Moore 15 Mar

Well with the weeks weather being lovely and warm and quite a few reported sightings of the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker we headed off North to Moore.
Being the weekend typically the weather had gone down hill, gone was the warm weather replaced by the odd bit of Sun and a very cool breeze so we weren't holding our breath in finding our target.
Turns out everyone else seemed to have the same idea as the place was pact no a single space in the car park.

No Lesser Spotted but we did see a pair of it's larger cousin, along with the usual stuff a Tree Creeper by the road was a nice spot.

Brummie Bash

Today I took Gem out for the morning doing a small tour of the West Mids.

We started off at the delightful location of Hams Hall industrial estate at Colwitch we were here to try and find the Leaf Warbler although we didn't manage to see the target we bird we did see quite a few Chiffchaff which were in full song and combined with sun made it feel quite Spring like. Also noted we're Grey and Pied Wagtails.

We then headed off to a bird I was more confident at being able to find the Longtailed Duck which was at Sutton Park, pulling up in the car park I soon found the bird in the middle of the lake.

Long tailed Duck Sutton Park

It was then a case of making our way home although I made a quick pit stop at Bescot to allow me to grab a few shots of the shutters there including the newly turned out 08907 in DB colours.

08907 stabled on Bescot depot

08580 and 709 stored at Bescot

Llay Slav Grebe

With Gem feeling under the weather birding was taking a back seat, but a quick out and back to see the Slavonian Grebe would at least allow us to get out of the house for a while and get a breath of fresh air.

The Sat Nav soon had us at Llay and then the directions from the North Wales Bird forum did the rest and had us bang on target.

We soon found the bird but as always on the opposite side from where we were, so a quick walk along the road and then into the field soon had us on the bank of the pool watching the Grebe, we even saw it catch a fish, and it even allowed me to get some shots.

Slavonian Grebe at Llay 

Connah's Quay and Burton Mere

We went for the double today visiting Connah's Quay firstly followed by Burton Mere with lunch down at Burton Mere.

With a fine forecast we headed off with high hopes of some good birding and we were quite happy with our day out no lifers but just some good birds and nice surroundings, if you can ignore the power station at Connah's Quay although it does have a sort or rugged beauty,

Scattering a few seeds around the car park in the hope of attracting some close Twite action didn't quite go according to plan they came down just no where near our car oh well at least this time I was close enough for at least a record shot.

Twite at Connah's Quay

Moving up to the hide the tide was starting to come in allowing for some close up views of Redshank out on the mud.

Redshank Connah's Quay

Looking back in land a Peregrine was perched up on the pylons.

Moving down to the other end of the reserve a Little Egret was hunting by one of the channels.

And to end the list at Connah's Quay a Kingfisher was pointed out to us by the end screen/visitor centre

The plan was to then head for Burton Mere for lunch as Burton Mere's main hide/visitor centre can be quite packed, well so was Burton Mere down at Denal Lane, I was rather worried on a few occasions that my car was going to be hit, and Lesley even had to move my car forward at one point as one idiot had parked so close behind me if a car had parked in front of me I would have been stuck.
But apart from that it was a good idea and we managed to watch the Meadow Pipit feeding around us as we ate our lunch.

Its All Twite

Today we headed off to Connahs Quay nature reserve after making the decision to join this was our first opportunity to pay the site a visit.

The main attraction for ourselves right now being the large flock of Twite that have moved in for the winter.

It didn't take too long to reach the reserve and we soon parked up at the Western hide over looking the Dee, we watched quite a large group of Redshank moving across mud looking for their lunch we even saw our first lamb of the year in the neighboring field.
Plenty of Teal, Curlew and Canada Geese were also on show with a few Shelduck thrown in for good measure.

Soon though the main attraction and a life tick for Lesley and me turned up with a flock of around 20 - 30 Twite arrived in the car park by the hide, and for Little Brown Jobs they don't look that bad, quite smart even. So after missing them at Flint Castle last year and plenty of other places we have finally gained the all important tick.

Redshank at Connahs Quay

It was then down to Flint castle to try and find the Black Redstart, but the news was very much negative when we arrived and even after a good hunt around I just couldn't find the bird any where.

But the Twite and reasonable weather more than made up for the no show.

Big Garden Watch

On Sunday with it being rather damp and grey it was the perfect day to do the RSPB's Big Garden Watch.
On the Saturday I stocked up on Sunflower Hearts and invested in a new Niger seed feeder to see if the finches that are visiting our garden would take to it alongside our standard seed feeders.

Well we had quite a decent number of birds visit the garden and my count noted the birds not just on the feeders but also those awaiting there turn on the feeders in the trees and shrubs surrounding the garden on the fence line.

40 - Goldfinch
2 - Brambling
1 - Siskin
1 - Greenfinch
1 - Willow Tit
3 - Great Tit
5 - Long Tailed Tits
3 - Blue Tits
1 - Coal Tit
12  - Starling
2 - Collared Dove
1 - Black Bird
2 - Robin
1 - Dunnock

Made for a pleasant hour spent staring out of the patio doors with Gem munching on biscuits and drinking tea.

Hopefully next weekend wont be as damp and I can actually get out with Gem somewhere.

Titesworth Reservoir

I finally manged to pop along to Titesworth reservoir having waited all week with fingers crossed that the Lesser Scaup would hang around, couldn't go yesterday as I had said I would go off to Donny to do a spot of gricing.
So on a nice a sunny winters day Gem and me headed off to bag this lifer (2 in 2 weeks can't be bad).

The Lesser Scaup was showing but at some distance being on the far side hanging around with a few Tufted Ducks, but at least I was getting some good views.

I eventually walked down to the causeway and my luck was in as the Lesser Scaup had swam down to being much closer to the causeway allowing me to grab a few shots.

Lesser Scaup at Titesworth Reservoir

Other birds on view were Brambling and Redpoll on the feeders by the first car park and a Common Gull on the lake.

In the Buff

We headed along to Burton Marsh and Burton Mere today for a day out, the first port of call being Burton Marsh for the long staying Buff Bellied Pipit, as we turned up there were quite a few parked cars and we could gauge by the crowds where we needed to look.
Soon enough we had located our target and were enjoying nice close views of this Pipit, with the odd Stonechat thrown in for good measure.

Stonechat Burton Marsh

Buff Bellied Pipit Burton Marsh

Stonechat Burton Marsh

After going to turn the car around at the end of the lane I decided on a try at photographing a few Meadow Pipits for comparison but these flew off leaving just holding my camera. Something then moved on the fence I had forgotten about the reports of the Siberian Chiffchaff and there it was right in front of me.

Siberian Chiffchaff at Burton Marsh

The cold was starting to get to us and Gem so it was off to Burton Mere for a warm and look around.
Well I missed out on the Short Eared Owl but I did bag the Little Stint alongside a support cast of Wigeon, Teal, Black Tailed Godwit, Dulin, Lapwing, Snipe, Siskin and Little Egret.

Snipe at Burton Mere

Before heading home we went down for one last look at the Buff Bellied Pipit it was soon found which was easier than finding somewhere to park. I finally got my comparison shot of a Meadow Pipit as well.

The Start of 2014

Well 2014 bird wise has started off rather slowly, with work, jobs around the house and the weather getting in the way of getting out and about.

The garden though has produced some good birds in the shape of Willow Tit, 6 Bullfinch and a single Male Brambling that comes in with the Goldfinch so watching the feeders is quite enjoyable right now although they are going through quite alot of seed.

Yesterday was our first true venture out to see some birds with a trip down to Gailey Reservoir, although the M6 didn't play ball with a shunt between a car and a lorry meant our arrival was some what delayed.
When we finally got there we started to scan around to try and find the Great Northern Diver and Great White Egret, at first every bird that ducked and dived turned out to just be a Great Crested Grebe and the only Egret like bird we could find was a Heron. Eventually Lesley found the diver between the island and the pontoon on the sailing lake so that was at least one target bird in the bag. With time getting on and before the cold got too much for Gem we headed off home.

Year Summary

Well my 2013 year list beat my 2012 list and that was with out really trying to, and although I only managed to see 142 species which is quite pathetic in respect to many birders standards having a 2 year old in tow does tend to mean I am rather restricted in what birding I can do and early morning birding is a thing of the past.

So here is to 2014, a Brambling has started to pay the odd visit to our feeders so that should make for a nice easy tick when the time comes.

Birthday Birding 20 Dec

The last couple of years I have headed off to North Wales often firstly heading for the Snow Bunting at Kinmel Bay but as I had not heard that they were around I decided to try for the Twite at Flint.

Getting there for around 10 it was rather cool to say the least but at least it was dry and sunny. No joy in finding the Twite just Reed Bunting in regards to LBJ's with a flock of Dulin flying down the river and Redshank and Oystercatcher feeding in and around the marsh.

From here it was on to Abergele for long staying Hoopoe but by now the weather had taken a turn for the worse with rather a strong cold wind and rain so not ideal conditions to go looking for a bird more suited to the med than North Wales in the winter, strangely enough we did not find the bird just a large flock of Greenfinch drinking from a puddle on the beach.

The last port of call was Rhos on Sea for Purple Sandpiper or at least that was the plan which the way was going I wasn't that hopeful.
On the rocks by the prom the only bird around was a lone Shag.

On the small patch of beach by the break water were a number of Turnstones, Rock Pipits and Redshank plus a single Oystercatcher, probably if I had bothered to look I am sure I would have found a few Purple Sandpipers but I lost urge to go looking for them.

RHTT Hunt

On the 02 Nov I decided to try and see the class 97 hauled RHTT train through Crewe I had no such luck as it must have run early I did though see a couple of light engine moves of 97's with 97304 coming off the Stoke line and 302 heading back the other way from the Electric depot so it wasn't a total loss.