Friday 21st March 2014 The Wheatears are arriving

It was just a matter of time,  thought it might be earlier because of the mild weather 25 days earlier than last year though.  "Those beautifull birds"  just one for now.

Female Wheatear,  10.10am

Ingrebourne morning

Stillwell Lake Ingrebourne Valley Saturday 8th march 2014

Thanks to Les Harrison spotting these 3 Red-crested Pochard I managed to get some snaps of these beautifull birds,  wherever they have come from.

Tuesday 4th march 2014 Dungeness

A sunny and warmish day at glorious Dunge,   and  very eventfull it was.    It started with photographing the Black Redstart at the Power station,  only to be spotted by the security cameras and then questioned by armed police,  second time in a couple of years.   It's strange when you get probably hundreds of birders down there every week taking photos and looking through bins and telescopes,   we go once in a blue moon and look suspicous.    "Whats a Black Redstart"? They said,   Took our names and addresses, ages,  looked through our photos.     It was understandable though.       We did hope for an early Wheatear but that didn't materialise,   there were plenty of other birds around the area to keep us happy though,   pair of Black-Throated Divers,  couple of Great-White Egrets, Chiffchaff,  pair of Marsh Harriers, female Red-Crested Pochard,  6 redhead Smews,   Goldeneyes,  the usual Tree sparrows,  The Glossy ibis was feeding with an Emu,  No,!   we hadn't been drinking.   lots of other stuff besides these, a good day.

BTDiver

BTDivers

Black Redstart

Performing Common Gulls

Rung Meadow Pipit

Chiffchaff

Kestrel

Marsh Harrier

Black Redstart "beware"

South Weald and Brentwood Tues 25-2-14

Checking the lakes at Weald CP Russ and I counted 11 Goosanders,  couldn't get any nearer than 100- 150 metres before they took off for the farthest end;  thats what they do,  always nice to see them though.    Also 40 Siskins in the Alders with a number of Redpolls joining them for the feed.  

The 1st sunny warmish day 16th feb

My hunch was right

Redpolls

What a great (job) I have taken on,  surveying 8 bird crops for the local farmer and Natural England,  ( Farm Environmental Plan).    Not just a good cause but it gives me the chance to see the places I couldn't go because they were private areas,  and a lot of these places are wonderfull habitats and makes me think what could have called in there and nobody knew.  It will be interesting in this next year to see what turns up.

Lesser Redpoll

Mealy Redpoll

Siskin