Danbury Common and Hanningfield Reservoir

Paid a visit to my dad in Danbury Had a little walk around Danbury Common felt again very springlike with a big number of Chiff-chaffs calling all over the common had a search for reptile but sadly no luck but the highlight was a lovely pair of male Brambling singing in the trees which was an surprising bonus. Also around of note were a big number of Jays, GS Woodpeckers drumming and a skylark calling over the farmers field at the back of my dads house.

In the afternoon had a sucessful walk around Hanningfield Reservoir which is a nice little reserve run by the Essex Wildlifetrust plenty out on the water with a surprising good number of Goldeneye for march with a maximum count of 12 also around were Chiffchaffs in full flow in the woods along with a odd blackcap with Canada and Egyptian Goose feeding on the field and out on the Reservoir were Wigeon, Mallards, Tufted Ducks Oystercatcher, Sheldduck and Lagwing.

Tyttenhanger area

Had a lovely walk around Tyttenhanger Pits this morning felt really felt like spring who with less sun than the last few days with the first chiff-chaffs singing and all the tits chatting away to each other and the robins and Dunnock trying to attractive mates it feels like winter is long gone.

Around the pits of note were Redshanks, Oystercatcher, Teal , Shoveler Lapwing, Pied wagtail , Bullfinch and a flyover Sparrowhark but sadly no Wheater seem to keep missing local ones.

Had a brief check of Colony Broad  Lakes to see if the Great Crested Grebes were breeding this year a good result with the female on nest briefly showing her eggs though the bins least 6 see how many hatch.

Day at the Lodge

Superb day at the Lodge spend alot of it with the stunning redpolls by the hide with good numbers of both Lesser and Mealy Redpolls with alot on the feeders and drinking regulary.

Mealy Redpoll in Branch

Lesser Redpoll by the water

Lesser Redpoll by the water

Mealy Redpoll by the water

Speedy Stoat

While watching the Redpolls on the feeder had a visits from the local stoat which seems to run around very fast and dart in and out of the grass and hedge around the hide.

Brambling in the hedge

Also by the feeders has a flyby Sparrowhawk paid a flying visit and just failing to grab lunch though amazing to watch them hunt as they seem to turn in midair and also had a brief visit from a female Bramling which is nice to see.



The Pair of tawny owl which had been reported earlier in the week were showing well by the hide in the big pine tree.

Owl Dozing

Also around of note around were Buzzard calling Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Green & GS Woodpeceker around the woodland area and Plenty of the usually finches though less greenfinch than normal

After the denist

Had a denist appointment first thing this morning so decided to spend a couple of hours at the Watercress LNR plentry around with a Charming GS Woodpecker drumming a nice sound of spring.

GS Woodpecker drumming away

On there mere was a lovely pair of Gadwell along with the usually Coot, Moorhen and Mallard along with a fly over Shoverler.

Gadwall on the mere

In the trees were most about of siskins i seen at the site least 20 maybe more with 1 Lesser Redpoll feeding with the flock. Also around on site was a stunning little Goldcrest next to the Mere and 2 Songthrushes, 2 Rose-ringed Parakeets

Morning walk

Mistle thrush up in tree

Had a lovely walk in cloudy sometimes wet weather with my local RSPB Group at Cassiobury Park. Even with the rain lots around with 32 spiecies seen and some in very good number with a good numbers of Nutchatches and Green Woodpeckers calling and GS Woodpeckers druming. Other highlights included Treepcreeper, Sparrowhawk, Rose-ringed Parakeets, Teal and the double pairing of the Song and Mistle Thrush

Birding in bucks

As i had seen that in Hillesden there had been showing last few weekend a Great Grey Shrike decieded to make a day off it and visit it and a few other birding sites. First off all visited Hillesden which was a lovely countryside location at first no sign of the wanderer but plenty of other farmland birds around with a beautiful Yellowhammer and Green Woodpeckers making there lovely sounds and hidding in the field were some Song Thrushes with Buzzard  and Red Kites calling from overhead when suddenly by a big oak tree caught sight of a grey bird before it flow off but lucky for me it was just hiding in the next hedge where i can confirm it as the Great Grey Shrike before flying off into the next tree before losing sight off it despite hunting around to see if i could see it again but lovely to see the charming bird.

Then headed off to Calvert NR where quite a lot around with Green and GS Woodpecker around and Buzzard and Red Kite overhead calling and a raven in with the crows and with my first butterflies of the year with Brimstone , Peacock and Comma on around with a pair of Comma mating as as the sun was out and making the day feel more like spring.

My last stop was the new reserve at Gallows Bridge Farm which was my first visit a nice little reseve with flooded grassland good habbit for the wildlife here i saw Curlews, Mallard, Teal, Pied Wagtails and big flocks of Starlings,  Golden Plover and Woodpigeons with over 500 of the pigeons flying over.

Cassiobury Park

As it was a lovely sunny spring day and had a hospital appointment in watford decided to spent a couple of hours in Cassiobury Park this afternoon. Hightlight was a single Mealy redpoll strangly with a flock of blue and great tits then while trying to relocation him a very active goldcrest was flying around in the same tree for quite a while and nearby quite a few singing wrens.

Overhead in the park was 2 Mistle Thrushes and a few Green woodpeckers in the wooded section saw a GS Woodpecker and a wonderful Treepcreeper