A couple more for the list and a dodgy one

The Safari did the Sunday morning Long Eared Owl watch and succeeded in only find one of the two today. While setting up we heard Barnacle Geese going over and barely bothered to look up as we assumed they were the regular free-flying flock from the zoo but later learned that they weren't a flock at all but just two traveling high to the west which turned north along the coast - hmmm interesting! Year bird missed? Unmissed was the calling Redshank (MMLNR #69).

We then event to the nearby hide and waited for the Water Rail to show itself, it was seen but we couldn't really call it showing well - skulking well would be a much better description!

Moving round to the other side we waited for the Iceland Gull to put in another lunchtime appearance - it didn't - is it still around? But the zoo's Barnacle Geese did and had picked up a handful of Grey Lag Geese on the way from the fields out to the north east where they had presumably been feeding.

Apologies for today's dingy pictures, snow was threatening most of the day and in the air on and off around lunchtime. 

Hardly worth posting really.

With nothing much happening on the nature reserve (but there may have been some Otter prints out on the ice, a little too far out to risk treading on said thinning ice to get close ups but we'll have a look at the pics that were taken when we get to work tomorrow) we headed over to the moss again. Whilst driving the narrow road to where we parked mid-week we spotted a herd of swans on the left hand side of the road and bunked in to the nearest turn off. A 200 yard walk gave us 26 Bewick's Swans (93) with some Whoopers. We hadn't taken the camera but it was that cold in the strong icy wind we would probably have been shaking too much to get a shot off anyway :-(  We didn't stop long out there and had to drive past a huge flock of Pink Footed Geese that were in a nightmare place for viewing right at the start of the dingle track road. Which we have since found out held a 'Tundra' Bean Goose - the benefits of being on foot no doubt...but that's no excuse for not pulling over somewhere safe and getting out of the Land Rover!
Next stop was the park.
Coots are boss and we saw two of KB's ringed birds

Carrying all the kit round and needing to have Frank on a lead near the water otherwise he's be in is a bit of a nightmare so we left the scope (risky) in the Land Rover. After all were were after tree dwelling species like the Nuthatch (94) and the un-found Treecreeper.

Plenty of people were out enjoying the rain free day and chucking monstrous amounts of bread at the already satiated ducks. The gulls were having a bean-feast. Along with the lack of scope we also didn't bring the long lens out either which was a shame although the light wasn't really good enough for it. 

A different adult Herring Gull had a BTO type ring but was too far away to read it

The lake was defrosting quickly and more than 20 Shovelers were in a huddle, there's only 17 here.

Slightly more interesting was this female Red Crested Pochard (95) which is very likely a dubious year bird. It hangs around then disappears for a while, back into the zoo?)

When you don't have the scope is the time you really need it. Having a good look through the gulls for any Mediterranean Gulls we pulled up on an odd-ball Herring Gull. These pics are straight off the camera at full size - any ideas?

Couldn't manage a profile shot unfortunately.
It was an adult or very near adult and had the most sludgy coloured legs of any adult Herring Gull that we've ever seen, which is what drew us to look at it more closely...no idea what it is but probably just an 'argenteus' Herring Gull (apologies for the spelling below) at the outer range of their variability in some features.

Another good day's local birding, a few new species for the annual challenge with Monika who is racing ahead.

Where to next? Wonder what the cold has pushed towards Patch 2
In the meantime let us know what's very variable in your outback.

No double U's today

The Safari got nowhere on Patch 1 the n drove to work noting nothing out of tthe ordinary apart from a Herring Gull paddling about in R'ouzel Puddle. The sea at Patch 2 was pretty useless until a couple of Gannets were found and from nowhere we had a nice stream of Arctic Terns, totalling about 30 but there was some to-ing and fro-ing as the hawked and dipped along a bit of a rip someway offshore and some Sandwich Terns go past. Two Grey Seals were pick of the morning.

No lunchtime Patch 2 safari today instead we met up with other members of BEAT Naturewatch and Young Un JS to check out a potential Grass Snake habitat, where last summer one may well have been seen by some groundsmen moving a pile of wood that had lain untouched for some time. We found a small Frog and some tadpoles so prey is present and on the other side of the fence was some good looking damp rough grassland - perfect. Unwittingly the groundsmen had also started a compost heap of grass cuttings; in a fairly good location too! JS has been tasked with keeping a watch on the site and a couple of black carpet tiles have been judiciously placed along with a modified log pile to help him...fingers crossed he strikes gold.

After the meeting ended we mozied on down to the big park with the hope of catching up with the Wood Warbler but with no news from the morning it was highly likely it had gone overnight.

There seemed to be a distinct lack of Willow Warblers and Blackcaps in the area where yesterday the Wood warbler was seen, only minutes after we left...dooohhhh, but we hung around a while and scanned the emerging canopy just in case.

With no joy we decided to walk across to the nature reserve in the vain attempt to find a Whinchat. Before we'd gone more than a few paces we saw something we've never seen before, a Treecreeper having a right old splash in a puddle at the base of a large tree, unfortunately it evaded the lens as we crept a few millimetres too close...darn it!!! We did see a second one a little later but that was too high up in the tree for a decent shot. Lower and, more importantly, bigger was this Mistle Thrush.

A brisk walk across the field follwed and when we got to the rough fields so often favoured by Whinchats on passage we scanned the fence posts and stunted bushes...not a sniff. A few Whitethroats were churring away from the depths of the rank vegetation but that was about it. In the distance we spotted a Sparrowhawk.

More worryingly we spotted this gawp.

Wot no safety gear when cutting at head height? But more importantly it's the beginning of May and he's adjacent to a Local Nature Reserve and County Biological Heritage Site do you think he has had a peer reviewed ecologist check for nests, or even done it himself? He must know there's wildlife about as miles of new Great Crested Newt fencing appeared only feet away from where he's stood last week. And he's cutting off all the flowers, so no berries for the winter visitors on this hedge next autumn. Why is he doing it? To make it look 'tidy' of course! Tidy is cr*p!!!

Disillusioned we headed back to the park passing a few Swallows swooping low over the field as drizzle started.

In the far corner of the lake was the hybrid Red Crested Pochard thingy...or is it a real one dropped in on the recent weather?

Overhead about a dozen House Martins and a similar number of Swallows swooped about to the sound of a not too distant thunder clap. Time to head back to the  Land Rover before the big black cloud unleashed its deluge on us.

The deluge took longer to reach us than we thought it was going to and that gave us (yet) another chance to snap away at some gulls in flight when a bread thrower appeared.

Bit noisy with high ISO under the gloom of a jet black cloud and after all that the deluge never happened...

Where to next? Will the moth trap go on tonight - it certainly will tomorrow night, but before that there may well be an early morning safari to the nature reserve...in the frost! May Bank Holiday Weekend has built an excellent reputation for turning up a decent migrant at the nature reserve over the years- fingers crossed this one produces the goods too.

In the meantime let us know what never happened in your outback.

Can't beat a bit of wall to wall sunshine

The Safari was just about to head off to the nature reserve when we received a text from AB giving 'hot off the press' info - the mobile Smew was on the river. Nothing ventured etc we set off to the bridge. On the way we spotted a long haired youth striding purposely northwards so we stopped and JS clambered into the Land Rover saving himself a fairly long walk but having to endure a big lick from Frank.

Arriving at the river the tide was low and the only info was that the Smew was on the downstream west side of bridge. Well we both looked and looked and looked. We decided to have a check on the upstream side - that was when we looked back to see a Merlin (91) flip at great speed low over the bridge and had to bank to avoid J...he missed it although it only narrowly missed him!

On the mud there were 27 Golden Plover (92) with a smaller number of Lapwings, the channel held Mallard, Teal and Shelducks with many Curlews and a scattering of Redshanks probing the margins but no sign of our quarry. After a while AB and his dad pulled up, whay-hey reinforcements...and more importantly...with a scope! A had hardly set the damn thing up on its tripod when he said there it is...a quick peek down the eyepiece revealed a tiny dot diving about a mile and a quarter away in the distance just about recognisable as the Smew (93). So far away was it that we couldn't tell if the two larger female and single male birds near it were Goosanders or Red breasted Mergansers! Either would have been a year bird as would the Meadow Pipit that we saw fly out  of marsh but despite J hearing it call above the noise of the traffic behind us we never did so it stays off the list. Easier for us to ID was the dihedral shape of a Buzzard circling over the adjacent field.

Not sure if You Tube has cut off a couple of seconds - don't recall pressing the button before the last few words of the 'commentary'.

It was cold on the bridge so once the tick was bagged it was off to the nature reserve where the southbank would be sheltered and in full blistering sunshine.

Not much was doing as we wandered up to the hide colloquially known Ice Station Zebra for  its thermal 'comforts'. We immediately heard a Cetti's Warbler sing, so close was it that the hide's tin roof reverberated. Getting the camera out...just in case it showed - hahaha - we fumbled with the dial trying to move it off video from the dot Smew. As we did a small flotilla of Pochards came in to view - one of which was the Red Crested Pochard (94) (or probable RCP hybrid as it has been noted that it has slightly barred axillaries so may have ??? genes in there somewhere - thanks to PT & PE for the 'armpit' shots! It's gone on the list as its a near a RCP as you'll find and without the aid of long lenses you'd never see those light markings...is that cheating?

Never saw or heard the Cetti's again!

We wandered back the way we'd come, staying in the sun rather than risking the freezer that is the Feeding Station and noted plenty of gulls on the way but trawling through them didn't give us anything out of the ordinary. But we were told there were more stood on the ice at the east end...off we went...

Just four species were seen, three in the pic above...two of the Black Headed Gulls sported rings - one is the far right-hand gull - both too far away to read, none of KB's Darvik ringed birds though :-(

Common Gulls are always nice - one day we hope to pick out a Mew Gull...some chance!

Another trip up to ICZ didn't give us anything new but we did get more arty full frame Mute Swan pics

Back down to the bridge where we bumped into PL and had a good chin wag - he's had some great sightings over Christmas whilst doing an infra-red project...a Roe Deer being stalked by a Fox in the Feeding Station and on the night of BOXING DAY a big adult HEDGEHOG!!!

Talking of Foxes, this little chap showed well catching voles on the island. These are the only pics of a Fox we've ever taken during the day.

Best bird of the day turned up as we were leaving when a Great Black Backed Gull came in and terrorised the Teal and Wigeon. We left perhaps too early as there was the possibility of Barn Owl and Little Owl in the calm conditions which would have looked nice in the early evening light but our toes had got very cold in our wellies.

Back at Base Camp one or more Long Tailed Tits came through with the last hint of light bringing the garden total to 17.

So half way through the first month our tallies stand at

Patch 1 = 19

Patch 2 = 35

Garden = 17

Nature Reserve = 57

A great day, made all the better by the gorgeous sunshine and good company.

Where to next? Back to Patch 2 tomorrow.

In the meantime let us know if the sun shone brightly all day in your outback.

...at first the hurdle...

The Safari got just about a full afternoon's birding at the nature reserve where we scored an almost half way 50 species!

Unfortunately we dipped the Iceland Gull by about an hour - is that still a dip? - and yesterday's Red Crested Pochard wasn't seen by anyone all day and the number of Wigeon was a little down so it seems it must have gone over night with the small flock it came with.

We met up with a visiting birder who was the same chap who put us on to the Tundra Bean Goose we couldn't find on the Southside last week - how weird was that? This time he put us onto a fine adult Mediterranean Gull - thanks again bud; from the description of yesterday's bird this one was a different individual. We returned the favour by showing him the Long Eared Owl. Then we had a quick look for Jack Snipe but weren't really hopeful as the water level is still too high, 15 Common Snipe shot out of the reedbed on our approach though.

Later we were stood on the viewing platform and had our best views of the Cetti's Warbler for some time, it showed well in the (almost) open and sang for about a minute! We were joined by regular birder TS who counted a season's best of five female and two male Goldeneyes - where are they all? 

Most of the regular stuff was found there except Goldfinch and Redwing...no fly over Pink Footed Geese either today so plenty more winter stuff to go at in our quest for 110 species there this year.

We ended the day with the following totals

Total year - 54

Marton Mere LNR - 50 (only five short of half way!)

Patch 1 - 8

Garden - 4

Where to next? More of the same with maybe a couple of additional trips and we're going to try to get there a little earlier to coincide with the Iceland Gull's morning visit.

In the meantime let us know how successfully you've negotiated the first hurdle of 2012 in your outback.

Plan B failed so on to Plan C

The Safari went back to the nature reserve with the intention of bumping into the Otters again. We tried a different vantage point which we hoped would give a better view, or  at least a different perspective. They tend to hang about in the bay marked on the pic...but not today!

We were told we'd just missed the Iceland Gull but luckily we refound it a little later, we'd also missed an adult Mediterranean Gull :-( . Prior to refinding the Iceland Gull we picked out a dark and chunky 'argentatus' Herring Gull amongst the four dozen or so 'argenteus' birds. The gulls came and went throughout the morning with two adult Great Black Backed Gulls and a 1st winter marauding over the rest trying to find a weakened Teal or Wigeon. 

We noted a large number of Teal, later counted at 580 by MMcG with at least another 50 out sight from where he was sat. Wigeon too were in decent numbers for the site. We joined CR (his Iceland Gull pic here is an absolute cracker) in his favourite hide - aka Ice Station Zebra for its 'comforts' - and waited to see if the Otters would make a late appearance - they didn't! But we noticed a breakaway flock of Wigeon sailing out from the edge of the reeds towards us - one was an 1st winter Red Crested Pochard (207) Most unexpected and most welcome!!! But will it be there tomorrow or the day after before we go back to work?

C, M and PT got some shots off; PT's are likely to be brilliant with his new double mega 600mm lens. We were so taken aback at our find we forgot about the camera - will post some links when the pics appear.

Where to next? Well it all starts again in the morning...having narrowly beaten Monika two years running in our challenge she is up for revenge starting in the morning!

In the meantime after getting mud under the wheels yesterday we hope to able to do some of this during 2012...this is one of the 'Pay n play' sites we like to visit

The old 'leafer' does really well! We've tried that rock crawl and it's not easy and some of the crunches that come from underneath your feet are quite un-nerving - we destroyed a steering damper!

Happy New Year to all our readers wherever you are 

We hope 2012 brings you health, wealth and happiness - and plenty of wildlife to enjoy of course