Christmas in the lakes

Had a few days in the Lake District near Ambleside for christmas with my family even though some days it sadly just rained got out to visit How Tarn and had a lovely walk round the tarn with the water very reflective and giving some nice view and a added bonues of 2 Pairs of Goosanders and a Goldeneye on the water.

Reflections in How Tarn

Reflections in How Tarn

Reflections in How Tarn under the mountains

On Boxing day had a lovely walk around Derwent Water around Ashness bridge giving some views of the water though still quite damp after raining most of christmas day.

Ashness bridge

Looking back to Derwent Water

River flowing down

Then had a final walk at Bleu Tarn even though overcast the colours of the land made up for it with lovely oranges and brown a nice end to a good break away.

Overview of Bleu Tarn

Colours around the edge of of Bleu Tarn

Shoreline of of Bleu Tarn

Wishing all my readers a Happy New Year

Stocker's lake

Had a visit to Stocker's lake with my Local RSPB group on a very chilly morning first sighting were Wigeon and Pochard on the first lake before one of our members though he saw a Hawfinch but sadly it was only a brief view so could't be confirmed then round the corner had view of Song  and Mistle thrushes  and blackbirds feeding in the trees and on the bushes.

Then we got round to the main lake where there was up to 6 Goldeneye feeding and 1 male Red-Crested Pochard and some of our group saw a female Smew. Also around the water were Canada Geese, Gadwall, Mallard Lapwing, Common, Black-headed Gull and 1 Lesser-backed Gull.

Then we had good search in the Woodland section and after seeing a flock of finches we relocationed them and found a nice flock of at leat 30 Siskins. Also around in the woodland section was a Treecreeper and a lovely Goldcrest.

Around the reservoirs

After a early morning session at the doctors headed to Tring Reservors started the walk from Startop's End Reservoir where there were plenty of Tufted Ducks and Pochard with a scattering of Mallards and Wigeon walking around the edge came to where the river met the reservoir and had a nice of a Goldcrest my first for this winter along with a flock of feeding Song thrushes. Then walked looking across to Tringsford Reservor where there was a small flock of Pied Wagtail and 1 Grey Wagtail.

Then walking around the Marsworth section had a lovely view of a Kingfisher perched on the reed before flying off. Then around the edge back to the top of Startop's End Reservoir where there was a flock of around 6 Meadow Pipits feeding. Then at the top had some view of the 1st Year Snow Bunting which had vanished at the time of my arrival but was happt feeding very close to the walkway and some 20 yards into Hertfordshire before happily slowing feeding along the shore towards the county boundary.

Snow Bunting

Having a little clean

Morning out

Had a morning out with my local RSPB group at Tyttenhanger gravel pits very windy and a lack of wader but still a few ducks on the  main Pis with hundreds of Coots along with Mallards, 1 Lone Grey Heron , GC Grebe BH Gulls, quite a few Lesser- Blacked Gulls and a Common Gull my first of the Winter.

Around the edges had good view of Green Woodpecker and 1 Flyover Great Spotted Woodpecker and around the hedge near the farm around 8 Yellowhammers showing very well along with House Sparrow and Gold Finches before a hunting Kestrel drove them back into the Hedge before we finished the walk with a flock of about 50 Fieldfares overhead.

Great day out with the owls

Had a good day at one my local sensitive sites which has had up to four Short-eared though friday evening drew a blank had really good encounters on saturday evening with one flying over my head to start off magically then some beatiful view of them hunting over the fields even seeing catching a vole. Also around were a flock of Bullfinches at least 8 and everywhere Fieldfares and Starling and the end of the day see the crows heading to roost in the nearby woods.

At the end of the day had a beautiful set with the sky shimming red before the moon came out with a mystical glow i suspect due to the luna eclipse of the night before.

Red covering the sky

Red sunset

Out and about

After a forced stayin due to an injury manged to get out so headed to Wilstone Reservoir still at very lovel levels seems to have hardly rained around here but lot of the winter ducks now in with good numbers of Pochard, Mallard and Tufted duck with 1 pair of Red-crested Pochard in with them. Then walked around to there hide where in the woods lot of Fieldfare and a few Redwings, then at the hide saw 4 Bewick Swans showing well nice to see this uncommon herts visitor. Also out from here were Lapwing, Black-headed  and Herring gull and 1 Little Egret.

Around the other side of the reservoir was a big flock of Linnet at least 200 strong and in the fist field a big flock of Greylag Geese before further round a solo Brent Goose on its own.