Ring Ouzel @ Blows Downs

This male Ring Ouzel has spent a couple of days in the paddocks. Low evening light meant a high ISO and there was no way to get closer without disturbing the bird.

Water Pipit

Having missed the Water Pipit at Octagon Farm pools the last few winters, it was good to see one there today. A fine specimen too - a peachy-pink suffusion on the breast, blue-grey head and mantle, a small amount of streaking on flanks, with a strong white supercillium and blackish leg colour. The bird was not approachable so definitely one for digiscopers.

'Mega' Twitching

Well, what a day ! A planned day out to Portland with mates was hastily rearranged after yesterdays news of a Two-barred Crossbill on our own doorstep. After failing to see it the previous evening, we had a short wait when it appeared with a flock of c.25 common Crossbill near the Lake Hide just after dawn at the Lodge, Sandy. The only other Bedfordshire record was a small flock of this irruptive 'Mega' species at Ampthill on 3rd January, 1890 .

We opted to go to Norfolk, and stopped by Hunstanton for a look at the sea. Fulmar patrol the cliffs here making best use of the updraughts.

The draw of two Alpine Swift together at Lowestoft proved too much so once more we changed tack for an all-out day of twitching - not something we do too often these days.

With rapidly changing backgrounds of bright white clouds, dark clouds, blue sky and dark/pale buildings it proved difficult to get the correct exposure as these magnificent aerialists swooped around our heads. Using RAW would have helped but I knew my 2 x 2mb cards would fill up too quickly and not last the day.

Spending more time would also help sort out exposure compensation adjustments, but our next twitch beckoned a few miles down the coast at Kessingland for yet another Alpine Swift and a Pallid Swift together !

After a worrying twenty minutes they both obliged. However, they were always a bit distant to obtain plumage detail. Too often they were in the wrong quarter of the sky nearing the sun, whilst a longitudinal cloud bank seemed to track over the site throughout our visit - excuses, excuses . . .

Both Swifts together.

We then called it a day. Fifteen minutes later the pager warbled. It's set up to warble for a Bedfordshire rarity or a national 'mega' rarity. Expecting an update for the Two-barred Crossbill I checked the message - MALE LESSER KESTREL AT MINSMERE !!! - only about twenty-five minutes away !

On arrival we heard that the bird had been harried off by a Common Kestrel - Lee Evans and many others were searching for it and we duly joined the hunt. I did speculate that it might head for Westleton Heath - where it was eventually re-found. Good but distant views were obtained in late afternoon sun, but I didn't attempt any photography. So below is one I took in May 2008, Trujillo, Spain :~)

Two Suffolk Barn Owls later, and after 377 miles of driving, we approached home and reflected on how our luck held up for an absolutely stunning day of twitching.

Migrants

Blow's Downs had a male Ring Ouzel, but it wasn't showing during my search. There were six Wheatear on the paddocks slope. Nearby a Chiffchaff was feeding between bouts of singing. On the local patch, a few Swallow and Sand Martin were still present.

Local Patch - 25/03/10

Today a singing Willow Warbler was my earliest in Bedfordshire. Other migrants included two Barn Swallow, a single Sand Martin and two Chiffchaff. Wetter weather moved in mid-afternoon during which a pair of calling Redshank circled the site but quickly moved north. One (perhaps two) Water Rail were on the scrape and five Common Snipe came out to feed in the rain. A male Reed Bunting sat out the worst of the heavy downpour.

Feeding Forest Finches

Spring is stirring, but today was tempered by a cold wind. Near Woburn, at Lowe's Wood, a sizeable flock of Siskin fed in the Larches.

Above the pleasent twittering of the Siskin were the distinctive metallic 'chupp' calls of Common Crossbill, and after a few minutes of searching, three were found feeding at the tops of the tallest Larches.

Stonechat

Spent a few hours looking for a Common Crane, unsuccessfully, which was tracked around the Great Ouse/Ivel river systems.
Stonechat seem to be scarce after the hard winter, so I was pleased to see this male feeding around a farm on Biggleswade common. The common itself was full of birds - Linnet, Skylark, Corn Bunting, Reed Bunting. Disturbance from dog walkers was a problem so photography was limited.

East Hyde Revisited

I couldn't resist a second visit to East Hyde. The sun came out and even provided a little warmth and with it some insect life. The Firecrest was on view all afternoon.

This Grey Heron didn't mind us watching as he consumed a three course meal. First, on the menu was amphibian a-la-creek.

Then, using only the most fresh ingredients - Vole Supreme !

Always wash your food before consumption...

Don't be put off if the food is still wiggling...

After one more amphibian it was time for R & R.

East Hyde Firecrest

A gloomy day, rain, white van drivers racing past - but all worth it. This Firecrest was discovered on sunday and is faithful to an ivy-clad hedge at East Hyde 10 yards inside the Beds border with Herts.

How to brighten up a dull day !

Turning round and peering in to Hertfordshire you may be able to see a Green Sandpiper and a Jack Snipe - up to five of the latter have been seen.

Wild Goose Chase

Today, a visit to Radwell to see some Geese. Unfortunately there was no sign of the two Pink-feet recently reported. However, the two White-fronted Geese were still present, feeding with a large flock of Greylags. They were distant at c.750m away - but that didn't deter the camera !

The ex-BT building in the centre of Bedford regularly hosts a Peregrine.

Stotfold

This afternoon saw a glimpse of sun and a trip over to Stotfold to see a large mixed flock of finches and buntings. In times past sizable mixed flocks were not that uncommon. So, in the modern context, reports of  800+ Corn Bunting with Yellowhammer, Skylark, Grey Partridge, Stock Dove and Merlin is rather noteworthy.

Booming 'ell !

Four Bittern have been seen at Brogborough Lake as the deep-freeze continues. This one flew passed the gull-watch point while we were 'scoping another on the other side of the lake. The lake is 80% iced up, which means the birds are more mobile and fairly easy to see as they search for food. A hungry Red Fox hunted the reed beds, a female Scaup was still present, and a couple of Water Rail were active along the shore.

Swiss Gardens

The sun was out though it was quite breezy, so I decided to check on some woodland adjacent to Swiss Gardens, near Old Warden (TL147447). The hoped-for Yellow-browed Warbler or Firecrest never materialized, and the wood was generally quiet. On the small lake were single Wigeon and Mandarin, whilst overhead a Raven was heard 'cronking' and I was lucky enough to see it through a small break in the tree canopy above. Two Tawny Owls hooted, but I failed to locate them among the Ivy-clad trees.

Brown Shrike: Staines Moor, Middlesex

Another pleasant 'twitch' with a not-too-large gathering. Now in to its eighth day, the first-winter Brown Shrike was showing well, although sometimes distant. Initially it was thought to be a Red-backed Shrike. However, questions were asked, and the ID nailed.
I did manage to find a couple of fuzzy images among all the sharp ones (:-) and those of you with really good imaginations may even be able to make out some salient features which distinguish this bird from other shrikes !!





Images details:
c.100m @400mm; f5.6; tripod; sized 135%

[1] iso.100 @1/200th sec.
[2] iso.400 @1/800th sec.

Wryneck: Bucks

Still in 'twitch' mode today, so I headed over to Lathbury, near Newport Pagnell, where a Wryneck had been found yesterday on some allotments. The light was reasonable, but the bird was elusive. After some time it showed well, but a little distant for the camera. It spent a few minutes in a hedge-line, eventually returning to the allotment where it became elusive once more.



1/100th sec, f/6.3, iso400, sraw, with tripod.

Glossy Ibis: Cambridgeshire

Plenty of images around at the moment of the recent Glossy Ibis bonanza. However, starved as we are of them in Bedfordshire, combined with the pull of Buff-breasted Sandpiper on the same pit, it was a late afternoon hop over the border to Diddlington pit, near Little Paxton, Cambs, to see one. The sandpiper was too far for the 400mm, but the ibis was down to c.20m albeit in low light. Images were 1/80th - 1/100th sec hand held !!