The last day of the school holidays, and a wonderful sunny day with an uplifting spring feel, I drive the kids to Tophill Low. Never underestimate the fuss, noise, and squabbling that three kids between four and ten years old can make at a hide - note to self, must buy more binoculars! After not even 20 min there, and with more and more twitchers arriving to tick the Great Northern Diver in the D-reservoir the hide was full to capacity (sorry guys!). When another birder arrived with a large telescope and positioned himself behind us trying to find a gap in between the kids I thought, enough, time to move on, no chance for the GND. We had a quick snack by the car - it is amazing how quickly snack time arrives when you are out and about with children - and started to walk toward the woods. More squabbling ensued on the way.
We climbed to East Hide, overlooking D res, only two people there, who left promptly. There were so many birds this morning in D res. The ever whistling Wigeon formed displaying circles (top shot), there was also Goldeneye, Coot, Gadwall, Shoveler, Gadwall, Tufted Ducks and Pochard. A duck arrived just opposite us: a drake Pintail!
Drake pintail
In my next turn with the binoculars I scan the reservoir and in the distance, amongst a group of Coots I distinguish the Great Northern Diver clearly. That was luck when we were not expecting it!
The ducks then appeared to get nervous and large flocks started taking to the air, only the coots staying put. At least it wasn't our noise, a small plane started flying over the reservoirs.
A lull of a few minutes while we watched the birds coming to the feeding station in the wood, and a pair of Roe Deer walking by not 10 m away a magic moment.
We see a group of three Roe Deer by the road as we leave the reserve. One of them starts galloping closer to us.
Just a record shot for the Great Northern Diver
Goldeneye pair
Roe Deer
A galloping roe deer runs toward tree cover
Bird list
Blackbird
Blue Tit
Chaffinch
Coal Tit
Common Gull
Coot
Dunnock
Gadwall
Goldeneye
Goldfinch
Great Northern Diver
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Great Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Mallard
Moorhen
Pheasant
Pintail
Pochard
Redwing
Robin
Rook
Shoveler
Tufted Duck
Wigeon
Woodpigeon
Wren
Plus three more on the approach road: Yellowhammer, Red-Legged partridge and Mute Swan.
Sometimes, birdwatching on your local patch can be amazingly rewarding. Today the day started with sun and a hard frost. I set off early towards the park, hoping to avoid the bulk of visitors and dog walkers. The ground is covered on hoar frost.
I walk around the park. There is lots of different species singing: Blue, Great and Coal Tits, Dunnock, Robin, Stock Doves, Collared Doves, Mistle Thrush and the first, tentative singing of two Chaffinches, which seem unable to finish their repetitive phrase. A small Greylag flock feeds on the grass. A couple of individuals watchful for dogs, while the rest feed or rest. I was appalled when a few days ago I watched a woman encouraging her dog to chase the geese.
After the perimeter walk, I decided to stay for another five minutes and explore the area at back of the conservatory. This was rewarded by a Golcrest, Long Tailed Tits and a Wren feeding on and under the leaf litter, giving a very mouse-like impression. I also managed to watch the courtship of the Stock Dove, very similar to that of the Woodpigeon, with bowing and tail fanning.
As I was watching a Long Tailed Tits, I heard the distant calls of geese, and looked up to see a large flock of Pink-Footed geese, flying high in a V shape towards the north. I have never seen them migrating so early, but it was probably a small movement toward Scotland, in anticipation to their migration to Iceland. I counted (on the photos I took), a flock of 104 and another of 138.
This first year male Blackbird was feeding on the frosty ground. It sprinted and then raised its tail almost to the vertical, and repeated it again. I tried to get a shot when the tail was at its highest, but failed, as I had to follow it as it run, and it had started to lower its tailed by the time I focused it.
Mallard pair on ice
This Common Gull kept a close eye on the ground as it paced on the frosty grass
Frost on the wildlife garden
I noticed a pair of Woodpigeons on a roof. The female had adopted a horizontal position and I just had time to get this poor shot of them mating.
Stock Doves were very obvious today. This one sang from a high tree.
Migrating Pink-footed geese
A short video of the migrating geese
A watchful Greylag, while its partner feeds.
The frost steams with the morning sun
This Robin had a reason to look up worriedly. A thin whistling alarm call announced a male Sparrowhawk flying past, and setting off a mixed flock of tits into frenzy.
This is my only shot of the Sparrowhawk, settled on the tree, with white undertail feathers fluffled up. The the little birds continued calling making quite a kerfuffle nearby and they didn't stop until the raptor flew away.
I don't think I have seen so many species on a trip to the park before!
This is one of the windiest days I can remember, gales with sudden, violent gusts blew over the reserve. The hides whistled, creaked and howled. Moorhens rode waves, Redshanks flew backwards, a Kestrel failed to hover, despite trying hard, passerines kept a low profile. Only the Jackdaws seem to enjoy riding on the wind like kites. And there were lots of people about for a change - monday mornings have been very quiet so far.
There were quite a number of Shelducks in the reserve today: a few on the grassy areas south of Dryham Lane, and large flock on a mudflat on Reedbed Lake. A variety of other ducks about as well: Wigeon, Teal, Pochard (top shot) and Tufted ducks.
On the main lake, a motley crew of Cormorants, an Oystercatcher and Lapwings sat on the raft facing the raging wind.
