Birding Hotspot - Staines Reservoir.

For this weeks edition of Good Fences I'm taking you to one of the most exposed birding hotspots within the Surrey County recording area ... the Staines Reservoir causeway that bisects the north and south basins.

Definitely not the place to be on a dreary, cold and wet winter day unless you go well wrapped up but with rarities turning up anytime throughout the year sometimes you just have to brave the elements.

What I hadn't anticipated to find was that the north basin had been emptied for maintenance purposes but this does provide the ideal habitat for migrant waders etc to drop in from time time.

I recall this basin also being empty in September 2004 when I logged my first Pectoral Sandpiper in the UK.

Visitors this month have already included Avocet, Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Curlew, Dunlin, Ruff, Rock and Water Pipit, Oystercatcher, Black-tailed Godwit, Wheatear and a nearby Black Redstart.

Scanning the water to the south, while looking into the wintery sun,  and the mud to the north while coping with the interruptions of several wind driven rain showers wasn't particularly comfortable but I did locate the Great Northern Diver, Oystercatcher (2), Common Redshank (4), Lapwing, Dunlin (3) plus the usual ducks such as Wigeon, Teal, Gadwall, Goldeneye, Mallard, Tufted, Common Pochard, Northern Shoveler and several Shelduck.

Along the causeway bank I counted around 45 Pied Wagtails (Motacilla alba ssp. yarrellii) busily feeding on insects. I should have paid more attention to all these Wagtails as there was probably a White (ssp. alba) amongst them.  While looking through a small group of Meadow Pipits I located a moulting Water Pipit.

A Coot taking a stroll.

With a good number of [Eurasian] Wigeon frequenting the concrete slopes I couldn't pass up the opportunity for a few shots before heading home.

So enduring the elements added four species to my Surrey year list including one new addition to my 2015 annual list from the 29 species seen during a 55 minute visit.

Next time I'll try to plan a visit here when the sun is shining!  FAB.

Sunshine Birding.

We have been fortunate weather wise in the south-east with warmer temperatures and the long awaited appearance of some blue skies. This prompted me about a week ago to make another visit to Thursley Common in the hope of catching the over-wintering Great Grey Shrike in the lens.

Just after crossing the short boardwalk another birder indicated with hand signals that he had the bird in view.

Over the following two hours this bird was very mobile and in the company of 'Geordie' I made several circuits of Shrike Hill as we both attempted to get some photos. Typically the bird never got really close enough so a distant record shot (below) had to suffice for now.

A cropped shot of the perched Great Grey Shrike. Later during my wanderings around the common I was entertained by the flight displays and songs of several Woodlark.

A Woodlark showing its distinctive broad supercilia and stubby tail perched briefly for the watcher.

On Tuesday Anita and I made a late morning decision to drive southwards to the coast and took a leisurely stroll around Farlington Marshes under a sunny sky. 

Unfortunately the tide was well in so we missed most of the wildfowl and wader movement from the harbour onto the grazing marsh but we still  enjoyed the spectacle of the thousands of Brent Geese. 

I also added Rock Pipit to my year list while listening to the glorious song of the Skylarks as they soared high up into the blue sky.

Brent Geese feeding and flying in every direction and then we spotted one individual (below) that had been colour-ringed and has probably faithfully returned to the UK every winter for the past 10-15 years.

Several species were seen flying out across the harbour including Shelduck (above) and Wigeon (below). You can view more images of flying Shelduck by visiting FABirding.

And finally, any trip here wouldn't be the same without decent views of a Little Egret (below) feeding in one of the small pools. More images of this species to follow in due course.

Wishing everyone a glorious wildlife watching weekend, wherever you are.  FAB.

Linking to Saturday's Critters and I'D-Rather-B-Birdin' ,

Colourful Wigeon.

As we move into winter, the vibrant rustic hues of the bright autumnal days changed into dull overcast greys; the landscapes often speckled or even fully coated by a white frost and recently completely obscured by a blinding white blanket of snow. During the same timespan our wintering species of ducks also change their coats, but in reverse, switching slowly from their duller eclipse plumage into their breeding finery.

Some would say that a female Wigeon is drab but just feast your eyes on the warm tones of rufous-browns and the diffuse mottling.

Like many species, the adult male Wigeon in eclipse plumage looks somewhat similar to its female counterpart but the change is quite dramatic. He now displays a much more sporty appearance; developing the distictive chestnut head split by the creamy-yellow band stretching from forehead into the crown; plus the unmistakable finely vermiculated grey upperparts, the pink breast and prominent white and black stern .

The days may be grey and cold but there is plenty of warm colours to be seen amongst our wildfowl.  FAB.

For more World Bird Wednesday images please check out The Pine River Review hosted by Springman.

A Grey Tuesday.

On Tuesday I spent a couple of very quiet hours at Barnes WWT. With overcast skies and a very strong wind I was glad to be able to take refuge in the hides even though many of the resident birds were also hiding from the weather. 

Grey Heron and a Lapwing.

Time for a stretch while the Wigeon continued to sleep.

Male Gadwall asleep in its finely vermiculated grey plumage and prominent white speculum.

Mrs. Gadwall, who at a distance may resemble a Mallard, but has a smaller bill and again the white speculum is a giveaway.

One of a number of Grey Heron way out on the marsh.

Feral Pigeon ... fed up or overfed!

Actually it wasn't all grey as evidenced by the vibrant late summer blooms which form part of the 'praire' plantings.  FAB.