Twitching in Belgium Sunday 4th January 2015

A quick decision on Saturday to change the Eurotunnel booking for next week to Sunday (tomorrow) was agreed by all and at 6.00 we set off for Belgium. Straight onto the shuttle we arrived 5 mins ahead of time and sped the 200 miles through fog and mist across France and Belgium to Dinant.

On arriving there were many birders where I asked that fatal question that will haunt me forever

Ou est l'oiseau 

 

The lady birder looked at me in disgust thinking I was taking the p*** but then I said Wallcreeper she kindly gave us directions. On arriving at the "wall" we told it had flown north. After a time we walked towards the Citadel and there it was on the brick wall. Having had good scope views it flew.

Hearinf that it roosts on the Citadel we climbed the thousand steps and early afternoon we got some more cracking views before it flew again. Thinking we had done well we decided to head back to the original rockface  where it flew over our heads and landed close by giving us even better views.

By 4.00pm it climbed further away so we said can't get better than that so we headed to the hotel in Namur.

Dinant (from the Citadel)

The Citadel wall where we first saw the Wallcreeper

The "Wall" where we got the best views

Wallcreeper

Wallcreeper Belgium Sunday 4th January 2015

More photos of the Wallcreeper

New year New list Jan 1st 2015

I tried to leave home at dawn only to be held up by a puncture. What a start to the year. So dogs walked around the roads, spare fitted I set off at 10.30am.  Stopping off at Pett Pools for a quick look for the Yellow Legs but no joy - a lot of shooting over the pools yesterday probably sent it on its way.

Stopping off at Scotney I soon found the 2 Black-necked Grebes and the 1st winter drake Scaup.



Drake Scaup

 Next stop was at Denge Marsh for the 2 Cattle Egrets - both were seen but one was more on show.

Cattle Egret

On the reserve from Dennis's Hide 1Great White Egret, 1Little Egret, 2 Redhead Smew, 2 Gooseander, 3 female Goldeneye, loads of Shoveler and Tufties.
At Hanson Hide apart from a couple of Marsh Harriers, Shellducks and Comorants it was birdless until a Chiffchaff appeared and a couple of Kingfishers.



Kingfisher


On the way home I stopped off on Walland Marsh finding the herd of Bewick Swans and single Whooper Swan plus one of the 3 Bean Geese reported earlier. Further along the road I added kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Fieldfare, and Pheasant to my new list.

 



Bewick and 1 Whooper Swan

West Sussex Monday 29th December 2014

On a very cold and frosty morning 6 of us met at Arundel, first stop was at the Water Woods where we found a couple of Firecrests, Goldcrests, Marsh Tit and Coal Tit. From here we headed to

 Iping Common

 

 

Amoung the trees we found Reed Buntings, Gold and Chaffinches, a stunning Yellow Hammer,

On entering the clearing Simon found the Great Grey Shrike which gave great views through the scope

Great Grey Shrike

 

From here we went to West Dean Wood where the pair of Little Owls were out warming themselves.

 

Little Owls

A walk up to Monkton Farm produced the usual woodland birds, but back on the corner near Stapleash Farm after some waiting we had 6 Hawfinches.

 

Heading back to Arundel we called in to Barnham Brooks seeing the adult and 3 juvenile Whooper Swans, then at Arundel the Bewick and 3 Black Swans

A Good Weekend - 20th / 21st December and more SEOs

Saturday pm went over to Horse Eye Level for another look for the Richard's Pipit and dipped again.

However 4 SEOs and 2 Ringtail Hen Harriers kept me entertained till dusk but only 1 came close to photograph. 

 

Sunday morning a couple of hours spent on Walland Marsh saw 100's  of Fieldfares but very skittish and always silhouetted against the milky sun.

Fieldfare

My prime target was the Whooper Swan which I finally found in the flock of 28 Bewick Swans. Also of note were the 4 Tundra Bean Geese.

Herd of Bewick Swans, 4 Bean Geese (centre) and Whooper Swan (second from right) 

On Dengemarsh the 2 Cattle Egrets were close to the road by Wraxhalls, but 1 went behind the hay stack as I arrived

Cattle Egret

At Scotney I couldn't find the Scaup or Black-necked Grebes and the weather deteriorated, the feral Barnacles were close to the road

Barnacle Goose

Scotney Geese

More Short-eared Owls Sunday 7th December

My first visit to look for the Richards Pipit and dipped, but happy with the couple of Short-eared Owls keeping me interested.

 

One of two Short-eared Owls

The Burgh Sunday 30th November

A sunny visit to the Burgh after Short-eared Owls, sadly only 1was seen flying over the dew pond, plus a few Red Kites

Short-eared Owl

Red Kite