New Forest

A rather late start to the day, arriving at Hom Hill by around 11:00am. It wasn't long before we located the Great Grey Shrike at a great distance. Fortunately it let us get a bit closer.

(c) Lee Fuller. Great Grey Shrike taken beyond Holm Hill in the middle of a bog. Lovely!

After, we visited another site in the New Forest, which I'll keep undisclosed for potential breeding purposes. Here we located Crossbill with ease. Mick and Lee found a Goshawk by the car park, while I was listening to second individual calling further along the beaten track.

We finished the day at Blackwater Arboretum. Lee managed to locate a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (jammy) while Mick and I heard it call a few times. About 10 Hawfinch came into roost as did plenty of Brambling, Chaffinch and Siskin.

Farlington Marshes

(c) Ashley Howe. Just a tiny fraction of the Brent Geese at Farlington today.

21/10/07 - A brief afternoon visit to Farlington and Langstone Harbour to see what was about. The Leach's Petrel had already gone and the water level was considerably high with no mud left on the main pool. Although a gathering Redshanks produced a Spotted Redshank, there wasn't much else to report. There was also no sign of any Long-eared Owls at an undisclosed site.

(c) Ashley Howe. Collared Dove photogrpahed in my back garden

Poole Harbour

It was about time we gave Poole a visit. With regular sightings of decent birds. The Bittern showed at Hatch Pond at first light, though the views were brief. (c) Ashley Howe. The Bittern at Hatch Pond as it slowly walked across the reed cut channel there.

We crossed the toll ferry at about 10:00am after looking for the Little Stint at Baitor. But as expected it wasn't there. Ravens, Mergansers, Shags and a few waders were seen on the crossing. It wasn't long before we located our target bird in Studland Bay: Black-necked Grebe. Eventually we must have located about 10 birds. 2 Slavonian Grebes, 2 Great Northern Divers and 20+ Mediterranean Gulls were there too.

Arne RSPB was unfortunately a waste of time, with Marsh Tit the only addition to the year list. However a visit to Shipstall Point revealed a juvenile Spoonbill, waders and Sika Deer. We didn't bother with the Red-breasted Goose at Middlebere Farm, so slowly went in the direction of home. Stopping at various view points. 2 more Great Northern Divers were in Poole Harbour.

(c) Lee Fuller - Spoonbill of Shipstal Point and (c) Ashley Howe - Robin at Arne RSPB

Rainham, Snodland, Oare and Sheppey

The day started off in good fashion, with the Grey Phalorope located immediately on Aveley Pools. Very distant but an early year tick all the same.

The distant Grey Phalorope early morning on Aveley Pool, apparantly it did come closer. (c) Ashley Howe. More photos

A call from another birder, turned our attention to a Black Redstart in the area, although we didn't see it, Lee located the Penduline Tit. Another unexpected year tick in fairly windy conditions.

Penduline Tit at Rainham, opposite Aveley Pools. Very brief and distant. (c) Lee Fuller. More photos

We left the site shortly before 10:30 where we moved onto New Hythe GPs, Kent for the Ferruginous Duck. Negative news was given by a local who hadn't seen it. We walked to the first pit (Brooklands Lake) where we located the bird with no problem at all. So don't no where the other birder was looking.

Ferruginous Duck on Brooklands Lake. (c) Ashley Howe. More photos

We attempted the Long-billed Dowitcher at Oare Marshes, which had been reported earlier in the day, but on arrival had apparantly flown off. There wasn't much there apart from a few other easy year ticks.

Then to Harty Marshes, where it was hit and hope for either Short-eared Owl or Rough-legged Buzzard. We left with neither. But managed a ringtail Hen Harrier, Barn Owl, at least 15 Marsh Harrier and 5 Whooper Swan. The best sighting here was the discovery of a Great-white Egret, viewed from the raptor viewpoint looking west. The bird flew in not long after 16:00 and seemed to drop down into the reeds there. Just one other flight view was obtained and was not seem again.

Ibsley

There was no sign of any Bewick's Swan amongst the Mutes at Ibsley by Midday but a drake Goosander was located on the River Avon. There was also no sign of the Great-white Egret on Mockbeggar or Ivy Lakes. But Siskin and Kingfisher entertained in torrential down poors.

However a brief visit to Rockford Lake revealed the Great-white Egret at close range, and quickly flew in the direction of Mockbeggar before equipment could be arranged. By late afternoon the Great-white was located on Mockbeggar and 2 Bewick's Swan returned to Ibsley prior to dusk.

Ibsley

2 Bewick's Swan at Ibsley Meadows with Mute Swan herd. No sign of the Great-white Egret in the area though today. 10 Ruddy Ducks were on Ibsley Water. At least 1 female Goosander was behind the island on Rockford Lake, perhaps there was more.

One of the Bewick's Swan over the far side of ibsley Meadow feeding on one of the only parts not flooded. A rapidly declining species in Hampshire. (c) Ashley Howe

Eyeworth Pond

01/01/07 - 7 Mandarin (4 drakes) at Eyeworth Pond with 3 Goosander (1 drake) over the far side. As was a Kingfisher.

Male and female Mandarin. (c) Ashley Howe

3 Days in Norfolk

Thursday 28th December

The trip started off well with the Great Grey Shrike at Santon Downham, appearing briefly in gorse bush area by track before flying into trees without relocation. A small feeding flock of Brambling were further up the road.

There was no sign of any Hawfinch at Lynford Aboretum in horse paddocks, although a large finch flock in the field behind a large house could have held Brambling and Redpoll. Too distant for positive ID.

Next stop was Cantley Marshes, where good views were sustained of Taiga Bean and Eurasian White-fronted Geese.

Taiga Bean Geese in scattered groups, this group of 5 were observed quite close to the main track (c) Ashley Howe.

A Barn Owl was seen at 13:30pm while looking for Bewick's Swan at Catfield.

We finished the day off at Stubb Mill, where 2 Cranes were immediately located infront of the view point. About 50 Marsh Harrier came into roost that evening, as did a Peregrine in the facinity. A further c30 Cranes came in later on with a maximum of 4 Barn Owl seen.

Friday 29th December

Again the day started of well 4 Golden Pheasant seen at Wolferton Triangle. A group of three by the road consisting of 2 males and a female. A further fourth Golden Pheasant ran across the road (female) on our departure.

The drake Smew managed to elude most at Snettisham but the Scaup, a Peregrine hunting through the masses of waders, Kingfisher and Partridge kept us entertained for a while.

Red-legged Partridge infront of the southern most hide, can't remember what it was called (c) Ashley Howe

The day got worse, with little else seen all day in bad weather until we arrived on the East Bank of Cley. The Black-eared Kite was located for the first time since the morning over Blakeney Freshmarsh. It gave better views than it did in Lincolnshire follow this link for that trip>

Black-eared Kite at Holbeach, Lincs

Black-eared Kite at Cley before roosting in Woods by East Bank (top 2 photos) and a Marsh Harrier over the reserve, one of nine in the air at once with the Kite (bottom) (c) Ashley Howe

A late afternoon search for the White-rumped Sandpiper a Salthouse was a waste of time.

Saturday 30th December

Again there was no sign of the White-rumped Sandpiper on the flood by Salthouse, however a group of Dunlin were distant could have held the Sandpiper.

Holkham gave flight views of a dozen or so Shorelark, Merlin and Snow Bunting on the beach, little of interest was on the sea. White-fronted Geese were at Lady Ann's Drive.

Snow Bunting and White-fronted Geese at Holkham (c) Ashley Howe

Titchwell wasn't much better, though weather was deteriorating quickly. Spotted Redshank was one of the highlights, meanwhile the sea offered the usual suspects. Red-throated Diver, Scoters, Merganser and a few Long-tailed Duck flew past.

The Spotted Redshank and Teal at Titchwell (c) Ashley Howe

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all viewers, from the 3 birders

The first picture of a bird I took with my new Canon EOS 30D & Sigma 50-500mm lense. (c) Ashley Howe

Beer

23/12/06 - A miserably dull morning at Beer, Devon, gave us the opportunity to finally catch up with a Surf Scoter. This one a 1st winter drake. A Black Redstart was present with Fulmar and Peregrine. There was no sign of the Yellow-browed Warbler however at Beer Quarry Caves though Bullfinch frequented the area. Again there was no sign of the Grey Phalorope at West Bexington but Mediterranean Gull, Water Rails, 3 Bearded Tit, 6 Red-throated Diver, Eider and 100's of Auks on the sea there, mainly Razorbill. Not much at Radipole besides Ruddy Ducks and a Barnacle Goose of dubious origin (in other words - an escape). Lodmoor was much of the same with plenty more Ruddy Ducks, Bearded Tits and 2 (very showy) Cetti's Warblers. There was no sign of any Scaup which were reported from the reserve earlier today. We searched every where.

Radipole RSPB (c) Ashley Howe