Monday Mandarins Back On The Menu

 I went all retro today as I boarded an X4 packed with annoying school brats and headed over to Oundle, in a previous job I used to have Mondays off and often used to visit Barnwell when it was much quieter than on the weekends. Like many of the teenage kids I spent a lot of my time dodging showers while also enjoying the frequent sunny spells which were interspersed with them.

Mandarins

The park was as quiet as I hoped it would be and I met very few others as I strolled around. Mandarin numbers seem to be on the rise and over ten were present including the regular pair near Kingfisher Hide. I didn't manage to see or hear any Kingfishers today either here or along the Nene. Whilst wandering in the direction of Lowlands Hide a familiar croaking call drew my attention to a Raven which was my first ever at the park. Another Barnwell first soon followed as I caught a glimpse of the Water Rail that has taken up station here for the last few weeks. There are many good pictures of this bird online and I'll have to pop back and try and get a few shots of my own. Other birds noted from this hide included several Nuthatches and some flyover Siskins. Having enjoyed a chat with a chap that was photographing the wildlife I then moved on towards the river.

Nuthatch and Reed Bunting

My riverside stroll did not produce much in the way of interesting wildlife but was pleasant enough. I stopped to scope the floods near the A605 where a large flock of Black-headed Gulls had dropped in. A single Great White Egret was hunting in the shallows and there was a Little Egret too. Duck numbers seem a little down on recent visits but there are still reasonable numbers of Wigeon and Shovellers present as well as a few Gadwalls and Teal. From here I wandered back into town where a look around the churchyard failed to produce any of the hoped for Spring butterflies. My next action was to catch the bus home which was thankfully much quieter than it had been on the outward journey.

Great Tit, Chaffinch and GWE

Having A Gander At Snettisham

 Regular birding pal Shozzer and I were joined by Phil Rogers this morning when we journeyed over to North Norfolk. Phil has just returned from Texel where he successfully twitched the Spectacled Eider and saw a host of other good birds. Clearly he hadn't quite had his fill of wildfowl as our principal target was the flock of Lesser White-fronted Geese which have made the Snettisham area their home for the last few weeks. They're not truly wild birds as they belong to the Swedish introduction scheme that's trying to save this rare species from extinction. Wild Lessers traditionally migrated to south east Europe but these birds have been conditioned to winter in western Europe where conditions are judged to be more favourable. This gaggle and another smaller one in Warham have attracted quite a lot of attention from birders keen to see what is one of the continent's rarest species.

Lesser White-fronted Geese

These not so wild geese did not require much of a chase as we found them after a short stroll from the RSPB reserve car park. A total of twenty four were noted feeding in the company of three White-fronted Geese which allowed for close comparison. The Lessers showed the distinctive yellow eye ring which helps to identify this species and were also visibly smaller (I guess the clue is in the name!) In addition the white front is slightly broader and the forehead steeper while the bill is shorter. Unlike Phil I have not seen wild Lesser White-fronts before and it was good to catch up with the results of what is shaping up to be a conservation success story. We left the geese to continue with their grazing and headed towards Old Hunstanton.

It was pretty busy on the beach with plenty of children and mutts being walked, it was clear the cloudy skies and threat of rain had not put many people off. Despite this throng we did manage to catch up with the five Shore Larks which have been wintering here and managed to get some decent views of them. They were spooked at one point by some approaching walkers though they landed a little way along the strandline. As we approached them they took flight once again though this time they flew off along the beach and were not seen again. As the public toilets were closed we were forced to use the ones in the Mariner pub - honest! We did the decent thing and gave the pub some custom with lunch and a pint judged to be the best way to bring our visit to a close.

What A Dick!

 Lee Evans can be quite a divisive figure in British birding circles but even his most ardent detractors couldn't really question his birding skills. His discovery of a Richard's Pipit at Bury Field, Newport Pagnell last week certainly proved fairly popular and had more than a few birders heading in that direction. They included some from Northamptonshire in their number and Alan Shorrock and I decided to join their ranks this morning. Sadly this meant that our original plan to see the Pitsford Great Northern Diver was once again shelved, we may yet get to see it again before it does leave - hopefully!

Richard's Pipit

Today's weather was pretty decent, mild with good amounts of sunshine, which meant that Bury Field was fairly busy when we got there. With lots of people taking part in Park Run and a veritable pack of pooches running about I feared that the pipit might be a weekday only bird. An initial sighting this morning was not followed up and the field played host to quite a few worried looking birders wandering about. After a worrying period of time a cry went up that the bird was showing and Shozzer and I hurried  to the spot as fast as our creaking bones would allow. With the fear of dipping now removed it was a happy group of birders that enjoyed distant though still good views of this rare visitor. I managed a few record shots and had plenty of views of the star turn before it took off and flew over the nearby hedge. This was Al's first sighting of this species and my first this millennium so both of us were more than chuffed with our morning's efforts.

Cogenhoe Geese

On the way back we stopped at Cogenhoe for a look at the goose flock near the mill. The seven reported White-fronts were picked out fairly easily but finding the Pink-footed proved to be more of a challenge. Eventually we did find it and managed some reasonable views before the entire flock were spooked by something and flew from the field next to the mill towards the one adjacent to the lock. The gaggle showed well from the lock and treated us to some very good views. In addition to the geese we also saw several Ring-necked Parakeets, a Grey Wagtail and a pair of Ravens. Having enjoyed such a good day it was only natural that we pop into Earls Barton's Saxon Tavern for a celebratory beer.

Goose trio.

Forgettable

 It was an X4 sort of day today and I boarded my regular steed in order to reach Lower Benefield. From here I took the now familiar route to Deenethorpe before moving on to Deene and then returning to Weldon by way of the airfield. The weather was a distinct improvement on yesterday's offerings with little in the way of rain to report and even some very welcome spells of sunshine to warm the heart.

Egyptian Goose

It would be easy though perhaps a little harsh to say that I saw nothing on my walk and it would also be untrue. There was actually plenty of bird activity but it was of the common or garden sort and there was little to stir the soul. A pair of Egyptian Geese in a field next to the A43 at Deenethorpe and a pair of Ravens over the airfield were the best that the day had to offer, a far cry from last week's excitements! On the plus side a disappointing day could easily have become a disastrous one as my binocular strap broke as I was making my way back into Weldon. Happily I was able to grab the bins before they hit the floor, I'm hoping I might use them to see some more interesting stuff  next weekend - here's hoping!

Glossy Leaves It Late

As you may have noticed today's weather was on the wrong side of dreadful with way too much rain for my liking. For that reason Alan Shorrock and I chose not to visit the Pitsford diver as originally planned and instead opted for Summer Leys where the hides offered some protection from the elements.  The birding was steady rather than spectacular but it's always nicer to be out rather than stay at home watching Saturday Kitchen on the Ned Kelly.

Green Woodpecker and Oystercatcher

We began at Rotary Hide where a small number of ducks were noted but not much else. Pioneer didn't offer much more though I did get my first Oystercatcher of the year, better views were achieved from Paul Britten Hide. A Green Woodpecker gave some excellent views as it fed busily  on the grass between the hide and the main lake, I saw it or another from the Screen. Plenty of Great White Egrets were moving around the reserve but I didn't see any Littles. Perhaps as many as a hundred Golden Plovers were seen from Paul Britten Hide, the flock seemed to swell in numbers as the morning progressed. When the birds were spooked by a passing raptor a flock of at least thirty Snipe took flight before settling out of sight in vegetation next to the main lake. On the walk between the double decker and the screen we picked out a first winter Yellow-legged Gull near Gull Island though it didn't hang around for too long.

Shoveller and GWE

As dank morning slipped into dull afternoon we popped into the Screen Hide but failed to see any sign of the long staying Glossy Ibis. Some compensation for this was provided by a small flock of Shovellers which gave excellent views. Our search for the Glossy then took us as far as the old railway track  but our luck did not improve and we decided to retrace our steps. Shozzer opted to head back to the car for a bite to eat while I returned to the screen. I don't know how good Al's grub was but my views of the Glossy Ibis were not bad at all though the bird did the dirty on Alan as it flew off before he could get to the hide. We loitered for a while hoping that it might return but eventually had to give up, a pint in the Coach and Horses helped to ease any lingering sense of disappointment.

Glossy Ibis

Blatherwycke Kicks Butt!

 This year I've adopted Blatherwycke Lake as one of my regular birding haunts and I'm trying to visit there at least once a fortnight. This morning despite having enjoyed a boozy catch up with an ex work mate last night I managed to crawl out of bed and blag a lift from my eldest step son. The skies were an all too familiar and depressing shade of grey and the wind had a distinctly cool edge to it but I was well wrapped up and didn't suffer too much on my wander around the area.

Kingfisher and Cattle Egret

I began at the gateway on the King's Cliffe side of the bund where a Kingfisher was a nice way to kick things off. Although I didn't manage to see any Mandarins a fly through drake Goosander made up for their absence. On the Blatherwycke side of the bund I found the Cattle Egret on the south shore hanging around with a quartet of Mute Swans, it was distant but I was able to get a few grainy record shots. The long staying immature female Scaup initially played hard to get but eventually I found her feeding with a small group of Tufted Ducks. I managed to get a few half decent pictures of her before I wandered off towards the village.

The long staying Scaup

It's getting closer to Valentine's Day and it looked to me as if the lake's population of Egyptian Geese were turning their thoughts towards matters of the heart. One very vocal gander was driving off several other males that were getting far too close for comfort to his mate, at least six birds were present. From the bridge in the village I paused long enough to watch a Black Swan driving a Mute Swan away from its stretch of the Willowbrook. Moving on to the churchyard and I looked to see if I could relocate the Goosander as they often feed on rivers and larger brooks. I totally failed in this endeavour and instead had to settle for a drake Red-breasted Merganser instead! My initial views were brief and for a long time I only had one rubbishy record shot as he often disappeared out of view. Eventually I saw him swimming down the brook towards the village and so decided to return to the bridge in the hope of getting better views.

Egyptian Goose and Black Swan

My instincts were proven to be right and I had exceptionally good views of the bird as it fed in the brook very close to the bridge. Naturally I took way too many photos of this stunning looking visitor and paused only long enough to update the Northants WhatsApp group on the sighting. I've never had better views of this species anywhere in the UK so it was great to get them in my home county. My lift was due to pick me up soon after and I left the bird to entertain any following birders that  may have arrived afterwards.

R-b M, initial record shot and other views.

Third Time Lucky

 A grotty day weather wise with plenty of grey clouds and the occasional drop of rain to dampen any enthusiasm for outdoor endeavours unless of course that is you happen to be a birder! Alan Shorrock and I ignored the unpromising conditions and decided to roll the dice and try for a third attempt to see an uncommon goose this year. Previous efforts so far had met with failure but that didn't put us off, our target this morning being once again the Cogenhoe White-front.

White-fronted Goose

Ring-necked Parakeets were calling  from nearby trees as we left the car and made our way towards the lock, a Great White Egret was noted flying along the river. There was a distinct lack of geese in the general area between the lock and the river though we did notice a few geese grazing in a nearby field. To the soundtrack of a singing Cetti's Warbler we retraced our steps as far as the mill and then set off along the Nene Way. Within metres of starting our walk we noticed a large flock of Greylags grazing in the field. At this point the Duke Of Fluke paid me a call and the first bird that I saw once I'd set up my scope was the White-front! Having put Alan on to it we enjoyed some good views through the scope though it was not for the first time that distance and poor light hampered my photographic attempts. We had no luck finding the Pink-footed Goose that has sometimes been seen here and so decided to move on to pastures new.

Marsh Harrier

The next destination of choice was Titchmarsh LNR where Nick Parker had found a stunning looking drake Ring-necked Duck during the week. Our efforts to see this bird sadly drew a blank though our slog through the riverside morass did not go without some reward. While sitting in the Heronry Lake hide Alan picked out a cream-crowned Marsh Harrier which entertained us for several minutes before moving on. Having left the hide we made our way back to the car without seeing too much of interest on the way, three or four Great White Egrets being the highlight. A pint in the Dukes at Woodford was as good a way as any to conclude our day.

Sunlit Stroll

 I was out swigging and gigging in Raunds last night so was pleasantly surprised when I woke up as bright and breezy as the morning that awaited me. Today's travels took me to Oundle where I had a pleasant though fairly unproductive walk around Barnwell CP and along the river Nene. Some bright winter sunshine lifted my mood and the absence of anything out of the ordinary did not detract from my enjoyment of the morning.

Nuthatch, Mallard, Mandarin and Robin

At Barnwell there were at least three Mandarins including the pair at their regular spot near to Kingfisher Hide. Passerines on show included Nuthatch but overall it was quiet, several egrets feeding in a field briefly raised hopes but turned out to be Littles and not the hoped for Cattles.  I left the park and headed off along the Nene where a large number of fishermen were hunched over their rods between the road and Lower Barnwell Lock. Nothing of note appeared during my riverside wander and the A605 floods produced just the usual collection of dabbling ducks. Heading back towards the town I stopped to enjoy the spectacle of about ten Red Kites wheeling around a garden on the outskirts of Oundle. A Buzzard joined them briefly but soon moved on and I followed its example. The sunshine prompted me to end my day by checking the churchyard for any early butterflies but I didn't manage to see anything other than a friendly cat.

Kite, Buzzard, Fieldfares, Winter Aconite and pipe smoking cat!

It Might Be Feb But It Wasn't Fab

 I was a bit limited for time today so chose to do a local jaunt as far as Deene by way of Lower Benefield. It was a rather grey and somewhat drab affair but it did stay dry and wasn't too cold. The birding did not supply much excitement and it was down to two waders to provide the highlights, one perhaps a tad unseasonal and the other unpredictable.

Stock Dove, Little Egret and Treecreeper

My walk from Benefield took me along the minor road towards Denethorpe and there was a variety of farmland birds on view including one Skylark which ignored the gloomy conditions to ascend skywards and pour forth it's cascade of notes. While passing along the eastern end of the airfield I heard a Curlew call as it passed overhead, this is my second in the county so far this year which is not bad for a species that I don't always see in Northants annually. Before I reached Deenethorpe I took a diversion across the fields towards Deene Lake.

Shelduck, Fieldfare and Snipe

There were no Stonechats at their usual spot and I couldn't see any Hawfinches in the churchyard. On the lake numbers of wildfowl were down on my previous visit though Shelducks bucked the trend with fourteen on show. An Egyptian Goose was the only hint of variety amongst the feeding Greylags and Canada Geese. At the inflow there was a single Snipe and a small flock of Lapwings though it was a Woodcock that I flushed as I was looking for Green Sandpipers that provided the highlight. My walk home took me through Deenethorpe and across the airfield but I didn't add much to my list and finished my day with a pint in the George.

Great Spotted Woodpecker and Brown Hare