End of the month

Enjoyed a few days in North Norfolk whilst the allotment dried out enough to work on. It was certainly wet in the fields over there but the coastal path was dry enough to walk along. Got out early to look for the Golden Pheasant and it only showed itself after I gave up the watch and drove round to the north side and I had a minute of gaudy joy before a car sent it scurrying into the bushes. The first effort with the eagle failed but I did see the male Rough-legged Buzzard fly over the field in front of me and into the woods. The next day and the eagle failed to show again so we went off to Roydon Common and watched 3 ring tailed Hen Harriers sparring with each other (and some crows) and a rapid fly past by a Merlin.
Day 3 and a walk along the coastal path and beach. The sea has dumped masses of Razor shells and so there were enormous numbers of gulls including one Med Gull in almost full adult plumage. In the dunes there was a delightful group of Snow Buntings but Holkham Marshes held no Pink Feet!! just a few Whitefronts and several groups of Brents again. Titchwell was undergoing 'conservation work' the pool on the left of the track had been drained and the Freshmarsh was awash. The islands were so small there was only a handful of Lapwings and Golden Plovers. They must be employing the 'Brandon' winter trick. Another attempt at the eagle's preferred roosting site proved fruitless.
After a walk around Holkham Park, where there is a pair of Red Kites setting up territory, it was home until the message system directed us to Flitcham where the immature White-tailes Sea Eagle was sat in a field. This time got there in time and was directed to a large lump on the crest of the ridge, even had time to set up the telescope. After 2 minutes it got up and flew along the ridge; what a bird, each wing was the size of a Buzzard!! All in all a great break, hopefully the ground is dry enough to start the clearing up after the floods.

22nd February

A day out with Jim J to see what we could find down on the south coast. The news service helped as did our knowledge from previous years. Called in at Mercer Way in Romsey, not a promising site, and found in the tops of the trees and down on the ground at least 11 Hawfinches and this was before 9! Then down into the New Forest and found a superb male Black Redstart on the fences around Fawley Power station. The woods around Hawksmill enclosure were very quiet but eventually a Woodlark started singing from a tree top. Could not find a Dartie so headed on to Gosport and Portsmouth, found the Ring-billed easily and then Purple Sandpipers on Southsea Castle. On the way round to Langstone saw a flock of Dark-bellied Brents on the cricket pitch(10m from the road) and there in the middle was a stunning adult Black Brant. As usual rarely carried the camera so only the one bird to show you with a pal!!

Yorkshire

This little fellow brightened up our few days in Yorkshire. We stayed in Leyburn, mainly so that we could visit some of Cath's relatives. That is about all we could do as the weather was foul, torrential rain and gale force winds. Whilst Aysgarth Falls were quite spectacular the rivers were so high that the expected Dippers were nowhere to be seen. Where do they go when the rivers are in spate and over their banks?
A drive from Wensleydale to Swaledale on the driest day of the week and we were surrounded by Red Grouse; they obviously took advantage of the dry conditions to do some feeding. Most of them were in the grass rather than the heather banks making viewing easier. I presume there were plenty of grass seeds for them to pick up after the rain had flattened the seed heads.

Garden Birdwatch

Cath up with her mum so I sat down with my breakfast to see how the snow would affect the variety and numbers of birds visiting the garden. I must not be the only one putting out a banquet for the birds at the moment as numbers seem well down. In previous years Goldfinches have numbered 16, this year only 3. The huge flock of Fieldfares drawn into the garden because of the poor weather seem to have dispersed just leaving one in sole charge of the apple. The only birds to have increased in numbers were Woodpigeons and Reed Buntings. I'm not sure whether I can cope with the cost of feeding 12 avian dustbins(the pigeons), I might have to come up with a new feeding strategy.

20th Jan

Snow, snow and more snow; it has not stopped all day. I did not think we were in the SE corner of the country so this has come as a shock. Not able to get out so content with feeding the birds in the garden. Hopefully I can increase the number before the Big Garden Birdwatch. Still have an odd Jackdaw present(must read the article in BB to work out which of the plumage genetic defects it has got)  BUT the big news is that I reached 50 species for the garden when a Meadow Pipit was spotted this afternoon running around under the bushes in the front garden; the only snow free spot.

16th Jan

Went out with Godfrey and Ken though it was rather too cold for comfortable bird watching from a wheelchair. On the basis of news and with the chance of getting a lifer for Godfrey we went to Banbury. Managed to see the birds without getting out of the car and Godfrey was happy with a warm birdwatch and three Waxwings sitting in a roadside small tree. Back to Brandon and a warm cup of tea before a quick sprint up to Newlands and back to blow some cold air through our hair. Most of the duck were on Swallow Pool with the Black-headed Gulls and two Redshank the best from East Marsh Pool. The sun was directly in our eyes from Baldwin hide so did not bother sitting down just went out for another blast of winter sun.

2013

Well here we are; I'm going to take this year as it comes, though I will have my fingers crossed until the artificial valve is fitted and it works. Hopefully then I can get back to my reasonably active life style of two years ago.
Went out for a trip round some of the local water bodies to find some of the rarer birds of the midlands. As ever I forgot the camera so perhaps that ought to be my New Year's resolution; always take it out with you. Thus no pictures but Warwickshire produced Great Northern Divers, Firecrest and Long-tailed Duck and over in Leicestershire/Northamptonshire were Velvet Scoters, Great White Egret and Waxwings. Not a bad start to the year and all seen in the dry!!