OUT FOR A DUCK AT THE END OF THE YEAR

Having not succeeded in adding a scaup to my 2021 year list, I decided to try and rectify that on the final day of the year by visiting Farmoor Reservoir where a scaup has been present for a couple of weeks.   After a wet mornng, the forecast was for a   little sun at around 1pm so I drove over to Farmoor Reservoir

. It was quite blustery to start with but as I crossed the reservoir, the sun appeared from behind the clouds and the wind seemed to drop a little. I watched the great northern diver which has been there for a while now,  as it worked its way across the reservoir, diving for crayfish, and submerging for around 45 seconds each time. 

At the far end were groups of tufted ducks,  thankfully not too far from the shore,  and it was here I started scanning for the female scaup with its white flash around the bill. With the sun out, I soon found it,  as the white showed up well.  Hopefully both species will remain for a few more days so that I can put on them on my 2022 list too! 

BRAMBLING FEST BUT NO OWLS

 Today I drove over into the Cotswolds where I'd read about large numbers of bramblings and other finches feeding on a farm track. I wasn't exactly sure where to g- , the reports described a 'gate on a bend' so I used my OS map together with Google maps to check out some possible locations.  I eventually found the place I was looking for; there was space for a car to pull up in front of the gate, and I could see many birds on the ground feeding where a farmer had evidently been leaving seed for them.  With the weather being rather dull and the finches being very flighty with any movement I was only able to get a few photos through my front windscreen, with the bars of the gate making viewing difficult.  I will endeavour to come back when I have a little more time and the weather is brighter.

I then went on to a location where most years it is possible to see both short eared and barn owls quartering an area of rough grassland. With nothing to be seen, I walked over to the occupants of the only other car present.  I was told that the owls hadn't yet been seen this year, which was rather disappointing, but they did tell me that the area I'd seen the bramblings was a popular one for birders as the farmer puts out seed every year. Something to remember!  

Poor quality photos but shows the numbers of bramblings

GREAT NORTHERN DIVER

 

I paid a short visit to Farmoor Reservoir this afternoon on a rather overcast  day. The purpose of my visit was to see a juvenile great northern diver which had recently been reported there and was giving very good views. It wasn't my first sighting of this year as only a week or so ago there had been one on the Cotswold water parks which I'd been to see, though that one was more distant. 

I wasn't sure where it would be, so thought I'd wait until I met someone who looked like a birder and ask, but, in fact, as I started out along the causeway, I looked over to my right and there it was, probably about 30 m out from the shore!  I could easily have missed it as it was diving frequently and for long enough to not realise it was there. 

I continued walking and stopped to enquire from a group of three birders, whether they had seen the scaup which had been there for a week or more but it seemed as if no one had had seen it. I had intended to come before  but it looks as if I've dipped that one this year. 

However, as I walked further along, I did spot a cormorant struggling with a rather large fish... which he eventually discarded I think. 

WATER RAIL AND WHITEFRONTS

 

Today was probably my last visit of the year to Slimbridge WWT, unless something mega interesting turns up in the final two weeks of the year. 

Rain was forecast for the afternoon, so I planned to get there soon after opening time, to make the most of the dry, although overcast, weather.

My main interest today was to find a water rail and some white fronted geese, as I missed both of these at the beginning of the year, due to lockdown. 

I started, as I always do, by looking in at the Rushy Hide. This was probably the busiest place of all today, with quite a few of the Bewick's swans still present after their morning feed. Many pintails and shelducks were also to be seen, as well as shovelers, mallard, tufted ducks and pochards. A lone avocet could also be seen feeding towards the back of the ponds. 

A visit to the Willow hide provided me with the first of my target birds; a water rail was already picking up seed from  the bird feeding areas and stayed around for a while. I stayed to watch though it  would probably be around for much of the day intermittently. There were also several teal present. 

Many of the other hides were relatively quiet, so I made my way to the other end of the reserve, hoping to find some geese. From the kingfisher hide only a few Canada geese were to be seen, although there was a large flock of golden plover flying around overhead. There have been some brent geese present recently but these were not currently visible. Someone kindly enquired if I'd seen the whitefronts, which I hadn't, so I was pleased when they told me that they could be seen from the neighbouring hide, which I had passed by, but by looking back over the reserve rather than out to the estuary.  I soon found them along with some greylags, so that was my second tick of the day. 

With plenty to do back home, I decided to end my visit slightly earlier than usual and head home.

A busy Rushy Pen

Smart pintails

Bewick's swan

water rail

white fronted geese

SNOW BUNTING AT CLEEVE HILL

 

This afternoon I had originally planned to go over to Blenheim  to see if I could spot some bramblings amongst the finch flocks that had been reported there. However, I  thought I'd just check the Glos birds twitter sightings before I left 'just in case' and was drawn to a report that a snow bunting was still at Cleeve Hill near Cheltenham where it had been for a few days and it gave a precise location. These birds, which breed mainly in Scandinavia,  are usually found near the coasts of the UK during the winter so it would be a  great opportunity  to see one nearer to home especially as  I've never seen a snow bunting before.  I knew where Cleeve Hill was  so I swiftly changed my plans especially as  I know that they can be very confiding and often feed in the open which would make it easier to find and might provide some  good photo opportunities. 

I drove the 40 minute journey to Cleeve Hill and parked in the carpark which is right next to the hill. I was unsure exactly where to find  the 'dew pond' so was relieved to find it marked on a map of the reserve at the entrance gate. It was only a 100 yards or so  away so I  headed in that direction I thought it meant. I noticed a couple of people ahead who had stopped for a chat, and thought Id check the exact location with them when I caught up with them. But  I didn't need to.. they were standing at the edge of a fence surrounding a pond, and there was the snow bunting feeding on the grass a few yards in front of them!! 

One of the people, who was walking her dog, soon left, and it was just me and the other person, who was also there for the snow bunting. 

The snow bunting was feeding on the grass quite happily for a while, before it flew up onto a fence post  then onto the barbed wire.  There was ample time to watch and take photos, as it  moved to various positions on different posts, wires, and the ground, never being more than a few metres away. We soon realised that some seeds had been left out for it, which was perhaps why it felt no need to go elsewhere. The weather had been gloriously sunny all day, but after watching the bird for an hour or so, it had started to become a little chillier and I made my way back to the car. It hadn't been much of a walk today but it was great to see such a beautiful little bird  at close quarters and I felt quite satisfied with my afternoon's outing! 

Dew pond at Cleeve Hill. 

FARMOOR

 It was very still and peaceful at Farmoor this afternoon. 

I walked the length of the causeway where there were good numbers of coots on the water with great crested grebes amongst them. There was a little egret preening on one of the rafts at the far end, with several little grebes in that area too .Sadly, the great northern diver reported over the weekend had gone and I couldn't see the female scaup among the tufted ducks that I saw. 

 I made my way down to the Shrike Meadow hide but that was quiet apart from some  tits on the feeders so I then went on to the  Pinkhill Meadow hide. The feeders were busy here, including a reed bunting but my hopes of seeing a water rail feeding beneath them did not materialise. 

Walking back over the causeway, I thought the silhouetted birds and boats against the late afternoon sky made some nice photos. 

IT'S AUTUMN

 The autumn colours are beautiful at the moment and I have been out on several occasions this week enjoying the exceptionally mild temperatures.

On Thursday I had a stroll around the lake at Coate Water, whilst the following day I joined the local U3A birders group walk at Lydiard Park.  

Today, however, I went over to Slimbridge hoping to see some of the newly arrived Bewick swans. So far there have been 10 arrivals and my first point of call at the Rushy Hide allowed me to see a few of them. There were a good range of birds on the ponds here including pintails and a lone avocet. Further along the walkway I spent some time watching some redwings feeding on berries and some fieldfares higher in the tree tops. I also saw a chiffchaff along the edge of the reeds; not where I was expecting to find it, I have to admit. 

There were a range of geese to be seen from the estuary tower, including, greylags, canada geese, barnacle geese, a Ross's goose, and a hybrid bar headed. Despite scanning the greylags I couldn't spot the white fronted geese though. 

I heard the water rail calling from near the willow hide but it didn't appear; something to look forward to on a future visit hopefully. 

autumn at Coate water

black swan and mute swan at Coate

Lydiard house

Canada geese heading for the lake at Lydiard Park

Newly arrived Bewick swans at Slimbridge

fieldfare

chiffchaff

redwing

long tailed tit

Hybrid goose amongst Barnacle flock

Bewick cygnet

pintail

Bewick swan