2016 Year List

2016 Year List (UK:137) (Total:165):
Key: Bold = Lifer. Red = Overseas Bold Red (Work it out!)

Starling, House Sparrow, Mallard, Eider, Pheasant, Red-throated Diver, Northern Fulmar, Raven, Carrion Crow, Hooded Crow, Rook, Jackdaw, Blackbird, Robin, Rock Pipit, Rock Dove, Black Guillemot, Kittiwake, Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Curlew, Redshank, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Gannet, Shag, Tufted Duck, Common Goldeneye, Eurasian Teal, Eurasian Widgeon, Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Greylag Goose, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Greenland White-fronted Goose, Great Northern Diver, Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Purple Sandpiper, Collard Dove, Redwing, Fieldfare, Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Red Kite, Wood Pigeon, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Magpie, Lesser Redpoll, Bullfinch, Egyptian Goose, Northern Shovelar, Great Crested Grebe, Bittern, Moorhen, Coot, Ring-necked Parakeet, Stonechat, Cetti's Warbler, Wren, Canada Goose, Pintail, Pochard, Green Woodpecker, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Jay, Siskin, Gadwall, Peregrine Falcon, Long-tailed Tit, Meadow Pipit, Red-legged Partridge, Treecreeper, Shelduck, Grey Wagtail, Song Thrush, Kingfisher, Penduline Tit, Marsh Tit, Nuthatch, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Common Sandpiper, Sandwich Tern, Sardinian Warbler, Audouin's Gull, Osprey, White Wagtail, Black Redstart, Yellow-legged Gull, Blackcap, Great Egret, Marsh Harrier, Water Rail, Stone Curlew, Green Sandpiper, Serin, Common Crossbill, Reed Bunting, Blue Rock Thrush, Crag Martin, Booted Eagle, Kentish Plover, Greater Flamingo, Moustached Warbler, Purple Swamphen, Pied Avocet, Greenshank, Pink-footed Goose, Long-eared Owl, Tawny Owl, Barn Owl, Grey Partridge, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Skylark, Mistle Thrush, Lapland Bunting, Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Golden Pheasant, Common Snipe, Black Grouse, Red Grouse, Wheatear, Dipper, Yellowhammer, Sand Martin, Swallow, House Martin, Goosander, Velvet Scoter, Common Scoter, Common Guillemot, Razorbill, King Eider, Whimbrel, Snow Bunting, Capercaillie, Red-breasted Merganser, Slavonian Grebe, Rock Ptarmigan, Crested Tit, Scottish Crossbill, Black-throated Diver, White-tailed Eagle, Golden Eagle, Bar-tailed Godwit, Great Skua, Puffin, Red-crested Pochard










Sunday, 8 February 2015

Patch Gripped!!

I arrived early today in the vain hope of finding Woodcock, not that I expect to find them here, the habitat doesn't scream Woodcock - result was as per expectation - Woodcock = Nil.

I started by stopping of at the small River Arrow, I'm determined to find a Kingfisher here but one hasn't materialised yet.  This morning there was a Grey Heron feeding in the margins and single Moorhen.  I had a quick scan of the small flood plain but it was frozen over so nothing here.  I also had a quick scan of the rough ground which looks like it used to contain a factory or barracks but again nothing.

Next stop was Pophills Pit where the following was noted:

Greylag Goose - 109
Canada Goose - 7
Mallard - 10
Tufted Duck - 4
Coot - 22
Common Sandpiper - 1

The Greylag were quite restless when I arrived as soon took to the air heading in the direction of the Hidden Pit.  I think I need to sort a patch map with labels, especially as @NeilDuggan80 is birding it too, be easier to discern where we are talking about.

I headed over to the Main Pit where I had 2 Rook (Patch tick), 2 Goldcrest and 3 Chaffinch around the plantation.  There was a fair amount on the water which had defrosted from yesterday, I didn't count the Mallard, Tufted Duck or Coot today as wanted to do a circuit to take in the reed beds I was targeting Water Rail today too.  I noted the following on Main Pit:

Mute Swan - 7
Canada Goose - 27
Pochard - 6
Teal - ~40
Little Grebe - 3

Crappy Phone Scoped Teal

Whilst counting, yesterday's (I presume) Peregrine Falcon sped past about 20 meters from my head as it attempted to take a Blackbird, it was unsuccessful and flew over the Main Pit and across the field to the rear.

I took a walk over to the old reed bed where a couple of Jack Snipe flushed as I walked past.  I had some great views of 3 deer atop of a small mound, the morning was slightly misty, I attempted a few shots but I think the sensor on my camera is faulty as all images are either black or fuzzy and over exposed.

I took a walk across the Flooded Field up to the Hidden Pit, this flushed 23 Jack Snipe and a single Common Snipe which was todays 2nd patch tick, they must be sensitive to ground vibration as they all flushed from about 70 meters away and were all difficult to see due to the light mist.  I also had a single Lapwing and a pair of Skylark.

The hidden pond only contained a small number of Mallard and Tufted Duck.

I crossed over to the public footpath and followed it back round to the road, there are quite a few reeds along here, this was were I was looking for Water Rail but I failed only managing a couple of Moorhen and a lot of Red-legged Partridge that escaped the guns during the shooting season.

I arrived back at the car to see that Neil was on-site with John who is a former Warwickshire bird recorder.  Neil informed me that after he left, John found Woodcock, Tawny Owl and 6.... Water Rail.... WTF...  I specifically went for 2 of these and failed.... GRIPPED...!!  Neil had also had Goosander, a site first.

I popped back in the afternoon but they'd moved on, there were 23 Lapwing on the Main Pit scrape.  Canada Goose numbers had risen too.

Canada Geese on Main Pit
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Location: Salford Priors Gravel Pits, Warwickshire, UK

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