Seymour Birdies Diary

On the Mediterranean Trail

2012-03-04T01:37:00.001-08:00

The very first time that Stuart and I went to West Mersea in April 2011, we were driving along Victoria Esplanade when I noticed a large flock of Black-headed Gulls on a grassy area behind the beach huts. I thought that these would be worth a second look and I was not disappointed as amongst the flock of Black-heads there were no less than seven Mediterranean Gulls in 1st winter, 2nd winter and adult plumages. This was, of course, pre-camera days, and I always said I would go back some day to photograph them.

Well, I have been back to West Mersea several times over the winter and haven't managed to see a single one until last week when Stuart and I saw five adults in flight, but naturally my camera was at home. So, as Thursday 1st March was forecast to be the last day of fine weather for some time I headed off in search of Mediterranean Gulls.

It is traditional in the Reynolds household, when visiting this part of the world, to stop at Abberton Reservoir and have breakfast/lunch. Early March is a very quiet time for birding and Abberton was no exception with relatively low numbers of waterfowl. I have been visiting Abberton for 50 years now and have seen some changes. For one thing , in those days, it didn't have breeding Cormorants and was always full of water. Now there are massive colonies in the surrounding willow trees and frequently large expanses of mud.

When I was there, where one might expect the Cormorants to be busy fishing, most seemed to be occupied with collecting nest material.

Great Crested Grebes were also starting to display, but unfortunately on this occasion, were not indulging in the weed dance.

The Layer Breton causeway, apart from being a favourite spot for birders also attracts a number of people who come there to feed the menagerie of tame geese and ducks, including occasionally an escapee or two from nearby Colchester Zoo. Recently there have been Ruddy Shelduck and Red-breasted Goose which were so wild they would have your fingers off. The greedy gulls also recognise a loaf of bread when they see it and fly in to join in the feast, which provides excellent opportunities for some close-up shots such as these Black-headed Gulls.

But the best news was that a superb adult male Pintail was resting on the old pre-reservoir road, which is normally submerged but was now above water for some of it's length. The bird wasn't particulary cooperative as it was preening virtually non-stop and then promptly tucked it's head in and went to sleep. However, my patience was eventually rewarded and I did manage to get a few shots, the first male I have ever photographed.

What a good start to the day. And now on to West Mersea in search of those Med Gulls............

The Amwell Robin

2012-03-02T02:51:00.000-08:00

At the Amwell viewpoint there is a Robin that is becoming increasingly tame. Not too surprising as just about everyone who goes there gives it some of their lunch. So now, every time you arrive, you get accosted until you donate a morsel.

It also seems to know what a camera is as it will then sit on the leaning rail and and pose in several different positions. I think that by the last photo it was getting a little fed up with posing for no food!!

Are You Looking for Feeticuffs?

2012-02-29T01:45:00.001-08:00

Humans have traditionally settled their differences by fighting with bare knuckles or as it is called fisticuffs. Birds normally fight by trying to peck each other to death, except Coot that is, who use their feet. It all starts off with a quiet gathering which looks like a tea party round an imaginary table.

The next stage is like a game of chess with the birds jostling for position.

Then a bit of name-calling.

The males then start revving up, each hoping that this will be enough to scare the other off.

Unfortunately, in this case, the response was that two can play at that game.

Then it all kicks off - literally.

Time for the tag partners to join in.

Finally............BUNDLE!!!!

A Day at Rainham Marsh

2012-02-27T08:51:00.002-08:00

Rainham Marsh is not normally on my bird photography radar because most of the birds are very distant and a telescope is the order of the day. However, following information received from fellow wildlife photographer Martin Parr, I set off on Sunday morning hoping to photograph some Bearded Tits. I arrived at 9.45am, just as well as by 12.00 the car park was full, with visitors parking opposite that expensive adventure playground (don't get me started!!).

I normally go round the reserve in an anticlockwise direction but today, as the Beardies had been seen on the river side of the reserve I set off along the path that runs parallel with the Thames. When I reached the ditch containing the reedmace upon which the birds had been feeding, there were no Beardies present, just a couple of forlorn photographers. However, above the field opposite there were a couple of Sky Larks in full song, occasionally gliding to the ground to feed.

Also in the same area was a male Stonechat which was a welcome surprise as there have been very few around this winter, presumably as a result of last year's hard winter. This particular individual was reasonably confiding and allowed me to take a number of fairly close shots. Unfortunately, there was no sign of a female.

There were also a few Linnets about, still in loose flocks of three or four birds with no real signs of pairing off just yet and the males still to acquire their crimson breeding plumage, But, considering that they are predominantly grey and brown they are still very photogenic. A pair of Mute Swans also staged a fly-past, although this pair will clearly not win any medals for synchronised flying.

Still no sign of the Beardies so I decided to continue my walk around the reserve. There was nothing to photograph around the Target or Aveley Pools but just before you get to the Cordite Store there is a feeding station in the middle of a marshy piece of ground. This was attracting a number of birds including Blue Tits, Great Tits, Goldfinches, Collared Doves and Reed Buntings.

And of course no countryside feeding station is complete without a couple of Brown Rats taking advantage of the seed that falls to the floor. I'm not particularly fond of rats but they do make good photos.

Nearly completed the whole circuit now and couldn't resist a shot of one of the many singing Robins. Robins of course sing all the year round, but now there is more urgency in their voice with the breeding season approaching. This one was so intent on his singing that he appeared to be totally oblivious to my presence.

Back outside the visitor centre now and I enquired of a photographer waiting by the ditch whether the Beardies had been seen. "No mate", he replied, "but there are half a dozen Tree Sparrows in that bush just over there". Intrigued, I made my way over to the bush and indeed there were six sparrows in residence, but unfortunately of the House variety. However, all was not lost because this is a rare bird in my area and one particular male was stationed on the outside of the bush.

Now, I had arrived at the reserve at 9.45am when the air was still cool and was therefore wearing a sweatshirt and a Barbour. It was now 2.00pm with the sun beating down and I was about to pass out. I therefore decided to go back to the car to offload my barbour, sweatshirt and tripod, have some lunch and return to the ditch for one last look for the Beardies. However, just as I was walking up the ramp to the centre, I looked over towards the ditch and could see one of the photographers from this morning sitting down on the bridge staring intently through his large 500mm f4 lens. Therefore, throwing heat exhaustion to the wind, I rushed over and there just 10 metres away were a pair of Bearded Tits stripping the seeds off Bulrush heads. Mission accomplished. Thank you Martin.

Nuthatch City

2012-02-25T23:37:00.001-08:00

I dropped in to Hoddesdon Park Wood today to look for the Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers that had been reported there recently. I completed a large circuit without success but did manage to see all the usual woodland suspects including Great Spotted Woodpecker. However, the surprise of the day was the number of Nuthatches present in the wood. On reflection perhaps not too surprising when you look around and see the large amount of standing deadwood which provides both food and nest sites.

I hadn't photographed Nuthatches before and it was not easy as they are not particularly confiding, move fairly fast and spend a lot of their time high in the trees. However, even with the short time available I was able to grab this shot but will be going back for some more.

Oasis in the Ice

2012-02-25T10:23:00.000-08:00

Cold weather brings mixed fortunes to the birder and photographer. Certainly it brings numbers of unusual birds to our shores escaping from the icy blast elsewhere, but it can also freeze over many of our bodies of water causing the water birds to leave. The larger lakes tend to freeze from the edges so gradually the waterfowl get coralled into an ever-decreasing area of open water towards the centre of the lake. Provided that there are a large number of waterfowl present to continually agitate the water there is a good chance that this area of water will remain ice-free.

Such was the case at Amwell and fortunately the area of ice-free water stretched in front of the White Hide.

The birds present were predominantly Mute Swan, Coot and Gadwall with the odd Tufted Duck and Pochard. The first VIP to drift into view was this male Shelduck. The light was fairly poor, which for the White Hide is actually an advantage as the front of the hide faces south and you are looking straight into the sun on clear days.

There were also a few Goldeneye, three drakes and a couple of females. This was a bonus as you are usually photographing these birds at a range of 75 metres or more. The females, although they may appear dull at a distance, are actually quite beautifully coloured with a chestnt-brown head set off with a golden eye and an orange tip to the bill.

The males of course are stunning and were swimming no more than 25 metres away. As a bonus, and despite the freezing conditions, they were starting to display. What a fantastic sight.

But the pride of place must go to the female or redhead Smew who stole the stage, appearing from nowhere. What a fantastic way to end the day.

A Premature Spring Day at Amwell

2012-02-23T12:03:00.001-08:00

Despite the forecast for it to be mild and overcast it was indeed mild but with brilliant sunshine. I therefore abandoned the planned jobs in the garden and headed for Amwell. The spring-like day had kick-started the bird song although it was was mainly confined to the monotonous repetition of the Great Tit interspersed with Dunnocks and Robins and, once at the viewpoint, there were occasional contributions from Reed Buntings.

The viewpoint was generally quiet with no birds and, surprisingly, no people. A quick scan round produced nothing out of the ordinary so I made my way down to Tumbling Bay. The female Red-crested Pochard, which up until now had taken up residence further up the lake opposite Hardmead Lock, had now moved down to the southern end. Typically, after a busy night feeding, it was now asleep with it's head tucked in. This must be the most inactive bird I've ever seen.

Continuing up the track towards Hollycross Lake I was immediately alerted to the call of a Bullfinch. The track between the Lee Navigation and the bridge over the old River Lea has traditionally been a strongold for Bullfinches at Amwell although, for some reason, during this winter they have been notably few and far between. However, about a week ago they started to return, feeding on the buddleia seeds, and up to six have been recorded. I was soon rewarded with a cracking male which flew out from cover and started to feed on the buds of the trees along the old railway.

I then made my way back to the Bittern Pool to hopefully round off the day with a couple of shots of Butterbump. The Bittern Pool is by far the best place to photograph Bitterns, assuming they are showing of course, because it is the shortest distance from a reed bed, only 80 metres compared with 240 metres from the viewpoint and 90 metres from the White Hide. The light is also independent of the time of day. As luck would have it, after just a few minutes, a Bittern appeared opposite and started making it's way along the fringe of the reed bed. Unfortunately, it never completely broke cover, but this was more than compensated for by the superb light.

Water Pipit at Water End

2012-02-21T23:50:00.002-08:00

Water Pipits are becoming more scarce as winter visitors to Herts these days. There had been one at Wilstone Reservoir for some time and then Dan Forder found another at Water End near Hemel Hempstead. It seemed to be staying round so on Monday 20th February 2012 I travelled up there to have a look.

The bird had been feeding on the shallow stream below the bridge which is actually the River Gade. Unfortunately, due to the lack of rainfall this winter, the water levels are very low and currently there is more grass growing in the river than aquatic plants, but it was probably the slow-moving shallow water that attracted the pipit in the first place.

As I arrived on the bridge there were four Teal dabbling near a natural spring and a small bird feeding in the margins. A quick look through the bins showed that this was indeed the Water Pipit. I quickly removed the camera lens cap and switched on the camera only to find that the bird had flown. Time for Plan B.

From the bridge I circled round to a downstream position to get the sun behind me. As I slowly edged up the stream a pipit flew up and landed in a tree. This time, rather than look through my bins, I rattled off a couple of shots at long range before it flew. It wasn't until I got home and enlarged the photos that I could see from the conspicuous eye stripe that it was the Water Pipit.

I continued searching and did find it once more, feeding below the bridge in what appears to be it's favourite spot, but it flew when I was still 50 metres away, far more flighty than had been reported previously. However, all was not lost. Nearby was a muddy pool, much of which was still frozen, which seemed to attract Grey Wagtails. Fortunately, these were far more confiding and, if you kept your movements slow and smooth, it was possible to get within 15 metres and get some acceptable shots.

Bobbing Jack Day 2

2012-02-21T00:01:00.001-08:00

On the way home from Water End yesterday I called in at East Hyde to try for a better photo of a Jack Snipe. As I draw up at the bridge things didn't look good as nobody else was there and there was not a single water bird in sight, or any other sort of bird for that matter, probably due to the six horses and three people walking around in the field.

The people eventually moved off back to the farm and I started to scour the sides of the stream for signs of life. Eventually I managed to find a stripeless crown bobbing up and down in a hole. The last Jack I photographed here didn't bob at all so this was either a different bird or someone had wound it up.

Aftert a while, when it had eaten everything in the hole, it started to emerge and feed along the bank. The photos were better this time as it was much closer and in better light on the eastern bank.

Bobbing Jack

2012-02-19T00:11:00.001-08:00

East Hyde lies in the Lea Valley between Batford and Luton and it's claim to fame as a birding site is the annual appearance of Jack Snipe, with five being recorded in a recent winter. This winter looked as if it was going to be an exception with no records at all before the end of January, but then one was spotted on the 3rd February soon increasing to two. So armed with my trusty camera I set off for East Hyde on the 9th February.

Viewing is from the Thrales End Lane bridge over the River Lea and an adjacent shallow stream. As the Lea and it's backwaters are constantly flowing they rarely freeze over and therefore attract good numbers of birds during spells of cold weather. When I arrived a number of hopefuls were already scanning the stream for the tell-tale bobbing action of a Jack Snipe but, so far, with no luck. There were a total of six Common Snipe in view, each with the diagnostic stripe down the centre of the crown.

There was also an over-wintering Green Sandpiper making the most of the abundant food supply.

Still no sign of the Jack Snipe so I moved over to the River Lea. The bridge is about 10 feet above the water and this seems to be sufficient to take you out of the bird's line-of-sight as most seem oblivious to your presence. There was a party of Black-headed Gulls making the most of the spa-like water compared to the surrounding ice-bound lakes, washing and preening after a spell of feeding.

The margins were also busy with both Pied and Grey Wagtails, Meadow Pipits and Wrens frantically searching for food amongst the frozen vegetation.

And then came the call we had all been waiting for.........a Jack Snipe had at last emerged from the vegetation. So how do you tell a Jack Snipe from a Common Snipe? Well, there are a number of features:

1. You have to almost tread on a Jack Snipe before you flush it.

2. When flushed they NEVER call. Common Snipe with USUALLY call.

3. When flushed their flight is more direct than Common Snipe and they will normally land within 30-40 yards. Common Snipe zig-zag and fly out of sight.

4. When feeding they bob up and down as if their legs were on springs.

5. They are smaller than Common Snipe.

6. Their bill is about two-thirds the length than that of a Common Snipe.

7.They do not have a golden stripe down the centre of their crown.

8. Their back is a dark chocolate brown with two golden stripes running down.

Clearly features 1-5 cannot be demonstrrated here, but the other diagnostic features can be seen in the following photos. This was the first Jack Snipe I've ever seen that didn't bounce, so more like Un-bobbing Jack.

The Permanent Hide - Day 2

2012-02-17T00:36:00.000-08:00

By Thursday 9th February 2012 much of the snow had thawed, but the still freezing temperatures ensured a constant flow of birds to the feeders. I therefore spent a couple of hours in the Permanent Hide, our upstairs study window, photographing the many comings and goings.

The first bird to arrive was a Wood Pigeon. I know that I photographed one last week but with the subtle pastel shades illuminated by the light reflected off the snow, who could resist?

During cold spells in the winter our Blackbird population goes up from the usual pair to up to six birds, predominantly males. However, today this 1st winter male was joined by a female.

And no garden bird collection would be complete without the friendly Robin who always appears to enjoy having his photo taken, not only freezing for the camera but continually striking a new pose.

Now a first for me. As I bought my camera in July last year it is perhaps surprising that I have not yet photographed a Blue Tit. Actually, they are quite difficult, being very fast and often keeping inside bushes and trees. This one was more obliging, working it's way around the pruned apple tree.

Finally, we come to the finches. The number and variety of finches increases in cold weather but today was a particularly good day with five species present including 7 Lesser Redpolls and a couple of Siskins. Greenfinches are still scarce here following the disease which decimated their numbers and therefore, not surprisingly, was also a new photo bird for me. Notice the ring on the right leg of the 2nd Lesser Redpoll.

Scaup at Hilfield Park Reservoir.

2012-02-15T00:24:00.000-08:00

On the evening of Monday 6th February 2012 six Scaup were reported from Hilfield Park Reservoir near Aldenham. There was no news the following morning which was not altogether surprising as the site has restricted access. However, it was a bright and sunny morning so I set off with my camera in the hope that they were still there.

Hilfield Park Reservoir was constructed in 1955, built across a natural valley and formed by a concrete and earth dam and a puddled clay core. The site has an area of 78.9 ha (195acres) and the reservoir itself has an area of 46.5 ha (115 acres). Its operational use was an annual balancer of surplus water to be used in times of high demand. Raw water was pumped in from chalk wells during periods of low water demand. The reservoir has a total capacity of 2800 million litres, with a maximum depth of 11.4 metres, with generally shallow sloping sides.

The site is designated a Local Nature Reserve and a County Wildlife Site and is managed by Herts and Middx Trust (HMWT) on behalf of Veolia. Access is restricted to HMWT members who can collect a key from Grebe House in St Albans.

Once I got to the top of the steps on the dam it didn't take long to locate the Scaup way out in the middle of the reservoir at a range of 250-300 metres. All six were still present, four males, an adult female and a 1st winter male. The adult males are similar in appearance to male Tufted Ducks but have a green VERY ROUNDED head with no sign of a tuft, and silvery grey backs (2nd from left and extreme right in this photo). The bird on the extreme left is a male Tufted Duck for comparison. Females (second from right) are brown with a large white patch that extends ALL ROUND the bill, unlike some female Tufted Ducks which show some white either side and sometimes above the bill. The 1st winter male is similar to a female but with grey flanks, but the identification features are not visible in these photos.

This shot shows all six birds.

The Magic of Firethorn

2012-02-13T02:44:00.000-08:00

Firethorn or Pyrocantha coccinea must be one the bird photographer's favourite shrubs. Not only do the bright golden, orange or red berries attract winter thrushes for you to photograph, but they also provide a stunning background.

Today I was driving up our road and could see several thrushes flying down to a garden. I went back with my camera and on what must be one of the smallest Pyrocantha bushes I have ever seen, right next to the pavement, were Blackbirds, Redwings and Fieldfares. It was grey and overcast and I had to step up to ISO800 but I still managed to get the following photos. The black primaries and secondaries and the crocus yellow bill of the Blackbird show that this is an adult male.

The Quest for Butterbump

2012-02-10T23:50:00.000-08:00

The Latin name for Bittern is Botaurus stellaris. Botaurus is the family of Bitterns and the other part of its scientific name, stellaris is the Latin for starry, in reference to its plumage. Its folk names include "barrel-maker", "bog-bull", "bog hen", "bog-trotter" and "mire drum", mainly with reference to its voice or habitat. "Butterbump" derives from Norfolk and refers to its high fat content when eaten as food.

Bitterns are regular winter visitors to the Lea Valley and in most years up to 10 can be present. Up to now during this winter fewer have been recorded, presumably due to the unusually mild weather. However, on Friday 3rd February 2012 I was informed by Tony P that three had been seen at Amwell. Previously there had only been 1-2 birds present but it is not possible to say whether the third bird was a new arrival from outside the area or movement of a local bird from further down the valley, pushed out by the ice. It was a bright sunny day so I set off with my camera, the mission being to photograph my first Bittern.

The railway crossing at Amwell was still locked so I had to park further down Amwell Lane and walk up the track to Stanstead Lock. Fortunately one of the houses up the track had feeders out which were attracting a number of Goldfinches, Chaffinches and an obliging flock of Long-tailed Tits. One of the advantages of Long-tails is that, unlike many other birds, they are happy to sit on the extremities of trees and bushes which makes photography so much easier.

On arrival at the viewpoint I could immediately see a Bittern sitting up in the reeds about half a metre off the ground. This behaviour is quite normal. They grab a bunch of reeds with their foot to make it into a branch and climb up so that they can see out of the reeds. The good news was that it was sitting in full sun and therefore perfectly illuminated. The bad news was that it was 240 metres away, as measured on Google Earth, which is stretching it a bit.

A better bet was to go round to the White Hide and hope that another bird was on view in the reed bed opposite, a distance of only 90 metres. Sure enough, as I got to the hide and opened the flap a Bittern was indeed present, standing on the edge of the reeds on the ice. The bad news is that the sun had gone round too far and the edge of the reeds were in shade, as can be seen by the photos.

Not bad for my first attempt, but clearly the moral of the story when photographing Bitterns at Amwell is to get into the White Hide before mid-day on a sunny day and hope that a Bittern is on show.

....and so on to Wilstone Reservoir

2012-02-07T01:30:00.000-08:00

After a good morning at Startops I thought Wilstone Reservoir, another of the four Tring reservoirs, would be worth a visit as the low water levels might attract some pipits.

I was surprised to see that, despite the meagre rainfall that we have had recently, the water levels were rising and there were no soggy margins anymore apart from the jetty corner, so goodbye pipits. As I walked along the eastern bank towards the jetty I could see that there were vast numbers of geese in the adjacent field, certainly worth a look. Most turned out to be Grey Lags with this particular individual standing guard while the rest had there heads down grazing.

In amongst a few Canada Geese was the long-staying Brent Goose. OK, it is a few yards behind the Canadas, but look at the size difference. It just shows how diminutive Brent Geese are. Brent Geese are very scarce in inland Hertfordshire and a bird to stay for several months like this is quite exceptional.

And on the reservoir itself was a Canada Goose thankfully in more natural surroundings.

As at Startops there are a number of hedgerows lining the reservoir and there were a few birds stripping the last of the berries, including this Blackbird. The brown primaries and secondaries are the same feathers it had when it left the nest and only the body feathers have moulted to black, indicating that this is a 1st winter male. Also, the bill is still showing a fair amount of black but will turn to a crocus yellow when it reaches adulthood next year. Many of our Blackbirds at this time of year are migrants from mainland Europe.

Winter Thrush Invasion

2012-02-06T11:27:00.000-08:00

What was noticeable this morning was the large number (100+) of winter thrushes around the houses, which seemed to be evenly split between Fieldfares and Redwings. I suspect that the snow had pushed them in to raid the berry bushes in the gardens.

I had a walk down the road with my camera being rather hopeful as most birds were perched in trees against a grey sky. I did manage to take a number of photos but all bar one ended up on the editor's floor. The remaining one did, however, turn out rather well for reasons I don't fully understand.

A Snowy Day in Hertford

2012-02-05T07:43:00.000-08:00

I awoke expecting to see 2-4 inches of snow as forecast only to find that the snow was in fact 7 inches deep. With just a light covering of snow I had planned to walk round the local fields with the camera to try and get some shots of birds against a snowy background but didn't fancy trudging around in snow half way up my boots. Therefore I decided to spend the morning in my permanent hide.

My permanaent hide is the upstairs study window which overlooks the feeders hanging from the apple tree. Normally, I don't like photographing birds on feeders unless it is something special but hopefully the newly pruned apple tree and the nearby conifer would provide convenient staging posts for birds on their way to the feeders. Hopefully the combination of greenery, tree bark and snow would provide an ideal setting.

By far the most numerous birds around the feeders were the Chaffinches.They were also fairly cautious in their approach and therefore spent more time in the apple tree allowing a number of photo opportunites. The Goldfinches, however, were far more bold and most only landed briefly or not at all before going to the feeders therefore making it more difficult to compose a shot.

The garden Robin spent most of his time peering out of the conifer, occasionally visting the seed under the feeders. Photographing birds on snow is a nightmare as it confuses the camera's metering system. However, fortunately, at one point it followed the lead of the other birds and perched in the apple tree.

Unfortunately, the Blackbirds were quite happy to run around on the ground.

We rarely get Starlings in the garden except for a flock of youngsters in late Summer which descend onto the lawn with their parents. However, when times are hard beggars cannot be choosers and so a few flew in to feed on the peanuts and the seed on the ground. The blue at the base of the bill shows that this bird is a male.

I generally avoid photographing pigeons and doves as they are normally sitting on fences, grass or TV aerials, none of which are particulary photogenic. However, my backcloth worked a treat and I was able to get these shots of both Wood Pigeons and Collared Doves. The backcloth certainly brings out the best of them.

And now for the finale. As I said earlier I try and avoid photographing birds on feeders and prefer a more natural background. However, I normally make an exception when I get a bird such as a Lesser Redpoll on the feeders like the ones shown here.

However, with a little patience I was able to photograph this bird as it stumbled into my studio. I love it when a plan comes together.

An Aukward Day

2012-02-03T01:12:00.000-08:00

On the evening of Sunday 22nd January 2012 news came in of a Little Auk at College Lake near Tring. Although Little Auks are sea birds it is not unknown for them to get blown inland but, unfortunately, their chances of survival are slim. Therefore I was not going the next day until I knew it was still present and correct.

The next morning the emails said that it was indeed still there and showing well from the Octagon Hide so I set off with my camera. Unfortunately, once I got there, I was greeted by the news that about half an hour earlier it had swum to the shore and had been attached and killed by crows. The corpse had been recovered by the reserve staff and was on show in the Visitor Centre but not quite what I wanted.

The layout of College Lake is such that birds are reasonably distant so I decided to go to the nearby Startops Reservoir to see if the long-staying Snow Bunting was still present. I have photographed Snow Buntings twice already this winter but who can resist another opportunity. However, when I walked up the steps I was told that it had been present a few minutes previously but had disappeared and could not be relocated. What with the Little Auk, the Snow Bunting and the forecast sunny day which was in fact overcast, things were not looking good. I did find out, however, that there had been a Water Pipit the last couple of days so I went to have a look around the shoreline.

There was no sign of the pipit but there were a number of rather showy waterfowl. Even this Coot had added some highlights to try and attract a mate.

There were a number of Wigeon on the reservoir and when there were not too many people around they would haul out onto the bank for a spot of grazing on the vegetation that had started to grow there due to the low water levels.

Just offshore a couple of Great Crested Grebes still in their less exotic winter plumage were diving in the shallows and seemed totally unconcerned about the presence of a camera and tripod.

There were a large number of Pochard present with the males starting to look immaculate in their breeding plumage. The Mute Swans were also starting to become territorial and there were numerous show-downs between the males in their threatening postures like the one below.

Walking back to the car I could see a fair amount of activity in the hedgerow. There were a few thrushes there polishing off the remnants of the Hawthorn berries but this Fieldfare caught my eye and sat their patiently while I got myself organised. I have photographed Fieldfares feeding in a field before (see my 22nd January 2012 posting) but there is no substitute for a bird posing with a bouquet of red berries. Also, as I was on a bank I had the advantage of looking down on the bird, thereby getting a blurred land background rather than sky.

I was still searching the shoreline for the elusive Water Pipit with no luck but there were a couple of Pied Wagtails running around on the beach. These move quite fast and can be tricky when you are manually focussing but a combination of patience, trying to position yourself with the light behind you and getting them to run towards you usually pays off.

I was now back to where I started and one last glance down at the beach produced......the Snow Bunting, feeding furiously amongst the weeds and obviously finding plenty of seeds. So where had he gone for over two hours? Well, probably not too far as, despite being a white bird, the plumage is broken by brown and black and blends in perfectly with the colours of the beach. If you took your eye of the bird for just a couple of seconds, it was difficult to relocate despite it being only 15 yards in front of you.

So with the weather, Little Auk, Water Pipit and Snow Bunting I suppose that one out of four is not that bad and I still have an hour of light left, so where to now?

Off to see some Red Kites. Wales?.......no, Lilley Bottom

2012-01-30T01:44:00.000-08:00

I suspect all of us have memories long enough to remember a Hertfordshire without Red Kites. It was probably only 15 years ago when Red Kites first bred in the county, clearly birds dispersing from the re-introduction programme in the Chilterns. The Chilterns now hold over 400 pairs and, being gregarious, the birds are slow to disperse to new areas particularly when they are being fed by the locals. This is also true in Herts where the area around Whitwell, St Paul's Walden and Lilley, where the first breeding birds appeared, is now the stronghold and breeding Red Kites have still to reach the extreme east of the county.

After an extremely good morning at Lemsford I headed north through Codicote, through Whitwell and on to Lilley Bottom. Red Kites can normally be seen all the way along this road and the only problem is where to pull in to photograph them. Unlike Buzzards they are very confiding and dare I say almost inquisitive and will often end up soaring just 30 yards above your head. Photographing them when they are directly overhead is not as easy as it sounds as there is a tendency to lose your balance and, of course, the light is always from the wrong direction. However after several attempts I did manage to get these shots. At least it saved a trip to Stokenchurch.

Also in the Lilley area there are several herds of Fallow Deer. There is often confusion around these animals as the Fallow Deer seen in captivity and in parks are invariably the usual form with chestnut brown backs with white spots. However, in Herts, nearly all the Fallow Deer are of the dark form such as these below, and pure white individuals are not uncommon.

Lemsford Springs - A Photographer's Paradise

2012-01-26T00:42:00.000-08:00

First appearances can be deceiving. On arrival at this small Herts and Middx Wildlife Trust (HMWT) reserve on the edge of Lemsford village the first thing that strikes you is the drone of the traffic from the busy A1(M), which is not only next to you but also above you. However, having gone through the reserve gates and into the wood, peace and tranquility are quickly restored.

Lemsford Springs is an old cress bed adjacent to the River Lea and is fringed by trees. I have been here in the summer when it was difficult to see into the cress beds due to the tall marginal vegetation, but in the winter the vegetation is cut back revealing shallow running water, watercress and other short emergent vegetation. The running water has the advantage of never freezing even when the local lakes are covered in ice. At these times it is a magnet for water birds.

I made my way to the hide, sat down and gently opened the flap. The view that you are presented with is breath-taking as, not only is the cress bed in excellent condition, but it is all so close with even the far bank being only 30 yards away, and HMWT have even arranged for the sun to be at a favourable angle.

The main problem is where to start as in every direction there are birds waiting to have their photo taken. The obvious temptation is to start with the big ones. On the opposite bank a Heron was sunning itself, keeping totally motionless until after half an hour it decided to have a stretch.

Whilst this was going on a Little Egret was stalking through the middle of the cress bed peering into the reeds for a tasty morsel. It is difficult to remember that these now common birds did not exist in the UK 20 years ago, except as rare migrants. I remember getting up at 4.00am to go up to Rutland Water to see my first one. Now they fly over the house.

No habitat such as this would be complete without a pair of dabbling ducks and a pair of Teal had the place to themselves. How they manage to sift anything out of this muddy soup at the margins is anyone's guess but they obviously do well on it,

There were also a number of Moorhens present feeding along the margins. This particular individual was even gorging on the watercress itself. What was most surprising was that, considering the ideal habitat and the tranquil nature of the site, there were no Water Rails present. Will have the save that one for another day.

However, undoubtedly the key species at Lemsford Springs is the Green Sandpiper, with a number of individuals over-wintering each year. They are the subject of a ringing programme at Lemsford whereby each individual caught is given a unique combination of colour rings so that they can be identified at any site without the need to recapture them. The colour rings are applied above the knee so they can be seen when the bird is wading. I have recorded Green Sandpipers ringed in this way at Rye Meads. The individual shown below would be recorded as Left - Pale Blue, Right - White over Red.

The above species were present all the time but some others were only visiting for short periods and therefore photo opportunities had to be taken as and when they arose. A Wren was very much in evidence but spent most of it's time hidden in or behind the clumps of watercress. Only now and again would it sit up on a frosty wall to have it's picture taken.

Another species which only visited a couple of times for a short period was the Grey Wagtail. Due to the sulphur-yellow on the under-parts these birds are often confused with Yellow Wagtails. However, Grey Wagtails are resident in the UK and are generally associated with shallow running water such as that found at Lemsford. Yellow Wagtails, on the other hand, are summer visitors to the UK and are more likely to be found in grassy meadows, particularly those with cattle.

So, it was almost time to go and, despite a couple of branches placed at strategic points in front of the hide, there had been no sign of a Kingfisher. I thought I heard a couple of distant calls earlier on in the visit but no sightings. Then, just as I was about to close the flap, I noticed an orange ball in the middle of a large round willow tree. Closer inspection revealed this to indeed be a Kingfisher. It sat here for several minutes and, although there were thin branches occasionally obscuring the bird as the tree swayed gently in the breeze, I was able to get this shot to round of a superb visit to this unique reserve.

A Day in the Mobile Hide

2012-01-22T00:53:00.000-08:00

Another sunny day and time to give the mobile hide an outing. I started off by cruising round the Bramfield and Tewin area looking for opportunities without luck, so I went north to Wallington Road near Baldock. As soon as I got out of the car and had a scan round with the bins I could see a bird of prey sitting on a distant hedge. Luckily the very bright sun was behind me and through the scope on 60x magnification I could see that it was a female/juvenile Merlin, presumably the same bird that has been in the area for some time and I photograhed on the 19th October 2011. Unfortunately, although clear through the scope it was too distant for the camera, even for a record shot. It sat there for an hour before disappearing and surprisingly during that time, not a single birder appeared.

I then noticed that over in the direction of the A505 there were a number of Fieldfares sitting in the trees and dropping down to feed. After some investigation I found a small dead-end road running parallel to the A505. As I drove down there were some 50+ Fieldfare feeding in the field to the western side of the road and, as luck would have it, I had the sun behind me.

I continued to the end of the road so that I was out of sight to prepare the mobile hide. Actually, my mobile hide isn't one of those camouflaged tardis-like tents, but my car. So all I had to do was get the camera onto the front seat, turn the car round, and cruise slowly down the road until I came alongside the field. It is amazing how effective cars are as hides. You can wind down the window, hang a lens out and, as long as you don't break the profile of the car, the birds will take no notice.

The nearest bird was approximately 40 yards away but as I sat there patiently the whole flock was gradually on the move and coming my way until they were within 20 yards. They certainly are stunning birds.

The Allure of East Mersea

2012-01-18T01:26:00.000-08:00

It was not that long ago that I used to travel to Norfolk every weekend for a spot of birdwatching. However, in those days I had a company car with free petrol so it was fairly attractive. These days I can't face the thought of five hours in the car on a day out, so I have turned my attentions to Essex which is so much closer. My nan had a couple of holiday homes on the Essex coast so I was brought up on the Essex marshes and learnt a lot of my birding there. Also, with the opening of the A120 dual carriageway between Stansted Airport and Braintree I can be at Abberton in 1.25 hours and East Mersea in 1.5 hours. So when the forecast was for brilliant sunshine on Friday 13th 2012 I packed my camera and set of for East Mersea with Paul T.

We arrived at Abberton for a spot of breakfast while we were having a look round. The section between the causeways is filling up but is still well below normal levels and, apart from several hundreds of duck including some stunning Pintail, there was nothing out of the ordinary. To the west of the Layer Breton causeway there were fewer ducks and the only highlight was a pair of Peregrine Falcons on a distant pylon. So on to East Mersea.

From the Cudmore Country Park car park we walked down the eastern boundary to the sea wall, passing the bird hide in front of the lake with the usual array of suspects. Beyond the lake is a fantastic habitat consisting of an extensive area of grazing meadow behind the sea wall which, on the western edge in front of the path, floods in winter. Not surprisingly this attracts a large array of birds.

I have always been amazed by the number of Curlew present here with several hundred over the whole area. Even on the flood itself large flocks often gather.

Black-tailed Godwits also use the pools for washing, roosting and feeding and can also be present in fairly large numbers. They can, however, be difficult to photograph as their heads are either underwater or tucked in when they are asleep.

No marsh would be complete without Common Snipe feeding furiously amongst the vegetation. Recently there has been a Jack Snipe present with it's classic bobbing action, but unfortunately during our visit it couldn't be found.

Not surprisingly, the floods are home to a large number of duck, mainly Teal and Wigeon. Male Teal are particularly resplendent now that they have come out of eclipse plumage and are gearing up for the breeding season.

Wigeon have a very subtle colouring to the body with a pastel grey warming to a pinkish flush on the breast, all set off with a chestnut-brown head and a cream pate.

During our visit there were also two Shelduck present and very showy they were too.

On the grazing meadows there is generally a large flock of Golden Plover and today was no exception. They were particularly striking as they were illuminated by the low winter sun. Periodically they all take to the sky as a predator such as a Sparrowhawk or a Peregrine goes through.

Every now and again the birds on the floods and meadows would appear to be a little unsettled and the Lapwings in particular would take to the air. We then realised that this was the culprit as he looked for lunch along the hedgerow.

And so on to the beach. There are hundreds of Redshank at East Mersea which spend most of their time out on the mud flats, only coming on to the floods to bathe and roost. However, there are generally one or two birds on the pools between the beach and the sea wall. They are not normally that approachable and if disturbed will fly to the next pool or down to the beach. However, this particular individual was either very trusting or just plain lazy and even seemed to pose.

As you will have seen from previous posts, Turnstone are very confiding and very soon you have a C-Drive full of close-up images. So the challenge now is to get some flight shots. I haven't been too successful up to now but quite liked this trio. The advantage of photographing Turnstones is that they never fly too far.

It is a similar story with Sanderlings. They too are very easy to photograph at close range and, although I already have a reasonable collection of shots, who can resist taking a few more of those charasmatic little birds when their silver attire is illuminated by the winter sun.

By now we had reached Stone Point which for some time this winter has been home to a flock of up to 30 Snow Buntings and a couple of Rock Pipits. Here is a photo I took on the 23rd November 2011. Unfortunately, none could be found today.

However, as high tide was approaching, there were still hundreds of waders in the bay immediately north of the point, hurriedly trying to get a few more minutes feeding before the mud was covered. The waders here are dominated by Dunlin and on occasions I have seen probably close on to a thousand.

Also feeding off the point were eight Black-headed Gulls. I am not sure what they were after but they were patrolling up and down close in to shore with heads down intently studying the water. Every now and again they would dive onto the water but I never saw them actually catch anything. I suspect they were after small fry or perhaps shrimps.

And no visit to East Mersea would be complete without mentioning and photographing the flocks of Brent Geese that continally commute from the grazing meadows to the estuary, collectively emitting their evocative gutterel calls.

Amwell Smew Revisited

2012-01-14T08:10:00.000-08:00

For several years now the Lea Valley has been a traditional stronghold for wintering Smew, with numbers often in double figures. However, this winter got off to a bad start, presumably due to the unseasonally mild weather, and by mid-December not a single Smew had been reported. Then during the latter half of December, two males were found, one at Hooks Marsh in Cheshunt and the other at Tumbling Bay at Amwell (see post 30th December 2011). I did get some photos of the Amwell bird but it was quite late in the afternoon and the light was fading. After a few days the bird disappeared.

Then on the 12th January 2012 a male Smew was seen back at Tumbling Bay. I went straight down and to my utter confusion the first bird that I saw was a redhead. However, the confusion was soon dispelled when a little more searching produced the male as well so now there were three birds in the valley.

PS: It is now suspected that the males at Amwell and Hooks Marsh are the same bid commuting up and down the valley.

Shooting Fulmars

2012-01-12T01:38:00.000-08:00

Having left Titchwell with still an hour of light left, I thought I would call in at Hunstanton cliffs to shoot some Fulmars. I first tried my hand at this exhilarating sport some 40 years ago on Fair Isle in the Shetlands. During the quieter moments on the island I would sit on the edge of the tall cliffs while the numerous Fulmars would glide back and forth in the wind. Photographing them was fairly easy as they would often hang motionless in front of you in the updraft. Just as well because in those days we were using film.

At Hunstanton shooting Fulmars is more tricky. First of all, due to the dangerous state of the cliifs, the path is 10 yards from the edge, so most of the time you cannot see the Fulmars as the fly back and forth below the cliff top. Only now and again do they rise above the cliff before dropping down again. To make things worse the updraft doesn't seem as strong and therefore they fly a lot faster leaving you only a few seconds to see them, get onto them, focus and click. Before the sun eventually disappeared behind the clouds I managed to take 60 shots but only these four were reasonable. All I can say is thank goodness for digital cameras. I am looking forward to going back again to try and improve on some of them

Killing Time at Titchwell

2012-01-11T02:37:00.000-08:00

Grandad was having trouble with his computer and had asked son Chris, our resident IT expert, to go and have a look at it. Like the generous father I am I drove Chris up to South Wootton just outside King's Lynn on the 7th January 2012 and dropped him off at 10.30am. My dilemma now was how to kill the next 5 hours. I could go to King's Lynn market or have a wander round Norfolk Lavender or, as a strictly last resort you understand, I could take my camera to Titchwell. How lucky it was that I had packed it!!

I arrived at a nearly full car park and walked past the normally empty picnic site but on this occasion it was full of 60+ birders with an array of binoculars and telescopes scanning a group of Lesser Redpolls in the canopy. They were of course looking for the Coues' Arctic Redpoll that had been in the area for the last few days and there were many "that one's a bit greyer" and "this one has only one streak on it under-tail coverts". It wasn't showing, and in any case I was more interested in getting to the reserve and beach.

Unlike my previous visit back in the Autumn, the fresh pool was now full and all the birds were concentrated on the islands and spits in the middle. The old brackish pool which is now being developed into salt marsh was dry, presumably because the tide was out. As I walked towards the last salt water pool before the sand dunes I could see a brown duck sitting on a mud bank just 10 yards from the path. All the people walking to and from the beach were walking straight past it without a second glance, either not seeing it at all or dismissing it as a Mallard or Gadwall. However when I got closer I could see that this was no standard duck but an immaculate female Pintail.

Female Pintails are, in my opinion, the queen of the brown female ducks with a more elegant structure and subtle colouring, set off by that neater bluey-grey bill. Even as I was photographing it people were still pouring past.

Now onto the beach where the tide was right out exposing acres of mud and hundreds upon hundreds of waders. The secret when photographing on the beach at Titchwell is not to go where all the waders are, but to go where the people aren't. In this way could can have several undisturbed hours and, on an incoming tide, the waders will come to you and fly past as they move up and down the coast. There are of course numerous Bar-tailed Godwits and, although at this time of year they are in their duller winter plumage, they are beautifully marked and can be quite accommodating.

Even their larger cousins the Curlew are fairly tolerant as they eye you cautiously from the shallows and will sometimes arrange flypasts.

In fact it is difficult sometimes to know where to look as all the waders seem to be vying for your attention. Oystercatchers, in particular, seem to fly up and down trying to be noticed.

And then there are the bid daddies, the Great Black-backed Gulls, which seem intent on holding their ground because they are not used to being pushed around.

But no visit to the beach would be complete without a few shots of the Turnstones. Not only are they full of character and colourful even in winter plumage, but are so confiding and will often run at you making focussing difficult. This one did eventually fly but only a few yards.

Well, that's not a bad way to kill a few hours. Back to South Wootton now, although there is still an hour of light left. Where shall I spend that? Watch this space.

Amwell Goldeneyes

2012-01-09T08:48:00.000-08:00

Following my successful morning at Seventy Acres Lake I thought I would go to Amwell to see if the Goldeneyes were displaying. As I walked up the lane there were a number of birds flitting around the ivy-covered bushes and the orchard but the one that caught my eye was this Great Tit which was in a particularly reflective mood.

I continued to the main viewpoint where during the winter months some management work had been carried out to reverse the process of natural succession on the scrape. This had resulted in a muddy beach which is particularly attractive to roosting Lapwings looking resplendent in the afternoon sun.

And so to the Goldeneyes. Unfortunately, the males were not dispaying in the bay close to the viewpoint but it was not possible to leave without taking a couple of shots of these most magnificent birds.

A Trip Round Seventy Acres Lake

2012-01-09T04:20:00.000-08:00

On Friday 6th January 2012 I went down to Seventy Acres Lake in Cheshunt in the hope of photographing a Bittern or Water Rail from the Bittern Watchpoint. In the event all was quiet apart from the workmen cutting down trees nearby. I therefore decided to walk round the lake to see what opportunities would present themselves.

I had only walked 100 yards when there were a number of Blackbirds feeding on berries and one female in particular was quite obliging.

However, when I reached the Hooks Marsh car park there was a Robin in even more photogenic mood which not only came out of the bushes but also chose a post in the sun.

The rest of the circuit was fairly quiet until the return leg where there were a pair of Pochard diving in one of the many bays.

An enjoyable morning was rounded off when I got back to the viewpoint where there were a number of Tufted Ducks diving close to shore. All the ducks are starting to look stunning.

A Great Grey Shrike in Stevenage

2012-01-04T11:53:00.000-08:00

On Monday 2nd January 2012 Tony Hukin went up to Norton Green at Stevenage to get Green Woodpecker for his year list and found a Great Grey Shrike, the third for Herts this winter. I went up there yesterday afternoon after the monsoon had stopped but only managed a few shots of a fairly flighty bird which then disappeared.

However, the forecast for this morning was sun until 10.00am so I was on site at 8.10am to maximise my time before the clouds rolled in. In the event, despite blue skies to the west, the morning was fairly grey with poor light. The bird appeared at 9.00am and was still showing well when I left at 10.00am to see my new grandson who was born in the early hours of the morning.

I did manage to get a few shots.

A Smew at Amwell at last

2011-12-30T10:38:00.000-08:00

I went down to Amwell today and with Bill L and Tony P walked along the River Lee Navigation to Tumbling Bay. Tumbling Bay is usually the first site at Amwell where Smew are seen but, due to the very mild weather, no Smew have been seen so far this winter.

When we got to the southern end of the pit there was just the usual Tufties, Pochard and Coot. However, through the scope I could see, right at the far end, a white bird skulking behind the trees. There were many Black-headed Gulls about but watching it for a few minutes revealed that it was a male Smew. We walked down the lake to confirm the ID but, naturally, I didn't have my camera with me.

However, during the afternoon I went back and managed to get this shot.