Home from the Goose Chase!

We have safely returned from our wild and very windy trip to the North Norfolk Coast and as you can see we did eventually mange to catch up with a 'few' Pink-footed Geese at one of their favourite feeding locations.

The weather lived up to the forecast - VERY WINDY but it only rained towards the end of our visit so we could consider ourselves very fortunate compared to other locations in the north of the UK that have suffered severe and extensive flooding. However the conditions last week were not helpful in getting close to very many birds who prefered to hide out of sight or disappear as soon as we got anywhere near them! Despite this we enjoyed daily walks with our four friends at many of my favourite locations followed by some very tasty meals at our hotel plus plenty of cheerful 'banter' between us.

I logged around 86 species during this trip, which was well short of our anticipated target, but it did include some noteable sightings and a few images that I will share with you once I have sorted through the 'dross'! In the meantime I have posted one 'test' image on my other site FABirding so please feel free to take a peek.

I can see that many of you have been busily posting while I have been away and I will catch up with you all as soon as is practically possible.   FAB

Geese gathering.

This was taken in late August when on a brief early morning stroll around Epsom Great Pond I counted around 150 Canada Geese that had gathered together but in the weeks that followed I have hardly seen anything on this inland water.

We are off to Norfolk with four friends this morning and hope to see many, many more geese (Pink-footed etc) that have flown in from the far north to spend the winter in a warmer location. Just praying for a few days of calm, dry weather so that the camera might come out of its bag!

So...bye for now...I won't be posting while we are away but will eventually catch up with you all when we return. Hope everyone has a wildlife full week.   FAB

Wey Navigation Walk (Part 3)

My recent reflective stroll along the Wey Navigation from Bowyers Lock to Send Bridge was not over blessed with wildlife sightings probably because I didn't start early enough! Quite a few Mallards patrolling the water and corvids flying around included Crows, Jackdaws and Magpies. Robin, Wren, Blackbird and a Mistle Thrush made brief appearances. I also listened to and watched a party of Long-tailed Tits foraging through the pathway foliage together with Blue and Great Tits.

Common Buzzard seen perched a quater of a mile away. (Original shot cropped)

A pair of Cormorants taking a rest some distance away.

Plenty of Alder fruits but no Siskins (I did hear Goldfinches.)

Young Mute Swan preening.

In the distance (half a mile away) I heard the skwarking calls of Rose-ringed Parakeets as they continually circled around a Common Buzzard

A long distance shot as the Parakeets flew away.

A second Buzzard was beig harrassed by a Crow.

One of the many Mallard enjoying the peaceful waterway.   FAB.

Wey Navigation Walk (Part 2)

Continuing from my earlier post; first a little bit of history. The River Wey was one of the first rivers in England to be made navigable. The canal was built by Sir Richard Weston, beginning in 1635 and completed in 1653. 20 miles long overall the Wey Navigations were used for transporting barge loads of heavy goods (timber, corn, flour, wood and gunpowder) up the canal via the Thames to London with coal being brought back. From 1900 to 1963, it was owned by the Stevens family, who were commercial carriers on the canal. It was then donated to the National Trust in 1964. Commercial traffic ceased in 1983.

The waterway is properly called "The Wey Navigation", as large sections of it are the canalised parts of the River itself. However, equally, there are long sections of canal "Cut", which are separate from the actual River Wey, so it is a moot point as to which terminology is the more correct. So here are some views taken on my recent walk.

I have seen barges running aground here for not following the sign!

Quiet waters.

Weekend water users get a view of Send Church.

Send Bridge & time to turn back.

 A stately Oak in the riverside meadow.

Mistletoe growing everywhere, ready for the festive season.

Waterside colours

The path back to Bowyers Lock.

Part 3 coming soon when I will share my few wildlife sightings during this walk.  FAB 

Searching for 'Jack'!

On Wednesday I visited the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust at Barnes together with two old friends Barry and Richard. Barry used to ring Canada Geese on this site when it was reservoirs long before it was converted into a wildlife reserve and education centre. He was making one of his bi-annual visits to the UK from visiting his wife's family in Hong Kong and next week will fly to Tenerife for the winter returning to his main home in the Okanagen Valley in British Columbia, Canada at the end of the winter....what a great life! Richard is also a very experienced birdwatcher with an interest in monitoring raptor migration in Europe and he had checked the recent reports which indicated the precence of Bittern, Water Pipit and Jack Snipe over recent days. The question was, with a very overcast sky, rain showers forecasted so not at all ideal for photography, what would we actually see?

The view below is of the main centre (taken from the Peacock Tower) and shows the observation area where we started our day.

Initial sightings included; Coot, Moorhen, Tufted Ducks, Pochard, Teal, Mallard, Gadwall, Shovellers, Mute Swan, Cormorant, Great Crested Grebe, Canada Geese, Starlings, Rose-ringed Parakeets, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull and these two Egyptian Geese. (Sorry for the lack of sharpness but digi-scoped through the glass windows of the  Observation Area!)

We then walked through the World Wetlands checking all the exotic collection species on our way to the hide at Wildside. During this short stroll we added Great-spotted Woodpecker, Great Tits, Cetti's Warbler heard calling, which we endeavoured to hunt down as it moved low down through the reeds (or was it a Wren?)

Scanning everywhere whilst in the hide we only added Grey Herons, Little Grebe, Stonechat, Magpie, Jackdaw, Crow, Woodpigeons, Wigeon and a fast flashing bypass of a Kingfisher. No sign of a Bittern or Jack Snipe but a distant Common Snipe and flying Redshank was located using my scope. It was now just past midday so the decision was taken to return to the centre for lunch. During our return walk, dampened by one of the forecasted showers, we added Long-tailed Tits and Blue Tits foraging through the shrubbery. Lunch was Chicken and Chips for me (no surprise) and Vegetarian Curry for the other two plus a lot of chat catching up on each others lives and, of course, our wildlife sightings since we last met. The rest of the day was spent heading out towards the Peacock Tower with various stops which added House Sparrows, Collared Dove, Robin, Green Woodpecker, Jay and Chaffinch.

Lapwing

Female Mallard exercising.

 

By the time we eventually reached the Peacock Tower and climbed the stairs to the top viewing area the light was beginning to fade.

Still no sign of a Bitern BUT with the help of a 'volunteer' we were shown the location of a resting juvenille JACK SNIPE. Success at last and Richard was particularly pleased but too dark for a photo.

Finally a shot of a Little Grebe to bring my total to 42 for the day and to say a special thanks to Barry and Richard for a great day out.  FAB

Skywatch

Doughnut forming in the autumn sky.

For more fabulous SkyWatch images please click the link.

Wey Navigation Walk (Part 1)

Last weekend I spent a few hours wandering along The Wey Navigation towpath from Bowyers Lock to Send and back. This is part of a tranquil waterway and wildlife corridor running for nearly 20 miles through the heart of Surrey. It was  a bright but cloudy day and not much varied wildlife to be seen so much of my time was spent looking down...so here are a few reflective images starting with 'leaf fall' at Bowyers Lock.

And finally one of many male Mallards quitely patrolling the waterway.  FAB.