H-owls of Delight!!

Sunday 21st Feb.  Living in the middle of England, it’s perhaps not surprising that I enjoy going to the coast and of course there are different species to be found in estuaries, offshore and on cliffs.  This Sunday I booked on a 2-hour boat trip round Christchurch (Dorset) harbour organised by the local RSPB. The Hengistbury Head ferry was chartered for the trip, and 17 of us happily waved goodbye to the distant high waves for the calmer waters of the harbour. Hengitsbury gets a large variety of species, both offshore and on the headland, and I have seen Dartford Warbler on the Head in prior years.

Nothing particularly startling in the 33 species seen, although the leader said that a Redwing was an unusual sighting, but it was in trees alongside the River Avon so not too much of a surprise. I spotted Turnstones near Mudeford Quay which was a good list addition.

Monday 22^nd Feb,  ...and another unusual location – a pair of Ring Necked Parakeets at Leatherhead cemetery! I have mentioned these parrot like birds before, but as a rarity to Midlanders they are good to see.

Thursday 25 Feb had an afternoon visit to Loscoe Dam, a small reserve near Heanor, in the hope of seeing Skylark and Green Woodpecker, but to no avail. Chatting to the Loscoe bird recorder he mentioned the Short Eared Owls that had been at Shipley Park since last December, so being only 10 minutes away I popped over on the way home. Success!!.... within 3 minutes of the centre, a hot drink in hand, and diminishing light I was thrilled to be watching a pair of these large birds quartering a rough field.

Friday 26 Feb, and I set off to try and end February on a high. Only 45 minutes from home, and I was at Rufford Park (again!) this time hoping to see Marsh Tit, and at a spot near the ice house where I had been successful in the  past. Armed with a good quantity of bird food, I tempted out plenty of Coal Tits and a few Nuthatches, but despite patiently waiting for an hour, I dipped again.

Never mind, 10 minutes away is a small piece of wet land at a village called Eakring, and last year I saw a Garganey there. Although the word was that he (it was a male!) commuted between Eakring and Rufford, on this occasion I duly found him, cohorting with a female Mallard. Very useful, because it enabled me to see and appreciate what a small duck a Garganey is.

Spent the rest of the day at Colwick Park near Nottingham, hoping to see Smew or Red Crested Pochard....dipped again!!

Just to end on a bit of a sad note.  Just over 10 years ago I started my Birdwatching for Beginners walk at Carsington, and on the first walk on 8^th January 2006, I had 14 people on the walk, and one was a lady Janet Ede. Since then she has been on my walk 33 times, and I was told this morning that she passed away just before Xmas. Many of my regulars will know her and at 79, what an enthusiastic birder she was. She loved birding, would help anyone using her guide book and was a regular at Carsington other than for my walks. She will be sadly missed.