Richmond Park

Had to spend this weekend in London so decided to take a nice walk around Richmond Park.  Richmond was busy, busy, busy.  We parked up at the Pen Ponds car park as I wanted to look for Little Owl which I'd seen around the area before but no joy.

Down on the ponds a large number of Black-headed Gulls were skating around on the ice, they were interspersed with a few Common Gull. There were Coot, Moorhen, 2 Mute Swan, Mallard and a small group of Shovelar, there were also 2 Heron in the trees on the island.

Black-headed Gull

It was really nice to see a pair of Stonechat in such a crowded place, the male looked stunning in sunlight perched on top of the bracken.  Was nice to see the Goldcrests flitting around the treetops.

Stonechat

There were the obvious vast numbers of raucous Ring-necked Parakeet, they are absolutely everywhere.  An amazing sight was seeing my first Peregrine Falcon of the year floating and circling over the park when suddenly it when into a vertical dive, it was awesome to see but no photos.

Ring-necked Parakeet

Ring-necked Parakeet

 

Carrion Crow

 

We went to have a look at the Red Deer, there was one stag with massive antlers strutting around sniffing at his hinds, it's incredible getting such close views, not close enough for some though as the continuously disturbed them trying to get right next to them for the ubiquitous selfie shot - bloody idiots....   A few young stags were getting some practice in ready for the rutting season, not that they are going to get  a look in with the big guy around.

Big Red and his Harem

Wishfully admiring the hinds

Big Red keeping watch

Blowing a raspberry

Group of Stag chilling

A bit of gentle practice

 

Last bird of the day was a Jay in the trees back at the car.

 

Jay

Full Species List:   Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Grey Heron, Mallard, Shovelar, Coot, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Gadwall, Starling, Stonechat, Goldcrest, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Ring-necked Parakeet, Jay, Green Woodpecker, Peregrine Falcon, Kestrel.





WWT Barnes - Bittern

After a week off work I thought I best visit the doctor yesterday, she informed me I had Flu, a Virus and a Chest Infection - nice..... Anyway, she suggested I get some fresh air so today I drove over to the London Wetland Centre in Barnes, I had seen on my Bird Guides App that a couple of Bittern were present.

The car park was empty when I arrived which to me bodes well, I'm honestly not anti-social.

My first bird was a very obliging Blackbird against the toilet wall feasting on some berries.

Blackbird

Blackbird

The small ponds on you cross over before entering the visitor centre contained Mallard, Tufted Duck, Coot, a pair of Shovelar and Moorhen.

Shovelar

Moorhen

Within the atrium area (upon exiting the visitor centre) a small group of Ring-necked Parakeet.

Ring-necked Parakeet

I walked up to the where the Bittern had been seen, on route I added Magpie, Carrion Crow, Little Grebe, Grey Heron, Lapwing, Widgeon, Wren, Robin, Blue Tit, Cormorant, Black-headed Gull, Egyptian Goose, Teal, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Herring Gull and a signing Cetti's Warbler which provided fleeting views.

Tufted Duck

Robin

I arrived at the furthest hide where I saw Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron and a Bittern which was show ridiculously in the sunshine.

Bittern

Bittern (crappy phone through the scope shot)

As I was looking out over the scrapes for waders (of which there were none) I found a pair of Stonechat quite a distance out on the fence.

14th January 2016

I returned the following day for a few hours but went around the other side of the reserve (and for some reason can't find the photos)..

My first stop was at the Dulverton Hide where I saw a gorgeous pair of Pintail.  Whilst walking up to the WWF Hide I stop to look at the buzz of Chaffinch, Great Tit, Blue Tit and Long-tailed Tit, amongst them was an over wintering Chiffchaff but best of all were the 25 Siskin in the top of the Alders.

I continued around to the Peacock Tower where I stopped for a bit to search for any hidden waders but nothing was found, there were plenty of Wigeon, Shovelar, Mallard and Teal.  On route back to the car I heard the seeping sound of Goldcrest and found 3 flitting along the hedgerow giving great views, I was then interrupted by a yaffling Green Woodpecker overhead.  On route back to the car I diverted back to the WWF hide as a large flock of Canada Geese had landed so thought I best check them.  In addition to those mentioned I also added Pochard and Jay to the year list.

New Year in North East Scotland

We decided to do something different for the New Year and booked a last minute cottage in Wick in the far North-East of Scotland, the cottage called 'The Waves' was amazing:

http://www.cottages.com/cottages/the-waves-29153

It has a nice sun room which overlooks it's own bay from where I saw the following:

Eider Duck, Common Scoter, Red-throated Diver, Cormorant, Shag, Gannet, Fulmar, Kittiwake, Grey Heron, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Turnstone, Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull, Guillemot, Mallard, Carrion Crow, Hooded Crow, Jackdaw, Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Woodpigeon, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Blackbird.

View from the Sun Room

Like all of my trips away this one was not a birding trip, it was a family trip from which I took my usual 1 day for myself to go birding, that said my binoculars go everywhere with me..

On the 29th we visited John O'Groats as it was only 15 miles North. Upon arrival I was amazed by how close the Orkney Isles are, I had no idea they would look as if they were just across the bay!  The wind was strong and the waves were crashing over the harbour which was amazing.

 

We all went for a walk along the coast towards Duncansby Head, the first birds I saw were Eider Duck which I always enjoy, a duck I very rarely get to see.

Eider Duck

There were a total of 9 Eider duck in 3 groups, each group comprised of 1 x Male and 2 x Female, I was also great to see Long-tailed Duck amongst them.  Plenty of Shag and 4 Red-throated Diver.  My biggest surprise were a flock of Purple Sandpiper, I've only ever seen them in groups of 2-4, there must have been about 30 of them scouring the tide line with the Turnstones.

Purple Sandpiper

Purple Sandpiper

Turnstone

There were a group of Grey Seal which were following us along the shore constantly popping up to check on us.  We found out why from a local dog walker, the high tides from the strong winds had stranded a Seal Pup high up on back (8ft).  She showed me where it was so I picked it up and carried it back to the shore line to allow the parents to call it back to the water.

Grey Seal

My day out 'Geeking' was going to be the 1st but that obviously didn't happen for obvious reasons so it was deferred to the 2nd.

1st stop was Loch Watten, it was absolutely freezing with a strong wind, species seen were: Widgeon, Teal, Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mallard, Blackbird.

From there I moved on to Loch Scarmclate where there were large mixed flocks of Fieldfare, Redwing and Linnet in the fields around the loch. On the loch were Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Tufted Duck and Mallard.

Next stop was RSPB Broubster Leans which is a very large site however viewing is from a single track road with only a single layby which can house 3 vehicles.  I didn't see too much here although Hen Harrier and Short-Eared Owl are present.  Sightings were Whooper Swan, Greylag Goose and a massive flock of Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Goldfinch.

I then went on to Scrabster Head as I'd been for a walk the day before where I seen Rock Dove and Black Guillemot, other species noted were Redshank, Black-headed Gull, Rock Pipit, Robin, Blackbird and 3 displaying and cronking Raven.

Rock Dove

Black Guillemot

My last stop due to failing light was Thurso Harbour, , on route I had almost performed an Emergency Stop due to seeing a flock of large brown Geese, out came the binoculars to reveal my first lifer of 2016, the Greenland White-fronted Goose - chuffed...

Greenland White-fronted Goose

On arriving at Thurso Harbour I was greeted again by a bitterly cold and biting wind however I had great views of a very close Great Northern Diver although my record shot does that no justice but the light truly was horrendous.

 Great Northern Diver

Back at the cottage the following morning I was treated to some amazing views of a Grey Seal mother and pup playing in the shallows about 25 meters in from of the sunroom, this is a cottage I highly recommend if you intend to visit the North-East of Scotland.

Grey Seal

Grey SEal

Grey Seal 

We left on the 3rd and no surprise a few days later Little Auk were turning up all along the coast, this would represent a long sought after lifer for me but I suppose it's good to still have some to chase.