An afternoon in the Valley - April 15th

Finished work early so headed for the Ingrebourne Valley to try and catch up with a few more migrants, even in the afternoon, many recently arrived birds were singing well, numbers are starting to build.( Click on photo's too enlarge)

Male Lapwing viewing area

Common Whitethroat

Met up with Les Harrison and Dick Jefferies and we took the viewing area –black bridge – top paddock route, the paddock came up trumps with 5 Wheatear, some were quite posy, interesting to note even in the adults how much variation there is in plumage details. Top bird goes to a very distant Hobby sitting in the paddock on the fence line, quite an early bird, last year the first recorded was April 24th.

Les and Dick

Very, very distant Hobby

Speckled Wood

Wheatears

2 Lesser Whitethroats were also year ticks, other species of note seen or heard were -

Reed Warbler 5, Common Whitethroat 8, Willow Warbler 4 and 2 Common Buzzards.

The viewing area produced a single Green Sandpiper, Common Snipe, 3 Little Egret, Teal and a pair of Gadwall.

Butterflies seen were Small Tortoiseshell , OrangeTip, Peocock , 9 Small Whites, 2 Green Veined Whites and 14 Speckled Woods.

Out and about in Kent

I recently had a chance to visit a wood in Kent specifically targeting one bird, Goshawk, exceptionally elusive, but I knew they were there having seen them last year.

This year I managed just 2 sightings of a male early morning moving through the wood hunting, the dawn light in the wood was not enough to get a photo of it unfortunately. As the weather warmed up I thought I had picked the perfect day, little wind and unbroken sunshine, I eagerly watched the forest canopy from a distance, waiting for them to appear. During the course of the next 3 hours had a minimum of 5 Common Buzzards, the same amount of Sparrowhawks, a single Kestrel but no Goshawks. I took many photo’s of Sparrowhawk up very,very high and again noted how much variation there can be in wing shape ,size of bird, (especially females) and tail shape. When you have 2 female Sparrowhawks interacting together, differences become apparent, I also must admit I thought that one was possibly a male Goshawk.

All female Sparrowhawks (click on photo's to enlarge)

The trouble and confusion between the 2 species, male Gos and female Spar comes from a number of issues, one of the main reasons, we just don’t get enough Goshawk sightings to get the id and jizz characteristics imprinted into our memory. Seen well, Goshawks are unmistakable, unfortunately most sighting always seem to be at distance. The male that I saw going through the wood and landing briefly was pretty close, even in bad light, there was no mistaking the wing shape, strong supercillium, larger size and a much ‘fiercer’ look.

Common Buzzard with some moult

Goshawk country

Despite the non appearance of any Goshawks going up thermaling over the wood, it was a great day with many interesting sightings from within the canopy.

Orange Underwing

Cock of the Forest

Peocock Butterfly

Treecreepers and Nuthatches were abundant with 2 Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers heard calling from different sections of the wood. Overhead in the Pine canopy Siskin and Lesser Redpolls were frequently seen and heard, calling Goldcrests and CoalTits seemed to be everywhere.

2nd year male Marsh Harrier seen at another site in Kent

I also took some photo’s of some tracks, I have a vague idea of what made them, but would welcome any thoughts on there id.

Deer?

Very small Deer?

Barking Gulls April 3rd

Barking Outfall has for the last 10 or 15 years or so hosted a very large Herring and Lesser Black Backed Gull colony. I suspect that in the last 5 years or so it has grown to be the largest colony of both species in London, at breeding time it is a spectacular and impressive sight.

The colony looking south.(Click on photo's too enlarge)

I visited the colony this morning, watching from around 100 metres away, even at this range, looking through binoculars they became aggressive and I was mobbed for my troubles. It appears none are on eggs as yet, but many are paired up and occupying there nest spot.

Part of the colony

Eastern end

I did a random count of the pairs/singles present on the large jetty and also surrounding structures, reaching a very impressive 67 pairs of Lesser Black Backed and 46 of Herring, these were of the ‘ static’ pairs, there were many other singles milling around and absent on other parts of the Thames Water site. The figure will be far higher and more accurate when I can count incubating birds.

Red colour ringed Herring Gull, left leg, anyone got any idea where this would be from?

Barking Outfall

Pair of Oystercatchers still present at low tide, with Teal now down to 27 pair. The Creek held a calling Cetti’s Warbler along with 2 Blackcap singing in a nearby copse.

As I was driving out of the Thames Water site I had a 1st year male/female Black Redstart fly across the road, a welcome addition to the list, this has to be a migrant passing through to London, as far as I am aware they have never bred here, but have wintered.

Barking Bay

Wheatears at last – 2 found on the open area of land adjacent to the green sward. Other additions for the year came in the shape of Green Sandpiper, Little Grebe, Chiffchaff and 2 Common Tern up and down off Crossness.

Wheatears

Shelduck were everywhere pairing up and prospecting Rabbit holes and Skylark numbered at least 6 singing birds.

Unusual sight of 3 Song Thrushes in low grass, flushed and then flew high together west, possible migrants.

Pair of Shelduck

Grey Heron

Ingrebourne Valley April 2nd

Out at dawn in search of migrants, a lovely bright morning with the Valley really starting to come to life, makes you feel better to see summer coming. I definitely was not feeling better due to the monthly birders drink the night before, legs and head were on auto pilot and driving me forward into the wilderness.

The viewing area at dawn

As you can imagine many species are now singing well, 10 Chiffchaffs were recorded on a round robin route taking in the viewing area, Berwick Ponds and Reservoir and returning back through the horse paddocks. Blackcaps were also on the up with 8 heard singing.

Cetti's Warbler

Male Reed Bunting going for it.

Only a single Willow Warbler was heard but top migrant will go to an early Sedge Warbler heard singing off and on just beyond the green bridge. Easily my earliest by about a week.

Waders were represented by 3 Green Sandpipers and a Common Snipe in the viewing area early a.m, and then later 2 Redshank flyovers, still no sign of a Little Ringed Plover but I understand from mates that they have been seen. No Swallows as yet but 2 Sand Martins were over Berwick.

Very distant Green Sandpiper

Teal are still hanging on with 18 pair, mostly in the viewing area.

Ingrebourne Valley March 31st

A brief visit to the Reservoir produced the 1st Redshank of the year, still no Little Ringed Plovers but cant complain with the Redshank.

Pair on island

In flight

Stone Curlew - Barking Bay March 27th

Got very lucky this morning whilst searching for Little Ringed Plover and Wheatear, still cant find one, they do seem late this year, instead as I walked the Bay, a Stone Curlew came up in front of me.

Only my 2nd ever in London, and a very welcome addition to the patchlist.

Just come up

Click on photo's to enlarge

It came up at 10.54am off the large open area of earth as you walk east from the visitor centre, stayed low initially heading east before climbing and disappearing around a large hill on the site. Despite a good search for the next hour I could not relocate it. On its last seen heading going east, it would either take it to Rainham RSPB or it could have flicked over to Crossness, these offer the best suitable habitats. It was not seen to leave the site.

Climbing

Hopefully it will turn up again.It could have gone to ground somewhere in the Bay as there is excellent habitat there, I also understand they can be quite elusive and crouch down a lot so it is possible that it may still be present.

Just like Buses....Ingrebourne March 24th

The Ingrebourne Valley sometimes benefits from being a neighbor to Rainham Marshes as it is only 2 miles away, today was one of those days. Many species travel to the reserve along the Valley and vice versa, the habitat in the valley, although smaller is much more diverse, especially for breeding species.

Great Crested Grebe

For a number of years now I have been trying to catch up with a Mediterranean Gull from the overspill off the Tip at Rainham, what happens, 2 come along at the same time, both adults and most likely a pair. I would have very likely missed them if it wasn’t for them calling, a very distinctive call learnt from countless winter visits to the Pier at Southend. Last seen heading directly for Rainham Tip.

Mediterranean Gull above

All though I am not a Gull lover, must admit to Med Gull being on top of the list when it comes to seeing Gulls. Caspian is the next one I would like for the Valley, Berwick Reservoir would be a possible venue, identifying it is another matter, adult I think I will be ok with, this comes from countless cock ups involving Yellow Legged Gull. Immatures, no chance, just have not got the patience to learn all the plumages and features.

Supporting cast included a singing Blackcap, suspect it was a wintering bird as it couldn’t make its mind up to sing strongly or just sub- sing.

Nothing like a bit of sunshine to make you feel good

Grey Herons fishing in the viewing area

4 Common Buzzards up in the sunshine, they are now getting as common as Sparrowhawks, a very welcome sight, up high also were 33 Golden Plover. These were distant but it was clear to see that some are starting to coming into summer plumage, hopefully will be able to get some photo’s in the next few weeks.

Also seen or heard-

Yellowhammer - 4 singers

Sparrowhawks – pair displaying

Fieldfare – 80 flushed from an adjacent field by the Goodyear Blip

Siskin – 11 Berwick Glades

Small Tortoiseshell – 3 seen, have now seen more of these in the last week,than I did in all of last year. Hopefully it will be a good year for them.                                                                                                 

The adjoining airstrip housed the Goodyear Balloon from a couple of years ago, it looked like they were testing it, for such a large Balloon it was surprising to see how well it could manoeuvre as you can see from the photo below.

Climbing