Padley Gorge NT

Finally free from the curse of exams I was free again to throw money away on public transport chasing birds beautiful areas. On today's agenda was Padley Gorge, but birds was not my priority. That today belonged to the green hairstreak butterfly that inhabits the moors and since it was such a lovely day I decided to go out to see if I could find them.

Things started well butterfly-wise, with numerous Small Heath fluttering around, along with a couple of Large White, Small Tortoiseshell and various moths, mainly carpet and micro moths, some looking very lovely.

-Small Heath

I wandered around the moors for sometime without luck on the butterfly front. On the bird front I managed to find a pair of Curlew, a lone male Stonechat and plenty of Meadow Pipits. That was the case for some time, all the while cuckoos singing from the plantations in front and from behind.

After a bit, exploring moors I had not been that was before. From this position I heard a call I was not familiar with, but very reminiscent of whitethroat. I found the culprit soon enough though, tracking down a stunning male Whinchat, a true stunner. Sadly it was a long way away, and it was very flighty, so I could not get close, and I struggled to get any really good shots, but it was a delight to see.

-Whinchat

It was on my stealth approach of this bird that I got what I had really wanted. Indeed, something green did fly past me, but it was not the butterfly, as finally... FINALLY... after 164 days I managed to see a Green Woodpecker. It flew past me as I lay there, a flash of green. Initially I thought mistle thrush, which are common here, but no, it was the bird that had left the largest blemish on my year-list. I finally managed it. It was only a flyby, but I managed a couple of awful shots. During my wanderings the bird flew past me 3 times, each time giving me a sense of relief and euphoria.

-Green Woodpecker

But that was not the end of what was quite a few minuets, as after the woodpecker departed and I continued to approach the increasingly distant whinchat, I heard a peculiar noise and turned around to see a pair of cuckoos in the tree behind having a squabble. Their stay was very brief as they left to continue their squabble elsewhere, and I was a little slow off the mark for photos, hence why the first one is very poor, but it shows all the cuckoo qualities in a blurred sense.

-Cuckoo

I needed a little while to catch my breath back after these encounters. So I settled under the tree where the cuckoos had been to see if the whinchat would return. It did not but there I noticed a red grouse moving through the heather quite close, but being very skulky and so difficult to photograph.

-Red Grouse

I waited for some time, but the bird did not return so I headed off towards the woods. On the way I called off at the tree where the Stonechats usually are, and I was not disappointed, with one male and one female bird showing, the male showing very well. As well as the stone chats there was a pair of Willow Warblers, which I think had a nest in the tree, so I decided not to approach too close.

-Female Stonechat and Willow Warbler

-Stonechat

Moving down to the forest edge I found one tree pipit singing, but the photos are not included here due to the fact that they add nothing to any previous photos and were not particularly good. As I wandered along the forest edge I spotted a cuckoo that had been resting in the birches. I tried to approach it multiple times but kept loosing it, and then it would fly off while I was still some way off. It sent a Wren absolutely bezerk, and no wonder, because as I was following the Cuckoo I found this lovely wren fledgling in the bracken.

-Wren Fledgling

Having tried and failed about 5 times to track it down, I eventually lost the cuckoo and so headed down into the woods for the specialties in there. Box 8 had been occupied last time I was here, but it was not the case this time, the birds clearly having moved on.

But not to worry as box 4 now had a pair of Pied Flycatcher in it, and they gave very good views once I had settled down. Again the light was an issue but I managed a couple of good ones. In this region there was also a male Redstart and a Goldcrest, the latter being a patch tick for me

-Pied Flycatcher

I decided to cut straight across to the redstart nest, but on the way encountered another nest, this time in a natural crack in a tree. It gave me my first proper views of a female redstart. The light was again too poor for decent photos, but I got a couple and the birds did show nicely, so I can not complain.

-Redstart

I continued up only to find that the box that had been occupied was occupied no longer. I get the impression that the birds must have fledged, as a little further up I found a pair of redstarts mobbing a squirrel, very aggressively, with the male even bombing the squirrel. The squirrel in question seemed completely uncaring, grooming itself on a branch while the birds were going bezerk all around it.

It was in this area that I found a Spot Fly, allowing me to improve on last times appalling photo effort. It did show well but was quite mobile and once again the light was poor. It is odd to observe that I only see these birds here individually, I wonder if they are later breeders than the others.

-Spotted Flycatcher

I returned up to the moors to see if I could track down any butterflies, but did not manage it. I also intended to go back to the whinchat and see if I could get any more photos. When I arrived he was very close to the path, but that was when I was some way down the path, and he did not stay there. I was about 50 meters away when he decided I was too close and he then moved off over the moors and I could not re-locate it.

I decided it was probably an idea to head off for the bus, but quite near to the river at the bus stop I tracked down another male whinchat singing. I had some time and so decided to approach. As I did a squat bird flew up from the shrub by side and landed in the tree next to me. I grabbed some shots, had a quick look and saw a faint red breast, so figured juvenile robin.

However, this bird was not a robin. When I got back and had a proper look I saw a white ring on the face, but it was faint and yet not as faint as I would expect in a juvenile Whinchat, but the white on the wings just visable in the photo below is a big giveaway, that this was indeed a whinchat sat in the tree next to me that I assumed was a robin.

-Whinchat

The male whinchat I had been initially tracking was not better behaved than the one I had seen before on the top moors. As a result I could not get close, despite my commando crawling. Needless to say I was unable to get any good photos, but I managed to double my Whinchat count for my life in a few hours, fancy that.

Species List:

Padley Gorge NT: Whinchat, Meadow Pipit, Curlew, Cuckoo, Redstart, Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Stonechat, Willow Warbler, Mistle Thrush, Green Woodpecker, Treecreeper, Tree Pipit, Goldcrest, Robin, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Swallow, Swift, Woodpigeon, Red Grouse, Wren

Uni Semester 2 Week 14

Saturday
At a friends garden party we were treated to great views of swifts overhead, picking off insects after a rain-shower, and also a small party of long-tailed tits in the garden. The view of the LTT's was not great but their calls could be heard for most of the evening. It was a lovely evening, of which the birds greatly added to

Sunday
Wandering back from church at around quarter to eleven I was delighted to spot a fox wandering the road ahead of me in the street-light. I was unable to get very close but from the distance I was at it did not seem bothered by my presence before it ambled into a driveway. Its the first fox I have seen for some time so I was well pleased by spotting it.

Peregrines

 Despite the work I decided to head down early in the morning and have a look at the peregrines again, as it looked like they would be fledging imminently. Indeed one had already done so and been returned to the nest. I decided to head down early in an attempt to reset my sleeping pattern for the oncoming exams. I had not anticipated that I would rise at half 6 but it gave me plenty of time to go down and watch the birds before coming back to revise

Upon arrival I could see 2 chicks on the platform, but not much besides. The longer I stayed, however, the more I got, as a third chick was on a ledge above the clock, apparently having tried to fly last evening. Another birder there then pointed out the male bird on one of the cornerstones of the church, and the fourth chick, which was sunning itself on the east side of the church.

While I was there the male bird moved around quite a bit, but the female remained out of sight on top of the church until just before I was going when she returned to the platform. The juvenile above the clock became very agitated at this point and flew over us and into a tree behind us, though we could not locate it in the tree. The fourth chick moved occasionally to get more sun for its sun bathe, so we got all 6 birds while I was there.

-3rd Chick, having attempted to fledge the night before

-Male bird in his starting position

-The 2 chicks on the platform

-Male bird in his final position

There were a few other birds about too, since it was such a nice day. There was a mistle thrush that attempted to mob the male bird, apparently this has been a regular thing. There were also good numbers of blackbird with young and woodpigeons, and a few very bold starlings that wandered to within a meter of us.

-Starling

Species List:

St. Georges Church: Peregrine, Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Swift, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Starling, 

Padley Gorge NT

Its been a while since I had been out birding, so what better excuse than the parents coming down for the day. I had mentioned about Padley Gorge and so they decided they wanted to go and have a look at the site, and it gave me a day off revision, to get out and do some real birding again. 

No sooner than did we arrive than did stuff start to appear. It was a rainy day so I had mixed feelings about what would be about, though I should have had no doubts really. The first thing on the menu was a pair of Grey Wagtails in the stream directly in front of us where we had parked the car.

I decided to take them on the shorter route round the moors and then back up through the woods. As soon as we crossed the bridge onto the moors path did we start to find stuff. The first thing was a pair of possible cuckoos in the distance, but I was unable to get a decent enough view due to the distance away that they were. They were flapping too much to be cuckoos for me, but I simply could not be sure, they were too far away.

But the possibility of not confirming cuckoos was quickly forgotten when I spotted a small bird right near to the path. I had a quick look through the bins, and saw a white eye stripe on the face. I could not believe it, a Whinchat, only my second time ever seeing this species. I tried to get some photos but the light was poor and the bird was mobile, but even so I managed a few. To say that I was excited would be putting it mildly. I was able to get some record shots and enjoy watching the bird for about 5 mins before we lost it, but it was very mobile. Either way, that was enough for me, whatever happened it had already been a good day...

-Whinchat

But it did get better. As soon as we lost the whinchat we heard a cuckoo calling and not 10 seconds later we spotted it flying out of the far woods and flying towards us. Again the light was poor but I managed to watch and get photos of this one, unlike the one I had seen over the co-op in Hatfield. Even so, due to the light and my poor focusing I was unable to get any exceptional photos, but I still managed a few, and its a cuckoo, a really nice bird to see.

-Cuckoo

Besides the cuckoo there were good numbers of Meadow Pipits, including some parachuting which was nice too see. And they were not the only pipit doing this, as near where I usually find them there was at least 3 Tree Pipits doing the same. But before we reached those my dad spotted a pair of Stonechats near the tree where they usually are.

-Stonechat

As we moved closer to the Tree Pipits one moved down from the top of the tree to eye level with us. Despite the foliage in the way I was still able to pick up some good shots of this position I do not think I have seen one in before. I was also able to get close to the trees with birds in to get photos of them in the top of trees, the best photos I have been able to get of this species so far. I was a little disappointing initially because of the light meaning that I was unable to get photos with detail, but they cleared up nicely in the end. In the same area there were truly incredible numbers of swift over the tree line, at least 50 birds, all flying very low, a lovely sight to see.

-Tree Pipit

So we moved on, the walk already taking longer than I had anticipated, but we eventually reached the section where the pied flycatchers are. I knew the box at the bottom was occupied, but I also found that the box half way up was also occupied, though I was unsure at first, as when we first spotted the birds we were too close to the box already.

When we moved back we got to watch both adults flying to the box and presumably feeding the chicks inside. We were able to get some great views of the birds before deciding to leave them be. Whilst there we also saw Great-Spotted Woodpecker, Treecreeper and Blackcap, all smashing woodland birds.

-Pied Flycatcher

I had been quite a walk, and now only redstart was needed for a full house. I tried to find the bottom nest box but was unable, which was concerning given that there were birds in it, but it was probably my mistake rather than something else.

Headed to the river and then back up to the moors, but were unable to track down any redstarts, probably due to a school trip passing us on the path. With that in mind I realised we would probably not get redstart today

But I was wrong, as further up I managed to spot a male sitting on a branch, but some way into the woods. As we watched though it came to land on a nest box and started to sit on the box before flying away and disappear. The female then came and did the same, the first time I have seen female redstart, but the view was distant and the light was poor for photos. But it was great to watch them.

It was unfortunate that at the moment I first saw the birds a year tick happened to land on the branch next to us in the form of Spotted Flycatcher, so I had to simultaneously describe where the redstart was for my parents while trying to photograph the spotted fly. The spot fly did not stay long next to us and my photo was really really poor, so I was quickly able to return to describing the redstarts. The was probably the most difficult task all day, but eventually both parents found them and were able to watch them.

-Spotted Flycatcher

With the spot fly I had picked up 2 year-ticks today. On the final bit of the walk we had more joy, with both species of Thrush on the path in front of us, a Grey Wagtail on the path also, and a lone male redstart in the woods. There were also at least 3 Nuthatches in the woods around.

And that was that. It really had immense, a full house of birds that I had wanted to see and show my parents, plus a few more and 2 year-ticks. The weather was not great and so neither were my photos, but I was still pleased with the results, especially of the tree pipit. To follow is the year-list.

Species List:

Padley Gorge NT: Grey Wagtail, Whinchat, Meadow Pipit, Swallow, Swift, Stonechat, Cuckoo, Tree Pipit, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, Greater-Spotted Woodpecker, Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, Redstart, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Robin, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Blackcap, Wren, Nuthatch, Treecreeper,

Uni Semester 2 Week 13

Friday
The only day that things really happened during this week of revision and exams, but what a day it was. It started with a squirrel outside my window early in the morning as I read some papers for my exam in the afternoon.
  The on the way to the exam there were a pair of mistle thrushes in Weston Park, which was nice to see though it was from a distance. I think they must have a nest nearby as both birds were very mobile and calling a lot.
  The real highlight of the day was on the way back from the exam. We were walking up the stairs in Ponderosa Park, just 2 of us, when I spotted a Jay on the branches in front of us. By this point we were already very close, but the bird did not seem to mind and we were able to get even closer, until we were stood only a couple of meters from the jay. It did not care at all, it kept on feeding merrily, picking off insects from the leaves in front of us, even coming closer and closer. I could not believe what I was seeing, a bird so shy and yet this individual was just so care-free and behaving so naturally. After about 5 mins of watching it, the bird flew back to about only 5 meters, but the view was obscured with vegetation, and I needed to get back. I had also wondered if the reason for its boldness may have been territorial or nest related, so it was probably not a good idea to outstay our welcome. It had been a fantastic view, the only downside being that it was a shaded view due to it being under the leaves, but otherwise it would have been the best view of a jay ever.
  And on the way back there was a squirrel in Stevenson courtyard

Oh yeah, and the exam went OK too...

Hatfield Moor NNR twitching Long-Tailed Skua

Despite the impending examinations the lure of the adult summer long-tailed skua was just too much to handle, so after checking that the bird was still on Hatfield Moor this morning I headed out to try and get it.

The site was a trek. I left the house at around half 8 and made it on site at half eleven. The connections were pretty smooth given my luck but there was plenty else to enjoy. Hatfield is a small town surrounded by farmland. The train station is no more than a pair of platforms and about 20 mins walk from the bus stop I needed. I also needed to use the loo at this point so on my walk to the bus stop I decided to call in at the Co-op to see if they had a loo.

For some reason, at this point I looked up. I dunno why, the sky was pretty standard-grey, but overhead there flew at that moment a Cuckoo. I could not believe it. When I saw the bird it had already gone over me but there was no mistaking its form as it flew away. Because of this I have no shots of it, but its quite a record, and quite an odd place to pick it up. I must have looked an odd sight wandering round the co-op celebrating.

I made it to the reserve, but once there succeeded in getting lost multiple times, and finding myself in surprise places but not where I wanted to be. I flushed a good 50 Four-Spot Chasers along the walk, but on the bird front it quiet. There was also a Roe Deer and Weasel, so overall quite a good turnout. The highlight birdwise were a few Shelducks and 3 Common Terns that flew over. 

-Common Tern

I made it to the site where the bird was supposed to be, but there was nobody there, and the pools were void of birdlife. I was gutted, so after a short stop to see if I was missing anything I began to weary trudge back. I may stress at this point that the reserve is huge, as in its massive, so the trudge back was a long trudge. On the way I did not really pick up any species. The Swifts had been showing well the whole time and they continued to do so, but that was about all.

I did however find some birders at long last, and found out why I had gotten lost. I also found out that the bird had gone at around 12. Apparently it had circled high until it was a mere speck before heading south, alas such is my rotten luck.

I wandered back by the main paths this time to avoid getting lost again. This took me through some smaller pools rather than round the more extensive marsh. Some peculiar calls, probably alarm, led me to a pair of Little Grebes, but they dived as soon as I had eyes on them, and I also found a Southern Marsh Orchid next to the path, so I was able to get some more photos of this species.

-Southern Marsh Orchid

I arrived at the main car park, and finally positioned myself on my map, ideal now that I was going. In the car park there were more birders who helped piece together where the skua had gone. There was also a very vocal garden warbler, which was obviously very close but just not visible. I stayed as long as I dare trying to find it, but it decided to stop calling, or move off as another or the same started singing a way away, so that species still continues to elude me.

In all honesty is was looking like the day could have been better spent revising, as I'm not sure a brief cuckoo along warranted the extortion that was Northern Rail. However, on the way out that all changed. I was wandering out by the road through the farmland when I heard a call that I could not recall ever hearing before, and it sounded like the kind of call that I would have remembered. So I stopped beside a hawthorn tree to try and track down the maker. There was a family party of Blue Tits in the tree by the sounds of it too, but when the bird sang again I was able to locate it on the very top of the tree, meaning I would struggle to get a complete photo. From what I could tell from my obscured view was that it was a large passerine, somewhere between skylark and starling, and that its beak was short and stumpy.

During my research into the site prior to my visit I had seen the occasional report of corn bunting in the area, but I had not really considered it, as the same thing is said of Bempton and I have never seen one there. However, here I had an enigma and my thoughts quickly jumped to the conclusion that it might just be one, finally. I grabbed some shots but the light was against me and I could make out no distinguishable features. However, I could tell that it was streaky, but that it had a stumpy beak, finch or bunting, but I can not recall ever seeing a finch or a bunting as big as this bird. I decided to take a chance and get a better view, by entering the verge of the field. From here I managed some more shots and convinced myself in my head from the evidence I had that it was, but after taking some photos from my new position I raised my binoculars to have a look, and the bird decided it wanted to go.

I had convinced myself that I had finally settled my score but having never seen one before I wanted to check. As such I waited until I could get my photos into photoshop and lighten them up before I would celebrate. Turns out I was right, and it is indeed a Corn Bunting, my first ever.

So what is my beef with corn buntings? Not with corn buntings themselves, but my interest in birds stemmed from I-spy. In I-spy birds corn bunting is somehow warranted 5 points, the same as blue tit, and great tit, but less than dunnock. So I have this ridiculous gap in my pride and glory because of their ridiculous scoring system and the fact that I could not seem to find a corn bunting.

So, finally, having sorted that out I can finally appreciate what I have seen. I was surprised by just how big it was. I had always expected something sparrow sized, but not at all. That was its most defining impression, the rest can really be said from my record shots. What a bird, finally...

-Corn Bunting

Having finally ticked one of Britain's most threatened species I headed back happy. And just to make this bunting day (there was reed on the marsh) I spotted a Yellowhammer feeding on grass seeds on the main road on my walk back.

So in the end the day was rescued from the fire and probably made up for the fact that the skua had done a runner...

Species List:
Hatfield: Collard Dove, Woodpigeon, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Starling, Cuckoo, Swift, Magpie
Hatfield Moor NNR: Swift, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Goldfinch, Canada Goose, Swallow, House Martin, Whitethroat, Great-Crested Grebe, Mallard, Moorhen, Blackbird, Blackcap, Wren, Graylag Goose, Lapwing, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Black-Headed Gull, Great Tit, Common Tern, Reed Bunting, Little Grebe, Carrion Crow, Oystercatcher, Linnet, Tree Pipit, Kestrel, Shellduck, Pied Wagtail, Common Buzzard, Skylark, Feral Pigeon
Other Species: Rabbit, Roe Deer, Weasel, Four-Spot Chaser, Blue-Tailed Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Large Red Damselfly,

Endcliffe Park

So what started as a short revision break to photograph the ducks in Endcliffe park that I may put on my weekly roundup actually turned into quite an afternoons birding, on a small scale. I did find some lovely mallards to photograph but the light was against me and I did not get too many that were sharp. Those that I got I have included here...

-Mallard

So just as I was wrapping up at the third pool a heron decided to come and land on the side on the path less than 5 meters in front of me. And even when I moved to get into a better position it did not mind. I got to watch it poo, throw up its previous meal and then jump in the lake and start fishing, all within less than 10 meters of me (When  it entered the lake it moved back a bit). I managed to get some decent shots too, though the light was against me again.

-Grey Heron

After it rounded some bushes out of sight I decided I really needed to get back. That plan lasted about 5 mins before I stumbled across a treecreeper, which then led me to its nest, in a crack in an old park shelter. I was pleased to have found this and got to watch the adults flying too an fro. The shelter was right next to the path, so I was stood on the opposite side of the path while people wandered by. Some stopped to ask what I was doing and I got to talk to some people about the birds and show them my photos. The photos are really not great, the light had really turned on me, but you get the gist. I reckon that's the first time I have ever found a treecreeper nest, and I should hope to be going back at some point.

-Treecreeper

So my half an hour break actually turned into over an hour and half, but what does it matter when your seeing birds like these.

Uni Semester 2 Week 12

Wednesday
Walking back from church in the evening via Crookes and there was a bat out and about flying down the main road. It was only a brief view as it flew off into the houses but its something to report.

Saturday
Walking back from dinner and I heard the frantic call of a Long-Tailed Tit, followed by the bird crossing the path in earnest. And no wonder, as I looked up to see a sparrowhawk hunting the avenue. It flew round once and then went into the trees, but as we came out of the avenue it flew down the road. It was a really nice view, and certainly gave the local crows a bit of a fright.

Orgreave Lakes twitching Little Stint

 After yesterdays excursions which resulted in me achieving very little revision today was meant to be a productive day, and it was, but for the wrong reasons. Yesterday I had considered missed the G.W Egret and going for a pair of little stints at Orgreave, since it was closer. No matter, I went for the egret and was justly rewarded for my decision.

However, after my first period of revision it came up on birdguides that the stints were there again. I looked at my revision notes, looked at the weather (Appalling) and decided to just go for it. It took long enough to get there, and the weather only continued to get worse. In fact during the walk round I got more wet that I can ever really recall, even my underwear was soaked.

And it looked like it was not going to be my day, with no sign of them with any of the plovers I found, or with the Redshanks, or with the Lapwing. There were simply incredible views of all 3 hirundine species and of swifts, the latter of which were even skimming the surface of the lakes. I was surprised they were out in such force given the weather was so poor, but they gave me something on the walk round.

But round the far side of the lake I spotted 2 small brown waders with a Ringed Plover on the bank. I had a look and they seemed good but they were a way away, so I approached, only to find that they had gone while I was approaching. The mix of emotions I experienced at that moment was incredible. I resigned myself to the fact that it was going to be one of those days.

But fortunately they had not gone far, and around the headland I stumbled across them again and was able to view them and get some reasonable record shots. Having never seen a stint before I was initially dubious of my identification despite the fact that they seemed good, but another birder came soon looking for the gargany (Which I did not see) and he confirmed it for me.

In the weather as such and the fact that I do not have the worlds greatest scope I was unable to really appreciate all the intricate beauty of their plumage, but certain features I could make out, such as the white stripes on the back. Unfortunatly, as they had shown earlier, they were very mobile, and the view of them only lasted around 10 mins before they decided to move off onto the far side of the lake. It was probably a good thing, as it was already 2.00 and I did need to get back to work.

So that is my 11th lifer of the year, and the second of the weekend, what an incredible year its been. I tried to get some record shots but was not overly successful, but follows are my attempts:

-2 Little Stints and Ringed Plover

But like I say, my photos are not great, so here is someone else photo from the day before, of the same bird's, showing in more detail the plumage.

-Little Stint and Ringed Plover (Not my photo)

The rain did stop in the end, while I was at the bus stop, but since I had got my bird it did not really matter. It was well worth it in the end and I am well happy. So the day list, not that I really kept one.

Species List

Orgreave Lakes: Swift, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Blackbird, Black-Headed Gull, Mallard, Mute Swan, Pied Wagtail, Woodpigeon, Goldfinch, Cormorant, Tufted Duck, Coot, Great Crested Grebe, Meadow Pipit, Herring Gull, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Skylark, House Martin, Sand Martin, Swallow, Ringed Plover, Canada Goose, Graylag Goose, Little Stint,