Saturday 12 January

Haven’t been over today but a stubble field on Moat House Lane held 2 Brambling, 150 Chaffinch, 50 Fieldfare, 30 Redwing, 50 Starling, 2 Fieldfare and 30 Yellowhammer.

No Tree Sparrow though!

Thursday 10th January

Had the afternoon off work and took a walk around. It was grey, dark, foggy with little wind. The two Great Northern Divers and now well into their third month and look very settled. There were over 100 Pochard and two Gadwall present. There were two other birds there (but if I told you I would have to kill you).

Passerines were thin on the ground I did encounter a flock of Siskin/Redpoll that flew overhead but i didn’t catch up with them.

Sunday 6th January

Had a good search around this morning with the Captain in rather poor viewing conditions. The highlight of the day was a female Peregrine. Wildfowl numbers are down on last month by about 50% but there were nine Wigeon.

The Alders by the railway/small pool held a mixed flock of around 150 Lesser Redpoll and Siskin the largest mixed flock I have had for years on site.

Oh, and the two Great Northern Diver are still present – I nearly forgot them!

Friday 4th January

The two Great Northern Diver area still present today and seemed well settled and are now in their third month. Goosander are roosting with between 20 and 30 bird most evenings and early mornings. But it is a little quiet at the moment regarding other wildfowl.

Locally I saw two different Long-tailed Ducks yesterday at Lea Marston viewable from the bridge, there is also a female Scaup.

2012 – That was the Year that Was

A very brief resume of the year past, not a classic by any means with just 117 species seen plus White Wagtail. There was I believe just one new species added – Grasshopper Warbler.

January
Wildfowl in general were down in numbers there wasn’t much coverage in all honesty but on the 6th a wintering Chiffchaff (PF) was found, whilst the 19th held a Yellow-legged Gull (SC).

February
A possible Firecrest was reported but never pinned down with (SC) finding Smew and Med Gull during the month.

March

A bit more activity with the first Sand Martin on the 17th. A pair of displaying Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (PF) on the 11th. Goldeneye on the 19th, four Shelduck 22nd, and a male Scaup (SH) on the 26th with a Red Kite (SH) on the 28th.

April

The 1st saw the first Swallow and Blackcap, 2nd saw Wheatear, the 3rd LRP and four Reed Bunting. The 7th Common Sandpiper. Whist the best bird of the year so far on the 9th was a Scandanavian Rock Pipit. A White Wagtail followed on the 13th with House Martin and Whitethroat the next day. A Little Gull on the 18th (KW) was joined by Arctic Tern (SH & BD) and a Peregrine. The first Cuckoo was on the 24th with Arctic/Common/Black Tern plus Little Gull, Swift, Marsh Tit, Redshank & Oystercatcher on the 25th. There was a Yellow Wagtail and the reservoirs first Grasshopper Warbler on the 27th (PF & KW).

Scandanavian Rock Pipit – Dave Hutton.

May

It was very quiet with a Black-necked Grebe (PF) on the 7th and three Little Egret (PF) on the 10th.

July

The 2nd saw a Little Gull (SH) with a Common Scoter on the 14th.

Common Scoter – Bob Duckhouse

August/September

Very quiet with a Lesser Whitethroat and another Med Gull the highlights.

October

A Red-breasted Merganser on the 26th was followed by my first Slavonian Grebe (PF) for the Reservoir was joined briefly by a Knot (SC).

Slavonian Grebe – Pete Forbes

November

A Gt Northern Diver on the 26th was augmented with another bird the following day. A Smew briefly on the 27th was joined for a few days by another Common Scoter (PH).

Great Northern Diver – Dave Hutton (Thanks)

December

The two Gt Northern Diver where present all month joined on the 26th by a feral Barnacle Goose a flock of around 80 Yellowhammer were adjacent to the main road and Redpoll were seen with the Siskin flock towards the end of the year.

Wednesday 2 January

Reality bite hard today and it was back to work. However, it wasn’t all bad and I added another species to my year list. I walked the dog into Shustoke this evening and saw and heard a Little Owl, the first one I have come across in a while.

Roll on the weekend.

New Years Day

Up before dawn and at Shustoke with the Captain just as the sun peeped over the horizon. The two Gt Northern Diver were still there and around a dozen Goosander. But it was the first day of the year and it was time to move on after ten minutes.

Next stop Lea Marston. Quick scan and the Long-tailed Duck was picked up distantly. Back in the car this time to the Wishaw area. We picked up Green Woodpecker on route and we were into a rich vein of form. We moved slowly down Blindpit Lane scanning for Grey Partridge when we put up a female MERLIN that was sitting in the field by the side of the road. It didn’t hang around and headed south in the general direction of the canal. We looped round and parked by the church and were we had Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Coal Tit, Redwing and Fieldfare.

Next stop was the Hams Hall outflow which is always good for Chiffchaff. We had at least four birds, plus Bullfinch, Goldcrest and Long-tailed Tit. We had a quick coffee and headed towards Ladywalk. As we drove back over the river we stopped and picked up a Green Sandpiper.

At Ladywalk with time running short (Baggies on the TV) we missed Willow and Marsh Tit but picked up a number of year ticks ie: Shelduck, Wigeon, Shoveler, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Greenfinch and Redpoll.

As we made our way back to the car park a text informed us that there was a Firecrest at the outflow. So it was a short diversion there and almost immediately the bird appeared give good if distant views.

Just time for a quick stop on Hollyland where we added Yellowhammer and Red-legged Partridge. We scanned through nearly 100 Chaffinchs but no sign of any Brambling or Tree Sparrow. All in all a good day out (68 species) – certainly better than the football!

Next time I will stay birding.