Category Archives: Uncategorized

Once again out at Old Moor looking for that elusive Jack Snipe but our first call was at Wombwell Ings next door to Old Moor and fresh in from Scandinavia were plenty of Redwing, Fieldfare and Blackbirds with the odd Mistle Thrush thrown in, supporting cast were Greenfinch and Goldfinch with Long Tailed, Blue and Great Tits along the hedgerows, Pied Wagtails and Red leggeed Partridge and Lapwings in the fields, Black-headed Gulls overhead.

After all that excitement we finally arrived at Old Moor at 9am okay 30mins early but the car park feeders held Greenfinch and Tree Sparrows so we watched those until the reserve opened up. When we were on the reserve we headed straight up to the Bittern hide, last reported place for Jack Snipe and Water Pipit, seeing Lesser Redpolls, and Kestrel by the wayside, we also had great views of a Kingfisher on one of the ponds.

After  about an hour in the hide the Jack Snipe once again beat me, we did see Whooper Swans (10) go thru and along with Redshank and Common Sandpiper we did have something to watch. On then to Reedbed hide in the vain hope of it having moved next door. Water Rail was seen but still no Jack Snipe or Water Pipit. We heard reports of a Red Kite flying thru so it was all out the hide for a moment to catch it making its way thru Old Moor.

After no success we decided on a toilet break and then down to Wath Ings hide for some waders. After the toilet we moved into the feeder hide next to the centre to see a Stoat take out a Rat and drag it in to one of the nearby bushes, with a Grey Wagtail looking on from the visitor centre roof.  At Wath Ings the Golden Plover flock was now a few hundred strong  and careful scoping thru the flock revealed a few Dunlin and Ringed Plovers amongst them, but we couldn’t keep away from the Jack Snipe and we were soon back at the Reedbed hide, after about a 30mins wait and of watching very little the Jack Snipe finally put in a 20 min appearance to the assembled group, another one for the Old Moor list now at 108

The Day List:-

Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Red-legged Partridge, Pheasant, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Red Kite, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Water Rail, Moorhen, Coot, Ringed Plover, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Dunlin, Jack Snipe, Common Sandpiper, Redshank, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Magpie, Jackdaw, Crow, Blue Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Starling, Blackbird, Feildfare, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Robin, Dunnock, Tree Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Lesser Redpoll, Bullfinch

Another visit out to Old Moor to try to see the reported Jack Snipe that had been seen over the last couple of week, I planted myself in the Bittern Hide the area which it had been seen over the last couple of days for an hour and a half, I saw Water Rail (a me first for Old Moor) , Coots, Little Grebes, Tufted Duck, Canada Geese, Lapwing, Crows. Cormorant, Mute Swans, Golden Plover, Starling, a covey of eight Grey Partridge (another me first for Old Moor List now standing at 107) but alas no Jack Snipe I moved on. Moving back to the ponds to see if I could find any Dragonflies, there was still plenty of Common Darters about but I didn’t catch sight of anything else. I moved to the Gannets cafe for dinner and over dinner I decided to go back home via a couple of sites in the HBW (The Patch) a place I hadn’t been for a while due mainly to the dog population on the local reservoirs and of course the disrespect for the bird life by the owners despite the number of signs outlining my dogs should be on leads etc etc. Anyway I arrived at Ingbirchworth Res. to find a dog not on a lead, point taken, nothing changed here then,  I looked over the birds anyway since I was here, there was plenty of Mallards, Black-headed Gulls with Lesser Black-backed Gulls (4), Common Gulls (6), lots of Canada Geese, Pink Footed Geese (2), a large flock of Chaffinch got my attention for about 20 minutes looking out for a Brambling wasn’t to be my day.

The sign outlining why dog owners should have dogs on leads and why people shouldn’t  go down to the water’s edge to throw stones, seems  plain enough to me…….so why do so many people ignore it ??????……is it because so many people can’t read or are we living in a very selfish society these days?????

One of the signs at Ingbirchworth Res

and of course a couple of views from Old Moor RSPB vast becoming my favourite place to be!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Old Moor RSPB

Old Moor RSPB

Old Moor seems to be the place for me to be this year and I found myself there again in glorious sunshine on Friday the 30th , might have been a bit too much sun today I believe it reached the 80° degree mark, for late September that’s something. I took along the Macro lens today in the vain hope of a few late Darters there was a load of Common Darters about one even graced the hat I was wearing. Along with the Common were a few Migrant Hawkers

Huddsbirder at Old Moor

The Birds around today from the hides we visited (Family, Wath Ings and Reedbed) were :-

Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Ringed Plover, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Dunlin, Greenshank, Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jackdaw, Crow, Starling, Blackbird, Robin, Tree Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, Greenfinch, Linnet

The number of Golden Plovers are building up on the Wath Ings site, these had a few waders with them Dunlin, Greenshank and Lapwing. The Ringed Plovers were seen from the Reedbed Hide a little party of six birds

Common Darter

One of these beauties showed up at Pugneys Country Park over the weekend of the 24th September and I was lucky enough to be having the Monday the 26th of work and for once the bird actually stayed. So it was I found myself down at Pugneys after the business I had to do looking at a Juv Pectoral Sandpiper to with in about 50 feet my closest encounter yet, but alas no scope but having said that you really didnt need it, but I did happen to have the Canon SX220 with me so I did manage some video. Full Video Link at You Tube Channel 

Once again we found ourselves heading to Norfolk for a weeks break along the North Coast, stopping again at the  Green Lawn House in Overstrand, Monday the 19th was our travelling day encountering a variety of bird species along the way highlights being Hobby and Common Buzzard. Our first port of call was Cley Spy for a new coat and then back to the coast for tea and cake at the Cley Nature Reserve ending up at Coastguards for a little bit of birding catching sight of a few Gannets and Sandwich Terns passing by with Meadow Pipits, Linnets, Curlews and Black tailed Godwits in the fields.

List for Today no particular order :- Woodpigeon, Hobby, Swallow, Rook, Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, Kestrel, Buzzard, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Curlew, Sandwich Tern, Gannet, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Shelduck, Teal, Linnet, Tawny Owl, Cormorant, Canada Goose, Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Sparrowhawk

Wednesday the 21st was birding day and we started at Titchwell RSPB reserve by the time we arrived the car park was already starting to get full, the weather was good but a little bit windy. We made our way onto the reserve hearing a Cettis Warbler near the centre. Down near the first hide and viewing from the footpath onto the reserve we picked out a few waders nearby, Ringed Plovers and Dunlins were numerous, but we picked out four Little Stints and three Curlew Sandpipers amongst them but they were not settling and were soon taking flight.

We located the new Parrinder Hide, you can’t miss it, and made our way towards it seeing Grey Heron, Little Egret, Redshank we also saw a Whinchat which someone kindly pointed out to us. Settling in to the new hide area and now out of the wind we picked up a few more birds Ruffs, Grey Plover, Pied Wagtails, Yellow Wagtails (2), a Sparrowhawk went thru, Teal, Mallard, Shovelers, Sand Martin, House martin, Swallows, Knot, Oystercatcher, Greenshank, Bar Tailed Godwit, Black Tailed Godwit so plenty to feast upon. We had dinner here before moving off down towards the sea but didn’t see much more down here but a few passing Gannets.

With Titchwell over we called in at Holkham on our way thru to the digs seeing a lot of Greylag Geese here but there were Pink Footed Geese in there as well. We had a walk onto the nearest hide not seeing much bird life but quiet a few Butterflies about in the late sunshine manly Red Admirals and  Commas.

List for Today [Titchwell]  no particular order:- Woodpigeon, Marsh Harrier, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Pied Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Meadow Pipit, Reed Bunting, Gannet, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Redshank, Greenshank, Bar Tailed Godwit, Black Tailed Godwit, Curlew, Avocet, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Cettis Warbler, Collard Dove, Sandwich Tern, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard, Teal, Shoveler, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Egyptian Goose, Shelduck, Little Grebe, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Knot, Ruff, Sand Martin, House Martin, Swallow, Whinchat, Common Darter, Migrant Hawker, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Large White

List For Today [Holkham] no particular order :- Goldcrest, Gadwall, Teal, Wigeon, Mallard, Shoveler, Woodpigeon, Robin, Greylag Goose, Pink Footed Goose, Buzzard, Little Grebe, Lapwing, Dunnock, Comma, Red Admiral, Common darter

Thursday the 22nd we had a day out on the Broads this one being Ranworth Broad mainly for the day out but birds were seen Peregrine, Marsh Harrier,Cettis Warbler and Kingfisher to name a few. Dragonflies especially Common Darter were evident along with a Southern Hawker.

List for Today :- Marsh Harrier, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, Common Tern, Black-headed Gull, Great Crested Grebe, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Greylag Goose, Cormorant, Cettis Warbler, Grey Heron, Kingfisher, Coot, Chaffinch, Mute Swan, Common Darter, Southern Hawker, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Large White

Our last day we stopped of at Cley Nature Reserve on the way back home for a couple of hours catching up with Spoonbill, Green Sandpiper and more Curlew Sandpipers

List for Today no particular order :- Black-headed Gull, Curlew Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Dunlin, Black Tailed Godwit, Ruff, Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Spoonbill, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Swallow, Linnet, Meadow Pipit, Lapwing, Teal, Wigeon, Mallard, Migrant Hawker, Common Darter

Full Norfolk List [In Order]                 More Photos at Flickr

Wildlife Centre Ranworth Broad

Boating on the Broads

Titchwells Parrinder Hide

Black Headed Gull

Another Batty week again at Old Moor RSPB on Tuesday the 6th, kick off was at 7:30pm, the rain had stopped but the winds were still blowing a gale I didn’t hold out much hope of seeing much tonight but a Noctule put in a brief appearance which I didn’t pick up on and a couple of Soprano Pipistrelle graced us with their presence, but these were found well out of the wind around the back of the Visitor Centre.

Friday the 9th again down at Thunderbridge Meadows in the vain hope of catching a couple of late Butterflies I arrived late morning and the temperature was around the 19° mark there was a stonking fresh Red Admiral about along with a few Speckled Woods and that was about it, birds included Buzzard, Nuthatch and Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Saturday the 10th turned out to be better weather wise it was a warm still night so with the experience we had gained from the Old Moor bat walks we decided on finding or own locally. Find we did brilliant night with fantastic views and numerous Noctule bats about with Soprano and Common  Pipistrelles too with Sopranos being the numerous a few Owls were out too with Little and Tawny Owls present

Speckled Wood

End of the week with a couple of hours to spare I thought I would venture out to a local Butterfly site in the vain hope of seeing something due to the poor week at work, cows are back in the field, I needed a cheer up.

There didn’t appear much at first but when you came across some sunny glades there was one or two butterflies about with the local Buzzards over head and the noisy Nuthatch calling from within the tress and not to be out done a Great Spotted Woodpecker joined in and then a Kingfisher on the stream made its presence known with the high-pitched call.

Back to the butterflies there were Speckled Woods, Comma, Green veined Whites and a Small Tortoiseshell today nothing unusual was seen I was hoping for maybe a Painted Lady to round the year off but no. I also visited  the local ponds finding a single Speckled Wood along with a Migrant Hawker a Green woodpecker “yaffling” and a few Swallows hawking the fields

Small Tortoiseshell

Comma

Bank Holiday Monday and after a long weekend it was time to play out our visit was again down to Old Moor RSPB in the vain hope of a few Hawkers.

The walk from the car park along the car park hedges produced a couple of Common Darter enjoying the limited sunshine as we made our move towards Warbler Way for the first part of the day. Large White and Common Blue Butterflies were soon evident as we strolled along the Trans Pennine Trial

Common Blue Butterfly

We soon encountered more Common Darters along with a couple of rather worn Meadow Brown Butterflies and some smart-looking Small Coppers with Common Blue Damselflies in and amongst.

The second part of the day we spent on the reserve seeing some bird life which started before the reception centre with someone don’t know how they did it but they did because they were well hidden in the nearby tree 2 Tawny Owls which became the centre of attention for a lot of people. On to the reserve and from the wader and family hides there was good numbers of Little Grebes and  Coots  along with lesser numbers of Gadwall, Mallard, Teal, Canada Geese, Cormorant, the Sand Martins were still very much evident near the man made banking and we saw a single Common Swift over the reserve. Waders in attendance were Common Sandpiper, Ruff, Lapwing, and Greenshank.

Greenshank

Sitting in hides wasn’t finding any Hawkers so we decided on coffee and then back to the pond dipping pools to see if we could find any hawkers, as we made our way back for coffee I encountered my first Emerald Damselfly for the year a beautiful Male. After coffee and cake it was on to the pond dipping pools and Common Darters were again soon encountered, but it wasn’t till we had nearly finished walking around the pools that my wife pointed out a larger Dragonfly, this turned out to be a Male Migrant Hawker, patrolling his territory and soon after this we picked out a Female Migrant Hawker in the reed bed egg laying, but she turned out to be a bit camera-shy hiding herself  behind the reed stems. Well we enjoyed one hawker for the day maybe  September will bring some more.

Common-Darter

The Day List :-

Emerald Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Small Copper, Meadow Brown, Large White, Gatekeeper, Common Darter, Migrant Hawker, Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Ruff, Lapwing, Cormorant, Woodpigeon, Stock Dove,m Magpie, Crow, Starling, Canada Goose, Mallard, Teal, Gadwall, Pied Wagtail, Goldfinch, Linnet, Bullfinch, Blue Tit, Chiffchaff, Black Headed Gull, Tufted Duck, Swift, Tawny Owl (2)

The forecast was good so I booked the Wednesday of work (17th) and made my way up to a couple of recently found Butterfly sites Warton Crag and Arnside Knott. First call was Warton Crag landing at about 9 o’clock in the quarry car park. I made my way out the right side of the car park and along the footpaths not knowing the area it was guess work, I found myself on the side of the crag watching some Common Blue Butterflies along with Meadow Brown, Speckled Woods, Red Admiral and  Small Copper

Red Admiral

 My reason for coming up into Cumbria was Arnside Knott so after an hour I left Warton Crag and 20 minutes later landed at Arnside Knott

Arnside Knott

Walking up the hill and thru the small wood I came into a small glade being hit by the sun and then saw the butterfly I had come to see, in flight it appears small and black this was the Scotch Argus and Arnside Knott was one of the better places to see this small beauty, as the day went on I found that the Scotch Argus was rather numerous here the day went by with little else about there was the few Speckled Woods, Graylings, Meadow Brown and a rather worn Dark Green Fritillary. Whilst here I got talking to a guy who put me on to Gait Burrows so it was there I ended up on my way back home seeing again Speckled Woods, Green veined White and Grayling. More photos at my flickr, if you want to find out about these sites see my Butterfly tab

Speckled Wood

Scotch Argus

Scotch Argus

Grayling

The end of the week saw me at a local site looking at the gorgeous Wall Butterfly

Wall

I had a highlight this week on the work patch with a Hobby going thru being actively seen off  the patch by a horde of Swallows. The Hobby did try  catching one or two  of the Swallows which was great for me to see but the Swallows didn’t like it, so having ganged up on it the Hobby soon moved thru, This week wasn’t great for insects but it was good to see Small Coppers on the work patch in the one day we did get some sunshine.

But its been an Old Moor week this week with our first visit on Tuesday 9th for the organised Bat Watch this was a great outing and a time for learning. The event  started at 8pm with a finish time of 10pm the first 45 minutes was all talk going into the background of bats, how many species etc. but we were soon out walking the paths with bat detectors in hand. We ended up hearing 3 species of bat from the 5 found at Old Moor these were Common Pipistrelle, Soprano Pipistrelle and Noctule, leaving Daubentons and Brown Eared for another day, looking forward to the next one on the 6th of September.

My next visit was on the 12th with the hope of finding a few waders moving thru and maybe a couple of Dragonfly Hawkers species as well. The insects went out the window with what the weather had given me but the day was saved with a few waders going thru these were Green Sandpiper (7) [Video Link], Knot (1) [Video Link], Greenshank (4) [Video Link],  and Redshank. Other birds of note on the day were Snipe, Grey Herons, Common Tern, Sand Martins, Kestrel, and Great Spotted Woodpecker.  The Lapwing flock now appears to be building up nicely at Old Moor. After a couple of hours in Wath Ings hide the day seemed to have had warmed up a little so I made my back via the pools catching sight of Common Blue, Blue Tailed, Azure and Large Red Damselflies, 2 Common Blue Butterflies and a Small Tortoiseshell and a Brown Hawker not for the hoped for Southern, that was the day I was happy I had my Greenshank the bird I had come for.

Small Copper

Common Blue Female