In, Around and Above the Stew Ponds.

It has been many months since I posted any information about the bird life on my local patch so here are some images of a few of the 50 or so species I have seen so far this year frequenting the Stew Pond and surrounding area.

 Grey Herons are daily visitors, patiently waiting for a tasty meal to swim within their reach.

Cormorants turn up fairly regularly to fish the Great Pond often spending a lot of time sitting around doing nothing!

I have recorded Tufted Ducks annually over the last ten years. Evidence of breeding over that period has been spasmodic and the youngsters rarely survive due to predation ... there are some extremely large fish in the pond!

Again the Mandarin Duck has been an annual breeding species with sighting from January through to August. Until two years ago it was not uncommon to record up to 15 males courting just one or two females through January into March but I believe increased  disturbance from dog walkers has affected this and other species greatly in the last two years. This year I only saw one male on 5 April.

Egyptian Goose is a very infrequent visitor but a pair turned up on the island on 5 April. Unfortunately the pond plays host to quite a few pairs of breeding Canada Geese who are extremely territorial so other geese species don't tend to hang around for long like pairs of Greylag Geese who dropped in briefly between the 8th and 15th May.

 Common Buzzard nests locally so it is not unusual to see at least one or two flying around.

A selection of migrant warblers can be found in the surrounding area including good numbers of Chiffchaff. Others include Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Garden Warbler and I have recorded Willow Warbler on the common for the last 6 years during April into early May but they don't seem to stay. Just one male seen and heard singing close to the Stew Pond on 1 May this year.

The Jay is not the most common corvid locally but certainly the most colourful. Typically very wary of humans this individual was very confiding ... for a few minutes.

Linking to:

Saturday's Critters

January Patch Birds.

My wildlife watching got off to a slow start this year due to a virus contracted over the Christmas period that laid me low for a couple of weeks. Local patch water fowl sightings have been thin on the ground due to the pond freezing over a week ago and everything appeared to be in hiding.

Fortunately four Northern Shoveler present on the pond since early December were still around prior to the water freezing up and one male in full breeding plumage was close enough during one patch visit to provide an opportunity for a few images.
Other sightings have included up to six Teal; with four males displaying to two females; and two pairs of Mandarin Duck plus the resident Mallard and Moorhens.

Northern Shoveler

Moorhen

At this time of year it is not unusual to see large parties of Long-tailed Tits foraging through the woodland but obtaining a clear shot as they flit from perch to to perch is another challenge! On a few occasions the flocks have included one or two Goldcrests but I have still to capture a decent image of this tiny species.

Long-tailed Tit.

One species that rarely allows a close approach is the Jay but I was fortunate recently to catch one searching through the leaf litter and totally oblivious to me creeping close enough for this cropped shot.

During this continued cold and wet weather raptor sightings have included Kestrel, a Sparrowhawk darting through a large flock of Redwing, Common Buzzard and an over flying Red Kite. 

I spotted this (juvenile or female) Kestrel perched in a tree close to one of the main paths and watched it surveying the ground below for a possible meal. After a few minutes it flew to another perch to continue its vigil before eventually flying away.

One Black-headed Gull has taken up residence on the main pond and regularly takes flight when another interloper flies in and chases off any competition!

My patch tally for January has now reached 40 species and you can view the full list on my Bird Sightings page. FAB.

Linking to Saturday's Critters hosted by Eileen.

A Very Grey Day.

As the morning slipped by the light was not really conducive for photography but undaunted I drove to Riverside Country Park for a stroll along the towpath and this was the scene that greeted me ... dull and overcast.

 However it wasn't all a lost cause as there was some wildlife to test the camera and the 'watcher' ....

 Egyptian Goose.

 Grey Heron hoping the reeds would hide him from any prey.

Tinkling sounds very high above in the waterside Alders alerted me to a flock of 20+ Goldfinches feeding together with a few Siskins who regretfully alluded the lens.

 A Jay also perched high above only permitted an undercarriage shot!

Four Little Grebes were seen on the river and tested my patience to get some reasonable shots as they constanty dived underwater leaving me to guess where they would resurface.

Other species seen were Canada Geese (40), Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Green Woodpecker, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Blackbird, Wren, Coot, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Teal, Shoveller (20), Black-headed Gulls, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Crow, Starling, Mute Swans and Pied Wagtails.

  Robin Redbreast is also hoping that the weather improves very soon.   FAB. 

First Flutters for April.

After a long lay in I desperately needed to exercise the legs and test the aching back. So with the sun shining I chanced a short car journey over to Bookham Common around lunch time. I know it's not the ideal time for birdwatching but standing and walking is far more comfortable than sitting down! For the first hour trudging along muddy paths there was little activity except the songs of Chiffchaff, Blackbird and Song Thrush plus the ever present Jays and Magpies. Despite a thorough search I didn't hear or see any Willow Warblers.

While taking a rest at the main pond a Peacock butterfly (first sighting this year) rested nearby and very high overhead 3 Common Buzzard circled for a moment and then moved northwards over the woods.

On one of the smaller ponds I stood and watched a pair of Mallard practicing their synchronised swimming routine.

Interesting to see the female paddling like mad to stay upside down!

For the first time since I don't know how long a Jay actually sat still long enough for a photocall.

Heading uphill through the quiet woodland glades I watched a number of Comma butterflies, another first for the year. Brimstones and Whites were also flitting around but never settled.

While listening and then locating a male Blackcap in full song inside a blackthorn bush I then heard my first Cuckoo for 2010 calling way over on Banks Common. (I will need to make an early morning visit to stand a chance to capture this species with the camera!)

As I started my homewaard journey a male Chaffinch perched on the roadside hedge which I noted has been cut or more correctly slashed with the 'mower method'. With the back pain much reduced I may risk a longer trip out tomorrow.    FAB.