WkWT Brandon Marsh :: 31 December 2018

Last day of the year and Charlotte suggested we go out again for a spot of birding, and some fresh air. There were reports of the caspian gull again at Brandon Marsh, plus a common scoter yesterday, so we decided to go there for lunch and then a quick circuit.

As we approached the Wright Hide we saw a small flock in the tops of the alder trees; a mix of siskin and lesser redpoll (#151). They soon moved off and back towards the Visitor Centre. We then dropped into the hide and after a brief scan found the caspian gull (#152). There were fewer greylag geese on the water today but a few more black-headed gulls. Not much else out there that was different.

I couldn't make out the caspian gull from the East Marsh Hide but did get a brief view of a water rail as it crossed the narrow channel to the left of the hide.

Back at the Visitors Centre we watched great spotted woodpecker, nuthatch and an array of tits feed from the various stations. We were also treated with a jay passing through.

Sightings today (38) were: black-headed gull, blue tit, canada goose, carrion crow, caspian gull, chaffinch, common gull, coot, cormorant, dunnock, gadwall, great black-backed gull, great spotted woodpecker, great tit, grey heron, greylag goose, herring gull, jay, lapwing, lesser black-backed gull, lesser redpoll, magpie, mallard, moorhen, mute swan, nuthatch, pied wagtail, reed bunting, robin, shoveler, siskin, teal, tufted duck, water rail, wigeon, willow tit, woodpigeon and wren.

WkWT Brandon Marsh :: 29 December 2018

Needing one more species to progress to 150 on my year list, I read with interest that a drake smew had been spotted at WkWT Brandon Marsh yesterday. It was reported to have still been present at dusk and so I left home to arrive at first light.

When I got to Swallow Pool there were a couple of people already running circuits but there was no sign of the smew - another curse for Saturday morning birding. The bird wasn't located all morning and appears to have moved under cover of darkness. While running my own circuits I did manage to find centi's warbler (#150) and so not all lost, although I could find any redpoll either; I did disturb a small flock of likely candidates but they flew off against the grey sky and I didn't manage any ID.

I spent the rest of my time in the East Marsh Hide but didn't see anything of consequence and the bittern didn't show, despite recent performances for massed crowds.

Sightings (33) were: black-headed gull, blackbird, blue tit, canada goose, carrion crow, cetti's warbler, chaffinch, coal tit, common gull, coot, cormorant, dunnock, great black-backed gull, great tit, grey heron, greylag goose, lapwing, magpie, mallard, moorhen, mute swan, reed bunting, robin, shelduck, shoveler, starling, teal, tufted duck, whooper swan, wigeon, willow tit, woodpigeon and wren.

Pitsford Water :: 28 December 2018

It has been about six weeks since I last got out and so I thought I'd try for a couple of year ticks. There had been some sightings at Pitsford Water and so I thought I'd head there. Charlotte decided to tag along for the fresh air (and the offer of lunch).

We stopped in Brixworth at The Coach & Horses for lunch - the BLT baguette came with so many chips and salad that Charlotte didn't manage to finish it all.

Back at the reservoir we put on our walking boot and both commented on how cold it was, despite the 9°C outside temperature displayed on the car. The lapwings were spooked by our passing and a small flock of about 40 rose and flew out across the water. Some goldeneye joined the wigeon and teal out on the water. Not far on, we came across the group of 11 whooper swans; two juveniles. As we reached the feeders at the end of the gated road we found numbers of chattering tree sparrows. They were joined by reed bunting, blue/great/coal tits and a couple of blackbirds. On the fringe of the reeds was a single female stonechat.

When we got to the Bird Club Hide we scanned to see what lay amongst the numbers of ducks and wildfowl on the water. Amongst the teal, wigeon and pochard was a female scaup (#149). Behind this we picked out 5 drake red crested pochard, plus four females - there may have been more. We also saw just the single great white egret.

Heading round to the Scaldwell Hide we picked out a pair of goldcrest, followed by a pair of treecreepers. At the hide we didn't spot anything new, other than a distant large gull which we couldn't be sure of the ID with just bins.

To finish, we walked both sides of the causeway, spooking the lapwing again but this time considerably more than 100 of them.

Just one more this year and I'll be happy.

Sightings (35) included: black-headed gull, blackbird, blue tit, canada goose, carrion crow, coal tit, common gull, coot, cormorant, fieldfare, gadwall, goldcrest, goldeneye, great crested grebe, great tit, great white egret, lapwing, magpie, mallard, moorhen, mute swan, red-crested pochard, reed bunting, rook, scaup, shoveler, stonechat, teal, tree sparrow, treecreeper, tufted duck, whooper swan, wigeon, woodpigeon and wren.