Scotland Trip Part 3

So last full day and we headed of to the RSPB reserve at Loch Kinnordy, where by all accounts there is a Drake Smew present, so after about an hour drive we parked up and a local told us that the Smew was showing from the Swamp Hide, so along we went.

There was a lot of ice on the Loch in front of the hide so sadly all the birds were pretty distant, but the Smew was there along with Teal, Wigeon, Goosander, Goldeneye, Whooper & Mute Swans and of course Mallard, so just for the record:

We then wandered back popping in all the other hides but the Loch in front of those was completely frozen so there was nothing much to see. On leaving the last hide we had a Buzzard land and try to hide in the trees not to far away:

Then a Brambling showed quite well at the feeders:

So after a successful visit we set off to Montrose to visit the Reserver at Montrose Basin, we first stopped at the SWT Visitor Center (to make use of the facilities of course!) Here we had the usual small bird suspects, plus some Tree Sparrows, which are always a welcome sight. We then set off for the hides over the other side of the basin near Dun House. We drove through Montrose and were about to cross the River Esk, when Tina shouted "Waxwings!" so a quick U-turn was called for, luckily there were no parking restrictions and sitting on a TV aerial opposite were 13 Waxwings:

Brilliant! We stayed and watched them for a while and were about to leave when they started dropping down into the garden of the house and feeding, so out of the car and more photo's (I took quite a few, I will add them to the Gallery shortly), but just one more here:

So 2 Waxwing sightings in 2 days, totally unexpected and both in the least likely of places, but I'm cot complaining! So onwards. We parked up and then walked the 2k to the hide overlooking the estuary,which was the best choice as the tide was out and viewing from the other hide would be distant to say the least, , finding a flock of Twite on the way:

The first things to see were 6 Goldeneye, (1m & 5f),

then Redshank, Oystercatcher, BHG, GBBG, Mute Swan, Goosander, Little Grebe, and a Common Sandpiper, but then the stars of the show turned up, first a female Long Tail Duck appeared:

She didn't stay to long and flew off over the other side of the estuary, then moments later the Drake came into view:

A shame that the light was going at this point as these were the best Long Tail sightings we had ever had, he then flew off to join his mate, we watched them for ages in the distance where they were joined by another pair, so 4 LTDs, pretty good. So after refreshments and before it got dark we headed back via the coast path, where we found some Curlew, Shelduck, Pink Footed Geese and a Black-tailed Godwit, well pleased.
Then we trekked back to the car the only addition being some Roe Deer in the trees.

When driving back over Glenshee it was dark and the snow was coming down quite heavily, but the reward were Mountain Hares everywhere, it took us ages to get down to Braemar as we were constantly stopping to avoid Hares and watch the Red Deer that had come down from the mountains for the night, even though it was pitch black I manged to get a Hare in the headlights and take a very shaky photo:

So Saturday arrived and time to leave, we weren't coming straight back to the Black Country though, we were returning via Edinburgh, so we called in at Loch Leven (Vane Farm) RSPB just north of Edinburgh for a first visit.
The weather was terrible, drizzle and murk, and the reserve was pretty quiet and all the ducks etc were staying way out in the Loch, we tried all the hides, only one had any decent sightings. Goosander, Whoopers, Heron, Greylag:

We were entertained if that's the right way of putting it by 2 wardens rescuing a Sheep stuck in the bog, at one time we thought someone would have to go and rescue them as they kept sinking to their knees in the mud, but they managed it.

We popped back to the excellent Cafe at the Center for lunch and courtesy of the scopes up there, watched two Short Eared Owls hunting along one of the tree lines, so it was worth the visit just for that. (The lunch was pretty good too!)

So endeth the Scottish trip, bringing our year tally to 85 and 59 for the trip.

Scotland Trip Part 2

Well the second half of the week saw an improvement in the weather (just about) We listened to the radio and there were no reports on Radio 2 of any closures, so we set out on Thursday to cross The Lecht and drop down to Loch Garten and Aviemore. There are two roads off the A93 that head that way, the first had a sign saying closed due to snow drifts, so we proceeded 5 miles further up to the second only to be faced with another sign!  We turned around and started to make a plan to head back over Glenshee and do something that way only to hear on the local radio 10 minutes later that the pass over the Lecht was open, so we turned around and headed up, I must say that I was thankful in places that we have a Landrover!

So we arrived at the Lecht Ski Centre and used that as our first coffee stop and to use the facilities! Even before we got out of the care the Lecht Snow Buntings did the job, I took more photos as this is a great little bird, but seeing as I have put a couple of Glenshee pictures in part 1 I wont add any more here. We had hoped to see Ptarmigan but alas no luck, just happy with more Red Grouse:

We proceed down off the mountains towards Garten, picking up a Heron, Pheasant and Buzzard.

We arrived at Garten and parked at the Osprey Center, the objective here was Crested Tit, we have always had good sightings, but today it looked like they weren't going to show, until one made a brief visit:

If you like Coal Tits this is also the place to be, I won't say there are hundreds, but certainly a lot and impossible to count, this though is when we had a bit of fun. We broke out the Coffee and had a snack, I was eating a cereal bar, next thing a Coal Tit pays me a visit and tries to land on my bar! So I thought well if they really want to:

Next thing they were at our supplies:

Then the Great Tits joined in:

In addition to these, we added a Great Spotted Wood Pecker, Chaffinch, Blue Tit and Robin, again with the Crested it's quality not quantity!

We then decided to have a ride across to Aviemore on the off chance of picking up Ptarmigan there, so headed through Aviemore Town to the Ski Slopes. We were just heading into town and I was stunned to see a tree full of Waxwing, sorry the photos aren't great but it was pretty dull!

Again just sheer quality!
So on to the slopes, the weather now become very murky, we managed a Goldeneye on the Loch driving up to the slopes, and more Snow Bunting, but no Ptarmigan. So after refueling with some hot Potato and Leek soup from the cafe, we headed back for Braemar via the Lecht as we didn't want to be going over in the dark.
Stopped again at the Lecht to use the facilities, now no Skiers just Snow Buntings! As we descended again we did pick up a new species for the trip some Red Legged Partridge which was nice (getting dark now):

End of part 2

Scotland Trip Part 1 (Braemar Again!)

Well last week we were up in Scotland again using Braemar as our base. We had quite a few plans, visit Loch Garten, Loch Kinnordy, Montrose Basin, Loch Muick, plus various other places. However the weather had other ideas!  We arrived on the Sunday (spent Saturday with our fantastic daughter and partner in Edinburgh) and it promptly started snowing and didn't stop, so much so the snow gates were closed and we couldn't get very far.

Before arriving in Braemar though we did stop at Glenshee at the Ski Center car park, to see our first Snow Buntings of 2013 and they duly obliged with a small flock of about 12 birds:

We then headed down the valley to Braemar keeping our eyes peeled for Dippers and again result!

in fact we saw 3! We finally finished off with a White Mountain Hare, very distant though and only just about visible in the snow.

So Monday and Tuesday were spent going for local walks in the snow and a drive down the Linn of Dee. (in a blizzard!) The first walk on Monday around Keiloch Crag didn't produce much in the way of wildlife or birds in fact we only saw 4 species in a 3 hour walk, however the walk was fantastic with some great views (when it wasn't snowing).

Coffee Break in the Snow! Halfway up the hillside

On Tuesday we walked through Braemar and out on a track that runs parallel to the A93 but the otherside of the river, this proved a good choice with 15 species (not a huge amount but better than the 2 or 3 we expected)  The best being Buzzard (3), Lesser Redpoll, Red Grouse and Siskin, so a few record shots:

 Oh and a Westland Lynx!

In the few hours we were out the weather changed from Blizzard, to Glorious Sunshine, to Blizzard, Sunshine and then pouring rain! This made photography a nightmare!

So onto Wednesday, we thought we would head out as the Snow Gates had opened on Tuesday afternoon, only for the Tuesday afternoon rain to turn into heavy snow overnight and the gates were shut again. So we headed north to Glen Tanar a supposed Crossbill hotspot. After seeing some Goosander on the River Dee we arrived on the Tanar Estate and went on one of the circular walks through the woods and along the river. In 2 and a half hours we didn't see a single bird, despite stopping and being patient not even a Pigeon or Crow! Then just as we arrived back at the car park, I got excited a bird in the distance on top of a fir tree, so I whipped out the bins and............. a Woodpigeon! You can't win them all! That's birding for you!

Sandwell Valley Sunday

We popped out whilst the sun was shining on Sunday afternoon, Tina hadn't been well since our trip to London and we kept the jaunt out short so as not to hinder recovery.

We decided unusually to start from the Visitor Center car park (normally we park at Forge Mill). So we had a quick look on the feeders by the old center. Not much about, a few tits and a pair of Bullfinches which is always nice, so we preceded down to the hide for our obligatory coffee stop.

The screens on the way down weren't worth stopping at as there was a work party clearing and burning just down from the screen. Once in the hide, first priority was coffee then have a look around. The island in from of the hide wass very quiet, just a solitary Lapwing:

A few goldfinches were scooting around, then a pair of Goosander sailed in front of the hide, typically at this point the sun had gone in and there was a bit of rain about:

I then spotted a couple of Snipe flying in and landing on the shore to the left of the hide, we then had a fun 15 minutes trying to get the others in the hide to find them as there were few reference points (to the right of the bright green leaf brought a few smiles!)

Other than that from the hide were some Wigeon, Teal, Coot, Moorhen, a single Gadwall and Gadwall, some spotted a Goldeneye, but we couldn't find it. so we decided to walk around and see if we could see it.

Just a bit around from the hide some Wigeon were gathered on the remaining ice:

On we went around the Lake we added more Gadwall and some Shoveler. There was next to no activity in the trees, just the usual, Blackbirds, Magpies, Woodpigeons, Crows, and Robins.

Once at the ramp at Forge Mill Car Park, we could see that there must have been 30-40 Goosander, probably the most we have seen in one go, we added some Pochard,Tufted Duck, and a Little Grebe, as well as Mute Swan, Canada Geese, BHG, LBBG and a Herring Gull, but no sign of the Goldeneye. The hybrid duck from last year was also still about.

So we continued the walk and had a last coffee at the bench directly opposite the hide, the only addition to our list was a Wren:

So onward back to the Car and one last look at the Feeder, this provided Marsh Tit bringing the 90 minute total to 29 and 59 for the year.

So probably no post now for a while as we are off to Scotland next week. But whill post all the details when we get back, with hopefully sightings of Crested Tit, Crossbill, Red Squirrel, Red Deer, Grouse, Dippers, Mountain Hares etc. Fingers Crossed!

Much Ado ........

We were down in London the weekend visiting 'the Lad' so the plan was to drop into Rainham Marshes on the way home yesterday, plus a walk through Victoria Park and Canal (Tower Hamlets) on the Saturday en-route to Broadway Market.

The Park/Canal walk went as planned although very cold, the Park yielded, Greylag & Canada Goose, Mallard, a couple of Tufties, BHG, Coot and Moorhen, plus Woodpigeon, Magpie, Crow and Blackbird, adding Mute Swan, Cormorant, Chaffinch and House Sparrow along the Canal, then lots of tasty things to try at the Market.

Looked at the weather on Sunday morning and decided not to risk Rainham, it wasn't the birding that was the issue, it was getting home, so after a brunch we headed back, so that we could get home before dark.

Today has been interesting, made sure there was plenty of food in the Garden, so all our usuals were looked after, but was stunned to see a Reed Bunting on the feeders, so they must be ranging far and wide for food. I have never even seen one on the local canal, where there are plenty of Reeds and suitable habitat. Well a first for the Garden, sadly couldn't get the camera out before he (it was a male) had headed off.

Might head for a walk tomorrow either to Haden Hill or Warrens Hall weather and work permitting!

Upton 'Snipe' Warren

Went down to Upton on Sunday afternoon for our first visit this year, the car park over at the Moors was very busy, so we expected the hides to be rammed but was surprised to get settled down in the concrete hide.

Within a few minute we had a brief glimpse of a Water Rail, but he dissapeared into the reeds, he came out again and raced across the shoreline in front of the hide, I managed to get a couple of hasty shots, of which this is probably the best:

The entertainment continued with a 'tree' rat:

and some frightened Black Headed Gulls.........

.......... because of this attack by a Lesser Black Backed Gull:

The feeding station to the right of the hide was very busy with Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tit, Reed Buntings Galore, Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Robin, Dunnock and a lovely female Pheasant. The Moors had of course Mallard, Tufted Duck, Pochard, many Cormorant, BHG, LBBG, Coot, Moorhen, Little Grebe and Great Crested Grebe. For the small bird pics go to the galleries (Upton Warren 2013)

We left the hide and headed over to the other side via the very muddy path around the pool by the car park hoping to see the Siskin and Redpoll but we had left it to late. So we settled down in the West Hide, we were astonished by all the Snipe just in front of the hide, it was only in 2011 that we were still struggling to see a Snipe and got our first over at Sandwell Valley, I lost count near the 40 mark, on the Bird Forum the count went up to 83! So I better put a least one photo up:

Plus a Jack Snipe trying to hide: (the light wasn't good now, sorry!)

So apart from adding the Snipe over this side, we also added Teal, Shelduck, Lapwing, Grey Heron and our second Water Rail of the day, couldn't find the Black Tailed Godwit though. Never mind still a great couple of hours (32 Species recorded)

Marshside Southport - New Years Day

Firstly Happy New Year to everyone and good hunting for 2013!

We celebrated New Years Eve up in Cheshire at Jo & Jimmy's, so had the bonus of their busy back Garden on New Years day to start the 2013 list before heading off to Southport to take our first look at Marshside RSPB

Firstly as I think I may have mentioned before Jo & Jimmy live on the River Weaver near Winsford and get a good variety of Birds visiting the Garden and swimming by the front window although the river was very quiet on New Years Day with just Moorhen, Mallard and a few BHGs flying around.

The garden was much better with 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers in at the same time, a Jay, Long Tailed, Great, Blue and Coal Tit, Bullfinch, Goldfinch and Chaffinch, Nuthatch, Robin, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Blackbird, Magpie and of course Woodpigeon.
I managed a few photos of some of the visitors through the windows:

So on to Marshside, an unusual but nice reserve with a very friendly member of Staff  at the Visitor Center.
The reserve runs along the coast road not far out of Southport going north, There is a free RSPB car park on this Road, which is the center point of the reserve. We parked up and walked back along the road past a couple of screens about 600m to the Nel's Hide, there was a good amount of duck and other waterfowl about, so a nice start to the New Year: (the light was going so not many photo's)

Sp as you can see lots of lovely Pintail (30+) about, plus Teal, Pochard, Wigeon, Shelduck, Shoveler, Curlew, Snipe, Moorhen, Canada Geese, Lapwing, Bar Tailed Godwit, Little Egret (10+) and Pink Footed flying over.
Someone asked us in this hide if we had seen the Spoonbill, which was a surprise to us, so after a while we wandered back down to the visitor centre. (About 300m the other side  of the car park)

The light was really bad now, but for the record:

He later became active, walking about and showing off 'the spoon' really well, he then took off and flew straight over the hide, brilliant!
So with some Coot and Little Grebe and the start at Winsford it brought our days tally to 37, two less than last years New Years Day when we went to Middleton Lakes, but to have a Spoonbill on the first day of the year is a great start.