Ingrebourne Valley 30th and 31st december

Woodcock  Glades,   Marsh Harrier ,  20+ Snipe,  60+ Teal Scrape,  Female Bullfinch Glades,  10 Meadow Pipits Glades,  1 Snipe Glades,   2 Kestrel,  Sparrowhawk.  30 Lapwing.

Christmas at Downham Market

16 plus of these Goosanders on the Great Ouse at Downham Market,  

Wednesday 10th December Ingrebourne Valley

Male Marsh Harrier over Scrape late morning putting everything up then going south along the valley,  left wing had a number of primaries missing.    2 male 1 female Bullfinches were again feeding near the junction of the main path and the path to the iron bridge,  good views.   Essex wildlife have a facebook site for the Ingrebourne Valley,  and Becky Gibson is coordinating things on the way to the center opening.

Ingrebourne Valley monday 8th december

Birds seen in the last week;  Little Owl was seen last Tuesday sitting in the large Willow on the far side of the Scrape 2.30pm then flew,   Marsh Harrier seen in the week a couple of times back of Scrape,  Egyptian Geese have been freqenting the scrape area the last few weeks;   winter thrushes are around the Glades and hedges.

Fieldfare

Redwing

Ringed Teal at Langstone 30th nov

These attractive little ducks from South America are escapees from ornamental gardens,  3 turned up at Mill Pond Langstone near Hayling Island on Sunday,  even the local birders were surprised to see them there,   they were flying,   and in the future may breed like Mandarin Ducks.   Other notables seen;  Black Redstart Muddiford.

3 male Ringed Teal

Ingrebourne Valley Monday 24th november

Bittern, Barn Owl, 20 Fieldfare,  6 Redwing, 22 Ring-Tailed Parakeets, Snipe, Egyptian Goose, 5 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Water Rail, 50 Canada Geese, 6 Grey Lag Geese, 40 Teal,  2 Dabchicks.

Monday 17th Nov Ingrebourne Valley

Water water everywhere!  and..... no I won't say it.    Again lots of Wildfowl about with Snipe and Teal occupying the last bits of grassy bank on the far side of the scrape.    The best sightings were some Fieldfare in the bushes at the back and some going over calling,   a Kingfisher was again feeding in the shallows away from the river,  I had a Water Rail flying under the Iron Bridge,  and while standing there a female Bullfinch arrived and was feeding on buds and berries on the bush right next to the bridge and me,  a good place to see them.    There is also a good quantity of Gulls on and around the scrape which consisted of Commons, Lesser-Black Backed, Herring and Black-Headed with a couple of these rung probably the same ones which keep turning up.

Saturday 15th November Ingrebourne Valley

Valley completely flooded as it has been for some time because of the condition of the river which should be dealt with next year,  (Essex Wildlife).  The plus side is that it brings in something different,  or might bring in something different.  lots of Wildfowl,  today 60? Teal,  4 Shoveler, lots of Snipe, 4 Gadwall, Pochard, Gulls, Little grebe, Little Egret,  and a good amount of geese, (wheres the White front)?   There have been Redwings and Fieldfares about plus all the other common birds of the Valley.  We know that Les has had a Bittern already but that seems the only one to date,  I have seen no Redpolls or Siskins in the area,  probably due to the mild conditions.

Reculver Monday 10th november

Alas the Desert Wheatear had gone but Snow Buntings and the Shorelark were still there plus a good number of commoner birds such as Stonechats, Meadow Pipits, Egrets and flocks of Sanderling.   Nice to see the iconic Towers that dominate this quieter piece of shoreline.

Sanderling

Ingrebourne Valley

Arrived at the Ingrebourne Valley at 3.30pm just in time to see a flock of 65 Fieldfare come off the fields at the scrape and make their way along the valley towards St Georges.  Also on the back Scrape were 6 Gadwall,  the dip in temperatures will make a big difference.

Ingrebourne Scrape and it's Environs friday 31st Oct

Is it summer is it winter?,  what strange weather,  it will be spring before we know it.  Do the birds know whats going on?  they'll only get half way and have to turn back.      Today there were 4 Green Sandpipers very mobil and noisy around the Scrape,  26 Snipe were also out and about,  and again if you can see 26 there must be at least double that amount.   Wildfowl are still building up especially the Teal,   and the Black-Headed Gulls were again very active.  Butterflies and Dragonflies are making the most of this barmy weather as well as the Bees and flies of all types.   Rooks, Crows and Jackdaws were up in the top Paddock which kept a wellcome male Stonechat in the bottom corner feeding like it's been on a journey.  Lovely weather ,  but is it healthy?

Ingrebourne Scrape and around Thursday 30th oct

It was looking very good today with 3 Green Sandpipers mainly on the small slip near the river seen from the seat,  a lone Egyptian Goose was on the back scrape but took off after an hour along the valley.   At least 14 Common Snipe were visible on the front Scrape which could mean there were twice that number and 50 teal were also spread around in the same area,   30 Black-Headed Gulls were feeding among them and catching Sticklebacks, And a few Water Rail were kicking up a din left of the viewing area but could I see them.   The weather is frighteningly mild.

Sorry Shaun

Little Egret Peculiar Poses

Ring Ouzils The Chase.

While trespassing on an adjacent Patch I took a few bad photo's commonly known as record shots among the fraternity of the wonderful Ring Ouzils at least 3 that have called in and have been feeding on the Haws around the Slack.

feeding on Haws

Red-Backed shrike at Lowestoft

What a great weekend,  Friday to monday at Warners Corton Holiday Village,  and I managed to strike the Shrike and couple of Black Redstarts and a Wheatear near the Ness at Lowestoft.

Bedford and places Massachusetts

2 weeks to bond with our 10 month old Grandson Toby,  so while he was at nursery and they were working we could do what we wanted and we had a car,  but there was just as much going on around their apartment complex I didn't really have to go far,  there were swamps and woods all around.   The migration was still slightly going on and the weather was fair.  Saw lots more than these below including Bald Eagles.

Northern Flicker ( complex swamp)

Bluebird (complex Swamp)

They are making a comback

Drumlin Farm (Concord)

American Goldfinch (Drumlin Farm)

Monarch (Verrill Farm)

White-Breasted Nuthatch

Ipswich River State Park

Apartment Complex Swampy Pond

Monarch (Verrill Farm)

Clouded Yellow (Sulphur) (D Farm)

Eider (Georges Island)

American Wigeon (Plum Island)

Great Egret (Plum Island)

Pintail (Plum Island)

Greater Yellowlegs (Plum Island)

Semi-Palmated Sandpiper (Plum Island)

Toby and Michelle trying out the new hiking Carrier,  (Ipswich river State Park

It works.

Andrew and Nuthatch (IRSP)

Semi-Palmated Plover (Plum Island)

Northern Harrier (PI)

Red-Winged Blackbird ( Complex)

Great Northern Diver (Cresent Beach Revere)

Red-Breasted Nuthatch (Deer Island)

Yellow Rumped Warbler (Complex Swamp)

Toby finding Grass.