SOME NICE WINTER THRUSHES

Nice to see our winter Thrushes back at the farm. Last years berry crop at the farm failed dramatically, with most of our berry trees going into a sort of limbo state where they looked like they had died and so didn't produce any berries. So by the autumn of 2020 there wasn't a single berry on the trees. The knock on effect of that was that the winter thrushes and our own resident thrushes didn't settle at the farm to take advantage of the bounty that usually awaits them.

Thankfully this year the trees sprang back into life with a good crop of berries on most of them that I thought had died. So with a strong northerly wind this week the Redwings and Fieldfares arrived on mass and I went looking for them with binoculars and camera in hand hoping to get some decent images.

redwing

With the sun pretty low behind the birds the photo's are a bit backlit but it was great just to see the birds and be happy with any sort of image of these Scandinavian winter visitors.

fieldfare

fieldfare

redwing

I must say it's fantastic to have them back and I hope to see them regularly this autumn/winter feeding in the berry trees and in the fields at the farm.

It was a bit of a mystery about the berry trees but I suppose that's nature for you. Thanks for calling by and I'll catch you soon.

RUTLAND

Went up to Leicestershire to see friends for a couple of days during my well earned week off after my horrendous fortnight of 12hour shifts. 

Well we couldn't go all the way up to Leicestershire without popping into Rutland Water for a days birding.

 

map of rutland at the first visitors centre

I've got to say the place is massive, there's around 31 hides there and to get to the other side of the reserve you have to drive back onto the main road and travel 10 minutes to reach the other visitors centre at the north end. The staff there were very pleasant and helpful, inside the visitors centre there was a video feed of this years nesting Ospreys that was taken in the spring and early summer. The birds have departed now for Africa so we were to late to see them. There were feeders just outside a massive glass window where various tit species finches and other passerines were darting back and forth from cover. The staff told us they do get the occasional Marsh tit come in but although I sat there patiently for nearly an hour non showed up.

great tit at the feeding station 

We walked to some of the hides near the visitors centre where you could see out over the water, you do need a scope which I hadn't taken but I think lugging that around as well as my camera and bins would have been hard work.

looking out over the water you can see how distant the birds were

most of these are tufted duck

You can see how far off the birds were so to get any detailed images was going to be a bit of a challenge.

There's over 900 cormorants at Rutland and a lot of them liked roosting in this tree.

cormorant on their roosting tree

roosting cormorants

Here's the Osprey pole where they successfully nested this year.

the osprey post where they nested this year

After exploring some of the hides we decided to go up the north shore where hopefully we could get closer to the birds. Whilst going for one last look in one of the hides before we set off I managed to get a close view and pic of this WillowChiff.

couldn't identify this with any conviction so willowchiff it will have to remain

Up at the north shore we managed to get a little closer to the action but still only managed some record shots of a lot of the birds with the duck species being the most approachable.

eclipse male tufted duck

female teal

male teal

a moulting shoveler

male wigeon also in eclipse plumage

The hides at Rutland are very well kept and luckily for us very waterproof as we did have a deluge of rain at one point.

one of the hides at Rutland

the mountain birder

They were a pleasure to sit in and brought my thoughts back home to our own Llandegfedd Reservoir and how poorly kept the site is even though it's a SSSI. Just wish Welsh Water could do to Llandegfedd what the authorities have done here.

Anyway enough of pondering on things I can't do nothing about and lets see some more water birds. Here's some Egrets

little egret

little egret

great white egret

a bit of a distant great white egret

There were rumours that a Black necked Grebe was at the reservoir but I wasn't lucky enough to see it but did see Great Crested Grebe and Little Grebe.

great crested grebe with chick

little grebe

There were a few Mute Swans there I captured this one as it flew by.

mute swan

Waders were very scarce at Rutland all I saw there were just Lapwings and Snipe, I managed to get a pic of a Snipe but I must apologise for this appalling photo but I think you can just make out what it is.

there's a snipe in there somewhere

Finally I must write about the birds of prey that were at Rutland Water, it was raptor central although most to far off for a photograph the selection there was very impressive with Buzzard, Red Kite, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, Kestrel, Hobby and Marsh Harrier.

I did get a couple of very dodgy pic's of the Hobby as it streaked past the hide.

hobby

juvenile 

We had a great days birding at Rutland Water and saw some great birds even though my feet were in bits at the end of our visit. We never got to see all the hides but I think covering the site over 2 days would be a better idea especially for my feet. Hopefully we'll come back up in the spring where there would be a better chance of seeing and also photographing the Ospreys and seeing a lot more woodland birds in the woods that surround the reservoir.

That's it for this one thanks for calling by and hopefully catch you all soon.

GETTING DOWN TO IT

 Yet another trip for yours truly back to the lagoons at Goldcliff,  this was a few weeks back but due to working commitments (12 hr shifts) I've been unable or perhaps even to knackered to sit at my computer and edit images and type out a blog about my last visit, it did produce a good selection of birds, it's such a great place as it never disappoints. So having finally had a couple of days rest it's time to get my arse into gear a get it done.

The first bird that caught my attention was this very light phased Buzzard which most birders at Goldcliff  has named the Bosprey showed well resting on the haystacks opposite the first hide. I also caught another Buzzard with also very light feathering flying over the reserve being harassed by corvids.

bosprey

another light phased but different Buzzard

On the lagoons themselves were some Cormorants although not rare by any means it's a bird that I hadn't seen at the lagoons before.

cormorant in flight

On the wader front were some Ruff, Lapwings, Blacktailed Godwits and Little Stint, the Stints were way to far out for even a record shot but it was great to get another first for my British bird list which I have to say since going to Goldcliff has started to rise considerably.

ruff

lapwings

some black headed gulls

Quite a few duck species on show but all in eclipse plumage, they must use the lagoons as a safe haven whilst moulting, the Pintails were a nice surprise.

pintail

shoveler

wigeon

Also this Little Grebe showed well, this was a few weeks ago and it's already in winter plumage.

little grebe

dabchick

Last of anything of note on the lagoons were some Mute Swans they are a very majestic bird.

mute swan

Off the lagoons and in the surrounding area around Goldcliff there are some small trees and bushes with a bit of grassland where I spotted some Yellow Wagtails, apologies  for the pics but at least you can see what they are.

yellow wagtail

At the sea wall I managed to photograph what I'm pretty sure is a White Wagtail they like the Yellow's will be migrating anytime soon. Looking at the pic and my substantial collection of ID guides I'm sure it's a White but if anyone can prove me wrong I'll take it on the chin.

white or pied?

Also at the sea wall were a very confiding Wheatear and Meadow Pipit.

wheatear 

meadow pipit

 That's it for this one, can't wait to get down to Goldcliff again (work permitting) it always brings up some great birds and a few surprises. Thanks for your visit and until the next one cheers and I'll catch you soon.