SUNDAY.

Jon Lloyd - Very calm and alot clearer this morning than yesterday. I found the Kingfisher on a favourite sleuce across the Strine, it didn't stay long. Lots of Fieldfare and Redwings around again and much noisier than yesterday. Small groups of Chaffinches join the Thrushes at the field edges. Plenty of small Tit parties around today; Great, Blue and Long tailed Tit.

The Starling flocks gathered on the wires with the flock building to over 1000 during the morning. A large Flock of 90+ Lapwing flew overhead as the clear skies brought out the gliders and balloons and many birds had an interrupted morning!

The hedge along side the path to the hide provided 5 Dunnocks and a Reed Bunting.

The pool was fairly busy with the usual large numbers of Teal, a female Wigeon, and a male Shoveler.Good viewsof the Water Rail and a Little Grebe floated around in front of the hide for some time. I haven't seen this for a while but they are very good at hiding way when they want to.

A couple of Buzzards surveyed the scene from their usual vantage points and a Kestrel sat in a Hawthorn tree over looking the Skylark field.

Other birds today; Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, 5 Mute Swans, Goldfinch, Woodpigeon, Stock Dove, Wren, Robin and the usual collection of Carrion Crows, Rooks and Jackdaws.

No sign of the Bittern. There is a Group visit here this afternoon, perhaps they can find it!!

MONDAY.
Well what do you know!! Obviously this bird can hide away even better than we thought. We needed some expert eyes to find it this time. Matin Grant had good views of the Bittern again today just when we thought it had up and left!! Well done Martin, good news. Also had good views of Water Rail.

Martin Grant -I was parking-up Pete Jordan rang on the mobile to say the Bittern was showing to the left of the hide, I wasted no time in getting to the hide and the Bittern was still in view. It then flew onto the narrow island in the middle of the pools. We watched it for some 15 to 20 minutes before it flew to the back of the Marsh to the area in front of the Alder trees. It was still there when I left. A Water Rail was also seen to fly, just before I left , from in front of the hide to the Marsh area near the water pump.

Other birds seen Monday were; 2 Buzzards, a female Sparrow Hawk, Grey Heron, around 200 Teal, a female Wigeon,
45 Lapwing, 12 Goldfinch, 36 Stockdoves.

TUESDAY.

WEDNESDAY. The following message was sent to Martin Grant.

Date: Wed, 20 Nov 2002 17:52:27 -0000 Hi all, Bittern showing very well at wall farm - 1615 till dusk, infront of hide. Dave Talbot

Thanks Martin and thanks Dave. So it looks as if our Bittern is still here.

Other birds recorded today were; 2 Ravens, Buzzard, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Grey Heron, Teal, Fieldfare and Wren.

THURSDAY.

Martin Grant - Pete Jordan - I didn't see the Bittern but a low flying helicopter put-up around 300 Teal and 100 Woodpigeons, also recorded Little Grebe, Buzzard, 12 Black-headed Gulls, Kestrel, only 6 Fieldfare and 6 Stockdoves. Also recorded 3 Ravens and the Water Rail.

FRIDAY. Bittern sited

SATURDAY.

Very wet start to the day, raining shortly after dawn.Tony Seagrave beat me to the hide this morning. he recorded, Peregrine, Green Sandpiper, Little Owl, Snipe, Mute swan, 350 Fieldfare, Little Grebe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Green Sandpiper

Jon Lloyd - I am afraid I only managed an 11.00am start, pathetic!! Plenty of Fieldfares and Redwings around. A female Sparrowhawk dashed through the hawthorn copse along the Strine and despite a number of attempts to grab a Fieldfare including a climb up amongst the now flying birds, missed the lot. Usual small groups of Goldfinches about and calling overhead as I walked the farm.The Kingfisher was in its usual spot.

The walk down lane to the gate leading to the hide revealed a number of Blackbirds in the hedge with small numbers of Great and Blue Tit. Two Tree Sparrows sat in the hedge top providing a good view. They are often here but usually dash through to the other side of the hedge on approach. The Little Owl is on the fence posts this morning not in the entrance to his tree hideaway.

Down the path the hide a large flock of Starling could be seen feeding in the paddocks to the left. As I watched, a female Sparrowhawk, came belting across the field about a foot off the ground lifted only just to clear the hedge and dropped into the flock hitting one bird just as it started take off. It climbed back over the hedge and attempted to fly up into a tree but decided it couldnt quite make it and dropped to the ground to devour its spoils. There were a couple of Ravens about on this part of the farm this morning.

The pools were busy, large numbers of Teal, a few Mallard and a female Wigeon. No sign of that Bittern again, I am sure its got it in for me. Stonechat lifted onto the far fence and Buzzard sat not far away watching and waiting.