Year listing update

Lack of posts does not mean lack of birding. I've been reasonably busy year-listing.

I'm not a great one for listing for the sake of it, But for me it gives me a target, a place to go, a plan for the day, and as a well known non-birder might have said, good birding is what happens whilst you were busy making other birding plans.

Mike and I had an owl day. Long-Eared, Little, at you-know where, and then Short-Eared Owl at Eldernell with a couple of distant Cranes. We were drawing a blank with the Shorties until a local birder pointed us to the relevant field, and in particular a small bush in the middle with a distinctive set of logs and branches and a very distinctive roosting owl. Of course, of course, how could we not have noticed the giveaway trampled grass round the edge of the field. Doh. And if I had a pound for every photo of that stump and that owl that has been in my twitter feed, I could afford my next fuel bill.

Then Old Hall Marshes. The full version. Blimey that's a long way. I had a 'doesn't seem that far' moment, and then realised the bend was not the start of the way back, but half way along the way out. Anyway, we had a couple of Merlins perched up, the second looking quite small with, on full zoom, light feather edgings on all its back feathers, so an imm male for me. 

A young (in comparison) couple, looking like they had just stepped out of an outdoors clothing catalogue, came the other day, he with rubbish binoculars. We said hello and offered them a view of the Merlin down the scope. They were thrilled, in awe of this tiny falcon, and then excitedly telling us of the Bearded Tit they had seen. It is easy to get cynical about the quality of the birds we see on our trips, dryly exchanging lists of scarce birds with other equally laconic and weary old birders, but there, in that reaction, of those two young folk probably on one of their first wildlife expeditions, is the emotional truth of our pastime. The thrill and excitement of seeing a hoped-for bird doesn't diminish over the years, even if our reactions may. We added Ruff, then Great Northern Diver off the end, but the recently reported White Fronted Geese had given us the slip.

Then the annual visit, that 'will it be worth it?' trip to WWT Welney. We paid up, paused at the cafe view over Lady Fen where a lone lady asked if we were experts? Well, modesty forbids! But I'll have a go. That pipit over there? Scope up and yes, madam, you were right to point that one out, and thank you for adding Water Pipit to the year list.

Onwards to the Main Observatory and the day's target couldn't have been easier. Nine Tundra Bean Geese, asleep right in front. The darkish heads and give-away broad white edges to the flight feathers marked them out, and soon enough they got up and wandered round. Surely the best ever view of wild geese.

At the next hide a flock of distant Swans turned out to be Bewick's Swans. I find these hard to see on an annual basis, relying on Abberton bringing in a couple each winter, but this flock was thirty strong, with a couple of juveniles, and made excellent if somewhat distant viewing. I find a view of winter geese and swans isn't really complete unless you hear them call and see them in flight, and a small group obliged by calling loudly and flying off, their slightly faster wing-beats being clear in comparison to a pair of Whoopers passing.

Finally, the key Welney Species, the one all the birders come for. It took a while, but eventually there it was, on the feeders, Tree Sparrow.

Then yesterday a small window of opportunity and it was back to Abberton. firstly Layer-Breton causeway, and a ridiculously close flock of wildfowl-collection tame White Fronted Geese. 31, plus a Pink-footed Goose. They flapped a bit showing off their barred bellies - they seemed to be mainly adults - then obliged by flying off to feed on a field, and then flew back, calling, flying around. Surely the best ever view of wild geese. 

I got Smew here too. A redhead, sitting comfortably at close range in front of its usual reed bed. I watched the geese for a while, then mentioned to a couple of birders the really easy Smew on the other side of the road, we crossed back over, and of the Smew there was absolutely no sign.

Finally, Lodge Lane on the eastern side. This is a difficult access point due to lack of parking, but top Essex Birder Darryl had recently posted a request to park in Peldon Community Centre car park and walk up, so I did. It's a non-trivial walk, but easily doable, and the views were excellent. Lots of Wigeon, a few Goosander, about 30 Dunlin, nice views of a male Marsh Harrier, and then in the distance amongst the many Great Crested Grebe, something smaller. Clearly a Grebe, more black and white and without the distinctive silhouette of Red-Necked, probably one the Slavonian that has been seen on and off over the winter. The silhouette lacked the peaked-forehead of Black-Necked but could I be sure, at this range? It was one of those moments where I have to ask what kind of birder am I? Am I  birder of integrity, who's list only contains cast iron certainties? Or am I the kind of birder who will bump up their list on the flimsiest of view? Well, there's only one answer to that. 131. Slavonian Grebe.

Welney Wonderland

The moment when the magic of the place hit home was when we picked up a Merlin whizzing down the back of the washes, past the three Common Cranes, just behind the grazing family party of Whooper Swans, and down on to the deck. This could be some piece of bogy tundra well beyond the arctic circle. And all from a large lounge which is certainly the most luxurious place to see birds I've encountered in the UK.

I hadn't been to Welney WWT for a while. Probably because if you're going to go all the way to Welney, you may as well carry on to the Norfolk coast, and also, its quite expensive. But the chance of seeing my second Pallid Harrier in three days (lol!) as well as the possibility of seeing Common Crane, a bird whose expansion in the UK had managed to pass me by, saw David and me handing over our money and heading across the wooden walkway to view the washes.

That Merlin moment didn't happen until after we had gone the full length north from the main hide to find the Harrier, only to be told it had been seen early and scooted off north somewhere. We did catch up with a couple of Marsh Harriers, one of which came really quite close, and a few Ruff amongst the Teal. A couple of distant Hobbies patrolled the far side of the wash, and Kestrels and Snipe kept us busy in the search for the Harrier. And three enormous Cranes drifted close by back toward the main hide. Wow.

The path was out of the path of the howling wind so had a surprising number of insects. We got Wall Butterfly - new for the year for both of us, one in a prolonged spiralling fight with a Small Copper; plenty of Migrant Hawkers often resting up out of the wind, and even a Willow Emerald. This species is becoming the Little Egret of the Damsel fly world. Last year we were thrilled to find one. This year we are delighted to see so many. Next year we will be disappointed not to see one in the usual places. The year after that we will have stopped counting them.

Time for lunch in the clean and overpriced modern cafe, up on the second floor to give a good view of Lady Fen. And what a view, as 9 Common Cranes flew around the fields, bickering and arguing with each other. It seemed there were three parties of three, with each having two adults and a drab brownish bird of the year. We almost overlooked the Tree Sparrows on the feeders, a treat for us Southerners.

Then back to the main hide to find the three Cranes still there, so 12 in total. A scan along the waters edge had single Avocet, three Black-tailed Godwit, and a couple of Dunlin with many wigeon and Teal there too. Then four Cranes flew in and we had seven birds doing the full Crane thing at a distance of, I would guess, between 50 and 100 yards. Those birds filled the scope view without having to touch the zoom. Jumping, jostling, then head-down arse-up feeding, and a bit more of that slow, languid flight and bounding landing. And then the Merlin doing what Merlins do. We quite forgot we hadn't seen that Harrier.

Here's a couple of photos. If you are thinking those are quite good for me, that's because they were taken by David. For more, see his excellent blog

Cranes from the main hide. 

Migrant Hawker resting out of the wind.

A Tale of Two Reserves

Whoopers at RSPB Ouse washes

Blue Sky! Not Freezing! No Wind !!! A trip to the Ouse Washes to see some different birds.

First up, RSPB Ouse Washes. I was quite surprised at the low-key nature of the place. A wooden shed for a reception centre with the warden out, a book with sightings, and then the hides. It was just me and a few (other) old blokes having a leisurely look around the reserve. There were Whoopers Swans in abundance. Its amazing to be driving through flat countryside and see fields full of hundreds of wild swans, but here they are, and at this reserve they were quite close. There was a Short-Eared Owl hunting the bund from the road on the way in, 2 Stonechat along the path, 3 distant Buzzards, and round the centre a few Tree Sparrows - quite a tick for those of us from Essex/Herts. A male Sparrowhawk slipped low past the hide, a Fox patrolled the edge of an adjacent field and a Muntjac stood and watched from the edge of the reed bed. There were lots of wild fowl on the washes, thousands of Wigeon, good numbers of Pochard and Pintail, and if you ever want to see lots of Coot in one place then this is the reserve for you.

Whoopers in a field

Then on to Welney WWT. I hadn't seen the new centre and very impressive it was - lots of staff, lots of cake, pictures on the wall for sale, and a stonking £8.20 entrance fee for non-members such as I. The reserve itself was full of non-birders on a day out; mainly old folk but families here too.

The water level was lower than at the RSPB centre and the birds better for it. On Lady Fen - bought by the WWT and being developed - there was Short-Eared Owl and Barn Owl, Dunlin, a Curlew, Shelduck, a few Little Egrets, and a herd of Whooper Swans in the distance. A family party of four Roe Deer crossed the back.

On the reserve there was a Peregrine and 2 Marsh Harriers at the north end, about 4000 Black-Tailed Godwit at the southern end, and all the ducks you would expect in front of the hides. And as I walked back to the reserve in the late afternoon several thousand Golden Plover flew this way and that in the sky. with a low sun on their white bellies and golden wings it was if a massive cloud of golden glitter had been sprinkled across the sky.

So Welney won hands down for birds, entrance fee excepted. Welney is getting bigger and better, whilst the RSPB reserve looks for all the world like they wish they didn't have it. Its not hard to see why - the RSPB reserve is on the wrong side both for access from the nearest birding population, and for observing as the natural view is SE into the sun. The reserve is massive and at a time like this is an expanse of water with distant birds on the far side. In addition one of the main reasons for the reserve - breeding Black-Tailed Godwit - no longer applies as they have moved on.

All the things that work against the RSPB reserve work for the WWT reserve. Easier access from the south-east; a narrower drier reserve with the sunlight behind you when viewing birds; and now better birds. The WWT are spending heavily on the reserve including developing Lady Fen which can be watched from the elevated watching platform by the cafe, so this reserve is only likely to get better.

Some birders will like the quieter relaxed feel of the RSPB reserve, but I think it will be Welney I return to in the future.

Ely Cathedral from the RSPB reserve