20th April - I made a quick stop this afternoon before the school pick-up and found Stan B by the bench who said that he had had a Cuckoo calling 15 minutes earlier. A few minutes later and right on cue, it started up again, calling from the north eastern side. This is a fairly typical arrival date for me for Cuckoo and always a nice bird to hear in Spring.
Yesterday evening, Mick M, Alan S and myself found a 2cy Herring Gull with a red darvic on its left leg. After a bit of effort through Mick's 60x lens, we eventually read it as LX4T. This fits the coding and colour of the North Thames Gull Group and they have replied saying that the gull was ringed at Pitsea Landfill on March 10th, just under 6 weeks ago. A map is shown here:
http://www.ntgg.org.uk/cgi-bin/map.cgi?p=recmap&t=r&r=GR58197
Friday, 20 April 2012
Doe a Deer
20th April - an early morning visit and a welcome sunny morning after the wet weather of late. The lake was clouded in mist initially, but lifted to reveal 2 Common Sandpipers on the end of the spit and 6 Common Terns. There never seem to be large numbers of these first thing on the lake and many are fishing along the river at this time.
A walk around the pit found no new warblers in - it's getting quite late now and I've only had 1 Sedge briefly and no Reeds or Whitethroats yet! Hopefully it won't be too long before they are all flooding in.
In the field on the northern side, 3 doe Roe Deer were feeding and seemed little concerned with me. I have seen a few of these recently and up to 2 velvety antlered bucks. they have even been in the reeds at the base of the spit.
A single Swallow over the lake was the only hirundine noted - what a difference the weather makes to the numbers of these birds seen.
Forgot to say that there was a fledgling Song Thrush on the path in the SE corner.
A walk around the pit found no new warblers in - it's getting quite late now and I've only had 1 Sedge briefly and no Reeds or Whitethroats yet! Hopefully it won't be too long before they are all flooding in.
In the field on the northern side, 3 doe Roe Deer were feeding and seemed little concerned with me. I have seen a few of these recently and up to 2 velvety antlered bucks. they have even been in the reeds at the base of the spit.
A single Swallow over the lake was the only hirundine noted - what a difference the weather makes to the numbers of these birds seen.
Forgot to say that there was a fledgling Song Thrush on the path in the SE corner.
Wednesday, 18 April 2012
Wet Weather Continues
18th April - I made a quick 20 minute visit before work to see if I could emulate yesterday. If anything, it was even wetter with more persistent rain. All I could find was 4 Common Terns looking rather soggy on the spit.
An early afternoon visit found a noticeable increase in tern numbers, but all I could find were Commons. My highest count when I arrived was 18 and by the time I left it had peaked at 22, so obviously still some movement.
Just before I left, many of the terns started to land on the near spit and eventually 15 had settled with the remaining 7 flying over the eastern side. I took some record shots of this group and noticed in one of the photos that 1 bears what looks like a BTO ring on its right leg - no chance of reading that though.
Suddenly at 2:45pm, all 15 birds took off in a tight group together with a similar number of Black-headed Gulls and flew towards the southern bank. I thought that perhaps they had decided to leave ahead of some weather, but then just above me, a Peregrine cruised down the west bank, which explained their reaction. It continued to the south west corner and then veered westwards over the STW. It looked to be a sub adult type, with brownish tones to the plumage and some vertical striping to the undersides - a nice year tick, regular but not easy.
An early afternoon visit found a noticeable increase in tern numbers, but all I could find were Commons. My highest count when I arrived was 18 and by the time I left it had peaked at 22, so obviously still some movement.
Just before I left, many of the terns started to land on the near spit and eventually 15 had settled with the remaining 7 flying over the eastern side. I took some record shots of this group and noticed in one of the photos that 1 bears what looks like a BTO ring on its right leg - no chance of reading that though.
 |
| The bird on the right has a ring |
 |
| The same bird with the ring is in the middle |
Suddenly at 2:45pm, all 15 birds took off in a tight group together with a similar number of Black-headed Gulls and flew towards the southern bank. I thought that perhaps they had decided to leave ahead of some weather, but then just above me, a Peregrine cruised down the west bank, which explained their reaction. It continued to the south west corner and then veered westwards over the STW. It looked to be a sub adult type, with brownish tones to the plumage and some vertical striping to the undersides - a nice year tick, regular but not easy.
Tuesday, 17 April 2012
Rain Brings in the Terns
17th April - a weather front moved through the region last night and this morning and I was hopeful that the associated rain might bring in some good terns or gulls to the pit.
I arrived at about 9am as the rain was beginning to ease, but I still needed a brolly to avoid getting soaked. A large pale tern was sitting on the spit in front of the island with six Common Terns - an adult summer Sandwich Tern - a good start and my second here this spring. I attempted a record shot through the rain and murk and you can just about make it out.
About 5 minutes later and this group of terns took off and departed over the southern hedge, I assume back to the river where they had probably come from. Shortly later, the rain began to pour again, so maybe they moved off ahead of this. The Sandwich did not return during the rest of the morning.
3 Yellow Wagtails were also working their way around the spit, which was a year tick. They remained until the rain stopped, when 2 flew off north followed 5 minutes later by the third. Again, a poor record shot in bad conditions shows 2 of the 3 birds.
It was now about 9:40am and the weather was showing distinct signs of improving. I noticed a long-tailed commic tern arrive fairly high from the river in the south-east corner and sure enough it was a nice adult Arctic Tern. It flew fairly high over the lake on the eastern side and then descended on to the near spit where I was able to grab a couple of reasonable records. The long projecting tail streamers can be seen as well as the blood red bill, which unusually had a blackish tip. The ridiculously short legs are hidden by a stick.
The Arctic and many of the Commons appeared to depart to the south about 30 minutes later, presumably going back to the river. I decided to check the meadow and whilst doing this Mick M phoned to say he was on site. I walked back across the railway to the lake and noticed an Arctic Tern was back on the spit just as Mick phoned me - I answered 'Have you seen it?' to which he replied, 'I've just had a Short-eared Owl in the south-east corner being mobbed by hirundines, but I've lost it!' What! I quickly went back to the meadow and scanned eastwards, but nothing, back to the lake looking east, nothing. I made my way back to the bench and Mick and spent the next 30 minutes scanning, but the Owl was not seen again. The Arctic Tern had taken to flying around the south-east corner with Commons (maximum number seen was 12), so I walked around and got fantastic views to a few yards as it flew backwards and forwards. I tried some record shots with a hand held - shame I don't have a proper DSLR as it would have been very photogenic.
I carried on around the pit and came across my first Sedge Warbler of the year, a little late, singing in reeds in the north-east corner.
So a productive morning. The same Arctic Tern was still present at 3pm when I made a quick visit before school pick-up. However, an Arctic Tern seen in the evening had an obvious broken tail streamer, so is a different bird to this one.
I arrived at about 9am as the rain was beginning to ease, but I still needed a brolly to avoid getting soaked. A large pale tern was sitting on the spit in front of the island with six Common Terns - an adult summer Sandwich Tern - a good start and my second here this spring. I attempted a record shot through the rain and murk and you can just about make it out.
About 5 minutes later and this group of terns took off and departed over the southern hedge, I assume back to the river where they had probably come from. Shortly later, the rain began to pour again, so maybe they moved off ahead of this. The Sandwich did not return during the rest of the morning.
3 Yellow Wagtails were also working their way around the spit, which was a year tick. They remained until the rain stopped, when 2 flew off north followed 5 minutes later by the third. Again, a poor record shot in bad conditions shows 2 of the 3 birds.
It was now about 9:40am and the weather was showing distinct signs of improving. I noticed a long-tailed commic tern arrive fairly high from the river in the south-east corner and sure enough it was a nice adult Arctic Tern. It flew fairly high over the lake on the eastern side and then descended on to the near spit where I was able to grab a couple of reasonable records. The long projecting tail streamers can be seen as well as the blood red bill, which unusually had a blackish tip. The ridiculously short legs are hidden by a stick.
The Arctic and many of the Commons appeared to depart to the south about 30 minutes later, presumably going back to the river. I decided to check the meadow and whilst doing this Mick M phoned to say he was on site. I walked back across the railway to the lake and noticed an Arctic Tern was back on the spit just as Mick phoned me - I answered 'Have you seen it?' to which he replied, 'I've just had a Short-eared Owl in the south-east corner being mobbed by hirundines, but I've lost it!' What! I quickly went back to the meadow and scanned eastwards, but nothing, back to the lake looking east, nothing. I made my way back to the bench and Mick and spent the next 30 minutes scanning, but the Owl was not seen again. The Arctic Tern had taken to flying around the south-east corner with Commons (maximum number seen was 12), so I walked around and got fantastic views to a few yards as it flew backwards and forwards. I tried some record shots with a hand held - shame I don't have a proper DSLR as it would have been very photogenic.
I carried on around the pit and came across my first Sedge Warbler of the year, a little late, singing in reeds in the north-east corner.
So a productive morning. The same Arctic Tern was still present at 3pm when I made a quick visit before school pick-up. However, an Arctic Tern seen in the evening had an obvious broken tail streamer, so is a different bird to this one.
Sunday, 15 April 2012
Mandy
15th April - I made an early morning visit today. The spit was devoid of any waders and a walk around the pit found no Sedge or Reed Warblers, though 5-6 Willow warblers had joined the throng of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs. No wagtails in the paddocks or meadows, but it was pretty cold - only 4-5 degrees.
Best bird of the morning and a year tick was a male Mandarin that flew across the north side of the lake from the east at 7:30am. I was watching from the north bank so had a good view as it flew across and on over the workings. I couldn't find it later on the west side so don't know if it landed or not. Not an easy bird to get at the pit, so a welcome find.
Best bird of the morning and a year tick was a male Mandarin that flew across the north side of the lake from the east at 7:30am. I was watching from the north bank so had a good view as it flew across and on over the workings. I couldn't find it later on the west side so don't know if it landed or not. Not an easy bird to get at the pit, so a welcome find.
Saturday, 14 April 2012
Dipping and Gripping
14th April - weekends are not great for me getting to the patch much, but regular Alan S keeps me updated on any good birds that he sees. Today at 13:38, I received a text to say that an Osprey had just gone through. I was in the garden at the time and spent a few minutes watching the sky to see if it might pass through my air space - I have seen a couple in the past 2 years, but both in August, so know they use the valley as a migration route on occasion. When I found out that the bird appeared to have had a fishing attempt and was seen hovering, I decided to make a quick trip to the pit to see if it might return. Inevitably it didn't! However, whilst on site, I noticed that there were a lot of hirundines flying fairly high over the southern bank/meadow and whilst watching these, first 1 Swift appeared and then another - these are my earliest ever Swifts and a good week earlier than I normally see them.
I returned home just in time to get another call informing me of 5 Yellow and 1 White Wagtail in the paddock - ah well, they would have to wait for another day.
Finally, at 19:45, yet another text - this time a female Marsh Harrier that had attempted to roost in the spit reed bed, but had been seen off by the local Jackdaws - aagh!
Great birds for Alan et al, but 2 there that I might not see this year.
I returned home just in time to get another call informing me of 5 Yellow and 1 White Wagtail in the paddock - ah well, they would have to wait for another day.
Finally, at 19:45, yet another text - this time a female Marsh Harrier that had attempted to roost in the spit reed bed, but had been seen off by the local Jackdaws - aagh!
Great birds for Alan et al, but 2 there that I might not see this year.
Off Patch Migration
13th April - another quick pre-work visit found nothing new on the patch, although Common Terns are now in in some numbers.
On the way home I decided to take a look at a site just over a mile up the hill off Pump Lane, which is also about a mile from home. I don't watch here regularly, but it is a favoured spot for Whinchat and Wheatear and used to hold Corn Buntings not too long ago. In fact, a Wheatear and Corn Bunting from the previous day were the reason for my visit. I walked the path on the west side of Pump Lane and failed to find either. On the way back up the lane, I decided to look at the horse paddocks on the east side, again a site I have looked at a handful of times in the past. The first birds I saw were Fieldfare, 4 feeding. I walked 50 yards down the path and then noticed 2 pale birds in the top corner of the near paddock - a pair of Wheatear. This was better. I scanned the paddocks and fences and a few minutes later another couple of Wheatear appeared in the valley. Then suddenly, below me in the valley, I caught sight of a red-tailed bird alighting on the fence - a lovely male Redstart - this was getting even better. I grabbed some record shots as the bird fed along the exposed fence line. It was showing extremely well and seemed little concerned with me, though I wasn't moving from my position. As I watched him working along the fence line, a female Redstart appeared on the ground in the paddock and after sitting on the fence a couple of times flew into the near hedge line.
Conscious of my work commitments, I had to leave, so couldn't give this site a full working over, but put the news out. Alan S and Mick M were the first people on site not long later and found a further female Redstart, a further Wheatear and a White Wagtail feeding around the horses (wish I'd taken a closer look at the wagtails I'd seen earlier, as I didn't give them a second glance!). A great morning and a site I shall be checking more regularly in the future!
On the way home I decided to take a look at a site just over a mile up the hill off Pump Lane, which is also about a mile from home. I don't watch here regularly, but it is a favoured spot for Whinchat and Wheatear and used to hold Corn Buntings not too long ago. In fact, a Wheatear and Corn Bunting from the previous day were the reason for my visit. I walked the path on the west side of Pump Lane and failed to find either. On the way back up the lane, I decided to look at the horse paddocks on the east side, again a site I have looked at a handful of times in the past. The first birds I saw were Fieldfare, 4 feeding. I walked 50 yards down the path and then noticed 2 pale birds in the top corner of the near paddock - a pair of Wheatear. This was better. I scanned the paddocks and fences and a few minutes later another couple of Wheatear appeared in the valley. Then suddenly, below me in the valley, I caught sight of a red-tailed bird alighting on the fence - a lovely male Redstart - this was getting even better. I grabbed some record shots as the bird fed along the exposed fence line. It was showing extremely well and seemed little concerned with me, though I wasn't moving from my position. As I watched him working along the fence line, a female Redstart appeared on the ground in the paddock and after sitting on the fence a couple of times flew into the near hedge line.
Conscious of my work commitments, I had to leave, so couldn't give this site a full working over, but put the news out. Alan S and Mick M were the first people on site not long later and found a further female Redstart, a further Wheatear and a White Wagtail feeding around the horses (wish I'd taken a closer look at the wagtails I'd seen earlier, as I didn't give them a second glance!). A great morning and a site I shall be checking more regularly in the future!
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