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.

A new and impressive list for 2017.

I've got a new list for 2017. Here it is:

• Common Crane
• Great White Egret
• Goshawk
• Black Brant
• Rosy Starling
• Richard's Pipit
• Cattle Egret

Quite impressive I think. Yes, as you have no doubt worked out by now, this is a list of the birds I've dipped so far this year. Criteria are that the bird was seen either on the day or both before and after, and from a place where I've been and could reasonably have expected to see it if it popped up in front of me.

This weekend in Weymouth was a particularly good one for the list. No sign of the Rosy Starling in Dorchester, I went to Abbotsbury and was informed a Richard's Pipit had been seen well on a dry stone wall and then on a bush. Nothing. I bumped into four people who told me the Starling had eventually appeared in Dorchester. I went back - nothing, although I did see a lady walking her dogs who showed me a photo of the bird in her garden on her phone (for clarity the photo of the Starling was on the phone, not a photo of the Starling on the phone). well at least I had a couple of bankers at Portland Bill - Purple Sandpiper and Short-Eared Owl. Yep no sign of them either.

Back to Abbotsbury this morning - nothing, then back to Dorchester - nothing. Although I did see the lady and her dogs again.

The thing about this is I still quite enjoyed my birding, although not as much as if I'd actually seen any of the birds I guess. I'm still mulling over what that means about the value I attach to seeing rarities.

Patch summary Jan-Feb 2016

The patch is a selection of rough fields either side of the River Stort just south of Sawbridgeworth with some wooded regions and a public park adjacent. With two months of 2016 over, how is the patch list standing?

The winter has been poor overall due largely to El Nino producing a warm winter, so many birds have not had to make the trip to the UK. Cold weather movements have been minimal, and the lists of many birding spots have noticeably had no new birds this year, just slowly reducing numbers of the ones there at year start.

Against that backdrop, the patch has done well with 59 different species being seen so far. "Highlights" are Barn Owl, Little Egret, Lesser Redpoll, Shoveler, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, and Little Grebe. Of local note was 1 Herring Gull low over the park on 6th Feb - surprisingly tricky to get on the patch, and the flock of House Sparrows in the SW corner of Pishiobury Park which was noticeably absent in the first few visits was back on 29th Jan.

Full list in sequence of observation: Teal, Mallard, Pheasant, Cormorant, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Buzzard, Moorhen, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Magpie, Jay, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Nuthatch, Wren, Blackbird, Redwing, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Bullfinch, Yellowhammer, Robin, Kestrel, Goldcrest, Great Tit, Starling, Mistle Thrush, Greenfinch, Gadwall, Coot, Stock Dove, Fieldfare, Sparrowhawk, Song Thrush, Grey Wagtail, Canada Goose, Pied Wagtail, Lesser Redpoll, Reed Bunting, Skylark, Siskin, Kingfisher, Coal Tit, House Sparrow, Herring Gull, Shoveler, Little Grebe, Barn Owl, Meadow Pipit.

I added Hawfinch at Bramfield and Chiffchaff at Rye Meads this morning to the year list which now stands at 128

Listing Badly

I don't really do listing. No idea what my UK list is. But with this year being more uncertain than previous ones, I maybe able to do some decent birding so getting some year lists together could be fun.

I've borrowed some advice from the doyen of patch watching at North Downs and Beyond  and divided the world into three regions; there's the 'core patch' of south Sawbridgeworth and Pishiobury Park. this is mainly wet farmland and parkland. Then there's a wider patch region that covers (specifically) Trimm's Green and the high ground round Shingle Hall Farm, The Stort as far north as Stortford; Pincey Brook at Hatfield Broad Oak, and Hatfield Forest. Then finally there is everywhere else.

I've had a couple of walks round my core patch so far this year, and so far I'm on 42 species. Its poor, but I'm relaxed. Its interesting what you don't see on a normal walk round. No House Sparrows or Reed Buntings, for instance. There are a few winter thrushes, okay numbers of Yellowhammers and Linnets, and healthy numbers of Blackbird, Robin, and Dunnocks amongst others. So far the only notable species are Little Egret on 4th, and Common Gull on the deck. Plenty of the latter fly over on their way to roost, but not many actually touch down.

Overall there's the distinct impression that winter hasn't really started. That's probably down to an El Nino inspired record warm spell.

anyway, here's some sights from around the core patch.

One of those continental types getting ready for Spring.

The Corvids of doom await North Korea's nuclear holocaust.

Feakes Lock: the southern edge of the core patch.

Finally a good-bye to David Bowie, a star of mine and lots of other people's youth. I'll post a few of the more obscure tracks starting with this early one from The Man Who Sold The World,  The Width of a Circle

"Walking From House" List additions

A few additions to the "Walking from the house list" to report ...

1. Mediterranean Gull and Herring Gull 80 & 81. I was out on 27 August with just my bins, and noticed lots of gulls on a field being ploughed just east of Lower-Sheering Road. A quick scan revealed a smaller gull which was pale white/brown without any of the distinctive head markings of a BH Gull. It flew, showing heavily black forewing and secondary panel, and a black terminal tail band. I ummed and ahhed about this for a couple of days afterwards, I think because when I saw 15 of these at Lodmoor a couple of weeks previous I'd had my scope and could check the bill, and eye-lids to confirm and couldn't do that on this occasion. But after I'd seen some of the photos of juveniles going into first winter on Birdguides it was stupid not to tick it as they were the spitting image. And belated Herring Gull too.

2. Hobby 82. 17 Sep. An overdue event this. Out with the dogs, and one shot over my head. Nice. That makes for 4 raptors on the list. Could I get another one? Well obviously yes. Red Kite is present in this area, and eventually one will be flying around when I'm out, but after that it's looking fairly impossible.

3. Marsh Harrier 83. 18 Sep. Well, so much for how hard the next raptor was going to be. Out with the dogs in the park again, with a patchy blue and white sky and a dark grey cloud getting closer and closer ... I noticed a few hirundines high up, and after scanning noticed that wherever I looked were swallows and martins. I guessed about a hundred moving in advance of the rain. And then a larger bird. Just as soon as I thought another gull it was obvious that it wasn't. It was flying hard SE, but then turned E and it was clearly a Marsh Harrier. All dark, longish tail, bulky but long wings, and if I looked really hard possibly a cream crown? Then, incredibly, it joined a second bird and they soared round for a while, taking their time, before they slowly drifted East and out of sight into Essex. Well, knock me down with a feather. I remember seeing three of the five UK birds at Minsmere in 1975, and now they are so common that pairs of them are flying over my house. The rain duly came down, but I couldn't have cared less.

So in just over 10 months of moving into the house I'm on 83. The scrape hasn't been playing ball having been dry through the autumn, so if that gets muddy at the right time there's another few species to pick up, and with no chats, starts, or owls on the list then 100 is possible. I'm slightly stunned, to be honest, at what I've seen over the year. I can't wait to see what turns up next.