Fairlop Waters and Dagenham Chase

Russ and I took another look at both places and were rewarded by both the birds and the sun with the Great Northern Diver and a surprise appearance of a Peregrine Falcon at Fairlop Waters,  and then the Ferruginous Duck at the Chase.

Sleek!

Rear end

We can still see you"

Unexpected Peregrine Fairlop.

Ferruginous Duck!

Recent photos from The Ingrebourne , Jack Snipe!

Jack Snipe, Scrape.

Goldcrest, Flew into Window

at Centre but recovered.

Short-Eared Owl at Mucking

Russ and I took a reasonable early trip to EWTs  Thurrock nature Park on Wednesday,  got there to early for the gate to be open so we parked up and headed up the path,  no sooner had we started walking when a Short-Eared Owl came flying towards us,   it eventually settled on a fence post along the circular path and we managed to get some photos.   Although there seems to be a good number of these fabulous birds about at the moment this one appears to be the only one here.  I am hoping that when the weather changes this weekend it will push more of these birds and other species down.

Bobolink Mass

Bobolink

Bobolink

Palm Warbler

DeCordova Museum and Sulpture Park

Ditto

La Meme

Red-Tailed Hawk, Plum Island Massachusetts.

Red-Tailed Hawk

Northern Harrier Plum Island Massachusetts

Northern Harrier

Pied Flycatcher in the Valley

There must have been dozens ov 'em there but I only saw this one.   After spotting two Spotted Flycatchers There was a sudden fight between two birds which I thought were both Spots,  then one landed right in front of me and I could see this one was a Pied,  about time.   Probably 20 or more Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs going round in a flock feeding.

Pied Flycatcher

Willow Warblers Galore

All this fuss over a Fly

Spotted flycatcher

Willow Warbler

Meadow Pipit with Bush Cricket

3 Whinchats on the hill

Nice to see the migrants coming back to the Hill,  I don't know whether I will be saying the same for the top Paddock,  I just hope they took in what we said.

Clouded Yellows are on the wing

Clouded Yellows are on the wing around the Ingrebourne Valley.

News on Migrants Weds 19th August

10 Whinchats from Serin Mound

Wheatear on mountain Bike track Ingrebourne Hill

3 Clouded Yellow.

2nd Osprey in a week.

We arrived at Abberton Reservoir at the Layer Breton Causeway at 8.30am to be told that the Osprey had last been seen at 6.30am,   we then waited until 12.45pm before it made another appearance,  but what a show it gave us,  weather wasn't too good but who cared.  This beautiful bird made 4 dives into the water without success and eventually made its way towards the main causeway where it was seen by others,  then at 2.10pm it gave another show at the Layer Breton end with a successful dive and flew off into the trees with a good sized Rudd.   During our wait we had a Bittern in flight probably the first returnee.  Other birds of note were a Black-Necked Grebe and a few Yellow Wagtails,  we spent the whole day but a good day in the Layer Breton Causeway.

Ingrebourne Valley Sunday 9th august

The water on the Scrape being at the right level is starting to produce birds.   There are up to 14 Green Sandpipers,   3 Black-Tailed Godwits have arrived,  there are at least 5 Snipe,  and 2 Common Terns alighted on the mud with the Lapwings this afternoon,  promising.

Black-Tailed Godwits

Common Tern

Common Snipe