Tuesday 28 August 2012

25-8-12

I decided to take notice of my advice to stay away from afternoon birding around here so was up with the lark, well almost and the lark I was following had a small lie in.  First stop was around the quarry entrance and birds noted were Robin, Swallow, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Common Whitethroat (2 here and one around the lanes), Starling, 5 Mute Swan, Blue Tit, Linnet - small flock of about 15 with the odd few around the lanes, a single Chiffchaff along with a rough looking female Blackcap, about 50 Goldfinch with another 20 to 30 around the lanes, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Great Tit, Wren, Black Headed Gull, 7 Pied Wagtails, 2 Buzzards, several House Martins in with Swallows, 4 Cormorant over, 3 Mallard flew in to the far lake, the odd Sand Martin and a steady string of Lesser Black-backed Gulls flying in and out of the far lake.  Onto the lanes and I added Moorhen, Stock Dove, Blackbird, Canada Geese, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Little Owl, a Garden Warbler was a suprise in with a small flock of Tree Sparrows, Yellowhammer, 1 Kestrel, Reed Bunting and Pheasants.

22-8-12

Today was another afternoon as I had to go out early in the morning however it turned to be an absolute waste of time and effort.  Do not do afternoon birding around Whitemoor Haye, it can ruin you.  Birds noted around the pool area were Woodpigeon, Goldfinch, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Cormorant, Wren, Swallow, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Linnet, Pheasant, Blue Tit and Pied Wagtail.
On to the lanes and I added Moorhen, Mute Swan, Tree Sparrow, Common Whitethroat, Magpie, Little Owl, Stock Dove, Green Woodpecker (heard only), Yellowhammer and a Grey Heron
You have been warned.

21-8-12

After a visit to Croxal very first it was back to the usual.  As is the norm the first place I stopped off was the quarry pool.  Water levels are still very high with very little shoreline showing but with the busy outdoor centre I think a half empty quarry would not attract much stuff these days.  Very disappointing really.  On to the birds and I noted Robin, Linnet, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Swallow, Tufted Duck (wow), Pied Wagtail, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blue Tit, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Linnet, Goldfinch (a flock of about 50 birds was on the seeding thistle heads on the edge of the conveyor belt in the quarry with a few more seen around the lanes), Black Headed Gull, Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Pheasant, Wren, Cormorant and a Grey Heron.  On to the lanes and it did not get any better.  I noted Tree Sparrow, Mallard over, Stock Dove, 2 Little Owls, Yellowhammer, 2 Grey Partridge calling, Great Tit, Buzzard, Blackcap, Blackbird, Magpie and Moorhen.
The lack of photography may have been noted in this blog, reason being my camera broke and I cant find a decent replacement for it however I have just had a new phone.  Not bad eh? 


Monday 20 August 2012

20-8-12

I have decided to have my first week ofof the year and with nothing planned I am hoping to keep up my attendance at Whitemoor Haye even though it has been pretty poor this summer.  First site was the quarry pool and birds noted were Carrion Crow, Blackbird, Robin, Yellowhammer, Black Headed Gull, 2 Common Sandpipers, Linnet, Swallow, Wren, Woodpigeon, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Goldfinch, 1 Yellow Wagtail and Lesser Black-backed Gulls,  Very quiet. On to the lanes and I added Mute Swan, Tree Sparrow, Common Whitethroat, 1 Buzzard, Stock Dove, a suprise in the shape of  a Nuthatch in a tree near the Little Owl tree, 1 Little Owl in the Little Owl tree!!!!!, Magpie, Blue Tit, Starling, Moorhen and Pheasant.  All in all a very disappointing visit with very little showing.  Oh for the autumn.  

19-8-12

If yesterdays heat down in Buckinghamshire was anything to go by this place needs an early morning visit before the heat haze sets in.  With Friday nights lack of sleep catching up on me (more down to very strong winds during the night, which in a tent is not good fun. rather than beer!!!!!) I was not up as early as I would have liked.  Once on site I checked out around the quarry pool first.  Birds noted were Robin, Wren, Swallow, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 9 Mallard, Starling, 70+ Linnet flying between the lake edge and the woodland with another 60ish noted around the lanes in various size flocks, Woodpigeon, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Pied Wagtail, Pheasant, Carrion Crow, Great Tit, 2 Treecreeper, Blackbird, a single Tufted Duck, around 20+ Goldfinch with another 20+ around the lanes, a couple of House Martin in with the Swallows, Canada Geese, 2 Raven flying over, 6 Yellow Wagtails and a couple of Black Headed Gulls.  On to the lanes and I added Blue Tit, Yellowhammer, Moorhen, Reed Bunting, Chaffinch, 35+ Tree Sparrows, 1 Little Owl, a couple of Common Whitethroats, a steady trickle of Lesser Black-backed Gulls towards the far pool, and the usual single Mute Swan.  On the way back home and another quick check of the quarry pool and I managed to find a couple of Common Sandpipers flying over the lake.    

17-8-12

I have a fishing match down in Buckinghamshire on Saturday, driving down about midday today so it was an early morning visit before getting ready for the jopurney.  First stop was around the quarry pool area and birds noted were Carrion Crow, Magpie, Canada Geese, Swallow, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Wren, a single Tufted Duck - as said before a rarity on this lake these days, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Blue Tit, Linnet - quite a few birds flocking together now, 6 Mallard, Tree Sparrow, Woodpigeon, Lesser Black-backed Gull, a couple of Cormorant flying off from the far lake, and lots of Swifts over the far lake.  Onto the lanes and I added several Common Whitethroat, a single Mute Swan in the ditch along with a family of Moorhen, Yellowhammer, 1 Buzzard, Robin, a couple of Reed Bunting, Great Tit, Starling, Chaffinch and a couple of Stock Doves.     

14-8-12

A quick visit to check out the pool area this evening before a quick drive around the lanes produced the following.  Magpie, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Swallow, Yellowhammer, Carrion Crow, Canada Geese, Linnet, Black Headed Gull, Robin, Woodpigeon, Pied Wagtail, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Tree Sparrow, Cormorant, Blue Tit, Common Sandpiper, Wren, Grey Partridge, Blackbird, Mallard, Moorhen and a single Little Owl

Monday 13 August 2012

12-8-12

Yet another busy weekend so only one visit to WH on early Sunday morning to beat any heat haze or canoists or wind surfers.  First stop, as usual, was at the lake to check out what was around.  I noted 3 Lapwing flying over, Pheasants, Stock Dove, Carrion Crow, Swallows, several Common Whitethroats plus lots more when I got around the lanes, 1 Grey Heron, 40+ Pied Wagtails, Wren, Robin, 14 Linnets, 20+ Goldfinch, Yellowhammers, Blackbird, Mute Swan, Woodpigeon, Blue Tit, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Cananda Geese.  Next stop was to park up down the road and check out the lanes.  Birds added were Magpie, Moorhen, 4 Grey Partridge, 30+ Tree Sparrows, 1 Little Owl, Greenfinch, Mallards flying over, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Dunnock, 8 Corn Bunting on top of the barley including possibly 5 juveniles, 1 Cormorant flying over, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Buzzard and several Black Headed Gulls.  Whilst walking around the lanes I also heard a Greenshank which must have been flying over the far lake.  This time last year we had a good run of Greenshanks with up to 10 birds at any one time.  I am doubting very much that will happen again with all of the disturbance going on however I shudder to think what goes on on that far lake.  Arrrrrgh.   

7-8-12.

I decided to pop down to check out Whitemoor Haye, first a quick drive down the lanes then to the area around the lake to see if I could get anything.  Unfortunately it turned out to be a bit dissapointing.  Birds noted around the lanes were Mute Swan, Moorhen, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, 1 Little Owl, 15 Tree Sparrows, Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Magpie, Swallows and single Buzzard and Song Thrush.  Over to the lake and I pulled up at the side of the road and checked out the lake and coppice behind.  Birds added were 1 Cormorant over, 18 Mallard (some on the lake, some flying over), 26+ Linnets feeding on the thistle heads, Wren, a couple of Common Whitethroats, Greylag Geese, 1 Grey Heron, 100's of Swifts flying over the back pit again, Wren, Goldfinch, Robin, a couple of House Martins, Black Headed Gull, 20ish Pied Wagtails including juveniles, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and Blackbirds.

Whilst at the lake another regular birdwatcher to WH turned up to see what was about and he managed to find a Common Sandpiper on the fare shore but it didn't hang around too long.  We got chatting and he mentioned he had been approached by staff at the outdoor centre about them not liking birdwatchers looking over the lake.  I have been thinking what would happen if they started complaining, I definately already know what I will tell them!!!  I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced any of these comments.

Sunday 5 August 2012

5-8-12

Just one visit to the patch this weekend and it was decent weather early Sunday morning so out I went.  Starting off at the lake and checking the small wood before checking the lanes I noted the following.  Collared Dove, Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Heron, Carrion Crow, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Pheasant, Wren, a vocal Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Common Sandpiper, a now rare (in these parts) Tufted Duck - there was lots of shooting around the quarry and had pushed a solitary bird up the lake along with 6 Mallards, a few hundred Swifts over the far lake, Greylag Geese, Swallow, Canada Geese, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, 6 Mute Swans, Magpie, Long-tailed Tits, Robin, Woodpigeon, Yellowhammer, Stock Dove, Great Tit, Linnet, Chaffinch, Moorhen, 1 Little Owl, 1 Buzzard, about 30 Tree Sparrows in various places around the lanes, a couple of Skylarks, a single Great Crested Grebe which flew over, a single Common Whitethroat over the whole site, Starlings and finally two Green Sandpipers which were in the marshy field by the start of the rough track.  An enjoyable visit this morning even though several men were blasting geese out of the sky, they didnt do too much for the waders on site nor for the geese they managed to kill!!!!