Week commencing 28th May 2018

Monday 28th

Over to Donegal to do some clearance of the family home! Arrived around 7pm so after tea down to Mullaghduff see what might be about. The bay was empty of Long-tailed Duck as expected but held five Eider as well as plenty of Herring and a few Lesser Black Back Gull and a good numbers of Common Gull. Good to see at least six Black Guillemot and a couple of Gannet. No tern!

A number of Rock Pipit were around and very vocal allowing me to make some audio recordings.

Rock Pipit

A couple of Oystercatycher made for interesting subjects as the sun was setting.

The air was full of the song of the Skylark. A beautiful Donegal evening. 

A nice group of Dunlin and  Sanderling on the shoreline of the pebble bay, 

Dunlin

Dunlin

Sanderling

along with three Ringed Plover

Ringed Plover

and a White Wagtail a new tick for this location.

Just as I was leaving a Whimbrel dropped onto the shore of the big bay but very quickly departed over the headland.

Tuesday 29th

After a morning of packing up more of the house went  off for some birding along the Annagry Estuary, past the airport and over Carrackfinn. Nothing of interest in the Estuary, which only seems to produce in autumn and spring. The bushes by the airport which have been productive in the past did hold a pair of House Sparrow, not as common here as in other places, a small flock of Linnet and the usual Meadow Pipit and Skylark.

Even more  disappointing was Carrackfinn. The place was full of day trippers, with 30 cars parked on the headland. With people diving of the pier the bay was empty of all bird life. Over the headland peace was to be found but sadly few birds, just the usual pipits. No sound of Corncrake but will return later one evening to see if they are around.

Hooded Crow with Errigal bathed in sunlight

There does seem to be a lack of birds which is very surprising and worrying. Normally I can guarantee to see Stonechat, Wheatear, Cuckoo and Blackcap and Willow Warbler is abundance but I haven't seen any of the first three and only a couple of the latter. As for Sand Martin....nothing!  

Wednesday 30th

All the packing up of the house that we can do is done! Time for some descent bird watching.  A Whitethroat calling from the bushes behind the barn and Swallow over the field. Jackdaw and Hooded Crow moving around.

Went to Mullaghderg to do a bit of rock pooling and to sit by Thunder Rock and rate the waves crashing on a scale of 1 to 10, a 9 being achieved on a relatively calm day!

While there a nice little group of Dunlin appeared and proved very approachable.

Dunlin: Little Bay.

On the pebble bay two Ringed Plover feeding. 

Great Black-backed Gull in one of the bays and Common and Herring Gull present in good numbers. A single Shag just off the fishing rock.

Wednesday evening

Took a late evening drive out to Carrackfinn in hope of hearing Corncrake. Sadly none heard but good view of Red-breasted Merganser off the flat rock. Down by the airport and lake were Sand Martin and a male Wheatear. Later a female Wheatear was on the headland.

Thursday 31st

Trip to Derry to walk the walls and visit the Bogside. Nothing unusual on the journey certainly no sign of Golden Eagle.

Couple of hours down at Mullagderg produced seven Black Guillemot, a adult and juvenile Great Northern Diver, and a dozen or so Guillemot. 

Black Guillemot: Mullaghderg Donegal

In the little bay were three Ringed Plover and four Dunlin.

Heading for home tomorrow via Liverpool and Harrogate. 

Week commencing 21st May

Monday 21st

Up early and out to Adventures' Fen this morning. Another glorious morning, clear sky ans sunny and very pleasant for walking.

Crane heard to call but no sight of them. Plenty of Cetti's, Sedge and Reed Warbler  and good numbers of Blackcap, Whitethroat and Garden Warbler. A distant Grasshopper Warbler was heard on Sedge Fen but no sight or sound of the Nightingale.

A Buzzard was showing well along the bank.

Buzzard

A Lesser Whitethroat has calling at the top of Harrison's Drove and I managed to get a recording of it's call.

On the pool by Charlie's Hide, two male Garganey were resting and slowly drifting into the reeds.

Garganey

Garganey

Garganey

55 species recorded

Tuesday 22nd

Another early start to walk around the Burwell Triangle this morning in the hope of Black Tern and Great White Egret, both of which were reported here yesterday. It was a rather cool morning with quite a stiff breeze and it soon became apparent that neither were still around.

Sedge Warbler with a white ring on the left leg was spotted along the river. Other than that nothing new spotted. On the pool behind the old barn there was a fine male Garganey, which moved to the middle pool as we walked along the path.

Garganey

Garganey in flight

A nice family group of Canada Goose were on the Burwell Lode and a Roe was in the grass nearby keeping an eye on Annie!

Young Canada Geece

A watchful Roe Deer

48 species recorded

Thursday 24th

Decided to head over to Santon Warren for a change of location and species opportunity. Arrived just after 7.30 to find the place empty and the weather increasingly warmer.

Grey Wagtail were down by the river feeding on flies  from the surface. Further along a female Manadarin Duck 

Female Mandarin Duck

Female Mandarin Duck

Female Mandarin Duck

was cruising down river, later to fly back up again just as I was taking photos of Nuthatch at their nesting hole.

Nuthatch

Plenty of warblers throughout with Blackcap. Willow and Garden Warbler singing throughout.

While watching and recording Linnet at the tumulus a pair of Common Crossbill flew over, settling briefly in the tree above me before moving on. 

38 species seen

Friday 25th

A ringed male Reed Bunting

Back to Burwell Fen and other than two Sand Martin it was pretty much the same as always, which brings me to wonder.....'What is happening to Burwell Fen and are we seeing the death of this area?' Visiting is becoming a chore rather than a pleasure as there seems to be so little around. What struck me today was how quiet the place was. Take away the call of sedge and reed warbler and the much reduced song of the skylark and all you have is silence. Is it rose tinted glasses but I'm sure the air used to be full of bird song and the different areas always had the promise of something interesting turning up. To get excited at seeing two Sand Martin doesn't say a lot for what used to be a very interesting area for birds. Looking back at my records does show a significant decline in the number of species seen this year

May

2013:123

2014:120

2015:150

2016:139

2017:149

2018:102

Given that we have six more days to go I look forward to a flood of missing species. My records show that I haven't seen birds which were common in the past and I haven't heard the drumming of the snipe this year!

Week Commencing 14th May 2018

Monday 14th

Stuck at home for the morning so only a short walk to Angle Common. Mute Swan continue to nest in the corner of the Mill Pond and hopefully we shall see the result of their attentive behaviour soon. Reed Warbler calling from the small reedy area near the cottages and Whitethroat in the bushes by the railway line.

In the afternoon headed for Burwell Fen and along the bank. Kingfisher flew low across the The Tree Pool. Good numbers of Swift over the whole area and a Hobby putting in an appearance. Water Rail was calling from somewhere out on the fen. Other than that just the usual suspects.

36 species recorded

Tuesday 15th

A warm morning saw us out at Baker's and Adventurers' Fen. Plenty of the usual Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Reed and Sedge Warbler showing and Cetti's Warbler calling.

A Sparrowhawk was in and out of the bushes and as the morning progressed at least three Hobby were hunting over the reed beds.

43 species recorded

Wednesday 16th

With Debbie having a meeting in the evening I decided to head out to Burwell Fen for an evening stroll from Cock-up Bridge to Upware Bridge.  Shortly after arriving spotted two Crane heading of in the direction of Ely.  Two Egyptian Goose resting under the tree and a few Swift (5) and Swallow (3) over the water. While walking back spotted the head of a third Crane pocking out of the reed bed area.

32 species recorded

Thursday 17th

A break from the fens and headed over to Mayday Farm in Suffolk for some woodland species. A warm and very pleasant morning and the place was empty! Not a soul in site all morning!

Good views of Buzzard (4), circling over the forests but no Goshawk or Honey Buzzard. Chiffchaff galore singing and calling throughout and good views of Yellowhammer (3). Recorded a single Nuthatch calling as it passed through the canopy.

8 species recorded ( alot of time spent trying out new field sound recorder, which is my excuse for such low numbers!)

Friday 18th

Sedge Warbler

Back to the fens and off to Tubney and Burwell Fen with the dogs in the morning. Lots of Whitethroat and Goldfinch on Tubney and Cuckoo calling throughout.

As we crossed onto Burwell Fen to walk the bank, two Crane dropped in (09.32) near the research pen by the cycle path and disappeared into the long grass. The number of Swift are on the increase with over thirty across the reeds. Kingfisher across the main pool and the Egyptian Goose (2) were still present.

A juvenile Caspian Gull was sitting on the post of the research area near Pout's Hall.

Caspian Gull (Juvenile)

On returning at 10.15 the Crane had moved across the main pool and were in the far reedbed. Shortly after locating them they took off and flew towards Wicken Centre. As the passed over Baker's Fen a third Crane joined them and all three flew on.

Crane

Crane

52 species recorded

Saturday 19th:

Added Buzzard to the garden list with one circling above the house.While trimming the hedge spotted a Cuckoo flying over as well.

Sunday 20th:

Can at last get back onto part of my local patch as the railway people have very kindly opened a pathway onto the sidings. Good to be back on the local patch but nothing new!

Week commencing 7th May 2018

Monday 7th May

Bank Holiday Monday and another glorious day after a glorious weekend. Clear skies with not a cloud to be seen, and the potential for the warmest early Bank Holiday on record. Decided to pay a visit to the railway sidings, which I haven't visited for a while due to the work that is going on down there. The yard itself is now closed off but the shunting area is still accessible via the old bakery. Chiffchaff calling throughout as was a number of Whitethroat and single Blackcap.

House Sparrow takes off!

House Sparrow posing

Across the line and along the river two Reed Warbler were showing well.

Tuesday 8th May

Another warm morning. Not a cloud in the sky and very still. Set off to walk along Adventures' and Baker's Fen. I've recently purchased a Tascam Field Audio Recorder in order to capture the sound of the fens, so it was a good day to try it out.

A quick scan of Burwell Fen resulted in a bit of a surprise with a Short-eared Owl being harassed by a Carrion Crow as it flew near to the bridge. This was the first I've seen since 24th April 2017 with none being spotted over the winter.

Plenty of Reed and Sedge Warbler calling and showing, along with Whitethroat. I managed to get a recording of the various calls and will attempt to add them to this blog! Nightingale was singing at its usual location on Verrall's Fen and was recorded doing so. A very short burst of song further along might indicate a second male.

Sedge Warbler

As the morning progressed and it warmed up further it was good to see five Hobby circling at a great height over Wicken Fen. Report of two Spotted Redshank caused a slight detour but with no luck. No sign of Swift as yet!

52 species recorded

Tuesday Evening

First Swift of the year over the house this evening with 5 circling and calling and a further 2 joining them later.

Spring Arrivals

Swift
2017: 2nd May
2016: 3rd May
2015: 6th May
2014: 2nd May

Wednesday 9th May

Every third Wednesday of the month, since October, I have travelled North to visit Dad in Harrogate. The novelty of train travel soon wears off so I've now taken to bird watching while on the train. I've split the journey into five 'patches'. Ely to Peterborough gives me another Cambridgeshire patch. Peterborough to Leeds, then Leeds to Harrogate on the outward journey. Depending on the return journey it is a repeat of these three or I can add Harrogate to York and then York to Peterborough.

So far nothing outstanding but some good views of Red Kite between Leeds and Harrogate.

Thursday 10th May

Yesterday's travelling always seems to take it out of me so a late start saw the dogs and I out at Burwell Fen to walk the bank. The morning was warm but a bit breezy. Good to see Swift had returned with over 30 feeding across the Fen. Two Yellow Wagtail passed over as did two Oystercatcher.  A total of five Egyptian Goose were present. Other than that a quiet morning

29 species recorded

Welney
Decided to spend a few hours at Welney. Still a lot of water on the Washes but the higher banks were now occupied by a good number of Avocet. 

Avocet

The simple things are often the most enjoyable and watching a Moorhen come down to the water's edge for a bath was fun to watch.

Moorhen

Bath time 

A number of Pochard still around

Pair of Pochard

and good views of Shoveler

Shoveler (Male)

A number of Redshank were present, as was a single Little Ringed Plover and two Dunlin. Twelve or so Black-tailed Godwit showed a variety of plumage changes.

Redshank

Little Ringed Plover

A total of seven Hobby were hunting high over the Washes and a green winged tagged female Marsh Harrier cruised over.

42 species recorded