Whiteley Waxwings

It's taken ages for this Waxwing winter to reach this far south; I'd convinced myself that I wasn't going to catch up with any this winter. Sadly, there have been no large flocks anywhere around so going for the five at Whiteley felt like the only option.

Took a while to find them, or rather find the line of togs staring into some distant bushes on the edge of the football pitches. Relocated the car, walked through the shops and found some nice new ( and dry!) benches to sit on and watch the 5 go about their business.

Unsurprisingly Andy and Sarah were there, although Sarah was wisely sat in the warm of the car!  A few other recognisable faces.

Then off home to collect the camera just in case they hang around and the light improves in the next couple of days. Nice to see but sad there haven't been any largers flocks in Hants or West Sussex.

Duck catchup

Yesterday was a duck catch up day with the six Scaups (2 males) and two Velvet Scoters off Brownwich, both new for the year. Six Common Scoters were joined by four others and nearby about 60 Great crested Grebes. The Eider flock, very distant, was about 30 strong although one lone male did come in much closer.
The Long tailed Duck, present earlier, must have headed further towards Hook.

On the reserve just two Marsh Harriers.

At Portsdown a first visit for the Little Bunting drew a blank, just Reed Buntings, several Buzzards a good flock of Linnet (60+) and similar numbers of winter thrushes, mostly Fieldfare.

A Sparrowhawk was chased down the road by a crow.

A return today was much the same although twenty or more Skylarks were airborne and three Roe Deer were out feeding in a distant field. On of today's Buzzards was a very plain, dark individual. And again, no LB!!

Blashford p.m. only

Pretty grey start but by 11:00 weather was improving so I popped over to Blashford. Decided to give the Goshawks a miss. Down at Ivy south, pretty quiet until both Great White Egrets flew in with the new bird perching up with the Cormorants whilst Walter headed off northwards. Five Goosanders here including a close redhead. 400-500 Wigeon and Gadwall plus a white on black ringed Lesser Black-back, presumably the usual bird.  A cracking Kingfisher perched up close to Ivy South caught both small fry and aquatic invertebrates. Absolutely super scope filling views.

Although distant, some nice 'slo-mo' displaying Buzzards. Just a single Brambling by the feeders and a Firecrest up high in nearby Ivy-clad trees. Little from Ivy North (and typically Bittern-less!!) although a very close feeding Little Egret just yards away.

On the north side another twenty or more Goosanders, 35+ Pintails, the Black-necked Grebe and White-fronted Goose plus a year tick Yellow-legged Gull amongst pretty few other larids. Some disturbance off the reserve brought in 300+ ducks including 100+ Teal. Finally, two Red Kites drifted east to west with one lingering over the trees beyond the river.

Pulborough Duty Day

Following on from Gary's report yesterday, today was characterised by miserable early weather with rain and mist, plus a long slow journey via Pulborough, where the 'conjoined' mini roundabouts in Pulborough at the junction of the A243/A29 were pretty gridlocked; anyone coming from the west in days ahead would be well advised to avoid this. 

So, on arrival and with raised blood pressure and harder rain, the birds were put on the back-burner in favour of sausage bap and coffee!! 

Later, from Westmead eventually a single Peregrine, presumed resident 84, and as the rain eased, a cream crowned Marsh Harrier flushed 8-10 Snipe. 

Eventually the five Tundra Bean Geese popped out on their own rather than being buried in a swarm of Canadas. 

From Winpenny, black 84 was joined by a smart male Peregrine tandem hunting Lapwing, unsuccessfully and then, when they'd run out out steam, headed off for a perch to recuperate. A single Golden Plover went over twice calling. 

Yesterday's winter thrushes were still in the core of the reserve and half a dozen Bullfinch. 

Little of note on the north brooks other than 20-25 Black-tailed Godwits. 

From Hail's view a perched up a Sparrowhawk was quietly drying out when joined by black 84 higher up in the same dead tree. 

A few Siskin heard. 

In the few minutes it took to drive around to Coldwaltham the weather was deteriorating rapidly but, despite not being too close, the Great Grey Shrike was visible from the car! Result!

Returning south via the A29, by Bury it was back to front and rear foglights. 

So - birds; weather; traffic reporting; food. What more could you want;) 

Well, for the less squeamish Carey's Peregrine/Pintail action from two weeks ago - 

https://youtu.be/7S9gSXqjlpk

Forest and Blashford

Today's still, blue weather with great visibilty made it a first try for Gos this year for me. It didn't take long for a pair to get up and start displaying with a third bird slipping off through the trees and a fourth much more distant bird. Interestingly, the first two up persuaded a pair of Sparrowhawks to follow suit with the more distant bird of the two stooping at the male Gos albeit briefly. Sadly, the supporting cast was a bit thin with just a single singing Woodlark and a few Thrushes.

Later, at Blashford, one of those 'Damn!! I wish I could draw moments' when a hunting Peregrine sat perched up on one of the small cairns adjacent to Tern Hide for 40 minutes, all head-bobbing, fluffed up, drooped wings and fan-tailed presumably drying off from attempting to take duck off the water.

A catch up for the first time this year with John and Jim but precious little on the east side; a colour ringed LBBG on Ivy Lake was too far to read numbers, white on black, so I'm guessing Channel Islands.

Back at Ibsley Water, probably 20 or so Goosanders, 4 or more Med Gulls with one acting as a pointer to a near-adult Caspian Gull called by Nigel and Simon  - I don't think I would have been confident to ID this for certain on my own.
Also, a Ring-billed Gull which, along with many other gulls, was flushed towards Lapwing Hide by a group of fishing Cormorants. The White-fronted Goose was on west shore and earlier the Black-necked Grebe was at the north end. Maybe 9 or so Goldeneyes and a couple of Red Kites, one fairly close in.

A hobble to papershop and library, then around the pond, where a very noisy and photogenic Wren (typically grey weather and no camera) semed to prompt a similarly close, but invisible, Cettis into calling.
Just a few Shoveler otherwise.

Slow start

Continued jip with knees, back etc made for a slow start to the new year with just one species on day 1, a Woodpigeon heard, without opening the doors or going out; a crap day weatherwise.

Monday the 2nd looked better so I did Blashford, Farlington and Warblington, getting to 80 species despite not starting til 10:00, spending over an hour in the car and wasting the last hour of the day with the Warblington Cattle Egrets, despite not 'needing' them after the Harbridge bird earlier. Time 4.5 hours approx. Best bird - Short-eared Owl

Tuesday the third saw the addition of 16 species at Titchfield in about 3 hours including the long staying Snow Bunting. Best bird - Firecrest.

Day four was Pulborough duty day and only produced four new birds, Peregrine being the best.

Day five was a social visit back to Pulborough where just one new bird, 101, Bewicks Swan with a group of five roosting on ice on the south brooks.

A Collared Dove in Petersfield on Friday whilst shopping and a Med Gull in a brief visit to the Oysterbeds mid afternoon in dismal grey conditions got to 103.

Bearing in mind visited sites, main misses so far are Black-necked Grebe, Lesser Redpoll , Great Black-backed Gull and Green Woodpecker.

Probably should have planned the 2nd properly, got out before first light and worked east to west to get a three figure score!!