January2023

We went down to Budds Farm SW near Portsmouth to see the superb Sabine's Gull. The Adult Summer bird was showing very well by the breach in the sea wall. Unlike the other Gulls that I know of, this is the only species with a grey hood & yellow tip to the bill. They also have a distinct wing pattern. This individual had been present since 8th January. Other birds that were seen inculded Brent Geese, Kingfisher & Greenshank plus a Little Egret fishing in the channel on the approach road.

Sabine’s Gull [Adult Summer]

Sabine’s Gull [Adult Summer]

Southmooor NR

Kingfisher [Female]

On our way home, we popped into Farlington Marshes HWT. Loads of Dark-bellied Brent Geese were in the fields around the reserve. Also Stonechat, Pintails, Shovelers, Common Teals, Avocets, Black-tailed Godwits, Bar-tailed Godwit, Little Grebes & Marsh Harriers. A few European White-fronted Geese showed well with Dark-bellied Brent & Canada Geese. We didn't stay for the Short-eared Owls, as we had a long journey home. Final bird on this day was a Female Common Kestrel perched in the fading sunlight.

Little Egret [Juvenile]

Stonechat [Female]

Avocets

Little Grebe [Adult Winter]

Common Teal [Male]

European White-fronted Geese

European White-fronted Goose [Adult]

Dark-bellied Brent Goose [Adult]

Common Kestrel [Female]

Nene Washes RSPB & Eyebrook Reservoir 22/01/23

We went back to the Nene Washes RSPB on way home to look for the Long-eared Owls, but owing to frosty conditons it meant they were hiding further down in the hedgerow and more difficult to see. The Tawny Owl this time showed better, although spent much of the time roosting with it's head down. A Female Common Kestrel perched on a frosty branch, as the Muntjac foraged in the field behind. It was very misty, so you couldn’t see much on the washes, but you could hear the Cranes calling which was quite atmospheric.

The final port of call was to look for Smew at Eyebrook Reservoir. The birds were mainly quite distant out in the middle of the lake. Two Great White Egrets foraged on both sides of the reservoir.

We then made our way home after a very enjoyable few days.

Long-eared Owl [Adult]

Tawny Owl [Adult]

Common Kestrel [Female]

Long-eared Owl [Adult]

Smew [Pair]

Great White Egret [Adult Winter]

Compton Dando SWT 25th January 2023

As the Brancaster Hume's Leaf Warbler wasn't very showy, me & Dad went to Compton Dando SWT where another bird had favouriting the sewage near Keynsham. There was a supporting cast of birds while we were waiting including Dunnocks, Robins, Goldcrests, Long-tailed Tits, Pied Wagtails, Grey Wagtail & Common Chiffchaff. The Hume's Leaf showed well at times during the course of the day & has been present since 17th January. After I got few pics of this bird, we headed off home as the light started to fade. A Red Kite flew over & a Roe Deer crossed the road.

Hume’s Leaf Warbler

Common Chiffchaff [Adult]

Goldcrest [Female]

Horsey
20/01/23

On my birthday we went to see the Grey Seals at Horsey Gap. The pups were nearly as big as the Adults. We did see one newly born pup. Sitting quietly on the beach one of the Juvenile Grey Seals came closer to us. There was also Herring Gulls, Great Black-backed Gull, Turnstones, Sanderlings and Purple Sandpipers. Some of the Male Grey Seals were mating with the Females, one Male was getting harrased by a Female for getting too close to her pup. A lot of the Males were very battle scarred with wounds on their backs, nose & bellies. In the afternoon, we headed to Horsey Mill & saw a herd of Red Deer in the field. Instead of going to Stubb Mill, me & Dad had a walk around the area between Horsey Mill & the meare. We didn't see an awful lot of Wildlife on the way down, but on our way up, we saw Male Muntjac. Another Deer species for the day, was a Female Roe Deer. Finally near Sea Palling, a single Pink-footed Goose was seen in the field. We hoped that it was okay and it will find it's flock again.

Grey Seals

Grey Seal

Sanderling [Adult Winter]

Grey Seal

Red Deer

Muntjac [Male]

Pink-footed Goose [Adult] Goose [Adult]

Pink-footed Goose [Adult]

Grey Seal

Titchwell RSPB & Chosely Barns 21/01/23

On our way to Titchwell RSPB, we spotted some Fieldfares in a field near Thornage, same area where we had Dark-bellied Brent Geese two days before. In the fields between Wells-next-the-Sea & Holkham were Pink-footed Geese & another Female Muntjac. We headed to Brancaster to look for the Hume's Leaf Warbler. The bird showed briefly for a couple of seconds, before flying down into the reedbeds. Our next port of call was Titchwell RSPB. From the Fen Hide, we saw a Female Reed Bunting. Other birds seen along the West Bank Footpath were Common Teals, Common Redshanks. Grey Plovers, Curlews & Dark-bellied Brent Geese. There was not many birds about, due to the icy conditions on the freshwater lake. We headed back via Chosely Barns, where we saw Yellowhammer, 3 Chinese Water Deer & Brown Hare.

Pink-footed Goose [Adult]

Muntjac [Female]

Fieldfare [Adult]

Reed Bunting [Female Winter]

Common Redshank [Adult Winter]

Grey Plover [Adult Winter]

Yellowhammer [Female]

Curlew [Adult]

Dark-bellied Brent Geese

Brown Hare [Adult]

Chinese Water Deer [Male]

Nene Washes RSPB 18/01/23

On our way to Norfolk for my birthday week, we popped to the Nene Washes RSPB near Eldernell to look for the wintering Long-eared Owls. We managed to see one of the birds roosting in the hedgerow. We also went along to look for the Tawny Owl as well, but it wasn't showing today.

A Female Muntjac was in the field behind the hedge & as soon as it saw us, it ran to the bushes at the back of the field. As daylight started to fade the Short-eared & Barn Owls came out to hunt across the farmland and washes, along with Kestrel & Marsh Harriers. A few Common Cranes were also seen very distantly. Final and best sighting of the day was a Male Hen Harrier.

Norfolk 18th-22nd January 2023

Long-eared Owl [Adult]

Muntjac [Female]

Short-eared Owl [Adult]

Barn Owl [Adult]

Holkham 19/01/23

We headed to Holkham on the North Norfolk Coast to look for Shorelarks & Snow Buntings. The Long-billed Dowitcher had relocated from the NWT reserve at Cley to Holkham Freshmarsh & was present for 2 days only. The 1st Winter was accompanied by some Black-tailed Godwits & were feeding in the fields alongside Lady Anne's Drive. However, we only saw it distantly on the west side of the drive. It then moved to Stiffkey Marshes the following day & remained until dusk on 20th January.

The Snow Buntings were present on the beach to east of the gap & showed very well. We also managed to catch up with 3 out of 10 Shorelarks feeding on the freshmarsh, before they flew off to join the others on the beach. In the field just east of Lady Anne's Drive was a small flock of Grey Partridges. Norfolk is main stronghold nowadays for this scarce speices. Another Female Muntjac was seen from the Drive. There were good numbers of Eurasian Wigeons and Lapwings on the freshmarsh. The Pink-footed Geese were only seen in the field from the busy A149 coast road. Nearby was a Marsh Harrier & a very pale Common Buzzard.

Snow Bunting [Male Winter]

Shorelarkl

Long-billed Dowitcher [1st Winter]

Lapwing [Adult]

Muntjac [Female]

Eurasian Wigeon [Male]

Pink-footed Goose [Adult]

Pink-footed Geese

Grey Partridges

Colyford Common LNR & Slapton 13th January 2023

We went down to Devon to see some very special birds. The first was to Colyford Common LNR to see the 1st Winter Isabelline Wheatear that was present from 20th December 2022-14th January 2023. It showed very well on the common viewed from the boardwalk to the hide. Also on our way down, we saw a Female Common Kestrel hovering & perched on the wire. Having spent a lovely time watching the Wheatear, me & Dad missed the Avocets on the Axe Estuary which Mum saw from the hide before they flew to the coast.

As the report of the Laughing Gull on Rare Bird Alert said it was showing well at Slapton Sands, we decided to go and see it. The 2nd Winter bird was present on the beach from Memorial Car park, it had been present since 4th January. It was mainly feeding along the beach & occasionally flying. The Laughing Gull was joined by a Mediterranean Gull & Black-headed Gull. The Med Gull was ringed in Holland on 19th August 2020 with a white Darvic leg ring 3PEO. It then went to France on 24th June 2021 & also to Bedfordshire on 3rd April 2022. It finally appeared at Slapton Sands on 30th July 2022 & has been there ever since. The Laughing Gull on the other hand remained in the area until 16th January 2023 at least.

Isabelline Wheatear [1st Winter]

Common Kestrel Female]

Isabelline Wheatear [1st Winter]

Laughing Gull [2nd Winter]

Laughing Gull [2nd Winter]

Mediterranean Gull [Adult Winter]

Blagdon Lake & Barrow Gurney 2nd January 2023

We went to Blagdon Lake to look for the Ring-necked Duck that had been present for most of the winter. By the dam, we saw a Great Crested Grebe & a Female Goosander. The other birds on the lake were mainly Tufted Ducks, Coots, Mallards & a few Common Pochards. We headed alongside the lake & managed to spot the Male Ring-necked Duck in Holt Bay with a few Tufted Ducks, before swimming out into the main lake towards the fishing lodge. Nearby a Great White Egret was perched in a tree with a few Cormorants. We called in to Barrow Tanks, where the Male Long-tailed Duck was still present on Tank no 1 & was still distant.

Goosander [Female]

Canada Goose [Adult]

Great Crested Grebe [Adult Winter]

Ring-necked & Tufted Duck [Males]

Great White Egret [Adult Winter]

Cormorant [Adult Winter]

Yate 9th January 2023

A Grey Wagtail paid a visit to our back garden that morning.

Yate 11th January 2023

The Grey Wagtail paid another visit to our back garden & was seen this time on the garage roof. A few Long-tailed Tits were feeding out in our front garden.

Grey Wagtail [Female]

Long-tailed Tit [Adult]

January 2023