10/04/203 River Calder, Ossett, West Yorkshire

Night Heron: The last day of this brilliant Bank Holiday Easter weekend and I found myself with some more free time, so after complenating my options I though I would go and have a second helping of the night herons over along the River Calder. Joined again by Kristian. 

This time I took my time, had a long lie in and some breakfast before setting off, the plan being that the light and their activity would improve as morning became afternoon. 

Today only one bird showed as the other spent most of its time roosting deep within the large overgrown hawthorn along the bank.

The bird that was on show didn't really do an awful lot as it played status again. 

Night herons are ambush predators using their ability to stand perfectly still at the water’s edge, occasionally even using lures to attract or distract fish. Unlike other herons they have the visual capacity to hunt at night, hence the name. 

The bird occasionally moved around a small area and repositioned itself closer to the waters edge to tack small fish. But on the whole it mainly stood still and did nothing. 

Night herons are down to be historically a scarce visitor to the UK and are a species that are not known to breed here.

Although back in 2017 a pair successfully bred in the UK for the first time in Somerset. The increase in conservation management, particularly of wetland areas in the UK could be the reason we may see more black capped night herons breeding here in the future.

The good light faded and was replaced by menacing rain clouds that soon brought heavy showers. Kristian and I left soaked through while the single bird refused to give me the flight views I was waiting for. 

09/04/2023 Sefton Park, Liverpool

Water Rail: The Easter Bank Holiday weekend continues and before the the Easter meal at mums Dawn and I took Autumn to Sefton Park for a nice walk out and a chance to catch up with the tame water rail that has been in the park for a few months now. 

This 200 acres park is one of the most wonderful greens spaces in all of Liverpool. There is plenty of space here for mixed woodland, grassland, meandering pathways and the parks highlight its beautiful victorian Palm House. 

Besides the glass Palm House the other highlight Stefan park has to offer is a bold and very showy water rail. One that is coming out into the open to feeding in the shallow steams of Fairy Glen regardless of the dog walkers, families and other park users. 

This was my second visit hoping to see the parks star bird and after dipping it last week I was happy to hear It had been seen the day before today. However just as I arrived the bird had been showing well before skulking off back into the undergrowth just before I got there. 

I waited a short while as a small group of other interested birders turns up hoping to se it, some for the first time others their second and third. The bird eventually appeared from under the backside vegetation and walked right out into the middle of the stream and started feeding. 

The small crowed of birders congregated along the shore of the stream and within moments space was a premium here. We jostled and found our own small space and then I lost my footing and performed a two-footed tackle right in to the stream as I slipped. Soggy footed and with a muddy bum, I made my excused and left. Thank to the fella who helped me up and thanks to Pete Brash for his gen. 

08/04/203 River Calder, Ossett, West Yorkshire

Night Heron: With a welcomed long bank holiday weekend on the horizon I was making plans to head into Wales and connect with the black grouse lek at World's End near Wrexham. but news broke the night before of a pair of night heron along the River Calder. 

I couldn't resist the pull so contacted Kirstian and made plans, and early start with the intention of getting their super early just incase they flew off. 

The fact that I could have had a long lay-in, breakfast, mowed the lawn and did the shopping before heading over where I would have got better pictures due to the afternoon light improving never bothered me, well only a little.

Both birds remained remarkably statute like throughout the early morning, they were both still and only moved a few times while we watched them.

Eventually they both moved off and into less visible location, but liker I said early things improved in the afternoon and they bother became a lot more active once we left. 

Red Grouse: We had the whole day ahead ofd us and with north but blue skies above us and free time in out pockets we set off to the Peak District, more specifically Ladybower Reservoir.

Ring Ouzel: Our plan was to pick up some returning ring ouzel and we weren't disappointed, after a proper hike over the moors we were rewarded with a beautiful male ouzel singing away. 

The male was soon joined by a female bird and then we observed another pair in the same area. It was like the M25 up here, hoards of hikers, families and extreme hill runners and bikers so the birds had plenty of company besides me and Kris up here. 

The supporting cast was pretty typical with tons of meadow pipits, red grouse, wheatear and raven. Not going on over the man made moors.

This was a cracking day with near perfect weather great birds and company. 
 

01/04/2023 Elton Reservoir,

Alpine Swift: Another day and another Alpine swift my third in a week after the Doxey and then the Llandudno birds. This time however I was pretty pleased to have one locally, in Greater Manchester.

Upon arriving the bird has disappeared, typically so Kristian and I walked off to try and tog some local dippers before receiving the message that the bird was back. 

It was favouring the fields between Withins Res and Elton Res, we got some point blank views over Withins.

Elton Res has been in the new recently over some controversial plans to build a huge development that they are calling a 'new community' on largely green belt land around Elton Reservoir have been put forward by developer Peel Holdings. The so called 'new community' contains a school and three new roads and 3,500 new homes.

I can only hope that the development is shelved and if not that it is done sympathetically. Elton Res holds a special place in the hearts of many Greater Manchester birders a place known for its passage terns and waders,  scarce gulls and migrant wildfowl.

29/03/2023 Conwy, North Wales

Alpine Swift: With an influx of Alpine swift into the UK I have been hoping for a local bird to turn up, first was the one I saw on Sunday at Doxey Marshes, Staffs although this bird was extremely distant. 

Now there is this Conwy bird, a much more confiding and had the decency to hang around for a few days.

 

I only managed one half decent shot off the bird while it gave some good passes over the A55. The bird wasn't slowing down or hanging about while it whizzed over our heads and zoomed across the tree line and the industrial units. 

The bird would disappear for long spells as it covers a large range over the coastal town of Llandudno before reappearing over industrial estate. Apart from the bird it was also great to catch ip with Peter Sutton, Steve T and his better half.

14/03/2023 Dorman Pool Nature Reserve, Stockton-on-Tees, Middlesbrough

Coues's Arctic Redpoll: The night before I am due to work over in Middlesbrough again and I see that one of the redpoll subs I need has turned up close to where I will be.

Well, I set my alarm to go off early and headed out hoping to catch up with the bird.

When I arrived the bid was picked up at first light before flying off and no further sightings, alas I missed it before the first sighting. 

A short wait in the cold and the bird was re-found and it didn't take too long for it to show well, very well.

Redpolls are notoriously one the most difficult and challenging bird groups we can come across in Britain.  There are several subspecies with tricky and subtle ID features.

There are two forms of Arctic redpolls, split in to  Hornemann's (hornimanni) and Coues’s (exsillipes). 

Smaller than a Hornemann's but bigger than a lesser, with a white rump and paler plumage makes the Arctic's stand out as bright b bigger birds nest to its smaller cousins. 

The bird was with eight lesser redpoll which were very active across the area, they were regurally feeding on the ground and low in the shrubs and even visited a small pool giving great views. 

 

Another nice little bird Middlesbrough had to offer, lets see what next weeks trip up here brings.

13/06/2023 Farmoor Reservoir, Oxfordshire .

Lesser Scaup: This trans-Atlantic vagrant that breed in northern and central North America in lakes, rivers, marshes, and wetlands with shallow water. It migrates for the winter to southern North America and northern South America where it can be found on lakes, rivers, reservoirs, and coastal bays.

And on occasion they turn up on our freshwater lakes and reservoirs. This individual has taken up residence on a large res in Oxfordshire for several weeks now and I couldn't resist the pull of a rare bird while passing.

The bird was associating with a large group of tufted ducks that were bobbing around in the most sheltered part of the res as the day I turned up was a very windy day, I thought I was going to get blown int the water while crossing the causeway. The bird showed well and came close at times, perhaps pushed in by the strong winds? Either way its. atop bird to catch up with. 

06/03/2023 Knarr Fen, Cambridgeshire

Common Crane: These magnificent birds are now breeding in Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Yorkshire and East Scotland, as well as populations in Somerset, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire. but rarely seen over my way. So, while working away with Gary Allwood in Lincolnshire and after finishing our first survey of the week we couldn't resist but to and see them.

A report of 37 cane wasps out early in the morning, but the report also said that all birds flew off when a tractor came to work in a nearby field.

I didn't think my luck would hold and they would return, especially as the late afternoon draw closer and the rain came in. 

While driving down the road towards were the birds were reported we had a barn owl quartering, and after a short wait all 37 carne are flying past and landed close to us in a recently tiled field to feed. 

06/03/2023 Attenborough Nature Reserve, Notts

Pallas's Leaf Warbler: An early start with the plan to meet Gary Allwood at Attenborough NR to see the Pallas's warbler that has taken up resentment along the hedges along the railway boundary. The bird showed soon as we arrived but was tricky to track as it was constantly moving and forging in the vegetation.  

These small leaf warblers are rare late-autumn visitors from Siberia, not many over winter in the UK. Although this winter aI've seen two now, one here and the other one inn Durham a few weeks back. 

These are great little birds, they are about as small as a goldcrest with olive green backs, distinctive bright yellow rumps and dark green heads, that are clearly marked with a yellowish cap stripe and a brighter yellow supercilia.

Pallas’s warblers can best be distinguished from the similar looking cousins the yellow-browed warbler (P. inornatus) by the stripe on their cap and their bright yellow rump.

Having got our fill of this smart little bird we moved on before starting our survey and stopped off at Sherwood Forest hoping for lesser-spotted woodpecker. We had a good search and spoke to some other around the area but failed to connect with any. 

Tawny Owl: Although we didn't see any any LSW's we did find the roosting tawny owl. Possibly the most photographed tawny owl in the UK right now with almost every other post on twitter showing the same sleeping owl.

A top morning with some great company and don't worry Gary mate, we'll nag the LSW soon enough. 
 

27/02/2023 Redcar, Cleavland

King Eider: Busy working this way again and I finally took what little time I had to go see the 2nd winter kingy that's taken up residence with a small flock of common eider off Zealand Slipway.

Took me a little while to pinpoint the bird as it bobbed up and down on the large waves, but once you see it it stand out like a sore thumb with its place hard, dark back and bright orange knob at the base of the bill. 

22/02/2023 County Durham

Hawfinch: Back again and another pre-work trip to the North East hoping to improve on my photos of the hawfinch I saw up here a few weeks back and to try my luck with the Pallas's warbler, second time lucky!

My first stop was for the Pallas's leaf warbler which was still present along the hawthorn hedge east of Willington sewage works. Then for the hawfinch at Bishop Middleham that was showing particularly well this morning. 

Let me start with the hawfinch first, my second visit to Bishop Middleham and the row of hornbeams off Fortmarts Lane. 

The bird was present as soon as I arrived, but this time there was now crowed of birders, no large group of camo-clad toggers and no sound of camera shutters firing. 

The bird remained high in the hornbeam feeding on the seeds before descending to the lower branches and the reach of my lens!

The lack of onlookers and crowds possibly encouraged the bird lower and to give much better views than I had the other week I when I saw it.

My net stop was to Newfeild and to the Pallas's leaf warbler which was still present along the hawthorn hedge east of Willington sewage works. Similar to the hawfinch this bird as also been present for several weeks.

Pallas's Leaf Warbler: I dipped the bird whenI came over a few week ago, so to nail it down and even have it calling was great.