Devil Birder's blog

Gulling

2012-02-06T10:04:00.000-08:00

I enjoyed my usual Monday morning visit to Beddington today with a good variety of gulls present. The highlights included self-finding a new adult Caspian Gull and seeing a first-winter plus good views of one of the second-winter Iceland Gulls, as well as an adult Yellow-legged Gull. I had a walk around the mound and picked up a close fly-by pair of Curlews that appeared to drop down but couldn't be found again.

second-winter Iceland Gull

adult Caspian Gull

first-winter Caspian Gull

adult Yellow-legged Gull

'Snowy' the leucistic Black-headed Gull

Paddy power

2012-02-04T06:19:00.000-08:00

Just got back from an enjoyable day with Ian twitching the Parrot Crossbill at Black Down NT and PADDYFIELD WARBLER at Pagham Harbour. Both were successful, as you already know by my bolding up and redding of the birds' names, plus the crappy photos at the top of this post. It was nice seeing a singing Woodlark, about thirty Common Crossbills and a decent number of Siskins at Black Down while Pagham was also notable for a nice selection of saltmarsh birds (including a flock of around two thousand Brent Geese) and Water Rails a plenty. Very glad to get the two target birds out of the way before the deluge of snow.

I know some people aren't entirely convinced that other options haven't been ruled out for the crossbill, but it's on my list for now!

Heading out to Canons now for a bit of the local birding action that's been going on in my area today...

Getting chilly

2012-02-02T11:56:00.000-08:00

Not a lot been happening in the last week. It's got a little cold, I've flushed a few Woodcocks in Banstead Woods, seen a first-winter Caspian Gull at Beddington and been doing a couple of exams at college. So not anything high-octane. Hopefully gonna try for the Parrot Crossbill and Paddyfield Warbler at the weekend, but unless I was having nightmares I believe I was told it's going to get very cold and very snowy bt then. Give it a shot anyway.

Today was quite interesting in that I had a very quick wander around part of Morden Park just before a biology exam. I heard a Reed Bunting calling and saw it well, a female, in a bush next to me for a little while until it flew off into a wooded area. I wasn't expecting that! Not too bad for a typical manicured London park.

Iceland Gulls

2012-01-24T13:10:00.000-08:00

second-winter Iceland Gull

first-winter Iceland Gull

Monday mornings are a bit of a mess for me and currently involve a compulsory 'Tutorial' lesson first thing - any college student will know that this means being called in to either be told that you're not needed and may as well have slept in, or be exposed to a load of utterly neutral non-achieving naff all cack (usually some nonsense like 'let's get into groups and discuss what is British about these pictures...') and then be sent off - then a big gap, part of which is being filled by my weekly driving lesson, before I finally get to the two lessons of the day. I'm using the remaining part of this gap to spend a little time each week at Beddington.

So, yesterday I took advantage of the said situation and spent a couple of hours at the 'Bog Dump' with Johnny, Garry and 'Prof'. No luck had been had by the others in their first four hours on site and I started to think I might be in for a bit of a duffy but then two Iceland Gulls (one of the second-winters that has been knocking around and a new bird, a first-winter) appeared and performed well. A big pale-winged northern Herring Gull was of interest, too. Also managed to scope one of the resident Peregrines in Sutton distantly.

northern Herring Gull

Duck in the park

2012-01-20T10:03:00.000-08:00

At lunch time I found a little wetland area in the final corner of Morden Park that I had not, until today, really visited properly. It's mainly a small patch of boggy ground with reedmace and a bit of a algae-infested watery area under a patch of trees and bushes. There's one very small open pool about the size of my tiny bedroom. I had a scan around for any snipey birds that could have been lurking around - failed to see any but did find my second Moorhen for the park, following one in the diminutive stream that I found along the southern side a few weeks ago. Just to be sure that there wasn't anything lurking in the boggy area, I took a walk around the edge of the small pool. A splash and a movement in the corner of my eye swivelled me round - expecting it to be the Moorhen having a shuffle, I was amazed when I raised my bins to a drake Teal!

A Mallard would have been a great tick but... wow, that really is reaching lofty waterfowl heights for the sort of water-deprived places at which that I seem to end up spending my time. The bird spotted me and crawled onto the opposite bank, eventually it decided to find somewhere away from me and flew, circling a few times before having little choice other than to land in the boggy undergrowth and wait for me to leave. Which I did.

Morden Park does have potential. A green and thoughtfully managed area surrounded by concrete near the Wandle Valley. There's good habitat but not too much to make it unworkable. It has mixed woodland areas, short and long grassland and patches of scrub. I have yet to really experience a migration period there. I started my courses nearby last September and had the odd potter about then but didn't really know the park and largely stuck to a small part of the park - even so I found a Wheatear on my first visit - since then I've sussed out likely areas for passerine migrants.

Spanish inquisition

2012-01-15T13:50:00.000-08:00

Spanish Sparrow's rare so Phil and I twitched it today. First we went to see the DARK-EYED JUNCO - again - I'm not complaining, it's a really nice bird and I would go again to see it. This time was amazing; Phil seeded a stump about ten feet away from the path and eventually it plonked itself there to the crowd's delight! I digiscoped away, hoping for at least one good profile shot but when it was in profile it was behind a blade of grass and when it was in clear view it was a bit at an angle or doing something odd. A few Crossbills, Reed Buntings and Siskins again.

Dark-eyed Junco at Hawkhill Inclosure

in the kitchen...

Happy, to Calshot we went. It felt like we were going inside to worship the thing, taking our shoes off and going inside to join the crowd of crouching and staring admirers. The SPANISH SPARROW was actually a very striking bird and showed well quite a bit. Its brown cap, white cheeks and strong breast and flank markings made it easily seperable from the House Sparrows with which it kept company.

Spanish Sparrow at Calshot

We visited Blashford Lakes and dipped the Fudge Duck again (but the Siskins and Lesser Redpolls on the feeders were great to see) and dipped the Hume's Leaf Warbler at Wyke Regis - I've now only got a 33.3'% hit rate with this bird.

Siskin at Blashford Lakes

A little bit of fame

2012-01-11T11:40:00.000-08:00

From Scilly Now & Then - shame they got the URL wrong. Click to enlarge

A little while ago, Scilly Now & Then magazine contacted me asking for comments on my experiences on the Isles of Scilly. I got the impression they were after a couple of little snippets but gave them a couple of paragraphs to select material from; it seems I got a few column inches in the end!

As for my day today - it was annoying. Making my way out of Circle Field slowly towards the Watchpoint I saw an interesting looking flock of birds - quick! Scope on them. Golly they look like Golden Plovers - about twenty of them! I try to juggle counting them and getting a final ID on them in two or three seconds before they fly behind Canons Wood. Bloody hell.

Junco junkee

2012-01-07T11:47:00.000-08:00

I got a good flight view of the junco on Tuesday with Ian but really wanted to get a prolonged look at it on the deck, so I discussed the possibility of going today with Phil - he was up for it so it looked like it was on. Phil also needed the Hume's Leaf Warbler; seeing as this was the furthest site he was keen to do this first so we we followed the satnav there from 5.30am. A big yellow M at Weymouth drew us in to an assortment of breakfast delights as the sun rose. We had a look for the wafty Hooded Merganser from the car park but didn't have any luck, instead seeing groups of Black-tailed Godwits and Common Snipes which wasn't too bad a start.

Richard's Pipit at Wyke Regis

Wyke Regis was very popular today with hopeful birders popping up around every corner. My friend the Richard's Pipit showed well in the bridging camp and we were amazed to see a good seven hundred or so strong flock of Brent Geese - one being a 'Pale-bellied' that I picked out. I pointed out a couple of Med Gulls and each time I looked I saw more and more. The last time I had a rough count it reached around or beyond ninety birds. But I didn't have time for precise counts. There was lots to do. Notwithstanding an hour or so of staring at bushes in the company of several other guys we did not hear nor see the warbler which was especially annoying as I had no problem seeing it in far more calamitous weather on Tuesday and it was reported both before and after our hunt.

Brent Geese, including 'Pale-bellied' (centre), Wyke Regis

It was past ten and we needed to go. Discussion settled on heading for the junco. The car park was far more suitably packed than Tuesday morning (when Ian and I were one of two cars there for quite a while - and the other car was a dog walker). We joined the main line of tripod legs and enjoyed great views of the DARK-EYED JUNCO after about twenty or thirty minutes of trying to see through the hordes of kip-kippy Crossbills. We got a couple more looks before a little bit of a gap then we watched it foraging under a carpet of twigs before flying out and feeding right out in the open on a fallen pine - gorgeous! It shuffled over to the other side of the trunk and, realising that daylight was running out and that we planned to visit three more sites...we got out of there.

Dark-eyed Junco at Hawkill Inclosure

male Crossbill at Hawkhill Inclosure

First: Blashford Lakes. Phil wanted the Ferruginous Duck. We looked and saw lots of Tufted Ducks and Pochards but not the quarry - as apparently lots of other people already had. A singing Siskin was nice.

Ok, it was decision time. We could either race over to Wyke Regis for another go at the Hume's for Phil, getting to the bird's roost spot just before dusk, or go a few miles to get Blue-winged Teal for me. Phil selflessly decided to go for the latter... both were probably doomed to failure. There were lots of birders at Longham Lakes but apparently no-one gave a rat's arse about the Blue-winged Teal, they were all after the pair of Smew that had been found. I couldn't quite understand this because there are several Smew knocking about the area and the Lakes would be doing well do have a patch crew that big. Anyway, we saw the said pair of Smew which were very nice, and I caught a redhead Goosander fly in just before dusk. A Kingfisher flew about, there was a good variety of common wildfowl, a lone Lapwing and that was all. Day over. Thanks Phil for a good day out!

Smew (drake above, redhead below), Longham Lakes

Year list soaring...

2012-01-05T14:19:00.000-08:00

...not quite.... but I did manage my first good bird of the year in my second visit of 2012 today. I got there pretty late today - as usual I peered into the large barn near Reads Rest Cottages. It took me a while to spot a promising looking shape crouched up in a corner but I got it in the scope and it was the Barn Owl! My first owl species at CFBW this year (it was very closely followed by a calling Little Owl). Being late in the day and a little overcast, the light was not great and by the time I started thinking about shots it was really rather dark - the only way I could find to get any kind of image was to whack the compact camera to a 15 second exposure and 3600 ISO then photograph the screen with my phone - improvisation see - result shown here.

I'm now on a mighty 28... I know it's not great but I have only been twice this year and both visits have been brief late afternoon ones. I still need Nuthatch, all woodpeckers, Mistle Thrush, Redwing etc etc etc.

Pellet scroungers

2012-01-04T15:27:00.000-08:00

I was so glad to finally get on the patch for the first time in 2012 today and my main reason for this post is to announce that fact and that I am on a grand total of 22 for my patch yearlist. I've already missed Mealy Redpoll - drat. There's little of note in that total, one of the wintering Common Buzzards probably tops it.

Franko and his partner Susanna came round to the farm this afternoon and charmed Mrs Roe into allowing us into her barns to collect Barn Owl pellets. I think we managed about ten. Susanna works in education, doing things like takings apart owl pellets and constructing skeletons for tots to get an early fascination for nature. It was good fun. Susanna's website can be found here: The Nature Collection.

they look 'eww' but are simply compressed dead rodents

2011's northern finale

2012-01-04T15:19:00.000-08:00

I usually visit my family up in Manchester with my mum and dad each New Year - apart from last year we've done it each and every New Year that I can remember. Anyway, I spent some time birding up there this time - as usual - including a couple of trips with Liam Langley whom I met on Scilly.

On Friday 30th, the day after arriving I met Liam at Pennington Flash. I am a true fan of this site, even though I've never seen anything particularly fantastic there. As an inland birder it really appeals to me as a site that presents a unique, and I'm sure productive in spring and autumn, environment to find birds in. The weather was pretty naff but we only saw a couple of Willow Tits, a Goosander, lots of Goldeneyes and a few Common Snipe. Sounds like a bit of an anticlimax but I very rarely see Willow Tit and the other two birds are waterbirds so are great rarities for me.

The next day my parents kindly took us to Martin Mere and Marshside RSPB. We failed to see the Green-winged Teal at Martin Mere but were treated to the sight of numerous wildfowl including Whooper Swans and Pink-footed Geese. While we were having a last check of the teals a first-winter Hen Harrier gave a brilliant performance over the wetland, with a couple of Marsh Harriers and Ravens not far away. I was impressed by the area of wilderness at Marshside and the number of birds present; flocks of Golden Plovers and Black-tailed Godwits enlivened the rolling, heavy sky along with swarms of Starlings. Wildfowl numbers were pretty good here, too - a flock of about a dozen White-fronted Geese being the pick of the mix. A female Merlin saw the year out.

Raven and Marsh Harrier at Martin Mere

New Year's Day, Sunday, and I was ready to head to Chorlton Water Park, Liam's patch, but he was snookered after a New Year do, and my family was running late so I took a leisurely trip to Pennington Flash. Finally connecting with the drake Scaup was the highlight and I saw Willow Tits and a Goosander again. I moved on to another site (secret) after lunch - I'd never been there before, quite a nice gaff - where I was pleased to see a "top secret duck" amongst other common wildfowl.

Scaup at Pennington Flash

***** duck in hiding

Monday I slept in, I was exhausted from being forced to try to be sociable with relatives and had more to come later in the day before a longish journey home. When I awoke I debated whether to have a brief trip to Pennington, or a look at the water body I spotted on Google Maps a five minute walk from my gran's. Being experimental and groundbreaking, I drove (yes, I did) to the site and was amazed at the inland birding wonderland that lay before me. Blackleach Country Park, containing Blackleach Reservoir. There were lots of people and lots of dogs but they would make any local patcher's finds there even more rewarding when they came about. It had great habitat, was a pretty big lake and fringed with reeds, shrubs and woodland. I was so glad I went there, I'll certainly be taking it up as a Manchester patch. In that one isolated trip I found what I have researched to be site notables, including a pair of Ravens, a pair of Gadwall and a winter Chiffchaff. There is a guy who watches it quite a bit and he's had things like Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Green Sandpiper, Red-crested Pochard, Little Ringed Plover, Whooper Swan, Whinchat, Wheatear, Willow Tit and Pink-footed Goose there.

Blackleach Reservoir, in Blackleach Country Park

Raven at Blackleach

I've got some shots of Willow Tits and things that I'll add later

Junco for joy

2012-01-03T09:28:00.001-08:00

Today was a mixed bag... Ian picked me up this morning and we headed to the New Forest for the Dark-eyed Junco. On arrival, around 8.00am, after driving through rivers and hurricanes and around fallen trees, we found that we were the only people present! We didn't know where exactly we were meant to be looking and after a falling pine missed us by a couple of dozen yards we cut our losses. Wyke Regis was our next venue. We thought it was pointless getting out and looking for anything because the weather was truly apocalyptic, but we soldiered on. After a few miles of battling the wind and rain we heard and eventually saw the HUME'S LEAF WARBLER! I couldn't believe that we'd actually seen a bird. It showed quite well at times and I got a few record shots.

Hume's Leaf Warbler

On the way back Ian located the Richard's Pipit - a lifer for him - at the bridging camp and it gave pretty good views. Even though some blue sky had moved over us it was still very windy and hence the scope tried to take off a few times. My umbrella looked like it had been dunked in acid. A couple of Ravens played in the gales.

Richard's Pipit

As we were approaching the car, news came through that the junco had been seen again. Off we went. People told us the bird hadn't been seen for an hour and a half but we staked it out and, at something like 3.40pm, a few people shouted that the bird had flown into a fallen pine. As everyone was in the middle of moving closer, several of us got onto the DARK-EYED JUNCO fly out, a good hundred metres across our view and into a stand of young pines and birches. I'm rather picky with flight views of passerines but I was pleased that I managed a clear and prolonged look at it as it fluttered past, getting the pale bill, white tail sides, white underparts, slate grey upperparts and darker head. I'd like to see it on the deck so might try to get down there again at the weekend. Also seen at the Hawkhill Inclosure were a few Crossbills and a couple of Woodcocks.

2011

2011-12-31T15:08:00.000-08:00

To keep with tradition I'm producing this summary of the year in terms of my birding... I'm currently working hard on the 2011 edition of the Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Bird Report so check that out when it's published for a comprehensive illustrated review of the patch's birds this year.

First of all, did I succeed in my aims for this year? Here is what I set out to do, according to my blog post at this time last year, with comments on my successes in each department:

Britain

get to 350 no, 329
tick off some more tart ticks yes, I guess: Twite was nice to finally get out of the way as well as some 'lesser tarts' like Common Rosefinch, Leach's Petrel, White-tailed Eagle, Woodchat Shrike, Red-rumped Swallow etc etc
spend at least one full day birding in Kent or Norfolk in spring or autumn in ideal conditions and find a BB rarity no, best self found on a national scale was a Pec Sand at Dunge in August.

London

get to 230 nowhere near. Didn't even try
tick off some more tart ticks See above

Surrey

start keeping a Surrey list again and get down to Holmethorpe I now know I'm somewhere vaguely around 180 for Surrey and I visited Holmethorpe two or three times

Patch

get to 120 Hah! Yeah right (108)
get 100 in 2011 Yes, very pleased: I managed 103. Would have liked 105 - if I counted Common Tern and Yellow-legged Gull which are 99% bang on then I'd be there
find a male Montagu's Harrier Did you hear about one at Canons?
find a Corncrake Not that I'm aware of
find at least one of the following: Bee-eater, Hoopoe, Alpine Swift, Red-rumped Swallow Not that I recall, doesn't ring a bell, fraid not and no
find a Richard's Pipit No
add at least two wildfowl species to my list No
find a bird that will draw a constant crowd of at least fifty people No
find a Moorhen Ehhh.....sadly not...maybe next year
keep taking my SLR out and photograph and much as possible Yes!
make progress with my Canons Farm campaign If starting a functioning Bird Group with 25 members, regular meetings and a bird report counts, then I'd say yeah

I make that a 29% success rate... shame the ones I did hit on were generally the less exciting ones.

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It is amazing that, once again, I had predicted that this would be the year where I saw a bit less than the previous year and it ended up surpassing all previous years by a large margin. Both on a local and national year it has been exceptional and I've been seeing the sort and doing the sort of things I never thought possible when I was taking my first tentative steps onto the active birding scene as a boy of eleven or twelve, following an interest in birds since seven. I owe Johnny Allan and Franko Maroevic for giving and/or organising long distance twitches and Ian Jones, Phil Wallace, Rob Stokes, Peter Grady and Colin and Paul Manville, to name a few, for the transport and company they have provided to make this year so great. Gratitude to Neil Randon for helping out with the CFBW Bird Report and livening up several outings.

There's too many great times to recount here, and it would be pointless reciting many here because many can be found in the archives of this blog. So here's a basic breakdown:

MOST ENJOYABLE BIRD

There's some birds that simply rock your boat and it feels like you could watch them over and over again. The Northern Waterthrush on Scilly wins this prize for 2011. I first saw it on my two-day twitch to the islands in September and it made the expense and hassle worthwhile along with the Baltimore Oriole and Solitary Sandpiper. I was very pleased when it hung around for my October half-term visit and I saw it a few more times, in more relaxed conditions.

Another highly memorable bird is the Farthing Downs Hoopoe - an amazing bird to have within a few miles of home -

BEST DAY'S BIRDING

When the pager gave a mega alert for a Scarlet Tanager in Cornwall, just before I was due to head to Scilly for my half term break, I was really getting stressed out about how I'd go about seeing the bird without my holiday being disrupted. It was going to be impossible (unless the bird solved the problem by kindly leaving), I would either have to go to Scilly and live with constant pager messages about a national mega or go to Scilly, come back to Cornwall for a day then resume the break. I tried for the tanager before boarding the boat but only got a couple of minutes on site, after getting to St Levan much later than planned. Of course, I did not see the bird and it was never seen again.

Some of the stars of the most exciting day of the year

I boarded the Scillonian as planned, fearing that the St Levan bird would bleep and I'd be obliged go through the ordeal of getting back myself back to Cornwall. Instead, the pager gave a mega alert half way across. It was a Scarlet Tanager...and it was on Scilly. OH MY GOD! I rushed there straight away and after a very tense half hour a flash of yellow and black graced the hedges in front of me. The jammiest thing that's ever happened to me. That afternoon I also enjoyed great views of Upland Sandpiper, Wilson's Snipe, Olive-backed Pipits and the Northern Waterthrush. Could a day like that ever be beaten?

WORST DAY'S BIRDING

There were a few miserable days. Dipping the Greater Yellowlegs in Northumberland has got to be the winner, though. It was very expensive and very unsuccessful - hence highly disappointing and frustrating. Then the ruddy thing does a few hundred miles further north. This is all a few months after putting £30 in a ticket machine for a Greenshank. I just don't care any more.

PATCH HIGHLIGHTS

I managed nine patch ticks this year: Peregrine, Ring Ouzel, Wood Warbler, Red-legged Partridge, Marsh Harrier, Cuckoo, Firecrest, Reed Warbler and Brent Goose. I also recorded another Quail, several Waxwings, a Black Redstart, a few Common Redstarts, an Osprey, a couple of Short-eared Owls, a few Golden Plovers and Common Snipe, a Curlew, a trio of Spotted Flycatchers, several Grasshopper Warblers, at least two or three Barn Owls, the odd Mealy Redpoll and a good few Crossbills, Tree Pipits, Whinchats etc.When I was in my earlier stages of birding I would never have dreamed that I'd be seeing birds like this in my local area, let alone finding most of them. I managed 103 species this year, which I'm quite happy with considering it's a dry inland site.

MOST FRUSTRATING MOMENTS

Seeing a Common or Arctic Tern too high in too poor light over the patch was very very very annoying, as was photographing a 99% Yellow-legged Gull there but the images not quite showing enough detail to be certain enough to constitute a first patch record. Arguably surpassing these, for I will never have much of a clue what they were, was the flock of smallish/medium rufous-ish waders that flew low past Ian and I. Had I looked at them properly we would have got perfect views of what would have undoubtedly been an exceptional patch record, but instead I dismissed them as racing pigeons in my split second glance. It was only when I took another look that I realised they were waders...and by the time I got on them properly they were flying away...

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Well, what will I aim for in 2012? I'm not going to be as ambitious this year. I'll do as much birding as I can and see what comes out of the other end - I'm sure there will be many exciting moments with a great set of birds and birders. I'd like to find a shrike or Wryneck, Richard's Pipit, or something like that, at Canons and I'd like to get 115 for my patch list and 360 for Britain

Owl regurgitation interval

2011-12-28T13:20:00.000-08:00

I haven't had much to post about in a while, and am planning to do a 2011 review in keeping with tradition but I'm trying to juggle quite a lot at the moment, so, in the meantime, enjoy this Barn Owl pellet that I found today...

Barn Owl shows up again

2011-12-20T09:53:00.000-08:00

I could only have a relatively short trip to the patch today so decided to concentrate my efforts on Canons Farm rather than trying to buzz around Banstead Woods as well. There were a couple of Meadow Pipits around Tart's Field - it seems they're wintering this year (they don't always). As I passed Reads Rest Cottages I did the usual check of the barns and bingo there it was again sat there - that equisite and very healthy-looking Barn Owl. It was in about as good light as it could be in considering it was in a secure barn on a winter's day and was posing beautifully. I walked off to check Broadfield quickly and when I returned it wasn't there! I looked all over and could only see a load of noisy pigeons. Cliff Allan and Ian Magness turned up a bit later and rang to say they thought they could see it still tucked up in the far corner but they needed a scope to confirm - I returned and it was indeed still there, it had only moved a foot but was a lot harder to see. Richard Garrett and Kojak turned up later and enjoyed the bird. It's nice to have one that people can come to see.

CFBW 2011 - the very best...

2011-12-11T13:03:00.001-08:00

A short video I've just knocked together of the best birds at the patch this year that have been good enough to let themselves get photographed...

Barn Owl in the barn at last!

2011-12-10T09:46:00.001-08:00

I've always had the odd peak in the large asbestos barn near Reads Rest Cottages since I heard from the local residents that Barn Owls used to be regular in there up until about five years ago. These peaks have turned into almost daily checks since Ian and I saw two emerge from this barn in April. The best these checks have produced so far have been the odd Little Owl and plenty of feral Rock Doves. Today I looked in and saw a white bird in the far apex, I expected it to just be the usual white feral Rock Dove that has been teasing me for weeks now but it was a Barn Owl!!! I couldn't believe it. I never really thought that I actually would see a Barn Owl in there. I looked at it a couple more times and yes it was true - beautiful!!! I let locals know and it was quite a popular bird throughout the day with at least fifteen birders coming to admire it through the barn door.

Roy, CFBW #2 lister, came a bit later in the day and was very pleased to finally catch up with this tricky species. He has tried hard several evenings this year in the hope of seeing one but was never successful. We returned to stake out Harrier Field as darkness grew and, just as we were giving up, it appeared and showed well as it hunted over the field and perched at a hole in the wall of another barn, creating a charismatic silhouette. It flew again and I started making kissing noises to tempt it towards us, it turned as soon as it heard me and fluttered feet over our heads for a few seconds before realising it had been foxed. What an amazing experience!

Barn Owl is a tricky species at Canons Farm. There's only been two or three sightings this year prior to today, but Geoff Barter's discovery of a pellet (recently confirmed as having been coughed up by a Barn Owl) in the late summer/early autumn indicates that our failed efforts to find them throughout the year did not mean that they weren't around.

Heading east for a Western

2011-12-05T11:42:00.001-08:00

Western Sandpiper

Ian picked me up this morning at 7.00am and we began our journey to Norfolk for a peep that has been the subject of one big headache until a couple of days ago when the identification seemed to have been clinched at the rarer of the two possiblities.

Western Sandpiper (left) with Dunlin

The journey was relatively smooth and we arrived at the Cley visitor centre shortly after 10.30am, got our permits and headed for the hides. Dauke's Hide was crammed and there were few small waders around. After an anxious wait, a flock of about twenty Dunlin flew in and the first-winter WESTERN SANDPIPER was soon picked out. It was a little way off at first but later moved closer and decent views were had. The long, relatively slender bill was of course obvious and at times it seemed a little leggy. I struggled to make out rufous tones on the scaps, to be honest, but it seems this feature is only readily visible on the closest views. I did note that the breast-side markings appeared rather fine and the white breast patches that people were citing as a feature. The head profile seemed quite Dunlin like. I'll trust the ID of those of who had better views and are more experienced in peep ID than me. I gather this ID is sound so it goes on my list unless the BBRC later decide not to have it.

Western Sandpiper

Water Pipit

We looked for the Green-winged Teal that Ian needed but didn't succeed. A flock of somewhere around a hundred and fifty White-fronted Geese and a Water Pipit were the best of the rest. I had a quick seawatch off Salthouse hoping for Little Auk, a bird I've been waiting friggin years for (while Ian looked for Twite) and a couple that I bumped into on the way back to the car tried to put me on to a couple on the sea but Ian wouldn't wait - I managed an inconclusive glimpse of one pop up in this time. This apart, the sea produced an adult Little Gull, a Red-throated Diver, a Common Scoter, a drake Goldeneye, two Kittiwakes, and a few Gannets.

Pain

2011-12-03T15:17:00.001-08:00

I've just got back from a gutting trip to Northumberland with Ian and Manchester-based Liam Langley whom I got to know on Scilly this year. I got no sleep last night (went out to see The Big Year then Ian picked me up early for the twitch) and the rest of the day was pretty demanding, we checked five likely sites for the Greater Yellowlegs each with no success, obviously. As we neared the first site we pulled up when we saw some birders eying a group of geese. They were mainly Greylags but there was a Tundra Bean Goose in with them and a couple of nice adult Eurasian White-fronted Geese. We saw several large skeins of Pink-footed Geese and Ian was desperate to nail some Whoopers before heading south so we were shining the headlights on a lake after sunset! We found a group of five in the end do he was happy with that. We were all extremely frustrated about dipping the Yellowlegs. It had been around for two or three weeks, had been flushed by a friggin dog an hour before we got to the first site and is bound to be reported again tomorrow. We did see a few nice birds but it is hard to appreciate these things when you're in pursuit of something much rarer that you may not be able to get another shot at for a while. When heading for York (Liamand I were catching trains home; Ian's stayimg the weekend in Yorkshire) it was difficult to face the long, expensive return journey without the desired tick in the bag.Following putting thirty pounds ino a ticket machine to find moments later the bird was a Greenshank (Northamptonshire earlier in the year), Greater Yellowlegs becomes a bird with one of the biggest scores to settle with me. Ian & Liam's company was enjoyed, nonetheless, and I thank Ian for his efforts in transporting us. Such a shame we didn't get the return this time...Now, that Western Sand...

Long-tailed Duck

2011-11-27T14:29:00.001-08:00

In between two bouts of patching, Ian and I nipped over to Bromley for this female Long-tailed Duck. A London tick. A cute bird, it spent most of its time at the back of the small trout fishing lake but came closer to rest and preen. At one point it was spooked by a Little Grebe and did a circuit of the lake, almost crashing into us as it reached our side! Too quick to get the camera out for that bit, though.

We found a Firecrest along the track back to the car, too. This was followed by a good search for one in Banstead Woods (Ian still needs it for the patch) but we found little. Patch pickings are lean of late but blimey it is nearly December - didn't the autumn go quick?

Dip a dendroica, see a sharpie

2011-11-20T11:59:00.001-08:00

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper and Dunlin

Ian and I set off for Royal Tunbridge Wells at some offensive hour this morning. We arrived well before sunrise but there were some equally stupid birders kicking about. When it started to lighten we got out and joined the others. Nothing, nothing...nothing...nothing. Now it's 9.00am. Decision time. A Sharp-tailed Sand and other bits have come through at Chew Valley. A long way away and we didn't like the place...but if we were gonna go it would have to be then so off we went.

Long-billed Dowitchers

There were lots of cars parked up at Herriott's Bridge. We instantly got onto the pair of LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS - a little distant but very nice. My first and last was five years ago at Oare Marshes. They were then flushed and it turned out they didn't come back while we were there. The sharpie wasn't on view so I crossed the road and saw my fourth SPOTTED SANDPIPER - a plumage tick, being a winter adult.

Spotted Sandpiper

I crossed back and it was pointed out to me that the SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER was with a flock of Dunlin and Lapwings about two hundred feet in the air. I could see that it was bigger but that was about it - not tickable. After a torturous wait it dropped down and its identity was confirmed. This has been one of my most-wanted waders for a while now - the diffusely marked but very warm-toned breast was the most striking feature but some streaking along the flanks, a prominent supercillium and a warm rufous-brown crown were also striking. It seemed dumpier and shorter billed than a Pec to me. Also in the flock was what we believed at the time to be a Little Stint, but has been retrospectively identified as a SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. Nice. Other birds on offer included seven Bewick's Swans. A second-winter Common Gull was shouted by a surprising number of people as a Ring-billed... Ian enjoyed my bowl of chips at the very nice canteen around the corner before the day was up and we were on the return journey.

Runaway bunting

2011-11-18T11:43:00.001-08:00

I have the first part of Friday mornings off college and this time I use to go to the patch. This morning I had a flock of twelve Crossbills fly low and loud south west over the Watchpoint. The number of Crossbills I have had there this year is getting ridiculous. I've had three sets in the last week or so; you simply do not get this number of Crossbills passing through this part of Surrey at this time of year so I can only conclude that there must be a flock somewhere in the vicinity that is the source of these sightings. Perhaps they involve the same birds as those at Wallington, where they have also been recorded on multiple occasions in the last week - Wallington is not far at all from Canons, especially for a Crossbill.

Towards the end of my visit I was on the lane, adjacent to the derelict barn, and there were a couple of knocking about. I heard another bunting call, a very loud and 'heavy' metallic one coming from nearby. A bird popped up briefly and flew behind the barns. There was silence for a while then it started off again and flew over me; a large bunting indeed, bigger and heftier than a Yellowhammer. I watched it fly slowly west, praying that it would decide to drop on top of a tree or hedge, but it did not. Instead, it appeared to shoot down into the nightmare that is currently Quail Field - a large weedy stubble field popular with Skylarks and Meadow Pipits. I had only fifteen minutes or so before I had to make tracks for college so headed over there and waited in vain for it to do the right thing and confirm itself as a Corn Bunting. I decided to let people know that there may well be a Corn Bunt around and Johnny Allan came over to take over the search. He didn't have any luck with the bunting but he noted a Grey Plover heading NE - shite. A first for CFBW...

Gull getback

2011-11-15T12:47:00.001-08:00

My biology teacher was absent today so I got a surprise early finish - I headed straight for Canons Farm where I met John 'Blessed' Blenham and Neil 'Factor' Randon. They were both hoping for the Short-eared Owl and I wanted another view of it - we staked it out until after dusk but there was no sign of the owl. I went home happy, however, for I got a patch year tick: Great Black-backed Gull (an adult flying north with a group of Herring Gulls). Also, two Common Snipe (presumably the same pair as on Saturday night) and a flock of nine Canada Geese were site notables.

Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Year List 2011: 103 (94 at this point last year)

Good goose

2011-11-13T12:08:00.001-08:00

Ian and I hit the patch again early morning. After half an hour or so we got onto a small, dark, compact 'goose' with large white forewing patches flying towards Burgh Heath pond - it quickly got far away and I was struggling to see over a tall hedge. Clearly an Egyptian-type thing but before I could study its head it was flying away from us, calling appropriately, however. Because I couldn't rule out the only other possibility, Ruddy Shelduck, and didn't know how similar a one's vocalisations are to an Egyptian's, I was overly cautious and didn't log it. Ian and I talked about it and he said how he got the dark-on-pale markings on the head; we looked up Ruddy Shelduck's calls which were very much different. Egyptian Goose it was then - RS would be very unlikely anyway. Patch year tick! Also at Canons today: Brambling, 2 Stonechats, fly-over Cormorant etc. What was very frustrating was when I was with Roy later in the day and he pointed out two large gulls flying north west. They were high and flying away but were adult black-backeds; they appeared big, bulky and solid dark on top but with no views of the wingtip pattern or Herring Gulls for size comparison so we wouldn't be filling in a CFBW Rarity Form if there were such a thing.

Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Year List 2011: 102 (94 at this point last year)

Harrier Field produces again

2011-11-12T09:59:00.001-08:00

Short-eared Owl

Ian picked me up early this morning and we got on the patch pre-dawn. Like yesterday, it was very foggy and it was a struggle to see further than one hundred metres. Once it started to lift slightly, we began to wander. An hour or so after arriving a Short-eared Owl was flushed from the dank ditch in Harrier Field - giving further evidence for my theory that this is a regular roost site at the farm. I have seen two at the patch before and they have both been over Harrier Field, the latest of those (this April) appeared to fly from this ditch and it looks ideal for them.

The owl flew into a nearby ivy bush but soon flew and was hounded by Magpies and Carrion Crows and disappeared into the mist. A few minutes later it re-appeared and seemed to be dropping down on the other side of the lane - reassuring us that the bird hadn't been forced off-site. The mist thickened again but we pressed on and the sun gradually came out and burned the worst of it off. We were pleased to see a large flock of Lesser Redpolls (no Mealies with them as far as we could see) and the newly-born 'Not Quite So Piddly Pond', the reincarnation of Piddly Pond. I might just keep calling it Piddly Pond... The council's notice told us that we were in for wader action (see attached snap).

Lapwings

I heard a Crossbill fly over but couldn't get on it, seeing as this follows five yesterday (which were high - probably why I couldn't get on this one) I'm wondering if there's a flock hanging around somewhere within five or so miles. It was a good day for Lapwings, with a total of 46 throughout the day. Although (Woodcock aside) it is the commonest wader at the patch, they are usually pretty tricky to come by (there were 22 records last year). The second-best birds of the day came in the form of two Common Snipe which called and flew over Roy and me shortly after dusk - unfortunately Ian had chosen to walk back to his car another way and missed a potential patch tick.

Piddly Pond mid make-over; will I get Moorhen before the year's end?

Snow Bunting

2011-11-10T11:09:00.000-08:00

Snow Bunting

The reporting rate of Snow Buntings in London in the last few days has been above average and I've been hoping to find one at Canons Farm but of course I'm not nearly as free as I have been for much of the year and am stuck in a stuffy classroom for most of the day now so this makes finding one at my patch a bit tricky.

Yesterday was one of my early finished, with my last lesson ending at 12.30pm, so I was waiting for the 80 bus to get me back home to collect my gear and head for the farm when I received news of one at Beddington. I was glad for the opportunity of seeing one locally but cursed at how it meant a visit to Canons would be difficult with the limited light, I crossed the road to get the same bus in the opposite direction. I arrived and used my new lovely shiny key to get through the gate, made my way over the mound and found Johnny Allan and Ian Ellis watching the tailless but lovely male Snow Bunting feeding on a track - a top local bird. This bird marks Johnny's 196th species of 2011, thereby creating not just a personal but an overall Surrey Year List record!

Goose spectacular

2011-11-06T12:44:00.000-08:00

I was very glad to get back onto the patch this morning and, seeing as many of Canons Farm's best records are from the first week or so of November, I was in great anticipation as to what I might find.

I checked the barns near Canons Farmhouse for Black Redstarts, and Broadfield for just about anything (it is perfect at the moment; plenty of exposed soil with lines of very short winter wheat, and, as always, it's very big). I was making my way for Lunch Wood when I bumped into Jim Hall. Jim is not a serious birder but he walks his two jack russels at Canons Farm most days, knows what he's looking at, carries binoculars and takes an active interest in the birds of the area. I'd just said goodbye after a quick chat when I glanced up at the sky and clapped eyes on a v-formation of large birds heading towards me. It took a few moments for it to sink in what they were, at first I thought they'd be just another flock of gulls then I thought possibly Cormorants for a few seconds, then I realised they were small geese!!!

Brent Geese - MORE HERE

I knew they would most likely be Brents, they were still quite a way off and heading directly towards me so I used this time window to call Jim back and prepare my camera. They were soon nearing and I started to rattle off some shots, I could tell through the viewfinder they were indeed Brent Geese and, as they passed almost directly over us, they started calling - magic!!! I switched from camera to scope as they flew away to the south west. Yes, yes, yes! Patch tick, London tick, Surrey tick and local area tick! Jim and I reckoned about forty birds and inspection of my images later confirmed the true number as thirty-nine.

Jim told me he'd already had a Lapwing, quite a scarce patch bird. I made my way towards the derelict barn area where I picked up a flock of a dozen Lapwings, they dropped down on Broadfield but when a dog walker passed they got up and flew to the south west.

Roy arrived and was pretty gripped off by the geese, he had planned to spend the morning at Canons but his son had wanted to go to a vintage car event so couldn't get there early enough for the geese. We spent twenty minutes skywatching before heading to Newdigate to look for the Yellow-browed Warbler. We spent at least two hours searching for the bird but there was no sight or sound in its favoured area or with the roaming tit flocks. We returned for another stake out at Canons but there wasn't too much else on offer, unfortunately.

Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Life List: 108
Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Year List 2011: 101 (91 at this point last year)

Biting off more than we can Chew

2011-11-06T12:25:00.000-08:00

On Friday night, I was in two minds as to what to do on Saturday. Ian had invited me on a trip to see the Steppe Grey Shrike, early November is prime time for Canons Farm birding and I really wanted to spend a day there but I simply could not turn down a more or less guaranteed lifer.

So, on Saturday morning Ian picked me up then we collected Peter 'Polo' from Burgh Heath and headed for Telford. I fell asleep for much of it so it didn't seem as long as it really was. We arrived at about 8.30am, parked up and put our change in for the Royal British Legion. I don't normally take much notice when the pager says 'tho distant' because for many people seem to define a distant bird as one a few feet out of range for a frame-filling shot. In this instance, the bird wasn't described as distant but when I saw everyone's scopes pointed at the other end of a 800 metre wide field I realised we weren't in for a experience like this.

Steppe Grey Shrike

The STEPPE GREY SHRIKE was indeed a long way off and you could just about tell it was a grey shrike and at times you could get the idea it didn't have a dark bill or lores. Just when we were thinking of leaving, it came closer - still very distant but a significant improvement - and most of the identification features could be noted. It certainly appeared very pale, having large amounts of white in the wing and having light lores and bill. Being a race of Southern Grey Shrike, this represents my sixth shrike species.

We then set off for Chew Valley Lake. I needed Lesser Scaup and Ian and Peter needed some of the other things that had been around, so there was lots to mop up in a short period of time. I was expecting a site about the size of Abberton Reservoir but it wasn't as vast as I anticipated. There were ruddy lots of ducks though, all very distant. The pager hadn't given precise areas for the various birds and there was little daylight left so we felt utterly overwhelmed. I set to work scanning a 'raft' of aythyas and was surprised when I picked up a drake scaup quite quickly. When I took my eye off it or tried to get the others onto it I lost it into the flock and it was hard to pick up again. It soon became active, diving and swimming about a lot and I couldn't keep up with it. It appeared to be the same size as the neighbouring Tufted Ducks but a solid ID was impossible at that range. I began to hate Chew Valley Lake, and ducks.

We moved round to a hide that was closer to the birds but the sun was in front of us and, even though we were working with nearer birds, they were silhouettes. We gave up as gulls gathered to roost, a Raven flew past and the sun descended.

Scilly 2011

2011-10-30T23:00:00.000-07:00

I came back at 2.00am this morning from what was probably the best week's birding of my life. I love Scilly like nowhere else, not just because of its great birds but because of the old and new friends that you meet and the upbeat and exciting atmosphere that I have found nowhere else on my travels. This is my fifth visit to the archipelago, following Teacher's Week trips in 2009 and 2010, a day trip in 2010 and a two day twitch this September.

Saturday 22nd

After staying the night in a cottage in St Austell (where my parents resided for the rest of the week) my parents took me to St Levan to have a look for the Scarlet Tanager before boarding the Scillonian. This bird was causing me a great deal of anxiety - it turned up at about the worst time possible for me. I was thinking about what would happen if I was unlucky enough to miss the bird that morning and everybody else see it later on; I was starting to play with thoughts of flying back for a day on Monday. Anyway, we left later than planned and after a few miles I realised that I had left my phone charger in the cottage so we had to return. This meant that I ended up having less than five minutes on site - this time I spent talking to Johnny Allan who had missed the bird the previous day and stayed the night in Cornwall.

My parents and I left and drove to Penzance where my luggage was loaded onto the boat and I boarded after saying goodbye to them. Here I met Rob Stokes, Michael & Dan Booker and Nick & Russell Gardner. All had done the same thing as I that morning. We had no idea how our dilemma would solve itself . . .

Little was going on and by half way point on the crossing only a Bonxie, a Storm-petrel and a few Common Dolphins had been seen. Michael does like to fool around and we didn't for one millisecond take him seriously when he told us there was a Scarlet Tanager on St Mary's, until he flashed the pager in our faces. OH SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!! The atmosphere on board was a strange mixture of extreme excitement and excruciating anxiety. With no sign of the Cornish bird we were in a better position than anyone (apart from those already on Scilly) to see a tanager, but would we see it? Would it be like the Cornish bird and not play ball?

I left my luggage to be delivered to the B&B and Dan, Michael and I managed to snatch a cab - the driver already knew about the bird and where it was - on getting dropped off, birders walking away calmly told us the bird was still showing. We ran to the crowd but there was no show. It was a pleasure to catch up with Jerry & Judy, and Harry Barnard whom I knew from previous years. Time went on but at a much slowed pace and after twenty minutes or so the others decided to go off to look for the Upland Sandpiper and Olive-backed Pipits and Borough Farm. I need these but common sense told me to stay with the mega so I staked it out.

It emerged that the bird had been mobile and it seemed increasingly likely that it had moved on from its last pittosporum hedge. I was thinking about leaving to search likely areas, via the Upland and Olive-backeds when a birder emerged from the adjacent pine belt and informed us that the bird was viewable from in there. We rushed in and yes, phew . . . the dazzling first-winter male SCARLET TANAGER was on view, flitting about in the back of the same pittosporum hedge. Nick and Russell turned up and saw the bird. I tried to call Rob to let them know but couldn't get through. The bird landed in a bare tree quite nearby and then flew over or into the pine belt. I was satisfied and went to find the others and try to mop up on the rest of the rarities on offer.

Scarlet Tanager

I found Rob, Dan and Michael watching the obliging and bizarre UPLAND SANDPIPER and they went off to look for the tanager. It turned out that it was never seen again after it flew over the pines and I can only feel deep regret and sympathy for them missing out on it. The sandpiper was very active and moved between furrows in a daffodil field, occasionally walking very close to the birders allowing for some reasonable pics. Being a wader fan I spent a fair amount of time taking the bird before heading for Watermill Lane where I again found Nick and Russell. They kindly put me onto the pair of OLIVE-BACKED PIPITS - smart birds indeed and my first BB rare pipit species. They kept low and shuffled around and so were surprisingly hard to see and even more so to photograph.

Upland Sandpiper

Olive-backed Pipit

Time of day was beginning to deteriorate so I made tracks for Lower Moors. I found only two birders, including Viv Stratten, in the ISBG hide and I got a very pleasant surprise when they pointed out that the only snipe on view, only feet away, was the first-winter WILSON'S SNIPE! All snipe are attractive birds and it was fascinating to study the plumage differences between this bird and Common Snipe. Were it not nearly dusk, I would have got some very good photos. Another birder entered and told me a New World warbler friend of mine was showing a short walk away and so I enjoyed brilliant views, for the second time, of the long-staying first-winter NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH as it fed on Shooters' Pool to the annoyance of a nearby Robin. I ate with Rob and the team at the Bishop & Wolf before going to the log where I had the delight on talking to the colourful bunch that is James Bloor Griffiths, Harry Barnard, Jake Aley et al.

Wilson's Snipe

Northern Waterthrush

Sunday 23rd

A walk around Penninis Head failed to add the Melodious Warbler to my list and produced only a Wheatear. I joined Micheal, Dan and Rob in having second helpings of the UPLAND SANDPIPER but the Olive-backed Pipits were nowhere to be seen. After sitting outside at a nice cafe, enjoying some sausage rolls and cakes the rain set in and this resulted in the destruction of my notebook which was extremely irritating. Little else was had other than about six Black Redstarts at Porthloo, an adult Mediterranean Gull near Toll Porth and a Greenshank which gave Scilly-standard stonking views at Lower Moors. After rumours of a nightjar-type bird at Penninis we stupidly staked it out in the evening in absurb weather before following the same routine as the previous night.

Upland Sandpiper

Greenshank

Black Redstart

Monday 24th

Rob and I started the day off by heading to The Garrison. Unfortunately, the previous day's weather was refusing to budge and we were looking like drowned rats within minutes. The best we managed was scoping a summer-plumaged Great Northern Diver in The Roads. We joined Dan & Micheal at Lower Moors, via Old Town Bay (Merlin, Kingfisher and Greenshank there) where the NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH was feeding before heading to Porth Hellick Beach and successfully seeing Bob Flood's White-rumped Sandpiper - a great bird for the trip list and beautiful to watch.

White-rumped Sandpiper

I said my goodbyes to R, D & M who were having last looks at Lower Moors and the Upland Sandpiper before getting the Scillonian back to the mainland; cheers guys for the great company! I took a very slow and very disappointing walk through Holy Vale - the best I managed there was a low Peregrine whose wingbeats I could almost feel physically. I had another look at the UPLAND SANDPIPER until the rain set in and I checked Newford Duckpond, Content Farm, the golf course and Porthloo. Three Black Redstarts at Porthloo and a 1st-winter Mediterranean Gull in the same spot as the other day's adult was the best I could find.

The final call of the day was Lower Moors again. I found Pete Denyer, Jamie Wilkinson and Liam Langley here. They were hoping for a view of the Waterthrush but didn't succeed. We did see the WILSON'S SNIPE again, though, this time with Common Snipe for comparison. There was also a Willow Warbler at Shooter's.

This time I enjoyed a burger with Pete, Jamie, Liam, James, Harry etc at the Scillonian Club before the log and banter until we got kicked out at closing time. Fun times.

Tuesday 25th

A Little Bunting had beeped on the pager from Tresco the previous day and there was a nice selection of birds to be enjoyed so the new team of Pete, Liam, Jamie and I planned to get a boat over there in the morning. I walked The Garrison after dipping a Dusky Warbler at Porthcressa, with a Firecrest and a few Siskins to show for my efforts.

Lesser Yellowlegs

Spotted Crake

I just about caught the Tresco boat. A first-winter Mediterranean Gull kicked things off over there and we located the juvenile LESSER YELLOWLEGS and the Spotted Crake without too much difficulty. These were two excellent birds to watch and were lifers for all of the team. A Pectoral Sandpiper was a further addition to the increasingly lovely-looking trip list, then the rain set in. For pitty's sake that's the third day of frequent rain! I braved the downpour to renew my supply of cocoa-solids and assorted junk food. Thankfully, blue skies dominated again for a while and we searched Borough Farm for the bunting to no avail. Time was running out so we headed to New Grimsby to get the boat back to Mary's. The others went to look for the waterthrush (failing again) and I had a final unsuccessful look for this nightjar thing before another fun evening. While browsing the web on my laptop I noticed a lot of Scilly messages on RBA that my pager had completely missed, these included a Radde's Warbler on St Agnes, an Osprey over St Mary's and updates on things like the Upland Sand. This obviously concerned me and I emailed RBA.

Pectoral Sandpiper

Wednesday 26th

Liam, Pete, Jamie & James (L->R)

At last a clear and pleasant day. I didn't have time for any birding before getting the boat to St Agnes for the warbler. Dick Filby from RBA rang me just as we were leaving the quay and offered a week's free full service on his new app as a substitute for my broken pager. He was very kind and helpful, I can thoroughly recommend RBA as a service that puts itself out to make sure you get the news as efficiently as possible. Anyway, James, Harry and I got to St Agnes and connected with the showy (by the species's standards) Radde's Warbler near Troy Town. I was delighted to finally nail one of these elusive blighters. They don't turn up in the south east that often but I have twitched a couple and failed miserably. Paul Gale and I found ourselves a bit lost on our way to see the Bluethroat, but this was good in the end because as we were walking along I heard the call of a Lapland Bunting which then showed well in a grassy field. I fell behind Paul after searching out a chat which turned out to be a Black Redstart and after a while found the spot for the star chat. As I was walking towards the gathering a bird plopped down on the grass in front of me - jeeze it was the Bluethroat! And, oh lovely, a good male too! I called everyone over and they got on it. It played hard to get, as it was mobile and elusive underneath a layer of burnt gorse. Liam, Jamie and Pete rocked up after arriving on a slightly later boat and connected with the bird - a lifer for them. I then took them to the Radde's spot and the bird was much more elusive. They all saw the bird but I don't think they were happy enough with their views to tick it. We also called in at Pereglis and had educational views of an educational Lesser Whitethroat which could well be minula.

Lapland Bunting

We got a late boat back to St Mary's and, seeing as the others hadn't picked up the NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH yet, we made our way to Higgo's Pool where it had been showing on recent evenings. A loud 'clink' call gave us a clue to its presence and it plonked itself on the little muddy pool to everyone's utter delight!

Northern Waterthrush

Thursday 27th

Pied Flycatcher

I didn't get to wander 'Aggy' as I had wished to so decided to get the boat there again in the morning. J, L & P also wanted to return there to have another go for the Radde's. I started with an ineffectual bash of Gugh - Black Redstart and little else.There was no sign of the Bluethroat or warbler unfortunately but Liam and I jammed in on a Richard's Pipit (which was sadly flushed by a photographer before I could get any pics myself) and got a good look at the Lapland Bunting again. A Pied Flycatcher in The Parsonage was almost as good. Five Black Redstarts and a Willow Warbler were the best I could find myself. I got much better views of the eastern Lesser Whitethroat and some far better pics (Wednesday's were a pure blur). Pete and Jamie had already returned to Mary's and Liam and I got the 4.30pm boat again. It resolved that Jamie's decision was a good one for him, as just after Liam & I got back to Hugh Town he rang me and said 'Hi Dave there's a Red-eyed Vireo near Porth Hellick House, and guess who found it? Yours truly' I congratulated him and we pegged it over there. I tried to call a cab but couldn't get through. It was a pretty long treck at such a late point in the day but it turned out fine as we joined the crowd and ended up getting crystal clear views of Jamie's very own RED-EYED VIREO! He was chuffed to bits and filled out his form that evening at the log. He deserved his find; he kept saying he was sick of waiting around for birds already found and wanted to 'actually do some birding'. Well done Jamie, thanks for the tick - a valuable one as there's very very few records in Teacher's Week!

Red-eyed Vireo

Friday 28th

Golden Plover

I met Liam after breakfast and we went for a walk around the southern part of St Mary's. A Kingfisher whizzed by at Old Town and we got a shock when we kicked up a Short-eared Owl from heather by the airfield. Three Golden Plovers, a couple of Black Redstarts and a Clouded Yellow were very confiding in the same area and I finally got a view of a Yellow-browed Warbler at the Porth Hellick Loop where three Ravens flew over. A Firecrest showed well at Carreg Dhu gardens - to Liam's delight; he needed it! At last he will no longer turn up at a twitch and ask in excitement 'Did you say there was a Firecrest about!?!?' We were planning on heading possibly doing Content Farm then Lower Moors when Jamie rang to pass on news of a Red-breasted Flycatcher at Holy Vale. Liam jogged on and I just kept up a fast walk. It turned out it had only been seen relatively briefly, I gave it a little time before joining Adam Norgate and James for a search for the Richard's Pipit at Porth Hellick Down, which didn't result in any sight or sound of our quarry. We popped in at The Dairy Cafe to have a quick look at a Crimson Speckled moth and met later at the Scillonian Club for the last log of the Scilly Season 2011 and a few games of darts and pool, another brilliant evening.

moth grip-off - Crimson Speckled

Saturday 29th

the first shot I've ever managed of Common Dolphins

The morning started off slowly, after having breakfast and sorting out my luggage I had to do a couple of things in town before collecting the Essential Guide to the Birds of the Isles of Scilly from Nigel Hudson and dropping it off at the B&B. I dropped my scope a couple of times which didn't do my mood any good, then I went off to Lower Moors and put my foot right in a deceptively shallow/firm bit of mud. Goo and swampy water flooded into my boot which was stuck there and I started to lose my rag. I dipped the Dusky Warbler, again, but got a good look at a Yellow-browed Warbler and heard a Reed Bunting. The Red-breasted Fly had been seen once more at Holy Vale so I popped over there but got only fly over Raven and Siskins. With no more time for birding I returned to Hugh Town to pick up my rucksack from the B&B (finding a Whinchat on the way), had a rest at Porthcressa beach and got on the Scillonian III for its voyage back to the mainland. It was sad leaving but in all fairness I was utterly nackered after an intense week that seemed a lot longer than a week. No sea creatures of any note other than a pod of Common Dolphins kept us company on the return sailing.

some of the rarest birds were found in the islands' museum

I met my parents at Penzance and we drove home through the night without any trouble, getting back early this morning. I lay in until 11.00am and slowly headed out to Canons Farm where a Brambling or two was with large numbers of finches. I'm looking forward to the next week or so, early November is prime time for CFBW birding.

Thanks to my parents for this trip and to all the birders on the islands for all their excellent company. As I said it has been one of the best birding weeks of my life and I cannot think of a six hour period as productive and rarity-filled as that first afternoon when I got on St Mary's last Saturday. The birds were excellent, the evenings at the Scillonian Club were a hoot and the experience amazing as always. I'm looking forward to my next visit...!

To sum it up:

Lifers:

Scarlet Tanager
Upland Sandpiper
Olive-backed Pipit
Wilson's Snipe
Radde's Warbler
Red-eyed Vireo

Other great birds:

Northern Waterthrush
Lesser Yellowlegs
Bluethroat (male)
White-rumped Sandpiper
Spotted Crake
Richard's Pipit
Pectoral Sandpiper
Lapland Bunting
Yellow-browed Warbler
Pied Flycatcher
Eastern race Lesser Whitethroat

and more . . .

Britain Life List: 326

Red-flanked saves the day

2011-10-15T14:35:00.000-07:00

When planning the twitch yesterday, Franko, Johnny and I were sceptical as to the chances of the Rufous-tailed Robin staying for us and, as we pretty much expected, we dipped today along with lots of others (including many familiar faces).

Migrants were pretty hard to come by and an on-spec trip to Wells Woods secured just a heard-only Yellow-browed Warbler, a small party of Crossbills and a couple of Chiffchaffs. I heard three Bramblings throughout the entire day and Siskins seemed to be almost always flying over in small numbers but that's about where the evidence of migration ended.

Much of the day was spent trying to secure decent views of the RED-FLANKED BLUETAIL at Holme; the bird was seen well in the end after a lot of effort put in by a lot of people. A nice bird, as birds always are, and I'm glad to finally catch up with one, having not even had to opportunity to try for (let alone connect with) any of the many that have turned up in the last few years. I got some crappy record shots which I may put up here if I find the time, but don't see much point (as you can't see much detail) so may not.

Britain Life List 320

October so far

2011-10-10T08:19:00.000-07:00

One of the best birding months and thankfully (in a way) it's been rather quiet so far. My (and my dad's) bank account and education need a break from twitching for a while so I'm glad the mega alerts on the pager have either been birds I don't need, or ones that I don't really need to worry too much about. Wilson's Snipe on Scilly was one of these alerts and fits into the latter category, I reckon this bird will hang around until I reach the islands for my half term break - not so sure that the Upland Sandpiper will, but I can only hope . . .

Recent trips have seen me connect with my 2nd SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, my first local Spotted Crake and my fourth set of patch Crossbills this year. My parents accuse me of being idiotic for going out over the weekend despite being pretty ill (contributing to me staying at home today), but then they'll never understand why getting out and about in autumn is about as important to a birder as anything could get.

Two more yanks . . .

2011-09-25T07:07:00.000-07:00

Sandhill Crane

. . . but please no more for a little while, it's too much! I've got things to be getting on with so won't write a lot. I got the train to Sheffield on Friday night, from which the journey continued with Oliver Metcalf. As we were approaching the site news came through that the bird had just been relocated (having gone A.W.O.L. for an hour or so), we couldn't get there quick enough. It apparently gone behind a hay bale but, a couple of minutes later, Britain's third SANDHILL CRANE launched itself into the air and flew low past us, calling. Utterly brilliant!

Black Scoter (left) with Common Scoter

After a light lunch we got further views of the bird, this time on the deck, and then made our way back, calling in at the scoter flock a few miles down the coast en route. The presence of the Sandhill Crane nearby meant this was a perfect time to look for our quarry because of the increased number of people looking. It wasn't long before the adult drake BLACK SCOTER was picked up and showed in good light relatively close in.

Britain Life List: 319

Scilly twitch

2011-09-22T22:57:00.000-07:00

News of a mouth watering selection of rarities on Scilly grew until I could no longer make excuses for not going. This was an opportunity not to be missed and, I feel, missing two days of college was a small sacrifice. Dad kindly dropped me off at Paddington at 11.15pm on Tuesday night and the Riveria Night Sleeper set off for Penzance half an hour later. I soon realised that I wasn't going to be able to sleep on a chair so when a berth became available I didn't mind parting with a bit of extra cash. The rocking of the train was rather effective at nodding one off but the walls separating the chambers seemed to amplify the noises coming from next door and I heard every detail of a crisp packet opening. Then the regae began . . .

Basking Shark

Arriving just before 8.00am, I had plenty of time to collect my ticket for the Scillonian III and board comfortably before it set off at 9.15am. Here I met a chap called Adam, with whom I spent a lot of my time on the trip. The highlight of the crossing was three Basking Sharks following the Cornish coast.

Baltimore Oriole

Hummingbird Hawkmoth

The first port of call for Adam and I was The Garrison where we eventually found the right spot and almost instantly connected with the 1st-winter female BALTIMORE ORIOLE. We got good views for little more than a minute before it flew off, not to be seen again for a few hours. With other birds to see we made tracks to Lower Moors, bumping into three happy birders on the way who reported getting good views of the Black-and-white Warbler twenty minutes previously. After wading through a selection of nearly knee-deep stagnant pools we staked the bird out but had no luck.

Solitary Sandpiper

Sparrowhawk

We decided to cut our losses after a while and head further north. We had no luck with the Bee-eater at Borough Farm nor the Blue-winged Teal at Newford Duckpond but at the latter site got about the best views one could ever get of the SOLITARY SANDPIPER. After feeding it rested and allowed me to get three feet away from it, and that is truly no exaggeration at all. Conservative, even. It was getting late in the day so we thought the pool behind the dump would be the most appropriate place to situate ourselves. We staked out the pool till dark with several others with no luck. It was looking like I was going to dip both of the New World Warblers and began to lose my cool.

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Northern Waterthrush

Up bright and breezy yesterday (Thursday) morning for another stake-out at the pool. It was getting lighter by the minute and I was convinced we weren't going to get the bird. Then, a small brown bird landed on the island ten to fifteen feet away - it was the NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH!!! Cheers all round and an immense sense of relief for me, and I'm sure everyone else. A birder from the previous night arrived and got the bird but his friend was a couple of minutes behind. It flew off seconds before he arrived. Fortunately, it came through on the pager half an hour later that it was showing again but that must have been one awful half an hour for him.

The rest of the day was mainly spent looking for the Black-and-white Warbler, again with no luck. A little walk for the Bee-eater in between was unsuccessful but when back at Lower Moors we heard the bird flying overhead. A couple of birders got onto it very high up but didn't make that clear so I didn't see it. Bugger, that would have been a lifer. Time ran out, inevitably, and I reluctantly made my way to the quay.

Grey Phalaropes

The crossing back was better. The highlights were three Grey Phalaropes which landed right by the boat, and a Balearic Shearwater. A couple of Bonxies and an Arctic Skua were also seen. A Minke Whale breached five times but I couldn't see it, not that it was particularly small or anything.

Balearic Shearwater

I arrived back at Paddington this morning and dad brought me back home, I had a few hours to spare before returning to college and sleep wasn't likely so I've been doing this. A productive and enjoyable trip with good company. I'm not worried about missing ticks like Blue-winged Teal and Bee-eater but I am a bit miffed about missing the Black-and-white Warbler and a bit less so about a couple of Red-eyed Vireos with which I failed to connect.

I hope no-one from college reads this . . .

Britain Life List: 317

Hurry for a harrier

2011-09-18T13:19:00.000-07:00

I've been highly tempted by the prospect of a trip getting me four British ticks (including two mega New World warblers) but the main problem is, if I did go ahead with it and something really killer turns up (which it's looking like it might) then I will have no funds to twitch it. I suppose it's best to forget a couple of birds I may have to wait another decade or so for and therefore avoid doing myself out of something that I may never get back. Still, Northern Waterthrush and Black-and-white Warbler are two rarities that have always been near the top of my wanted list and it's painful to see them keep coming up on the pager.

This morning didn't quite go to plan but I ended up at Colne Point in Essex with Phil mid morning. After about twenty minutes we got good views of the juvenile PALLID HARRIER fly past and into the distance, never to be seen again. A nice bird (of course), I just wish it showed for the friends of mine who, regrettably, arrived a bit too late.

After staking it out for another two hours, with no further sign, an Icterine Warbler at Minsmere sounded tempting so we headed that way. No sign in an initial search so we popped into a nearby hide where we became distracted by a Pectoral Sandpiper that I picked out. Apparently it had been seen earlier in the day but I had received no messages about it on my pager (signal was dodgy) so it was a complete surprise for me when that wandered into my scope! A juvenile Curlew Sandpiper was the best of the rest and it was a shock to see the escaped Greater Flamingo remaining on the scrape.

Britain Life List: 314

My new life

2011-09-17T12:46:00.000-07:00

Well I've had a fortnight of it now, full time education that is. It has been a right slog and obviously my birding has suffered. I've managed to visit Canons for at least a couple of hours almost daily but have been struggling to keep cfbwbirds up to date and have fallen behind in maintaining the patch database and my personal logbook. It's all been for very little, too. Most of the time spent at college has been 'get to know your neighbour', 'what do you already know about the subject?' and 'go and create a monster PowerPoint presentation that we may or may not ask you to present, but you'd better do it because if you don't, and we do happen to check, you're in for it'.

There are some right oddball characters at college, which I like because it makes me feel comparatively normal. I have also had a good laugh at this, found in the lavatories. But, quite honestly, I'd rather be on Scilly.

Scilly apart, a Pallid Harrier in Essex was highly tempting. Ian had to go to a football match and Phil couldn't make it. I really wasn't in the mood for phoning around other birders desperately trying to find someone whom I could persuade to make the journey, so I asked dad if he could take me. Just after he picked me up, I realised it wasn't where I stupidly thought it was (near Tilbury), it was near Clacton-on-Sea!!! An hour there now two and a half, add the return and that's five hours. Understandably he didn't want to go that far in the afternoon and it drained my enthusiasm for the idea, too, so I suggested Queen Mother Reservoir instead.

So, after today with all these lovely rarities around the splurge in the attached phone-scoped piece of crap is what I have to show for this autumn day - it is a Manx Shearwater. Thousands upon thousands of House Martins and Swallows moved through Canons today, most of the count courtesy of Roy. Canons is due a half decent (twitchable) bird, and I'm due a British tick. Tomorrow?

#100

2011-09-08T12:45:00.000-07:00

It was one of my early finishes today so I was at Canons Farm from early afternoon. I stopped at the Watchpoint to have lunch and, after finishing my sandwiches, was thinking of moving on when I got a tweet from Johnny Allan: he'd just had an Osprey go south at Beddington. I knew that anything heading over south from there would go roughly over Coulsdon. This is too distant to pick up waders or terns but gulls, Common Buzzards, geese and Grey Herons etc can be made out clearly heading over the ridge there. In theory, I thought, I should see this bird.

So I scanned the other side of the valley intently. For a while the only things I could see that even vaguely recalled Osprey were Common Buzzards. I was starting to think it was getting on a bit for it to fly by but I noticed a large, long-winged raptor drifting slowly south; it was the Osprey! Brilliant!!! I watched it for three or so minutes before losing it behind some trees. Very happy, I was. The three Whinchats were still knocking about today.

Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Year List 2011: 100 (85 at this point last year)

Perfect send off

2011-09-04T11:05:00.000-07:00

Reed Warbler

It doesn't usually work like this, but today was one of those days when everything just seemed to fall in my favour. This weekend, it has been almost like the patch has known I am being called elsewhere and my coverage of the site will, very sadly, have to fall significantly. Yesterday was fantastic with top views of three Spotted Flycatchers, a nice Grasshopper Warbler and plenty of birders on site offering top class company but today was even better.

It started slowly with no sign of the Spotted Flycatchers at Circle Field, but a calling Tawny Owl nearby (which I failed to see). Roy arrived and we had a bit of a skywatch before heading for The Scrub. Rain stopped us at Lunch Wood and, after hearing a Tree Pipit and enjoying two Whinchats at Broadfield, we thought the most comfortable and productive thing to do would be to return to our skywatch vigil. We were only a third of the way back when Roy picked up a Common Snipe whizzing past us! This, along with Curlew, is the hardest of the recorded waders at the patch and a very welcome year tick for me as well as a good patch tick for Roy.

Common Snipe

Little was moving in the sky but we roughed it and stayed put. When the rain eased off I saw a warbler fly into a nearby bush but couldn't get another view of it and dismissed it as probably a Common Whitethroat. A while later we saw it fly into a bush on the other side of the path and, honest to god, I joked to Roy 'now wouldn't it be great if it were a Reed Warbler'. I don't know what made me say that, I've never said that before, perhaps when I saw it flying my brain subconsciously identified the bird - bloody weird. Seconds later it popped out '**** me, it is a Reed Warbler!!!'. It dived down and I started to doubt my relatively brief view; had I really just seen that? Was I getting carried away after my comment?

The wait was long and tense but the bird showed again and was indeed a Reed Warbler. I snapped away and one of the results is shown here. We were both delighted. A minute or so later and Ian 'Scarecrow' arrived and, very luckily, saw the bird quickly before it vanished. Three Swifts and four Meadow Pipits then flew over and we were reluctant to leave but had to.

A first for CFBW and a very good year tick, what a way to end a brilliant six months of non-stop birding. They have probably been the most enjoyable six months of my life so far and I thank all the birds and birders who have made them so. It ain't over, though; despite my return to full time education tomorrow I will still manage to visit the patch a lot. I'm certainly in a better position than I was this time last year seeing as I have two 12.30pm finishes and one 11.00am start. This allows three weekdays where the patch can be done to some degree even in the depths of winter, whereas I couldn't do any weekdays in the darker months at my previous college.

More at cfbwbirds

Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Life List: 107
Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Year List 2011: 99 (85 at this point last year)

Not one, but three, Spotted

2011-09-03T10:12:00.000-07:00

Spotted Flycatcher

This morning, I flushed CFBW's third Grasshopper Warbler of the autumn shortly after arriving. I had a walk around 'The Magic Box' (a name I've just invented for the squarish route through the most rewarding zone of the patch). I thought the misty conditions may have increased the number of gulls present at Legal & General and therefore made the possibility of a Yellow-legged or Med greater, so included this on my walk. There were more Black-headed Gulls than usual and a handful of Herring Gulls (the count on a usual bright day is zero) but no firsts for the patch.

I made my way back to see if the Gropper was showing and came across Factor who was staking it out, after dipping the other recent bird four times. No sign, and Factor headed to Barnes. Ten minutes later I got a call from Paul 'P-Go' Goodman:

'I've got two Spotted Flycatchers!'
'Gah! Where!?!?'
'where the horses are'

Luckily, the Gropper site was within a two minute trolley drag of the birds and I got onto them in a tall tree before they flew off. Factor turned up again, following a phone call, and we got a couple of glimpses of the birds before they vanished once more. Factor then had another mosey around Circle Field and found them both, they then showed into the afternoon; Ian arrived and was very pleased. I savoured them for a good while and realised they were joined by a third bird (at one point all were in one scope view)! Spot Fly was Roy's 94th CFBW tick but Mark Stanley arrived later in the afternoon and failed to locate any of them.

Spotted Flycatcher

It was a real treat to see a trio of this declining but energetic bird on the patch. Here's hoping a Pied joins them tomorrow!

More pics at the cfbwbirds gallery.

Most obliging Gropper yet, and a mooch about Kent

2011-08-30T09:14:00.000-07:00

Grasshopper Warbler

This morning I arrived at the Watchpoint and had a bit of a scan; as usual, nothing was moving overhead. I followed the usual routine of checking the area around the barns behind Canons Farmhouse before arriving at Canons Lane and gradually heading up towards Banstead Woods. It was by these barns that I heard a very unfamiliar song. The only thing I could think it could be was a juvenile Robin trying to sing, I had almost dismissed it as that when the vocalist came into the open, it was another Grasshopper Warbler! A first-winter and it was making a very strange noise, I'd best describe it as a high-pitched abrasive warbling whistle. I hung around for a while and after less than ten minutes the thing popped out again and started feeding in brambles about fifteen feet away from me and I fired away. I then watched it through the scope as it walked stealthily through the brambles, it soon slipped into the dark interior. More photos at cfbwbirds gallery.

I visited the spot again mid afternoon and it was showing again. Roy Weller and Mark Stanley added it to their patch lists while Richard Horton and Richard Sergeant who had come to look for Little Owls also got good views.

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Yesterday, after a quick check of the patch, Ian and I spent a long day in north Kent. A missed exit deposited us at an unplanned venue, Oare Marshes. We saw little of any significance here but it was nice to see a Whinchat and good numbers of common waders.

Merlin at Elmley Marshes

Next, our originally intended destination, Elmley Marshes. We were surprised to see that most of the place had been drained, presumably to get rid of that viscious blue-green algae. The ground was cracking in the usually busy area in front of Wellmarsh Hide and it was amusing to see Ringed Plovers and Dunlin filling cattle footprints here, despite it being akin to a desert.

A Whinchat and a Wood Sandpiper showed well from the Counterwall Hide and there were a few Ruff and a Peregrine further on; there were very few small waders to look through, disappointingly. Yellow Wagtails were seemingly everywhere, their liquid calls filling the air and small flocks busying around the feet of bullocks.

Wood Sandpiper at Elmley Marshes

A quick slash before heading home actually got Ian a lifer. Earlier on I could have sworn I had seen a Merlin briefly in flight in the area behind the toilet block but it disappeared behind a tree before I could get enough on it. While we were scanning the area behind the fenceposts before setting off, Ian pointed out an interesting shape on one of the gates on the marsh, I got the scope on it and indeed it was a beautiful female Merlin. I don't see many of these and it was Ian's first so it had made both our days.

Curlew Sandpipers at Cliffe Pools

We decided to have a look at Cliffe Pools on the way home. It was starting to get dark when we got there. I picked up a juvenile Spotted Redshank and fourteen Ruff were on site. I then got onto the pair of juvenile Curlew Sandpipers that had been reported as they frantically probed about. Another lifer for Ian; his list is growing nicely but he's running out of common stuff.

Famous grandstand gazes over lost wader

2011-08-28T11:22:00.000-07:00

Ringed Plover

I was amazed yesterday when, at the Wryneck twitch, John Blenham told me of an incredibly out of place bird that he had found at his patch, Epsom Downs. This is only a mile or so west from Canons Farm and is in common with my patch in its lack of water.

This evening, after family dinner I was watching John's juvenile Ringed Plover on a short gravel track just south of the grandstand at the racecourse. It was an obliging individual and was completely unoffended by my presence down to a ten foot range, it fell asleep at such proximity after a while! A Wheatear, equally relucant to move from its chosen feeding area, was close by. This plover probably wins the prize for my most bizarre sighting.

Wheatear at Canons Farm

There were four Wheatears present at Canons Farm this morning, one was particularly obliging and the light was just right so I got some reasonable pics.

Ranmore Wryneck

2011-08-27T13:27:00.000-07:00

When the pager bleeped with news of a Wryneck at Ranmore Common today I thought I ought to give it a go but considered it likely to be an unco-operative one. I was right; it was the best part of an hour until I got any sort of view of the bird as it crept through a bush, closely hugging its perch. After it stopped moving I lost it, Wrynecks can practically vanish if they wish; I remember the bird I dipped at Beddington that was in a small area of bushes but after being ringed and released could not be found at all.

An hour or so later the bird was on show, much better this time, at close range in a small and open bush. A very nice bird and a Surrey tick but its just out of my local listing area. Cryptic-plumaged species such as Wryneck, Woodcock and Nightjar are favourites of mine. While Hoopoes are like big butterflies, Wrynecks are akin to a large moth. I must tot up my Surrey list soon, I know its in the pathetic region of 170-180. Well done to Sean Foote on a spiffing discovery.

Gropper headlines mini fall

2011-08-24T09:36:00.001-07:00

Whinchat (left) & Wheatear (right)

I predicted that today might be productive for seeking out passerines at the patch, taking into account yesterday's wet north easterlies and today's less harsh weather.

I was very soon onto a Whinchat this morning. It was considerably flighty but eventually appeared to settle down around the hay bales in Bunting Field in the company of a male Wheatear. Another Wheatear, probably yesterday's bird, was in Skylark Field. While I was watching this, four Yellow Wagtails called as they headed south. I didn't see too much else until after Lunch when I was walking through the undergrowth at The Scrub (this I've been doing daily and thoroughly, mainly in hope of a Wryneck) and disturbed an interesting looking warbler. It settled nearby where it showed well for a few seconds, it was a Grasshopper Warbler! I aimed the camera at it and would have achieved a good shot but peering through the viewfinder was like being in a carpet of mist. It seems some moisture has snuck into the lens - bugger!!! It only came back from being fixed no more than a fortnight ago!!! Unbelievably infuriating, I tell you.

Grasshopper Warbler appears to be quite regular at the patch. The first record was last September when I flushed one with a gathering of House Sparrows in the north west corner of Broadfield and there were four singing males this April: three at Canons Farm and one at The Scrub. All this spring's singers were practically impossible to see; I saw one of them for a couple of seconds.

New sights around the New Forest

2011-08-20T12:55:00.001-07:00

Sabine's Gull

As autumn is increasing the liklihood of a good bird at the patch, I am getting ever more reluctant to leave it but I couldn't resist an outing around the New Forest with Phil today. Ever since I bought my first field guides and continually flicked through the pages in awe of all the wonderful birds I was looking forward to seeing, Sabine's Gull is one of the species that caught my attention. That distinctive wing pattern, forked tail and (in the case of adults) wonderful head makes it the most attractive of the gulls for me. The soft-toned plumage of juveniles is very smart too. However, I haven't had much luck with Sabs - I was utterly gutted when I dipped the three birds at Beddington nearly four years ago on my first visit to the site and have failed on other attempts. The bird near Avon appeared to be hanging around so this was first on our iternery. The situation was daunting, probably over one to two thousand Black-headed Gulls (with a few Med Gulls mixed in) to scan through. So it was a relief to lock eyes on the first-summer Sabine's Gull within fifteen minutes. A smart bird indeed; best in flight. And my 21st British tick of the year.

Goshawk

Crossbill at Blackwater Arboretum

This was followed by a visit to Acres Down. A couple of Crossbills and a Firecrest were seen by the car and further on a pair of Common Redstarts showed. I scanned the dead tops of the rows of trees in the middle distance and lay sight on a majestic juvenile female Goshawk! We got distant but prolonged and clear views of this beast for about half an hour before it flew off when the cloud cleared and it warmed up. This is my first non-flying sighting of a Goshawk. After this there was almost always a Goshawk on view, there were probably at least two birds knocking about - at times mobbed by Sparrowhawks. Common Buzzards were everywhere but as usual none of them could be turned into a Honey-buzzard. A Grayling was my first of the year.

Our final venue was Blackwater Arboretum for a mosey around. Crossbills were everywhere, acquiring by far my best views of this bird. Another Firecrest showed.

Britain Life List: 313

Second helpings

2011-08-19T10:59:00.000-07:00

Phil said he was going to have a look at the Hoopoe at Farthing Downs this afternoon so I took this opportunity to further enjoy this local mega while it's still around. The bird showed well for about an hour on the path in excellent light. I hope it stays around for those locals who are currently out of the area i.e. Ian and Alex.

Woohoo a local Hoopoe

2011-08-17T10:47:00.001-07:00

Today's plans of a calm day of patching were smashed when news came through of a Blue-winged Teal at Thursley (though I did manage a pair of Tree Pipits before this). Johnny, who was with Dodge and Frank, very kindly altered his route to pick me up at Canons. Just before we set off, we heard that the duck had flown west. We pressed on anyway, in the hope of its return or relocation. After a bit of time spent at Thursley we checked Frensham Ponds (the first obvious waterbodies in a westerly direction) to no avail and headed back home.

I hadn't been back on the patch more than two or so hours when David Hayes texted 'Still there now, lft of rd as u approach car pk, half way up' - I knew exactly to what he was referring as, being a Farthing Downs regular, I asked him on Monday if he knew anything further on the report of a Hoopoe on his turf (which he didn't). I called Johnny who let other Surrey birders know and I pelted it over to the Banstead Woods car park to meet him (fatally injuring my 5th trolley in the process).

We arrived and had a bit of trouble finding David but we tracked him down in the end and were soon enjoying the Hoopoe. The site was quite busy with dog walkers and it got flushed a couple of times but this allowed a good excuse for a few flight shots. A splendid bird; only my second in Britain and my first in London/Surrey for which this counts for both.

What's more, this is an uber local area tick - yipee!

Warbler's Haven

2011-08-15T11:12:00.000-07:00

Subalpine Warbler

Recently I've been catching up with a handful of reasonably 'common' vagrants/overshoots that I've previously had bad luck with. I didn't think the male Subalpine Warbler at Holland Haven would be on the cards today, on account of it only being seen briefly yesterday, but it came through on the pager again this morning and I convinced Phil to go. My Subalpine Warbler 'horror' story involves what must have totalled the best part of ten hours walking up and down a track on Scilly over two days, only to turn a corner and be greeted by a couple of birders who told me I'd just walked right by it and flushed it! Fortunately, this bird gave itself up. It showed (albeit in short and irregular bursts) by the car park almost as soon as we got there. Ian 'Eagle' was already on site.

Yesterday Phil and I enjoyed splendid views of one Banstead Woods' juvenile Hobbies while a parent watched a bit more distantly. Hoping for a Spot Fly any day now.

juvenile Hobby - Banstead Woods

Britain Life List: 312

Xbills

2011-08-12T08:37:00.000-07:00

I couldn't do the usual morning shift at the patch today due to a conflicting driving lesson - this perhaps worked in my favour, however, as about five minutes after arriving this afternoon I had two Crossbills go fairly low south south east over Pipit Meadow. It would be nice to see some perched up at CFBW.

Hedge pulls another Whinchat

2011-08-10T11:51:00.000-07:00

The hedge at the north side of Horse Pasture was decorated by its fifth (of the patch's six/seven) Whinchat of 2011. This individual was very obliging and sat on the same perch for at least ten minutes, allowing me to get reasonably close. It then fed for a few minutes and decided it was time to go so suddenly shot off south.

Sunday delights

2011-08-07T10:50:00.000-07:00

Firecrest

After soaking in splendid views of an adult Hobby with a freshly fledged juvenile (still retaining a tuft of down) in Banstead Woods - confirming breeding at the patch - Roy and I heard a few very faint high-pitched calls from high up in an oak. Too weak perhaps even for a typical Goldcrest call but that was what we presumed it would turn out to be.

Hobbies (juv left)

We caught a few glimpses of the bird, then it turned its head . . . 'I think that's a Firecrest!', said I. It was; we couldn't believe what we were seeing. All that extensive and purposeful searching specifically for this species during the winter and early spring, with no joy, and now there's one in front of us in early August! For a fair while Firecrest has been the only remaining 'fully expected' patch ticks for me. But this lunchtime was when I was least expecting it to happen! It was a right bugger to photograph, though, with only one or two record shots acquired. Now all birds I need have mythical patch status, like Moorhen and Mute Swan.

Firecrest marks the 100th overall bird recorded at CFBW this year.

A reasonable number of Swallows today, with a bare minimum of sixty present.

Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Life List: 106
Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Year List 2011: 97 (81 at this point last year)

A bit of movement

2011-08-06T13:09:00.001-07:00

Wheatear

I had my first patch year tick in a while today: Tree Pipit. A calling bird flew west this morning. This is exactly the same date as the first autumn bird last year. I was also pleasantly surprised to see a 1st-winter Wheatear near Canons Farmhouse - the first of the autumn, and just over two months since the last bird of the spring. At least forty Swallows (a conservative estimate - could well have been many more), a couple of House Martins and at least eleven Swifts also flew through.

Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Year List 2011: 96

Woodthat Shrike stick around?

2011-07-31T10:46:00.000-07:00

I've dipped a couple of these in the past. Just this year, Ian and I were half way to Essex for one when it came through that it had been gobbled by a troublesome Sprawk - after I went on about it being in the bag and practically ticked already.

I was saying the same thing to Ian today, thinking I could not be wrong this time, but news from departing birders as we arrived that the Shrike had been driven into hiding by some twit photographer made me think I perhaps ought to stop tempting fate.

It wasn't feeling good for the first five minutes - but then the Woodchat Shrike showed. Yay I was right! All twitch attendees were happy from then on. I was very happy as it was a pretty bird and a new tick on my list. Also, it means that I no longer have to feel silly having Brown and Isabelline Shrikes on my list while only having two of the three 'common' Lanius visitors to Britain.

Britain List List 311

Chat hedge

2011-07-28T13:31:00.000-07:00

Whinchat (left) with juvenile Stonechat

CFBW pulled its fifth (or possibly sixth) Whinchat of the year, and first of the autumn, today. It was in the same hedge in which three of the others stopped off this spring. The very same hedge has been fruitful in terms of other chats, too, with Black Redstart, Common Redstart and multiple Wheatears using it this year. Today's bird was accompanied by a juvenile Stonechat, which was nice.

Purple Hairstreak

Dingy Skipper

On Tuesday I spent a day butterflying (with nets and pots) at CFBW with Ian Magness which proved a success. Our most unusual find was probably a Dingy Skipper; a species which 'sometimes' has a smaller second brood around now and is generally pretty scarce anyway. I particularly enjoyed seeing a male Purple Hairstreak and a Small Copper, both butterfly year ticks (if I kept a butterfly year list) for me. We got a quick look at something which I'm almost certain was a male Chalkhill Blue - it certainly wasn't one of those bright female Common Blues - but it was too quick for the nets and was never seen again. Another highlight was even more of a surprise, and also not a butterfly: a Hummingbird Hawkmoth appeared out of nowhere and started feeding but vanished as hastily as it materialised.

Small Copper

Stilt Sand bagged

2011-07-25T12:44:00.000-07:00

record shot of the Stilt Sandpiper

Peter 'Polo' Grady picked me up from the farm shortly after 11.00am and we started the trek down to Weymouth. Originally, this trip was pencilled in for tomorrow but Peter became unexpectedly relieved of his arrangements so this was something of a spontaneous decision.

After an average journey (holiday traffic around the New Forest and coastal towns) we parked up and eventually found our way to the gathering of people fixed on a small muddy pool. Our desired tick had shown but had just recently gone out of view. It didn't take much waiting to see the splendid adult STILT SANDPIPER which showed well, albeit a tad distant, on and off for the next couple of hours. It was a really neat and smart bird; a wader that I've always been keen to see. After acquiring a sketch, photographs and prolonged clear views we decided to head home, both satisfied.

showing the combination of a clean white rump and plain wings

Britain Life List 310

In which I finally find something half decent

2011-07-22T13:37:00.000-07:00

Pectoral Sandpiper

I was at Canons this morning when Phil called to ask whether I fancied a trip to Dunge. I thought I may as well accept seeing as I'd done the key areas of the farm and there's usually something to look at down there.

We called in at the RSPB centre and we were reminded of reports of a Little Stint at ARC so crossed to the other side in the hope of finding it. There were fifteen Golden Plovers; a few Dunlin and Common Sandpipers; ten Black-tailed Godwits, a Green Sandpiper and, by my reckoning around two thousand Lapwings present.

After an hour or so from the hide there we thought the stint may be at the other end so we pulled up by the side of the road at the south end of the pit. Scanning didn't reveal anything resembling our quarry and I was about to stop searching when an adult Pectoral Sandpiper waddled into my view. Oh . . . cool! I put the news out and proceeded to sketch and photograph the bird which was always on show albeit a little out of range for a top shot most of the time. A little twitch materialised within half an hour. Other birds at this end included two Little Gulls and a couple of Turnstones.

Little Stint

Next we went to Rye where we sat in the garden of Edward and Mandy Mayer, a couple whom Phil befriended in Poland before joining them on a walk around the Harbour. Here I found a Wood Sandpiper and two Whimbrel. A redhead Goosander was a pleasant surprise and six Little Terns flew up. A convenient pager message resulted in us seeing our initial quarry as it wasn't long before we were getting smashing views of a moutling adult Little Stint.

Wood Sandpiper

pair of Whimbrel

A bit of a result really - good day, cheers Phil & team.

To middle England

2011-07-17T07:01:00.000-07:00

Common Rosefinch

Yesterday, Ian 'Eagle' picked me up at 5.30am, we collected Peter 'Polo' Grady and headed north. The journey wasn't too bad, arriving at Melbourn, Cambridgeshire, in good time. We could hear our target singing as we parked up. It took us a while to work out where the sound was coming from, though it was close, but once we did it wasn't difficult to get onto the Common Rosefinch (I do hate the fact that it's no longer referred to as Scarlet Rosefinch - a much better name!). I am considering this a lifer; I was happy with the Tottenham bird last year where I saw a small bird fly between the bushes (without bins), the half dozen people there all got onto it (with bins) and were very confident the bird was the Rosefinch - however after witnessing and hearing about various cock-ups in birding (e.g. watching a guy tick Pacific Diver after a Shag being pointed out to him as the rarity) I like to identify the bird for myself nowadays. Hence I removed last year's bird some time ago. Anyway, this bird showed well as it sang and was highly satisfactory.

Spotted Sandpiper

Our next venue was the Lyndon Reserve at Rutland Water. We got caught out in the rain on the way to the hide and even in the hide we got soaked as a leak resulted in an interior waterfall. The hide was pretty busy and for some time the only sandpipers that anyone was seeing were Commons and Greens. After half an hour or so I got onto a distant Common-type but as I looked harder I saw that it was the SPOTTED SANDPIPER. Everyone else got on it and the bird gave prolonged but distant views. It was a lifer for Eagle and Polo but the third I've seen (my first summer plumaged individual). Five Ospreys were also on show along with a Goldeneye and a couple of Black-tailed Godwits.

Ospreys

The M25 was a bit slow on the way back but otherwise not too many problems. We delivered Polo at his car and a short walk of Canons Farm followed. A productive day in good company.

Not every day has a Silver-wash

2011-07-14T09:09:00.001-07:00

Silver-washed Fritillary

Over the summer I have been looking for Crossbills at the patch, this has now been achieved. Meanwhile, I have been pursuing a butterfly there: Silver-washed Fritillary. I have been looking for these almost as hard as I have been for Crossbills and today it paid off.

I seldom visit Fames Rough seeing as visiting it involves negotiating a very steep decent; I've lost my footing there a couple of times. That's something you don't want to do when there's a large quantity of big and jagged flint specimens lying around. Also, I don't find climbing back up notable gradients particularly easy. I did it today, though, in the hope of a frit. A Brown Argus raised my hopes but the sun subsequently went in, to my disgruntlement. However, after pausing at the west end for just a couple of minutes I noticed a large orange thing land a few few away - it was indeed a Silver-washed Fritillary! I actually ticked this species off a couple of weeks ago when one circled close around me for ages, but never settled. However, this is the first time that I've acquired satisfactory views of a settled example. Photo attached. Purple Emperor next . . .

Brown Argus

The bird highlight today was very unexpected: just as I was heading home I caught sight of a juvenile Peregrine flushing Woodpigeons from the north end of Broadfield. I also heard a female Tawny Owl calling near Piddly Pond (they're often heard there in the daytime). I pinpointed which tree the sound was coming from and grilled it. Nothing. I give up.

all things Canons Farm: cfbwbirds.blogspot.com

Things are beginning to warm up a bit . . .

2011-07-13T11:01:00.000-07:00

Night-herons

A quick catch up. On Sunday, Alex Bowes and I spent an afternoon in the Kent. At Stodmarsh, the pair of juvenile Night-herons was the highlight along with a Wood Sandpiper that I found from the Marsh Hide - both were lifers for Alex. We moved on to another site elsewhere in Kent where we searched for a couple of Schedule 1 breeders but luck was not on our side.

That morning I caught the first bus to the patch, in order to give it a bit of coverage before the Kent outing. A couple of Sand Martins were a very pleasant surprise - due to the lack of water this is only an uncommon passage migrant at the patch. Not long after this a flock of nine calling Crossbills passed over, heading south - very satisfying after all the hours I've been putting in over the summer, primarily in search of this species.

Yesterday I was on the phone to Roy Weller discussing how autumn migration should be slowly starting around now. Literally one minute after I put the phone away, three Meadow Pipits flew in and landed on the 'Barn Owl Barn' by the derelict one! I was watching these when I heard what sounded like a Yellow Wagtail for the second time that morning (I considered it a mis-hearing when I caught a single call an hour or so previously) - the culprit then flew over me and towards Broadfield, calling several times as it went and it was indeed a Yellow Wagtail, the first at the patch (and, I believe, London and Surrey) this autumn. This bird was again present this morning, as were the three Meadow Pipits - only they were joined by another Sand Martin! Things really are staring to move; I'm hoping to catch a new patch wader over the coming month, perhaps a few evening visits will produce the goods?

enquiry: have you noticed Swallows with white patches on the upperparts similar to this? As far as I can remember, I have only seen birds like this at Canons Farm this year.

Caught Red-rumped

2011-07-08T13:40:00.000-07:00

Red-rumped Swallow is a species that I've never had any particular luck with. I've gone for and dipped them a couple of times and been at sites when they have been present but for one reason or another didn't see them (mainly because news wasn't let out until dark). A text from Johnny Allan around 6.00pm sent me into panic as I tried to find someone to give me a lift down to Unstead for a bird that had just been found there. It turned out that Eagle was available so off we went. Badgeman and Factor were on the scene already with a handful of others and it wasn't long until Red-rumped Swallow was firmly on my list as it hawked amongst the swarm of House Martins, Swallows and Swifts. At times the bird flew right over our heads and gave very obliging views - the right way to get one in the end!!!

Rye Harbour and Ashdown Forest outings

2011-07-04T04:03:00.001-07:00

Grasshopper Warbler at Rye Harbour

On Saturday evening I went to Old Lodge with Polo, Lord Holmesdale and their friend Colin. Our primary aim was to see Nightjars. We went walkabouts while we waited for dusk, this producing five calling Crossbills, a Spotted Flycatcher, several calling Common Redstarts (including two that showed themselves) and a couple of Stonechats. The light slipped away and the first Nightjar started churring in the distance, in an area impossible to view. This was closely followed by a fly-by Woodcock. At least one further Nightjar was heard (at very close range at one point) but, disappointingly and rather surprisingly, none were seen. I don't remember hearing Nightjars before and failing to see them.

Willow Warbler

Yesterday, Canons provided a bit of surprise in the form of an adult Willow Warbler feeding three flesh fledglings a good kilometre, at least, from the nearest breeding site. A Hobby and a Kestrel were seen hunting around Lunch Wood. Eagle picked me up just after 2.00pm and we made tracks for Rye Harbour. He was after Wood Sandpiper and Roseate Tern.

The highlight at Rye was a showy Grasshopper Warbler that even allowed itself to be photographed. At least ten Little Terns put on a good show for us amongst the hundreds of Sandwich Terns and Common Terns. Waders included a single Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, three or so Green Sandpipers, two Dunlin, around five Ringed Plovers, two Little Ringed Plovers and many Redshanks (including juveniles), Oystercatchers and
Lapwings. The only raptors seen were a female Kestrel and a male Marsh Harrier.

Alas, no Roseate Tern or Wood Sand for Ian but he did get a compensation lifer - the Grasshopper Warbler. Castle Water (where the Sandpiper was meant to be) was a lot further off than we thought it was, plus we got lost on the way so we only actually ended up leaving the site at 10.00pm!!! Our presence at this time of day did have its perks as we found when we were enjoying good views of a couple of Badgers!

Wildlife treats

2011-06-29T12:01:00.001-07:00

Roe Deer

Today, if I had the energy and time, I could have taken my first ever chance to go to the post office and apply for a provisional driving license, seeing as I am now seventeen. Instead, I slowly got ready and went out for a stroll around the patch. I didn't see too much bird-wise, the highlights being a migrant Willow Warbler and a showy juvenile Goldcrest.

Today was memorable for one of the first things I saw when I arrived at Tattenham Meadow. For about ten minutes I watched a doe Roe Deer and her fawn frolick through the now flowering linseed crop. I also managed to get a couple of pics of my favourite butterfly, the Marbled White, which was present in increased numbers at the butterfly hotspot that is the north end of the Legal & General playing field. There were a few small Skippers kicking about too, but only one was obliging enough for me to be able to observe the pattern at the end of its antenna, confirming it as a Small Skipper. Other butterflies present included singles of Comma, Red Admiral and Large Skipper as well as five Small Tortoiseshells and lots of cabbage whites (mainly in Broadfield).

Marbled White

I also finally managed to catch up with a Roesel's Bush Cricket; a species that is rather rare nationally but apparently common in the Sutton area.

Roesel's Bush Cricket

Dunge and Marbles

2011-06-21T11:47:00.000-07:00

June has (as expected) been pretty poor at the patch, hence the lack of posts here. There have been a few signs of movement this month, though, with unseasonal occurances such as a singing Lesser Whitethroat (courtesy of Eagle), a flock of Lapwings and a Sand Martin. These things just about keep you ticking over but aren't anything to shout widely about.

Phil suggested a trip to Dungeness yesterday. We left reasonably early and dipped the Squacco Heron, not a bird that I need but it would have been a delight to see. We did get a few odds and sods including a Great White Egret fully draped in plumes and a close fly-by pair of first-summer Spoonbills. It was pretty cool to watch a first-summer Little Gull hawking with half a dozen or so Hobbies.

For me, though, one of the highlights of the last week has been the emergence of my favourite butterfly, the Marbled White. I was hoping to get a couple of snaps of one today to make this post look a little prettier but they were too quick. While I have always appreciated butterflies, I was reluctant to start trying to identify them until four years ago when a Marbled White dizzied my eye at Banstead Downs. A bit like how I started birding, I went and bought a starter butterfly book and identified it and my interest has since developed (with birds it was a Sparrowhawk over my primary school).

White-winging it

2011-06-14T06:26:00.000-07:00

On Sunday afternoon two firsts for Britain broke within half an hour of each other, I was trying to work out what to do (I had the time, lift offer and inclination to do both but money was the only issue) when the first, the Brown Booby, made the situation a lot more managable by turning back into a Gannet.

Badgeman picked me up at 8.00pm and after collecting Mike 'Posh' Spicer and Franko, the journey got underway at around 9.30pm. We made a couple of stops on the way up for a wee and some food and were in Scotland by 2.15am on Monday. At approx 6.30am we parked up and scanned the sea at Blackdog (near Aberdeen) from the comfort of the car. The only Scoters seen were one or two groups heading south. A Manx Shearwater and a controversial Skua were the highlights there. Bob Watts passed on the news that the large Scoter flock had been located of Murcar Links Golf Club so we parked up over there and joined the surprisingly small gathering. It was a little chilly and visibility was poor. A drake Surf Scoter showed well (British tick 305). I have tried on a couple of occasions for the female at Dawlish Warren but had no success so it was nice to get a drake while looking for something else. While we were moving to join birders at a better vantage point they waved to signal that they had found the bird. Our walking turned into a light run and after five or ten minutes of confusion I got onto the 1st-summer drake WHITE-WINGED SCOTER as it associated and fed with Eiders. It dived a few times and was consequently lost for a while. The next I saw of the bird it flew around several times before pitching down close in for a couple of minutes then taking off circling at close range again and finally landing once more. It gave good views there before getting lost in the throng of other seaducks. An Osprey finished the day off nicely. Other birds seen included five Arctic Skuas, several Velvet Scoters, a Bonxie and a few Red-throated Divers.

We left early in the afternoon and I got home after a near-perfect full rotation of the clock.

Northbound twitch

2011-06-07T03:22:00.000-07:00

For several days in succession now I've been wanting to get on the patch but something has thwarted my plans each time. Yesterday was no different, news of a mega from the east broke in Cleveland. The only previous British record was twenty one years ago on a Welsh island when no access was being permitted due to breeding birds. It was about as mega as they come.

Johnny Allan picked me up and we headed to Wraysbury where we jumped into Franko Maroevic's car, getting from Sutton to Franko's was a nightmare and quite stressful. The rest of the journey, however, was reasonably quick and efficient mianly thanks to Franko's savvy driving.

We knew we were near when we became surrounded my grim industrial surroundings and housing estates. The news on the pager was a bit confusing at times, with John's (Birdnet) and mine (RBA) telling slightly different stories, but we got the idea that the bird kept returning to the bowling green.

Upon arrival, at something like 2.30pm, we anxiously waited for the bird to show. After a while, there was movement amongst the people on the other side. I saw an appropriate-looking bird drop down and people started seeing it there but I couldn't get onto it on the deck until I got a fleeting glimpse of a small brown thrush-sized bird as it flew up, apparently this was the bird but I hardly got anything on it so wasn't happy. A couple of hours passed and the bird didn't return. The ringer who trapped the bird had a look in the doctor's garden but couldn't find it. The atmosphere became tense and people were getting a little concerned.

Then, a stampede ensued. I got the idea that somebody was seeing it from atop a van in the garden. A queuing system came into operation for the van and several ladders that Franko organised the loan of. This caused a bit of mayhem and some very amusing sights. I may put a video up at some point. I got a good position in the queue for the van but it seemed to take an age before my turn came around. I clambered up, scanned the flowerbed and smacked eyes upon the female WHITE-THROATED ROBIN - yes yes yes yes!!! At this time it was approximately 6.00pm and I was elated to know it was all worth it and I had my first good tick in a fair time under the belt. She was just sitting there, front-on, sunning herself. I spent about a minute up there, using some of that time to attempt to digi-bin a record shot. I did this by pointing and hoping and remarkably got one recognisable shot - I couldn't have asked for more in the end (other than a side-on view perhaps).

Then, a long journey back and I've just arrived. I thought I'd knock this out now to save me doing it tomorrow night. Off to bed now - I will have to have a lie-in this morning, it being 3.00am now, but I do hope that nothing hinders a visit to the patch late morning tomorrow.

Wood Sandpiper

2011-06-05T12:03:00.001-07:00

Phil and I found this beauty on an otherwise relatively uneventful (but enjoyable) outing today.

Broadly disappointing

2011-06-04T13:51:00.000-07:00

I crashed out at Rob's place last night with Dan and Michael; after watching the films till midnight we went kip (well, I didn't actually get any sleep) before getting up at 4.30am and leaving shortly after 5.00am. Mission: bag that bleedin' sandpiper. No news on the pager by the time we got there at 8.30am wasn't promising and it soon became apparent that the poxy bird was not there. How bloody unlucky can you get - it's been there 90% of the time in the last two or three weeks and the two times I have a stab at it, the bird choses to change habits. My third Broad-billed Sandpiper dip involving two birds. My first BBS dip was the Mersea Island bird last year in which I naively forked out in excess of £60 in train fares and ended up having to spend an unexpected £20 on cabs to end up on some god-forsaken mudhole with the heavens emptying their load upon me.

Roseate Tern (right) with Common Tern

3cy Yellow-legged Gull

Anyway, we soon decided to cut our losses and get something out of the day by heading to Minsmere as Dan and Micheal needed Roseate Tern. After a couple of hours of scanning Rob and I left the pair to it while we caught some grub at the cafe. As we were walking back to the hides the pager told us the bird was still there so we discussed our relief that at least D&M had got something out of the day. It turned out they hadn't seen the bird or the message. We moved to the public viewpoint and Mike picked up a promising-looking bird. Moving one hide further on (where the light was much better) I picked the Roseate Tern up and all enjoyed views of the bird with Common Terns both at rest and in flight; it was quite superb. A pair of Little Terns and a second-summer Yellow-legged Gull were also present. We were making our way back to the car when the pager bleeped telling us that a probable Black Kite was more or less above us one minute previous. We scanned and scanned, picking up a pair of Spoonbills and a couple of Bitterns in flight but no fork-tailed raptors.

1st-sum Common Tern

Cheers for the hospitality Rob and it was great to see you again Mike and Dan; hopefully our next twitch will be more successful!

Norfolk etc

2011-05-31T09:53:00.000-07:00

Stone-curlew

I got back late yesterday from a weekend away in Norfolk. I was a little disorientated and distressed; it meant Sunday was the first day without a visit to the patch in over three months. But it was okay as it’s late May, which is basically June, and until early August I will only have one realistic target bird in mind: Crossbill. Red-backed Shrike, Honey-buzzard and Golden Oriole could happen, so I will keep an eye out for them too. Otherwise, it’s pretty safe to leave the place unwatched for a couple of days.

Despite begging to stop at Breydon Water upon arrival in Norfolk on Saturday afternoon, the family didn't want to and it probably wouldn't have worked anyway, especially as we were stuck in more traffic than we anticipated. I knew the Broad-billed Sandpiper wouldn't stick around to the next day meaning that my tick-thirst in this bone dry spring would not be quenced and was therefore became pretty irrate.

On Sunday morning dad took me over to Breydon Water; as feared the Broad-billed Sand didn't appear and hasn't done so since. Squished a crow, nearly squished a family of Mallards. Mood didn't lighten. Stopped at Cleyspy and got an early birthday present in the form of a brilliant new pair of bins (my old pair are completely knackered e.g. both ends of the right element are so scratched that it is constantly like looking through mist; looking through the new pair is like looking through divine crystals). Tested them out at Cley on a couple of Little Gulls and recieved a free biology lesson on Kingfisher's eyes from the guy who found the Great Snipe. Family pub dinner followed, with a Barn Owl as a nice scene-setter.

Monday - slept in, a few minutes. Spent time with the family until about 1.00pm BST then homeward bound via a pair of Stone-curlews, and Lakenheath, which failed.

Nail the Quail

2011-05-21T12:17:00.001-07:00

In recent days I've had Quail in the back of my mind, remembering that happy yet stressful day when 'wet my lips' was repeatedly uttered from a linseed field at Canons Farm last August and how great it would be if it happened again.

I had checked most of the farm and, while scanning from Lunch Wood, Dodge rang to inform me of a flock of Crossbills that were heading in my general direction, I folded up my scope and headed for Banstead Woods in the hope that they might take a liking to the number of conifers there - I had barely taken a couple of steps when the Quail sensors on either side of my head stopped me in my tracks. As usual I had to hear it a couple more times to make sure I really was hearing what I thought I was and then I sent out a text. I didn't actually know where the bird was, it didn't sound too far away and I thought it may even be in the very bare Broadfield - I walked down to Reads Bottom to pin it down and it turned out the noise was coming from the adjacent grassy field known as Horse Pasture.

Whinchat

A steady stream of birders gave it a go, including Badgeman and his cousin Clifford, the Manville brothers, Posh, Factor, Pyro & Gripper. Almost everyone (myself included) had to make do with only hearing the bird (despite putting in many hours of searching) but jammy Phantom and a birder from Ripley enjoyed views of the bird's bust as it sang. A late Whinchat was a good supporting act.

I will visit early tomorrow and hope for some kind of view (a photo would be brilliant) but hearing it is good enough for a patch year tick for me so . . .

. . . Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Year List 2011: 94 (80 at this point last year)

A tern for the worse

2011-05-19T08:49:00.000-07:00

Red Kite

I've had my fair share of 'ones that got away' this year (the most painful being a flock of low waders that I could so easily have bagged) and today I added another one to my list of birds that didn't quite get clinched.

I was standing near the derelict barn when I picked up an odd-looking shape fluttering away north, reasonably high up, 'what's that?' I asked myself - bins up 'it's a tern!'. I wasted no time in getting the scope on the bird but it was rapidly heading north and was into the light, and as it got further away the effect of the heat haze only worsened. While watching it I realised that I wasn't going to be able to ID it to species 'bugger, bugger, bugger' I muttered as it grew distant. I desperately tried to make out a wedge in the wing, the length of the streamers and the shape of the head but could not accurately discern any of these features. As I was leaving later in the day it clicked - I could have easily nailed it had I paid attention to the translucency of the wing, seeing as it was into the light. When you're faced with a situation where you have to make a quick identification you panic and these things often slip your mind; you tend to concentrate on one or two features and potential clinchers don't even cross occur to you until it's too late. The overwhelming likelihood is that it was a Common Tern (which certainly would have been good enough for me) but I guess you cannot rule out Arctic with a high-flying northbound tern at this time of year. Either way, I screwed up on a patch first today.

On the bright side I got some of my best views of Red Kite that I've ever had at Canons and had a couple of Greylags go over. I was joined for most of the day by Peter 'Polo' Grady who was great company and we succeeded in locating his target bird . . .

Rosey tern of fortunes

2011-05-13T10:39:00.000-07:00

Roseate Tern

I have been getting to dread the breaking rarity or breaking mega tone on the pager more than ever lately. There have been plenty of top birds around and I've been completely free to go and see them, only everybody I know always either working or doesn't need the bird! Had I a car, I would, in theory, have bumped my British list up to around 310 in the last fortnight.

Colin Manville and I were contemplating the possibility of cramming ourselves into a hide at dusk in north Norfolk yesterday evening in the hope of seeing the Great Snipe. While we thought about it, we went and got this utterly splendid Roseate Tern near Eton. It is the same bird that I dipped at QM Res the other day only in a different place, just out of the London area but I wasn't overly bothered about that; it was great to catch up with a bird that I have tried for on multiple occasions in the past without any success and at such close range on a beautiful spring afternoon. We had almost talked ourselves into going for the Snipe when Colin realised he hadn't got his wallet - just as well, we would have dipped miserably.

female Cuckoo

Today at Canons, Roy and I enjoyed the sight of a pair of Cuckoos (see above). Could they be breeding? This now rare patch bird is certainly making itself available to all who look for them at the moment.

Now a plug. After months of work it's finally here (well almost) - the Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Bird Report 2010 will be available for £8 on 5th June. Very limited printun so let me know if you want one; canonsfarmbirds@hotmail.co.uk.

Cuckoo

2011-05-10T10:06:00.000-07:00

By the time I arrived at Canons, later than usual, I was in a foul mood. I had only caught the bus by the skin of my teeth and one of the wheels fell off my now trademark trolley along Garratts Lane. I was removing my valuables and preparing the trolley for its wait in a hedge for a later pick-up when I heard a Cuckoo singing. Panic ensued - it didn't sound too far away but I've never found it at all easy to pin down one after hearing it - in fact I don't think I've ever done it, I've only seen them as they've flown across or just happened to be sitting in a bush. I tried to hurry over to get a better angle on Lambert's Shaw, where I suspected the noise was coming from, and had a quick scan of the tree tops. To my shock, amazement and relief, the beast was sitting there, plain as anything - I needn't have wasted time moving around!

I didn't get too long on the bird before it flew off, but enough to get a look and a couple of record shots. Cuckoo is a rare bird at Canons now, with only one record last year (which I missed). In the mid 20th century there were a dozen singing males at the site annually . . .

In the early afternoon my dad took me to Queen Mother Reservoir where the Roseate Tern was clearly no longer present and not a lot else was kicking about.

Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Life List: 105
Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Year List 2011: 93 (80 at this point last year)

Dungeness

2011-05-02T12:53:00.000-07:00

Little Gulls

After consistent reports of productive seawatching from the south coast over the previous few days I asked Eagle last night if he fancied a trip to Dungeness this morning - he was keen on the idea as there were a lot of lifers down there for him. Nothing that I needed had been seen but it had been a while since I had seen some of the stuff that was getting reported regularly.

We arrived at about 6.15am and joined the throngs of birders with similar hopes, packed into the hide and around its exterior. We settled down infront of the hide, below the windows. While still settling down, four Pomarine Skuas flew east (my main target, so I was sorted for the day!) - another passed close-in later on. Six Black-throated Divers, four of them in gorgeous summer plumage flew past, often close-in, were sublime. A couple of Arctic Skuas were good to see, too. Hundreds of Bar-tailed Godwits and scores of Knot, Whimbrel, Sanderlings and Grey Plovers passed by along with a single Greenshank and other birds a bit out of context such as Tufted Duck and Shoveler.

Glaucous Gull

Among the sparkling flock of Common Terns, good views of at least three Little Terns, a couple of Black Terns, at least one Arctic Tern, the odd Sandwich Tern and two beautiful adult Little Gulls were obtained. A couple of Wheatears were kicking about. We checked out the fishing boats area and, after a bit of searching, located the immature Glaucous Gull.

Eagle had a tick fest with eight lifers!!! I expected none and got none but fulfilled my aim of having an enjoyable morning out seeing some good birds with good company and we both left beaming!

Beddington Bird Race

2011-04-30T10:01:00.000-07:00

Tree Sparrow

After checking Canons this morning (which, as expected, produced very little), I made my way to Beddington to take part in their annual bird race. Highlights included a Wood Sandpiper, a Curlew, four Greenshanks, a Ringed Plover and a pair of Little Ringed Plovers. I put in six and a half hours (mainly in one spot) but only got 47 species, with many notable omissions such as Wren, all tits etc. My plan for tomorrow is to do Canons again until mid-morning then pay Wisley a visit. Congratulations to Tank on finding the Wood Sands!

Ringed Plover (left) with LRP

Greenshank

Next week I intend to spend a day mapping out, to the best of my ability, all breeding bird territories at Canons Farm and another doing the same for Banstead Woods as I recognise that breeding information is something that is lacking in the soon-to-be-published CFBW Bird Report 2010, and want this very important area to be much clearer in the 2011 Report.

Ten countdown

2011-04-27T12:01:00.000-07:00

On Sunday I got my 90th CFBW tick for 2011 - Hobby. The only expected birds left are Tree Pipit (which we seem to have missed this spring, but will surely get in the autumn) and Swift; other than these the numbers can only be made up my heart-pounders - I'm looking forward to them.

Last Wednesday provided a couple of year ticks:

Whinchat

Garden Warbler (taken today)

Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Year List 2011: 90 (78 at this point last year)

A Sheppey spring

2011-04-23T13:18:00.000-07:00

A nice day out with Phil Wallace and Pete Denyer . . .

Nightmare come true

2011-04-22T05:56:00.000-07:00

I have wondered what I would do if a white-winged gull were to fly over my patch. Panic and try to get a photo has always been my conclusion - I only managed to do the former when the scenario came to life this morning. The bird was with Herring Gulls, appeared to be an immature-type and was heading towards Holmethorpe. The light was not brilliant and it was flying away from me but the white primaries showed up brilliantly even with the naked eye! It could well have been, and most likely was, a leucistic or aberrant Herring Gull but the possibility of something better remained extant, so the best I could do was to alert locals that there might just be a Glauc/Iceland knocking about. There often seems to be a passage of these species at this time of year but equally there are at least a couple of known pale jobs causing problems, too. If I had spotted the flock as they were coming on I'd have had time for a photo. Very annoying!

Harrier, Waxwings and another Gropper

2011-04-19T10:23:00.000-07:00

Marsh Harrier

On Saturday, Canons was graced by another Grasshopper Warbler and early that morning Eagle and I enjoyed a flock of about twenty five Waxwings that stopped off briefly in Canons Wood. Sunday saw Roy finally connect with the latter, his most wanted patch tick, when what was presumably the same flocked had swelled to about sixty five showy birds.

Waxwings on Sunday

Monday was pretty dull and today (which was spent in the company of Polo, Lord Holmesdale, Eagle and Drax) looked like it was going to turn out to be another duffer - save a Lesser Whitethroat, not an easy bird at CFBW - until, when walking up the lane, Eagle pointed out a raptor drifting across. I got onto it and gave the eloquent verdict 'That's a f***ing Marsh Harrier!' Marsh Harrier has been at or near the top of my list of expected patch ticks for a long time and it felt so good to bag one - the first record for CFBW. Woohoo! Hen and Marsh ticked for the patch, just Monty's and Pallid to go. MH is also a Surrey tick for me.

Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Life List: 104
Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Year List 2011: 87 (73 at this point last year)

Shrike twitch diverts, and another Canons Gropper

2011-04-15T08:45:00.000-07:00

Night-heron

Yesterday was a bit of a duff day at Canons and Eagle and I had an eye on the Woodchat Shrike in Essex - but so did a Sparrowhawk it seems; shortly after leaving late in the morning it came through that the bird had been taken - unbelievable!!! I have never had any luck with Woodchats in the past and I thought this would be the one . . . Eagle needed Night-heron so we tapped Two Tree Island into the sat-nav. The bird was very easy to locate and showed well; the first juvenile that I've seen in these shores (I saw the adult at West Hythe a couple of years ago). We bumped into Richard 'Lord Holmesdale' Draper and Peter 'Polo' Grady. We returned to Canons for an evening check, to find that Loony Field had been ploughed and was being enjoyed by a Common Buzzard and three Wheatears. I wonder what else might get on the plough???

Eagle picked me up at 6.15am this morning and within five minutes of leaving the car we could hear a Grasshopper Warbler reeling! Another good bird! I had to hear it a couple more times to make sure I wasn't still in bed dreaming before sending out the text. Badgeman, Phantom, Factor, Slasher and Shaft gave it a go - the former three hearing the bird by 9.00am. It took a long time before the bird showed, Badgeman and I getting a clear but brief view of it near the edge of the hedge, creeping up towards the top. A male Yellow Wagtail provided a nice year tick for me and Eagle's 80th CFBW bird.

I do have a recording of the bird but am trying to figure out how to put it on here . . .

Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Year List 2011: 85 (67 at this point last year)

I knew it Wood happen

2011-04-13T11:57:00.000-07:00

Wood Warbler

Many people have told me, and I have thought myself, that I am in with a good chance of one of those nice-looking Phylloscopus warbles with a coin-dropping song - they even bred at the patch until the 70s. Usual story: I nearly didn't check Pages Acre this morning but something diverted me that way. I was just about to move on when I heard a strange song from the vegetation 'ha . . . sounded like a Wood Warbler' I joked with myself. It sang again 'mmm . . . it does sound like a Wood Warbler'. I wanted to hear it one more time before I let the news out - it sang again and so out came the phone and I ran round the other side, dropping my scope in the process. I located the bird along the west edge and my very shaky hands managed to take a recognisable record shot (1st photo).

Wood Warbler

Badgeman and Eagle soon arrived on the scene - the bird gave a few brief bursts of song but remained unseen. Eagle had to leave for work and about half an hour later Badge and I were enjoying good views of the bird silently feeding in a birch tree - I managed a few slightly better photos.

Badge and I then walked most of the farm and some of the Woods. The highlights being a displaying Lapwing and seven Wheatears. Nick & Russell Gardner arrived and showed us their very gripping shots from Scotland but had no luck with the bird. Other people who tried for it included P-Go, Factor and David 'Farthing' Hayes. When I was skywatching from the Watchpoint I picked up CFBW's first House Martin of the year flying north.

Another good day - I wonder how long this run of birds will last?

Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Life List: 103
Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Year List 2011: 83 (67 at this point last year)

Little trouble at all

2011-04-10T14:15:00.000-07:00

Little Crake

I expected falling off the boardwalk and into the water to be an inevitable part of the Arundel trip today, but this thankfully wasn't the case. By the time I arrived with Colin & Paul Manville, late morning, there were hardly hordes of people pushing and shoving and I had LITTLE CRAKE on my list within ten minutes, seeing it clearly - although reasonably briefly - about four times. A nice bird. I also bumped into a few familiar faces including Pete & Jamie, whom I met and spent a lot of time with on Scilly last year; and Michael & Dan, with whom I have gone on a couple of twitches.

I had already done an early morning stint at Canons before the twitch, getting little other than a couple of Wheatears. Paul and I returned and met up with Paul Cox, Ian Magness, Roy and a couple of others for a skywatch. The odd Swallow flew through and there were a few Common Buzzards about. I picked out two raptors over one of the barns, calling them as Buzzards. I scoped them just in case and saw that one of them was in fact a Red Kite! It proceeded to drift south east. A very long awaited patch year tick and a great relief, finishing off a worthwhile and pleasant day.

Britain Life List: 302 (weird how it always seems to be 200 above my CFBW list at the moment)

Eagle strikes

2011-04-07T13:21:00.000-07:00

Red-legged Partridge

Ian 'Eagle' Jones saved what I had passed off as a duff day (bar the reasonably early Common Whitethroat at The Scrub today, a patch year tick) this evening. I intended to leave at 7.00pm with Johnny Allan in the hope that last night's Short-eared Owl had stuck around. A call from Ian at 6.30pm informing me of a Red-legged Partridge and a Common Redstart got me on the line to John asking if he minded leaving a little earlier.

We parked up and ended up in the wrong place as Ian and I hadn't cleared up exactly where he was. We sorted the directions out and rushed over to find him with Paul Manville, who had also just arrived. The partridge had just gone round the corner. We walked along the hedge, shortly after John connected with the Common Redstart (that I didn't see) for his year list, and soon the Red-legged Partridge ran out in front of us. In the bag!!!

We all settled down to stake out the Short-eared. We stuck it out until 8.45pm but there was no sign of the target or a Barn Owl, though three Little Owls were calling. A shame, I really wanted John, Paul and Ian to see it. It must have been a migrant bird that roosted in Harrier Field for one day and headed off last night.

Cheers Ian!!!

Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Life List: 102

Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Year List 2011: 80 (67 at this point last year)

Shortie surprise

2011-04-06T13:25:00.000-07:00

As I said in my post earlier today, I went out to look for the Barn Owl this evening with Roy Weller. We positioned ourselves by Harrier Field and waited, joined by Chris Northwood. As darkness began to cover the kingdom I picked up an owl flying perhaps twenty feet up and shouted 'there it is!', Roy and Chris got onto it but it soon became apparent that this bird wasn't right.

It came directly overhead, quite low and we got brilliant views of what was then obviously a Short-eared Owl!!! It continued to make its way casually north east towards Ruffett Wood. No Barn Owl . . . but I think that just about made up for it.

Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Year List 2011: 78 (66 at this point last year)

Canons fall

2011-04-06T08:19:00.000-07:00

Just before I entered the Legal & General playing field this morning to check whether or not the gorgious male Ring Ouzel was still present (which it was, after a half hour or so of waiting), I scanned Broad Field from the high ground. I picked up a Wheatear, then another . . . another . . . another . . . until there were nine! A guy came up and saw the Ouzel and told me he'd had a Wheatear at the other end of the farm, making an amazing ten birds!

I then went on to walk the farm for anything else that may have been present until Alex Bowes arrived. I escorted him up to the playing field but not ten minutes later I got a text from Colin Manville 'male Redstart' ring ring 'WHERE IS IT!?!?!' - upon hearing his instructions I pegged it down there, leaving poor wheezy Mr Bowes way behind. Colin told me there were two males but they weren't showing and he had to go, we settled down but he rang again a couple of minutes later saying he'd got onto one on the way back, short run and after an anxious wait the male Common Redstart flew out and into another tree. Bagged.

Alex returned to L&G where he eventually connected with the Ouzel. I staked out the path in hope of better views or perhaps even photos of the elusive Redstarts. Colin's brother, Paul, arrived and we located one of the males and found a female before too long and a small number of others also saw the birds. See record shot.

As well as the Wheatears and Redstarts, a fair few Willow Warblers had arrived overnight at Canons (I also had one singing early in the morning at Banstead High Street!).

I'm returning later in the day with Roy in hope of seeing this Barn Owl again (Paul had it the other night).

Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Year List 2011: 77 (as well as the Common Redstart I noticed that I missed out Grey Wagtail)

Double act continues

2011-04-04T08:58:00.000-07:00

Ring Ouzel

The male Ring Ouzel put on a great performance for the couple more twitchers that made it to Canons Farm before 10.00am (when L&G started mowing their pitch) but was not seen again by a steady flow of potential admirers later on; it's possible that it was completely pushed off. Walking along the west side of Broad Field I noticed a bird fly across and land on a fence post at Harrier Field, it was the Black Redstart, a pleasant surprise as I thought it had gone. Only one of a good number of would-be Ouzel/Redstart admirers connected with this bird today. Still no Red Kite!!! Perhaps I'm just being greedy . . .

Mistle Thrush

Oodles of Ouzels (and more!)

2011-04-03T11:01:00.000-07:00

1st summer male(?) Ring Ouzel (the new bird)

Co-patcher Ian "Eagle" was utterly gutted yesterday when he couldn't make it for the Ring Ouzels until too late in the day, and we held out little hope for connection this morning. We did stake out Legal & General, though. Ian was going to give up but I got him to stay on. It was a wise choice as not too much longer he was in tears of delight (no, really, he was) when the male Ring Ouzel showed where it did yesterday (I was relieved too, I didn't want to be going around with a misery guts all day). The male was seen several times by several observers throughout the day but the female was not seen, surprisingly. It seems it may have moved on, alone.

female/immature Black Redstart

Ian was still waxing lyrical about the Ouzel when I picked up a female/immature Black Redstart at Reads Bottom. I heard a collection of noises from right next to me that sounded like someone might have been just a bit happy, I'm not sure though (Ian was just about the only person who didn't catch up with any last year). This was twitched by about ten people including Johnny "Badgeman" Allan and Dave "Dakky" Dak. A pair of displaying Lapwings over Broad Field provided an overdue patch year tick.

Kojak, Ian, Paul Manville and I teamed up for a little while before Kojak departed. The rest of us continued into Banstead Woods where it was a delight to finally get the first CFBW Willow Warbler of the year, singing away at The Scrub. Paul crashed away into the undergrowth to answer the call of nature and came back with a line I won't forget in a while 'In there I've 'ad a Woodcock . . . and a Treecreeper . . . 'n' I ain't even 'ad a slash yet!'.

Later on, back at the farm, Roy rang me and got us all onto a Peregrine flying north east. Amazingly, a new Ring Ouzel flew in and fed in Broad Field for a while, I'm not an expert on accurate Rouzel ageing/sexing but I think it's either a well marked female or a 1st summer male? I stuck it out for another hour or two then headed home.

It was a very, very enjoyable day spent in great company (both human and avian). I look forward to many more similar days!

Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Year List 2011: 75

MORE CANONS PICS AND STUFF HERE

Ouzeling satisfaction

2011-04-02T12:50:00.000-07:00

more pics here

Well . . . today was rather good! It started off with a male Wheatear, a Cormorant and a Canada Goose at the farm then watching over the Chipstead Valley from Banstead Woods produced two Greylags and a Peregrine. It was at this point that Ian "Eagle" had to leave for a football match. I walked around the eastern edge of Banstead Woods then back to the farm, checking Legal & General for a second time. As I approached, I flushed two dark thrushes but thought little of it. Hang on . . . they had silvery wings! No, they couldn't have been. I kept on going and a male Ring Ouzel called and sat in a bush right in front of me, before flying towards the playing field!!! I texted out the news and, after an anxious five minute wait, the birds showed on the field. P-Go was first on the scene, closely followed by Badgeman, Phantom, Gripper, Pyro and Shaft. A steady stream of twitchers came and went (about twenty five in total) including a couple of unexpected faces like Dave Dak and Steve Spooner. Gripper picked up three Sand Martins going over, a patch year tick for me, and the odd Swallow dashed over, too.

I felt very sorry for Eagle when he rushed over about half an hour after the birds had flown a short(ish) distance and were lost to view. The dark quickly swept over the land and we couldn't find them again. I hope they're around for you tomorrow!

Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Life List: 101
Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Year List 2011: 72

I hate April Fools day . . .

2011-04-01T11:52:00.000-07:00

Keep watching, it flutters around after a little while!

I was reminded of my gullibility several times today. Someone texted me to say they had found something somewhere (I won't say who, what or where) and nearly got me heading for the train, my mum convinced me that two thousand people dressed as smurfs were going to be doing a charity walk through Burgh Heath and an article on the Birdwatch website had me believing the Druridge Bay Curlew was an Eskimo. It was at this point that I slapped myself round the face and became sceptical of everything from then on. While at Canons, a message came through on the pager of a Leach's Petrel at Theale GPs. Again, I fell for it and believed it. It was not until I got in the car with Phil that I realised I must have been done over again. Far too early for a Leach's, they haven't even been seen on the coast and even then they're usually only driven inland by autumn storms. We were almost going to turn around but thought we may as well continue.

On arrival we were greeted by a birder who told us it wasn't a prank and the bird was still there, I remained incredulous - that was until we got onto a little black dot on the other side of the pit, it was indeed a Leach's Petrel! We drove round to the other side where brilliant settled and flight views were obtained, it was a great bird! I will never know what to believe on April Fools days in the future, it would be better if the tradition didn't exist.

Britain Life List 301

A nice day at Holmey

2011-03-29T13:47:00.000-07:00

Avocet

A call from Gordon Hay informing me of two Avocets at Holmethorpe caused me to abandon my vigil at Canons this morning and wave my arm in front of the 420 bus. I scored, of course, and spent the rest of the day there as I had a sore foot and it was a long way to walk back to wait for a slow bus . . . and it was very nice and there were lots of birds. Two Little Ringed Plovers were gorgious, showing on Mercers West Pit along with the Avocets and a pair of Green Sandpipers. The pair of Shelduck at Spynes Mere were nice to see, too. It was alive with migrants, relative to Canons, with a few Swallows and Sand Martins around. Two Willow Warblers sang but the biggest surprise was hearing a Sedge Warbler at Water Colour!

Red-crested Pochard

The day ended nicely. Just as I was walking to my dad's car the drake Red-crested Pochard which has until now evaded me dashed past.

Landfall

2011-03-28T11:34:00.000-07:00

Wheatear

I concentrated almost all my efforts on Canons Farm today, only giving key areas of Banstead Woods a quick check for Willow Warbler and Blackcap. After several hours of nothing, a Wheatear appeared in front of me. It must have just dropped in, it certainly wasn't there before the few dozen times I'd scanned the area earlier! Then, another materialised and they both showed well. Nice! Next, a dozen Meadow Pipits fell from the sky and started feeding next to them. Wheatear brings me to 68 for my CFBW yearlist and is an encouraging sign of movement. I need to get Sand Martin soon, though, as that can be tricky at the patch.

No migrants here . . .

2011-03-27T12:15:00.000-07:00

Woodcock flying across Loony Field

Still no Red Kite, Wheatear or Sand Martin at Canons for me . . . not even a Blackcap (had two at Epsom Downs, though)! Bloody annoying to be honest. Beddington and Holmethorpe were doing well today and I got naff all. I do never tire of the Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers though, the day is always made by these jewels. Today Ian and I had the fortune of observing the pair mating! My first Woodcock seen during the daytime without me having flushed it was the other highlight - and allowed me to get my first ever photographs of this species.

the Circle Field male Lesser Spot from Friday

a Blackcap, but not at Canons . . .

P.S. just totted up my British year list and it's on 149, that's not having chased anything just because I need it for the year as I don't fancy going through all that again!

Patch neglect

2011-03-26T13:34:00.000-07:00

For the first time this month, I didn't pay my beloved Canons a morning visit. I said to Rob 'The Hob', Dan & Michael as we were leaving at 5.45am that today would be the day that a Wheatear would be at Canons. I was right. I'm not too bothered though, I will get plenty this spring, and I the prospect of my 300th British bird as a legitimate excuse for not giving the patch its usual treatment.

Can you see it? If not, you're not missing much

Arriving at 9.00am, a decent crowd of people were staring at the fort at Landguard with its mist nets and Greenfinch song playing. Within a couple of minutes everyone was shouting 'there it is!' and we saw a small brown bird fly clumbsily across a gap in the vegetation. If you say so . . . but I'm not ticking that. The wait was a bit tense but probably not as long as it felt, then the SHORT-TOED TREECREEPER finally gave itself up, showing well in a small tree. The differences between Eurasian and Short-toed are subtly striking and together create an impression of a rather different bird. A female/immature Black Redstart was also nice.

Spotted Redshank

There was little else around Suffolk so we decided to go to Minsmere. It is nearly five years since I first and last set foot on this reserve and it brought back some memories. A couple of Marsh Tits having a sing-off was great to see and other highlights included my first Sand Martins of the year and a Spotted Redshank while a pair of redhead Goosander at Island Mere was a very pleasant surprise.

Barnacle Goose

Time was getting on and we headed in a homeward direction. At Canons Ian and I showed Rob, Dan and Michael one of the Little Owls. Overhead movement of Meadow Pipit, Fieldfare and Redwing was noticeable towards dusk.

Goosanders

Furry friends

2011-03-22T10:03:00.000-07:00

Roe Deer

Apart from a gorgious female Brambling at Lunch Wood, not much was going on and the highlights today were provided by the mammals. I got two CFBW mammal ticks (both rather tartish): a Wood Mouse nibbling on my abandoned sarnie crusts and a sly nearby Stoat that wanted a nibble on the mouse. Two Roe Deer crossing Reads Rest Lane into Broad Field were also nice. I tried for Badgers with Ian the other night but dipped.

Wood Mouse

My CFBW Mammal List is on . . . 6 . . . as well as Badger I need Hedgehog and positive identification of some rodents would also bump it up. I'm looking forward to many happy evenings with my bat detector, which I've been practising on Pispistrelles in recent nights.

The first Small Tortoiseshell of the year was great to see (had a probable yesterday).

Misty morning

2011-03-21T12:59:00.000-07:00

drumming male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

The thick mist this morning (we always get it bad at Canons) gave me a good excuse to adandon the usual early morning skywatch and stake out the Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers. I had no trouble as I could hear one drumming as soon as I made my way towards their favoured spot. I then enjoyed excellent views of the drumming and preening male for about ten minutes before it started to wander around and feed. The female then came in and took her turn, drumming for a shorter period of time than the male before going off to feed again.

male of the Circle Field pair

and the female

Mid/late morning I got a text that caused me to grab everything and run to the top of Reads Rest Lane, I dropped my gloves and water bottle on the way up but didn't stop to pick them up for the message from Graham James read 'ringtail Hen Harrier heading your way' (presumably the bird P-Go & Mark had yesterday at Banstead Woods)! I scanned and scanned the horizon which was looking directly towards Holmethorpe but didn't pick anything up. I then called Graham to get a better idea of how high and fast the bird was flying and while talking to him spotted a distant, appropriate-looking raptor flying Harrier-styley. As I zoomed in the blasted thing dropped in front of the horizon and I couldn't pick it up again. Not another near miss!?!?!

I then made my way over to Woodpecker Meadow in case it was hunting over the Chipstead Valley. I picked up a Sparrowhawk, a female Kestrel and at least five Common Buzzards but not the main quarry. I got good views of another male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker behind the bench I was sitting on, I can't get away from them!

Little else happened for the rest of the day and I headed home. Roy said he was going to try for th Barn Owls in the evening so I decided to join him. A few Little Owls called and we used the detector on a couple of Pipistrelles but the Barn Owls did not show.

Night prowl

2011-03-20T15:15:00.000-07:00

Peregrine

After a reasonably interesting day at Canons, the highlight being a female Peregrine (they're like buses over there), Ian and I met up again in the evening for a Badger and Tawny Owl hunt. We were watching Harrier Field in case the possible ringtail Hen Harrier that Paul Goodman and Mark Stanley had did what my male did and roost there. We had no luck and when it got very dark we went to go up Canons Lane and into Banstead Woods. We stopped outside the derelict barn where I used my bat detector to listen to a Pisistrelle. While doing so Ian pointed out a screeching noise and I got onto a Barn Owl flying away from the barns! We pegged it up to the edge of Harrier Field and looked towards where the bird flew but couldn't see it. Then, what was almost certainly a second bird burst out of the large, intact barn and flew past us, giving its screeching call as it went. We were absolutely delighted, we thought there may have been a Barn Owl somewhere but we didn't think it was in the traditional spot (which has been checked numerous times recently)!

As we passed Perrotts Farmhouse we set off Mrs Roe's security lights and this set up three or four Tawny Owls in quite a small area. They were nearby and I glimsped one in flight twice but Ian didn't get a view (he didn't miss much, visually, anyway). Several Little Owls were calling at the farm.