January 24th 2011

Still at least 60+ birds present on Kingswood Rd this morning apart from when Max came went just 1 bird was present but showing very well (just a shame about the light) still quite a few people coming to visit the birds from as far away as Stratford so pleased that the birds are putting on a show! Took a trip up Seeswood Pool to have a look for the 1st Winter White-fronted Goose with mssrs J Liggins & A Burton & sure enough the bird was still present,went back in the afternoon where i met up with Terry Southgate,Mo & Dennis Woodward & the conclusion is that this is the recent Marsh Lane bird going on the bird showing a juv belly plumage but 1st winter face!

White-fronted Goose

January 23rd 2011

Seeswood Pool

Decided to check on the pool this afternoon,been a birdless place for the last few months & i seem to have neglected it,so a friendly word in my ear Fri night (Thanks Steve) that i might miss something if i didn't keep a check on the place had me up there with the dog!! straight away 6 Goosander (3m 3f) a good site record along with 9 Pochard a quick scan thru the Greylag Geese & bingo a 1st Winter European White-fronted Goose,only the 3rd record for the pool (1st record 1/3/1960 2nd record 15/4/1990) So well worth the visit! took the pooch home then went back to get some record shots above.

January 23rd 2011

Waxwings Galore!!

Decided to stay local today,checked out my local Waxwings at 08:30 when 30 birds were present by 09:30 upto 148 birds were present!! A superb sight & sound!! It also produced probably Grove Farms 1st mini twitch with at least 10 birders at any one time!! Hopefully they all went home happy!! Photos above from Y'days session as the light is not really good enough today!

January 21st & 22nd 2011

Upto 90+ birds present this afternoon & the sun even came out for 5mins!

At least 51 Birds present in trees this morning 22nd but being kept at bay by a single Mistle Thrush.

After finishing my nightshift i decided to have a lazy day recovering,at about 3pm decided to head out to visit friends just as i was getting into the car,the familiar sound of Waxwing could be heard & right above me was a single bird (nice garden tick)a quick run down to the main road produced at least another 70+ birds coming down to the 3 rowan trees (fantastic the most ive had in my home town) the birds took flight & all ended up in the hedgerow outside the front of my house!! cpl of record shots in the dimming light above

January 16th 2011

Decided to have a day out in North Norfolk with some good year ticks on offer! 1st stop was the East bank at Cley where i soon found the Shore Larks an impressive 11 birds on the shingle bank between the East bank & coastguards,next was the American Wigeon on Pope's Marsh which showed well in the scope but just to far for any pics! Next stop Salthouse for the Snow Buntings which showed well but were very flighty also seen were thousands of Pink-footed Geese,Brent Geese a flyover Ross's Goose (I presume an escapee,unless it was the Holkham bird?) final stop was at Thornham marsh for the Northern Harrier,on arrival it didn't look good with many birders on site for over 4hrs & not a sighting,so i sat in the car scoping the marsh when the crowd started moving towards me & there it was coming low over the coal barn,a cracking looking bird but in my haste to grab me bins & camera i somehow caught a can of Cherry cola which exploded everywhere much to a few birders amusement!! A brilliant end to the day birdwise but a sticky 2 1/2hr drive home.

Redshank
Turnstone

Pink-footed Goose

Dark-bellied Brent GooseShore Lark

Snow Bunting

January 9th 2011

Well i was planning a trip into Norfolk today but chronic backache & being up most of the night forced a change of plan! so a shorter journey down to Berkshire was the order of the day,with the light the best so far this Year the chance of some more pics of the Glossy Ibis at Freeman's marsh & the nearby Great White Egret proved to be the right choice!!

Great White Egret





Glossy Ibis

January 6th 2011

Headed back over to Bretford for some better photos of the Bewick's Swan (well better light at least!) but the bird was a lot further away but picked up a year tick in the form of John Judge who put me onto the fact the Lawford Pink-footed Goose & Greylags had just dropped into Draycote,so off i shot hoping to get some pics!! bumped into Bob Hazell on the way rnd who'd watched the bird come in & had got some nice shots of it!! I carried on around to the outflow but the birds had already flown (Bugger or words to that effect!!) so made my way back rnd to Farborough bank for a few shots of the drake Smew in far from perfect light!

Smew

January 5th 2011

Despite the awfull dull weather again,ventured out for the Bewick's Swan just out of Bretford on the A428 mixed in with the flock of Mute Swans after a few record shots i dropped in at Draycote water which was cold,wet & very quite bird wise,best bird being the fine drake Smew off Farborough bank,dropped back into Bretford on the way home where the Bewick's was still showing & then onto Kings Newham rd for the Pink-footed Goose in with the Greylags & Canada Geese also present 1 Barnacle Goose with a heavily stained (yellow)face! 2 Good Warks Year birds so not a bad morning

Bewick's Swan

January 4th 2011

Having got up early this morning intending to have a full days birding out & about i was put of with the snow coming down thick & fast,so a quick walk out with the dog a look on the web decided to head down to Berkshire for the Glossy Ibis at Freeman's Marsh,Hungerford,Berks! hoping the weather would be better down south (It wasn't it was freezing cold dull with drizzle)but the bird showed fantastically well!!

Glossy Ibis

January 2nd 2011

My 1st day out in 2011! I decided to head out to Coton Lakes as there was some good county ticks to be had!! 2 Smew (redheads)1 Water Rail,2 Common Snipe & a superb Bittern which showed well briefly despite the cpl who banged around & made as much noise as possible just as it was coming right out into the open!!!
Bittern