Migrants and Tree Sparrows

On sunday had a nice walk around Hatfield Aerodrome first stop was the mound sadly no sign of any Wheatears but a few Linnets and Skylarks were singing and with the frost of the night before felt more like early march. Once the sun came out the birds were singing with a few Willow Warblers, Blackcaps and Chiff-Chaffs in song and Meadow Pipits seemed to be passing through in decent numbers. Headed to the back of the wood where I had a few Buzzard soaring a nice Stock Dove flew through and heard a Grasshopper Warbler reeling but for the life of me could't pin the bird down.

Skylark in the frosty field

Stock Dove in flight

Walked round back to the mound where I saw a few Reed Bunting and a Tree Pipit was heard and had a nice few of a flock of Goldfinch feeding on the thistles.

Feeding Goldfinch

Then headed to Tyttenhanger Gravel Pits sadly the main pits were really flooded so no waders has I did't have time to walk around the fishing lake but had a single Sand Martin over the pits and a Little Owl by Willow Farm. The second Tree Sparrow area seem to have more birds and nests this year only saw a pair last year this year at least 6 birds and a minimum of 2 nests where I saw some mating and bird collecting nesting material.

Watching Tree Sparrow

Tree Sparrows mating

Collecting material for the nest

Tree Sparrow in the nest

Owls and more at Heartwood

This winter the short-eared owls have been performing very well with up four since in the middle of the winter which makes up for last winter when there were only seen just as it got dark. Lucky this year there were showing very well at times showing around lunchtimes as per usual there seem to show best for me around march when they get ready to fly back north.

Short-eared Owl on the post

Hunting Owl

Also around plenty of bird of prey with the kestrels have showing well at times as well as Red Kite, Buzzard, Pegerine and Hen Harrier all seen at times during the winter (though not all my me)

Male Kestrel Posing on the post

Other birds of note were pair of stonechats which ranged around the site, flocks of finches and buntings with Linnet, Goldfinch, Corn and Reed bunting all seen regularly

Female stonechat

Corn Buntings before bed

Also at heartwood we get a few nice sunsets

Sunsetting

Trees at dusk

Early spring day on the south coast

On sunday decided to head for the south coast hoping for a few migrants and an excuse to visit one of my favorite sites down this way, Keyhaven Marshes. Despite the early start and getting for around 7 seemed I missed a Hoopoe by minutes but plenty of Meadow Pipits and Linnets around in the scrub with few Chiff-Chaffs and Cettis Warbler in full song.

Linnet in the gorse

Out on the pools there were still a few winter ducks around a handful of Wigeon and bigger numbers of Teal, Pochard and Shoveler. Waders were in bigger number with Oystercatchers, Curlews and Redshanks but the star wader was the Black-tailed Godwits looking superb in the summer plumage even found a ringed one which I pusume is from iceland and a few Little egret were around as well.

Black Tailed Godwit

Oystercatcher in flight

Little egret in flight

Then walked along the Seawall which was quite productive with a fine Long-tailed duck out on the sea with 3 Red-breasted Mergansers around and bonus of a Dartford Warbler which suddenly appeared in the gorse

Feeding Dartford Warbler

Walked back along the highway where a Beared Tit and Sedge Warbler where heard and a Kestrel was seen hunting while out on the field around the back some of the waders had moved around with big numbers of Curlews and Oystercatchers feeding out on the field.

After doing the lope walked along Pennington Marsh for a bit till i came to a nice pair of Spoonbill and Spotted Redshank feeding so spent quite a bit of time watching them feeding out on the marshes.

Feeding Young Spoonbill

Feeding Spotted Redshank

After a lunchstop at a new forest Raptor watchpoint where a bit of luck meant had a nice view of a Goshawk flying over my car as I was leaving stopped off at Thursley Common. Had a nice walk around the heath where I was amazed by the number of Stonechats seemed to be calling from most bushes. In between found a few Woodlarks which where harder to pin down and a fresh Wheatear in the Gorse before the rain started.

Woodlark

Wheatear

Firecrest and more in the wood

With early spring the woodlands are a good place to catch with the birds back into breeding espically with the calls of the woodpeckers and Nuthatches one of my favourite places locally is Sherrkspark Wood which this year has held a few Firecrests and with with a lot of effort managed to see and hear a Lesser-spotted Woodpecker which sadly are quite rare now.

Singing Firecrest

Two together just...

Distance view of Lesser-spotted Woodpecker

Early morning is the best time to visit a wood like this as you get to hear some more birds calling with lots of Nuthatches and Thrushes Species in full song especially noteworthy are the sound of the Song thrush and Woodpeckers calling a great reward for getting up early.

Trees in the wood

One of many nuthatches 

Great Spotted Woodpecker