Sunday 15 March 2015

Singing Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap

Popped down to Amwell this morning. Very cold and no sign of Sun so rather unpleasant at the viewpoint. The water levels have been lowered, leaving lots of edges for passage waders-Redshank has been seen but today all i had were the usual Lapwing and a few Snipe. Still good numbers of Teal, Shoveller and Goldeneye but otherwise it looks like duck numbers are decreasing.
Had a walk round to the White Hide, stopping off around the James Hide feeders. Apart from the expected tits and Reed Buntings there was a frustratingly quiet and elusive Blackcap in sub-song. Spent a bit of time in the White Hide. A Kingfisher is using the large branch over towards the main island as a perch, a bit too distant for the 300mm lens.


Also photographed a 1w gull flying through. I can't make my mind up, I thought it was Yellow Legged, checked a few books called it Herring, then checked a few gull blogs and now I can't make my mind up.



Walked down to Hollycross but the feeders were quiet, however got decent views of a Chiffchaff-at least three singing birds and another two at least were calling. Everyone but me managed to see a Treecreeper either here or in the woods and I also failed to see an oddly plumaged Redwing that has been present most of the winter.
Bumped into Simon as I was leaving-another year tick. Saw some images later of his Mistletoe flowering on Hawthorn-rather unusual.


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