Boxing Day Waxwings

Despite the alcohol intake of Christmas Day, the sun shining through my bedroom window in the morning was enough encouragement to get me out and about. Heading firstly to Droitwich in search of waxwings, I initially thought I was in luck, when 2 birds landed in a tree outside the Land Rover dealership. Dammit, redwings. After giving it all of 5 mins, I decided to try my luck down at Upton Warren, as some had been seen near the Sailing Club too.

Enroute, I spotted a kestrel perched on a wire fence, and a couple of slightly dodgy car-turns later, I was parked up, taking shots. It spotted something, and launched down into the long grass... to scoff a worm. A light breakfast, perhaps?

On to Upton Warren, and I was greeted with the sight of a good number of folk, with cameras and scopes aimed at the garden centre. Spotting Stuart, I wandered over for a chat, to catch up on what was going on. 20+ waxwings. Excellent.

After a few minutes, the flock returned, and being as impatient as usual, I went for a closer view. I wasn't alone; Mark Hancox was sat in his car - wise move, it was bl**dy freezing. Stuart joined us, though he managed to get an invite into Mark's car! Then, as before with the lone bird I watched in Derby (Feb), the waxwings did a circular route, disappearing occasionally, only to return and perch in the taller trees. Was worth getting frozen for though, as they descended into the trees right next to me, on several occasions, providing great views and allowing for some good shots, against a blue sky too. A rarity these days!

Tempted to go again tomorrow, though the garden centre will be open, so it might be more difficult to get a decent shot...

Tis the season to be hungover...

Friday saw the first of the Christmas work parties, which meant Saturday's birding would always be an effort. Coupled with the deluge, it turned into a day to make a fence, buy a Crimbo tree, stock up on bird seed, and nurse a hangover!

Sunday promised to be a brighter day, and I had planned to try to see SEOs again, but as usual, the clouds gathered, and the plan was ditched in favour of a more local trip to Upton Warren. Maybe I'd get lucky with one of the bitterns again.

Hmm... perhaps not. No sign of them, though there had been earlier on the Moors, with 2 flying around. In fact, it was one of those days when it seemed nothing would turn up. Moving to the West Hide, at least I was able to see some birds, if not get any decent pics. In the surrounding trees were masses of siskins, and although the feeders were somewhat flooded, there were the usual tits and finches buzzing around, and I managed a shot of a song thrush, a bird which seems to know how to avoid me mostly.

Highlight of the day was an attack by a peregrine (resulting in some woeful shots from me), zipping back and forth, but alas to no avail, and it left empty-talonned. A bit like me, apart from the talons, though I probably ought to cut my nails...

Christmas party number 2 arrives on this Friday, up in Manchester. Haven't decided if I'll take my camera with me, as it's not a million miles away from some interesting spots. Be a late decision me thinks. There's always Sunday...

And there's always the garden, though the resident robins are now coming so close to me, I can't get a shot. Might have to dig out the kit lens, or even macro at this rate.

Operation Owl

I was supposed to be constructing a fence to prevent a neighbour’s dog from getting into my back garden at the weekend, but the weather forecast was simply too good, at this limited time of year, to waste on something that can be done in the rain. So, it was time to kick off Operation Owl.

Owls are one of my favourite types of bird – most birds of prey are, but finding them isn’t that easy. That said, by the power of the internet, and a few very helpful friends (tips hat to Kay and Ian), I had managed to draw up a plan of operation to see some.

Saturday morning, I set off to Staffordshire, to a place near Dudley called Himley Hall. Some fantastic scenery there and one to note for the autumn to get some seasonal shots, but also, more importantly the home to a Tawny Owl. Thanks to Kay’s information I eventually tracked down the location, and spotted the fluffy thing peering out. Fantastic.

Whilst stood there, one of the locals out walking his dog, mentioned a peregrine over on the tower nearby, so one very muddy walk later, I was trying to get shots of this other wonderful bird… only to see it take flight, disturbed by exiting workers below. Bah!

The woods at the Hall are certainly worth another visit. Aside from the owl, there were masses of nuthatches, coal, long-tailed, blue and great tits, robins, chaff, gold, and bullfinches, woodpeckers and I even spotted a siskin amongst the hedgerows.

After a couple of very pleasant hours, the alarm sounded, and part 2 of Operation Owl, had to commence. Over to Northants. Not the easiest place to find, but thanks to Ian’s directions, I arrived early, to find he was already there! What a cracking place too.

Amongst the hedgerows were fieldfares, redwings and yellowhammers, plus occasionally a kestrel would wing by. Unfortunately, the day took a bit of downturn when some game shooters turned up, and started to beat the field. This did however, mean we got an early view of a Short Eared Owl, disturbed by these muppets, it flew across the fields and up over our heads. What amazing looking birds these are. Such distinctive markings on their face, and bigger than I had imagined.

The next hour or so was spent trying to see the owls, yes more than one appeared, as they hunted around the countryside, though mainly and rather annoyingly, against the sun. As the light faded, a screech behind me alerted me to a new arrival, and the 3rd Owl of the day. A Barn Owl. Too far for pics, alas, but a welcome sight anyway.

Day One of Operation Owl was a definite success. On to Day Two.

Sunday morning was again bright and sunny, and after much consideration, I opted to put the operation on hold for a while, and hunt for the Hen Harrier down in South Worcestershire instead. A very pleasant drive through the Vale Of Evesham, reminded me that there are some cracking areas of countryside to explore there, which I have taken for granted, usually as I flew past in the Scooby.

Unfortunately, the Hen Harrier proved elusive, and to be honest, I was wanting more owl action, so after 30 mins or so, and going on the advice of a local, I headed further south still, to continue Operation Owl, down near the River Severn, just shy of Bristol.

Along the stretch of riverside scrubland, were skylarks, stonechats and a few pipits, and not a lot else. Through my bins I could see various ducks on the river, and I was treated to some flybys from buzzards, oystercatchers and a little egret. The main show, however kicked off late afternoon, when a fisherman disturbed a Short Eared Owl, and it took flight. Ghosting along the edge of the river, it soon dropped down out of sight, but not for long, and was joined by several more. At one point, we counted 5 of them, flying around, sometimes chasing one another, before rapidly changing direction, and dropping to the ground after prey. What a superb area, and with the backdrop of the river, albeit somewhat misty, it made for some good pictures.

As the light began to fade, and the air temperature dropped, I spotted a kestrel sat in a nearby tree, so took advantage of that, in the reddish evening light. A last look back at 2 of the owls, both perched on branches of driftwood, gave a perfect end to a cracking weekend of owl hunting. Operation Owl was a success. Now I can’t wait to see some more.

Fieldfares and Redwings

After getting up early, I was informed that the flight my brother was coming back to the UK on from Canada, had been delayed, so suddenly I found myself over at the Flashes on a sunny morning. The sun shines on the hedges around the feeder hide in the morning, so I headed that way. On the sailing pool was a kingfisher, which zipped off when it saw me, and over the field at the back, a kestrel hovered.

From the hide, I could see the usual blue and great tits, but I could also hear the calls of fieldfare. It took about an hour for them to arrive, but when they did, it was in force! Seemed to be hundreds of them, along with redwings, scoffing down the berries in the trees. Needless to say, I took my opportunity and a bag full of shots. Lovely to see their colours in the sunshine.

In addition to these winter visitors, there was the local gs woodie, and a few bullfinches, though only the female came close enough for a shot.

Over at the Moors, I couldn’t locate either of the bitterns, but whilst driving down to the car park, I spotted something scuttling along the ground. A red legged partridge.

Not seen one of those since one legged it along the road in front of my car down at the Chilterns. Amusing looking birds, and they can certainly shift! Let’s hope it stays local... maybe I can get a shot of it in a pear tree, for Christmas!

Divers

An embarrassing gap in my collection, considering the fact that these birds often winter near me, was divers. So hearing that some had arrived at Draycote was good news, though Kay reminded me that one has been at Chasewater for weeks. Oops.

Anyway, blasting over to Draycote is always a hoot, with the good roads that way, and even better when I spotted a buzzard sat in a roadside tree. For once, when I turned back, parked and started taking pics, it didn’t fly away! Well, not immediately...

At the reservoir, it didn’t take long to spot one of the divers, a great northern diver, right in by the sailing club, and I was soon filling the memory card up. Walking along the bank, I also managed to locate the red necked grebe, and got some pics of that too, though they weren’t as good as my previous efforts on another bird back in January.

Back to the diver, I discovered that another one had joined it, and I managed to get some shots of them having a squabble, and then meeting up with a shag.
So the gallery has been updated, and there’s one less embarrassing gap in it! And I also managed to get pics of a little grebe and a carrion crow.

Day off

Having booked a day off work to prepare the house and garden for Saturday’s firework night party, I was hoping for a rainy day, but the weather tempted me away from my chores, and over to Upton Warren instead.

At the feeder hide at the Flashes, I bumped into Stuart again, who was still grinning ear-to-ear with his new 100-400mm lens, and we set about photographing whatever came into view, the highlights being a female sparrowhawk, a wren, a great spotted woodpecker and a few lesser redpoll. We also saw a bittern fly by, and drop down into the Hen Pool.



Over at the Moors, the car park was almost full, though most were in the East Hide viewing. I aimed for the West Hide, and from there saw another gs woodie, and more surprisingly, a tree sparrow. Alas it took off before I could swap my bins for my camera.

A quick view of the North Moors before leaving, provided some entertainment as a cormorant spooked a heron by fishing beneath its legs under the water, causing a few feathers to fly!

2 Bitterns

Despite it being technically warmer today than earlier this week (snow, in October!) it didn’t feel it, and the walk to the hide at Upton Warren was a chilly affair. Still, I got a warm reception as my ‘tog friends Ian and Ken were sat inside, hoping for luck with the bittern.

Within moments, Ian spotted it flying from right to left, towards the car park end, and we watched it crash down into the reeds. Then, rather surprisingly, a second one headed that way too. So there are 2 bitterns on the reserve! Splendid.

The kingfisher made the odd appearance, but not much else was around, unfortunately. Until, that is, I spotted the pair of bitterns chasing each other. Up and over the road, and down into the North Moors pool. Chancing it, I decided to jog (yes, me jogging – a daft sight!) down to the other pool, to try my luck down there.

Moments after getting there, one of the bitterns headed across the water, and into the reeds opposite the hide, and vanished in the blink of an eye. Try as I might, I couldn’t see it, and was about to give up when out of the corner of my eye, I spotted something against the reeds in the other corner. Yep, the other one had come out to play, and sat on some reeds, stretching its neck, and looking around.

Joined by another birder, we both observed the bittern, glancing occasionally across to see if the other had come out, and I took a few shots. Alas, I made the mistake of looking at the camera, to check the images, and when I returned my attention to the bird, it had vanished.

Let’s hope I can get to see one of them when the sun is out – would be nice to see the colours in a good light. Fingers crossed...