Photos:
Adult Yellow-legged and Caspian Gulls, Albert Village Lake
19th December
Day started with an early morning trip to HGF. The Tufty numbers have increased slightly to 41 (11 Pochards also) and the sole Little Grebe and long-staying Goldeneye were both there. A flock of around 50 Lapwings was wheeling over the pool.
26 Tree Sparrows were present at the feeding station (had a quick look on my way past when I went to work) with the usual Buzzard and Kestrel further up the lane.
At lunch I managed to escape the office and get over to Rixton for an hour. Moat Lane pools were quiet though three Cormorants were drying themselves on a little mud bar. Previously rare on these pools, a group of up to five birds seems to have been present quite regularly for the last month or so.
The tip pool and tip were quiet – few Starlings and no gulls. I then wandered up Holly Bush Lane and noticed a flock of birds feeding in the pumpkin patch near the top so I stopped to watch. Around 21 Fieldfares were there – they quickly disappeared. There was also a decent mixed flock of finches and buntings etc which all perched up in the nearby hedge. There were around 40 Chaffinches, 25 Yellowhammers, 9 Reed Buntings and 6 Tree Sparrows. Not a bad haul for this place!
Later in the afternoon while on an errand I stopped briefly at the entrance to Barrow Lane to scan the turnip / swede field opposite. No finches or thrushes as last time, however a couple of Bullfinches more than made up for it.
Late afternoon I made my way to Risley Moss for a lock in session. A male Bullfinch was hanging around on the feeders, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers passed through and while walking up the path a male Sparrowhawk had dashed across in front of me. A Kestrel was also hunting over the moss. Jonathan then appeared so we had a natter while birding. Another Sparrowhawk and then possibly a third appeared and, when the light was getting really bad, a couple of Short-eared Owls got up. 13 Snipe and 5 Woodcock also flew past in the gloom.
20th and 21st December
No birding.
22nd December
Travelling again so I managed a quick hour at Albert Village Lake, again hoping to see the nr adult Glaucous Gull. Lots of gulls were around and before long I latched onto a good candidate for a Caspian Gull. It seemed to tick all of the boxes except for seeing the underwings so I now had a dilemma. It was cruising around one side of the lake and was highly mobile – the Glauc usually drops in on the other side. I decided to stick with the Casp hoping it would show me its wings and in doing so maybe I would miss the Glauc doing a splash and dash (apparently it never stays long on the pool). It took 25 minutes before I could confirm the Caspian Gull. I also found an adult Yellow-legged Gull but no Glauc. I later bumped into Steve Lister – the local gull enthusiast and also country recorder for Leicestershire and Rutland. I was surprised to find Steve had seen four Caspians that day (on the tip though) and up to six different birds had been visiting the lake recently. The Glauc had been present on the tip all day.
23rd December
No change at HGF this morning. Lone Little Grebe and Goldeneye still present. 8 Tree Sparrows and 3 Yellowhammers were at my feeding station later on. A very brief look at Moat Lane pools later on didn’t produce much – 6 Gadwall being the pick. The Mute Swan JP4 is still there though.
24th December
Well the Goldeneye that has been present since 13th November did one overnight. Six weeks is a very long stay for a Goldeneye on HGF. A couple of Mute Swans were new. 9 Grey Partridges were at the feeding station (no sparrows) with the covey of five hogging the better feeding spot. 10 Blackbirds emerged from the roost in the garden today and 35 Goldfinches were on the feeders.
Day started with an early morning trip to HGF. The Tufty numbers have increased slightly to 41 (11 Pochards also) and the sole Little Grebe and long-staying Goldeneye were both there. A flock of around 50 Lapwings was wheeling over the pool.
26 Tree Sparrows were present at the feeding station (had a quick look on my way past when I went to work) with the usual Buzzard and Kestrel further up the lane.
At lunch I managed to escape the office and get over to Rixton for an hour. Moat Lane pools were quiet though three Cormorants were drying themselves on a little mud bar. Previously rare on these pools, a group of up to five birds seems to have been present quite regularly for the last month or so.
The tip pool and tip were quiet – few Starlings and no gulls. I then wandered up Holly Bush Lane and noticed a flock of birds feeding in the pumpkin patch near the top so I stopped to watch. Around 21 Fieldfares were there – they quickly disappeared. There was also a decent mixed flock of finches and buntings etc which all perched up in the nearby hedge. There were around 40 Chaffinches, 25 Yellowhammers, 9 Reed Buntings and 6 Tree Sparrows. Not a bad haul for this place!
Later in the afternoon while on an errand I stopped briefly at the entrance to Barrow Lane to scan the turnip / swede field opposite. No finches or thrushes as last time, however a couple of Bullfinches more than made up for it.
Late afternoon I made my way to Risley Moss for a lock in session. A male Bullfinch was hanging around on the feeders, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers passed through and while walking up the path a male Sparrowhawk had dashed across in front of me. A Kestrel was also hunting over the moss. Jonathan then appeared so we had a natter while birding. Another Sparrowhawk and then possibly a third appeared and, when the light was getting really bad, a couple of Short-eared Owls got up. 13 Snipe and 5 Woodcock also flew past in the gloom.
20th and 21st December
No birding.
22nd December
Travelling again so I managed a quick hour at Albert Village Lake, again hoping to see the nr adult Glaucous Gull. Lots of gulls were around and before long I latched onto a good candidate for a Caspian Gull. It seemed to tick all of the boxes except for seeing the underwings so I now had a dilemma. It was cruising around one side of the lake and was highly mobile – the Glauc usually drops in on the other side. I decided to stick with the Casp hoping it would show me its wings and in doing so maybe I would miss the Glauc doing a splash and dash (apparently it never stays long on the pool). It took 25 minutes before I could confirm the Caspian Gull. I also found an adult Yellow-legged Gull but no Glauc. I later bumped into Steve Lister – the local gull enthusiast and also country recorder for Leicestershire and Rutland. I was surprised to find Steve had seen four Caspians that day (on the tip though) and up to six different birds had been visiting the lake recently. The Glauc had been present on the tip all day.
23rd December
No change at HGF this morning. Lone Little Grebe and Goldeneye still present. 8 Tree Sparrows and 3 Yellowhammers were at my feeding station later on. A very brief look at Moat Lane pools later on didn’t produce much – 6 Gadwall being the pick. The Mute Swan JP4 is still there though.
24th December
Well the Goldeneye that has been present since 13th November did one overnight. Six weeks is a very long stay for a Goldeneye on HGF. A couple of Mute Swans were new. 9 Grey Partridges were at the feeding station (no sparrows) with the covey of five hogging the better feeding spot. 10 Blackbirds emerged from the roost in the garden today and 35 Goldfinches were on the feeders.
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