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Thursday 3 January 2019

Albrighton, Shropshire, UK.

Walking Harry and later catching up with another old friend.

I took Harry out for another walk around the lanes near the village and on the way round I saw Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Goldcrest (Reyezuelo Sencillo / Regulus regulus), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis), Herring Gull (Gaviota Argéntea Europea / Larus argentatus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Rook (Graja /  Corvus frugilegus), 2x Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaria), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius) as well as a couple of Grey Squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) and out on one of the winter cereal fields 3x European Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus).
On my way back to Martins I called in at a house where I thought a friend I used to do some birding with lived and I was pleased to find he did but was out doing some hands on conservation work down at Donnington pool the local nature reserve.
I dropped Harry off and then had a walk down to the Pool where I soon found Paul and spent a while dragging him away from his work catching up. 

Tuesday 1 January 2019

Seven Springs, Cannock Chase, Staffordshire, UK.

A walk on the Chase with Julia, Jayne, Martin and of course Harry.

We left the car park and before we had gone far I met two birders on their way back to the car park so I stopped and had a chat and found out where the Great Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Norteño / Lanius excubitor) had been seen. Whilst chatting the one guy said you don't remember me do you and after a few seconds the penny dropped and I recognised him as Garry Palmer a birder I had not seen for probably 15 years or more. We continued to chat but after a while I pushed on and caught up with the others just befoore the spot for the Shrike. The others carried on whilst I looked for the bird and after a while picked it up on the top of a spike of Silver Birch which had be left after the woodland had been cleared. I met up with the others and we made our way back towards the car where we had a nice picknic. 
Other species I saw whilst walking included Lesser Redpoll (Pardillo Sizerín / Carduelis flammea), Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrellii), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) and Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos).
as we drove back to Albrighton I added Herring (Gaviota Argéntea Europea / Larus argentatus) and Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus).

Monday 31 December 2018

Belvide Res, Staffordshire, UK.

A few hours birding with John in the Midlands.

I said bye to Sharon and John and I headed for Belvide Res to try and see the winter plumage Red-necked Grebe (Somormujo Cuellirrojo / Podiceps grisegena). 
Red-necked Grebe (Somormujo Cuellirrojo / Podiceps grisegena).
We arrived and went through the wood to the first hide and soon found Canada (Barnacla Canadiense /Branta canadensis) and Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser), Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor), Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Goldeneye (Porrón Osculado /Bucephala clangula) and Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus).
We could not see the main target from the hide so we walked to the corner of the Dam where it had been seen most of the time but we did not see it there so we scanned around with Johns scope and eventually I picked it up against the far reed bed so we went back to the hide and had views from there before carrying on around the shore to the next two hides.  
Getting better views of the Red-necked Grebe as well as Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera),
Eurasian Wigeon (Sibón Europeo / Anas penelope), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Herring Gull (Gaviota Argéntea Europea / Larus argentatus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos).
From the second hide at the feeders we had good views of Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Marsh (Carbonero Palustre / Parus palustris), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater) and Blue Tits (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis), Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Pheasant (Faisán Vulgar / Phaisanus colchicus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes) and Tree Sparrows (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus).
On the walk back we added Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) and Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula). 
We returned to the first hide and scanned the reeds and open water again adding Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and back at the car park just as we were leaving the site we had 3 Bullfinches (Camachuelo Común / Pyrrhula pyrrhula).
John then dropped me back in to Albrighton after a brilliant few days birding.

Happy New Year.


Sunday 30 December 2018

The Broads, Norfolk.

A second days birding with Sharon and John and a visit to see some more Friends.

Waxwing (Ampelis Europeo / Bombycilla garrulus).
After a very good nights sleep and an even better breakfast at the The Waverley Hotel, out in the street whilst I was waiting for Shron and John I started the day list off with Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrellii), Herring (Gaviota Argéntea Europea / Larus argentatus) and Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris) and Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia).
Once we were all down we headed back towards Norwich and down to Buckenham Marshes, on the way we saw Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus).
Waxwing (Ampelis Europeo / Bombycilla garrulus).
We parked at the Buckenham railway station and cross the track and walked out on to the flood plain of the River Yare, on the track we saw the first of many Pheasants (Faisán Vulgar / Phaisanus colchicus) and Collared Doves (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and on both sides of the track on the banks of the ditches there were big numbers of quite tame Eurasian Wigeon (Sibón Europeo / Anas penelope) and several more distant Canada Geese (Barnacla Canadiense /Branta canadensis). Further across the field there were good numbers of Jackdaws and a scattering of Rooks (Graja /  Corvus frugilegus) and below the trees where the Rooks were there was a very smart Chinesse Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis) feeding and on the opposite side of the track more Water Deer and a single Muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi).
As we reached the river Sharon call John and myself back as she had got a Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus) up in a distant tree and as we watched this we had a very pale Ruff (Combatiente / Philomachus pugnax) in amongst loads of Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus).
As we walked along the sea wall we had a calling Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), john and Sharon dropped down on to the lower track where the saw the Cetti's and up on the top I picked up a small group of probable feral Barnical Geese (Barnacla Cariblanca / Branta leucopsis), several Pink-footed Geese (Ánsar Piquicorto / Anser brachyrhynchus), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca). 
Waxwing (Ampelis Europeo / Bombycilla garrulus).
Further along the bank we had a female Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus), a couple more Ruff and a female Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).
The news came in whilst we were out on the Marsh of 5 Waxwings (Ampelis Europeo / Bombycilla garrulus) in Long Stratton about 20 miles away, so we walked back towards the car adding Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and Egyptian Geese (Ganso del Nilo / Alopochen aegyptiaca).
Once we were back at the car we set the phone to get us to the police station in Long Stratton and made our way there seeing a Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius).
Judy, Pam, Mike, John and Sharon, John had wandered off to the right.
A soon as we were on site we could see a couple of the Waxwings over the road looking at the Rowan tree on the edge of the police station but they were wary due to the long lens none birder Photographers who were stood just a few meter from the tree, far too close. The Waxwings did make a couple of trips to the tree but did not settle as soon as the shutters were rattling and flashes going of they were off so we we decided to go and have a coffee and then head off to West Somerton to see some friends. Before we left we found the first House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) of the weekend and the first Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis) of the day.
We arrived at Rivers End and went straight into Judy and Mikes place for lunch where we met up with Pam and John how had come over as well. After a very hearty soup, cake and a beer we all went out for a walk along the River Thurne passing Martham Broad and on to some further marshes where we watched an area for Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus). 
The sun dropping below the sky line.
On the way out I saw Bearded Tit (Reedling) (Bigotudo / Panurus biarmicus), Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus), Goldeneye (Porrón Osculado /Bucephala clangula), Greylag Geese, Egyptian Geese, Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor), good numbers of Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) which were coming into roost, at least 3 Cetti's Warblers, Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and just on dusk we heard several Common Cranes calling from behind some trees but we did not see any of them but we were treated to a nice sun set.
We returned to Judy and Mikes where we had a cuppa before starting the long drive back to John and Sharon's. We were hoping to eat at a place where John and Sharon had stopped before but it was shut so we ended up in a famous Chicken outlet which was my first and last experience of this fast food. The end of the second brilliant days birding, thanks again Sharon and John.