OMG3GND+3SEO

Sunday 6^th March. Ok, so there was some snow flurries at Carsington, so 6 people decided that home is more attractive than the journey to Carsington for my March Beginners bird walk, especially if they were coming from Staffs.     

Probably true, but a sad decision because those that did make the trip saw 3 Great Northern Divers, including 2 seen from the end of Stones Island drifting north in formation. They were that close if one had flapped its wings it would have hit the other. Marvellous, and no one had a camera. 

Anyway, 36 was good count for a cold day. (That explains the 3GND!)

Monday 7^th... The web had reported that a Sand Martin had been seen in Gloucester, which spurred me into some painting action.

The Sand Martin bank built by the volunteers has seen only one visiting pair in 4 years, and I suggested that painting the bank sand colour might be more attractive than grey breeze blocks. As all else had failed we decided to go ahead with the idea, and I volunteered to do the painting. So armed with a large tin of Masonry paint and some nice weather, I duly spent Monday doing a make-over.  Mind you, I was not encouraged by the full-time Ranger who said a nice flock wallpaper with Sand Martin pattern would have been better!

Tuesday 8^th  Together with Chris and Tony, we set off for a day at Slimbridge. Did the obligatory search for the Penduline Tit site at Gloucester, and missed again – for the 3^rd time!  Mind, you we did see a Chiffchaff, so all was not lost.

44 birds at Slimbridge was rewarding, and although none new for my 2016 list, it was great to see a pair of Cranes, and then shortly after 3 more...5 in one day, in the wild... not bad.

Wednesday 9^th  Did another of my Osprey talks this time to a church group in Duffield, and despite the small number in the audience it generated a good number of questions. Everyone empathises with Ospreys!

Friday 11^th March  As far as I can recall this had to be the best birding day so far for 2016. Chris, John and I headed off to Parkside on the Wirral for an exceptional high spring tide. With hi-tide at c1.00pm, we and a couple of hundred other birders were ready from noon for the progressively rising tide, and to see what was flushed out to provide lunch for the raptors. And we were not disappointed. On arrival, everyone was pointing to a Great White Egret, close to a good number of Little Egrets, so ideal for comparing size.  

   The warm sun produced soaring Skylarks galore, and I spotted a cute Stonechat sitting on a reed bush.

But the raptor parade was what everyone wanted. First a Hen Harrier arrived (with a second bird later) and spent it’s time patrolling up and down the reeds, with the occasional drop for clearly a successful meal. Then the first of 3 Short Eared Owls. One sat on the marsh, with the Hen harrier passing right above...oh for a camera - again! (That’s the 3SEO!)

Third raptor was a speedy Merlin, which I picked up right out on the water’s edge and a Buzzard loafed around over the adjacent park.

Brilliant day – warm, satisfying, good birding camaraderie, and 5 additions to my 2016 list, making 138 to date...that’s the highest ever for 11^th March, so the year progresses well!!

Grebes Galore!!

Monday 29th Feb.  Had 2 hours in Markeaton Park and a bird count for the DOS. Temperature seems to have dropped a bit, which is probably why the Goosanders are still on the lake. Whilst I hope they decide to breed again this year, I’m just keeping an eye on the main island as there seems to be some tidying up work going on, and I’d hate to think a Goosander nested and then got disturbed.

One little Egret was sitting on the small island – seems to be seen quite frequent in recent months, which bodes well.

Thursday 3^rd March had an enjoyable visit to my Grandson’s junior school in Ashby for a 40min talk to 28 children about birds. 

We played birding Bingo, without prizes. Each child had to write down the name of an their choice of bird (Robin was not allowed) on a piece of paper face down. Then I powerpointed some birds to try and find what they had chosen. Blackbird, Blue Tit and Goose took out 15, but after talking about Swans, Raptors, Pheasant, Ducks and Chicken (got some boos for that one!), I was still left with 5/6. Peregrine took out 3 (My grandson had spread the word about the Derby Peregrines - tricked them by showing a Hobby), and the top three were Cormorant (Teachers choice), Heron and Hawk.   

I’ll never make a teacher!!

Friday 4^th, another trip to Loscoe Dam, without success. Too windy, wet (snowing) and cold for the Skylark, heard the Green Woodpecker. The highlight was a Buzzard sitting in the middle of a field surrounded by a whisper (well hardly a murmuration-) of 200 Starlings.

Saturday 5^th What can only be described as “a cracking day Grommitt”.  Having done a bit of pre-planning I drove to Rutland Water. Kept pace with a Red Kite near Melton Mowbray, then pulled into the Fisherman car park on the Hambleton peninsula for a view of the North Arm. Red Necked Grebe was fairly close, but the 3 Black Necked Grebes just too far away.

As it was difficult to hold the tripod steady in the wind, I moved on to the main centre at Egleton, and started with the Shoveller hide. A lone birder (where were the birders??) showed me which reed tuft the Long Billed Dowitcher was hiding behind, and in due course it emerged giving excellent views of why it was “long Billed”. 

Fortunately, unlike the other birds, it was not spooked by the Sparrowhawk that did a virtual supersonic fly through.

Moved on to one of my favourite hides, the Sandpiper which overlooks Lagoon 4, and having opened the coffee and sannies, quickly picked up a lovely White Nun with a couple of Redheads, on the far side of the water. Sorry.. birders know what I mean, but just look at a Smew in a bird guide and you can readily understand why it has the affectionate name, White Nun.  So with Goosander and Merganser, I have seen all 3 sawbills this year. Oh and the Peregrine was sitting on Island 4 whilst I dined!

I decdided to have a final look for the Black Necked Grebes, and went looking for a Fishermans Hut overlooking the North Arm said to be a good view point. At the Eastern end of a private road spurring off just after the Egleton turn on the A606, I found a small brick building in the course of construction, and if I still was not sure, 6 people with tripods confirmed this was the spot.

And it was...  3 Black Necked Grebes, and 1 Slavonian Grebe. Superb.

And to cap it all, heading back, not far after Oakham, a Grey Partridge ran across the road in front of me.   

Nice little addition of 4 to take my list to 132. Will this continue?