GREAT NORTHERN DIVER AT FARMOOR

A juvenile great northern diver has been at Farmoor reservoir for several weeks now, but I have been unsuccessful in finding it - until today. It was rather overcast and a bit chilly but the wind had died down so I drove over to the reservoir with the aim of walking round the larger of the two reservoirs where it has usually been seen.  On arrival I spoke to someone who said they had not seen it despite being at the reservoir for the past two hours or so and had already walked around F2. Nevertheless I felt sure it must be there somewhere, as it had been recorded most days. It has a tendency to dive for  quite a while so it is possible to overlook it as you walk past. It takes about an hour to get round the reservoir but the visibility is quite good across the water especially if fairly calm which it was today.  About two thirds of the way round, having scanned for anything that might be interesting,   I noticed a lone shape right out in the centre of the reservoir and on checking through  my binoculars realised that it was in fact the Great Northern diver.  Occasionally it dived and I realised how easy it would be to miss if you were not constantly scanning the water. 

Other birds seen were cormorants, shelduck ( an unusual sighting on the reservoir) tufted ducks and mallard. There were no waders apart from a single oyster catcher which again is quite unusual. I also saw several great crested and little grebes. 

BIG GARDEN BIRDWATCH 2024

Just for the record these are the results of my Garden Birdwatch. Time 8.15 - 9.15. a.m. which is earlier than I would normally do ( I was going out for the day)  so the light wasn't that good. I recorded the usual  species of birds for my garden, though most were just perched in bushes and trees, and only a few came down to the feeders. Obviously too early for breakfast! 

Blue tit   2

Great tit 1

Blackbird 2

Wood pigeon 6

Goldfinch 3

House sparrow 6

Dunnock 1

Robin 1

Chaffinch 1

Greenfinch 3

Starling 2

FINALLY A WAXWING AT RODBOROUGH COMMON

 After dipping the  Rodborough Common waxwings yesterday, I decided to return that way home after my visit to Slimbridge, and call in at the common for another attempt. I found a space amongst the densely packed carparks then made my way to an area where they had previously been seen.  There were a good number of birders there, waiting hopefully but to no avail. Then word got round that there was a single waxwing showing well in a  tree a few hundred yards away so most people decided to head in that direction, including me.  The sole waxwing turned out to be perched in the centre of a tree which had ivy growing in the centre. It was only just possible to see it between the many twigs. After watching it for a while the bird suddenly took off and flew toward another tree and here it perched in full view, right up at the top. where it remained for about ten minutes.  Then just as suddenly it took off again, flew over our heads and dropped down into a puddle for a few seconds before returning to the original  tree where again it was partly hidden by branches. 

I decided I would have to make do with the one sighting, and walked back to the car. Driving past the three car parks  you can imagine my frustration when a group of waxwings dropped down in the road ahead to get a drink, before flying off into some bushes on the opposite side of the road watched by a number of birders.  Oh well! 

initial view of waxwing

slightly better!

SLIMBRIDGE

A sunny day for my Friday day off, gave me another chance to go to Slimbridge WWT. The view of waders on the Tack Piece was spectacular - over 2000 golden plovers plus many lapwing, bewick swans, some ruff, redshanks, curlews and a variety of ducks and geese. Every so often, they would be spooked and rise at once into the air circling and whirling until they felt it safe to return to the ground. It always amazes me, that  although they rise in a mass, somehow they recombine into groups of the same species, flying at different altitudes. 

I had hoped to add water rail to my year list today, but it didn't show this morning. I did however, see goldfinches redpolls and siskin in the alders. A new for the year bird was an oyster catcher on the South Lake, 

DIPPER

I finally found an opportunity to visit Rodborough Common, just outside Stroud where a substantial flock of waxwings has been recorded over the week ( 32+ birds) and I hoped to see them. However, on arrival it appeared that although they had been seen earlier, they had been very 'flighty' and had flown off and no one yet had re-located them. I explored the common for about an hour, along with several other birders, but sadly didn't find them. 

I therefore decided to pop into Stroud and walk along the river bank of the River Frome which is a nature reserve and  is home to dippers. I've been there most years, with varying success, sometimes seeing just one dipper for a few minutes, at other times a fleeting glimpse as one flies past. 

Today I had only gone half way along the path when I spotted the white 'bib' of a dipper on the opposite bank. The bird was doing its customary bobbing up and down standing against the river bank where it was only just discernible. I stopped and it seemed not to see me for it remained there for a good number of minutes, occasionally dipping its beak into the water to retrieve an insect or two. I crouched down for a better view, but then moved to gain my balance and when  I  looked up it was gone! I wasn't sure which direction it had flown but thought I'd continue along in the same direction as before and a little further along, I came across the dipper again.  During the next three quarters of an hour, I caught up with the dipper four or five times, each occasion being able to watch it as it searched for food. Sometimes, it would just dip its head in the water, at other times paddle or 'bathe' , and occasionally dive completely under water for a few seconds before coming up out again. 

dipper is on the branches in the river

FROSTY FOREST BUT BEAUTIFUL BIRDS

 I spent most of today in the Forest of Dean, visiting the usual sites in and around Parkend. It was cold  again so I needed my 5 layers but the frost had hardened the ground making it easier to walk on than on soft mud in some places.

I drew a blank with hawfinches at Crown Lane, Parkend,  but it was rather late in the morning and  the little lane was busy with pedestrians and cars. In between though, using my car as a 'hide', I saw greenfinches, chaffinches, nuthatch and coal tits all frequently coming down to feed on the ground under the yews, 

At Nagshead rspb I walked up to the raised Campbell hide, stopping amongst the holly bushes to see if any firecrests might be about but saw none. The hide was empty but from it I had some nice views of various small birds pecking around the edge of the pond, and a coal tit and nuthatch fed upside down close to the hide windows. I did catch a ten-second glimpse of a redpoll on a branch but it flew off before I could get my camera poised and it didn't return. 

Next stop was Cannop Ponds where I can usually be assured of finding mandarin ducks. The water was frozen to a great extent so I walked along the path around the lake, until I found a few mandarins nestled under some reeds and branches. I walked back across the ornamental bridge and then found a pair out in the open, but it wasn't long before they grew wary and flew off. 

My last visit was for a walk at Woorgreen Nature reserve. I was looking for crossbills, siskins or redpolls but didn't see or hear any. However, I did hear and see a couple of ravens flying across the heath.. 

By now the light was beginning to fade as clouds appeared so I decided to call it a day. Hopefully I'll be back to see the summer migrants i.e. flycatchers and redstarts which are regular visitors to Nagshead. 

view from hide at Nagshead rspb

WINTER AT COATE WATER

 My original intention was to head for Rodborough Common  straight after work to see some waxwings but when I  reached Cirencester  I found the road to Stroud was closed. A diversion was in place but didn't show on my google maps, so not knowing how long the diversion would be , and with limited time, I decided to head back and continue on the A419 then turn off for Coate Water.

It was still pretty chilly so I was glad of the extra layers I'd put on, but otherwise the winter sunshine contributed to a very pleasant afternoon's walk around the largely frozen lake. 

I took the anti-clockwise route, passing the resident  black swan amongst scores of ducks and geese as I did so, then followed the path through the trees, along the roadside and then back into the woodland until I reached a clearing. This is a good spot for watching the woodland bird species, as there are a couple of feeders plus a large log which provides a good photographic point. There were already various small birds around, and I put some peanuts and seeds on the log. They soon attracted a variety of birds - blue tits, great tits, dunnock, robin, magpie, nuthatch and, to my delight, a couple of jays.  I stood close to a tree to try to break up my profile, but was only about ten feet away from the log where the birds were coming in to feed. I have often seen jays in the woodland around the area but never seen them come in close for food before. 

 Continuing along the path, I veered off into the woodland for a short stretch where the path runs parallel to the original one, but is less frequented by walkers and dogs. I re-joined the lake path  and crossed the bridge where I stopped for a while. The lake was frozen in the centre so birds were congregating nearer the edge, including a couple of female goosanders. They came quite close to the edge of the water but then retreated to where the ice started, one of them deciding to rest on the ice . A young heron flew past and landed on the path  further around the lake, whilst on the opposite side I spotted a distant great white egret in the bushes below the heronry.