Saturday, 12 November 2011
The Ace Of Shovels
Very busy today, will give details of day tomorrow. Be warned, phenomenally poor photos
Tuesday, 8 November 2011
Gosh-hawk
As a birder, the worst thing you can be is unable to bird. And as such had I been. A fratured wrist had augmented a plethora of further factors that had inhibited my fundamental desire to bird (as it were).
From this position, there are very few things that can lift you out the induced state of depressed drifting. Very few, not none. One of these, is a patch tick. However, it can go beyond this. A patch tick is a patch tick but there are some birds which just make you watch in wonder. Some birds don't seem like anything other than divine incarnations (maybe not); and remind you why it was you enjoy birding so much. This is what birding's about, the majesty of them and the abiity of some to cause great positive emotion.
And so it was, that October the 2nd occurred. Aaron had called me at about midday to let me know that Crossbills had been reported by Boldermere. He picked me up and we headed up there straightaway. However, it turned out that the birds hadn't been within the patch boundary (albeit visible from) but the disappointment still flourished. Crossbill is a strange one for me. It seems like a reasonably easy patch tick as WALBOC is surrounded by suitable habo and there aren't exactly rare, next summer I'll try and put in the necessary effort to pick them up. On the way up Aaron told me that there had been a Grey Partridge on the Airfield early morning. This is the second of the year after a bird was picked up back in February by RSPB representatives who also picked up Mealy Redpoll on the same visit (I was at school typically).
I was heading back, feeling better for what had been my first patch visit in weeks. I walked along the footpath that straddles western end of the Cricket Pitch to the sight of nothing. I walked along, checking the Cattle for anything (yes, still annoyed about that). I arrived at the eastern end and scanned the tree-front (there is a small 'glade' here where Firecrest have been seen previously and Little Owl are common) where I was rewarded with Goldcreest and Treecreeper. I was just about to cut through the woods and go home...when I looked up.
Two Crows flapped lazily south. A Buzzard was drifting high overhead and far to the east. Two male Sparrowhawks wheeled in the air at a good height. I raised my bins to check that one of the Sparrowhawks wasn't in fact Britain's first Shikra (yes, I know) when something else caught my eye.
A large raptor appeared as if from nowhere. It looked like a Sparrowhawk, but the thing was, it was huge. It continued to glide towards me, quite low down. At this point, I was very confused. For a moment, it didn't really look like anything I knew to me. Then it twigged, this had to be a Goshawk. First thing's first I thought, photo. I raised my camera. At this point the bird was still quite distant, I found it in the viewfinder...nothing. I was so pissed off by that. Not the first time its happened. However, I had no time to be frustrated, I had to get as much on this bird as I possibly could. As I said, the most dtriking feature of this bird was it's size, it was enormous, buzzard-sized, far bigger than I'd anticipated. This set it out as a fem. I made notes on everything I could make out as soon as I could (almost instantly). The bird had clear white, undertail coverts with a barred tail. The bird's breast and coverts had much finer barring. I could make out a very protruding head and a dark crown. The bird passed overhead and continued west still gliding. I thought this was quite odd as it had been gliding for some time, longer than I thought they were capable of doing (although apparently some birds can glide for up to 500m). It then started flapping its wings with quite fast, deep wing-beats. As the bird passed further away, I was able to see more and more of its upperparts which were grey-brown (although more towards the grey side of the spectrum). The bird continued west out of sight.
Wow. I was exhilerated and quickly noted down what I'd made out on the bird. I was so annoyed with my camera that seem snow to have inherent issues and regularly fails on me. I have checked the batteries for historesis (by replacing them) but this doesn't seem to be the problem. I need a new one, end of.
It was a magnificent sighting that made my day.
My yearlist and patchlist do not increase however, as I recently realised I had yet to remove Lady Amherst's Pheasant from my list.
WALBOC Patchlist: 106
WALBOC Yearlist: 104
PS. The title? Poor at best, abysmal at worst.
Final update soon
From this position, there are very few things that can lift you out the induced state of depressed drifting. Very few, not none. One of these, is a patch tick. However, it can go beyond this. A patch tick is a patch tick but there are some birds which just make you watch in wonder. Some birds don't seem like anything other than divine incarnations (maybe not); and remind you why it was you enjoy birding so much. This is what birding's about, the majesty of them and the abiity of some to cause great positive emotion.
And so it was, that October the 2nd occurred. Aaron had called me at about midday to let me know that Crossbills had been reported by Boldermere. He picked me up and we headed up there straightaway. However, it turned out that the birds hadn't been within the patch boundary (albeit visible from) but the disappointment still flourished. Crossbill is a strange one for me. It seems like a reasonably easy patch tick as WALBOC is surrounded by suitable habo and there aren't exactly rare, next summer I'll try and put in the necessary effort to pick them up. On the way up Aaron told me that there had been a Grey Partridge on the Airfield early morning. This is the second of the year after a bird was picked up back in February by RSPB representatives who also picked up Mealy Redpoll on the same visit (I was at school typically).
I was heading back, feeling better for what had been my first patch visit in weeks. I walked along the footpath that straddles western end of the Cricket Pitch to the sight of nothing. I walked along, checking the Cattle for anything (yes, still annoyed about that). I arrived at the eastern end and scanned the tree-front (there is a small 'glade' here where Firecrest have been seen previously and Little Owl are common) where I was rewarded with Goldcreest and Treecreeper. I was just about to cut through the woods and go home...when I looked up.
Two Crows flapped lazily south. A Buzzard was drifting high overhead and far to the east. Two male Sparrowhawks wheeled in the air at a good height. I raised my bins to check that one of the Sparrowhawks wasn't in fact Britain's first Shikra (yes, I know) when something else caught my eye.
A large raptor appeared as if from nowhere. It looked like a Sparrowhawk, but the thing was, it was huge. It continued to glide towards me, quite low down. At this point, I was very confused. For a moment, it didn't really look like anything I knew to me. Then it twigged, this had to be a Goshawk. First thing's first I thought, photo. I raised my camera. At this point the bird was still quite distant, I found it in the viewfinder...nothing. I was so pissed off by that. Not the first time its happened. However, I had no time to be frustrated, I had to get as much on this bird as I possibly could. As I said, the most dtriking feature of this bird was it's size, it was enormous, buzzard-sized, far bigger than I'd anticipated. This set it out as a fem. I made notes on everything I could make out as soon as I could (almost instantly). The bird had clear white, undertail coverts with a barred tail. The bird's breast and coverts had much finer barring. I could make out a very protruding head and a dark crown. The bird passed overhead and continued west still gliding. I thought this was quite odd as it had been gliding for some time, longer than I thought they were capable of doing (although apparently some birds can glide for up to 500m). It then started flapping its wings with quite fast, deep wing-beats. As the bird passed further away, I was able to see more and more of its upperparts which were grey-brown (although more towards the grey side of the spectrum). The bird continued west out of sight.
Wow. I was exhilerated and quickly noted down what I'd made out on the bird. I was so annoyed with my camera that seem snow to have inherent issues and regularly fails on me. I have checked the batteries for historesis (by replacing them) but this doesn't seem to be the problem. I need a new one, end of.
It was a magnificent sighting that made my day.
My yearlist and patchlist do not increase however, as I recently realised I had yet to remove Lady Amherst's Pheasant from my list.
WALBOC Patchlist: 106
WALBOC Yearlist: 104
PS. The title? Poor at best, abysmal at worst.
Final update soon
Monday, 7 November 2011
September Gallery
A few shots I didn't upload earlier. There are 65+ Starlings in hat shot and the hunting Hobby sequence was a magnificent spectacle but sadly proves the demise of my camera more than ever.
More updates on the way.
Sunday, 6 November 2011
Long Overdue
Part One (next parts due in the coming weeks).
So what have I been seeing since...September.
Lots and lots of Yellow Wags towards the end of the season (after very few before that), Red Kites increased and, much to my dismay, my beloved Wheatears disappeared. Wigeon and Pochard returned (the former in some style), the finch flocks picked up, Peregrines drifted over. I dipped big time on so many things. Pallid Harrier in Sussex was one but there were numerous others
In all honesty though, I'm very disappointed. Things just haven't been going my way. I've had a fractured wrist (trust me, you can't go birding with one). Then I've had football matches; Silver D of E; visits (compulsory) to relatives; too dark to visit over school; been overseas; and it seems that everything has been preventing me from going birding. Every time I get a text about good birds somewhere it just depresses me because I know there are things to be found thst I'm just not there to find. Something needs to change. In all honesty, WALBOC isn't really my patch anymore, more of a local birding site that I occassionally visit. Something needs to change. I'm desperate for somebody (Anybody!) to check Boldermere daily. I'm not concerned about the Airfield or the rest of the patch, I just need someone to scan Bolderemere for half-an-hour in the morning. Something which is just not happening. If this had happened, I'm almost certain Brent Goose would have been picked up recently along with who knows what.
Latest pics soon plus the rest of the updates.
So what have I been seeing since...September.
Lots and lots of Yellow Wags towards the end of the season (after very few before that), Red Kites increased and, much to my dismay, my beloved Wheatears disappeared. Wigeon and Pochard returned (the former in some style), the finch flocks picked up, Peregrines drifted over. I dipped big time on so many things. Pallid Harrier in Sussex was one but there were numerous others
In all honesty though, I'm very disappointed. Things just haven't been going my way. I've had a fractured wrist (trust me, you can't go birding with one). Then I've had football matches; Silver D of E; visits (compulsory) to relatives; too dark to visit over school; been overseas; and it seems that everything has been preventing me from going birding. Every time I get a text about good birds somewhere it just depresses me because I know there are things to be found thst I'm just not there to find. Something needs to change. In all honesty, WALBOC isn't really my patch anymore, more of a local birding site that I occassionally visit. Something needs to change. I'm desperate for somebody (Anybody!) to check Boldermere daily. I'm not concerned about the Airfield or the rest of the patch, I just need someone to scan Bolderemere for half-an-hour in the morning. Something which is just not happening. If this had happened, I'm almost certain Brent Goose would have been picked up recently along with who knows what.
Latest pics soon plus the rest of the updates.
Thursday, 27 October 2011
Istanbul
Currently birding in Istanbul, will give trip report (overview) on return as well as previous promised posts. A few west pal ticks so far, Alexandrine Parakeet, Pallid Swift plus a probable Levant Sparrowhawk that was not seen well enough. Also picked up Palm Dove and Alpine Swift but neither were west pal ticks -still great birds though. However, there has been no sign yet of the supposedly common Yelkouan Shearwaters...here's hoping
Monday, 3 October 2011
October, How I've Missed You
October has begun. Well, you probably knew that beforehand but in any case, October has started. And in what fashion. The first Common Crossbills came through (first seen by anyone at least) the year's second Grey Partridge record came in (again, missed by me).
But there was one thing I didn't miss. A first for WALBOC and therefore by definition, a patch and year tick for me.
My right arm is in a sling so I cannot compose a long post, just to let you know. I will post once about the back end of September (so many Yellow Wagtails, seemingly the last Hobby of the year, much else besides); once about Sunday morning (dipping untickable Crossbills, hearing about an easily twitchable Grey Partridge too late); and once about Sunday afternoon and that bird.
'Til then
But there was one thing I didn't miss. A first for WALBOC and therefore by definition, a patch and year tick for me.
My right arm is in a sling so I cannot compose a long post, just to let you know. I will post once about the back end of September (so many Yellow Wagtails, seemingly the last Hobby of the year, much else besides); once about Sunday morning (dipping untickable Crossbills, hearing about an easily twitchable Grey Partridge too late); and once about Sunday afternoon and that bird.
'Til then
Saturday, 17 September 2011
Good Day
Despite what it may seem like (no posts since August) I have been visiting fairly regularly by my own horrific standards. I made a few visits in early September without any headline birds. I have also snuck in a few short visits after school but it has always been too dark to use my bins (defeats the point really). This morning I made a long visit in the hope that the weather would send something of interest low over my head.
The moody weather always threatened to produce something good. A stream of Herring Gulls and the odd LBBG went over. I scanned the tit flocks thoroughly hoping for anything to take me to 106. There were several Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs amongst them (more than last Sat) and a few Goldcrests but not the elusive year tick I craved. All the while I watched them I felt as if there was something there that I just wasn't seeing. This feeling continued all day. A few Mippits went over and Linnets and Chaffinches on the Airfield are beginning to form the monster finch flocks of the winter (can't wait). Masses of Skylarks flicked about, I flushed 4 Red-legged Partridge and heard a Little Owl. Throughout this whole period, absolutely enormous quantitites of hirundines went overhead. When the sun came out, in excess of 500 were visible at the same time. It was some sight. I genuinely do not think (except for when the hobbies were about) that I looked into the sky once without seeing a hirundine. Huge movement. Numbers of the seemingly resident Wheatears remained steady with 9 (probably more) today.
Whilst watching a couple of the Wheatears, I noticed that the hirundines had stopped chirping above me. I looked up and noticed a large, distant, raptor being harried by Crows. As it came nearer I saw it was a rather bedraggled Red Kite, first of the Autumn. About ten minutes later a second bird went over. Both headed north/north west. The numbers of both Red Kite and Wheatear at WALBOC this year have blown me away. Astonishing counts, highest in a day being five for Red Kite and 26 (!) for Wheatear. Wheatear is more common than Collared Dove, Rook, Grey Heron amongst other common stuff.
At Boldermere, I yet again enjoyed superlative views of Hobby. They are such a brilliant sight hunting low over the lake (you can get easily within 10 metres of them). Wigeon numbers have built significantly in a short time. (I saw my first returning birds on the 2nd of September when there were two) with about 15 today. Cormorant, Gadwall and GCG also showed well.
For the first time in a while I recorded more than 50 species today (53). It was a great day's birding yet I always had the feeling that I was missing something, that there was something rare around that I was simply unable to get onto. With luck, I'll find it tomorrow.
The moody weather always threatened to produce something good. A stream of Herring Gulls and the odd LBBG went over. I scanned the tit flocks thoroughly hoping for anything to take me to 106. There were several Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs amongst them (more than last Sat) and a few Goldcrests but not the elusive year tick I craved. All the while I watched them I felt as if there was something there that I just wasn't seeing. This feeling continued all day. A few Mippits went over and Linnets and Chaffinches on the Airfield are beginning to form the monster finch flocks of the winter (can't wait). Masses of Skylarks flicked about, I flushed 4 Red-legged Partridge and heard a Little Owl. Throughout this whole period, absolutely enormous quantitites of hirundines went overhead. When the sun came out, in excess of 500 were visible at the same time. It was some sight. I genuinely do not think (except for when the hobbies were about) that I looked into the sky once without seeing a hirundine. Huge movement. Numbers of the seemingly resident Wheatears remained steady with 9 (probably more) today.
Whilst watching a couple of the Wheatears, I noticed that the hirundines had stopped chirping above me. I looked up and noticed a large, distant, raptor being harried by Crows. As it came nearer I saw it was a rather bedraggled Red Kite, first of the Autumn. About ten minutes later a second bird went over. Both headed north/north west. The numbers of both Red Kite and Wheatear at WALBOC this year have blown me away. Astonishing counts, highest in a day being five for Red Kite and 26 (!) for Wheatear. Wheatear is more common than Collared Dove, Rook, Grey Heron amongst other common stuff.
At Boldermere, I yet again enjoyed superlative views of Hobby. They are such a brilliant sight hunting low over the lake (you can get easily within 10 metres of them). Wigeon numbers have built significantly in a short time. (I saw my first returning birds on the 2nd of September when there were two) with about 15 today. Cormorant, Gadwall and GCG also showed well.
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