I went to West Hartford again last night between 7 and 8. The Gull numbers had double since the night before but nothing interesting amongst them.
I have noticed that some gulls are also on the small puddles inside the new building site area.
As I was leaving I checked the field, which borders East Hartford near the river. Usually there is nothing to see there but as I looked up a Marsh Harrier- Patch tick, was level with the hedgerow.
The Harrier went down behind the hedgerow and that was the last I saw of it.
I went behind the electricity building to get a better view of the field where I had seen it last but there was no sign.
It was probably heading west to follow the river on the other side of the trees.
I then went to the pool in case it went past but I couldn’t see it.
One major disadvantage of West Hartford is that the uneven ground makes it hard to see anything in flight unless it is going overhead.
Whilst waiting at the pool five Shellduck landed, 3 Juv, 2 adults.
I phoned Steve H who arrived as I was leaving; he told me that LMcD had a Marsh Harrier at Arcot Pond earlier in the afternoon. I got a text from him later saying the Barn Owl and Short Eared Owl were both out.
103- Marsh Harrier
Showing posts with label Marsh Harrier. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marsh Harrier. Show all posts
Friday, 31 July 2009
Wednesday, 8 July 2009
Leighton Moss
On the way home yesterday we stopped at Leighton Moss for an hour. I only managed to get to two hides. There was nothing of note from the Tim Jackson Hide.
As I was walking up the track to the Griesdale Hide a female Marsh Harrier flew over the hide where it was mobbed by Lapwing.
After only seeing two Red Deer amongst the reeds I was about to leave when the Marsh Harrier flew in front of the hide and hovered in front of the window at the other end of the hide!
It wasn’t hovering like a Kestrel as it was facing the hide with its wings in front of it. This hovering only lasted a few seconds and it then flew the whole length of the hide and over the reeds.
As I watched, the Harrier dived onto the ground and stood there, another action I have never seen this bird do.
I then realised that it was on top of a Lapwing nest and it them picked up the Lapwing chick and ate half of it before flying off with the other half and passing it in mid air over the reeds to another Marsh Harrier, which appeared,Very strange behaviour.
A Little Egret flew over whilst all this was happening.
I checked West Hartford this morning and was pleased to see that the main pool has got water in it again; hopefully it will attract some Waders soon.
As I was walking up the track to the Griesdale Hide a female Marsh Harrier flew over the hide where it was mobbed by Lapwing.
After only seeing two Red Deer amongst the reeds I was about to leave when the Marsh Harrier flew in front of the hide and hovered in front of the window at the other end of the hide!
It wasn’t hovering like a Kestrel as it was facing the hide with its wings in front of it. This hovering only lasted a few seconds and it then flew the whole length of the hide and over the reeds.
As I watched, the Harrier dived onto the ground and stood there, another action I have never seen this bird do.
I then realised that it was on top of a Lapwing nest and it them picked up the Lapwing chick and ate half of it before flying off with the other half and passing it in mid air over the reeds to another Marsh Harrier, which appeared,Very strange behaviour.
A Little Egret flew over whilst all this was happening.
I checked West Hartford this morning and was pleased to see that the main pool has got water in it again; hopefully it will attract some Waders soon.
Saturday, 23 May 2009
Friday Night
I went up to East Chevington with Steve H last night to see if the Quail was still around.
We stayed for about half an hour but no sign of the Quail. On the north pool the water level looks a lot lower than usual but the only wader was a Redshank.
Two male Marsh Harriers were also around, one flew south after being mobbed by four Lapwing.
At Druridge Pools a Black Tailed Godwit and a Snipe were the only wader we could see from the new hide. Four Hares were running around the field as well.
Nothing much at Cresswell Pond apart from a Greenshank and a Common Sandpiper on the far shore. A Shellduck with only one chick didn't look as well protected as the birds at Blyth.
We decided not to look for the Bluethroat at Newbiggin after being told that it was proving hard to find and even harder to get a good look at.
We stayed for about half an hour but no sign of the Quail. On the north pool the water level looks a lot lower than usual but the only wader was a Redshank.
Two male Marsh Harriers were also around, one flew south after being mobbed by four Lapwing.
At Druridge Pools a Black Tailed Godwit and a Snipe were the only wader we could see from the new hide. Four Hares were running around the field as well.
Nothing much at Cresswell Pond apart from a Greenshank and a Common Sandpiper on the far shore. A Shellduck with only one chick didn't look as well protected as the birds at Blyth.
We decided not to look for the Bluethroat at Newbiggin after being told that it was proving hard to find and even harder to get a good look at.
Saturday, 2 May 2009
Blacktoft Sands
I was out early this morning with Steve Holliday, Dee McKeown and Lindsay McDougall for a trip to Blacktoft Sands in Yorkshire.
We took the scenic route on the way and it paid off as a couple of miles away from Blacktoft two Barn Owls were Hunting over the fields on opposite sides of the road.
When we got to the reserve it was fairly quiet for a bank holiday, as we were paying in the visitors centre 2 Marsh Harriers lifted from the reed bed.
We went to the Marshland Hide first where around 50 Avocets were dotted around the water showing the divide between Northumberland and Yorkshire with 4 at Cresswell the other week being a very good sighting for the county.
Also on the water were Coot, Gadwall, Shoveler and 36 Black tailed Godwit, which circled overhead.
A Barn Owl came out of its nest box and began hunting over the reeds. 6 Stock Dove were also flying around.
Around the bushes and reeds bordering the reserve and in the car park were Tree Sparrow, Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler and Swift.
From the Xerox ? Hide two Ruddy Duck and a G C Grebe were on the water along with more Avocets. In total we had 176 Avocets not including the ones flying overhead.
The water level was quite high on all the pools with no exposed mud but despite this, 20+ Black Tailed Godwit were wading through he water with 5 near black Spotted Redshank- Lifer.
I studied the Spotted Reds closely and noticed the grey mottling on their backs, which stood out on the black plumage. One of the birds flew in front of the hide and called to complete the identification lesson.
Marsh Harriers were constantly dropping in and out of the reed bed and there were between 6 and 8 birds in total I could see but they did move around quite a bit so some could have been the same birds.
We didn’t just get brief views, they were dropping from the sky almost like falcons and for the first time I heard one call, it sounded like a Buzzard mewing.
As we watched one land on top of a pile of cut reeds it flushed two Bearded Tits- Lifer, which I just caught sight of but not long enough to identify if the sex.
A Buzzard and a Peregrine were high up in the sky and a Sparrowhawk flew low over the reeds.
Two little Egrets landed on the pool next to us after flying across from the river.
After leaving the reserve we headed to Swinefleet Common to look for Dotterel. 6 yellow Wagtails were around, mainly on the road as was a Wheatear and a Whinchat which disappeared once we stopped to, look for it.
As we were going down one of the roads we heard a set of keys jangling which was the song of a Corn Bunting – Lifer! It was in a bush on the roadside and after some hard searching I finally saw it. I have always wanted to see a Corn Bunting and it didn’t disappoint, a top bird, what a beak!
It’s a bird I’m sure I’ll struggle to see in Northumberland.
It stayed in the bush for a while before flying into the ditch; another was on a wire in the next field.
On the way home we called into Saltholme after hearing out about the Spoonbill.
We tried back Saltholme first but no sign, it wasn’t on Dorman’s or Reclamation Pond either.
Nothing out of the ordinary was about apart from a couple of Common Terns, my first of the year.
Finally we checked Arcot Pond where a Sedge Warbler- patch tick, was in the row of bushes, south east of the pond.
Once again another good day out and I feel like I’m starting to learn a lot more about all aspects of birding.
93 – Sedge Warbler
We took the scenic route on the way and it paid off as a couple of miles away from Blacktoft two Barn Owls were Hunting over the fields on opposite sides of the road.
When we got to the reserve it was fairly quiet for a bank holiday, as we were paying in the visitors centre 2 Marsh Harriers lifted from the reed bed.
We went to the Marshland Hide first where around 50 Avocets were dotted around the water showing the divide between Northumberland and Yorkshire with 4 at Cresswell the other week being a very good sighting for the county.
Also on the water were Coot, Gadwall, Shoveler and 36 Black tailed Godwit, which circled overhead.
A Barn Owl came out of its nest box and began hunting over the reeds. 6 Stock Dove were also flying around.
Around the bushes and reeds bordering the reserve and in the car park were Tree Sparrow, Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler and Swift.
From the Xerox ? Hide two Ruddy Duck and a G C Grebe were on the water along with more Avocets. In total we had 176 Avocets not including the ones flying overhead.
The water level was quite high on all the pools with no exposed mud but despite this, 20+ Black Tailed Godwit were wading through he water with 5 near black Spotted Redshank- Lifer.
I studied the Spotted Reds closely and noticed the grey mottling on their backs, which stood out on the black plumage. One of the birds flew in front of the hide and called to complete the identification lesson.
Marsh Harriers were constantly dropping in and out of the reed bed and there were between 6 and 8 birds in total I could see but they did move around quite a bit so some could have been the same birds.
We didn’t just get brief views, they were dropping from the sky almost like falcons and for the first time I heard one call, it sounded like a Buzzard mewing.
As we watched one land on top of a pile of cut reeds it flushed two Bearded Tits- Lifer, which I just caught sight of but not long enough to identify if the sex.
A Buzzard and a Peregrine were high up in the sky and a Sparrowhawk flew low over the reeds.
Two little Egrets landed on the pool next to us after flying across from the river.
After leaving the reserve we headed to Swinefleet Common to look for Dotterel. 6 yellow Wagtails were around, mainly on the road as was a Wheatear and a Whinchat which disappeared once we stopped to, look for it.
As we were going down one of the roads we heard a set of keys jangling which was the song of a Corn Bunting – Lifer! It was in a bush on the roadside and after some hard searching I finally saw it. I have always wanted to see a Corn Bunting and it didn’t disappoint, a top bird, what a beak!
It’s a bird I’m sure I’ll struggle to see in Northumberland.
It stayed in the bush for a while before flying into the ditch; another was on a wire in the next field.
On the way home we called into Saltholme after hearing out about the Spoonbill.
We tried back Saltholme first but no sign, it wasn’t on Dorman’s or Reclamation Pond either.
Nothing out of the ordinary was about apart from a couple of Common Terns, my first of the year.
Finally we checked Arcot Pond where a Sedge Warbler- patch tick, was in the row of bushes, south east of the pond.
Once again another good day out and I feel like I’m starting to learn a lot more about all aspects of birding.
93 – Sedge Warbler
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