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

Patch Birds.

 

Visits to my local patch have been somewhat infrequent this year mainly due to the inclement weather. 

Earlier this week on a very blustery morning following severe overnight gales  initially there seemed to be very little avian activity apart from a single Black-headed Gull on sentry duty ...

 ... and a solitary Coot resting at the waters edge.

When I reached the Great Pond the effect of the recent high rainfall was clear to see with water stretching far beyond its normal boundaries. Again it appeared bird-less but as the sun peeked through several species emerged from the saturated wooded margins. I logged around 30 Mallard, a pair of Northern Shoveler, a single male Tufted Duck and a pair of Teal.

As I circled the pond I noticed the emergence of a very colourful species that regularly appears at this time of year ... Mandarin Ducks. Initially two pairs drifted into view and then a further six males joined the party.

After a short time at least four of the males departed. In previous years I have often seen ten or more males chasing after just one or two females before trying their luck elsewhere!

 It will be interesting to see whether any of the pairs hang around.  FAB.

Linking to WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY.

Colour on the pond.

A few weeks ago we decided to check out the colours by taking a stroll around the Isabella Plantation within Richmond Park. A you can see many of the Azeleas were in full bloom providing a glorious feast of colour.

On some of the Rhododendrons the buds were just opening, suggesting a hint of the colour about to emerge but these weren't the only colour on show .....

On a very small pond hidden amongst the vegetation were a couple of Egyptian Geese but the stars were definitely the five male Mandarin Ducks.

 Despite being an introduced species, I never get tired of watching this exotic and charming duck.

 A little time was spent smartening up those feathers.

After their morning swim it was time to chill out together ... such is a duck's life!  FAB.

Linking to WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY.

Wet Local Birding.

I waited for a break in the rain before starting a stroll around my local patch today but as expected the woodland around the car park was fairly quiet .... just a few Blue and Great Tits, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Robin and a distant singing Blackcap. 

A handful of Mallards were occupying the fringes of the Stew Pond and just as the sky darkened I located one male Mandarin resting in its usual spot while its three companions promptly hurried away to the other side of the water. A Coal Tit carrying nesting material into its new home unfortunately eluded the camera!

Skirting around High Meadow I heard several Chiffchaff singing and during a brief period on sunshine a male Blackcap appeared briefly before disappearing into deep cover as a Sparrowhawk flew overhead. After a short time the birdsong restarted and the wistful song of a Willow Warbler (first for this year) drifted towards me on the strengthening breeze. 

On my return to the Great Pond the heavens opened once again ..... one of the Canada Geese decided to sit it out on one leg!

While the resident Grey Heron also stuck it out in the open .... getting wetter and wetter just like me .... but it did allow me to creep a little closer than would normally be permitted although trying to keep the gear dry was somewhat hopeless!

 A quick ruffle of its feathers to shake off some of the excess rainfall!

More rain is forecast for the next few days so I'll probably have to raid the recent archives for the next few posts. FAB.

Mandarins on show.

I'm pleased to report that the plumber was 'ace' yesterday so plenty of hot water on tap once more ..... so thanks Kevin. He also shares an interest in birds so I was able to help identify a raptor species he had seen recently while watching a Ring-necked Parakeet eyeing up the feeders in our garden.

With a very cold easterly wind and overcast sky I only managed an hour circumnavigating the 'Great Pond' on the patch around midday today. While driving towards the car park I spotted 5 raptors very slowly circling over the woodland ... obvious shape suggested Common Buzzard but one individual definitely had much longer wings and a more languid, slower wing beat. I was in a long queue of vehicles so couldn't stop at the roadside and by the time I had parked up they had disappeared eastwards so any positive ID goes unanswered!

One of the Canada Geese is always on sentry duty while its partner has a preen.

The visit didn't lead to any new sightings and the lighting across the water didn't help my photography efforts but I took a few shots of the Mandarin Ducks as they came a little bit closer than normal. Today there were six males but only one of the two females I have seen recently on view. Well at least the female was getting plenty of attention.

 Him and her playing follow the leader.

The list for today as follows:

Mandarin Ducks (6F and 1F);

Tufted Duck (now a pair on the pond so we may see a repeat of last years breeding);

Mallard (6), Coot (1), Moorhen (2), Canada Geese (6), Grey Heron (1);

Common Buzzard (5), Kestrel (1), Sparrowhawk (1) disrupting the local Woodpigeons;

Carrion Crow, Magpie, Blackbird, Robin, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Wren, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff (3) and Blackcap (1).

We are entertaining Anita's parents tomorrow so may not have time for a patch visit!     FAB.

Local Patch YTD Update.

It has been a while since I posted anything about my local patch walks, mainly around Epsom Common Ponds and the surrounding woodlands, so here is an update including images of some of the regular winter species.

The woodland area around the car park has so far produced Robin, Wren, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Jay, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Collared Dove, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Starling, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Goldcrest, Lesser Redpoll, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit plus one sighting of a Marsh Tit. On 16 February I was very fortunate to find a single Firecrest (a patch tick) but no sightings of Lesser Spotted Woodpecker so far this year.

 Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus) taking a brief rest from feeding.

Long-tailed Tit enjoying the sunshine.

Treecreeper (Certhia familiaris) starting its upward climb.

The other main inhabitants around the woodland edge during the winter are the visiting thrushes, Redwing and Fieldfare. Throughout January the numbers for each species were around 50 - 80 but in the last two weeks the numbers have fallen dramatically as they have stripped the berries from the ivy and probably moved on to a better feeding area.

Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris) keeping a watchful eye out for predators

During the last month Woodpigeon numbers have increased dramatically and I estimate a minimum of 250 in and around the woodland. They are pretty skittish and fly into the air at the slightest disturbance and are providing a welcome daily meal for the resident Sparrowhawks which regularly glide over the treetops. The Crows get their daily exercise by mobbing the local Common Buzzards or chasing off a hunting Kestrel.

The main inhabitants of the small Stew Pond are the Mallard and Moorhens.

One of the resident Grey Herons (Ardea cinerea) can be found at one of their favourite fishing locations and usually tease me by allowing me to just get within range of the lens before flying over to the other side!

You will know from previous posts that I can usually find a Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carboresting on the Great Pond. This individual is an older adult in courtship plumage (evidenced by a white thigh patch ... hidden by its wing in this shot and the extensive white on the head and neck).

Or occasionally flying overhead.

Canada Geese numbers fluctuate throughout the year but at least two or three pairs will probably stay to breed. I like the way that one adult always stands on guard while its companion is feeding or takes a rest. A male Tufted Duck made an appearance in early January but hasn't stayed. (A pair did stop and breed last year so maybe they will return now that the water is unfrozen.)

On 31 January, 15 male Mandarin Ducks (Aix galericulata) circled the pond and briefly dropped into an unfrozen area before flying away again. The following week I counted 5 males and 1 female but last week I could only spot one pair lurking in the shade of the main island. Hopefully they will stay to breed as in previous years.

Another infrequent winter visitor to the Great Pond is the Northern Shoveler (Anus clypeata). Two males and a female turned up on 23 February but I don't anticipate that they will stay much longer. Other species seen are Stock Doves, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Green Woodpecker and Black-headed Gull plus on the 28 February I located 13 Lapwing on the fields at Rushett Farm (Last year for the same week the count was 14!).

During the last two weeks as I skirted the farm fields I have listened to the beautiful song of the Skylarks (Alauda arvensis) that have returned to breed. This photo is one from the archives.    FAB.

Nothing New.

Despite carrying out a circuit of the paddocks at Horton Country Park mid morning and another visit to the Stew Pond (Epsom Common) this afternoon I didn't log anything new. However many of the local residents including Wren, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Song Thrush, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Parakeet, Jackdaw and Green Woodpecker plus numerous Chiffchaffs and a few skulking Blackcaps were very vocal.

 Chiffchaff always perching where a clear cut view is impossible.

 Mrs. Canada was more interested in a juicy grass snack and totally ignored my plea for a passport photo!

 Cormorant once again defeating the speed setting on the camera!

In a grassy patch within the woodland I spotted Mr. and Mrs. Mandarin out for a quiet stroll together.

 Once again the Long-tailed Tit only provided a side on view.

Great Tit blasting out its usual song.

Just before reaching the car park I noticed that the pair of Mandarin Ducks were not too keen on the presence of another male. There was a bit of posturing before the interloper decided to waddle away into the undergrowth and I returned home without any new sightings. Maybe something will turn up somewhere later this week.   FAB.