Monday 25 November 2013

November birds

A selection of sketches from mid November - Parrot Crossbills at Holt Country Park, seen for 30 minutes before they all flew off...  Later a visit to Cley yielded many nice views of various wetland birds - a 1st winter Herring Gull, a 1w Caspian Gull that dropped in, Avocets and a Water Rail.
Also pics of drake Teal on the Flood at Barnham Cross Common.







Tuesday 12 November 2013

Local birding

I finally saw this nice female Ring Ouzel the other day on the Nunnery Lakes.  I hadn't expected to see it, thinking it may have already departed, and there was no sign in its favoured bushes when I walked past them.  However the arrival of a rainstorm forced me to seek shelter in the hide and it was during this time that the bird suddenly appeared feeding on a patch of bare stony earth.  Later it was feeding on Hawthorn berries in the rain.  When the sun eventually came out it was still showing well and looked different than in the overcast light.  I was wishing that I had my paints with me...



Saturday 9 November 2013

Semi-p Plover

En route back I called in at Hayling Island, Hampshire.  The Semi-palmated Plover failed to materialise with the Ringed Plovers at Black Point as the tide came in.  I headed along the coastline hoping to meet with some suitable habitat that might hold waders.  There was almost nowhere suitable.  Continuing westward along the shoreline I came toward a group of birders near groyne 25.  I casually asked one who was just leaving, 'any sign of the bird?'.  'Yes' he said!  Unbelievable!  I had assumed it was nowhere to be found and that I had dipped...  I rushed to join the gathering and was soon enjoying fantastic views of this rare bird.  Such small size, dainty, with a very short bill, and white protruding above the gape line.  Quite reminiscent of a smaller version of Lesser Sand Plover!  I didn't actually hear it call which would have been good.  Some have expressed the view that they're going to be regular in years to come now people know what to look for.  But people have been looking for years, they just weren't there.  If they do start being found more frequently then it will be because of changes in the source population rather than observer ID skills I reckon. 
Just as I left the skies turned grey and the heavens opened.  The whole roosting flock took wing at this point and I don't think it was seen for the rest of the day, so I was very lucky to just manage to see it, and for a resonable length of time and close enough to see the detail too!  Later on BBC news it was reported that a tornado passed through Hayling Island; this must have happened just after I'd left.


Last days on Scilly



















Sora and Jack Snipe on Tresco





2x 1w Med Gulls off Morning Point, etc...













Friday 8 November 2013

Purple Heron - St Marys

Fortunately I was two minutes away from Newford Duck Pond when the Purple Heron decided to drop into a fallow weedy field! I got there in time to watch it stride slowly through the field towards us, a small gathering of observers, before it took flight.

Still a few more to upload, then I might get up to date.  They can wait until tomorrow.


More from October 2013

And more... Yellow-browed, Wood Pigeon, Arctic Warbler,