Out of time

A last 2 attempts today failed to produce that all important one more species for 2016. I am not unhappy it's been a great year for me, for many I think.

At LFGP today, new in a rare December Shelduck in the SW corner til dark, 2 Jack Snipe, 29+ Snipe, Little Egret, Cetti's and Water Rail should hopefully all be available tomorrow to help kick off another year list. Will I find that Ferruginous?

The Shelduck was new for December, making a new high count of 87, beating the old 2010 record by one.

The month species total counts went like this;

New or = 1st place :

January - 90
March - 99
May - 96 (= 2012)
June - 90
October - 99
December - 87

New or = 2nd place :

February - 88 (= 2008)
August - 101
September - 102
November - 86

New 3rd place :

April - 108

Happy New Year everyone, I hope the fireworks end abruptly.

A last minute bird?

I have been too busy to post, but have been grabbing the odd 30-60 minute visit, Jack Snipe the other day at LFGP to prove to myself one was still around, but now 3 attempts have not got me the Ferruginous. Yesterday I was waiting near the North end of Heron's Water and heard a 'different call'.

My brain said "did that call go up in pitch or down?", and the bird repeated itself ..."down then". So if it wasn't a Coal Tit what was it? Does Coal Tit call ever fall, rather than rise?

I am not ruling out Marsh Tit yet and spent the last hour of good light searching Middle Marsh and Heron's Water. No joy.

WSL and all looked good for Bittern, a bird showed bang in the middle 16:07 but while I was 'WhatsApp'ing it, lost it, only to find a bird well left minutes later. This bird was very alert and kept peering, stretching, etc. It flew back to the right, landing just left of in line with the only pale tree trunk. I think it is likely there is two.

David Rimes seeing Peregrine on 24th puts December =1st best, there's time to add another one, a Skylark, Ruff, Goosander, Woodcock, Smew, Firecrest, Brambling.....

Best birds gone missing

I've checked up and down WSL for the Ferruginous, but no sign and there has been no sign of the Scaup since Sunday. Same for Jack Snipe, but it is likely one is still present somewhere.

I've done a couple of dusks, one at Teal, one at Bittern, but nothing to report.

Today, a Coal Tit on the feeders opposite side of Loddon, so 84 for December, but still missing Great Black-backed Gull.

Big flock of 186 Teal yesterday, many flushed off by a juvenile Buzzard on the bund again. 31 Snipe today, 120+ Teal.

Berksbirds is saying a flock of Waxwing in Maidenhead, gives us hope we might get on yet this winter, but I'm not hopeful as we don't have much Mountain Ash, no Sorbus, or Pyracantha, etc.

No change

Lea Farm offered nothing really, well the Red Kite perched opposite the hide on the Loddon was nice.

Lavell's had 41+ Snipe, the ducks well spread out, so I decided not to try and count them.

I can't help myself

Work prospects in 2017 will change my daily and weekly cycle, but until that become a certainty, I cannot help myself but play out my first few days of January.

I like to get out fairly early and plan to do so again, 2016 had me on 63 by the end of my Jan 1st, 68 by 2nd, 71 by 3rd, 75 by 9th and by month end I was on 83, somewhat of a record for me.

I always think ahead "I wonder what great birds I'll see this year" and it is rare I get predictions right and certainly would never have predicted Nightjar in any year, so for me 2016's star bird had to be that. But perhaps because I had become obsessed with Little Stint, that this little beauty also brings so much pleasure...I'm still gutted it didn't stay for friends to see.

Then there's the Tree Pipit on the deck, that hasn't happened in about 30 years, not forgetting the Ring Ouzel, again 28 years since the last one.

In many respects 2016, like 2014, feels like a year of long overdue repeats, or second chances and I am one happy bunny, with one more to go for that unbelievable life list of 200.

My top new DP lifer predictions as wrong as they might be, remain;

Great Northern Diver
Green-winged Teal
American Wigeon
Ring-necked Duck
Common Crane
Little Bittern
Long-eared Owl
Great Reed Warbler

If 2014 and 2016 were indicators of how life really pans out, then long awaited patch ticks for me should include;

Red Throated Diver
Cattle Egret
Spoonbill
Long Tailed Duck
Shag
Red Breasted Merganser
Red Footed Falcon
Curlew Sandpiper
Grey Phalarope
Iceland Gull
Hoopoe
Marsh Warbler
Hawfinch

And it makes me wonder

No excitement, but a pleasant walk to the North side today, LFGP - 2 Little Egret, 15+ Fieldfare and 50+ Redwing in the trees opposite the green bridge, a Goldfinch flock of around 40, 12-13 Snipe, 9 Herring Gull, 19 Common Gull, a few Wigeon and Gadwall.

On Sandford I could not pick out the Scaup, 40-50 Pochard and 30-40 Tufties. Lavell's 33 Snipe, 100+ Teal, 90+ Shoveler.

Finishing my loop, I was sort of checking crests and saw the Chiffchaff in the trees near the yellow gate.

So month wise, we are missing Coal Tit and Great Black-backed Gull, but we are already on 83 equal 3rd with 2009 and 2015, with 86 being the record, it is surely highly possible we can pass that.

December candidates are numerous, most obviously Goosander and Smew, but others include Red Crested Pochard, Peregrine, Ruff, Curlew, Dunlin, Firecrest, other swans, or geese,...even Lesser Redpoll and whilst rare Merlin and Yellowhammer are not out of the question.

Keeping on going

I went out into the gloomy grey morning, checking yet again for a stray Goosander, yet again compelled to do WSL and while I'm at it, find that Ferruginous again.

But I didn't see either and having even checked Tufties Corner South of WSL, am wondering where the hell the Fudge has gone. Could it be on Redwood Lake? Or 'The Moors' South of that? I'll try and check over the Christmas period, but with Rick seeing it on WSL a few days ago it has to be local somewhere??

Little to mention on the whole walk, couldn't find the Scaup, Lavell's had a nice count of Teal, at least 120-130, 100+ Shoveler.

A grey birdless hour

What a difference a day makes, Lea Farm nowt, Sandford a few Pochard and Tufties, Lavell's - 16 Snipe and overall less of all the ducks.

Blimey, hope there's more on the bird walk tomorrow.

Scaup picture fest

After doing a loop around Sandford, BSL and WSL, seeing nothing, I headed to Lavell's, Grey Wagtail in the meadow, then barely sat down a gent said "is this the Scaup?". Yes it was and over the next 45 minutes it showed very well, allowing lots of photo opportunities, catching it at all angles.

Jack Snipe was there, but not showing well.

Long awaited repeat

I was out checking Lea Farm GP, after yesterday's fogged out day, 1 Little Egret, 1 Jack Snipe, little else, I then got a shot of a Fieldfare above Teal hide, which I was happy with.

Walking back I got a WhatsApp from Martin that a Tweet had gone out about a Scaup on Sandford, so I headed straight there and was soon looking at a male in the final stages of moulting from eclipse.

It dived constantly, so was near impossible to photograph with an iPhone.

It had the green sheen on the head, big billed and was a bigger than Tufted, so it is clear this is not a hybrid.

The last Scaup was August 4th 2009 and a 1st Winter male in 2008 Feb 17th to 25th.

So the full history of Scaup:

7th Dec 2016 - Adult male Sandford (Ian Paine at al)
4th Aug 2009 - female BSL, moved to LFGP (FJC, TAG, et al)
17th to 25th Feb 2008 - 1st Winter male Sandford (MFW et al)
28th Feb 2000 - No details (observer unknown)
3rd Jan 1999 - female (JJW)
11th Aug 1996 - 2 Lavell's (observer unknown)
14th Aug 1990 - No details (observer unknown)
2nd & 10th Jan 1989 - female BSL (FJC - 1988 bird)
24th Mar to 15th Apr 1989 - 1st summer male Sandford (many observers)
8th Oct 1989 - No details (observer unknown)
24th to 27th Nov 1988 - 1st year female BSL (P Ball)
22nd Oct 1986 - Eclipse male BSL (FJC)
21st Oct to 10th Nov 1985 - Sub adult male BSL (TAG et al), then 4/11th original bird joined by 2 females and immature male, last female seen 16th Dec

A mixed history indeed, the usual 'OU's' for records, but even in the few records we have these do not stand out as odd dates, so I believe they are all genuine records.

The notable point is the 8 year break from 2000 to 2008, then 7 more to today's bird.

Freeze continues

I only had time for a shorter loop around the sailing club and Lavell's this morning, 12 Common Gull with 1000+ BH's there, I checked for Med without success.

A Meadow Pipit on the wires of the car park field caught my attention, it dropped to the car park but then flew off South. A 10 minute look down the landfill, brought 3 Raven almost immediately, this time coming in from the NNE and flying straight down the East side of the landfill, before peeling off more Easterly beyond Lea Farm, The Little Owl was no doubt warming itself in the Oak left of Lea Farm.

At Bittern hide, much water was frozen and another 600-1000 BH Gulls were gathered, another 6 Common Gull and at least 8 large gulls too, one took my eye and here are the shots, none are great.

My thinking was 2nd winter Yellow-legged, as the tertials were not in keeping with a Herring of that age, but it doesn't look very dark grey, nor does it have a particularly big bill. I am out of practice with large gulls because we get so on the deck few these days.

Pushing for a good month

I was out around 08:10 on the way along the path I spooked 3 Little Grebe and they flew down river.

At Lea Farm G.P. 50-60 Redwing in groups of 10-15  were on the move North, 2 Mistle Thrush, 3 Fieldfare and then 10 Meadow Pipit on the far landfill, this is a good flock for December. All but the Redwing were month additions.

3-4 Parakeet landed high up on the East side, I couldn't find one Snipe though. As I exited the hide< i heard that call again, but seeing a Song Thrush flying away have to assume it was that!

Nowt doing at Lavell's, but checking the landfill from the car park field, 25+ Golden Plover were circling back and forth the usual air space.

Tonight I went to WSL and at 16:00 had about my worst views of Bittern ever, it never moved and stayed low.

Back at Lavell's by 16:20 and 100 Shoveler and 96 Teal were close to the hide, by 16:35 I heard 4 Snipe leave, but hadn't seen one when in the hide.

We are already on 79, just one behind 2014's total December species count, only 4 more to reach 83 and 3rd place = with 2009 and 2015. As far as I am aware we are missing Grey Wagtail, Kestrel, Coal Tit and Great Black-backed Gull, so it won't take much to get us even higher up the podium....86 is the record from 2010.

Blue to grey

The last two days of bitter frosts and bright blue skies, to grey and cool, but my walk down to Lea Farm G.P. was not dull at all.

Before I even got into Ron's hide, I heard a call that stopped me in my tracks, a sharp and high pitched note, "sweep" note similar to Robin, but I am convinced it wasn't that. I am inclined to believe it was a Hawfinch, but cannot be 100% sure. It sounded like it was moving about quite close, but I never even saw a movement, other than Robins and Blackbirds, so I cannot rule out it being one of them giving an unusual call....but I doubt it.

Here is a link to a Hawfinch call matching what I heard http://www.xeno-canto.org/239374

So into the hide and I picked up a female Pintail lifting off and heading left, but rather than it going away strongly I suspect it stayed local. 2 Little Egrets were pinging about. The 2 Raven went over SE and kept going, albeit with a sluggish flight so again they must be local too.

Nothing more doing, I left the hide and felt that lingering outside the hide might give me a chance at hearing the odd call again. No luck, but I scoped a flock of Goldfinch just beyond the river junction and found a single female Siskin, which are very thin on the ground so far this winter.

As I approached the layby I checked 2 birds in the last Willow at the path junction and 2 male Blackcap met my eyes. I am not sure I've seen 2 Blackcap at DP ever in December.

Podium place November

So November is behind us, we missed out on Lesser Redpoll, Peregrine and no confirmed sightings of Little or Barn Owl, although both owls almost certainly present.

There is a serious lack of winter finches and thrushes, so getting the month anywhere near the record of 86 is going to be tough. The hard frosts have not made any impact so far, in bringing anything new in, but the pair of Mandarin on WSL today, is only the 3rd ever December record, so worthy of a rubbish record shot.

I found them under the trees on the East side, looking for the Ferruginous, which was nowhere to be found for the second day, fingers crossed it does show up again.

A Chiffchaff in the NW corner of Sandford, is another one not seen in December 2015, Parakeets, seem to be permanent around the car park and to the East for now....wait til 1st Jan!

So November finished on 86, one more than 85 in 2015, stealing 2nd place and two more than 2010 & 2013's 3rd place.

The year is 139, =4th place with 1984 & 2011.