the pea-souper.
Xxxxx
The feeding station held around 50+ Tree Sparrows with a Yellowhammer (male) and a few Chaffinches. A Buzzard was perched on its usual fenceline nearby and 8 Skylarks were in the stubble field opposite the feeding station. Up to 40 Tree Sparrows were hanging around in the garden today. For some reason they seem to prefer feeding here at the moment in preference to the feeding station despite the fact that there is more food at the latter site. I wonder why? 3 Reed Buntings and a Yellowhammer (female) plus the Pheasant were also in the garden today. In truth it was extremely busy with birdlife all day.
Xxxxxx
The highlight of the day appeared mid afternoon. I had gone into the foggy back garden to carry out some work on the rabbit runs. As soon as I stepped outside I heard multiple loud trills and looked up to see a Waxwing flock in the large Ash tree. I started flapping a bit and dashed back into the house before re-emerging with bins and my digiscoping camera. The Waxwings seemed to be making loads of noise – presumably the fog was concentrating their calls. There were at least 52 birds – they stayed for only around ten minutes and then flew off. I was really bowled over by the visit of these birds! To round off a cracking day in the garden I also had a garden tick today in the shape of a Grey Wagtail – presumably the bird that has been hanging around Waterworks Lane. It spent a while walking around the rabbit runs looking for insects.
Xxxxx
Monday December 6th
Xxxx
The Tree Sparrows in the garden this morning numbered at least 55 – by far the largest count I have made in the garden. A Yellowhammer was also present – it was very foggy again though and I didn’t have time to watch them for long. At HGF the fog finally lifted a bit. The pool is still almost completely frozen with the one narrow strip of free water. This morning the usual 47 Wigeon and 82 Coot were joined by a drake Shoveler. There were quite a few gulls on the ice with an increase in Common Gull numbers. 9 Grey Partridges were running around in Midhops paddock.
xxxxx
Having driven down through the country in freezing fog for several hours today I arrived in Somerset early (nowhere near as much traffic on the roads as I expected) and I decided to head over to Ham Wall RSPB for dusk. Everywhere today has been smothered in fog so it was a pleasure to walk around a reserve free of fog. Of all the new places I have visited this year, Shapwick Heath / Ham Wall is by far and away my favourite. This is a relatively new reserve – apparently the reed bed has only just matured and this is thought to be one of the main attractions for the Starlings. The first booming male Bittern only appeared here four years ago – this year there were 13 present!
Xxxxx
Various birds popped up as I walked towards the viewing platform. A Buzzard and then a Sparrowhawk flew across the path. Four Bullfinches flew out of the top of a tree, a Cetti’s Warbler called from some reeds near the bridge and a Water Rail crept along the ice in one of the frozen ditches. There were just a few birders present tonight and the sky was overcast even if it was free of fog. A Bittern flew out of the reed bed in front of us and headed straight over us. A flock of around 40 Lesser Redpolls also appeared in the top of a tree near the viewing screens and another Water Rail wandered around in a frozen ditch. Three more Water Rails were heard screaming and two more Cetti’s Warblers calling.
Xxxxx
It wasn’t long before the first Starlings started to appear. Almost immediately a Marsh Harrier appeared and seemed to have a half-hearted pop at the Starlings. Shortly after a Peregrine appeared and had a right go at the Starlings causing the flock to produce some stunning effects as it tried to evade the raptor. The Peregrine then had a pop at the Marsh Harrier before resuming its efforts at the Starlings. I think it mush have caught one – it dropped into the reeds and vanished for around 20 minutes before flying out again and causing mayhem once more.
Xxxxx
More and more Starlings poured in. They were not putting on great displays and were dropping straight into the reeds; however the sheer numbers were boggling. I conservatively estimate at least one million birds arrived tonight!!! A female Sparrowhawk also appeared and had a go at them while two Ravens and another Bittern flew over. A Woodcock also called from a small thicket of trees just as the light started to fade. I began to wander back towards the car park while listening to a calling Tawny Owl. At one place the path is much higher than the grassy strip bordering a reed bed and is also partly screen by a four foot bramble hedge. I looked down onto this area while being partly obscured – suddenly a Woodcock flew out followed by a Snipe which whizzed right past me. The source of their fright then appeared – a Barn Owl which ghosted along the grassy strip directly below me!
Xxxx
What a bloody amazing evening’s birding. I was only there for a short time and I saw a stunning line up of birds with the Starling Spectacular being the crowning glory. I really wish I could bottle up this experience and re-live it when I wanted!
Xxxxx
Thursday 9th December
Xxxx
Seven Tree Sparrows in the appeared in the garden just before I set off for work. At lunch I nipped over to HGF. The temperature was a balmy 7°C though the only free water was a small pool around 20 feet in diameter. 43 Wigeon, 12 Coots, 3 Mute Swans and 16 Mallard were crammed in here. On the ice were 135 Black-headed Gulls and 36 Common Gulls.
Xxxxx
The feeding station was busy today. After being away for several days I suspect they had long since hammered the last lot of seed and were hungry. 55 Tree Sparrows were joined by 34 House Sparrows, 22 Chaffinches and 6 Yellowhammers.
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