A Short Stroll

A quick walk around the patch after work to enjoy a little of the mild conditions that are promised for the next few days. Only one butterfly glimpsed and no dragons but excellent if brief views of a Muntjac were obtained.

Grey Wagtail looking for dinner.

Some Redwings were moving through the site today, I'd also heard at least one on my walk into work this morning. There was almost a feeling of the passing of the baton as a female Blackcap was seen feeding on Dogwood berries, she's likely to be the last this year unless of course she intends wintering. Several tit flocks were checked as they made their noisy way through the area but I couldn't find anything unusual amongst them. A Grey Heron called loudly as it landed at the ponds and a distant Kestrel was watched hunting.

A bath followed by a preen...

Highlight for me was two Grey Wagtails feeding along the stream, one showed very well as it bathed and then preened before taking flight. Another landed a little later, a prominent white mark on the tail revealing it to be a different bird.

...and then back to business.

Doughty Dame Demoiselle's Demise Delayed

An after work visit to Weldon once again in order to check on whether any Banded Demoiselles were still active. I was successful but only just, a relatively brief glimpse of a female was the only sign. She fluttered rather weakly from one part of a nettle patch into another but must have went deep into cover as she effectively disappeared. I hung around for quite a while hoping that some warm spells of sunshine might tempt her out but my cunning plan did not quite pan out. Some warm weather is forecast for the weekend and this might offer one last throw of the Demoiselle dice.

Peacock.

On the pond a female Migrant Hawker was watched through reeds as she oviposited but was too obscured to photograph. A rather cold looking Peacock did hang around long enough for a snap and even opened its wings briefly at one point. Not much else to report though a tit flock moving around the area did contain a couple of Marsh Tits.

I'm Alright Jack

Back to the county and back down to earth with a bump... or so I thought. Things began with a bit of excitement as I enjoyed views of a Sparrowhawk chasing a Great Spotted Woodpecker over the rooftops of Upper Benefield, the woodie survived. A little further on a small group of Tree Sparrows were encountered in their usual spot on the road to Deenethorpe. A flock of twenty five or so Redwings were seen heading westwards, these are the first that I've seen this Autumn, I heard one on Friday morning whilst on my way to work. Continuing on my way I noted a flock of thirteen Golden Plovers in a tight V heading northwards, I was to hear Goldies twice more before the day's birding was over. Good numbers of Lapwings were seen too in much the same area as they were on my last visit.

Well it's not that long until Christmas.

No shortage of Greylags at Deene Lake.

The inflow at Deene Lake was once again nice and muddy and there were two Green Sandpipers feeding. These however where seen forgotten when I picked out a Jack Snipe which was my first  for quite a while. I managed a photo of sorts but the birds were flushed by some unseen menace and the Jack scarpered off into cover. The main body of the lake was covered in Greylag Geese and a selection of the commoner ducks. Now some people can be rather scathing about Cat C wildfowl and I'm not always impressed with a honking great mass of either Canadas or Greylags but other species add a dash of the exotic to what can otherwise be a dull day. Egyptian Geese seem to attract lots of negative comments but I like them, they're rather a striking bird and unless they've been causing harm to local species then I'm happy that they're here. If you don't like Cat C dross then don't read the next bit as Black Swans are not even tickable!  The lone swan that's been resident here for yonks has acquired a partner, I don't know where from though I'm ruling out mail order. Either way another has arrived and I hope for the swan's sake it's of the opposite sex. I've never seen Black Swan cygnets before but I'm more hopeful that may change in the future.

Jack Snipe.

A Peregrine, which was more than likely the cause of the earlier disturbance was seen from the churchyard where Mistle Thrushes were still feeding on Yew berries. I checked some kinglets here but they refused to turn into the hoped for Firecrests. Plenty of Meadow Pipits still around and a number of Skylarks appear to be on the move, Deenethorpe airfield was good for both species. Another notable sighting here was a female Stonechat, could it be the bird from last year returning? A male Kestrel took the days raptor total up to five.

You aint from around here are you?

Bears Lane was alive with birds, a huge tit flock was duly checked but I couldn't find anything rare. Eight Siskins were my first of the Autumn and I had views of a couple more Redwings. This wave of Autumnal goodies was interrupted by the sighting of a Chiffchaff which was my only warbler of the day.

Stonechat.

Not much other wildlife to report, a few Small Coppers, two Fallow Deer near Burn Coppice and also a Hornet lingering menacingly around some Ivy.

Fallow Deer.

A Norfolk Interlude

A bit of county treachery today as my brother and I headed off to Norfolk to meet up with an old birding chum from the days of the Northants YOC group. We arranged to meet at Kelling Water Meadows where a Red-necked Phalarope was putting people in a spin. After a short walk we reached the pool to find the target showing very well indeed. Having taken a few record shots and enjoyed watching the bird at close quarters we moved on.

A good day for Phalaropes, Red-necked and Grey.

Next on the agenda was another Phalarope, this one was of the Grey variety, that was showing from the east bank at Cley. Once again fortune favoured us and the bird showed well meaning a two Phalarope day, not a common occurrence and quite a treat. Both Water Rail and Bearded Tit were heard and several Marsh Harriers seen before we left.

Rubbish picture, good bird. A male Bearded Tit.

Titchwell was the next port of call, the siren call of bacon rolls proving difficult to resist. The car park was even more packed than usual and it took a while to get settled, I wonder how many non birders take up spaces? Having fortified ourselves with the required amount of pig we set off to explore the reserve. A Siskin was heard then seen, the first of the Autumn and then a group of six Bearded Tits were heard pinging and then flying over the path. Further examples showed well and I managed a duff photo which was my first of this species. Several Cetti's Warblers were heard singing and further Marsh Harriers seen.

From the top, Ruff, Curlew, Redshank and Little Stint.

From the first hide a selection of waders were on view, mainly the normal sort of characters but also including two Little Stints and there was also an impressively large flock of Golden Plovers. Continuing on to the beach we were treated to great views of a female Stonechat near the end of the path. The beach itself had good numbers of waders and Brent Geese, amongst the former were Grey Plovers, Bar-tailed Godwits and Turnstones. A look at the sea produced a trio of Common Scoters sharing their space with a Goldeneye and also a Red-throated Diver.

Black and Bar-tailed Godwits.

Returning to the car some news came through from Gypsy Lane, Titchwell village, that suggested a number of goodies had been discovered. We paused long enough to enjoy a look at a Little Owl which is apparently rather a rare event on the reserve before setting off. No sign of any of the reported stuff but excellent views of a Barn Owl more than repaid us for our efforts. With time moving on we bid our farewells and returned home, perhaps a bit of treachery is not so bad after all.

Stonechat.

Dem Again.

Back down to Weldon for a post walk stroll, well the sun was shining and I fancied another look for Bandeds just in case. Heading straight for the favoured spot from Monday I was a little dismayed to see that someone had taken a strimmer to the nettle beds, I'd put my thickest jeans on in case I had to wade through them but clearly they were unnecessary.

Still going strong, male and female Banded Demoiselles.

I got a brief glimpse of a male but it was gone before I could take a picture and no amount of swearing could tempt it back. Luckily for me I then found a female on the opposite bank of the stream to me but she was at least fairly obliging. After a couple of minutes she opened her wings and began to vibrate them, a sign that she was cold? While attempting to get a slightly closer picture I found myself slipping down the bank and doing some involuntary splits. Apart from ripping my jeans in a potentially embarrassing place I disturbed what was likely to have been a second male. He was more accommodating than the first, I managed a few pictures before he fluttered weakly off. Three Banded Demoiselles on the 6th of October, I wish I could extend that date even further into the month but it could be next weekend before I can visit again.

Comma.

A Comma butterfly posed on a bramble, basking in the late afternoon sunshine, and there was an adult Mute Swan on the pond in the company of half a dozen Mallards. I looked for more dragons but could not find any more and so headed off home.

Mute Swan.

A Parting Gift.

A nice autumnal day with some welcome sunshine making a change from yesterday. I spent the day walking on a squishy carpet of newly fallen leaves while others swirled and eddied in the gusts of wind. Plenty of colour around too with most of the trees now turning, hawthorns in particular looking a beautiful fiery orange. Lots of berries, haws and apples waiting for the arrival of our winter thrushes, that is if the locals don't get to them first.

Tufted Duck.

I headed along to Weldon on a quest to find an October Banded Demoiselle hoping that the reasonably mild conditions since my last visit might help. Stopping on the way at the A43 pond I noticed that most of the birds had gone though a young Dabchick and a Tufted Duck were still present. I think the latter seemed too small to have been from this year's first brood so I suspect a second brood hatched unnoticed by me though I haven't visited this site as often this year. A few Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs were seen too with several of the latter bursting into song.

Once I had got to the stream my search began and initial impressions were not promising as I walked along the stretch where they have shown most recently. Checking both the nettle beds and other waterside vegetation produced nothing apart from some Garden Spiders and a few wasps. The last little bit nearest to the weir came up trumps however with a male hunkered down next to the water, a little worn perhaps but then as a last survivor he's entitled to be, a parting gift from a Summer quickly fading into memory. This is my latest ever record of this species which this year has been on the wing (as far as I'm concerned anyway) since May the seventh.

Last man standing, a male or rather THE male Banded Demoiselle.

No other dragons were seen today but two butterflies showed briefly, a Comma and a Red Admiral perhaps delaying their hibernation a little longer while the temperatures hold up. I kind of hoped to get a first Redwing of the season but that will have to wait for another day.

Barnwell Birds

I had wanted to pop over to Weldon and have a look to see whether any Banded Demoiselles were still around but poor conditions made that an unlikely prospect. Plan B in this case was a trip over to Oundle and then to take a walk along the Nene.

View of Ashton Mill from across the river.

Things were very quiet along the river and for much of the time I found myself looking at Mallards, Moorhens and the odd Cormorant. A look around Ashton Mill and its surroundings did at least turn up a first Cetti's Warbler for what feels like months but highlights were few and far between. Around the marina the family party of Egyptian Geese were still present and a small party of Swallows passed over, I'd already picked out a few Meadow Pipits. Several singing Chiffchaffs may have been migrants or were perhaps birds looking to winter in the area.

Egyptian Goose doing a spot of maintenance.

Barnwell CP was busy with parents and dog walkers and I spent much of my time here sitting in Lowlands Hide from where a selection of passerines were seen around the feeders. This is a good spot for photographing Nuthatches and they did not let me down with at least two coming down to feed. A single Marsh Tit made a fleeting visit, too fast for photography though a procession of Great and Blue Tits were more accommodating. At least half a dozen Chaffinches were feeding on the ground, most appeared to have the foot condition that seems to affect this species. I don't know how detrimental this is to the long term health of an infected bird but they seemed to be able to behave normally.

A selection of images taken from Lowlands Hide, Barnwell.

The Mandarins were still in their usual spot but once again were well tucked away, a minimum of three were present but there could have been more hiding away. For the first time in ages Kingfishers proved to be difficult to find with only a single bird being heard.

Chaffinch showing the condition that affects their feet.

Not much other wildlife on view today with just a Small White and a Migrant Hawker to report.