Canons Farm and Reading Services, 10th November 2017

A pleasant stroll around the patch this morning, joined for the latter half by Linda M, didn't turn up very much other than four redpolls, small numbers of Fieldfares and Redwings, the resident pair of Red-legged Partridges and a Meadow Pipit but the autumn colours and bright skies ensured it was worthwhile.

Later on, en-route to Devon I saw 18 Pied Wagtails by the M4 at Reading Services.

Combe Wood and Acres Down, 12th February 2017

A convivial day out with David D-L, Lee B and Adrian W saw us first visit Combe Wood, on the edge of Berkshire, where we located at least four Willow Tits. This is the furthest south that I have seen this species and the first time I've had them alongside Marsh Tits. As the 'ray-gun' and 'sneezy' calls bounced against each other through the dank woods, I daydreamed that I had stumbled upon a wormhole to a Britain whose avifauna hadn't yet been ravaged by habitat and climate change. Nice flight views of a Tawny Owl was another highlight.

Acres Down was up next but the weather hadn't improved nearly as much as we had hoped. Still, we managed to track down a fabulous flock of 29 Hawfinches, an adult ♂ Goshawk (the others also saw a female when I strayed away for a while) and four Crossbills of note.

adult ♂ Goshawk at Acres Down

Hawfinches at Acres Down

Berk-ing mad

My parents told me I was nuts to go to Berkshire today, what with the snow and everything - I sort of agreed but I also fancied seeing the Pallas's Warbler at Moor Green Lakes. I gave Canons a forty-minute skywatch first thing (producing a Meadow Pipit and a Grey Heron) then picked up Josh and headed to Bracknell where we collected Liam from the station. So far so good, no jams or skidding on the ice. It wasn't far to Moor Green Lakes and, after a bit of figuring out, we found the car park. A bit of a walk by the river and we found the right area and the tit flock then bam! there was the Pallas's Warbler - beauty! I've seen one very well before, in The Parsonage on St Agnes, but it was just as exciting seeing one again (and in the unique snow-covered landscape!). It was quite mobile and was constantly feeding, often hovering and allowing the yellowish rump to be seen. Here Liam and I met our friend Pete who we know from our trips to Scilly - it was great to catch up. Also at Moor Green were three Goosanders (one drake), a Golden Plover, four Common Snipes, a Red Kite and a Grey Wagtail. Bizarre was a Meadow Pipit feeding on the muddy banks of the small, tree-fringed river.

Pallas's Warbler - had ISO too high and didn't realise (using spare camera)

Red Kite

After a bit of pondering as to what to do next, we went to McDonald's. Refreshed, we then went to Staines Reservoir. This was cold and uncomfortable but was enjoyable. A Black-necked Grebe showing on the South Basin fairly close to the causeway was the first I'd seen in a while and there was a pleasant surprise when Liam called 'large waders!' and I got on them to see a pair of Bar-tailed Godwits which only my second London area sighting and a good one this far inland in the winter. There was quite a number of Goldeneyes as well plus two Redshanks and the odd Wigeon etc.

Black-necked Grebe

Got home without a problem too. The only slight issue was the roads approaching Moor Green which got a little slippery at a couple of points but overall the trip went smoothly and was a success!

Long-tailed Duck at Queen Mother

Took Josh briefly to Queen Mother on a miserable morning, the Saturday before Christmas. Dipped the pipit, but here's a rubbish photo of the Long-tailed Duck that was present.

Buff London tick

Buff-bellied Pipit

Frustratingly, the Buff-bellied Pipit at Queen Mother Reservoir was a no-go as soon as the news came on the pager yesterday, as I had a mock exam in the afternoon. Still, it had been found the previous evening so looked like it might be sticking around a little, and I was hopeful for it continuing its stay until today. Franko had just had an operation on his left hand, making driving a little difficult so we arranged last night that I'd pick him up on news this morning; just after 9.00am he rang to say that Andrew Moon and others were watching the bird and it was still on site, so I picked him up and off we went. It was around this point that the weather took a nasty turn, with strong easterly winds and rather heavy rain. The journey to the reservoir wasn't too bad and we were soon searching with the other birders for the pipit, but could only find Meadow Pipits. We walked towards the south end but turned around after a while and tried the other side of the sailing club, Paul Whiteman arrived and went where we'd come from, after about twenty minutes the bird was on the pager and we rushed over there, passing a very happy Whiteman on the way. It was only a another hundred yards beyond where we'd looked! The weather was still gross, having turned almost to hail at one point, but the sodden-looking BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT showed superbly in the end. This was my second B-b Pipit, my first being on Scilly less than two months ago, and was equally as showy as the Bryher bird. Unfortunately, we couldn't enjoy this first for London for as long as I needed to get the car back for dad, and although we left in good time the traffic was awful on the return and I was very late back. The Red-necked Grebe was a welcome bonus bird as well.

I'm pretty sure I lost my iPhone at the reservoir this afternoon, probably at the south end of the car park, so if anyone finds it please let me know! Thanks!

My new life

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'.

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 at Queen Mother Reservoir. 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?

Rosey tern of fortunes

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.

I hate April Fools day . . .

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