Sunday morning blues

I was out around 9:00, straight to Bittern Hide, just 1 Cetti's calling, 2 Snipe visible, 1 Water Rail heard, 5 Fieldfare over SSE, but not much else in the bright blue sky, but the wind was cold. No Bittern since Weds!

Marek arrived and we chatted about his Scillies trip and good timing to get the Hermit Thrush in Cornwall same day he came off. Not long after I left he had the first Yellowhammer since 2009, a DP lifer for him and 136th for the park year list....am so happy for him.

We also chatted about the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker he saw and photo'd on the same Alders as last years roost site, so am hopeful of a visit either tonight, or soon as the weather and my son allows, fingers crossed the hole it was inspecting turns into a roost site.

Friday I did make it to WSL, but no Bittern showed, although the reed looks trodden in places, the best I got was Cetti's calling and 2 Kingfisher between WSL and Sandford. Yesterday Lavell's had 3 Snipe, 2 Sparrowhawk and was overall quiet.

Nice before rain

09:00 car park field and 1 Mistle Thrush immediately, then Great Black-backed Gull flying over slowly North, amazingly only the 6th bird this year, but quite early for D.P. Several small flocks of Redwing East, totalling around 40, all East, 5 Siskin SE, 1 Meadow Pipit and 1 Skylark on the tip, as I arrived back my car 29 Fieldfare flew East.

By now the lake water levels should be dropping, so we might hope to see more of the Bittern, I'll be out later and shall probably check out Lavell's, then WSL to see if we have a second bird and to see if a Goldeneye is here and what Athyas are about.

88 for the month

Today it was quiet, bar a Mistle Thrush, 2 Fieldfare, 10+ Chaffinch, 2 Siskin, 30-40 Redwing and unless anything happens later today, my adding Lesser Redpoll over the car park field this morning, brings the month total to 88. Not too bad a score, but with a number of 'no shows', it could have been better, most obviously Hobby, Yellow Wagtail, Stonechat, Sand Martin, but raptors like Marsh Harrier, Osprey and Merlin could all have gone thru unseen.

Not that October was a bad month, the first Yellow-browed Warbler, maybe even two different birds, a Rock Pipit, possibly 1-2 more, Wheatear and a very out of season Redshank all worth connecting with and not forgetting our 13th consecutive winter of Bittern visiting.

November may hold new treats, most reent years varying between 78 and 84, the record set in 2011, was 90 species.

Bittern at last

Over a week since it arrived I finally got good views of our Bittern at Tern Scrape.

I had completed my car park field visit, picking up 2 late Swallows going South over the landfill, a Mistle Thrush, 13+ Skylarks going South, 2+7+3+2 and 1-2 more heards.

Off to Bittern Hide, meeting Richard, when he said movement near the reed pile and out popped our Bittern, good timing for me I said, both of us snapping away before it flew to the main island and landed out of view.

Here is my best shot, plus the nearby Snipe

High water

Recent rains have left the water level rather high, the bund is fully under and reed beds in deep water, so Bittern finding will be even more difficult for now.

I heard a Chiffchaff on arrival at the layby, Grey Wagtail over Teal scrape, then a Nuthatch to the West, at the car park another Nuthatch, 1 Siskin over. At Bittern Hide, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Snipe on floating vegetation, 3 Teal to the back left.

Work party Sunday

No birding today, just strimming the reeds near to Bittern Hide, allowing better viewing for Water Rail, Snipe and maybe a Jack Snipe soon. The team did willow removal all around the scrape, we then did some strimming in front of and along the bund for better viewing of the scrape at Teal Scrape. I got 3 wasp stings for my trouble and am currently in pain.

Sue said she may have heard Raven go over before 11:00.

October Goldeneye

Steve texted with the first Goldeneye of the autumn on LFGP, just the 8th record for October return birds, but the fourth since 2007. By the time I got there it had gone, but we re-found it at Sandford...as expected.
It is an adult male just completing it's moult. Also present were 3 Pochard, most of the Teal were on Teal Scrape, with Water Rail 'picking' and showing again briefly.

Month list is 87, equalling 2007, but 3 to go to match 90/2009, 4 to reach 91/2011, 6 for 93/2010 & 2012.

At Bittern Hide, I got onto Peregrine over the landfill again, this time circling and diving for 5 minutes and by it's compact look, must be the same male I saw recently. Correcting my earlier claim, this was my 6th for 2013, 4th this month.

With a big storm hitting overnight Sunday, I hope something really good shows up!