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Group
Coach Trip to Cliftonville
Sunday 12 December 2009
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| Sanderling.
Picture by Peter Kite |
Fulmar.
Picture by Peter Kite |
For
more pictures from the Cliftonville coach trip
please see the Photo
Gallery |
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Group
Coach Trip to Cley Marshes, Norfolk Wildlife Trust Reserve
Sunday 29 November 2009 Leader:
Maurice Ewart
Attendance:
33
Weather: Light
showers turning to sunshine. Winds light southerly.
The main group
headed out to the hides passing a feeding flock of over 100 brent
geese. The sun came out highlighting the plumage of teal, wigeon
and lapwing. Good numbers of ruff and black tailed godwit were present.
Excellent views of two water rails were obtained from the Bishop
Hide and also a perched sparrowhawk.
Walking towards
the seawall we had views of two bearded tits and a perched marsh
harrier. Arnolds Marsh held a good variety of waders and wildfowl,
increasing as high tide approached, and a swirling flock of over
500 golden plover gave excellent views. The sea was fairly quiet
although some of the group reported seeing red throated, great northern
and black throated divers. On the return a snow goose was seen to
fly onto the reserve.
Bird List: Red
throated diver, black throated diver, great northern diver, little
grebe, great crested grebe, red-necked grebe, slavonian grebe, gannet,
cormorant, little egret, grey heron, mute swan, black swan, pink-footed,
greylag, snow, Canada, barnacle, brent goose, shelduck, wigeon,
gadwall, teal, mallard, pintail, shoveler, common scoter, goldeneye,
marsh harrier, sparrowhawk, buzzard, kestrel, red-legged partridge,
grey partridge, pheasant, water rail, moorhen, coot, oystercatcher,
avocet, golden plover, grey plover, lapwing, knot, sanderling, dunlin,
ruff, black tailed godwit, curlew, redshank, turnstone, black-headed,
common, lesser black backed, herring, great black backed gulls,
guillemot, woodpigeon, collared dove, barn owl, kingfisher, green
woodpecker, meadow pipit, grey wagtail, pied wagtail, wren, dunnock,
robin, stonechat, blackbird, Cetti’s warbler, bearded, blue,
great tits, magpie, jackdaw, rook, carrion crow, starling, house
sparrow, chaffinch, goldfinch, linnet. Total 83 species.
Maurice Ewart |
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Group
Coach Trip to Pagham Harbour Nature Reserve, Sussex
Sunday 25 October 2009
Leader: Jacky
Foot
Attendance:
38
Weather: Sunny,
fresh SW wind
Arrived at
reserve just after 10:00 with wren and robin calling in the car
park. Stopped at the hide to look over the ferry pool where we had
teal and black headed gull (50+). On a fence post we had good views
of a perched common buzzard and a pheasant was seen nearby. Walking
down the north side path we had goldfinches feeding on teasels and
in the muddy channel we had moorhen, redshank, curlew and dunlin
while on the marren grass a pair of stonechats gave excellent views.
Swirling clouds of lapwing and grey plover were caused by a hunting
peregrine.
Heading back
past the sluice onto the main track to the sea, in the fields to
our right were red-legged partridge, pheasants and a Cetti`s warbler
called from the hedge nearby. On the saltings and open muddy areas
were good numbers of brent geese, wigeon, grey plover, and redshank.
Our walk continued
to Church Norton where tit flocks were in evidence. At the viewpoint
on the beach high tide was approaching and little egret, grey plover,
lapwing, knot, dunlin were moving closer in larger groups. Good
numbers of cormorant were on exposed islands.
Heading for
the beach for lunch red-breasted mergansers and great crested grebes
were on the sea and turnstones on the shoreline. Large numbers of
greenfinch were feeding on vegetation on the shingle where several
twite were also seen. A group who undertook the long walk to the
harbour entrance were rewarded with excellent views of a red-necked
grebe. On the way back we had pintail and greenshank and we left
at 4:00 pm.
Bird List:
little grebe, great crested grebe, red-necked grebe, gannet, cormorant,
little egret, grey heron, spoonbill, mute swan, brent goose, shelduck,
wigeon, teal, mallard, pintail, shoveler, pochard, tufted duck,
red-breasted merganser (7), common buzzard, kestrel, merlin, peregrine,
red-legged partridge, pheasant, moorhen, coot, oystercatcher, avocet,
ringed plover, golden plover (1500+), Grey plover (2000+), lapwing,
knot, little stint, dunlin, black-tailed godwit, bar-tailed godwit,
whimbrel, curlew, redshank, greenshank, turnstone, black-headed
gull, common gull, lesser black back gull, herring gull, great black
back gull, stock dove, woodpigeon, collared dove, kingfisher, green
woodpecker, great spotted woodpecker, skylark, swallow, house martin,
meadow pipit, grey wagtail, pied wagtail, wren, dunnock, robin,
stonechat, blackbird, song thrush, mistle thrush, Cetti`s warbler,
long-tailed tit, blue tit, great tit, jay, magpie, jackdaw, rook,
carrion crow, starling, chaffinch, greenfinch, goldfinch, linnet,
twite, redpoll, reed bunting. Total 84 species.
Butterfiles,
dragonflies and mammals: clouded yellow, painted lady, red admiral,
common darter, common hawker, ruddy darter, rabbit.
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| Stonechat.
Picture by Peter Kite |
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| Turnstone.
Picture by Peter Kite |
Brent
Goose. Picture by Peter Kite |
For
more pictures from the Pagham Harbour coach trip
please see the Photo
Gallery |
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Marquenterre
Group Coach Trip
Sunday 20 September 2009, 6.00 am to 8.30 pm (English Time)
Leader: John
Turner
Attendance:
39
Weather: Sunny
with a little cloud cover.
The outward
trip via the shuttle was uneventful and we arrived in fine weather.
Crested tits were spotted on the walk from the coach park to the
centre and again while we waited to enter.
The viewpoint
provided the first highlight of the day with a distant perched osprey.
This was seen on other occasions with better views as it moved around
the reserve. The pools were very dry but the resident common crane
was evident with a number of white storks. A single barnacle goose
made an appearance with two avocets and two bar tailed godwits.
We set off on
the 3.75 mile walk round the reserve and were surprised to find
many butterflies in the meadows including a Camberwell beauty seen
by some of the group and humming bird hawk moths.
We then enjoyed
a flying display by a pair of peregrines followed by views of a
high flying goshawk.
The hides produced
a multitude of waders and herons, but the highlights were a large
group of 200 spoonbills and a fine view of a great white egret perched
on a bare branch in front of the hide. A great reed warbler was
reported as an individual sighting but was not seen by the group.
Crested tit
were again spotted round the visitor centre as everyone enjoyed
a well-earned drink before catching up with some sleep on the coach
on the way home.
Bird List
Lapwing, curlew, oystercatcher, grey plover, golden plover, ringed
plover, redshank, spotted redshank, dunlin, black-tailed godwit,
avocet, little stint, ruff, greenshank, common sandpiper, marsh
harrier, hen harrier, kestrel, sparrow hawk, goshawk, common buzzard,
osprey, peregrine, greylag geese, barnacle goose, shelduck, teal,
wigeon, shoveler, pintail, pochard, tufted duck, mallard, mute swan,
whooper swan, little grebe, great crested grebe, little egret, great
white egret, cattle egret, spoonbill, common crane, white stork,
grey heron, cormorant, coot, moorhen, black headed gull, common
gull, herring gull, lesser black backed gull, greater black backed
gull, carrion crow, rook, jackdaw, magpie, jay, wood pigeon, collared
dove, pheasant, red-legged partridge, white wagtail, wren, dunnock,
robin, great tit, blue tit, long-tailed tit, crested tit, green
woodpecker, greater-spotted woodpecker, swallow, house martin, sand
martin, meadow pipit, skylark, stonechat, whinchat, wheatear, redstart,
spotted flycatcher, chiff-chaff, willow warbler, Cetti’s warbler
(heard), great reed warbler, blackbird, starling, goldfinch, chaffinch,
greenfinch, linnet, house sparrow. (93 species)
Other
Common Lizard, marsh frog.
Butterflies
Painted lady, peacock, common blue, small copper, comma, small tortoiseshell,
small white, large white, green veined white, bath white, clouded
yellow, brimstone, speckled wood, red admiral, Camberwell beauty.
(15 species)
Humming bird
hawk moth.
Dragonflies.
Ruddy darter, common darter, common hawker.
Emerald damselfly. |
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Dungeness
Group Car Trip
Wednesday 23 September 2009, 10.30 am to 4.00 pm
Leader: John
Turner
Attendance:
6
Weather: Warm
and sunny
The entrance
track was promising with whitethroat and stonechat, but the main
reserve disappointed producing only a lone lively willow warbler.
Raptors were more in evidence with marsh harrier, peregrine and
sparrow hawk.
From the Hansen
Hide we were rewarded with waders and a profusion of duck. Unusually
a small flock of knot in winter plumage were resting on the water's
edge and later a little ringed plover made an appearance.
The late afternoon
was spent at the observatory moat which was empty and the nearby
desert which produced northern wheatear, whinchat and black redstart.
Bird List
Knot, ringed
plover, dunlin, little-ringed plover, ruff, lapwing, curlew, mute
swan Canada geese, greylag geese, shelduck, teal, wigeon, shoveler,
pintail, gadwall, mallard, pochard, tufted duck, great crested grebe,
cormorant, grey heron, little egret, kestrel, sparrow hawk, peregrine,
marsh harrier, coot, moorhen, black tern, black headed gull, common
gull, herring gull, lesser black-backed gull, greater black backed
gull, robin, dunnock, starling, blackbird, swallow, house martin,
pied wagtail, blue tit, great tit, carrion crow, rook, magpie, wood
pigeon, green woodpecker, whitethroat, willow warbler, cetti’s
warbler (heard), meadow pipit, skylark, northern wheatear, stonecat,
whinchat, black redstart, chaffinch, greenfinch, linnet, house sparrow.
John Turner |
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Weeting
Heath NWT reserve and Lakenheath RSPB reserve Group coach trip
Sunday 21 June 2009 8am to 7pm
Leader: Tony Banks
Attendance: 46
Weather: Very hot. Up to 28°
C
Weeting Heath
We arrived at this peaceful Norfolk Wildlife Trust
reserve shortly before 10am and most made immediately for the hides
in search of stone curlew.
Often most active at dawn and dusk, a distant couple
played hide and seek by offering tantalising glimpses before disappearing
over a ridge. As more and more people crowded into the small hide
I gave up trying to offer people views through my telescope, as
requested by the local volunteer, since I was being buffeted by
someone desperate to be at the front. Ah well, you can’t please
everyone. I decided to try my luck scoping across the road onto
the opposite hill where I have seen many stone curlew on previous
visits. Not this time, though. Apparently they have moved on. So
I had to be content with the original couple observed intermittently
through a shimmering heat haze across the heath. I couldn’t
find little owl, tree pipit or spotted flycatcher either although
others had better luck. I did track down a singing blackcap in the
wood and had a buzzard circling. Someone claimed to have seen two
cranes fly over. Why am I never in the right place at the right
time ? All too soon it was 11.30am and time to re-board the coach
for a five minute trip to our next destination.
Lakenheath RSPB
On my last visit many years ago the RSPB had just
moved in and this was an undeveloped area of scrub, reedbed, river
and pools all observed from the single footpath along a raised bank.
What a difference ! A state of the art visitor centre, car park
with hard standing and circular walk mostly on hard footpaths showed
how hard the RSPB has worked here. The main attraction then, as
now, was the golden orioles. It is probably the best site in Britain
for these birds so it was not surprising many of the group hurried
just over a mile to the poplar wood where a pair had nested in full
view of the path and were due to fledge young.
"Full view" turned out to be rather misleading
as many needed help, myself included, to first spot even the fantastic
yellow and black male among abundant leaf cover. Thanks to directions
from local volunteers everyone eventually obtained good views of
male, female and even the young who popped up their heads when the
parents appeared with food at the nest slung under a branch. Certainly
the best views of golden oriole I have ever had.
During the oriole watch a volunteer suddenly yelled
out "bittern" and everyone abruptly about turned to see
one of these secretive reedbed specialists glide past about 30 yards
away. Most of the group soon made their way to a nearby watchpoint
for lunch and I saw another bittern from here and watched a hobby
swoop to capture a dragonfly above a small pool. Scanning around
I counted at least half a dozen hobbies hunting insects. A marsh
harrier flew over.
On the return walk I was beginning to flag in the
heat when I spotted a banded demoiselle resting on the path. One
of the trip highlights for me.
And what a trip. Stone curlew, golden oriole and
bittern on the same day – to say nothing of the rest. Now,
when’s the next trip ?
Bird LIst
little grebe, great crested grebe, cormorant, bittern,
little egret, grey heron, mute swan, graylag goose, Canada goose,
shelduck, mallard, tufted duck, red kite, marsh harrier, sparrowhawk,
buzzard, kestrel, hobby, pheasant, water rail, moorhen, coot, oystercatcher,
stone curlew, lapwing, redshank, black headed gull, lesser black
backed gull, herring gull, common tern, stock dove, woodpigeon,
collared dove, cuckoo, swift, kingfisher, green woodpecker, great
spotted woodpecker, woodlark, skylark, sand martin, swallow, house
martin, pied wagtail, wren, dunnock, robin, stonechat, wheatear,
blackbird, song thrush, mistle thrush, grasshopper warbler, sedge
warbler, reed warbler, whitethroat, garden warbler, blackcap, chiffchaff,
willow warbler, goldcrest, spotted flycatcher, bearded tit, long-tailed
tit, marsh tit, coal tit, blue tit, great tit, golden oriole, jay,
magpie, jackdaw, rook, carrion crow, starling, house sparrow, chaffinch,
green finch, goldfinch, yellowhammer, reed bunting, crane.
Amphinians & reptiles: Sand lizard, common frog,
adder
Mammals: rabbit
Dragonflies etc: hairy dragonfly, common blue damselfly,
blue-tailed damselfly, banded demoiselle, seven spot ladybird.
Butterflies: speckled wood, painted lady, green
veined white, large white, meadow brown, ringlet, large skipper,
red admiral, small tortoiseshell, six-spot burnett, comma.
ERIC BROWN
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Sevenoaks
Wildlife Reserve Car Trip
Wednesday 20 May, 10.00 am to 1.30 pm Leader:
John Turner
Attendance:
11
Weather: Sunny,
some cloud
A walk to look
for warblers and enjoy the ambience of this reserve. The group was
amazed at the sight of a large crèche of greylag goslings.
Bird List
Lapwing, little ringed plover, cormorant, great crested grebe, mallard,
tufted duck, Canada geese, greylag geese with many goslings, Egyptian
geese, mute swan, grey heron (one on nest), coot, moorhen, sparrowhawk,
cuckoo, kingfisher, robin, wren, dunnock, song thrush, mistle thrush,
blackbird, jay, carrion crow, woodpigeon, collared dove, greenfinch,
chaffinch, pied wagtail, grey wagtail, great tit, blue tit, chiffchaff,
garden warbler, reed warbler, blackcap.
Dragonflies
and damselflies: Banded demoiselle, common blue damselfly. |
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Stodmarsh
NNR Group Car Trip
Saturday, 16 May 2009 9.45 am to 2.45 pm
Leader: Tony Banks
Attendance: 15
Weather: Mild, sunny, breezy
The rain showers on the drive to Stodmarsh ceased
on the East side of Canterbury but the breezes stayed for most of
the day, not making the small birds any easier to see. Swifts, and
a few swallows provided us with constant entertainment along the
more open parts of our walk while we had intermittent close-encounters
with hobby and common terns. The dependable marsh harriers were
visible in the air somewhere for most of the day but cuckoos only
gave fleeting views. Reed, sedge and Cetti’s warblers were
seen but few stayed long enough for us to appreciate them fully.
Bird List
great-crested grebe, cormorant, little egret, grey heron, mute swan,
white fronted goose, greylag goose, Canada goose, shelduck, gadwall,
mallard, shoveler, tufted duck, marsh harrier, kestrel, hobby, moorhen,
coot, avocet, lapwing, black tailed godwit, greenshank, herring
gull, black headed gull, lesser black-backed gull, common tern,
collared dove, woodpigeon, turtle dove, cuckoo, swift, swallow,
green woodpecker, sand martin, house martin, meadow pipit, pied
wagtail, wren, dunnock, robin, nightingale, blackbird, Cetti’s
warbler, sedge warbler, reed warbler, whitethroat, garden warbler,
blackcap, chiffchaff, willow warbler, blue tit, great tit, magpie,
rook, carrion crow, starling, chaffinch, green finch, goldfinch,
reed bunting. Total 61
Tony Banks
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Rye
Harbour Nature Reserve – Group Coach Trip
Sunday 26 April 2009
Leader – Tony Banks
Attendance 31
Weather: Sunny with cool south-westerly breeze.
A break in the weather provided us with a lovely
sunny spring day in which to enjoy the stoney habitat of Rye Harbour.
Heading towards the beach, along the roadway beside the river, we
were soon watching a group of whimbrels playing hide and seek in
the field to our right. After a few minutes these eight birds took
to the air and came closer, landing at the edge of the pool and
giving excellent views of their striped crowns. The rest of the
walk to the beach provided a good number of birds including wheatear,
yellow wagtail, ringed plover and bar-tailed godwit. A small flock
of turnstones searched for food on the seaweed covered wall by the
river, and noisy Sandwich terns passed overhead as we turned west
with an invitingly blue sea on our left. The scrape named "Quarry"
provided our only two little terns of the day, not easy to see properly
through the heat haze but the contrast in size with the common terns
and their yellow bills gave them away. Views were better from the
Turnery Pool hides and among the multitude of black headed gulls,
Mediterranean gulls and Sandwich terns were a pair of little gulls.
Continuing past the Mary Stanford Lifeboat House, where two flowering
bluebells looked out of place we turned inland finding avocet and
dunlin on our way to the wood. Half an hour in and around the green
shade of the wood produced chiffchaff, whitethroat, treecreeper,
great spotted woodpecker, blackcap and song thrush. Back on the
shingle we took the track past Long Pit, Harbour Farm Barns and
Narrow Pit, serenaded intermittently by a cuckoo. We were almost
back among the houses of Rye Harbour before we spotted him at last
sitting on power lines and giving great views. This is probably
one of the longest walks we do on our coach trips but fortunately
the weather wasn’t too hot. All made it back to the ice-cream
van, pub or café in time for refreshment before departure
including the lady who cut her knee and was competently patched
up by Doreen Newson with bandages from the first aid kit.
Bird List: great northern diver, little grebe, great
crested grebe, fulmar, gannet, cormorant, grey heron, mute swan,
graylag goose, Canada goose, barnacle goose, Brent goose, shelduck,
gadwall, mallard, tufted duck, eider, common scoter, marsh harrier,
sparrowhawk, kestrel, red legged partridge, pheasant, moorhen, coot,
oystercatcher, avocet, ringed plover, lapwing, dunlin, bar-tailed
godwit, whimbrel, curlew, redshank, greenshank, turnstone, Mediterranean
gull, little gull, black-headed gull, common gull, lesser black
backed gull, herring gull, great black backed gull, Sandwich tern,
common tern, little tern, woodpigeon, collared dove, cuckoo, green
woodpecker, great spotted woodpecker, skylark, sand martin, swallow,
house martin, meadow pipit, yellow wagtail, pied wagtail, wren,
dunnock, robin, nightingale, wheatear, blackbird, song thrush, mistle
thrush, Cetti’s warbler, sedge warbler, reed warbler, lesser
whitethroat, whitethroat, blackcap, chiff-chaff, bearded tit, long-tailed
tit, blue tit, great tit, treecreeper, jay, magpie, jackdaw, rook,
carrion crow, starling, house sparrow, chaffinch, greenfinch, goldfinch,
linnet, reed bunting. Total 90 species
Tony Banks |
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Cliffe
Pools RSPB Reserve Group Car Trip
Wednesday 22 April 2009 10.00am to 3.30pm
Leader: John Turner
Attendance: 11
Weather: Warm and sunny
We were greeted by the first of many whitethroats
singing from the wire near the new car park. The walk along the
trail was full of singing blackcaps and we could hear distant nightingales.
At the far end our patience was rewarded by sightings of two, perched,
singing nightingales. The Flamingo Pool produced a whimbrel with
a curlew and two ringed plovers among the avocet and many shelduck.
A lesser whitethroat was heard among the hawthorn scrub and finally
seen on top of a bush. The walk back along the track by the pools
produced a lone brent goose and a pair of pintail among the shelduck
and a pair of common tern.
Some of the group stayed for an afternoon visit
to Bromhey Farm and were rewarded with views of an over-flying cuckoo
and a fine male garganey on one of the reservoirs plus many singing
lesser whitethroats.
Bird List
Lapwing, curlew, whimbrel, oystercatcher, redshank, ringed plover,
avocet, mute swan, greylag geese, brent goose, shoveler, wigeon,
gadwall, pintail, garganey, mallard, pochard, tufted duck, great
crested grebe, little grebe, shelduck, grey heron, little egret,
cormorant, kestrel, coot, moorhen, black headed gull, Mediterranean
gull, herring gull, lesser black backed gull, common gull, common
tern, starling, blackbird, carrion crow, rook, jackdaw, wood pigeon,
magpie, cuckoo, wren, robin, long tailed tit, blue tit, great tit,
whitethroat, lesser whitethroat, nightingale, blackcap, linnet,
chaffinch, greenfinch, goldfinch.
Butterflies
Peacock, orange tip, large white, green veined white.
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Riverside
Country Park Group Car Trip
Saturday 28 March 2009, 09.30 am to 1.30 pm
Leader –
Tony Banks
Attendance:
10
Weather: Overcast with bright spells, gusty westerly
winds, intermittent very light showers.
We started by heading East towards Bloors Wharf
and our ID skills were tested by long range waterfowl and waders,
not forgetting everybody’s favourites – the gulls. Eventually
the gradually disappearing Medway mud indicated that the tide was
rising so we turned back towards Horrid Hill, crossing the exposed
causeway without a pause. From our vantage point in the lee of small
trees at the end of the path we watched as the advancing water forced
the birds to move nearer, feeding as they came. A single pair of
mergansers kept their distance but our patience was rewarded by
fairly close views of many birds including good numbers of turnstones.
Eventually our time ran out and with the promise of refreshments
in the tea room we pointed our noses into the wind for the short
walk back. A flock of Brent geese swimming only 20 yards from our
path slowed our progress temporarily, and a quick visit was made
to the pond, but we were soon warming chilled fingers around mugs
of coffee. Not a red-letter day bird-wise but the previous week’s
cobwebs were well and truly blown away.
List – teal, crow, magpie, wren, robin, chaffinch,
cormorant, wood pigeon, black tailed godwit, mallard, green woodpecker,
lapwing, moorhen, black headed gull, dunnock, greenfinch, dunlin,
goldfinch, blackbird, collared dove, starling, herring gull, house
sparrow, Canada goose, curlew, great tit, mistle thrush, oystercatcher,
redshank, shelduck, grey plover, brent goose, lesser black backed
gull, meadow pipit, common gull, great crested grebe, red breasted
merganser, pintail, song thrush, wigeon, turnstone, chiffchaff,
linnet. Total 44.
Tony Banks
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Isle
of Sheppey Group Car Trip
Wednesday 25 February 2009, 10.00 am to1.00
pm Leader:
John Turner
Attendance:
7
Weather: Overcast
and misty
A walk to Shellness
and return to Leysdown.
The walk out
produced formation flying by the many oystercatcher as they flew
to their high tide roost. Sanderling and turnstone were on the water’s
edge while hundreds of golden plover, some showing summer plumage,
were in the fields with large numbers of starling and a flock of
dunlin as well as a huge flock of brent geese. On the way to Shellness
we found a dead male red breasted merganser and were able to examine
its sawbill. The high tide roost was as spectacular as usual with
hundreds of oystercatcher, grey plover, knot and bar-tailed godwit.
At Capel Fleet
corner we had good views of the rough-legged buzzard sitting on
a dunghill and a female hen harrier was seen whilst driving along
the road. The viewpoint held many views of marsh harrier, one of
which was nest building. Later peregrine, merlin and barn owl were
also observed.
Bird List
Black-tailed godwit, bar-tailed godwit, curlew, lapwing, grey plover,
golden plover, ringed plover, oystercatcher, turnstone, sanderling,
knot, dunlin, brent geese, greylag geese, shelduck, teal, gadwall,
shoveler, mallard, wigeon, great crested grebe, red throated diver,
red breasted merganser (dead), little egret, grey heron, kestrel,
merlin, peregrine, barn owl, pheasant, red-legged partridge, coot,
moorhen, black headed gull, common gull, herring gull, lesser black-backed
gull, greater black-backed gull, starling, blackbird, carrion crow,
rook, wood pigeon, stonechat, meadow pipit, chaffinch, greenfinch,
linnet, reed bunting, corn bunting. |
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Dungeness
RSPB Reserve Group Car Trip
Saturday 21 February 2009, 10.00 am to 2.30 pm.
Leader: John Turner
Attendance: 22
Weather: Mild and sunny with occasional cloud.
Fourteen members set off for the first hide from
where we saw many species of duck including a pair of goldeneye.
We progressed through the visitor centre and on to the Scott Hide
where we were able to add pintail to our duck list and had a brief
distant view of a red head smew. A slavonian grebe made an appearance
and gave good scope views.
We spent a long time in the Christmas Dell Hide
hoping for a bittern but had to be satisfied with some well camouflaged
snipe and better views of two red headed smew. The Denge Marsh Hide
produced a selection of grebes including a fine pair of black necked
grebes. A marsh harrier in the sedges caused a minor disturbance
which resulted in a laboured take-off carrying a coot.
After returning to the car park we crossed to the
ARC pits and after circuits of the willow trail and a long wait,
some of the group had fine views of a firecrest from the end window
of the hide.
Bird List
Lapwing, curlew, snipe, oystercatcher, mute swan, greylag geese,
shoveler, teal, wigeon, gadwall, pintail, mallard, pochard, ruddy
duck, tufted duck, great crested grebe, little grebe, slavonian
grebe, black necked grebe, shelduck, goldeneye, smew, grey heron,
cormorant, kestrel, marsh harrier, coot, moorhen, black headed gull,
herring gull, lesser black backed gull, greater black backed gull,
common gull, starling, blackbird, redwing, carrion crow, wood pigeon,
magpie, wren, robin, long tailed tit, blue tit, great tit, goldcrest,
firecrest, chiff chaff, pied wagtail, chaffinch, greenfinch, goldfinch.
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Sevenoaks
Wildlife Reserve Car Trip
Wednesday 21 January, 10.00 am to 12.30 pm Leader:
John Turner
Attendance:
10
Weather: Cold
and sunny
A truncated
walk, because of the work in progress, to the wllow hide, and back
to the John Tyler hide. The highlight of the morning was a group
of redpolls in the silver birches on the path to the John Tyler
hide.
Bird List
Lapwing, snipe, cormorant, gannet, great crested grebe, little grebe,
teal, gadwall, shoveler, mallard, tufted duck, pochard, ruddy duck,
Canada geese, little egret, mute swan, grey heron, coot, moorhen,
sparrow hawk, black headed gull, common gull, lesser black backed
gull, robin, dunnock, song thrush, mistle thrush, redwing, blackbird,
greater spotted woodpecker, jay, carrion crow, wood pigeon, collared
dove, greenfinch, chaffinch, goldfinch, lesser redpoll, pied wagtail,
grey wagtail, great tit, blue tit, long-tailed tit, treecreeper. |
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Titchwell
Marsh RSPB Reserve, Norfolk, Coach Trip
Sunday 18 January 2009. 10.30 am to 4.00 pm
Attendance:
41
Weather: Sunny but feeling cold in a moderate SW wind
Leader: John
Turner
After a trouble-free
journey of 2 ¾ hours from Bexleyheath most of the group headed
for the beach as high tide was due at 11.35. A lucky few made a
quick diversion down the meadow trail where they were rewarded with
brief views of an over-wintering woodcock before it disappeared
to play hide and seek for the rest of the day. A merlin dashed briefly
across the reserve sending the large golden plover flock and some
lapwings into the air.
Whilst the sea
was not particularly calm, good views were obtained of red-breasted
mergansers, goldeneye and great crested grebes whilst a few red-throated
divers were seen flying offshore. Onshore oystercatcher, bar-tailed
godwit and sanderling provided the main interest. Highlight for
many was the snow bunting flock of about 30 which came briefly within
telescope range before doubling back towards Thornham.
Retracing our
steps back to the visitor centre via the various hides no jack snipe
could be located although spotted redshank, water rail and water
pipit were seen by some. Significant numbers of smart looking pintails
were on the reserve and a pair of bearded tits gave superb views
in the sun.
Only a couple
of marsh harriers were seen and a few people saw a ring-tail hen
harrier. The last few members of our party leaving the reserve were
treated to a brief flight by a bittern into a distant reed bed.
Not a bad way to end the visit.
Bird List
Red-throated diver, great northern diver, great crested grebe, little
grebe, fulmar, cormorant, bittern, little egret, grey heron, mute
swan, pink-footed goose (20), greylag, Canada goose, brent goose,
Egyptian goose, shelduck, wigeon, gadwall, teal, mallard, pintail
(80+), shoveler, pochard, tufted duck, eider, goldeneye (20+), red
breasted merganser (8+), marsh harrier, hen harrier, sparrowhawk,
kestrel, merlin, red-legged partridge, pheasant, water rail, moorhen,
coot, oystercatcher, avocet, golden plover, grey plover, lapwing,
sanderling, dunlin, ruff, snipe, woodcock, black-tailed godwit,
bar-tailed godwit, curlew, spotted redshank, redshank, turnstone,
black-headed gull, common gull, herring gull, lesser black-backed
gull, great black-backed gull, guillemot, woodpigeon, collared dove,
great spotted woodpecker, skylark, meadow pipit, water pipit, pied
wagtail, wren, dunnock, robin, stonechat, blackbird, mistle thrush,
bearded tit, long-tailed tit, blue tit, great tit, magpie, jackdaw,
rook, carrion crow, starling, house sparrow, chaffinch, greenfinch,
goldfinch, siskin, linnet, bullfinch, snow bunting (30), reed bunting.
(90 species).
Maurice Ewart |
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