Shore Lark - Shoeburyness

I am not sure what weather there was to come but without doubt I picked the worse morning this week on Wednesday, you know what forecasts are like, sometimes they err a bit, this morning they were bang on unfortunately.
I decided to head down to Shoeburyness given the fact that a Shore Lark and some Snow Buntings have shown recently, the forecast was strong winds, overcast and heavy rain from the south west. On arrival just after dawn it was windy and overcast, not too bad I thought and headed down the beach and got very lucky and located the Shore Lark after about 200 metres. I tucked myself away near a bramble bush and was preparing to take some digi shots when a mutt came out of nowhere behind me.Obviously young, he wanted specifically to chase Shore Larks as he totally ignored the Oystercatchers, the last I saw of the Shore Lark was heading over the fence to the safety of the MOD land.
I am a dog person, always have been, but of late I find myself resenting owners letting their dogs run amok and half the time they have not got a clue where they are, Ingrebourne Valley springs to mind.
I did manage to get a couple of distant photos beforehand but basically they are just record shots.

A windswept Shore Lark

I retraced my steps and went back and tucked myself in to a large boulder cluster out of the wind, the idea being to watch the waders coming ever closer on the incoming tide. A large flock of Knot were present amongst many Oystercatchers, Turnstone and Curlew; I thought despite the very bad light I would be able to get good views as they got closer. It would take a while for them to get to me but I was in no rush and I was hopeful that the Shore Lark would return or the Snow Buntings appear.

Not to be – with perfect timing a Wind Surfer appeared and headed out onto the mud scattering all before him, as he showed so did the rain.
Sometimes you have to know when your beat, time to go.

Dungeness RSPB

I decided on a day out on Friday, I have not been to Dungeness RSPB for a good while, I have popped into the Centre every now and then but have not been out on the reserve for years, must admit it is an excellent reserve. Thinking back the last time I walked the trails was the arrival of a Short Toed Treecreeper, that was many years ago, probably around 15.
I nearly decided not to go on Friday, fog was quite dense at home around 5.30am but I went and glad that I did as I had a really good day. First port of call was a sea watch from 7.30 to 8.50am; visibility was not great, around 150 metres in the mist but it gradually cleared, although it stayed grey and overcast all day. Surprisingly there was quite a bit of movement, all going east with Gannet being the biggest mover. Sandwich Terns had also arrived, first of the year, no rarer species but an enjoyable sea watch, as follows.

Gannet - 265
Kittiwake - 6
Great Crested Grebe – a minimum of 60 all along the coastline
Guillemot – maximum count of 12 sitting on the sea
Razorbill – 25, all flying east. This included one flock of 18
Goldeneye – 1
Red Throated Diver – 4
Sandwich Tern – 26 going east, most small groups of 3 or 4

 Seal chasing fish near the beach

Success

Sandwich Tern

Kittiwake

After this I had a look for the Glaucous Gull which had been seen near the fishing boats and also 2 Snow Buntings nearby, no luck with either so I headed for the Reserve.
Driving down the entrance track and I had distant views of a Ring Tailed Hen Harrier along with a female Marsh Harrier both hunting. As I was watching them 2 distant white specks turned themselves into Great White Egrets, I knew one was here but I thought I would be lucky to see one let alone 2.Eventually they more or less circled back on themselves and I managed to get a few photos. There not great, the only way I could shoot anything was with a very high ISO, I am trying to sound as if I know what I am doing, the truth of the matter is I still don’t know how to work the bloody camera.
After seeing these 2 crackers I then headed for the trails, I picked up a drake Smew, 2 Redheads and no less than 8 Goldeneye. Moving on produced a very distant Bittern, 50 Golden Plover, 4 Bearded Tit and a total count of 4 Marsh Harriers including a superb adult male.

Great White Egret - 1st bird darker bill

2nd bird - yellow bill -  immature?

Marsh Harriers

Whilst watching from Denge Marsh Hide I relocated the 2 Great White Egrets at the side of a reedbed, eventually both flew and was then gob smacked to see another join them! All 3 did a circuit and eventually landed ½ way towards the visitor centre.
I have not seen 3 reported but wonder if 2 of the birds are immatures after reviewing the photos, with the 3rd bird being an adult, all 3 seemed comfortable with each other. It could be that the original 2 seen are male and female; the earlier flight certainly looked like a display flight, one following the other similar to Bitterns?

Immatures?

The 3 together

Heading back I was put on to the Long Tailed Duck at the centre, distant views but a cracking looking bird.

Tree Sparrow

To round off the day I watched around 25 Tree Sparrows in the bramble at the top of the drive, just don’t get to see enough of these little chaps.
An excellent day.

London Peregrines

As some may know, I have for the last 12 years been involved with London Peregrines and there continuing colonisation of the Capital, unfortunately in an urban scenario they do clash with building owners, mainly due to their Schedule 1 status. In most cases I and others can work with them and a balance can usually be found to keep everyone happy including the peregrines.
Having to tell a manager that his roof is off limits for 3 or 4 month’s is not always received well, I can understand that, but by and large nearly all of them come round in the end and come to love having the peregrines on their building. They are a spectacular bird, all power and speed and I will never tire of watching them, nothing gives me a bigger kick than having a nest box I placed accepted.
Sad to say that in this country raptor persecution still persists and it is one big reason why sites in London are not publicised, it is a pity as the London public should have a chance to watch and be involved with these birds on their doorstep. It is an age old and awkward position, do you not publicise every site or publicise them with the view that, more eyes watching makes for a securer site. Parliament is publicised as it is secure, the Tate Modern is publicised as it is not a breeding site, in the end I think you have to judge each breeding site on its own merits and location, but is that right? If you get all the local people involved in each respective site there will undoubtedly be more security for the birds and that is what it is all about.

Tiercel Peregrine - more security?

Out of town across the country other urban peregrine sites are publicised and on the internet, no problem. America, in particular New York, publicises every nest site and the world and his dog are involved, would the same approach be better in London, get local people involved?
If a minority of Eggers or Pigeon Fanciers want to find them they will, a recent court case showed this, an egg collector named 9 sites in London straight off the top of his head. In a rural location they should be kept unpublicised, there is little security on a lonely moor or cliff face to a determined individual. I have always kept all the sites that I monitor apart from Parliament unpublicised, but I must admit to re thinking, is it the right approach to each pair when it comes to their security and safety?
I visited a site in London this morning, it is one of 3 London sites I know off where Kestrels and Peregrines co-exist with little interaction between them I am pleased to say, the little mouse hawk is a particular favourite. The Kestrels all stay low and the Peregrines high, I know that peregrines will and have taken them but on each of these sites there is no threat from the larger raptor. One big reason is the abundance of feral pigeon in and around each of the sites.

Kestrel - a particular favourite

I also witnessed an altercation between a Cormorant and a Grey Heron this morning, the Cormorant coughed up what I can only describe as what was left of a fish, as soon as it did so the Heron made a bee line for it.The Cormorant departed after putting up a bit of resistance and the Heron took the fish, little goes to waste in the bird world!

Grey Heron stealing remains of fish

Nothing goes to waste, Crow with pigeons leg

Stashing leg in scaffold tube

Rainham RSPB

As mentioned before I don’t get over here as much as I used to, I visited this morning whilst heading for a Peregrine site in Kent, the QE 2 Bridge was solid so I went to Rainham instead.
All the work is now nearly complete and the site at long last is holding water, electric fences are in place so Lapwing and Redshank should now benefit whilst breeding with the extra security and constant water levels.
I did my usual round robin walk starting at the sea wall, it was low tide but a good variety of birds were seen. A Single Avocet was on the foreshore with a flock of around 120 Dunlin, a surprise was seeing 12 Grey Plover together on the mud, these quickly headed up river.2 Curlew were present along with an Oystercatcher, they seem to have come up the river to breed early this year.
Despite scanning through all the Rock Pipits, which numbered 9, I was unable to find a Water Pipit.

Stonechat

Moving on , I entered the reserve, a good count of 14 Pintail were found on both the Target and Aveley Pools but the undoubted highlight was a female Merlin creating havoc amongst the hordes of Lapwing, on sight of her everything flushed. The Lapwing flush in defence, it would be unlikely that she would take one. Walking on and I found the Peregrines in the usual spot on the pylons and a pair of Stonechat were also present nearby.

Spot the Peregrines

Arriving at the pools and a good count of 75 Golden Plover were present along with at least 3 calling Cetti’s Warblers. They have now cut some rides in the northern reed bed, it is a cracking spot to get some photos of Water Rail, the sun is behind you, you just have to wait and one will eventually cross for a decent photo. I had at least 7 calling birds within the area so I suspect there is quite a high density here.

Female Merlin

Water Rail

Spring is in the air

To round the walk off I had views of 2 distant White Fronted Geese, roll on spring.

Essex and Kent

The weekend found me surveying firstly in the Home Counties and then over on Sunday to the North Kent Marshes, both sites have their merits and both provide good birding with some top notch species.
The Essex site is land locked but very remote and goodies like Short Eared Owl, Marsh and Hen Harrier, Merlin, Corn Bunting, Woodcock and Bearded Tit have all made an appearance. On Friday I did witness a rather sad sight in the shape of 2 Foxes, I know they are classed as vermin but I do not like to see any animal suffer, obviously as these were doing.
As I scanned an adjacent field I picked up one, obviously in some discomfort and only able to use one front leg, progress was very slow and it looked as if the bottom half of the leg was broken. A sad sight, perhaps a natural occurrence whilst hunting, who knows. As it proceeded on its way I was surprised to see another appear about 40 metres behind and following the first fox, so presumably Dog and Vixen, one was definitely larger than the other. As I looked closer it was again obvious this animal was moving slowly and in distress as well, sadly looking closer its front leg was also broke.

1st Fox

2nd Fox

It is very easy to read more into this than there is, one possibly natural, but two together leads you along the lines of foul play, a very sad sight indeed.
Sunday found me and Paul heading for North Kent, hopefully for another crack at the Rough Legged Buzzard, en route we had Common Buzzard and a male Merlin perched in a low tree giving exceptional views. As per usual the bloody camera was in the boot but great to see one this close up.
We had a good survey, 6 Barnacle Geese were found in with the Greylags, possible candidates for wild ones given the cold snap? The pale Common Buzzard was also seen along with 2 more Commons, a female Marsh Harrier, 2 Peregrines and a distant flock of Dark Bellied Brent Geese probably numbered over 800.

Grey Plover, Dunlin and Turnstone

A mixture of waders

Drake Teal

Best bird of the day found by Paul goes to a female Snow Bunting in Egypt Bay, we both managed to get some half decent photos of this little cracker.

Snow Bunting

A very distant Red Necked Grebe

To round off the day we visited Cliff – Higham Marshes where we located the Red Necked Grebe, the bird was starting to show summer plumage, just don’t get to see enough of these. We also located a drake Scaup in amongst the Pochard so a good end to the day.

Old Haunts - Stubbers and West Thurrock Marshes

I headed for my old patch again at Stubbers after Paul and Shaun found a Drake Scaup late on Tuesday afternoon, on arrival I could see it straight away hugging the far bank with Pochard on Russell’s Lake. Walking round to the far side I managed a few digiscoped shots but it and the Pochard are very wary so I kept my distance. After having a good look at it, it is a cracking looking bird, we don’t get that many full plumage Drakes, most of the ones I have seen have been 1st winters or females.

Drake Scaup with Pochard

After this I scanned the rest of the lake, 2 female Goldeneye were diving together, the 3 Redhead Smew were still present and a new arrival was a Redhead Goosander. Now that I have a bit more time I will have to start covering this site again, the 2 lakes have never been fished so there is obviously a good food source.

Redhead Smew

Redhead Goosander

From here I headed to another old favoured patch, West Thurrock Marshes, I did this patch regularly for a good number of years, being a Thameside patch it was inevitable that it would turn up some good birds. Grey Phalarope probably topped the list, the site has not changed much, the graffiti still provides an unusual background on the sea wall and it looks like the scramblers still use the site.
In the past the site has come under threat from developers being Brownfield, I know it was due for development, I suspect the reason that nothing has happened is probably down to the recession. Whatever it may be it is good news that it is still here, long may it stay this way.
Being so close to Rainham RSPB I often wondered why the RSPB did not step in as it has the potential to be a good reserve. It has the old ash lagoons which used to pull in waders years ago along with good woodland, scrub, ponds and reed filled dykes, although relatively small it would have been a good reserve for the local community.
I suspect due to the access problems, remote parking and location by the 4 Weddings and a Funeral Church, the council have only supplied 3 parking slots, it is never going to pull people in like a good ‘ Country Park ‘ should.
Back to the birding – I went straight to the far end to check out the large mud flats, on the way seeing Curlew and good numbers of Teal, when I arrived I had a nice selection of waders, see below.

Black Tailed Godwit – 67 including a colour ringed bird
Bar Tailed Godwit – a single seen
Oystercatcher - 8
Knot – a single seen, probably the same wintering bird that has been around for a while
Curlew – 24 including the earlier seen bird
Lapwing – 214
Dunlin – 50
Sanderling – 3 seen feeding with a small lock of Dunlin
Grey Plover – 2
Redshank – 52
Avocet – 7 resting up
Common Snipe – 16
Jack Snipe – 1

A Snipe admiring the Graffiti

Common Snipe

The same bird

Jack Snipe

The same bird

3 Sanderling feeding with Dunlin

Knot

Colour ringed Black Tailed Godwit

Like Stubbers I think I will try and get over as much as possible, it can be a bit remote but the quality of the birding is too much of a lure.