Dawn at Bookham Common.

My day started early on Wednesday morning with my alarm clock ringing at 4.30 a.m. which enabled me to drive and arrive at Bookham Common well before sunrise to listen to the Dawn Chorus.

With a thin slice of the moon suspended just above the dark silhouette of the woodland boundary I was greeted by a cacophony of sounds. Whilst difficult to unravel all the component parts of this orchestral delight the main voices were typically the Blackbirds, Song and Mistle Thrushes, Dunnocks, Wrens and Robins. At this early hour my sound receptors failed to pick out a returning migrant Nightingale so I strode purposefully to the far side of the common. 

With the sun just beginning the shine through the tree tops a thin blanket of mist hovering at ground level obscured part of my view over the field at Banks Common and enabled two Roe Deer to quickly hide from the lens. Behind me a hidden Blackcap sang out and a Common Buzzard called from a nearby wood.

With the lightening sky the bird song diminished drastically so before retracing my steps I took a few shots of the boundary fences. Linking to Good Fences hosted by Theresa.

A male Pheasant stands guard over his partner hidden in the grass in one of the many horse paddocks erected around Chasemore Farm.

After crossing one of the many bridges that span the various streams I finally heard the briefest of songs of a Nightingale while photographing a very obliging Dunnock in full voice. 

I was also pleased to find three Willow Warblers and captured a few images of other songsters which I'll share in a forthcoming post. FAB.

A Mixed Birding Week.

A mixed week weather wise with dull overcast skies and the occasional sunny period. So here are just a few of the species that found their way in front of the lens.

Following on from my earlier post 'Visit to Warnham L.N.R.' a few more species seen that day including one of the many Blue Tits.

A female Chaffinch.

Mrs Pheasant strutting her stuff! (I have some close-ups of the feather patterns that I'll share in a future post.)

Later in the week I took a quiet stroll around the ponds at Bookham Common which played host to 10 Gadwall who were disturbed by other walkers before I could get any shots, but two of the 6 Tufted Ducks were more obliging.

Don't I look smart?  Male and female Tufted Duck.

A pair of Mute Swans enjoying time together.

Nesting time has begun. The local Grey Herons were flying back and forth about every five minutes collecting appropriate material. It will be interesting to see how many nests are occupied during the breeding season.

And finally a Robin in our garden letting the opposition know that it has taken up residence.

On Sunday, weather permitting, I hope to visit the coast to see some over-wintering waders and my favourite geese, the Black-bellied Brent.  FAB.

Linking to Saturday's Critters.

Autumn.

The season of colour change when the verdant greens give way to yellows and golds.

 Delicate and fragile forms sprout up through the leaf litter.

Elsewhere the varied fruit-bodies have appeared ready to release their spores for the next generation.

A cock Pheasant carries his gorgeous autumnal tones around with him wherever he wanders.

The rut has quietened down so this Red Deer stag finds time to browse and replenish some of its lost reserves.

Temperatures are falling and the overhead canopy slowly allows more light to reach the floor as individual leaves float down to join their comrades and create a colourful carpet on which to tread.  FAB.

Linking to NATURE NOTES hosted by Michelle.

Birding Day in Suffolk and Norfolk.

On Friday I left home in the wee small hours and at 5am met up with six other birders at RSPB Lakenheath in Suffolk. The site has been playing host recently to rare birds such as Savi's Warbler and Red-footed Falcon and is probably the only regular breeding location in the UK for the 'RED listed' Golden Oriole plus home of the Common Crane that first bred there in 2007. Indications were that the first two species had not been recently sighted and although a pair of Golden Orioles were around they can be notoriously difficult to locate once they start the breeding process.

With the light slowly improving and a very chilling strong breeze we started our circuit of the reserve at the viewpoint overlooking 'The Flash' with overflying views of Lapwing, Curlew and a close quartering Barn Owl carrying its prey. The reed beds were full of the rhythmic and scratchy songs of Reed and Sedge Warbler respectively plus the distinctive reeling of Grasshopper Warbler interspersed by the occasional but sudden loud outburst from Cetti's Warbler and Wren. 

 Wren bursting into full song.

Throughout our time here Cuckoo's called constantly from their lofty perches and several were seen in flight. (I subsequently learnt that there are probably five males but only one female. Even so they have plenty of their favoured host species available, the Reed Warbler, to ensure a successful breeding season.) At every opportunity we scanned likely locations but I only heard the flutty call of a Golden Oriole on two separate occasions. Bittern was heard 'booming' and Marsh Harriers were regularly on the wing hunting with plenty of Swifts screaming overhead but very few Swallows. I found it difficult to pick up the twanging calls of Bearded Reedling but several were seen briefly skipping over the top of the reeds. A pair of Egyptian Geese and a single Common Tern flew along the river while a scan of the fields way beyond produced two resident Common Cranes. 

 Grey Heron.

After leaving Lakenheath we visited a 'likely' road-side area (according to a reliable source)  barricaded with electric fencing for Stone Curlew but couldn't locate anything apart from Hares and Rabbits so we stopped at Brandon for a hearty full english breakfast before popping into Weeting Heath. We were only just in time to log two adults and one chick before three reserve staff walked out onto the breeding area to ring the chicks. (You would have thought they could plan this sort of activity before the reserve was open to the public ... AND they actually walked straight past one chick and of course the adults took flight!) As the adults probably wouldn't resettle for some time the decision was made to drive northwards to Cley Marshes for probable Pectoral Sandpiper, Spoonbill and a male White-spotted Bluethroat although some doubt existed as to if the latter was still around. (Needless to say we didn't see it ... that would have been a lifer for me.)

After a caffeine fix we headed out onto the East Bank and located a Spotted Redshank, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwits and then a single Pectoral Sandpiper skulking in the grass fringes of one of the pools. From the shingle ridge we added Sandwich and Little Tern over the sea.

Oystercatcher nesting on the landward side of the shingle ridge that protects the reserve from the sea. It was interesting to note the increase in vegetation around this spot that was marked out to protect the nest site which in normal circumstance would have born the brunt of thousands of human footsteps. 

 

A little further on an Avocet had also decided that this was a good place to nest.

From the North Hide we confirmed our earlier distant scoped views of a sleeping Spoonbill, another Spotted Redshank, Ringed Plaver and a Little Stint plus a flyby Mediterranean Gull. Unfortunately the rest of my 'day companions' had to return home to Surrey at lot earlier than originally planned so I spent a while in one of the hides watching the numerous Avocets with their chicks and the hiatus caused when a Marsh Harrier drifted over their territories and snatched a meal. 

Outside the hide in a nearby field a Lapwing provided a closer opportunity for the lens before I eventually drove back southwards to my overnight accommodation at Barton Mills and decided to revisit the RSPB Lakenheath Reserve again the following morning before returning home. 

A rain front had moved through overnight and there was still plenty of cloud and drizzle at 6am but the conditions slowly improved over the next two hours and I was fortunate to have good views of three separate Bittern in flight and the pair of Common Cranes flying off to their daytime feeding area.

 Common Cranes.

My thanks go to Richard H for generously inviting me along and for the company of Rich S, Neil R, Matt P, Dave B and Mark L on a grand birding day. My overall tally for the trip was 75 species of which 7 were year ticks but no lifers this time.  FAB.

Linking to Camera Critters,  I'D-Rather-B-Birdin' and Wild Bird Wednesday.

Sightings this week.

On Tuesday I decided to head out in the car and see if I could add a few extra sightings to my year list and visit a few locations that I have not been to for some time.

First stop was Bouldermere Lake close to the M25 / A3 juntion where I followed the short boardwalk to overlook the water. Nothing new but I did log Mute Swans, Canada Geese, Mallard, plenty of Tufties, Teal, a pair of Wigeon, Gadwall, Pochard, Coot, Cormorant and Great Crested Grebes.

This male Tuftie was the only one close enough for a picture. I then strolled onto the old, deserted Wisley Airfield where I watched several Chiffchaffs and Wrens singing while apair of Red-legged Partridge easily evaded the lens. Standing on the deserted tarmack I was regailed with the display flight and beautiful song of numerous Skylarks but again they were not approachable.

A Pheasant strutted down the grassy slope while Dunnocks, Chiffchaff and a Blackcap sang nearby. 

One Blue Tit hung around for a brief photocall as a Grey Heron flew overhead. On my return walk back to the car I watched four Common Buzzards soaring upwards and westwards over the motorway. My final port of call was the open expanses of water at Staines Reservoir. Lots of Black-headed Gulls and I eventually  scoped a couple of Little Gulls.

Male Reed Bunting taking a rest on the fence with masses of recently hatched midges swirling around everything including my head!

Other species on the water, apart from the Tufties, were Shoveler, Wigeon, Mallard, Teal, Goldeneye and Great Crested Grebes. However the main purpose of the visit to this location was to attempt to catch up with a Great Northern Diver.

 Great Northern Diver.

Fortunately the water was fairly still and although my quarry was at some distance I managed a couple of shots that have been heavily cropped.

A very enjoyable few hours out the fresh air plus three additions to the 2011 list.  FAB.

Norfolk Review (Part 2) - Titchwell

No holiday to the North Norfolk coast would be complete without spending some time at Titchwell RSPB Reserve so here are some images from our two seperate visits on day 3 when we met up with our friends Jean and Tony, also on holiday but staying further east near Wells, and day 6 when Anita and I dropped in for a late afternoon stroll. Once again there was a very fresh and breezy north-easterly wind and rain on the radar so we had to wrap up and protect ourselves from the elements in the middle of June! 

The resident friendly Robin very quickly perched on the car wing mirror to see if we had any scaps. My friend Keith at holdingmoments had this chap eating out of his hand earlier this year. As we headed out onto the reserve we had our first sightings of Marsh Harriers quartering over the reed beds plus a Red-Crested Pochard was located on one of the reed fringed pools with Teal, Gadwall, and Tufties.

Plenty of activity overhead with Swifts, Swallows and House Martins. Reed Buntings occasionally perched on the swaying reeds. From the hide Tony and I scoped out the distant ducks and waders including Gadwall, Shoveller, Shelduck, Pochard, Mute Swan, Greylag Geese, Cormorant, Little Egret, Knot, Black-tailed Godwits, Redshank, Greenshank, Ringed Plover, Lapwing, Little Gull, Black-headed Gulls, Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Herring Gulls, Common and Little Terns. Elsewhere we also saw Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Linnet, Meadow Pipits, Starlings, Wigeon, Grey Heron, Pied Wagtail, Cetti's Warbler (heard only) and fleeting glimpses of a Bearded Tits flying into the reeds.

The main activity alongside the path were young Sedge Warblers perched precariously in the reed bed constantly begging for food from their overworked parents.

As expected there were lots of (Pied) Avocets on the freshwater lagoons. A very windy walk out onto the beach produced Turnstone, Bar-tailed Godwit, Dunlin and Oystercatchers feeding along the tide line. With a rain front approaching and Tony getting hungry it was soon time for us to head back towards the Reserve Centre for much needed refreshments.

As we crossed the boardwalk a pair of Skylarks noisily alighted on the handrail allowing me a few quick shots.

Check out the length of those hind claws!

Another birder stopped us and asked if we were any good with wader ID to which Tony immediately responded by pointing at me.....no pressure I thought!  Through his scope I located the distant objective....larger than a Dunlin; showed large primary projection; a very slight decurved bill and the heavily streaked breastband that is sharply demarcated against the white unmarked underbelly...a PECTORAL Sandpiper. I reported this sighting at the Reserve Centre and was immeditely referred to the resident warden who suggested that it might be the same bird that was recorded at Frampton Marshes on the other side of The Wash and definitely an unusual record for Titchwell in the spring. (Usually only seen during Autumn return migration). Just a pity I couldn't get a photo as the bird didn't stop long after feeding and I think we were the only 3 people to spot this individual. 

The final encounter on our second visit was this Pheasant eagerly waiting for help from the Pigeon to cadge a titbit that may fall out of the feeder.

N.B. If anyone is thinking of visiting Titchwell later this year the path to the sea will be closed from August to October as work on the Coastal Change Project continues...not sure what effect this will have on all the returning migrants and wintering species that use this stretch of important marsh......FAB. 

Inbetween the showers.

The weather has not let up this week but I have managed a few brief forays to stretch the legs inbetween the showers. A week ago the pond on Bookham Common was alive with Toads and a few Frogs. I previously posted a few more images on my FABirding blog.

This week the only inhabitants were Moorhen, Coot and two male Mallard keeping very close company.

Chiffchaffs were announcing their recent arrival everywhere and the repetitive song of a Song Thrush drifted through the woodland on the breeze.

I headed into one of the woods to check on progress. Lots of young green shoots emerging but I guess it will be at least another 3 to 4 weeks before the bells will erupt and turn this into a carpet of blue but there were plenty of wild primroses (Primula vulgaris) dotted about the floor. Its name comes from the latin for 'First Rose' and the five petals represent birth, initiation, consummation, repose and death. 

Heading out of the wood I disturbed a Pheasant who promptly strutted away!

A detour along a path between open fields where there was recent evidence of the art of hedge-laying. The effect of thinning out, cutting and then layering will rejuvenate growth and provide a very effective stock-proof barrier plus, in time, fresh habitat for nesting species.

A domesticated Guineafowl feeding in one of the fields.

A view through the railway bridge where I decided to retrace my steps as another band of of rain clouds were moving in. High over the wood I heard the call of a Common Buzzard and then had a distant view of two individuals as the effortlessly drifted away following the treeline.

A male Chaffinch turned his back on me as it dived into deep cover.

There are hundreds of old Oaks throughout the various woods; many pollared long ago; and in order to give them breathing space vast areas are being thinned out.  Large areas of scrub has also been cleared to rejuvenate the natural grassland that supports a wide range of insect life that provides food for both resident

and the returning migrant bird species, such as the Nightingale. Breeding territories of this evocative songster have fallen over recent years and it is hoped that the current management plan will help to provide better conditions for the future. I always look forward to making early morning visits to listen for the Nightingales arrival and  this year will be no exception.  FAB.