Birding and other distractions

Sunny spells this morning though a cool NE wind.  My third visit this month to look for Adders was finally successful with three individuals found today. This was two days later than last year for the first sighting. I started in TF but surprisingly found nothing there despite the sunny/sheltered conditions on the banks. Moving on to DV revealed two males lying close to each other, about half a metre apart. They were well camouflaged in the vegetation and at first I could only see one. Finally in PV a male was laying out in full view, about 100 metres from the gate. A good size individual. Also in PV a couple of Marsh Tits were heard calling. Male Adder in DV Second male in DV Adder in PV

An overcast but fairly mild day. The Hume's Warbler at Sandgate, discovered the day before, was seen several times along the brook in Enbrook Park. Quite a grey looking bird, though the dull light didn't help in this respect. At one point it was also calling, typically 'tu-weet, quite different to that of Yellow-browed. Also seen at this lovely park were two Firecrest and a Grey Wagtail. Moving on to Sandwich there were three Short-eared Owls along the ancient highway, mainly seen over the golf links and adjacent rough grassland.  Three Grey Partridge, two distant Buzzard, and a Sparrowhawk were seen on the opposite side of the road, in farmland. No sign of the White Stork on Worth Marshes, though a Great White Egret was present. Enbrook Park Grey Wagtail Short-eared Owl  

Slightly foggy when I arrived at East Blean Woods though soon lifting to give sunny conditions.  The main purpose of the visit was to look for Lesser Spotted Woodpecker but for nearly two hours I only heard GSW. Then some rapid tapping (not drumming) revealed a male LSW which was watched for a minute or two in tops of oaks, the bird also calling at one point. I suspect it had a mate nearby, as there was more tapping on other tree trunks. Half an hour later another bird called more distantly in a different area of the wood though I couldn't find that one. In total there were probably at least 10 GSW, some which were drumming later in the morning. Other birds included about four Tree Creeper a similar number of Nuthatch, 38 Fieldfare, plus two-three Buzzard. There was very likely a Marsh Tit though views were brief. Arriving at Swalecliffe at 1:30 I was surprised to find it was still slightly foggy there.  Recent reports of the wintering Pallas's Warbler had been from the end of...

A lovely sunny day, with a light northerly breeze. Having parked in Salt Lane we headed across the marsh passing the Crystal Lake, a Greenshank being seen on the far side. To the west two Buzzards were circling in the sky.  It was high tide and the Flamingo Pool had well in excess of 1000 Lapwing plus high numbers of Wigeon and Shoveler.  The creek was fairly quiet with small numbers of Teal and a couple of Avocet. A white mass on the Essex side of the river revealed where the vast majority of Avocet were present. On the Alpha pool most birds were to be found in the southern half. The wintering Great Northern Diver was spotted on the far side, though views were quite good.  The Slavonian Grebe was closer and there were three Red-breasted Merganser including two drakes. Nearer to Bretts a Chiffchaff was fly-catching in the shelter alongside the path and we could hear Bearded Tits in the reedbed. Pochard and a Tufted Duck Slavonian Grebe Chiffchaff  Gold...

Arriving at 1:30 after the Cambridge bird club event the Richardson's Cackling Goose at Brancaster was not on view though had been seen earlier. It was still thought to be present amongst the 2-3000 Pink-footed Geese but was hidden behind a hedge bordering the field. Eventually, after a 2 hour wait I saw it briefly through a gap in the hedge. Slightly smaller than the accompanying Pink-feet it appeared to have whiter cheeks and paler flanks than Canada Goose. At 4 p.m. I was very cold and light was going so called it a day. Picture by Colin Green

Having never seen full summer plumage Sabine's Gull a last minute change of plan saw Keith and me at Budd's Farm (Southmoor NR) this morning. In glorious sunshine the gull was seen immediately on arrival, present on the lagoon. It was the closest bird at a distance of no more than 20 metres, and seemingly unconcerned by the presence of nearby birders. On occasions the gull would fly off to feed just offshore, with a light buoyant wing action. At one point it fed in the adjacent creek, and was very close. Odd that the bird is in summer plumage in January though the primaries aren't fresh, appearing worn in flight. Sabine's Gull Brent Geese on the lagoon Little Egret 

A colder day than of late, though fortunately dry. There has been no maintenance work by National Grid in PV so it is fairly overgrown. There was little to see in PV until reaching the gate leading to DV where I found a Marsh Tit loosely associating with two Great Tits, plus a Coal Tit nearby. A couple of hundred yards further on, in woodland adjacent to DV, was a second Marsh Tit. I could hear two Bullfinch in the hedgerows though couldn't see them. On entering TF a Green Woodpecker flew to cover. On the way back in the churchyard trees a Sparrowhawk was unnerving a flock of Long-tailed Tits. Just beyond the churchyard I heard a Firecrest in the area with a fair amount of Holly, and for the next hour spent time with this bird, which often hovered whilst feeding. I tried to photograph it though mostly unsuccessfully as is often the case with this fast moving species. Firecrest Firecrest