Well the weather was foul again just like Jan 1st 2024- and I only got out on the 2nd for a few hours ( local radius of about 22 miles)
Total 72 including the 5 common Tits, the 5 common Thrushes, Nuthatch, GSWP- Green Woodpecker at the end of my lane,
Jay, Moorhen; Lapwing on some farm fields with Golden Plover a flock of Linnet, Reed Bunting a Stonechat near some hay bales, Pied Wagtail, - and a Sparrowhawk flew past as I stood looking over a hedge;
Coot and Greylag on a gravel Pit, GCG, Cormorant Shelduck and Mipit on the river, Stopped near Welney car park briefly - Both spp of Sparrow, Shoveler, Black Tailed Godwit, and while picking up Mrs S's prescription had Grey Wagtail and Collared Dove:
72
For advice about Birding, Identification,field guides, binoculars, scopes, tripods, etc - put 'Birding Tips' into the search box
Snettisham today- no sign of the new portaloos being installed :(
Had scope views of Cettis Warbler in a dead bush and Bearded Tits (128) were calling- 25 White Fronted Geese (129) flew over the plastic Lesser White Fronted Geese!
Had a wander around the fens locally - 40mins away-and had another Black Necked Grebe, Goosander, Common crane, Tundra Bean Goose and Chiffchaff-
133
Out again about 20 minutes from home trying a new small site-
Had singing Woodlarks (134) and Stonechat
My first drive up to Frampton took 40 mins due to tractors - Saw a field full of Golden Plovers and a few Ruff (135) and a pair of Scaup ( 136)
:)
Hi
went to Ouse washes- its my best place to see Kingfisher, Stock Dove and GSWP
-heard a Bittern 137 - and there were 5 Little Gulls about- 138
Back on the local patch-
Found 2 Ring Ouzels today ( 139) and 2 Barn Owls, a few Mediterranean Gulls - missed a Spoonbill
4 Xbills dropped in briefly ( 140) and then 4 Swallows and 2 Sand Martins flew north ( 141-2) and a Blackcap was singing in Titchwell car park (143)
S
seymouraves said:missed a Spoonbill
You need to travel up to Leighton Moss in Lancashire as think they had spoonbill at the salt marsh area; hope you've already got a Garganey as that's on the main reserve too ! Willow Warblers and blackcaps have arrived in Cheshire :) Great sightings S, keep us updated as always nice to hear what you've seen.
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Regards, Hazel
Wilow warbler ( 144) singing in the garden on Friday 11th as I went out to work-
On the way home dropped in at Eldernell for Garganey (145) and had Yellow wagtails flying over (146)
Walking back to the car park spotted a familiar silhouette on the bank and stopped for a long chat and a giggle ( as usual) with Mike ( Bert) Weedon from BW magazine
and we heard a Cuckoo ( 147)
On the 12th went out very early to try a local migrant area
LRP, Dunlin, Blackwit, Avocet, Redshank, Yellowhammer, Greenfinch, Marsh Harrier, Grey Wagtail , Green Sand (148) and singing Whitethroat (149) and Sedge Warbler (150)
Followed a hunting Barn Owl down a quiet fen road on the way home at 10:45
Noticed I'd forgotten to add in Blackcap and LRP earlier so- 152:
Best buddy was up for a few days- we had singing Tree Pipits showing down to 15 yards (153) and Stone Curlews at Weeting Heath plus Woodlarks
On 15th saw a Wheatear in a local carpark- sat on a wall on a field edge ( 155)
17th- Visited Welney WWT for the third time in 10 days- this time for a Roseate Tern - don't see many of those ! ( 156) and the first Reed Warblers were in- (157)
Had a brief visit to the coast and saw Common Sandpiper, ( 158) a Spoonbill flew over ( 159)
A Grasshopper Warbler was singing but not showing (160)
Plenty of Sandwich Terns (161) about but only 1 Whinchat (162)
A visit to the Brecks included 9 Spp of warbler - and I missed Sedge - but Lesser Whitethroat and Garden were new for the year as was Nightingale- ( 165)
A Cettis was singing in the carpark of my local petrol station- that's a local first!