PENDULINE TIT TO END THE YEAR

When I ticked off the tree sparrow at Welney last week, I didn't expect to add any more species to my year list.  However, whilst away in Cambridgeshire, a female Penduline tit was found at a tiny nature reserve at Plock Court,  north of Gloucester, where it has remained for the past ten days. 

Having a free Saturday at my disposal, I thought I could probably visit this Gloucester reserve, and then carry on to Slimbridge to the see the huge numbers of wildfowl now there. 

There were quite a few cars in the reserve car park, and a group of birders/photographers confirmed to me that the penduline tit was still there. I donned wellies as the field was waterlogged and made my way over to the small reed bed where another group of photographers was gathered. The bird was pointed out to me, and could be seen clearly through the bullrushes, which were providing a sumptuous feast for this little bird. 

A walk across some waterlogged ground to the small pond where the penduline tit could be seen clinging to the reed heads. 

It remained visible for about 10 minutes but then flew down into the bottom of the reeds and didn't appear again while I was there. However, I was sure with a bit of patience it would be seen again later although I felt I had seen  enough to be able to leave and head for my next destination , Slimbridge WWT.

Although cloudy and a little breezy, it was mild and eventually the sun shone through a little bit at this WWT centre.  From all the hides, numerous wildfowl could be seen; thousands of birds taking advantage of the flooded fields. These included wigeon, lapwing, curlew, dunlin, teal, redshank, Bewick swan, greylag goose, canada goose, ruff, teal, shelduck, snipe, golden plover, blacktailed godwit. 

view from the hides

the lovely Bewick Swans

Pintail

snipe

MIST AND MURK AT WELNEY

Not the  best weather for a winter trip to Welney WWT but it was the only day we had free during my trip to Cambridgeshire this week. However the prospect of a tasty lunch in the restaurant was too good to miss and we drove through the mist to the Welney. On our arrival at the car park we could hear the swans loud honking, evidence that we would at least hear if not see the swans during our visit. In fact, although it was still quite dull, it was possible to make out most of the species we could expect to see, through binoculars. 

We spent a little time in the heated observatory where, apart from the Whooper swans in abundance, we could also see greylag and canada geese, and a selection of ducks including mallard, tufted, pochard, teal, pintail, wigeon, shelduck and shoverler. 

Waders included black tailed godwit, lapwing, dunlin, snipe and curlew, whilst on the bird feeders we spotted house and tree sparrows as well as goldfinches. 

We ended the morning with a tasty lunch from the Christmas menu. A successful morning as both my sister and I were able to add a final species to our list for the year.  

house and tree sparrow

pochard

whooper swans

FROSTY MORNING AT SLIMBRIDGE

I made a pre-Christmas visit to Slimbridge this morning, with high hopes of having some good views of at least one water rail which had been showing well from the Willow hide in recent days. With ice amongst the reeds, it has been forced out in the open to feed. 

I wasn't disappointed, for on entering the hide,  which is more of a shelter than a hide, the water rail was initially feeding along the edge of the reeds, but then ventured out into the open on the ice. It was visible for at least ten minutes, allowing me opportunities for plenty of photos. 

The willow hide is also a good viewpoint for the bird feeders which were busy with bluetits, great tits, dunnocks, robins, goldfinches, chaffinches and blackbirds. There were also a couple of bullfinches in the hedges nearby, and a brown rat and a short tailed vole also looking for food. 

This morning gave the largest count of Bewick swans so far this winter, with in excess of 70 I believe. These were amongst a variety of ducks and geese seen from the Rushy hide, where one could also see greylags, tufted ducks, pochard, teal, pintail, mallard, shelduck and mute swans. 

pintails

Bewick swans

The next hide along also was a good place to see teal , and a buzzard on a fence post.

 It was just a short visit this morning, and I didn't get round all the hides, but I look forward to returning in January when the Bewick swan numbers are due to peak prior to migration. 

SNOW!

I had somewhat of a surprise when I woke up on Sunday morning to find over three inches of snow had fallen overnight! It continued to snow lightly all day and by the end of the day the snow was 4 1/2 inches  deep.

With the snow still lying several inches deep, the birds have been making good use of my new feeding station whilst a fieldfare visited the orchard area where some apples were still poking through the snow.

house sparrow

wood pigeon

fieldfare

After a day off work on Monday  due to the road conditions,this mroning, we had a later start to the school day (10am) so with brilliant sunshine and blue skies I stopped in a couple of gateways to get some photos of some obliging pheasants which made a splash of colour in the white snow. En route I also noticed the bright pink of some bullfinches in the hedgerows but with icy roads it wasn't prudent to stop for photos even if they had remained! 

FROSTY MORNING AT OTMOOR

It's been a while since I've written on this blog, but family matters have taken priority (new grandchild!). A cold but clear morning for my drive over to RSPB Otmoor where there was still frost in the patches not yet reached by the sun.

A fieldfare was in the hedge as I walked along the main track towards the bridleway. A glance at the feeders revealed goldfinch, chaffinch, blue tit and great tits. 

I made my way towards the wetland hide, where there were good views of linnet flocks, chaffinches, reed buntings and blue and great tits. Yellow hammers and bramblings are sometimes seen but I didn't see any today. 

reed bunting

linnet

 Next I walked the 500m to the first screen, on the way  I caught sight of a snipe flying, having been disturbed by a red kite. From the screen which overlooks an area of water, there were gadwalls, mallards, teals and shovelers. Also some snipe, a cormorant, moorhen, coot  and grey heron. 

female shoveler

male shoveler

snipe

 On my return to the carpark there were more red kites and a hovering kestrel. Stopping again at the feeders I saw male and female pheasants and a greater spotted woodpecker. 

Also an interestingly but effectively disguised birder!

With more sunshine forecast next week, hopefully I shall be able to get out and about again.