A White Stork for Easter

 I had a five day break this easter. It started in a really big way on Good Friday.

I got up early and headed off to Fairlands Valley, arriving just after eight. Being bright and sunny (but a bit chilly) there were decent numbers of singing Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs. On the way up, I had had a chat with a dog walker about camera gear and thought I'd seen a Raven go over west, and was relieved to see one drift west over the balancing pond. I thought it would be the highlight of the day, being my first for the  park, and the first local bird this year.

Approaching nine, I had covered Environmental and Millennium Lakes when I bumped into Tony Hukin, so we swapped notes-he had seen the Raven too. Peter Clarke approached us and asked if we had seen the large bird on the marina lamp post which he thought was a young Heron. We walked round to get a view and were stunned to see the unmistakable silhouette of a White Stork! 

I took a few snaps and moved to get a better view, and it just sat there not more than 15 yards away unconcerned by the passing dog walkers runners and so on. Having got very good views we were able to establish that it was not bearing any ring we put the news out and it wasn't long before the first locals arrived. The Stork stayed for nearly an hour with wing stretching and the occasional bill clatter until it suddenly took of, and after circling a bit drifted south where, over the Glaxo site the local Buzzard and gulls took offence and then it slowly moved west and appeared to turn north before we finally lost it behind Monks Wood. I had a nice bottle to celebrate with my lunch!

On Saturday Colin came over and we headed off to the Brecks. It was misty locally but cleared to a nice but rather cold sunrise. Unfortunately as the day progressed it gradually got cloudier and duller but we had a pretty good day out.

First stop was Santon Downham where we headed west along the river to try and locate the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. We met someone who had seen one at first light but nothing over the next two hours. Undaunted we continued on. There were several drumming Greater Spotted Woodpeckers, singing Nuthatches and Marsh Tits (sadly the Willow Tits were lost years ago). To my delight I found an otter that gave us fantastic views so I spent a while trying to get good images-not easy as it spent most of the time underwater but came out onto a log for a bit. A bit further on we stood on the bank and watched another which then climbed up the bank towards us, but unfortunately far too close for the camera!

We spent around an hour hoping to get the Woodpecker without success and returned to the road, finding several Mandarins, and a nice flock of Redpolls.

After this we drove up to the Cockley Cley watchpoint stopping off a bit to the south first. Here we could hear several Woodlarks singing in the pines above our heads but couldn't see any, but fortunately one showed really well at the watchpoint.

While there were a few birds of prey up-Kites and Buzzards, the conditions were not ideal for Goshawks. A bit late for displaying birds obviously, but we are often successful in seeing one.

A brief stop at Weeting failed to locate Stone Curlews and then we finished the day at Lakenheath. By now the wind had picked up and it had got rather cloudy. The drake Garganey showed well but distantly, several Stonechat were along the river and after a bit of a wait at the viewpoint I thought I could hear a Bittern booming behind me but dismissed it as the wind until dropping down to the shelter of the reeds when it was obvious there was a bird in front of us. Invisible of course, but the pings and brief views of Bearded Tits were a nice compensation.

All in all a great start to the holiday.

Spring Solstice

 My last post started with a resolution to post a bit more frequently. It barely lasted a week.

Unfortunately we lost Mum at the end of January-I had been caring for her for many years but in the new year there was a sudden decline and I had to take a few weeks off work. Luckily both my sisters were here and we looked after her as best we could, and I cannot thank the doctors paramedics and nurses who were in and out on a daily (and sometimes nightly basis) enough. Obviously there has been a lot to do and it will be some time before some sort of normality resumes.

Colin's been a great help too and has got me out of Stevenage on a few occasions to relax, chill and do a bit of birding. This will be a bit of a brief synopsis of our trips with a few pictures.

The first trip was February 4th and the Norfolk coast. While we saw a lot of the expected stuff, it was a bit quiet. The sea in particular-Hunstanton had most, with Fulmar, Mergansers and a few auks, and Colin had a Skua. Titchwell was nice to visit, but apart from a nice flock of Brambling and a Slavonian Grebe on the sea, there wasn't much for our efforts. Rather than head along the coast to the jam packed Holkham area we decided to head inland.

Just south of Brancaster we found the small crowd looking at the distant flock of Pinkfeet, and eventually we were able to get onto the Cackling Goose (basically a smaller Canada), the first we had seen since the mid nineties. We then moved south east to the Nene Washes at Eldernell, which I had been hoping to visit for several weeks. The roosting Short Eared Owl was visible of sorts, but the two Long Eared Owls were a bit more obliging, as was the Tawny Owl.

The following week, the 11th we did Essex. Abberton had five Smew (the largest number I had seen for years, a nice Black Necked Grebe and the usual Long Tailed duck. No sign of any Scaup which was a bit odd. The Great Northern Diver showed very well for us.

A visit to Copt Hall marshes was very disappointing, some of the footpaths seemed to have vanished and there werent many birds. I did get a longed for lifer with the MV Ross Revenge, home of Radio Caroline on the distant Blackwater estuary.

We ended at Fingringhoe Wick. My only visit was some 30 years ago and it had changed quite a bit, so much so that I couldn't reconcile my memories with what was there. It proved to be a very nice place for a relaxed wander and I hope to get back there soon.

My last trip out on the 19th was down to North Kent. Oare Marshes was cold and breezy and we decided to walk west along the sea wall, as we hadn't really been that way before. Lots of Stonechats and Meadow and Rock Pipits, plus wildfowl. The hoped for Hen Harriers did not appear.

More pirate radio at our next destination, the old towers of Reculver. This is now a country park, but when I used to visit relatives at nearby Birchington back in the 70's there weren't as I recall any paved paths, and not much in the way of facilities. There weren't any offshore wind-farms either, but the WW2 sea-forts and pirate homes of Red Sands and Shivering Sands were still visible among them. Unfortunately the distinct pyramid on stilts of Tongue Sands collapsed some years ago. Fortunately the Snow Buntings were still present but it was a bit of a slog, not quite half way to Minnis Bay.

The final stop was Stodmarsh, long a favourite place to visit in summer, but by far the earliest in the year. Lots of Cetti's warblers, squealing Water rails and plenty of woodland birds, but surprisingly no Redpoll or Siskin. A new sight for us were the gnawed and felled  trees courtesy of beavers, which of course we didn't see. We did find our target in the shape of the female Ring Necked Duck.

Since then I haven't been far, the weather has not been ideal but I have tried to get over to Fairlands on a regular basis. I did get to Bramfield where three Hawfinch showed well.

A New Year

 New year resolution (sort of) is to try and keep a bit more up to date here. Will see how it goes.

After a longish break I got to see Colin in the early hours of the New Year. As on previous occasions, we decided on a modest start and tour the fens rather than hit the very busy coast. This would hopefully make a nice stress free day with a reasonable chance of getting home at a sensible time.

The first stop at Pyemore viaduct was a bit of an eye opener. Despite the mild forecast, the wind was rather chilly and I regretted leaving my big coat at home. However it was quite a pleasant half hour or so. There were two Barn Owls hunting the bank just south of us, and despite being completely unprepared and with the wrong camera settings managed to get a couple of decent images.

The usual selection of wildfowl were on the washes, with a few Whooper Swans near the village. There were huge numbers of Lapwings flying around and a few thrushes but hardly any small farmland birds-this has been a feature of recent weeks and now doubt is the consequence of the big freeze in early December.

A stop off at the A1101 bridge failed to produce the large number of egrets that we saw last year. The water levels were too high. Again, large numbers of Lapwing in the air, more wildfowl and a few thrushes and tits in the trees. Facing north, we didn't see a Short Eared Owl approaching behind us at not much more than head hight. I completely fumbled the camera due to the shock as it flew over and away towards the bank. Thinking that was it we drove off and up to Welney. We were incredibly lucky though, as we refound it on a roadside post, stopped in time and I wound the window down and fired a frame filling sequence from around ten feet.

Welney was a bit quiet. While there were a few swans in front of the main hide, there was little else and we wondered how the midday feed would fare. Apart from the vast numbers of Lapwing, the only waders were around 80 Black Tailed Godwits on one of the islands. A walk around Lady Fen produced a large flock of Golden Plovers and 2-3 Short Eared Owls though they stayed distant. One each of Little and Great White Egrets added some interest, but apart from a couple of Linnets and a distant Snipe the best birds remained around the car park with decent numbers of House and Tree Sparrows.

After a bite and plenty of coffee we stopped off near Wissington Beet Factory where a small herd of Whooper Swans contained for Tundra Bean Geese. Too far for photos.

The final stop was near Thorney Toll on the Nene Washes. The beet fields held an enormous herd of Whoopers, with estimates that day of around 1600 which i felt to be an under estimate. I have since learned that the farmer reckons on around 4000 birds. In among them were a few Bewicks, but trying to find them was a nightmare as all the swans had muddy beaks. Fortunately a couple flew over calling which was handy. There were a few Pink Feet as well which were a bit easier to see.

I ended the day with a decent count of 60 species. The following day, a stroll around Fairlands Valley with Tony Hukin added  another 13 species to the year list, though I missed several that were seen by others.

September Highlights

 September continued pretty much as before in that I rarely strayed out of the local area. This low carbon birding has saved a fortune in petrol over the course of the year, though I must admit much of it has been spent on other things like the garden.

Most of my weekend walks have been either to Fairlands Valley, or the Beane Valley around Aston End, and over the course of the month almost hit 60 species-there were several regulars that I missed and I reckon 70-75 could have been possible. 

Early in the month I found my own Whinchat in one of the fields south of Walkern, my first along the Beane since the early 90's. There seems to have been larger numbers than usual reported this year in Hertfordshire from late August onwards so I was hoping to find one. No doubt, with only a few hours per month I have missed a few over the years. 

Also in the same spot, a pair of Bullfinch seem to have settled for the winter, and there were good numbers of warblers in the area-mainly Chiffchaff and Blackcap, though numbers diminished as the month progressed. A Little Egret on the stable reservoir was also notable.

Fairlands was pretty good with a variety of ducks visiting-two Teal, two Shoveler, two Egyptian Geese and a Tufted Duck, though I missed a Pochard. More unusual were two Little Grebes, one was very hard to find but the other showed well. Even better was a real rarity-the first Valley Snipe since the late 70's spent a few days on the balancing pond late in the month.

On the 11th I paid a visit to Norton Green and Langley. Two Pied Flycatchers had been seen at Potters Spring previously so I was hoping to get another two for the local area this year. Unfortunately they had gone, but a Spotted Flycatcher. showed well nearby-rather fortunate as I hadn't seen one up til now this year. It has been a long time since it was a common breeder round here.

At the end of the month I popped over to Wallington where a Marsh Harrier had been present for a while. The crops here, borage and quinoa seem to be very attractive to finches as there were several hundred birds milling around, along with around 400 Starlings and a flock of around 50 Meadow Pipits. These were being hunted by a Sparrowhawk, and there were many other raptors around-Buzzards Kites and Kestrel are always present and I was pleased to watch a Peregrine hunting over one of the nearby woods. I didn't see the Harrier and I didn't see any migrant chats, Wheatear or Wagtails either.

Bank Holiday Bonus

 The end of August Bank Holiday meant that Colin and I would meet up for the first time in months and go somewhere. Often in the past it has been a gentle saunter somewhere in the Chilterns like Warburg, but we decided we would do a wader day around the Wash trying to hit the high tide roost at Snettisham, followed by something like Titchwell or Holme for early migrants. However as usual plans change at the last minute and we had a very very early start and went to Yorkshire instead.

A Greater Sandplover had been on Redcar beach for a couple of days, and with a summeringTurkestan Shrike and Roller on the way back it was a no brainer. Now we both have history with the Sandplover as 30 odd years ago one was in Blakeny Harbour and we duly went for it. Unlike the majority of birders that day who were on the landward side, we were with a small group on the point up near Half Way House. There had been negative news while we were there and it was assumed to have gone (it was seen a few days later on the south coast somewhere). However we found a small group of waders in a channel off the beach in Blakeny, there were four or five what we realised were Ringed Plovers (small sandy blobs) and another slightly bigger sandy blob which might have been the Greater Sandplover, but being several hundred yards away we couldn't be sure, and to make matters worse a dog walker flushed the lot and they flew out of view never to be seen again.

So a night time departure and a long run north to Redcar arriving a 0730 to bright but cool sunshine. A leaving birder pointed us about half a mile north west to where a small crowd had gathered and said it was showing well. Relieved I started the trudge up the beach but got a bit worried when I got close and saw them disperse with some heading back. Apparently it had flown back past me and presumably was off the small jetty, so I turned round and headed back, meeting up with Darryl Bryant and Tony Hukin.

We could see some waders feeding on the washed up weed but groups of swimmers were walking through them, and as we got close there was no sign. Lots of Sanderlings with a few Turnstones were among the Ringed Plovers and it was with relief that Darryl found the Sandplover running around close to the surf on the sand. Scope views were fantastic and the long 30 year wait was finally over. I managed to get the phone on the scope and got a few good images along with a very bad video, but as I was fumbling to get the camera set up it was off and flew back up the beach to where it was earlier.

So bird of the day was in the bag so it was off on the drive south to Bempton and the Turkestan Shrike. We arrived to be told that due to hedge cutting the day before the Shrike had not been seen all morning, so we resigned ourselves to a spell on the cliffs with the Gannets and Kittiwakes. Most of the auks had departed, though there were still one or two out at see, and it was great to see a Peregrine hunting the cliff ledges (though not for the second Kittiwake that it went for). A scan with bins picked up a distant fin break the surface and I got the scope pointed in the right direction where there were a couple of Razorbills Gannets and Kittiwakes on the sea. The fin broke again, and I started to try and work out what I was seeing. I'm reasonably familiar with some dolphins which aren't usually on their own and it obviously wasn't a Porpoise, in fact it seemed to be too big even for Bottlenose. The only option was Minke Whale, and as there was a huge pod of 80+ further up the coast at Staithes it seems a fairly safe identification.

Unfortunately that was it for the day. The Roller hadn't been seen, and a call in at Berry Fen on the way back failed to produce as it was bone dry. 

Two Months to try and catch up on.

 Long time no post. Combination of Mum needing a lot of help now (with a two week break while she was in hospital in July-leaving on her 90th birthday), and the heatwave. Obviously the nearly two quid a litre didn't help much so I saved money and stuck to local venues.

I did the Aston End circuit a few times. There was still a bit of flowing water in the Beane into early July, but has since dried up. The pond at Chells Manor is also dry apart from a small spot, and the one near the model flying club has a few inches left, so the moorhens were able to raise a few chicks, but the mallards have long gone.

Ravens are now a bit more regular, I'm seeing them frequently around Aston, rather than further north towards Walkern. No evidence of breeding, though there does seem to be a pair.

I took a bit of a detour on the 10th to follow up a report of nesting House Martins in Aston opposite the school. There was one occupied nest-something of a rarity these days round here. The meadow by High Wood has been really good, and appears to be the source of the Dark Green Fritillaries I have been seeing in the last couple of years with several tens seen here and nearby. Marbled Whites and browns have also been abundant, but I have been really struggling to find any blues locally.

Other butterflies locally have been a bit of a surprise. My workplace for the last 23 years was finally abandoned before it fell down, and we have moved to a site further down the road. Unfortunately a bit too far for a quick sprint to the now largely inaccessible Norton Green tip. However it is a bit closer to the Knebworth wood complex which no doubt was the source of the Silver Washed Fritillary that flew past the canteen window one morning. The other one was moire of a shock. I was busy pottering in the garden during the milder part of the heatwave and saw a dull butterfly settle on my tall euphorbia sikkimensis. I got close enough to garb a few phone shots of what was a Purple Hairstreak. Despite having an old oak tree outside, I have never seen one on it.

The 14th of July was a red letter day which I nearly blew. Having got home, made a coffee and did some emergency watering in the garden and making arrangements for Mum in hospital I happened to glance at the phones twitter feed and realised that a Sandwich Tern had been found by Tom on the main lake at Fairlands and was apparently still there! Not easy to connect in Herts, most go through very early in the Lea Valley or Wilstone and don't linger. I haven't managed  to connect with one, so it was a bit of a panic grabbing the camera and racing down there. Fortunately Tony Hukin and Dave Beer were just leaving and pointed it out to me, so I joined Tom down by the cafe for a closer look. I then walked round to the north side and got a few shots.

I was joined by Alan Ford, and in between looking at the tern I scanned the jetty opposite where there was a large gathering of mostly Black Headed Gulls. There were a few Lesser Black backs as usual-a mixture of ages and a much paler bird which seemed too dark to be a Herring. I took some photos for reference as it seemed to be either Caspian or Yellow Legged but we couldn't be certain. Being a 3cy bird the dull flesh legs, long bill and small head suggested Caspian, but our regular adult bird caught us all out and proved to be a hybrid. Social media responses all agreed it was a real Caspian, and therefor likely the first pure bird for the Stevenage area.

My first real trip out of the county for several months was at the beginning of August when I took Jane and Sarah to Hyde Hall for the Plant Fair. The heat had taken a dreadful toll of many of the plants, but it was good to see that much had survived quite well. Naturally the dry garden was more than ok. What really caught my eye were the huge number of Small Red Eyed damsels around the Lily pond. Unlike most of my past views of them sitting on the pond weed doing nothing, these were incredibly active, very territorial and often high up in the trees and shrubs..

Today I had a day off and started my autumn birding with a short trip to the Wallington area. A stroll along the Baldock footpath produced a Wheatear (someone else had eight) and three Yellow Wagtails. Further along the road to the village the four Whinchats found yesterday were still present feeding in a weedy hedge, though at some distance. Decent numbers of Corn Buntings Linnets and Yellowhammers in the area, but I didn't want to stay out for long as the heat was really building up again, so a quick visit to Wallington church ended the trip-no Spotted Flycatchers but several House Martins was good to see.

Jubilee Week

 I was really looking forward to the long Bank Holiday and was expecting to be busy every day, either in the garden or out birding, with perhaps a long day out.

Didn't quite work out like that, and I ended up with the entire week off. Mum had a fever, and then a bad fall on the Saturday, badly hurting her leg (the good one) and was no longer able to get up, let alone stand. So I phoned 999 and was told that an ambulance would be with us within 14 hours..... Not good to hear, and she was in great pain and getting very cold so I tried to move her and ended up in a lot of pain myself-Ive still got shoulder problems from my fall earlier this year and ended up straining my back and arms . Fortunately the ambulance arrived very quickly and after assessing her she spent the rest of the weekend resting. By the time a GP called to check up on Monday she was back on her feet albeit rather bruised and the fever had subsided.

I had a bit of a temperature and a cough as well-tested negative for Covid, and was extremely tired but put that down to stress and my Addisons. Wasn't able to do much for a few days but by Wednesday I was moving around and managed and hour or so in the garden. This was fortunate as there was a really big mega in the country.

The first twitchable Eleanora's Falcon had turned up in Kent and had been seen reliably near Sandwich from the Friday, so naturally I was expecting to be there over the weekend. I called Colin once Mum was settled and told him I couldn't make it so he went down on the Sunday and got decent views, and very close views of a female Red Footed Falcon (one of two on site). Luckily for me, having checked each day and seen hundreds of stunning images being posted, it was still present on Wednesday so I called Colin and he was up for a return visit Thursday.

A decent run with light traffic saw us arrive not long after 0800 and a half full car park. It was a bit of a long slow trudge up to the raised bank and I could see the crowd ahead of me with a blob in a hawthorn by the path. Showing well to put it mildly. After a while the Eleanora's took flight and went low below the bank where I lost it, and then it was found in another hawthorn even closer, having caught what appeared to be an emperor dragonfly. Cue the machine gun sounds of lots of cameras. After digesting the emperor it decided to fly again just as I was getting the camera set up for flight shots which was typical, so I decided to wander down the track, watched the hunting Hobbys (3) and a very distant very pale headed female Red Footed Falcon. Didn't see a Kestrel all day!

The slow amble back was productive. I had hoped to see some dragonflies, in the ditches but the only ones were distant, being pursued by falcons. Talking of which the Eleanora's was now hunting over one of the larger bodies of water, looking like a super sized and more robust Hobby. Very impressive when it was high overhead, with slower heavier wing beats. We did miss a Golden Oriole that was seen on a couple of occasions, and a Honey Buzzard was seen in the afternoon.

We left late morning and headed up to a secret site and another lifer. Colin and I had tried on a couple of occasions in recent years to locate Late Spider Orchids at one of their known Kent locations. Unfortunately despite directions and misunderstandings we never found the right location. Since then I had been given grid refs to two spots. Unfortunately the Folkstone site was raided a few weeks back and all the orchids were stolen so I was keeping my fingers crossed when we got to the finally reached our destination-not helped by trying to navigate with a mobile and very poor to non existent reception. It was a relief to walk up the steep slope and see the cages ahead of us, where we spent twenty minutes or so appreciating the massive variation in the flowers. 

I was really flagging by now but we decided to pay a visit to Park Gate Down, where we were able to see a few more orchids-Fragrant, Common Spotted, Twayblade, a few potential emergent Pyramidal, a couple of almost over Early Purples, lots of the sites speciality Monkey Orchid, and the very magnificent huge Lady all on its own in the middle of a meadow, plus several Greater Butterflies. All in all a fine end to the day out.