Weird Wigeon

 Another wet and windy one this morning so I donned the waterproofs before heading out. At first I wasn't sure whether to have a look at the Welland Valley or go and check on the floods at Oundle. After some deliberation I decided on the latter course of action and so ended up taking a bus from the Old Village.

Dabchick, Moorhen and Treecreeper

My travels took me to Barnwell CP first which was fairly quiet for a Sunday, I'm guessing that the weather may have kept a lot of people in. There was nothing too interesting about with just the usual park stalwarts such as Marsh Tits on view. Having hung around for a bit taking some pictures I then moved on to the flooded area near Lower Barnwell Lock. Recent rainfall has expanded the flooded area by quite a bit and the site now looks fairly promising. Plenty of Lapwings were finding things very much to their liking with as many as a hundred here. Wigeon were even commoner with twice that number of birds present and they included a striking leucistic bird amongst their ranks. I saw a similar looking bird at Lady Fen in Cambs and wonder whether it's the same bird? That particular Wigeon was sharing the area with five Glossy Ibises but sadly this one did not have such illustrious company. Other ducks on the floods included lots of Teal and smaller quantities of Mallard, Shoveller and Gadwall.

Leucisitic Wigeon.

Having left the floods I headed back into town where I whiled away the minutes before my bus arrived by enjoying a pint in the Rose and Crown - I knew there was a reason for choosing Oundle!

Aftermath

 There was a sunny start to proceedings this morning though this promising beginning was not destined to last too long before heavy rain moved in during the late morning and early afternoon. Alan Shorrock and I took a trip over to Eyebrook reservoir where we enjoyed an OK spell before things took a turn for the wet.

Yellowhammer and Redpoll

We heard what sounded like good numbers of Tree Sparrows in the hedge near Alecs Lane, a few ventured out to the feeders which were also attracting finches and Yellowhammers. From here we saw five Brown Hares running around and indulging in a spot of boxing, they were too far for photographs but good to watch all the same. We moved along the western side checking through the ducks for any signs of the Ring-necked or for any Scaup but did not have any luck. A distant Great White Egret on the opposite shore eventually moved to our side before it was moved on by a Grey Heron. Away from the water four Redpolls were noted feeding in a roadside birch though the light conditions by this stage were getting poor. Back on the water an eventual total of three Smews were found with one being a fine looking drake. Not much else was seen other than a pair of Pintails in addition to the more usual ducks. Leaving the res behind we moved on to look for a reported Little Owl close by but the arrival of some heavy rain brought our birding to a close.

Great White Egret and Smews

Eunice's Wild Embrace

Don't worry, I'm not taking the blog into the tawdry realms of romantic fiction I'm just name checking the latest winter storm to crash against British shores. Northants is going to avoid the worst of the effects but the winds still have more than enough force to do some damage. My new shift pattern means that I get every second Friday off and so not wanting to waste it I braved the less than ideal conditions to take the short walk over to the area near the the STW.

Goldfinch

One thing the wind has done is to halt the architectural efforts of the noisy Magpies next door and I do wonder how many other nests will suffer in the gales, species such as Grey Herons may have to do some serious repair work over the coming days. Although some places may receive a visit from storm driven waifs and strays I wasn't expecting to see any divers or seabirds on my travels though I suspect other observers may benefit from the storm's ill effects. Several Teal had returned to the ponds and I could hear their whistling calls. Bird song was not surprisingly rather muted with just those diehards such as Robins and Great Tits in voice. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was my first here for a while whereas a Grey Wagtail and several Redwings were more regular fare. Weather conditions were by this point now deteriorating and so I abandoned my efforts and headed off for a long lunch in the local pub. 

Brief Burst Of Sun

 I hadn't planned to venture out before work this morning but the blue skies and sunshine were just too inviting to ignore. With time limited I chose the usual option of the area near the STW where nothing out of the ordinary was found.

Dunnock and Great Tit

Clearly the sunshine was having an effect on those birds that were present as there was quite a lot of birdsong. Dunnocks and Great Tits in particular were vocal and there was the usual contribution to the chorus from Robins, Wrens, Song Thrushes and Blue Tits.  A piping Bullfinch was a new addition to the soundtrack and no doubt other species will start soon. An over flying Grey Wagtail was the only bird of note and was my second of the day following one in the village. Three species of mammal were seen and none were native with Rabbit, Grey Squirrel and Muntjac making up the list. Grey skies and a threat of rain rolled in and that was my cue to leave.

Red Kite

Wet And Windy Willowbrook

 Just a short one this morning as I wanted to avoid the forecast rain that was due to arrive sometime before midday. What I couldn't avoid was a strong westerly breeze which seemed to appeal to gulls and kites but little else.

Siskins

A brief stop at the STW failed to produce anything and so I continued my walk to Weldon. I had a look at the A43 pond where the wildfowl were much as they were before. Quite a large flock of Siskins were coming down to drink while a Grey Wagtail flew over. From here I made my way to Willowbrook Industrial Estate which due to a lack of cover was receiving quite a battering from the wind. Despite the unpleasantness of the conditions Skylarks were still rising into the grey skies to pour out their songs. Small numbers of Meadow Pipits were present on site while the flock of Yellowhammers has grown to about forty birds. Not much else to report birdwise aside from several flocks of Starlings moving in a westerly direction. Three Brown Hares looked incongruous as they moved around the cleared area next to the Morrison's warehouse. I suppose they had been moved on from the nearby playing fields at the CBA where I often see them feeding. Sadly hares love the same sort of brown field sites that developers prize and this species suffers more then most from the destructive efforts of the builders. By now the rain had just begun and I set off for home seeing another flock of Siskins on the edge of the steelworks as I passed by.

Brown Hare.

Beanz Meanz er Welney

 Nine Tundra Bean Geese have been making the WWT reserve at Welney their home recently and that was the magnet that drew my brother David and I there this morning. Some pleasant sunshine helped to offset the chilling effect of the strong breeze and improved viewing conditions too.

Tundra Bean Geese

The Beans showed well if a little distantly from the main observatory and the views through the scopes were good. As I wanted to attempt a few record shots I moved from the main building with its glass windows to a hide next door. Sadly the geese spent almost the entire time sleeping so did not present much of a spectacle but I kept a beady eye on them just in case they decided to do something more active. My fixation on the snoozing geese cost me several decent birds as not only did I miss a fly by Cattle Egret but also a White-tailed Eagle doing likewise! My brother who had stayed in the main building saw both but to his credit did not gloat about it, not so sure I could have shown the same restraint! Other good stuff on the reserve included Pintail, Whooper Swan and Marsh Harrier while the best of the other wildlife was a Muntjac.

Welney wildfowl

On the way home we popped into Eldernell which preserved its reputation for being one of the windiest places on earth. We braved the gale to scan the area but did not see much, I presume most of the birds were sheltering somewhere more hospitable. It was not a waste of time however as a single Short-eared Owl was found roosting in amongst a pile of branches. Not wishing to stay out in the wind we packed up the gear before retreating into the car and heading home.

Muntjac and Short-eared Owl.

Dartford Double Take

 I'm due to start a new job tomorrow and so put my last day of freedom to good use before getting back to the old grindstone. Beautiful weather this morning eventually gave way to some greyer but still dry stuff a little later on. It was a game of two halves with the birding too with this morning being spent at Barnwell CP and the afternoon at Duston for another peek at the Dartford Warbler.

Nene sunrise and Dabchick

Barnwell CP did not produce anything other than the usual sort of stuff, there were no Kingfishers or Otters on parade. A singing Cetti's Warbler was probably the highlight though I appreciated good views of birds such as Marsh Tit and Great Spotted Woodpecker too. Small numbers of Siskin were present as well as a few Redwings hunting for worms on the mown areas of grass.

Great Spotted Woodpecker, Marsh Tit and Redwing

Checking the church did not result in any Peregrine sighting, in fairness I'm not sure if one has been present this winter. Encouraging signs of the approaching spring were visible however as both crocus and Winter Aconite flowers were in bloom. While looking at a patch of the aconites I noticed a couple of Drone and one Marmalade Fly nectaring on the blooms. Both species of hoverfly hibernate as adults so hopefully they can go back to sleep when the weather takes a turn for the worst.

Marmalade Fly and Drone Fly on Winter Aconite

My brother fancied a look at Northampton's celebrity visitor so I joined him for an after work (for him) excursion over to Duston. A group of birders and photographers were already in place and it wasn't long before we managed to see  the Dartford Warbler. Keeping company once again with the pair of Stonechats we had distant but fairly good views. Unlike on Sunday I did manage a few record shots of this county scarcity though they're not going to win any awards!

Dartford Warbler (and Stonechat)

Warbling

 After yesterday's long distance efforts I decided to stay more local this morning once I'd realised that the weather wasn't going to be quite as dreadful as first impressions suggested. So it was that Alan Shorrock and I headed over to Duston in Northampton where a Dartford Warbler has taken up at least temporary residence in weedy fields near the canal. Sunshine and showers were the order of the day accompanied by a strong and gusty wind.

Stonechat and Song Thrush

We parked in the Sixfields Reservoir car park where a passing birder told us that a brief look at the warbler site had failed to produce any sightings though he did stress that he hadn't spent much time there. Before we set off however we watched a Chiffchaff or two feeding in vegetation next to the stream.  Moving on to the rarer warbler on today's menu we crossed the river and canal and then began to scan the field from where the bird had last been reported. I picked out the pair of Stonechats which the Dartford has been associating with, they were quite distant and keeping low. When the male flew up on to a loftier perch Alan found the warbler close by, we got a decent though short view before it dropped down into cover. Over the next half an hour or so we were treated to several more brief views of the Dartford as it moved between cover, no chance of taking a pic but great to see nonetheless. Having dipped on a previous one at East Carlton it was good to add this one to my county list.

                                                             Goosanders and Redpoll

The arrival of a squally shower persuaded us to return to the car where Alan enjoyed a spot of lunch. I scanned the nearby reservoir and found a pair of distant Goosanders, there was not much else of interest on the water. After this I went back to the car from where I began trying to take pictures of at least three Chiffchaffs feeding in the bushes next to the watery channel nearby. I didn't realise at the time but one of the birds appears to have been a Siberian tristis type. Its washed out plumage lacking in any yellow tones contrasted with that of its more ordinary neighbours, I just wish that I'd spent more time watching them through the bins as I don't see this subspecies very often. Alan noticed a couple of Redpolls dropping down to feed on some Rosebay Willowherb seeds and we spent a bit more time watching them before heading off back to Corby.

Two "normal" Chiffchaffs and a tristis type.

By Royal Disappointment

 Never mind Lancashire hotpot it was more a case of Lancashire notspot when my brother David and I made an ill starred attempt to see the wintering Belted Kingfisher at Roach Bridge near Preston. To add insult to injury it was as drippy as it was dippy as the northwest lived up to its reputation by delivering a day of rain and wall to wall grey.

Greenland White-fronted Goose

Having managed to park at the second attempt we were met by the news that the star turn had not performed so far. Undaunted we continued up a trail where the glutinous mud had the colour and consistency of something that might have dropped out off a sick animal's arse! We reached the recommended viewing spot and took up station for our unsuccessful vigil enduring a very quiet wait. Conceding defeat we headed back towards the road from where we continued our search. Two ordinary but still attractive Kingfishers brightened up the gloomy surroundings as they sped past but we still couldn't find their more exotic cousin. In the end we gave up and moved on to nearby Brockholes nature reserve which has hosted the Belted on several occasions.

Russian White-fronts (with friends)

Brockholes supplied us with expensive food but no kingfisher, the only things of note were a Green Sandpiper, several Snipe and a flock of Dunlin. A check of RBA revealed that a flock of White-fronted Geese were within about ten miles of us so in a desperate attempt to retrieve something from the day we headed in their direction. The geese turned out to be far more obliging than some birds I could mention and we got some half decent views. True to the reports we saw eighteen Russian and one immature Greenland White-front grazing in a field with a selection of Canadas, Greylags and even a Swan Goose! It wasn't easy to pick out the bird as the bill colours of all looked rather similar but we did find it eventually, it was only the third time that I've seen this subspecies. With rain continuing to put a dampener on proceedings we abandoned plans to head to Martin Mere and cam home instead.

Greenfinches

 Due to other commitments I could only manage a short stroll this afternoon and so went no further than the area near the STW. It was another blustery day though one with plenty of sunshine and not too cold for the time of year. Although I didn't see anything too exciting it's always interesting to see how much the birdlife can change in even a short space of time.

Greenfinches

No Siskins today though Redpolls passed over on two occasions and were probably the best birds. An indication of how quiet the site was came when a male Sparrowhawk flashed through without even causing a murmur of alarm. Other raptors noted included the almost regular Buzzards and Red Kites both of which will no doubt benefit from the myxomatosis affecting the local rabbits. Nothing much else to report other than a glimpse of a Munjac before it darted into cover. This bread and butter stuff is all very well  but it would be nice to get a bit of jam now and again!

Blustery

 Another prework stroll this morning saw me making the short trip to the area near the STW. Blustery conditions seemed to suit the local kites and corvids though other species were hunkered down to some degree. Once again it was far from being one of my most interesting days but I still enjoyed it for the most part though it was not without a hint of sadness.

Greenfinches and Cormorant

A Kestrel caused a little tremor of alarm as it made a low pass over the area, a small flock of Redwings being among the ranks of the worried. Typically brief views of a Kingfisher were obtained as it shot off down the stream while a high flying Cormorant was quite a good record for the site. Siskins were once again present in the general area and were one of five species of finch encountered. On my way out of the place I came across a Rabbit suffering from myxomatosis, it was horrible to see the wretched creature almost blinded by its condition and sitting in the middle of the path. It may well have been more humane had I ended its suffering but I just don't have it in me. Instead I ushered it into cover where it might stand a better chance of survival even if just for the short term. Leaving on such a sad note would not have been great though my spirits were lifted somewhat by a flyover Grey Wagtail.

Grey Squirrel and unfortunate Rabbit

On a different note at work this afternoon I was a little surprised to see a bat hunting around the warehouse. A sure reflection of the mild conditions we've been experiencing of late perhaps.