Contributors

Monday 8 February 2016

Sunday 7th February Thames at East Tilbury

Today we revisited the Thames at Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury primarily to see the over wintering Avocets.





Avocets and Black-tailed Godwits

Wednesday 3 February 2016

Gulls at Dungeness Tuesday 2nd February

Tuesdays are my dog free day, well after the morning walk. Today after an eye test I got over to Dungeness, firstly to see the 2 Long-eared owls together. (having only ever seen 2 in my birding life I wanted to see 2 together) Despite scanning I couldn't find them but fortunately Martin Casemore was around and put me onto them.

 A quick look from Firth Hide I couldn't find the Smew that Paul reported earlier so I thought it was going to be bad day. But then things changed and a Chiffchaff flew in front of me my first of the year. It was then off to the beach to look for the Glaucous Gull. Having parked a quick scan of the gull roosts I could see a snowball amoungst the gulls and set off towards the New Lighthouse.

2 for the price of 1, the 1st winter Glaucous was next to the 1st winter Caspian.


Glaucous Gull (left) Caspian Gull (right)


Caspian Gull

Glaucous Gull with friends
  Eventually after throwing some bread the Glaucous flew and then ventured a bit nearer but the Caspian flew off and didn't return.




Glaucous Gull

Monday 1 February 2016

Saturday 30th January in West sussex

Today we started at a West Sussex heath looking for a Great Grey Shrike which failed to show but were rewarded with a couple of bonus birds being Woodlarks and a singing Dartford Warbler which posed well till I finally got the camera out.

Dartford Warbler
 
From here we headed to Westdean Woods where I managed to spot a Bullfinch fly in front of the car. At the usual tree by Staple Ash farm the Little Owl was showing well.
 

Little Owl
 
A walk up to Monkton farm found several flocks of Bramblings,


Brambling
 
Plus Red Kites and a Marsh Tit both new for the year.

Monkton Farm
 
A scan around at Monkton failed to find any Hawfinches but on the way back Bridget spotted one and then the same or another was seen.
Stopping off at Chalk Springs in Arundel 18 Mandarin ducks were roosting on the bank of one of the fishing pools. A great day adding 8 species to my year list.