20th Jack Snipe Tern Scrape

Steve Day found a Jack Snipe on Tern scrape this afternoon, in company with 15 Common Snipe, it showed well all afternoon, I managed a few average shots with my HTC. How hard is it to get a good shot of a Jack Snipe!?

Gull Sp

Saw this gull on BSL on Friday 17th Feb, this was about the best shot I could get and am not sure what it is?

Last week at Lea Farm G.P. (LFGP)

Forgot to post the 3 Curlew that flew in to roost at 17:10, followed by finally connecting with a Peregrine over East then South at 17:13. Making my year list 91 out of 94, very happy!

17th Feb

3 Pintail flew in from North to Lea Farm G.P. again, so nice to see them still in the area. The sheep farmers were installing new fencing at the North and base of the South ,spit to stop the sheep getting anywhere near the footpath, this is because some idiot keeps cutting the barbed wire fence in the far NW corner.
Up to 7 Snipe along the East bank, were additional to the Tern Scrape 6.
Many resident birds in song now, possible Skylark at the back of the landfill. The 2 Bittern showed very well last night too, am fairly sure the dark bird is a male as he seems to be pursuing the paler bird at dusk.

Lea Farm GP getting most of the birds

Lea Farm G.P. (LFGP) continues to get most of the good birds, 3 Pintail (2m) lingering since 8th Feb. 2 Curlew back, or never left, appearing on the ice 17:00 9th.

Lesson 1 : Get up early

Paying the price of not following rule 1 in patching, get up early and go. 4 Goosander (all redheads) were on the Loddon, then flew to LFGP, where they didn't stay long, flying off at 09:47. (RNM & GSE) I can say I was going for a scan on our baby, but could have been there an hour before, who knows they might not have been there then. There could easily be another.

Monday 6th Feb

A single Ring-necked Parakeet over the car park at 13:30, may have been the first so far this February? It certainly marked 80 species for the month, in just 6 days!
Just 1/3rd of Lea Farm GP is unfrozen, c100 Wigeon, 50+ Teal and a few Shoveler, no Lapwings, or gulls, up to 15 Snipe reported earlier, 8 joined by another 7. 4+ Goldeneye still on BSL, probably more, Wigeon and Gadwall count might be 200 of each, virtually all the Pochard are on BSL. Pretty quiet though and a bit misty, continuing to thaw - 3 degrees.