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Monday 30 November 2015

A Blustery Evening

A quick trip to Coate Water this evening to see if anything had blown in. In fact it looked as if most of the wildfowl had left. I only managed the dam area, by the diving board, but looking across the water, there was very little about.

A very quiet Coate Water as the gale force winds swept across the water.

One of 4 Great Crested Grebes around the diving board.

And another.....

and another................

A cob Mute Swan with two juveniles either side.

A pair of Tufted Duck. There was also a female tagging along and out in the deeper water, there were 10 more.
The Aylesbury Ducks. I'm sure I came across two pairs and a very large white feral-type Mallard.

4 Cormorants drying their wings out in the rain!!!!

A 1st winter Black-headed Gull

Just a few inches from the lens, this feral Pigeon was very interested in my camera.

A Grey Wagtail on the Diving Board platform

Species Recorded: 4 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Cormorant, 8 Mute Swans, Canada Goose, 13 Mallard, 13 Tufted Duck, Moorhen, Coot, 70+ Black-headed Gull, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, 1 Grey Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, 3 Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Chaffinch, Siskin and Goldfinch.

Thursday 26 November 2015

What Dull Day

Well it started off sunny and then when I popped into Liden Lagoon it just got duller and duller. Main highlights were the 33 Gadwall (the most I've seen here before was 24 on the 18 Oct 15),  36 Tufted Duck and a Shoveler. That's a lot of ducks.

There were a few Black-headed Gulls about, just over 50 and there were a mix of 9 adult and 1st winter Herring Gulls, plus a couple of Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

The resident Mute Swans and their 3 juveniles

A pair of Gadwall

A female Gadwall

A drake Gadwall

Two drake Gadwall

Shoveler

Shoveler

Shoveler

Grey Heron

Grey Squirrel

Birds Recorded: Grey Heron, 5 Mute Swan, 8 Canada Goose, Mallard, 33 Gadwall (18 drakes), 1 Shoveler, 36 Tufted Duck, Moorhen, Coot, 50+ Black-headed Gull, 9 Herring Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, 4 Collared Dove, 2 Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Goldcrest, 30+ Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, 2 Siskin, Goldfinch, Chaffinch and Greenfinch.

Mammals: 5 Grey Squirrels

Monday 23 November 2015

Shaftesbury Lake

After a frosty start the temperature finally rose to around 6°C, which has to be one of the coldest days this Autumn. At least the sun was out, and having not visited Shaftesbury Avenue for quite sometime, I thought I might take the dogs for a walk there, to see what was about. So the first stop was Nythe Pool, then along Dorcan Brook up to Shaftesbury Lake and then doubling back to Nythe Pool.

It was extremely quiet around the pool, just a couple of Blackbirds and a Wren, so it was off up the path alongside the brook. There were a pair of Moorhens under the footbridge, not usually where they're found and as I peered down on them they headed downstream towards the pool. In the tall Ash trees there were several Magpies, Carrion Crows and Wood Pigeons, and unfortunately not much else, however the 6 Redwing that flew west was good to see.

The Lake was in sight and the first thing I noticed were the number of Mute Swans, 8 in total and all tolerating each other!! Early days yet, and then it will be a case of the fittest and strongest pair to take control of the lake. Also making their presence felt were 123+ Canada Geese which were split up into 3 groups, with a small gaggle of 12 birds, making driving conditions hazardous for motorists on Eldene Drive, as they wandered aimlessly over the road to the grass embankment on the other side.

The waterfowl was very disappointing, with just Mallard, Canada Geese and Swans. There were no Pochard, Gadwall, Tufted Duck or Goosanders. There were a good number of Coot and Moorhen, but that was it, apart from a Grey Heron on the north island. Even the Black-headed Gulls were less than you would normally find here and the lone Lesser Black-backed Gull that flew in, stayed for approximately 20 seconds before heading off.

So it was back down the path towards Nythe Pool and at long last something of interest, as 2 Chiffchaffs began calling from the brambles. One of the two was a bit more obliging, and was feeding and calling from about 20 metres away. Unfortunately it was either looking the other way or was hiding behind the branches to allow me a decent photograph of it.

It seemed my return trip was a lot better with lots of Long-tailed Tits, Goldcrests, Blue Tits and Great Tits foraging in the brambles all along the brook. A pair of Siskins overhead and deep into the woods a pair of Bullfinch were calling to each other. So after an hour long walk it was 29 species, which wasn't bad, but it does look as if a colder spell is needed to get a few more ducks on the lake.

A few images from the walk

Nythe Pool

A female Blackbird

Shaftesbury Lake

Grey Heron

Grey Heron

An adult Black-headed Gull in winter plumage

The obligatory Robin

A shy Chiffchaff

And again

And still hidden by a twig!!

A very calm and placid Grey Squirrel posing for me from about 12 fee

Birds Recorded: Grey Heron, 8 Mute Swans, 123+ Canada Goose, Mallard, Moorhen, Coot, Black-headed Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 6 Redwing, 2 Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, 12+ Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, 4 Siskin, Goldfinch and 2 Bullfinch.

Mammals: 2 Grey Squirrels