The great spotted woodpecker was showing off a lot more today - my colleagues were even interested and watching him for a while through the window!
Dad and I went for a walk out along the back after dinner in the evening, yielding a probable mistle thrush along with blackcaps, a very nice close encounter with a chiffchaff, and a sedge warbler.
Wednesday, 19 May 2010
Tuesday, 18 May 2010
Nesting Woodpecker
After a not-so-nice weekend (I was house-ridden with a stomach bug), going back to work wasn't much of a reward yesterday or today. However, one thing that made it better was the presence of a male great spotted woodpecker going in and out of the underneath of a branch on an old tree just outside work. He was hammering away all day yesterday so I reckon we're looking at a [potential] nest site! That's the same tree that a pair of great tits are nesting in, further down.
Today I heard a blackcap singing loudly for a lot of the afternoon in the trees on the opposite side of the road from work, and a song thrush singing on the way home.
Today I heard a blackcap singing loudly for a lot of the afternoon in the trees on the opposite side of the road from work, and a song thrush singing on the way home.
Thursday, 13 May 2010
Whitethroat!
Not a warm day, but I walked from work in Stocklake along the canal nearly as far as bridge 15.
A blackcap was heard singing just outside work, with a chiffchaff not much later. A red kite passed over in the distance as I neared the area out the back of my house, where I finally saw one male blackcap singing loudly.
There were several starlings in striking plumage along the raised bank that runs parallel to the canal. Then I heard a familiar metallic warbling noise, followed it, and was rewarded with a lovely male whitethroat who popped out and sang for me on the top of a bush just next to bridge 16! It's the first bird I've seen so close to the house (and of course only the second trip I've ever had when I've seen one), so a great one to watch before it flew away. Though I heard it singing slightly out of sight across the canal for a while afterwards.
Whilst standing on bridge 16 I spotted a silent sedge warbler hopping through the trees just near the bridge, and a pied wagtail landed on the bridge brickwork mere feet away, then proceeded to stand there wagging and staring at me quite contentedly for about a minute. There were also many dunnocks, including one which sang in sight, so that's good news as I hadn't seen or heard (m)any for quite a while. A common tern also flew along the canal towards the end of my time there.
It turns out my own myth about blackbirds singing later on in the day is not true. It just seems that they sing more prolifically in the late afternoon and evening - a beautiful sound!
A blackcap was heard singing just outside work, with a chiffchaff not much later. A red kite passed over in the distance as I neared the area out the back of my house, where I finally saw one male blackcap singing loudly.
There were several starlings in striking plumage along the raised bank that runs parallel to the canal. Then I heard a familiar metallic warbling noise, followed it, and was rewarded with a lovely male whitethroat who popped out and sang for me on the top of a bush just next to bridge 16! It's the first bird I've seen so close to the house (and of course only the second trip I've ever had when I've seen one), so a great one to watch before it flew away. Though I heard it singing slightly out of sight across the canal for a while afterwards.
Whilst standing on bridge 16 I spotted a silent sedge warbler hopping through the trees just near the bridge, and a pied wagtail landed on the bridge brickwork mere feet away, then proceeded to stand there wagging and staring at me quite contentedly for about a minute. There were also many dunnocks, including one which sang in sight, so that's good news as I hadn't seen or heard (m)any for quite a while. A common tern also flew along the canal towards the end of my time there.
It turns out my own myth about blackbirds singing later on in the day is not true. It just seems that they sing more prolifically in the late afternoon and evening - a beautiful sound!
Wednesday, 12 May 2010
Blackcaps and Sedge Warblers
Walked along between bridges 15 and 14 again today around 14:00.
Plenty to see and hear today, with a chiffchaff seen briefly, a greenfinch heard incessantly, many blackbirds singing throughout the walk (normally they sing later in the day in my experience), and the other usual suspects.
A pair of blackcaps, one male, one female, were half way between the bridges and gave some excellent views, with the male singing throughout - truly lovely birds. A couple of times later, further over the other side of the canal, I heard a reed bunting calling, but couldn't see him. There were at least 4 sedge warblers singing and hopping about around bridge 14, one giving great views whilst singing too, very noisily!
A common tern was doing the usual routine: over the trout pools, down and back up the canal, and repeat. There were a good number of swallows (about 6 to 8), a pair of mallards that sadly only had one duckling with them further down the canal, and the field further down the canal contained probably around 20 Canada geese, with a large number of goslings there with them!
Finally, I spotted a great crested grebe sitting on a nest just next to the island in the middle of the eastern trout pool.
Plenty to see and hear today, with a chiffchaff seen briefly, a greenfinch heard incessantly, many blackbirds singing throughout the walk (normally they sing later in the day in my experience), and the other usual suspects.
A pair of blackcaps, one male, one female, were half way between the bridges and gave some excellent views, with the male singing throughout - truly lovely birds. A couple of times later, further over the other side of the canal, I heard a reed bunting calling, but couldn't see him. There were at least 4 sedge warblers singing and hopping about around bridge 14, one giving great views whilst singing too, very noisily!
A common tern was doing the usual routine: over the trout pools, down and back up the canal, and repeat. There were a good number of swallows (about 6 to 8), a pair of mallards that sadly only had one duckling with them further down the canal, and the field further down the canal contained probably around 20 Canada geese, with a large number of goslings there with them!
Finally, I spotted a great crested grebe sitting on a nest just next to the island in the middle of the eastern trout pool.
Sunday, 9 May 2010
Two Hemel Hempstead Treats
Spent the weekend at Linda's in Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead. During the couple of times I had to look outside in the garden (her mum is very keen on spotting birds in the garden) I saw quite a few different things.
On the Saturday, I saw a great tit continually entering and exiting a hole in a small tree in the garden one over - there has to be a nest, or at least, nest-building activity going on there! The treat of Saturday was the goldcrest who made an appearance at the bottom of the garden, for long enough so that I could identify it clearly and that we could all have a look - I've seen the goldcrest there before, but before the harsh winter. Good to see they're still about, as that's my first of the year!
Today in the mid-afternoon, we went into the back garden to play with the cat. I watched for birds for a while, and after about 15 minutes two wagtails flew singing (almost looked like a display flight) across and landed on the roof. I shot back in to get the binoculars and, of course, they had flown off. I just caught a glimpse of them and they were gone. A few seconds later they flew back across again and I saw enough of them to identify them as grey wagtails! Another first for the year and a great bird to see, especially from the back garden.
Hopefully the weather will pick up so I can have some nice canal walks this week...
On the Saturday, I saw a great tit continually entering and exiting a hole in a small tree in the garden one over - there has to be a nest, or at least, nest-building activity going on there! The treat of Saturday was the goldcrest who made an appearance at the bottom of the garden, for long enough so that I could identify it clearly and that we could all have a look - I've seen the goldcrest there before, but before the harsh winter. Good to see they're still about, as that's my first of the year!
Today in the mid-afternoon, we went into the back garden to play with the cat. I watched for birds for a while, and after about 15 minutes two wagtails flew singing (almost looked like a display flight) across and landed on the roof. I shot back in to get the binoculars and, of course, they had flown off. I just caught a glimpse of them and they were gone. A few seconds later they flew back across again and I saw enough of them to identify them as grey wagtails! Another first for the year and a great bird to see, especially from the back garden.
Hopefully the weather will pick up so I can have some nice canal walks this week...
Thursday, 6 May 2010
03/05/10 - Bank Holiday Birding
Starting at the bright early time of 6:00 am, Dad and I headed out to three local areas for a nice big 10-hour birdwatch!
--Wilstone Reservoir - 06:00 to 09:30--
In the car on the way to the reservoir we saw starling, woodpigeon, 2 kestrels, blackbird, carrion crow and magpie.
At Wilstone there were great numbers of swallows, house martins and swifts flying around overhead. On the water there were mallards, tufted ducks, mute swans, great crested grebes, coots, Canada geese, many common terns, greylag geese, cormorants (nesting in large numbers in the trees), grey herons, lapwings, pochard, and shoveler.
As we walked round clockwise, we encountered blue tits, great tits, pied wagtail, song thrush (the song was unfamiliar to me and confused us for quite a while before we saw the bird!), chaffinches, many chiffchaffs, countless wrens both seen and heard, robins, a pheasant, long-tailed tits, and reed warblers singing in the reeds just before the woodland (I saw one briefly during the time we spent listening to them). An oystercatcher was alone on the bank near here too.
Further round along the hedge tunnel just before the dry canal, we caught sight of a small bird and heard a very distinctive song - patient following of the bird proved fruitful as we got some brief but good views of it - it was a male whitethroat! The first of that species I've ever seen! After the dry canal along the hedgerows, we encountered another 3 or 4 of the smashing birds, singing away and affording exceptional views - a great treat! A muntjac deer strolled casually across the dry canal footpath!
A single first-summer hobby flew over the hide and perched nicely in a tree behind it. Whilst we watched it, a red kite soared majestically across our field of view and wheeled away.
Finishing the walk back to the car park yielded collared doves and a superb male blackcap, singing away in a brilliant position.
--College Lake - 09:30-14:00--
House sparrows were just outside the Startops Reservoir Car park, as we drove to College Lake. The new visitor centre was superb, and admission was free!
From the Window in the Woods hide, a male blackcap was heard, and a female great spotted woodpecker turned up to feed on the nuts. Upon walking down to the newly built (and excellent) hide on the central spit, we viewed moorhens, black-headed gulls, a gadwall, and 2 redshank popped in for a while. The real excitements were the fledgling lapwing chicks and pair of little ringed plovers which were feeding and guarding their nest. Another pair were visible on a further island!
Walking up and round to the Tump hide provided us with a green woodpecker, 2 stock doves, and skylarks, along with nice views of rabbits and a hare.
Another bird of prey flew briefly across us with some prey in its talons - unfortunately we couldn't identify it properly, but I reckon it was another hobby.
--Incombe Hole - 14:30-16:00--
With the prospect of ring ouzels in mind, we headed swiftly onto Incombe Hole by Ivinghoe Beacon. Unfortunately we saw none of them, but amidst short showers, we did see a yellowhammer and 2 glorius male wheatear that gave excellent views.
After walking down into the valley part to walk back up, we added the much missed goldfinch to the list, and amongst further blackcaps and chiffchaffs, we spotted a jay in the distance, and identified one or two willow warblers singing away and showing quite well. There were further whitethroats around, singing and showing!
Back on the way to the car, a herd of about 8 deer were skulking around in the wooded area, and Dad and I finished the day on a superb pair (male and female together) of blackcaps feeding.
Overall, a superb day, yielding 54 definite species seen. Some may have been overlooked or not decisively identified, but a fantastic day with lots of bird life and 1 new species for myself!
--Wilstone Reservoir - 06:00 to 09:30--
In the car on the way to the reservoir we saw starling, woodpigeon, 2 kestrels, blackbird, carrion crow and magpie.
At Wilstone there were great numbers of swallows, house martins and swifts flying around overhead. On the water there were mallards, tufted ducks, mute swans, great crested grebes, coots, Canada geese, many common terns, greylag geese, cormorants (nesting in large numbers in the trees), grey herons, lapwings, pochard, and shoveler.
As we walked round clockwise, we encountered blue tits, great tits, pied wagtail, song thrush (the song was unfamiliar to me and confused us for quite a while before we saw the bird!), chaffinches, many chiffchaffs, countless wrens both seen and heard, robins, a pheasant, long-tailed tits, and reed warblers singing in the reeds just before the woodland (I saw one briefly during the time we spent listening to them). An oystercatcher was alone on the bank near here too.
Further round along the hedge tunnel just before the dry canal, we caught sight of a small bird and heard a very distinctive song - patient following of the bird proved fruitful as we got some brief but good views of it - it was a male whitethroat! The first of that species I've ever seen! After the dry canal along the hedgerows, we encountered another 3 or 4 of the smashing birds, singing away and affording exceptional views - a great treat! A muntjac deer strolled casually across the dry canal footpath!
A single first-summer hobby flew over the hide and perched nicely in a tree behind it. Whilst we watched it, a red kite soared majestically across our field of view and wheeled away.
Finishing the walk back to the car park yielded collared doves and a superb male blackcap, singing away in a brilliant position.
--College Lake - 09:30-14:00--
House sparrows were just outside the Startops Reservoir Car park, as we drove to College Lake. The new visitor centre was superb, and admission was free!
From the Window in the Woods hide, a male blackcap was heard, and a female great spotted woodpecker turned up to feed on the nuts. Upon walking down to the newly built (and excellent) hide on the central spit, we viewed moorhens, black-headed gulls, a gadwall, and 2 redshank popped in for a while. The real excitements were the fledgling lapwing chicks and pair of little ringed plovers which were feeding and guarding their nest. Another pair were visible on a further island!
Walking up and round to the Tump hide provided us with a green woodpecker, 2 stock doves, and skylarks, along with nice views of rabbits and a hare.
Another bird of prey flew briefly across us with some prey in its talons - unfortunately we couldn't identify it properly, but I reckon it was another hobby.
--Incombe Hole - 14:30-16:00--
With the prospect of ring ouzels in mind, we headed swiftly onto Incombe Hole by Ivinghoe Beacon. Unfortunately we saw none of them, but amidst short showers, we did see a yellowhammer and 2 glorius male wheatear that gave excellent views.
After walking down into the valley part to walk back up, we added the much missed goldfinch to the list, and amongst further blackcaps and chiffchaffs, we spotted a jay in the distance, and identified one or two willow warblers singing away and showing quite well. There were further whitethroats around, singing and showing!
Back on the way to the car, a herd of about 8 deer were skulking around in the wooded area, and Dad and I finished the day on a superb pair (male and female together) of blackcaps feeding.
Overall, a superb day, yielding 54 definite species seen. Some may have been overlooked or not decisively identified, but a fantastic day with lots of bird life and 1 new species for myself!
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