OODLES OF OUZELS

Last week there were reports all over the local birding blogs of up to 13 Ring Ouzels (turdus torquatus) being spotted on Ivinghoe Beacon. The Beacon is a well known feeding and 'resting up' point  for the birds  during their Spring migration from their winter home in the Mediterranean  region back to their breeding sites in the remote highlands of the North of England, Scotland and Scandinavia.

So, on Saturday I made a phone call to Keith and we arranged to meet at the Beacon car park at 6 o'clock the next (Sunday) morning. Keith had already been to the Beacon on the Saturday morning but readily agreed to another visit!! (see his blog here)

Sunday morning dawned cold and frosty (-3 degrees C  overnight) but  a clear sky was heralding the prospect of a sunny day. After meeting  at the appointed hour and a quick cup of coffee (thanks Keith!) we started to walk down the path to the Beacon. In the silence of the early morning we heard a sound... "what was that", said  Keith," did you hear it?.. sounds like elephants! "  Then we heard it again..." no !" I said, "I reckon it sounds like lions roaring"....then the penny dropped what we could hear were the lions roaring from Whipsnade (London) zoo, about  two and a half miles away across the valley, we were on our own little safari !!

Whipsnade chalk Lion with the zoo and Hippo house in the background

 

After noting Chiffchaff, a Nuthatch and Linnets we soon arrived at the area where the Ring Ouzels, about ten, were already showing well in the early morning sun. Unfortunately the sun was behind the birds, not in the perfect position for photography! 

 

Also showing well were about eight to ten Wheatears.

Occasionally little skirmishes would break out.

                            

Keith feeling all penned in...or was he on the lookout for Lions?

                           

 

Skylarks 'performing' in the clear blue sky and Meadow Pipits posing on prominent perches also added interest to the scene.

 

Have you ever had one of those moments when your mind starts to drift off and you start to 'see' things that are not really there?  well, I had one of those moments and saw Snoopy flying through the sky!!...what do you think?

 

So after around five and a half hours of excellent 'Ouzel watching it was time to call it a day and make our way  back to the cars and home, via a brief visit to a nearby Bluebell wood (see Keith's excellent image here).

 

I enjoyed the day so much that I decided to go back for another visit on the Monday morning!

Again the birds were showing well. Unfortunately the day was spoilt by a few mindless people - idiots - and mostly photographers I'm ashamed to say, who decided it was good practice to stalk and chase the birds across the entire hillside.

 Don't these people realise that the birds need  to rest and feed up to be able to continue on their long migration journey, and if they just pick a spot, stand quietly and wait, most birds will eventually 'come' to them?   Rant over!

 

On the way back to the car this Chiffchaff was singing his heart out from his lofty perch.

 

I did take some video, not very good I'm afraid ...but anyway, here it is!!

AN AWAY DAY TO NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

Last Thursday morning (15th September) broke with a beautiful crimson red sunrise, and after a cool night, a few mist patches started to fill the hollows in the surrounding countryside.

It was 6am as Keith, from holdingmoments , and myself set off for a visit to Pitsford Reservoir near Northampton.

We arrived at about 6.45am and after buying our permits at the self service hut by the main gate (£5 well spent, as it turned out) we set off along the causeway which carries the road between the A43 and Brixworth and separates the wildlife reserve from the boating and leisure part of the reservoir.

Sunrise

We could see in the distance across the water large rafts of Coot, Mallard and Gulls and on the water's edge below the causeway  Pied and Yellow Wagtails flitted up and down accompanied by a couple of Goldfinches. Keith then spotted, cruising back and forth across the water what we later identified as a juvenile Black Tern (a lifer for me).

Black Tern (juv.)

Black Tern (juv.)

On through the gate that leads to the pathway and a 7 mile walk around the reserve and it's nine hides. At the first hide we were scanning over  a large (very!) raft of Tufted Duck mixed with numerous Pochard when all of a sudden they all took to the air in a mass of beating wings and were gone, spooked  by an Osprey maybe we thought, but then coming into view from behind the hide.......  

The Culprit!

Along the trail to the next hide we encountered a large flock of Meadow Pipits  a few of which kindly posed for their portraits. 

Meadow Pipit

The chill morning had now given way to a pleasantly warm day as we made our way around to the other hides through various types of woodland and grassland areas and on the way passing a couple of ringing sites with their associated mist nets. All the hides afforded good views across the water (although the birdlife was a little distant) 

A Grey Heron wondering if it had come to the right party!

We also encountered a few butterflies, mainly  Speckled Wood  with the odd 'White' and a single Comma......

Speckled Wood

Comma with Ladybird

.....and a few Dragonflies

Ruddy Darter (male)

Ruddy Darter (female)

Migrant Hawker (male)

In an adjacent field a farmer was busy kicking up a dust storm.

After about 7 hours we finally arrived back at the car where, after driving down to the lay-by on the causeway, we had  a much needed cup of coffee and a sandwich.

 Here once again Keith came up trumps and found what we later confirmed as a Yellow-legged Gull on a spit off mud not more than 200yards from where we were parked, another lifer!

Yellow-legged Gull

Comparison of between a Lesser Black-Backed Gull on the left and a Yellow-legged Gull on the right

So,  perfect weather, a gentle stroll and with a count of 58 birds (plus two or three maybe's / probably's ) it turned out to be an excellent  days birding.