28-12-12

Todays forecast - rain.  Tomorrows forecast - rain.  Next days forecast - rain. Its getting a little bit tedious now.  Todays visit was delayed until the crappy rain had finally stopped and the first stop was by the quarry entrance.  In my very minimal experience afternoon birding at WH is not the most productive and today proved that.  Birds noted were 33 Wigeon, at least 600+ Lapwing, Carrion Crow, Black Headed Gull, 12 Tufted Duck, around 60 Golden Plover, Magpie, Woodpigeon, 2 Kestrel, 4 Mallard, 1 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, Starling, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Wren, Great Tit, Goldfinch, Blue Tit, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Kingfisher feeding in the ditches, Chaffinch and a couple of Pied Wagtail. 
Onto around the lanes and I could only add the following. 3 Mute Swan, 2 Little Owl, 1 Buzzard, a few Linnet, 60+ Fieldfare, 80+ Redwing, 9 Grey Partridge, around 8 Yellowhammer, Canada Geese and Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

26-12-12

Well thats that over and done with for another twelve months!!!!!!!!  I was able to get out today due to the lack of alcohol in my blood system for the first time since the weekend.  The floods had again returned to WH with the roads blocked and at one point my known drinking associated was concerned his parents were not going to get an Xmas lunch although my swimming trunks were at the ready and we were prepared for everything however no need to worry because as we sat it the pub on Xmas Eve the water was receding and all was well in the end. 
On to the birding and it was a case of hanging about un til the rains came at lunchtime.  First stop was the quarry pool and surroundings and this turned out very productive.  As I arrived I could here the Wigeon doin what Wigeon do but I was struggling to see the birds on the pool due to the low and very bright sun.  The following counts are what I could make out and then there was proberbly about another 100 different wildfowl.  Birds noted were 102 Wigeon, Woodpigeon (over 1000 birds were present where the Mute Swans have been present plus many more around the site), Starling, Black Headed Gull, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, several Reed Bunting, Greenfinch, Blackbird, 3 Lapwing to begin with before a large group turned up of 800 birds plus, 37 Mallard, 2 Pochard, 24 Tufted Duck, 5 Redshank, Magpie, 73 Teal, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 3 Lesser Redpoll in a group of 60+ Goldfinch, Blue Tit, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Wren, 8 Cormorant, Great Tit, 20 Mute Swan, 200+ Golden Plover with the Lapwings, Pied Wagtail, Linnet, 6 Waxwings that were in the alders - a site tick for me as I missed the last few a couple of years ago to my MS and I was gutted but made up now, and finally a couple of Meadow Pipits present. 
Onto the lanes and I added several Skylark, 30+ Fieldfare, 1 Kestrel, Yellowhammer, 60+ Redwings, 1 Buzzard, Stock Dove, 7 Coot, 1 Little Owl, House Sparrow, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Sparrowhawk, Moorhen, Pheasant, Dunnock and Carrion Crow.          
All in all not a bad few hours down the patch which included a site tick for life, Waxwing, and one for the year, Redpoll.  Bonus.

19-12-12

With the weather forecasted to be pretty rubbish for most of the day and looking very overcast to start with I decided to head out first thing, check out near the quarry entrance before driving around the site to check out different areas and not get caught in the rain.  As it turned out we did not have too much but I had other things planned for the day.  Bloody forecasters!!!!!  Birds noted were 1 Grey Heron, 45 Wigeon, Black Headed Gulls, Goldfinch, 44 Cormorants all feeding on the pool, my most here by far, 5 Mallards, Great Tit, 13 Tufted Duck, Blue Tit, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 650+ Lapwings mostly over the far side of the workings and only seen when disturbed, Blackbird, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Chaffinch, 48 Golden Plover, 1 only Skylark, Robin, Woodpigeon, Starling, 2 Buzzards, 37 Fieldfare, Dunnock, Tree Sparrow, Yellowhammer, Meadow Pipit, Pheasant, 1 Sparrowhawk, Magpie, 1 Kestrel, 2 Mistle Thrush, Pied Wagtail, Song Thrush, Wren, House Sparrow, 4 Mute Swan and Carrion Crow.    

17-12-12

Things to do today but I was able to get in a visit to WH to see what was about.  I noted 1 Grey Heron, 4 Cormorant,  384 Lapwing, Long-tailed Tit, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Tit, Woodpigeon, 33 Wigeon, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Tufted Duck, Reed Bunting, Black Headed Gull, Wren, 70+ Golden Plover, Dunnock, Robin, Meadow Pipit, Carrion Crow, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Starling, Blackbird, Pheasant, 4 Goldcrest, 8 Fieldfare, 52 Mute Swan (in several groups as still no sign of large flock), 40+ Skylarks feeding, Magpie, Linnet, Blue Tit, 1 Kestrel, 2 singing Corn Buntings, Redwing, Yellowhammer, 6 Mallards, at least 2 Bramblings in with a large Chaffinch flock feeding in the old pig field where the caravan is at the moment, 6 Collarded Doves over, 2 Little Owls, a few Tree Sparrows, Moorhen, House Sparrows near Sittles Farm, and a few Stock Doves around. 

16-12-12

First day of a very long holiday for me where, weather pemitting, I will be doing my fair share of local patchwork.  After checking out some local pits it was down to WH just before midday for a couple of hours.  Birds noted were 29 Wigeon, 2 Teal, 13 Mute Swan (due to a very load gas gun in the field the large flock were not present today), 3 Great Crested Grebe, Linnet, 8 Cormorant, Black Headed and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Magpie, Dunnock, Blackbird, Great Tit, 2 Grey Heron, Goldfinch, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Moorhen, 30 plus Skylarks feeding, a few Tree Sparrows, 27 Stock Doves, Robin, Wren, Starling, 6 Mallards, 1 Little Egret, Chaffinch, 76 Lapwing, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, House Sparrow, a Merlin that was hunting over the fields, Redwing, Reed Bunting and 9 Golden Plover flew through.

12-12-12

It was a stunning morning at WH today, sunny but chilly and the birds did not dissapoint.  Birds noted were 56 Wigeon, many Lesser Black-backed Gulls streaming over, 51 Pochard, 6 Mallard, Carrion Crow, 4 Tufted Duck, 1 Great Crested Grebe, Great Tit, Blue Tit, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Snipe, Woodpigeon, Linnet, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 27 Golden Plover, Redwing, Goldfinch, Robin, Blackbird, Wren, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Fieldfare, Cormorant, 60 Lapwing, 43 Skylark, a single Redshank, Long-tailed Tits, Moorhen, Pied Wagtail, Starling, Tree Sparrow, 1 Kestrel, Magpie, 1 Buzzard, 91 Mute Swan, Collared Dove, 30+ House Sparrows, Pheasants and a single Jay.

11-12-12

Just using up my last few holidays of the year with a couple of days off, three days at work then three weeks off.  Get in!!!  After visiting a local site first it was then a walk around WH.  The lake was partially frozen and there was about a hundred wildfowl on there but I didn't stop as the sunlight was right over the pool and I was popping down to the rough track to put out some bird food and do a bit of photography before checking out what was on the lake, bad mistake as the outdoor centre staff were walking around the pool as I arrived and had scarred everything off!!!!! Not one duck was seen after.  I parked up for about half an hour and took a few photos which didn't turn out to good but birds noted whilst there were Dunnock, Moorhen, 4 Grey Partridge, 5 Tree Sparrow, 7 Yellowhammer, a few Robins, Blackbird, Chaffinch, 30+ Golden Plover (another 40+ were seen later), Carrion Crow, 43 Skylark was my highest count throughout my visit, 2 Mistle Thrush and about 120 Lapwing with another 100 seen throughout the visit.  Onto the quarry entrance area and with nothing on the lake I did a bit of hedge and woodland bashing.  Birds noted were Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Linnet, Wren, 3+ Jay, several Redwing, and lots of Woodpigeon.  A walk around the rough track was next and I added 3 Mute Swan, several Fieldfare, Goldfinch, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker flying towards the wood, 3 Ruff had now joined the Lapwing/Golden Plover flock, 150+ Starling were feeding on the ploughed surface, Stock Dove, Pied Wagtail, Buzzard, Black Headed Gull and a few Magpie.  The last thing to do was to count the Mute Swan flock further round the trackes and they totalled 115.