Patchwork update

My good friend AJ suggested I updated my patchwork list, so reluctantly I did. I say reluctantly as last years record breaking score makes my 'comparative year list' unbeatable, so I cannot reach 100% let alone pass it and knock Marek and Adam's London Minileagues scores of 103 & 104% out of the park.


http://patchworkchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/

Despite this adding Yellow-browed Warbler and Whooper Swan at 3 points each is some compensation, perhaps they deserve to be 5 points each for finding them myself?!

I think I'll be lucky to add anything new for the year now, but I hope I'm wrong and we have the best late autumn and winter ever, bringing Hen Harrier, Hawfinch, Merlin, Red-necked and Black-necked Grebes, Scaup, White-fronted and Brent Geese, Red Crested Pochard, Great Northern Diver, Green-winged Teal, American Wigeon, Ring-necked and Ferruginous Ducks and Yellowhammer!

It's okay to dream!

Oh yes, the 1996 record of 4 Whooper Swan flying over was 31st December (AJ)

Myth turns to reality

After a late start and me catching up with the group, we were all having a quiet bird walk, then we left Lea Farm G.P. and we were heading up the tarmac path to Bittern Hide, when we noticed a group of 7 large swans, they had already passed over and we could only see them from underneath, but something about them made me dash to where we view the Barn Owl from to get another look.

Tony was still on them as I picked them up in the scope over the East side of landfill, still going North, luckily almost as I said "if only they'd turn", they did turn left and I could see yellow bills..."They are Whoopers" I shouted, then they turned back the East and headed away out of view, looking like they wanted to set down somewhere. I texted my two friends based in the East and one called me to say he had just got home, but he might pop out to Remenham later.

There are just 2 other records 20th March 1982 and I am getting details of the other record in the nineties.

Tony has a record shot, which he has posted on Berksbirds : http://www.berksbirds.co.uk/show_photo.asp?photo_id=7478

I am thrilled to get a 'Mythical species' onto my patch list, my 195th and 133rd for the year....awesome!

Marek texted later to say Birdguides reported 7 Whooper on Staines Reservoir somewhat later, staying until dusk, so even though I only had a less than 1% doubt about disimissing Bewick's, it was nice to have the species confirmed elsewhere.

Still smiling now ;0)

Cold, wet and getting colder

Thursday I did spend an hour in the car park field as usual and had feelings of great potential, not that it lived up to it, but I left feeling something would happen. Richard said he and Les saw a possible Marsh Harrier around 11:15, but lost it as they tried to stay on it from Bittern Hide.

My car was in for a service Friday, so walking back via Woodford Park with my son, I was frustrated to see a Yellowhammer over low calling, heading SE, so maybe towards D.P.

Today I got out after it began raining, it was much cooler at around 6-7 degrees and saw just 1 Meadow Pipit and a few Redwing, then later a Mistle Thrush, but I never left the car park, so couldn't have expected much else.

Weds update

After I posted, Geoff texted with Mandarin and Goosander just flown in at LFGP, sadly I saw neither, despite the Goosander swimming into the SE corner, they never re-appeared. I did see Grey Wagtail on the walk back. Steve told me he thinks he had Little Egret this month.

This morning with it being so still, the air somehow felt very good, 2 Lesser Redpoll over, 4 Ring-necked Parakeet again, 1 Mistle Thrush, a couple of small flocks of Redwing, 2-3 groups of <10 Chaffinch, 3 flocks of around 100+ Wood Pigeon SW and again a distant tight flock of what were probably Golden Plover, but just too far to be 100% sure.

At my car I hung on hoping for a Yellowhammer and got onto a bulky bunting sized bird heading SE, with fluttering wings and an undulating flight, it may well have been Corn Bunting, but having packed my scope into the boot, I couldn't get enough on it.

Much quieter, but hopeful...as always

Passage seems to have tailed off, with hardly any birds over my car park field hour, I did see 4 Ring-necked Parakeet, 1 Mistle Thrush, 3-4 Lesser Redpoll with as many Goldfinch, that landed on the Hawthorns left of Lea Farm.

Geoff had a Barn Owl in the box yesterday, bringing the month total to 74 so far, 7 to go to match 2012, which is do-able assuming the following all show up : Peregrine, Little Egret, Bittern, Chiffchaff, Goldeneye, Grey Wagtail and Coal Tit.

Most likely possibles for November are : Jack Snipe, Woodcock, Golden Plover, Blackcap, Linnet, Raven, Pintail, but I still hope for Stonechat, Merlin, Firecrest, or a good Grebe and with 2 Shag at QMR, we should be checking all the Cormorants.

Cetti's increase

I have been colating mine and others reports and with 3 Cetti's at Bittern Hide end a couple of days ago and 1 at LFGP, 1 WSL and 1 Sandford, it is possible, if not likely we have 5, even 6 birds in the general area, so encourage everyone to report their reports to me to get as good an idea as possible on the total DP population. I suspect there are more than 1 at WSL, so a thorough check of all lakes might reveal 7, or more, suggesting a good breeding year.

Meanwhile the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker began excavating a new hole yesterday, implying I was right about it's contentment with the first roost site.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

A totally rewarding late afternoon visit to last years roost site, when the male arrived at 15:58, in the top of the tree to the left first, then for 15+ minutes at the roost hole. I am fairly sure it has further excavation to complete as it seemed almost impatient for folks to walk on by, even leaving the hole 2 more times before I left at 16:17.

Despite the average to poor quality of my shots, it remains a quality bird, which I hope and trust others will respect and ensure it is not unduly disturbed.