The Attenborough Firecrest - a great Lifer for some.

It was great last week to get back to some serious birding and I was very pleased with the opening salvo!

Tuesday 8^th January, Chris and I had a pleasant visit to Broomhill Flash and Old Moor.  There had been some great reports of good birds at Old Moor on the 6^th, but in the morning I only added Snipe and Goldfinch. 

However, after lunch we had a good view of a Marsh Harrier drifting over the reed beds, flushing up the smaller birds and clearly looking for a meal.   Amanda came out with us after lunch hoping to find Redpoll, but to no avail. 

We thought our count of 43 was good until, Amanda told us her site list for the day, so far, was 52. We must have been looking in the wrong direction! She has ticked Bearded Tit, but they were elusive, and we did but try.

Mid-afternoon Chris and I decided to have a look at the Old Moor satellite site, Adwick. It’s about 3 miles away, and at least compared with a previous visit, there is now some signage, so this time we (ultimately) found our way to the viewpoint.   We were helped by a dog walker, who helped us. Nice chap, he had a very friendly Heinz dog, and he told us that he fostered dogs. He said that most dog fosterers prefer small dogs, but he liked the bigger dogs, so he was regularly in demand!

We will know the location another time, probably later in the year when it does not get dark by 3.30pm!!

Thursday 10^th January, Mary and I braved a very cold morning, for a walk round Elvaston Castle grounds. We did the nature reserve circuit and were rewarded with a flock of Long Tailed Tits, but more exciting was a colourful Jay.

Friday was nostalgia day with a trip to the Odeon cinema in Derby. Like my son, we are serious devotees of Laurel and Hardy, so Mary and I went to see the film “Stan and Ollie” on the first day of general release.

In very comfortable reclining seats with raised foot rests, with swing-in tables (for the tissue box), it was all conducive to 40 winks. But not this time. Excellent film – well worth going.

Saturday, we went to an Antique fair at Uttoxeter, and this is the latest addition to the Microtibialist collection!   Brass, 3 inches, and very modern. Not what you would call an antique.

Sunday 13^th January  When I retired from Carsington, I did say I would do one final away-1/2 day trip to Attenborough, and on the Sunday morning, 11 of us met for a damp 3-hour walk.

The hi-light was retracing our steps to the railway crossing to see a Firecrest buzzing about in the hedge. It took a while for us all to see this lovely little beauty, but the reward was a lifer for most of us. It was my 3^rd life-sighting, 2018 at Broomhill Flash in March, and November 2007 at Old Moor. The bird has been in the hedge area since 2^nd January, so a lot of birders have had a good tick start to 2019.

Otherwise, the high water revealed many Goldeneye, no waders (no mud), Egyptian Geese, but the outstanding view as we returned to the car park, from the iron bridge was a count of 38 Goosanders!!

Next week, Tuesday will be a day covering 3 or 4 sites, and Wednesday a day for Gull identification,. 

And that will mean following an expert!!    I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

Happy Birding.