With a report coming in yesterday of Marsh Tit, I thought I'd share the entire database of records
October 16th 2016 - Lavell's (Renton Righelato) heard only, so even as he puts it rarity of the species leaves this record not 100% confirmed.
April 26th 2006 - Aviation museum area (GG), no other details and the observer was not known to the local group
May 16th 1998 - Lavell's (OU)
May 6th 1992 - Lavell's (OU)
March 5th 1990 - (OU), May 12th 1990 - Lavell's (Bird Race Team)
October 2nd 1988 - (OU)
October 5th 1985 - (Alan McCall)
Jan to April records 1984 - per Berkshire Bird Report, one specific record April 13th Middle Marsh (D Finnie)
July 6th 1983 - (Phil Ball), 25th (OU), Aug 2nd (AJ & TB), 2/9th (D Finnie), Nov 26th (D Finnie & EE Green)
Sept 28th 1982 - (M Russell)
The 1984 records were clustered around Middle Marsh, but I only saw Willow Tit on the 12th at that location.
The 1998 to 1988 records cannot be verified due to no observer details and there have been a few others since 1998 that were all second hand reports, so observer names and therefore authenticity of the records could be confirmed.
Marsh Tit has disappeared from East Berkshire, there may be the odd spot that gets them occasionally, but I am highly doubtful of all of the records after 1984, including the 12th May 1990 claim by the winning bird race team of that day, which despite the highly qualified team, Marsh Tit was never recorded in May before then and never even heard by locals before.
It all sounds very scathing I know, but with so the species being mobile, often silent and mistakable with Coal Tit, I feel much consideration should be given to this now lost gem.
Monday, 17 October 2016
Sunday, 16 October 2016
Rainy start
John was already in Ron's hide when I arrived around 07:40 and for the first time a while it was raining quite heavily.
I had been asked to do WEBS counts and share the numbers here
39 Wigeon, 1 Pintail, 29 Teal, 48 Shoveler, 7 Mute Swan, 80 Coot, 2 Moorhen, 88 Greylag, 142 Canada Geese, 1 Pochard (over), 32 Gadwall, 13 Cormorant, 1 Grey Wagtail, 13 Snipe, 1 Jack Snipe, 5 Mallard, 131 Lapwing, 35 Black-headed Gull, 1 Herring, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Little Egret, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Green Sandpiper that only dropped in during the heaviest rain and left as it subsided.
We watched the Jack Snipe 'bob' before it vanished into the weeds and would guess it has been around since Jim Reid found it on the 6th.
As forecast, the rain quickly moved thru and then various handfuls of Fieldfare and Redwing began pinging all over the place.
Later today I got a message from Renton saying he heard a Marsh Tit between the hides at Lavell's and my reaction was "aaaaaaaaaaarrrrgh!" I need it and have questioned every record since 1983, because they are all either 'OU - observer unknown' or in my opinion, or 'OC - observer clueless'.
Anyway I can't believe Renton would get it wrong, he knows how rare Marsh Tit is this side of Berks, but it makes me want to add this pretty much extinct species, to my patch list....I doubt we'll ever hear one again ever.
I had been asked to do WEBS counts and share the numbers here
39 Wigeon, 1 Pintail, 29 Teal, 48 Shoveler, 7 Mute Swan, 80 Coot, 2 Moorhen, 88 Greylag, 142 Canada Geese, 1 Pochard (over), 32 Gadwall, 13 Cormorant, 1 Grey Wagtail, 13 Snipe, 1 Jack Snipe, 5 Mallard, 131 Lapwing, 35 Black-headed Gull, 1 Herring, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Little Egret, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Green Sandpiper that only dropped in during the heaviest rain and left as it subsided.
We watched the Jack Snipe 'bob' before it vanished into the weeds and would guess it has been around since Jim Reid found it on the 6th.
As forecast, the rain quickly moved thru and then various handfuls of Fieldfare and Redwing began pinging all over the place.
Later today I got a message from Renton saying he heard a Marsh Tit between the hides at Lavell's and my reaction was "aaaaaaaaaaarrrrgh!" I need it and have questioned every record since 1983, because they are all either 'OU - observer unknown' or in my opinion, or 'OC - observer clueless'.
Anyway I can't believe Renton would get it wrong, he knows how rare Marsh Tit is this side of Berks, but it makes me want to add this pretty much extinct species, to my patch list....I doubt we'll ever hear one again ever.
Saturday, 15 October 2016
Stayers
Out rather early this morning, I heard the Little Owl calling around 06:30, 2 Water Rail as I walked by Lavell's.
At Lea Farm GP it was a little misty to start, 96 Greylag left, 100+ Lapwing were noisy, nothing much happening, then John arrived and we found 1 Stonechat. 2, then 3 Little Egret chased each other about, the Kingfisher came and went several times, a few Redwing and smaller jobs over.
The sun peeked thru the clouds and mist but it wasn't anything special
A Snipe in front of us gave excellent views and another chance to get a good picture, mine aren't bad
One phyllosc showed it's belly but no more and as it was a bit pale, I spent several minutes without success trying to find it again. The mist cleared enough to find the Pintail, now around for a week.
A walk back to the car and into the car park field, several Redwing, Song Thrush and Blackbird kept us looking for other species, but something small and a bit chat like on the big Hawthorn vanished before we got proper views and even a Chiffchaff proved difficult to see.
Over the landfill all we could find was 2 Stonechat, on the weeds around the vents behind the methane burner
At Lea Farm GP it was a little misty to start, 96 Greylag left, 100+ Lapwing were noisy, nothing much happening, then John arrived and we found 1 Stonechat. 2, then 3 Little Egret chased each other about, the Kingfisher came and went several times, a few Redwing and smaller jobs over.
The sun peeked thru the clouds and mist but it wasn't anything special
A Snipe in front of us gave excellent views and another chance to get a good picture, mine aren't bad
One phyllosc showed it's belly but no more and as it was a bit pale, I spent several minutes without success trying to find it again. The mist cleared enough to find the Pintail, now around for a week.
A walk back to the car and into the car park field, several Redwing, Song Thrush and Blackbird kept us looking for other species, but something small and a bit chat like on the big Hawthorn vanished before we got proper views and even a Chiffchaff proved difficult to see.
Over the landfill all we could find was 2 Stonechat, on the weeds around the vents behind the methane burner
Friday, 14 October 2016
Get in
After a fairly quiet car park field/landfill watch of just 2 Swallow, 5 Meadow Pipit, 8+ Skylark, 5 Redwing, 2-3 Reed Bunting, it was time to go and my car troubles meant Alan needed to help me jump start it again.
We stood while it ran for a minute and I binned a Red Kite going right, then another raptor over Sandford Lane, now hovering. It looked a bit large so pulled out my scope from the boot again, quickly squatting down to see through it without legs extended and as soon as I focused shouted "it's an Osprey". Alan reeled off some photos, but I couldn't get my iPhone onto it before it went right behind those pesky Poplars at this end and it never reappeared.
Only my third ever Osprey, this is the latest and I have seen all three from the car park!
Alan's shots, which I've cropped
I had only been saying to John 15-20 minutes before I didn't want anymore raptors I couldn't identify with certainty. Sadly John left barely a minute before, sorry John.
We stood while it ran for a minute and I binned a Red Kite going right, then another raptor over Sandford Lane, now hovering. It looked a bit large so pulled out my scope from the boot again, quickly squatting down to see through it without legs extended and as soon as I focused shouted "it's an Osprey". Alan reeled off some photos, but I couldn't get my iPhone onto it before it went right behind those pesky Poplars at this end and it never reappeared.
Only my third ever Osprey, this is the latest and I have seen all three from the car park!
Alan's shots, which I've cropped
Thursday, 13 October 2016
Little change
I was busy today, but managed 45 minutes early afternoon and again saw the Stonechat and the Pintail, which offered some slightly better light than previously, so I got these shots, none are anything special
I just missed another group of Fieldfare vanishing behind Lodge Wood, but then focused on this interesting Teal, which some could mistake for a Garganey
I'd like to get better views and shots of this bird.
Around 14:30 I just happened to scan higher up and picked up 2, then a third Raven heading fast SE, 1 turned back and it looked like that it had been chasing the 2 away. Shortly after 2 birds came past left in front of Lodge Wood calling loudly.
I just missed another group of Fieldfare vanishing behind Lodge Wood, but then focused on this interesting Teal, which some could mistake for a Garganey
I'd like to get better views and shots of this bird.
Around 14:30 I just happened to scan higher up and picked up 2, then a third Raven heading fast SE, 1 turned back and it looked like that it had been chasing the 2 away. Shortly after 2 birds came past left in front of Lodge Wood calling loudly.
Wednesday, 12 October 2016
Cooler and cooler
Another misty start at LFGP, the Pintail was still present, but the light was rubbish and the record shot even more so
123 Greylag there may be a new record.
Later on the cold Easterly wind was up, but I found a distant Raven squabbling with a Red Kite some way West of LFGP, a few Chaffinch were going over in 3-5's, with 30+ went thru NW over and hour, a flock of 50+ Fieldfare also headed SW over the landfill just East of the car park, but dropped before crossing Lavell's
123 Greylag there may be a new record.
Later on the cold Easterly wind was up, but I found a distant Raven squabbling with a Red Kite some way West of LFGP, a few Chaffinch were going over in 3-5's, with 30+ went thru NW over and hour, a flock of 50+ Fieldfare also headed SW over the landfill just East of the car park, but dropped before crossing Lavell's
Tuesday, 11 October 2016
Cold start
Out around 06:40, it was frosty and a bit foggy over the lakes, so I ditched LFGP for the car park field, but little going on, so I just captured the moment looking left and right over the landfill and some frost in the car park field...just for fun.
Later at LFGP the Pintail was still present, as was the Stonechat, the latter being chased off by a Jackdaw to the Phragmites ditch. A few Meadow Pipit were going over and I then counted a high number of 104 Shoveler, only the second time we have broken the 100 barrier ever.
Scanning around I picked up 13 Fieldfare coming SW over the landfill, which I think is my earliest date.Several Snipe were hiding in the vegetation on the East shore.
At the car park, looking over the landfill again, 50+ Redwing SW, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, a couple of flocks of small finches, 4 Skylark and a Water Rail calling from the balancing pond.
Later at LFGP the Pintail was still present, as was the Stonechat, the latter being chased off by a Jackdaw to the Phragmites ditch. A few Meadow Pipit were going over and I then counted a high number of 104 Shoveler, only the second time we have broken the 100 barrier ever.
Scanning around I picked up 13 Fieldfare coming SW over the landfill, which I think is my earliest date.Several Snipe were hiding in the vegetation on the East shore.
At the car park, looking over the landfill again, 50+ Redwing SW, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, a couple of flocks of small finches, 4 Skylark and a Water Rail calling from the balancing pond.
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