Migrants, drugs, sun and rain

The Safari hasn't been able to get out much this week, work has got seriously in the way. There are signs of spring springing up all over the place now, including the works garden where we found this little snail seeking shelter from some dawn frost under a Daffodil petal.

Yesterday we had family business on the South-side and it took us to within a mile of the regular Cattle Egrets (113, YBC #93) you know the ones that are so regular that they weren't there last time we stopped at the site. Most people have seen them just over the hedge in the horse field. Today they were miles away across the fields...just typical of our luck lately. This is by far the best of c100 pics, but at least this local scarcity is on the list and the Year Bird Photo Challenge too.

Today we had a quick walk with Monty passing this very early opening Red Valerian on the neighbour's wall which also has the colony of Gooden's Nomad Bees.

We didn't get out again until the early morning sun was about to be lost, typical of our luck again! We headed out to the Nature Reserve, we've hardly been there this year. It was quiet-ish, but we did hear two Cetti's Warblers at the wetland but couldn't find the Stonechats that have been about recently.

Walking on through the reserve is was almost birdless, we were hoping for an early Chiffchaff and over the water a Sand Martin but neither put in an appearance. There was a nice selection of ducks on the water and a good number of gulls, no sign of the Iceland Gull again - has it left for colder climes already? 

We had an unsuccessful look for Bee Orchid rosettes finding this little Puffball instead. 

Moving on we saw a Kestrel hovering across the other side of the reedbed. By now it was drizzling and the light grotty but it was just about gettable for the YBC (#94). Can't really believe this is the first photo opportunity we've had of this species so far this year.

And if you thought that was bad have a shuffy at this Fieldfare (YBC #95) again the best we could do in the dark drizzle at serious range.

Lots of Cetti's Warblers were singing and we stopped and waited for a few of them but saw nothing. Our best hope was either the FBC hide where on sung several times but didn't show, we did hear a Snipe too but couldn't find it in the sky. Our next bet was Ice Station Zebra, which wasn't too cold today. There was one singing and not showing but we decided not to stay long as we were sharing the hide with some foul mouthed teenage scrotes smoking weed, one of them could only have been 13 or 14. Monty wasn't happy with them and wouldn't settle and we had to hold him which wouldn't have made photography easy. That neighbouring caravan site has some lovely customers - NOT!!!

Making our way back to the car the Feeding Station was quiet and we couldn't find the Stonechats again although we did hear a Cetti's Warbler and a Water Rail by the bench at the Wetland - of course we saw neither.

So no migrants there for us, they'll come we just have to make sure we're able to get out to see them!

Later in the afternoon the sun came out again and we thought we'd have a quick sprint down Chat Alley to see if there were any Wheatears down there, there's been a few here and there along the coast during the morning so there just might be one or two still moving through.

We were out of luck, the only small birds we saw were the local pair of Pied Wagtails.

We looked on the way back but there was nothing of note so we spent a few minutes trying to get some pics of the Herring Gulls riding the gentle up-draughts from the cliffs, most of them were going the 'wrong' way  but every now and then one came our way at the right height nicely illuminated bu the low sun.

So that was that, some success but not totally overjoyed about the weekend's safaris. Mustn't grumble though at least we got out and did see some sunshine.

In other news a couple of Buff Tailed Bumble Bees and a Tree Bee have been seen at Base Camp - sping is deffo a-springing.

Where to next? Hopefully we'll get out on Patch 2 at least once or twice this week.

In the meantime let us know who's springing in your outback.

A double whammy with big smiles

The Safari didn't get out yesterday after a good friend's 50th resulting in a very late night and a skinful of beer, no we didn't sing!

We did do the Big Garden Birdwatch but our hour didn't produce too much, half way through we were upto the grand total of two Woodpigeons and a Robin. The second half was a slight improvement with two Great Tits, a Coal Tit, a Magpie, a Blackbird and on the garage roof after scraps, a Herring Gull.

This morning we did our weekly Goldfinch survey, finding not a one and only singles of Greenfinch and Chaffinch, a very quiet morning until a Carrion Crow came in, a rare enough event in itself but then it started to grab great beakfuls from the suet block hanging low down in the Crab Apple tree - wonder how often it does that when we're at work, we very seldom see them venture down into the garden.

Once breakfast was made and chomped we got out to the nature reserve, parking up we put on our wellies and turned to see a small red and white fungus growing in the crook of an Elder tree at the edge of the car park. On closer inspection the white bit was a covering of mycellium, is it part of the red fungus or is it devouring it?

At the reserve gate it's a choice of straight on or right, today we chose right and went to the Feeding Station first which was very quiet considering it was quiet chilly.

From there were continued round to Ice Station Zebra, living uup to its name today with the cold wind coming through the windows. As usual there was a good selection of waterfowl on offer, scanning through the Teal for a vertical white stripe beyond them was a smaller white duck, not a duck at all on closer inspection but a Little Gull (95, MMLNR #65). Something flushed the ducks but it stayed put close to the far side.

The light was simply dreadful

From there we moved down to the Bird Club hide where the usual suspects were on offer. We could still the Little Gull down where we'd come from. We hung around a while watching a small number of gulls coming and going but there was nothing of note to report to you.

From their we decided to nip up to the cottage where there are a few Tree Sparrows to be seen around the feeders in their garden. Once we'd crossed the bridge a familiar but very out of place sound caught our ears - was that a Bearded Tit we just heard? More pinging - by crikey yes it was!!! We didn't see anything more than a bit of an inconclusive flit along the back edge of the reeds but the distinctive pinging went on for about 30 seconds...Bearded Tit (96, MMLNR #66) on the list - get in. The last we saw here were at the end of the 1990s, not sure if there have been any since then. We walked up and down the reedbed but saw and heard nothing more of them - it sounded like there were two (or maybe more?) birds calling.

On the way to the cottage we passed a clump of Daffodils flowering cheerily in the winter gloom.

At the cottage a short wait brought good views of a couple of Tree Sparrows (97, MMLNR #67). They were too flighty for pics.

Returning to the nature reserve we took a detour round the outside to have a look to see if the Long Eared Owls were on show, one was easy a second was quite tricky being well hidden behind the twigs and branches a little higher up and to the right. No pics today - you've seen enough dodgy Long Eared Owl pics on here already.

By now it was raining pretty heavily and was even gloomier. We walked back along the embankment naughtily playing Bearded Tit calls on our phone, there was no response but it the phone isn't that loud and the strong wind was blowing the sound in the opposite direction.

Back at the hide the Little Gull was seen on the scrape and it didn't look too good. But another something flushed the ducks and it lifted and joined the other gulls bathing on the water allowing nearer but only slightly better pics.

Lovely little bird, hope it's OK and just needs a bit of a rest before heading out to sea again - it would do well to stay a few days as there's more atrocious weather on the way this week.

As the light faded 41 Grey Lag Geese came in and with them was everyone's favourite feral the Bar Headed Goose.

The rain came down and it was time to head back. We stopped in the Feeding Station but still little action apart from five Moorhens??? Still no Reed Bunting for us. No Mistle Thrush either despite having a good look at the flock of Fieldfares in the far fields that they often join and driving up to the posh hotel where they are regularly seen on the grass verge...but not by us!

You see what you see when you see it and you can't see everything all the time, and if you don't get out you won't see nowt - that's guaranteed!

Where to next? more wind on Patch 2, will there be any Little Gulls out there?

In the meantime let us know who turned up unannounced in your outback.

Change of plan

The Safari decided not to make it fiver dips in a row with the dodgy geese today. We had an errand to do at work, we'd forgotten to do something before darting out the door on Friday arvo so had to make good to today, that meant going out which meant we could do a bit of wildlifing. At the back door at work we  saw that the first Daffodils of spring??? are opening, it was only Winter Solstice yesterday and we ain't had Christmas yet. It's very mild here 10C last night, that's the average daily minimum for June!!!

From work we went to the nature reserve for the first time in ages.
There were a good few gulls coming and going dipping in for a wash n brush up.

The light was dreadful and the wind worse. The sound track of our visit was the very pleasant pleeping of the Teal and the wind rustling the Reeds. We counted 67 Coot but there must have been plenty more out of sight, in plain sight were 13 Cormorants sat on the remains of the bund round the scrape, the adults already showing their white thigh patch - not seen any like that on Patch 2 yet. 
There wasn't a lot happening best of the rest were singles of Great Crested Grebe and Tufted Duck. We spent a good deal of time looking at the gulls but without finding anything out of the ordinary. There were a good number of Common Gulls and someone to our right turned up and started chucking some bread around much to the delight of the gathered gulls and a few Carrion Crows. Rule one - don't be the first bird to the slice of bread - - odds are you won't be the one that swallows it!
Leaving the hide we heard a Goldcrest calling from the Blackthorn thicket, we didn't hang around to see if we could get a glimpse of it.
We had a wander down to the 'affectionately' known Ice Station Zebra hide - we'll let you use your imagination as to how it has come to be called that. Suffice to say it lived up to its name today. Here the soundtrack was the whistling of Wigeon, beautiful.
There was a large flock of Canada Geese to our left, not quite as exciting as the genuine wild ones maybe only a mile or so down the road.

A scan around before we took to looking at the gulls gave us a few Mallards, a pair of Goldeneyes, more Coot.
While we were searching the gulls for odd-balls we heard a Water Rail and a Cetti's Warbler but saw little else. The gulls gave us only seven 1st winter Black Headed Gulls out of a count of about 130, which is 5.4% not sure if that's normal, good or bad.
Wigeon were all around but we didn't see very many at all.

The Canada Geese started to cruise bu in a serene flotilla, proably to go and roost on the island even though the wind would be stronger down there.

We took a bit of video, which species can you see, there's no Common Gulls as far as we can see.

Answer tomorrow.

Where to next? Hopefully there'll be a safari tomorrow, but where - still likely to be v v windy though.
In the meantime let us know who's doing the whistling in your outback.

Death and new life

The Safari went to the wall this morning as usual and peered over at the wide swathe of sand in the dull early morning light. The tide was well out and a quick scan of the very lumpy sea didn’t give us anything other than a few Common Scoters and Cormorants.

The beach was more interesting with a count of 89 Oystercatchers and we’d already noted the large number of Sanderlings in amongst them.

But wait what was that dirty white lump lying on the sand not far off the water’s edge – part of another dead sheep? Three were washed up on our southern border at the weekend, probably victims of the floods in North Wales last week.

With the tide on the turn we scuttled back to the office for our wellies and camera while there was still time before the tide reached whatever it was.

It took a few minutes to cross the beach where we noted good numbers of Common Otter Shells lying on the sand – always just one of the valves we never ever find them sill joined together. As we neared the dead thing it was obviously now a bird and not a mammal or part thereof. It turned out to be an adult Great Black Backed Gull.

These are big birds close up; those wings are not fully outstretched and still measure 45 inches (1m 15) across. 

And that beak is hefty piece of weaponry; no wonder they are able to tear Wigeon limb from limb while they are still alive – never a pretty sight to witness.

We didn’t get to count the Sanderlings in the end.

At lunchtime the tide was almost full and the sea just as rough if not rougher. We didn’t see anything other than similar numbers of Cormorants and Common Scoters that we’d noted on the morning’s watch.

It was on the way back in to the office we spotted something that we hadn’t expected at all, we checked another location and sure enough the same thing was happening there too.

What is it that we’re on about? Flippin Daffodils starting to show, that’s what! – do they think winter is over? What’s going on? Do they know something we don’t? Is winter over? What do you think?

Where to next? Might be a nice day tomorrow and we have a site visit in the afternoon.

In the meantime let us know what's lying around in your outback.