Cassiobury Park and Whippendell Woods

Last week had a nice walk round Cassiobury Park with my local RSPB group but before the start decided to walk around Whippendell Woods has a few sighting of a Hawfinch had been reported earlier in the week no joy but got best sighting of Great spotted Woodpecker and many singing Wrens and some reasonable images of the woods at dawn

The main walk in the woods started with a flyby jay before in the woods we had lots of Nuthatches calling and good number of Treecreeper feeding around and both species were seen collecting nesting material also around at the start where Goldcrest and a good number of Stock doves high up in the trees and Woodpeckers calling but not been seen along with a lone singing Blackcap

Further around we had to change the route due to the flooding of the path but we gained views of Redwing and Song Thrush before at the canal section we got Buzzard over the woods and a few waterbirds before a Grey Wagtail popped up giving some good views before along the stream heading back in the spring blossom we finished up with a feeding Male Bullfinch and Chiff-Chaff.

Whippendell Woods at dawn

Feeding Nuthatches

One of many Wrens

Mallard in the spring sunshine

Kingfisher Porn

Locally we had a kingfisher throughout winter though not posted much about this beauty recently but nice to know that she has paired up and hopefully ready to breed any time soon. A selection of my favourite images of this stunning bird below.

Female Kingfisher fishing

Waiting from the catkins

Bluetail

With the forecast reasonable for saturday spent at pleasent morning down at marshside on the gloucester border spent watching the Red-flanked Bluetail which has been wintering a beautiful bird but a very speedy bird also great to see closeup in the beautiful settings of the cotwolds. It felt springlike as above were raverns performing and buzzards overhead and a added bonus of a pair of stonechats along the farm road.

Red-flanked Bluetail

Showing why its called a Bluetail

Buzzard which was hunting overhead

Winter walk at Therfield Heath

Last sunday led a RSPB walk up at Therfield Heath a very enjoyable day started well with Siskins and a Linnet in with the finch flock feeding around the bushes by the car park. Then walking up to the Icknield Way we had great views of Skylarks singing all around us and a good views of a kestrel hunting overhead. Near the top of the heath we had distance views of a Buzzard and a kestrel showed well on the wires.

Walking down the Icknield Way we had nice views of a few Browns Hares and a few of us had a Flyby Sparrowhawk where we saw Red-legged Partridge and Grey Partridge feeding around the field edges before stopping at the field near greys Farm where we came across a group of over 300 Golden Plovers then we headed back where we had a super view of a Green Woopecker feeding a good morning walk.

The many Golden Plovers

Feeding Greenwoodpecker

Suffolk and Welney

At the start of the month had a nice day out first to suffolk first stop was to Christchurch Park in Ipswich where a Goosander and had been showing well recently but on this morning it decided to just sleep on the bank!!! but had a lovely walk around the park with a great view of a Tawny Owl sleeping in the tree and a few Manadrins out on the lake and a few Jays and Green Woodpeckers calling along with Finch and Tit Flocks in the trees.

Sleeping Owl

Feeding Blue Tit

Resting Goosander

Next stop was to Languard point where Snow Bunting had been for the last week but no sight but was happy to find a few Mediterranean Gulls out on the water which was a nice bonus as I did't see any last year.

Flyby Mediterranean Gull

Then headed to Welney for the Swan feed which I always enjoy with the Whooper Swans coming in for the food that help them get through winter with lots of waterfowl closeup with hundreds of Pochards looking great in the afternoon sunshine and a few flocks of Whooper Swans coming in along with Wigeon and other Waterfowl flying in for the free dinner a superb winter spectacular with the sounds of the birds coming in can not be missed. Walking back was lucky enough to see a lovely Barn Owl fly across the reeds in the evening a great end to a wonderful day out.

Whooper Swans coming in

The Mass of Waterfowl

Male Pochard

Wigeon Flying in

Showing the water depth, this is usually by the footpath

Chiff-chaffs at Stockers

Last week at stockers finally managed to connect with 3 of the wintering Chiff-chaffs along the River Colne by the metal bridge with a yellow coloured bird showing features that look to me like the birds we get during the spring and summer which shows how tough this birds can be and a more darker looking bird which was showing features of the more Siberian style bird. Also around on site of note were Red-crested Pochards, Goldeneye, Treecreepers and a Goldcrest both in with the tit and finch flock around the wet woodland area.

Collybita form of Chiff-chaff

Possible form of Siberian Chiffchaff 

Male Red-crested Pochard

Chaffinch singing for a mate