Old Manor Quarry

A dry but windy day at Manor Farm was had last saturday with the local RSPB group a nice walk around with a few warblers singing around the paths with Chiff-chaff, Blackcaps and especially Whitethroats around the paths edge. Then walked across the meadow fields were there a big Rookery and big groups of Crows and Jackdaws as well.

We go to the first scrape where there were a Common Sandpiper, a pair of Little Ringed Plover at least 1 Ringed Plover and a Pair of Common Terns doing a bit of courtship with some offering been done. On the second scrape a nice pair of Redshanks were showing with the differences between male and female colours quite obvious. Also on the waters still quite a few Tufted Ducks, Gadwalls and Mallards along with the Canada Geese pairing up.

Then walked back along the river where we heard more Common Terns and a flyby Kingfisher before ending the walk with a nice Grey Wagtail feeding by the Viaduct.

Plains of spain

Had a day around the plains of Spain. First stop was at dawn to see an Eagle Owls before then went to roost with a total of 5 Owls seen as there went to roost in a old farm building.

On the plains itself had good views of Pin-Tailed and Black-bellied Sandgrouse along with one quick view of a female Little Bustard in flight

Pin-tailed Sandgrouse in flight

Male Pin-tailed Sandgrouse

Group of Pin-tailed Sandgrouse

Group of Black-bellied Sandgrouse, only really seen in flight

Saw 5 species of Lark but got Photos of Calandra and Crested Lark

Singing Calandra Lark

Crested Lark

Lots of other birds were out on the plain a few of my favorites below

Hoopoe in the first of the light

Singing Spectacled Warbler

Sardinian Warbler

Black-eared Wheatear

Black Wheatear

Family of Little Owls

Black Kite

Waders in north east spain

In march had a few days in Spain mainly bird watching a few highlights of the waders mainly from Delta del Llobregat and Aiguamolls de l'Empordà.

Below a few of my favorite birds from Aiguamolls de l'Empordà

Spotted Crake at Aiguamolls de l'Empordà one of a least two birds

Black-winged Stilts at Aiguamolls de l'Empordà

Yellow Wagtail Iberian form at Aiguamolls de l'Empordà

White Stork at Aiguamolls de l'Empordà

Below a few of my favorite birds from Delta del Llobregat 

Purple Swamphen in flight

Pair of Audouin's Gulls

Common Waxbill (not a native but a looker)

Greater Flamingo flock 19 in total

Cormorant close up 

Blows down

A nice early morning walk with the RSPB on Sunday at Blows down we first walked by the paddocks with lots of singing birds in the spring blossom and lots of Blackbirds in the paddocks. Alongside the paddock had good views of a singing Blackcap and a Song Thrush. Then walked along the bottom where we had a view of a Female Wheatear feeding in the grass and a few singing Blackcaps and Chiff-chaffs and 2 Linnets seen feeding in the field grass.

We then walked up the hills were quite a few Skylarks were in song and a few Meadow Pipits were flying over. Walking up to the chalk pits with a good view of Dunstable and Warblers in full song with a Willow Warbler been heard in the distance.

After a friendly account with a few of the local cows we walked to the golf course and back were we saw a few Yellowhammers and a few Butterflies out on the wing.

We then headed back across the hills where a group of Buzzards were soaring in the thermals when a Ring Ouzel flew across the path and landed in a nearby tree allowing everyone to get a good view of this migrant before we ended the walk with a nice view of a singing Meadow Pipit

Early spring around Stockers Lake

Had a nice walk around stockers lake  which started well with a brief peregrine along the River Colne and walking to the causeway plenty of Wrens, Chiif-chaffs and Blackcaps singing.

Early morning spring blossom

Singing Blackcap

Singing Wren

Then from the causeway lot of activity with lot of singing birds with Grey herons and Little Egrets passing by overhead and a brief view of the pair of Oystercatchers and the Cetti's warbler was singing which I finally to see and quite a few Waterfowl still out on the water with Shovlers, Red-crested Pochard and displaying Grebes around .

Grey heron in flight

Little Egret in flight

Great crested grebe

and landing

Cetti's Warbler.

Then had a quick walk around Springwell lake where i head a Reed Warbler and 3 Goldeneye were still around before a walk on the farmland at West Hyde where I had a good but brief view of a Tree Pipit doing its display to end a good morning.

Goldeneye pair

Through the winter at the Watercress beds

Near my work the small but nice nature reserve of the watercress beds was quite produtive over the winter period with a healthy flock of Finches mainly Siskin which are heading north now but only had 1 Redpoll over the winter period this year.

Posing MaleSiskin

Redpoll in the alder

Also this year will the cutting of willow trees near our central pond the usually wintering water rail has been alot easily to see.

Feeding Waterail

As the winter turns to early spring the wrens start to get more vocally and I had a few sightings of the Little egret and a first for me with a pair of Grey Wagtails seen in the stream rather than just fly over.

Singing Wren

Grey wagtail along the stream

And finally one of the Stock Doves near the new feeder area where I had had 3 Sparrowhawks fly over in February calling.

Stock Dove in the grass