Monday 26 February 2018

Unprecedented turn up

After my 2 Jack Snipe yesterday, some of the other patchers went back last night and despite the work party, not 2, not 3, but 4 Jack Snipe showed.

I have always disregarded the 1992 claim of 6 on the 27th February as there were no details, or mention in the County Bird Report. Does it mean it didn't happen, but as I have said about many 90's reports, when there are no initials, no location, no details, it might just be bad recording, but it cannot go in as authentic report.

So, that means last night's record is a new park record and one might say it has been coming, here is a summary of all records of 2 or more;

1983 : 3/11th March BSL main island edge (MR)
1987 : 2/10th Jan, flew over (PA)
1989 : 2/28th Jan Sandford Tern island (many observers)
1992 : 2/4th Jan Lavell's (Observer Unknown - OU)
1997 : 2/11th Oct Lavell's (OU)
1999 : 2/13th Feb, Lavell's (OU)
2011 : 2/6th Dec (FJC & GSE et al) to 9th Dec, Lavell's (MO)
2012 : 2/3rd Jan ( Les Seward et al) & 28th, Lavell's (MO)
2013 : 2/17th Dec (GSE), to 19th Lavell's
2016 : 2/29th Oct, (ARy, GSE, JMcG et al) LFGP, 2/30th (FJC, JMcG, TAG et al), 2/31st (JMcG)
2017 : 2/1st Jan LFGP,
2018 : 2/24th Feb Lavell's, 4/25th,

Saturday 24 February 2018

A little effort often goes a long way

I'd been getting fed up with trying for Tawny a but late each time I tried, so 17th I was out by 05:45 walking slowly around Sandford, Heron's Water, Middle Marsh, then looping back around BSL clockwise to Sandford and had nothing, but as I got back to near the lay-by a Tawny Owl finally called from near the hide, probably above the hide.

Oystercatcher was calling in the gloom too, at the car park the Barn Owl was on show 06:37.

Our Brent Goose has stayed all week and I aimed to see it Friday, but chose Lavell's end instead 22nd, Barn Owl on show as usual 06:26, 25+ Snipe on the scrape, 13-14 Reed Bunting would suggest a little roost now building here, another Skylark rising, then BSL for a lone female Goldeneye and pair of Oystercatcher, as I went back to my car a quick scan got me a female Hawfinch in the copse at Lavell's.

This morning it was freezing, only -4, but felt much worse, LFGP first this time and by 07:02 the Brent Goose was visible and happy, a sprinkling of Teal and Wigeon, but not much else, I headed for the car park field for more Hawfinch and was rewarded with 9 birds dropping in a loose flock spread along the tops of tallest trees on the East side, none stayed in view long. I was too cold to stay long and later the year's first Med was only 48 hours off the previous 2 years date.

Late afternoon I was back in the stunning afternoon light for a stab, yes another... at Golden Plover, no luck so headed for Bittern hide with Ida, and after much Snipe enjoyment, stumbled across not 1, but 2 Jack Snipe. I'm happy with that.

Thursday 15 February 2018

2 more

Same story will no doubt be my mantra for 2018, less patching time, but targeted and more frequent pre work visits becoming the key slots.

Since the Brent Goose, which could still be present, I picked up 2 more year ticks last Sunday, 2 Oystercatcher heading toward LFGP, then 2 Skylark over the landfill. Funny how the latter appears out of nowhere and it can be either January, or February, but always a bright day suddenly up singing.

As I've said many times, there isn't much to distinguish a big year list by at this early stage in the year, but one certainly needs to take every uncommon bonus species you can, so Goosander and the Brent Goose qualify for sure. Jack's Jack Snipe is also a good candidate and I am certain it is still around, just hiding in a new favoured spot.

What next then, over the last 6 years we have had the following species by this time in Feb;

Great White Egret, Little Owl, Golden Plover, Merlin, Ruff, Red Crested Pochard, Pintail, Curlew, Dunlin, Yellow-legged Gull, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Caspian Gull & Kittiwake.

We can add Med Gull to that and Redshank will follow and whilst it's a good indicator, we must all remain vigilant for other species too.

So far we have both months in 3rd place, Jan on 86 = with 2012, 16 & 17, Feb on 89 a new 3rd place, knocking 2008 by 1. And that is without Pintail, Golden Plover, Little Owl and Red Crested Pochard....the most frequent occurring in recent February's.

If we add those 4 this month, a new 3rd place for the year total is on and equal first place for February species count, which seems plausible to me. I've certainly put in 3-4 hours of Golden Plover attempts so far. Yesterday morning a rakish raptor approached from the North, but was just a Kestrel, odd how unusual that is these days.

Sighting of the week for me was the 5 Hawfinch on the 10th, I'm going to miss them so much when they appear no more.


Tuesday 6 February 2018

Time pressures

So little time in comparison to many previous years, but somehow I'm still not far off par for the park.

A lucky, if not infeasible Green Sandpiper at the balancing pool back on the 27th Jan was good, I barely saw a blink of a bird, but something told me a bird with a steep dive had dropped there and sure enough it was there, I barely had time to get Brian and John back with me, before it was off high SE.

As for last Sunday night, it was outstanding. The cast were a Peregrine on fire thru towards the scrape as we crossed the foot bridge from the car park, shortly after we were watching it perched in the Poplar.

Water Rail calling, Snipe showing, then out of the blue the first Bittern on Lavell's in about a year came in high from Sandford, circling twice before landing in a 'classic' high up front of reeds position, but the show was not over yet.

As we left the hide, there was the Barn Owl sat in the doorway for several moments, but the finale was a fine Woodcock coming in fast over our left side as we looked South toward Sandford, it was in view for nearly 3 whole seconds....wow.

This morning I was out hoping to find the Oystercatcher on the beach at BSL, no luck, same for Little Owl, so no show for this all year so far. I met Richard Sajdak and said I'd catch up at Bittern hide, when I did I dropped the viewing flap, scaring many birds off, but thankfully not the Brent Goose that was on the bund, a fantastic bonus bird.

I do use Twitter a bit now, so feel free to catch up with my Tweets there, often ahead of my blogging which time pressures are reducing. http://twitter.com@DPTopLister

The Jack Snipe is still out there somewhere.