Orgreave Lakes

Another Saturday meant another day of deciding where exactly to go. Since it was a housemates 21st in the evening I decided to stay local so as to keep fresh. Orgreave was the chosen spot, and well chosen it was too. Not long after I arrived I added Stock Dove to the yearlist and this pair or a few pairs spend the rest of the walk flying around.

-Stock Dove

The real bonus of the day was not one but two patch ticks. The first was a superb male Yellowhammer. I picked it up flying towards me as only a silloutheut. The call I recognised but could not put my finger on it, but it was clearly a large finch or bunting. It then landed in a tree where I got superb views of it but the camera was in the bag and by the time I had got it out the bird had dropped so my best shots are through grass.

-Yellowhammer

The second yeartick of the day was a day roosting Tawny Owl. I picked up the brown mass in the tree but it was badly obscurred. I figured it must be a bird and narrowed it down to female pheasant or an owl of some description. As I got closer, though still obscurred, I could make out half the face disc of a Tawny Owl, patch and year tick. Sadly, despite the fact I was still fairly distant, it decided I was too close and dropped into the bushes where I never saw it again...

Still, another cracking day out on the patch.

Species List:

Orgreave Lakes: Goldfinch, Skylark, Wren, Blackbird, Dunnock, Magpie, Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon, Collard Dove, House Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, Cormorant, Mallard, Linnet, Lapwing, Tufted Duck, Carrion Crow, Common Teal, Stock Dove, Yellowhammer, Meadow Pipit, Pochard, Coot, Redshank, Gadwall, Goosander, Mute Swan, Wigeon, Sparrowhawk, Robin, Reed Bunting, Chaffinch, Tawny Owl, Long-tailed Tit, Herring Gull,

Filey Twitching Surf Scoter

I was occupied the whole weekend with church to put my new scope through its paces, but with Mondays off I was able to have a little twitch to see what it could do. My options were either the long staying black scoter at Berwick (Which would also include long-tailed duck) or the recently found Surf Scoter which was a new find but was showing very well. I eventually decided on the latter at 10.00 the night before.

So the usual pattern of trains, out of Sheffield at 5.30 before arriving in Filey at 9.30 and then arriving on site itself at around 10.00ish. I quickly got out the scope and scanned the brig for birders, there were none. I then scanned the bay, and saw nothing. I should add at this point that it was absolutely teeming down with rain, and the conditions were not great. Not seeing the bird I decided I had wasted my time, but since I still had time I wandered along the brig to see if I had missed anything.

Of course I had! Even when I was close it was hard to pick out, but I did manage to spot the bird and get it in the scope to see the stunning bill and white on the head and neck. It was close given that scoters are usually far out at sea, and you could clearly make out all the features of what was a stunning bird.

I was about to get closer but another birder appeared at this point. I waited until he had got onto it before we both tried to get closer. We got a bit closer but not much as the bird kept moving. At one point it started to come back to us, so we set up to watch it but it stopped and the tide eventually pushed us back. I did get some reasonable shots but due to the bobbing of the water they are only just in focus and not exceptional by any stretch of the imagination.

-Surf Scoter

The Scoter remained in sight all through our time on the brig before being pushed back by the tide. So other birds. I picked up some partridges in flight from the train, which were a yeartick, but I could not allocate them a species so they remain off my yearlist.

On the brig, despite the weather, there was decent movement of birds offshore, including many yearticks; Fulmar, Guillemot, Gannet and a single Red-Throated Diver. In the bay itself there was a small raft of Common Scoters and a solitary Eider, also adding to the yearlist. There were also plenty of cormorants and a single Great-Crested Grebe.

On the Brig itself there were a good few waders. The usual Redshank and Oystercatcher were present as well as Turnstone which were very approachable and a large group of the delightful Purple Sandpipers, some of which we were able to get close to and I snapped a few shots in a more natural setting than the pontoons at New Brighton.

-Purple Sandpipers

-Turnstone

Once the tide had forced us back I headed onto Filey Dams to see if there was anything there. The usual suspects, including a Shoveler, Gadwall and Wigeon. The highlight for me was when a flock of 3 Stock Dove came and landed in front of the hide. Not only are they smashing birds but it was also my first of the year, Sadly the camera had fogged up due to the consistent rain so the photo I managed were very hazy.

-Stock Dove

It nice to meet up with Nick Carter as well, now of the Filey area. It was great to see him again after we both moved away from the Calderdale area. I also bumped into a birder that I had met on Friday at Attercliffe with the gulls. He had mentioned to other birders he knew about 'this lad birding in shorts' so it was a surprise to see him again in a completely different context.

Species List:
Train Journey: Graylag Goose, Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Woodpigeon, Starling, Partridge sp., Herring Gull, Black-Headed Gull, Swan sp., Pheasant, Carrion Crow Roe Deer,
Filey Brig: Great-Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Surf Scoter, Fulmar, Rock Pipit, Gannet, Common Scoter, Eider, Turnstone, Purple Sandpiper, Red-Throated Diver, Guillemot, Oystercatcher, Common Redshank, Herring Gull, Black-Headed Gull, Grey Seal,
Filey Dams: Stock Dove, Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Shoveler, Greater Black-Backed Gull, Herring Gull, Common Teal, Coot, Moorhen, Mallard, Graylag Goose, Sparrowhawk, Robin, Reed Bunting, Wren, Dunnock, Common Gull, Black-Headed Gull, Shelduck, Woodpigeon, Tree Sparrow, House Sparrow, Starling, Blackbird, Canada Goose, Chaffinch, Pheasant,

Orgreave Lakes

So after yesterdays excursions left me exhausted I decided to head off to my local patch for a short birding session to see what was about. I headed over early afternoon to Orgreave since no records had come in for some time.

As soon as I arrived I managed some patch ticks with a Great Spotted Woodpecker on one of the telegraph posts, and a male Bullfinch in the trees next to the river. There was also Whitethroat and Willow Warbler in the trees. The first lake was pretty quiet, with only usual suspects, but there were some excellent views of Swifts.

On the far side near the edge of the main lake there were a few more birds, including a pair of Lapwings, which obviously had chicks nearby because they were very agitated while I was there, so I made sure I did not stay long. There was also a Little-Ringed Plover on the bank at the back, which I tried to digiscope but I could not hold it steady and so could not get any photos.

-Lapwing

Along the edge of the lake there were 3 more Little Ringed Plovers, which I got great views of through the scope, but also a pair of Redshank. On the way round I also picked up a family of Grey Wagtails, as well as a small party of Linnets and multiple Skylarks and Meadow Pipits.

The next bird that really caught my attention was on the way out, when I spotted a trio of Stock Doves on the bank of the lake. I got a few photos, but they flew off quite quickly after I spotted them.

-Stock Dove

The only other thing of note was a Hare, that was flushed by someones dog that was running through the grassland.

So that's a brief look at today's events, some nice stuff and a few hours out. So Today's species list:

Species List:

Orgreave Lakes: Bullfinch, Whitethroat, Greater-Spotted Woodpecker, Starling, Blackbird, Common Redshank, Swift, Swallow, Sand Martin, House Martin, Mistle Thrush, Woodpigeon, Stock Dove, Lapwing, Little-Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, Graylag Goose, Canada Goose, Tufted Duck, Coot, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Linnet, Feral Pigeon, Willow Warbler, Reed Bunting, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Jackdaw, Mallard, Black-Headed Gull, Mute Swan, Great-Crested Grebe, Gadwall, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, 

friday night

it was 8.00 and we had just finished watching a film. my mum and brother had left the room and my dad just happened to look out off the window and there, low and behold was a fox strutting around out lawn, eating scraps left out for the birds. It was a nice looking fox too, not a scratty urban fox but a proper country fox. It suddenly spotted us and bolted and we haven't seen it since.

Also of garden note is that our stock dove Friend has come back, adding a bit more bio-diversity to our garden. we also have about 3 baby starlings which are hanging around on the lawn. I am worried about them, in case our neighbour gets a cat, or if they have one, that it starts coming around! we have had problems with cats before but never-the-less its still great to see.

the garden and a quick post norfolk round-up

The last time that I posted on this website was the Norfolk holiday. I would just like to clear up the reasons why there has been no posting since! Mainly in the immediate weeks after the holiday was because of exams (shudder) and later because of the world cup. Now however things will return to normal. Luckily to keep you all interested I did a spot of garden birdwatching during the football matches as the birdfeeders are just outside the living room window. So here follows a 6 week account of garden wildlife after the Norfolk holiday!

A few days before the physics exam I went to my dads shop to work (before world cup) When I arrived back home my mum Showed me and my dad some four baby blue tits looking lovely in the trees. No adults that we saw but all were looking fit and healthy. My photos of the four birds on a branch were a bit poor so these are all I can really show you.

During many of the late evening matches we were visited by our local stock dove who offered mild entertainment. One night he even brought a Friend to come and feed on the lawn. Its great to have such unusual garden birds come so frequently to the garden

The window bird feeder was causing some stirring amongst the house sparrows who constantly came to the window for a feed. The glass reflection can be a bit of a pain but I managed to get some decent pictures.

And it was not just the sparrows. The local mob also have started coming onto the window again see below, one contemplating the short flight across from the birdtable.

There were not only baby blue tits but baby sparrows around as well with their gorgeous little yellow gapes!. Here is a picture of daddy feeding one of his offspring from the lower stand of my mums flower hanging things!

However maybe its not just the birdseed that this collard dove was interested in. He seems far more interested in the football.

Here's a profile shot of one of the baby house sparrows that have been flitting around. This was the most showy but at one point there were about 10 sat in one bush (unfortunately low light meant no shots from that instance)

And a final note of three baby robin chicks that have been around and about the garden recently. A nice surprise during some of the less exciting football matches. Only two baby's featured here but trust me that there were three.

the wretched magpie!! AGAIN!!

I had the camera set up this evening. I was awaiting a magpie that keeps coming to the garden. I had laid out some bait (grapes) and so I waited. unfortunately the first time he came-the camera wasn't ready and I had just started my tea. the second time he came, he came in and out at light speed, so no pictures again!!

luckily to brighten the mood a stock dove came to keep me company, which is always a nice bird to see.

I have no idea why blogger have laid this picture sideways!!! its a pity too, as I thought it was a rather good picture of a seriously fat pigeon on a bird feeder

such a handsome bird

my garden

2 linnets seen this morning
1 stock dove =) a first for the garden

others of note:
pair greenfinch
1 male chaffinch
2 blackbirds
3 starlings
9 sparrows playing chicken on the road