Bickerley Common - 13th Jan

Goldcrest

We are only 20 odd days into the new year and already I have quite a considerable backlog of blog posts to write. After 2 weeks of solid rain and a dismal saturday, awaking to sunshine on Sunday morning was quite surprising. With no solid plans and Nat down for the weekend, a quick decision was made to try the other end of the South Coast.

Camera, Bino's and warm weather gear packed and in the car on the way to Ringwood. For the past month or so reports have been almost daily regarding a Great White Egret and Glossy Ibis on the Avon floods at Bickerley Common, just outside of Ringwood. This was the first port of call an as we pulled into the rather destructive car park (pot holes everywhere) I stopped a couple of Birders as they walked back to their car. Ibis showing well at a distance but no sign of the Egret. Typical as I have never seen a GWE, but 1 out of 2 can't be bad.

Their is a causeway that runs across the width of the meadows and acts as a great elevated platform to look out either side over the swollen river and flooded meadows. The usual smaller bird flitted between the path side trees. Wren, Robin, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Blackbird & Dunnock all seen within metres on the path.

Some nearby 'pip-ing' got me searching and I soon picked up half a dozen Meadow Pipit on the stems of the long grass glistening in the bright morning sun. They were quickly joined by a pair of Stonechat, a species I didn't expect to see in such a damp habitat.

As the river meandered out of sight, two large flocks of feeding Canada Geese came into view, with numbers I would guess in excess of 150. The odd Mute Swan preened here and there dotted about across the floods. A White dot in the distance got my attention but too far away to clarify, a passer by saw me checking it out and informed me it was the GWE. Maybe my luck was in, but after getting a little closer 200 yards or so further down the causeway I confirmed it was a Little Egret after all.

This stop for a better view brought me my best views to date of a Goldcrest, as an invading group of Long-tailed Tits descended on the nearby tree, a pair of tiny Goldcrests joined them. I am quite pleased with my photographs, however catching them in the light was a bit of an impossible task shooting towards the sun. They move so fast!

Goldcrest

Finally reaching the main bridge over the meadows, I soon picked up the Glossy Ibis on the far side feeding with plenty of Teal. The shallow water was covered in feeding birds with Teal, Lapwing & Black-headed Gull spread all over the area. A great start to the day, and good to get a Glossy in the notebook!

If you are a social media user, Feel free to follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ for up to date sightings & photographs, any 'Comments & Criticisms' are welcomed.

Facebook  •  Twitter  •  Google+

Pembrokeshire - Part 1

So on Monday 28th May the girlfriend and I headed down to Dale on the South Western tip of Pembrokeshire for her birthday present come spring holiday for the both of us. (Excuse to visit Skomer for me) The sun was shining which seemed a slightly daunting prospect as I don't recall that happening in Wales all that often. The illusion didn't last too long as a look out of the window on Tuesday morning resulted in a more expected weather front - cloud! Just up the road from Dale the Gann estuary enters the bay, so first port of call was a quick walk up the coastal path to see if any waders were about on the receded beach. Plenty of Whitethroat, Dunnock & Linnet flitted about on the surrounding gorse bushes. 6 Shellduck present on the pools behind the beach.

A smallish flock of small Waders flew and landed within 30 yards but the light was poor so I only managed a few clearish shots, which I think show Dunlin & Sanderling. Ringed Plover where also mixed in. A pair of Curlew also flew in amongst the obligatory Oystercatchers and Gulls.

Sandering & Dunlin

Dunlin

Next stop Marloes Mere after reading a lot about the resident 3 Glossy Ibis, we soon picked them up on a bank at the far side of the reserve, they soon were up and on the wing soaring around in a couple of circles before landing on the marshy meadows. The grounded photos were pretty poor due to the distance but I did get a fairly clear outline flight shot, even if the light was so poor to pick up much colour detail. But a great edition to the Species list.

Glossy Ibis

From the barbed wired gateway that overlooked the Ibis, we headed on down to the rather small Hide overlooking a couple of the Mere's pools. Proving a haven for small birds, with Linnets, Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler, Reed Bunting, Dunnock, Blackbird and a lone Reed Warbler all showing themselves as well as a juvenile Dunnock.

Willow Warbler

Willow Warbler 

Dunnock Juvenile

With the car park at Martin's Haven overflowing from Skomer and Deer Park visitors we had a walk along the coastal path above Marloes Sands and over looking a mist shrouded Skokholm. Linnets seem to adorn nearly every bush along the path, but none pausing long enough in the open to satisfy my camera, however a pair of Stonechat appeared more obliging, the male in particular. Also got a quick glimpse at a pair of Chough as we walked back to the car.

Stonechat Male

Wednesdays weather proved similar in the morning but soon the warm sun burnt the mist away in the afternoon and bathed the area in glorious sunshine. We had a quick lunch stop at Stackpole Quay before walking the 25 uphill minutes or so to Barafundle, well worth the walk a glorious undisturbed Sandy beach managed by the National Trust. Plenty of Gulls and Jackdaws soaring along the elevated cliffs, a lone Gannet and Fulmar both spotted on the walk up along with 4 Skylarks singing over the pasture on top. Distant cliff views showed quite a few nesting Guillemots and the odd Razorbill.

Barafundle Bay 

Herring Gull

We then headed around to Freshwater West a lovely long stretch of beach with a lot of rocky pools, I did get distracted by the constant passing by of Ravens along with a couple of Chough.

Raven

Still nursing some of the previous days Sunburn and waking to a really crappy morning, Thursday we decided to do the 7.5 Mile walk round route to and from the cottage around St. Ann's head. Other than getting bloody wet due to the lack of footpath maintenance (4 foot grass) we didn't see all to much other than a lone male Stonechat until we had passed St. Ann's Lighthouse at the halfway stage.

The walk back over looking Skokholm and very distant Skomer was far more rewarding with Fulmar, Gannet, Rock Pipit and even a Brown Hare all added to the list. The rapid arrival of thick fog in the afternoon pretty much prevented anything else outdoors, so I skulked off back to the house praying for some decent weather for the trip to Skomer the next morning. Part 2 to follow.

Clifftop Fulmar

http://www.facebook.com/MartinClayPhotography I would be more than grateful for any 'Likes' on FB.