Garden action from the Swallows and Starlings

There has been much frantic activity of late in the skies over Chez Hornet.

As the flying ants take to the air, so do the Starlings, post-breeding flocks of 200 or more birds determined not to miss out on a feast and convinced they are at least the equal of any flycatcher. It's an annual favourite of mine to watch them launch into the air, hover for a few frantic seconds while snapping at the ants, and then descend for a brief rest before repeating the whole process.



Meanwhile, the Swallows from the nearby farm have also bred successfully, and the skies over the house are filled with adults and juveniles alike. They often rest on the wires outside the front of the house, affording great views and generous photo opportunities.

With Swifts screaming overhead, House Martins chattering among them, and a persistent Wren or two in the garden, there's a veritable orchestra to enjoy at this time of year in the garden.

Napton and Ufton - neglected corners

My local patch is basically defined by two waterways - the River Leam which snakes first north and then east from my home, and the Grand Union Canal, which runs directly east. Along the river to the north are some familar villages, such as Offchurch and Cubbington, and also the great Warwickshire woodlands of Princethorpe, Wappenbury and Ryton. The canal route makes its more direct route towards two outlying and much neglected treasures in my patch - Napton Reservoir and Ufton Fields.

Napton today was alive with fishermen, perhaps a dozen in all around this small body of water. Coot and Mallards aplenty were to be found, along with eight Great Crested Grebe and a couple of Common Terns - firsts for the patch. My favourite bird of the morning (a 6am start no less) was a Common Sandpiper which flew low from bank to bank, doing its best to avoid me but still proving unmistakeable, even at distance.



Ufton is a funny place, often quiet and yet so full of potential. Today there were few birds - some Mallards, a couple of Coot and Moorhen, but finally three Bullfinch and a Green Woodpecker to enliven the walk. But what magnificent dragonflies the place has - brilliant blue and huge like birds. The picture is a cheat - it's of an Emporer Dragonfly and I haven't got a clue if they have these at Ufton. But it looks right, and it certainly conveys the beauty of these creatures. 

A hobby at Brandon

The Eurasian Hobby, Falco subbuteo, is one of my favourite birds - a slender-winged aerial acrobat which can twist and turn like a guided missile in pursuit of dragonflies, swallows, house martins and even swifts. It has brilliant yellow talons which stand out like neon lights against distinctive red 'trousers', and an equally prominant facial 'moustache'.



I've been lucky enough to see these beautiful creatures flying high over my garden, and also hawking for insects across lakes and reservoirs. But tonight I had the all-too-rare opportunity to study one at rest, sitting in a dead tree across from the Carlton Hide at Brandon Marsh. Only a few moments, but priceless nevertheless.

Not having my camera was an added advantage, because it meant I didn't spend those precious few moments fumbling for lenses or shutter release cables - instead I was able to just sit and enjoy. Instead of a photo, I think the picture above does a much better job of showing the beauty of this spectacular bird. 

Good butterfly intentions

For a second year running I intended to find more out about butterflies - and failed.

Not enough time, blah de blah de blah - usual rubbish excuses. However, I'm pretty sure this is a Red Admiral, sitting on a teasel.

 

Frog Attack

No birds in July, but loads of frogs!

The garden pond is now in just its third year, but already it looks pretty natural. A lot of self seeding plants have started to appear, and reedmace, sedge and other introduced plants are starting to spread.

Tonight I sat and watched half a dozen large frogs lounge in and around the margins, enjoying whatever shade they could find as shelter from the oppressive heat. The variety of their colouring is amazing - from light green to really dark browns and greens, all superbly camoflaged against the rocks, mud and grass.

All quiet on the birding front

After yesterday's birdless walk around Brandon, today I thought I'd try a walk around Leam Valley.

Hmmm, some people never learn. Not totally birdless, but about as close as it gets. Plenty of Whitethroat, Wren and Wood Pigeon around, a couple of Chiffchaffs, and a pair of Kestrels over Offchurch Bury were among those birds I did find.

But the Reed Warblers were again the highlight, five or six birds singing and perhaps 20 in all (including juveniles) along an 80m stretch of the river.

Can winter start in July?

Took an early(ish) morning trip to Brandon Marsh today. As expected in July, the birding was quiet.

On the Carlton Pool were the highlights of the morning - four Green Sandpipers, something of a speciality at Brandon in recent years. These little waders are among our earliest return migrants. They have already bred in the far north of mainland Europe and are now on their way south again to wintering grounds in Southern Europe / North Africa (although in recent years, some have actually wintered in the UK).

Which all begs the question - is summer already over?

Leam Valley scorcher

The forecasters got it right - it was a scorcher. 30 degrees plus by lunchtime, so I planned on beating that kind of heat with an early start. It turned out to be not as early as scheduled (alarm at 5.50am, up by 6.30am), but not a bad effort.

Without a car for the weekend, I planned a complete circuit from my house, down to Leam Valley, around the scrape, then right across the Offchurch Bury Estate to Offchurch itself and back via the Millennium Cycleway. A much-needed downpour at first light seemed to have sent insects and birds alike into a frenzy of activity, so all looked set fair.

And indeed it proved to be so, the walk uncovering plenty of uncommon, if not actually rare, sights. Along various stretches of the River Leam I found perhaps ten Reed Warblers (where previously I had only found a single bird in three years), a dozen or more Whitethroat (including great views of a newly fledged juvenile), a quarrelling family of five Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Grey Wagtail picking his way over the lily pads, and several Moorhens including a juvenile.

Other than the birds, I was thrilled to observe a grass snake swimming a short stretch of river before disappearing under a weeping willow. I also noticed a couple of beautiful Marbled White butterflies as I crossed the estate.



In the Leam Valley woods I found some real favourites of mine, several Jays, a pair of Bullfinches (I got even better views on the return leg when I found another pair on the cycleway near Offchurch), a Song Thrush, two Goldcrest (one a juvenile) and a probable pair of Marsh Tits (sadly they made no sound, so I cannot confirm 100% whether they were Marsh or Willow).

Chiffchaffs sang on the Leam / Offchurch leg of the journey, and Willow Warblers on the Offchurch / Radford Semele return (I have no idea why this should be, but the difference was marked). Swallows swooped over the scrape, while a pair of Grey Heron fished. Skylarks and Yellowhammers sang over farmland throughout the walk, their sounds accompanying me through the last mile or so as the temperature soared and I wilted, staggering back into the village after nearly four hours out and about. 40 species of bird recorded and a cooked breakfast in prospect - that's how to start a Sunday.

Birding back home again

I made the usual mistake I afraid - I came back from holiday and threw myself into work, exams, DIY, more work etc etc. And the result? A very stressed hornet indeed.

As usual, the antidote was an early Sunday morning and a walk around the local patch.

Leam Valley was quiet at 6.30am, just the way I like it. Chaffinches and Wrens called out everywhere, joined by a Sedge Warbler as I moved along the River Leam and several Chiffchaffs. A Great Spotted Woodpecker near the river was nice, but a Green Woodpecker drinking from the scrape right in front of me was better.

Skylarks sang high over Offchurch Bury, the land turned blue with flax (also known as linseed). Jackdaws called vigourously, and a lone Swallow flew past. The weir was quiet, all wintering Cormorants long since gone, but male Banded Demoiselles erupted from the riverside grasses, a lovely sight.



A quiet morning by the standards of many birders, but a perfect one for me.

Some more holiday photos

Having progressed from digiscoping (fun, but quite hard work) to more conventional photography, I am really enjoying the new found freedom. I took nearly a thousand photos on holiday (edited down to a modest 50 or so with which to bore friends) - including some of my favourite bird photos to date.

Here is a small selection of those bird photos in addition to those already published - a Skylark on Skomer with a Chough in flight overhead, a female House Sparrow at WWT, and a Nuthatch at Dinas.

Dinas - Lesser Spot and Pied Fly

What a day. Dinas is an RSPB reserve located in hilly woodland to the north of Llandeilo, and plenty of birders on Skomer had recommended it to me. I arrived with high hopes, but our eventual haul exceeded every expectation.

The car park had Siskin (20 or more around the feeders) along with a very friendly Nuthatch. Along a boardwalk we found the promised Pied Flycatchers, with Spotted Flycatchers, Willow Warblers and plenty of more common woodland birds (tits, Robins, Blackbirds and so on). We moved on and found another Nuthatch, Treecreepers, a Redstart, and a Tree Pipit along with many Meadow Pipits.



Along the cliff faces we found one of the nesting Ravens, although sadly not the local Peregrines. However, it was once I went back to photograph the nesting Pied Flycatchers that the day hit its real high point. Unusually for me, I had a feeling I knew what it was as soon as I saw the dark shape fly into some nearby trees.

A few minutes waiting and it finally showed itself – great views of a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. This tiny, rare and perfect little bird only let me glimpse it for perhaps 10 seconds, but that may still be my birding highlight of this year.

Around the Cabin

The small estate on which our cabin is located, plus the surrounding countryside, are themselves packed with wildlife. Day one saw several Spotted Flycatcher outside the window, and we are awakened by a Song Thrush or two every morning.

On the road outside we found a Red-legged Partridge, and today our first Red Kite soared in a nearby field (fortunately there was nothing behind me as I slammed excitedly on the brakes).

Swallows are everywhere, as are some of the more common warblers such as Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff.

Skomer - an island paradise

Skomer is perhaps the best known of the islands off the Pembrokeshire coast. Just 15 minutes away by boat, it is home to a wonderful array of seabirds. Almost certainly the most notable of these is the Manx Shearwater - the island is in fact home to half the world's population of this nocturnal marvel.



With our good weather continuing, I stole a day away from the family to enjoy the island and all it had to offer - and what a day it was. As we made the short crossing we were surrounded by Puffins, Guillemots and Razorbills - there were plenty more on the island itself to photograph and enjoy. Grey seals basked on the rocks as we arrived at low tide, and before long I was watching a Peregrine Falcon hunting along a rocky outcrop full of gulls, Guillemots and even a few Chough.

Welsh WWT - unexpected lifers

Close to our cabin is the Welsh home of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (owners of Slimbridge and many other highly regarded reserves). So along with some beautiful castles and gardens (of which I won't bore you in a birding blog) this seemed like an obvious destination.



The reserve is in a format familiar to all WWT visitors - first the wildfowl collection, captive birds that form part of the WWT's conservation and research work. Second is the wild bird reserve, a series of scrapes, pools, reedbeds (see Reed Bunting photo above) and scrublands overlooking the estuary.

Charlie seemed to enjoy the wonderful wildfowl collection, but probably not as much as I enjoyed the wild areas - in a brief 15 minute visit my first thrill was a Spoonbill (photo below), and my second a drake Garganey. Both are pretty spectacular birds, and both were lifers. Unexpected and thrilling.

Our first family holiday

Ravens, Peregrine Falcons, Spotted and Pied Flycatchers, Redstarts, Choughs, Puffins, Red Kite, Wood Warblers and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - and I thought I'd have no time for birding on a family holiday in Wales!

We are staying in a log cabin tucked away in woodlands near Llandeilo, a lovely little market town in Carmarthenshire. This is the first time I have been able to spend a decent amount of time with Charlie since he was born some four-and-a-bit months ago, so that was always my main priority. However, if birding opportunities arises... who am I to turn them down?

Leam Valley firsts - and spring is here

Now is the time that birders feel the sap rising - it's early spring and the migrants are coming back.

Sadly, while other birders were enjoying untold riches elsewhere, I was confined to a couple of hours at my local reserve, Leam Valley on the edge of Leamington Spa. Sadly because for the first hour or so, my return migrants were confined to a couple of (heard only) Chiffchaffs - until things picked up a little.

The first sign of an upturn was what appeared to be a female Pochard - nothing unusual you might think, except I've never seen one of these diving ducks on the shallow waters of Leam Valley scrape before. A patch tick in fact.

Even more excitement followed as I sat and waited for this sonambulent bird to confirm its identity by lifting its head - in flew two Sand Martins. Famously early returners, these were my first real signs of spring. They did a couple of circuits over the shallow pool, caught a couple of insect, and were gone.

Another patch first, and something to stir the blood for the month ahead. Not bad for 90 minutes local birding.

A few Leam Valley moments

As you might expect, since the birth of my son I've done less and less birding. However, what I have realised is that I get correspondingly more and more out of the few moments I do get to snatch for birding.

Today at Leam Valley was no exception. Average weather (a bit cold), nothing really novel on the bird front, but huge pleasure nevertheless.

A Meadow Pipit (my first on the north side of my patch), Bullfinch, Yellowhammer, drumming Great Spotted Woodpeckers and a Song Thrush - these are a few of my favourite things.

Shelduck and Ringed Plover at Brandon

A Sunday trip to Brandon to try out Charlie's new three-wheel off-road pushchair. It performed brilliantly, and could be one of the best bits of birding kit I've bought in a long time!

Relatively quiet on the birdwatching front, but a few nice birds to warm the heart on a cold, grey day. A Shelduck was unusual, though not totally unexpected - my records for the last few years show they tend to turn up here in ones or twos, although only in February through April.

A Ringed Plover was an early surprise, the only wader apart from two Lapwing. Good numbers of Gadwall (12), Pochard (10) and Shoveller (9) were also in evidence, along with a dozen Cormorant. We glimpsed Great Spotted Woodpecker and Song Thrush on the way back to the tearoom, and from the comfort of a cooked breakfast we watched perhaps half-a-dozen Reed Buntings fighting over food on the bird table.

Spring is springing in my garden

Although the weather hasn't been great of late, there have been definite sights of spring in and around my garden.

Alongside the bulbs (daffodils, crocuses and snowdrops) bursting out of the ground, a couple of familiar heralds have been in full song - well, sort of.



The Song Thrush has definitely been singing, loud and clear using a tall conifer in our garden as a song post. The Great Spotted Woodpecker hasn't been singing as such, but has been much in evidence with his drumming sounds reverberating around the neighbourhood.

The majestic Hen Harrier

A magic moment, surely one of my best ever birding experiences - watching an adult male Hen Harrier sweeping along the coast, up and across the salt flats and through a flock of startled Golden Plover. Lazily this large, pale grey raptor with distinctive black wingtips floated through the plovers until SNAP - with a quick twist and burst of acceleration he grabbed one out of the air and forced it to the ground.

All was not as it seemed however - after a moment he rose again, empty-clawed, and instead of feeding was forced to carry on gliding along the coast. Successful or not, it was a wonderful thing to watch.

The action happened at Fingeringhoe, a wonderful location on the coast of Essex where tidal marshes combine with mature woodland and several other types of habitat to ensure a rich birding experience. The Hen Harrier (my first) was a highlight, but it was a marvellous day all round. Thousands of Dunlin, Golden and Grey Plover, Shelduck, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Wigeon, and Oystercatcher were joined by other birds throughout the morning - such as three Red-breasted Merganser, a Buzzard, and 400 beautiful glittering Avocet which swept up the tidal channel just a few feet above the water.



I rounded the day off by returning to Abberton Reservoir. From its main causeway I found my first Turnstones of the year - most obliging they were too, coming within a few feet of the roadside enabling the photograph you see here. I'd rather have had the chance to take pictures of the Hen Harrier, but even without photos I know that particular moment will linger long in the memory.

An awful lot of Coots

We visited the in-laws in Essex this weekend, and as well as being delighted to see that side of the family, I was also quite pleased to get some very good birdwatching in.

Friday afternoon saw me arrive, drop off the wife and child, and head straight off for Abberton Reservoir, one of the area's premier birding spots.

I arrived to be confronted by well in excess of 3,000 Coots - rafts of them spread all over this massive water, impressive when stationary but breathtaking when they scooted low across the water en masses, wings beating together and feet skimming the surface.

There were plenty of other treats to be savoured - impressive numbers of Goldeneye, a lovely pair of Goosander, a couple of Common Sandpipers that have apparently over-wintered here (usually they're migrant birds that that leaves our shores in the winter and only come back in March / April), and neighbouring fields full of Wigeon, Lapwing, Fieldfare, Redwing, Starling and Rook.

Napton Reservoir and nothing to say

Sunday morning, overslept, walked round Napton Reservoir - nothing much to say. No Bearded Tit, no Cetti's, no rare waterfowl. Nice bacon sandwich when I got home though.

A little bit of Charlie

OK, I know, The Hornet's Nest (or should that be thehornetsnest) is supposed to be a blog about birding (or birdwatching) in Warwickshire.

But I just couldn't resist one more shot of Charlie - just to showcase the capabilities of the new camera of course ;-)

Besides, he's very relevant to the subject in hand, because he's part of the reason why I'm not actually doing any birdwatching in Warwickshire!

Still, at least I can keep my hand in with a bit of photography - he's a bit bigger than the average birding subject, but no more inclined to stay still long enough to photograph.

Leam Valley - a rare outing

I've been confined to barracks a fair bit of late, so it was bliss to take an early morning stroll around Leam Valley today.

Cold, clear and empty - just the way I like it. It was one of those mornings where even the ordinary seemed extraordinary and wonderful - no rare birds, but a Jay, Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers, Cormorants roosting near the weir, a Yellowhammer along the riverside and a tight little flock of Redwing all enlivened my morning.



I even got this snapshot of a Jay - not a great photo by any means, but my best yet of this elusive but magnificent bird.

Great Spotted Woodpecker - a herald of spring

One of the early heralds of a new spring is the Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Even now in the depths of January, the GSW is already making preparations for the coming season, marking out his territory and advertising for a new mate.

The way they do this is by 'drumming' on tree trunks, rapidly banging their bills to create a noise not unlike a wooden ruler being twanged off the end of a desk.

I've heard this from my back garden for the last couple of weeks, and as I stood and watched my garden feeders this morning I finally caught sight of the bird himself. This was a garden first, and very exciting - even more so for having a camera to hand (the pictures were taken through the window on a foggy morning, so not bad considering).



A patch of red on the back of the head (just visible in this photo) means this is definitely a male by the way.

Up up and away

There were several reasons for treating myself to the new camera.

First was the opportunity for snatched shots - no more frantically setting up the digiscoping gear (tripod, scope, camera, adaptor, shutter release and battery pack) to try to capture that sudden and unexpected encounter. This Siskin which I found at Ryton Pools this weekend is a classic example.



The second was the variety and diversity of photography possible - to all intents and purposes this is basically a DSLR minus the interchangeable lenses. It has full automatic or manual controls, a great Leica f2.8 lens which runs from 35-432mm or so, and is at home taking portraits or landscapes as it is taking bird photos.

Here is Charlie to prove the point.



And finally, it can do things you could never do with digiscoping in a thousand year of trying. This quick flight shot of a Black-headed Gull at Draycote is a case in point - easy to take with a few minutes practice and I'm looking forward to plenty more like it.

Where did January go?

Or perhaps titled: "Becoming a father - what happened next".

At last I find a few moments to post and catch up on the last few weeks.

As I already mentioned, I became a father just before Christmas. I think it's fair to say that this has put something of a crimp on my birding.

Not that I'm complaining mind - I couldn't be happier about it- but it's worth recording here in my birding diary since it has undoubtedly had a significant effect on the style and substance of my birding.

Trips out have certainly been few and far between, but I have had a few opportunities to play with my new camera, a Panasonic FZ20 with TCON-17 teleconverter - giving me a cost-effective 730mm zoom lens on a 5mp camera.



I have set a hide up in the garage, and started to adjust the array of feeders for better photographic opportunities. These Greenfinch and House Sparrow photos show what is possible given a bit of decent light and a little bit of planning.

New arrivals on the home front

The last ten days have seen three new arrivals at Chez Hornet. In order of importance then...

My son, Charles (Charlie) Francis, was born on 22nd December 2006 at 9.20pm, a beautiful baby boy and the most wonderful moment of my life. This is a clear winner, and dwarfs any birding news. However...

There have been two new birds in my garden of late (as you might imagine, I haven't done any 'real' birding since 22nd December!). The first is a striking male Blackcap which has been a regular every day for the last week or so (allowing me to test my new camera, albeit at extreme range from the bedroom window). We have had one of these in the garden each winter we have been here, but they never lose their power to thrill as one of our few winter warblers.



Second has been the pair of Bullfinches which have graced our garden on several occasions, attacking our fruit trees but not yet reaching the bird table. These are also occasional visitors with the power to brighten up any day.

Addendum: Dec 31st - a Jay landed on our trellis today, a welcome garden 'first'. There aren't many mature trees around this part of the village, making this bird a rare occurence locally. Sadly it didn't hang around long enough to have its photo taken.

Draycote and a borrowed photograph

Impending fatherhood has left me less and less time for birding, so a quick Monday morning out and about on the local patch was most welcome. A beautiful still morning found me at Napton Reservoir first (looking for Bearded Tit) and then Draycote (hoping for Hawfinch photo opportunities).

At Napton I found mostly usual suspects - a Kingfisher gave particularly nice views. Later that day I read that the Bearded Tit had been found in the reedbeds there, but sadly not by me.

At Draycote I got the briefest views of a pale Hawfinch (not enough to get the photo I sought), plus yet another Great Northern Diver, a female Sparrowhawk (killing a Blackbird and making everything else decidedly jittery) and a few other odds and sods.



So no photo of a Hawfinch then, but to make up for that, here is a splendid shot taken a couple of weeks ago at Draycote by my colleague James.

Siskin and Mealy Redpoll at Brandon

OK, so I didn't get the Bittern. But I did walk straight into one of the other birds I was looking for at Brandon - Siskin. This little finch is a winter delight, but one which often eludes me. Not today. Straight into a flock of 30+ near the visitor centre, and even a chance to take some (poor) photographs to prove it.



It got even better after that. Along with a handful of Lesser Redpoll we found at least three Mealy or Common Redpoll, pale and pinky little things which attracted quite an admiring crowd.



Out on the water we found a drake Goldeneye along with the usual waterfowl and gulls, and a Muntjak Deer put on a nice show for us to round off the day.

Just sitting around

I haven't done much photography lately, so I thought with a few days off work I'd take the camera out for a spin.

Cue rain, dark skies and lousy light of course, but I enjoyed the experience just the same.

First of all I went back to Brandon to photograph the Bittern. I set up the camera facing a short channel across which the bird had been seen several times (including by myself on Sunday). I sat and watched for 90 minutes, the whole experience reminding me of fishing when I was a boy... just sitting and watching one point, waiting for something to happen. And, rather like fishing when I was a boy, nothing did happen. Zip, zilch, nada.

Still, I got to watch a Kingfisher, a Sparrowhawk and a Jay, so not a total waste, and on the way back to the car I got glimpses of a Water Rail. Not a bad haul (not a single photo though!)

Back down to earth

A Thursday off work and a chance to bird - so, that'll be grey skies, rain and no birds then.

Actually it was an OK morning. Certainly it was grey, wet and windy, but not too seriously so. And certainly there wasn't the excitement of last Sunday morning - although the Hawfinches are still around (up to five apparently) I chose not to spend too long looking for them.

Instead I did a quick circuit of Draycote (in so far as one can do a quick five mile circuit), and found a few Goosander, a couple of Goldeneye, 120 or more Golden Plover flying overhead, and then up to 100 Lapwing.



At Toft Shallows I stopped at the hide for the briefest digiscoping session (too dull for serious photography, but here's a picture of a Robin anyway). And then I headed off to Napton Reservoir, a new location for me, but one which came to my attention last week when a pair of Bearded Tits were found there. The reservoir is very close to my house, so I took the opportunity to pop by. It's a good looking spot, with a reasonable amount of deep open water, mature hedging and farmland all around, plus a fabulously large reedbed at the back (hence the beardies I suppose).

No sign of much today (the high wind will have kept any Bearded Tits hunkered down low in the reeds) but I imagine I will be a fairly frequent visitor here from now on. But the highlight of the day was in a neighbour's garden - as I stared out into the gathering rain and gloom, a female Kestrel (young, I think) flew on to a nearby fence with a tiny vole in her claws. After sitting for a while she stuffed the vole between a fence and fencepost, presumably for later consumption, before flying off to make the most of the last few hours of daylight.

Hawfinch and Bittern - Warwickshire wonderland

Possibly my finest ever self-found this morning - a Hawfinch at Draycote Reservoir. There had been reports of one in the country park during the week, but it was on the far side of the water that I found mine - well, to be fair it did fly down in front of my car! Nevertheless, I was able to watch it for a minute or so, drive down to grab a couple of birders fellow birders, and get back to find it again for more (albeit brief) views.

With Hawfinch sightings in Warwickshire being a rarity indeed (often just one or two a year) this was a fantastic find, but then when we left via the country park, we were able to spot a second bird, a beautiful male giving fantastic lingering views. A brilliant experience all round.



Normally that would be enough for any one day, but the double lure of breakfast and a reported Bittern at Brandon was enough to convince me to press on. Breakfast was fanastic, and then, after 20 minutes waiting in East Pool Hide, the Bittern moved, stalking left to right across a specially cut channel. Smashing. Then, from the far side of the water, I watched (and grabbed a record photo) while it adopted its camouflage position - head straight up in the air, totally still. Then it was off for a slow flight across the whole water before dropping down in Newlands.

What an amazing morning.

Great Northern Divers and a proper winter

Ah, now that's more like it! Minus 4 degrees, a mist so thick you can't see the water's edge , and a Great Northern Diver on the local reservoir - that's what I call a proper winter's morning.

After a few busy weeks with little or no time for birding, I was up at the crack of dawn today and down to Draycote by 7.20am. The mist was a real pea-souper, and to start with I could see only a short distance to the very edge of the water. Gradually things improved, and I found most of the usual winter birds - large numbers of Coot, Moorhen, Tufties, Wigeon, Lapwing etc. I was also pleased to find my first winter Goosander (2) and Goldeneye (perhaps a dozen in all).

On the far side (Draycote Bank) I discovered a Great Northern Diver - a wonderful bird that when feeding actually spends more of its time beneath water than above it. I've often mused on which environment it would call home, given the choice.

Anyway, despite my six warm layers (including a fab new padded army jacket), I was in need of some warmth and nourishment after a couple of hours. So I headed off to nearby Brandon Marsh for a hearty breakfast, and then ventured out for a final hour's birding. Three Snipe, a Sparrowhawk, a Common Gull and my first Fieldfare of the season were among the highlights, along with a fox which we watched prowl the far bank for five minutes or more.

Winter warmers on the patch

It's slowly starting to get colder round here, but I still think it's still ridiculously mild for mid November. I layered up for an early morning walk round Leam Valley today but just a few hundred yards from the house I began to think I might pass out from the heat (not hot as such, but certainly a good 5/6 centigrade). After a quick adjustment I set off minus one layer, a hat and the gloves, and strolled the mile or so down to the reserve.

I had one bird very much in mind this morning, and found it almost immediately - Redpoll. Three darker birds (Lesser) and one pale, almost frosted bird (Mealy?) were feeding off wiry grasses, surrounded by Blue and Great Tits. Although Redpoll are not uncommon in the winter, I don't see too many of them - indeed these were my first for 2005. Such long and clear views were a real treat.

As I moved along the river I found plenty more to be pleased with - Redwing feeding in the hawthorn trees, a splendid male Bullfinch attacking berries with gusto, Goldcrest hopping frantically through the trees, and a male Reed Bunting - another common but hard-to-find-in-these-parts bird.

The scrape was empty, so I headed across the fields up to Offchurch, the neighbouring village. I found few birds but enjoyed the walk enormously.

A group day out in North Norfolk

Up at the crack of dawn this morning (thank goodness for the extra hour) to make the two and a bit hour drive to North Norfolk to meet some of the members of Birdforum.net.

About 20 people were there in all, from all across the country and of all ages and levels of birding experience. Together they were good value for a day out at one of the RSPB's finest reserves.

I arrived at 9am, and by 9.15am we had found one of the Yellow-Browed Warblers that have invaded the country this autumn - at last! This gorgeous little bird proved to be the only lifer of the day, but that is not to say there weren't other treasures along the way.



Out at sea were some Velvet Scoters among the Common Scoters, a Red-throated Diver, two Eiders, and then a Fulmar and two Gannets flew by. In scrub land near the car park we enjoyed the briefest views of a male Ring Ouzel, and on the pools a normally-elusive Jack Snipe fed busily but visibly, bobbing in characteristic style. Although I have no photos of him, above is one of many Common Snipes that fed nearby.

I am normally a solitary birder, but this group day was great fun. The organisers, should they be reading this, have my thanks.

Stolen moments at lunchtime

A few minutes to stroll around some fields, a churchyard and a stream near my office today.

Instantly found myself surrounded by a tit flock - as well as Great and Blue Tits I managed to locate a Goldcrest, a couple of Wrens and a Robin.

Out in the fields I found a Kestrel posing high on a dead tree, joined for a few moment by a sleek Mistle Thrush with its dry, churring call. Scores of Redwing flew hither and thither overhead.

The chur of the thrush was quickly replaced by the harsh 'yaffle' of a Green Woodpecker which almost landed on me as it came flying round a nearby hedge.

Finally, a quick look at the stream on my way back turned up my Star Bird of the Day - a Grey Wagtail, fighting with a Robin by the waterside. Wonderful - if you add the Kingfisher from Monday's lunchtime stroll it's not been a bad week for stolen moments.

Ryton Pools

A boozy weekend left me far to weak to contemplate serious birding (it's not as easy as it looks, this birding lark). Instead we went for a gentle Sunday afternoon stroll round the nearby Ryton Pools Country Park - and found some rather nice birds.

On Paget's Pool there were a dozen or so Gadwall, a couple of Tufties, and the usual array of Mallards, Coots and Moorhens. Persistently diving between them were three splendid Little Grebe.

The first pleasant surprise was a Snipe feeding on one of the central islands. The second was a Green Woodpecker, drinking at the water's edge and posing perfectly - it was one of those moments for which cameras were invented. Sadly my kit was at home, so I'll make do with my memory.

The third surprise wasn't a bird as such, but rather the promise of future birds. The council have put three Barn Owl boxes up in on the rough grasslands in the centre of the park. This is perfect habitat for Barn Owls so fingers crossed for occupants in the future - I have only seen these superb creatures in East Anglia and would dearly love to find one on my own patch.

A day in north Warwickshire

I fancied a change today, so I headed up to the north of the county. There, in a fairly urban and often industrial setting to the north-east of Birmingham, is the Middle Tame Valley, a stretch of river, gravel pits, scrub land and parkland which together make up a vitally important bird habitat.

I started at the southern tip of the valley, at Whitacre local nature reserve, and quickly found Green Woodpeckers, two Jays, a Willow Tit and some Goldcrest. I then discovered that leaving my wellies at home was a big mistake. With all the main paths flooded, I headed off to Kingsbury instead.

Kingsbury Water Park is a very different kettle of fish - a huge municipal park covering a dozen or more pools, the river on one side and a canal on the other. Good (unflooded) paths lead to several bird hides, and although water levels were generally too high for waders, some patience was rewarded when up to six Snipe eventually showed themselves.

I then headed north again, this time on foot, walking up to Dosthill pits. Nothing of huge note here, except the huge flocks of Canada Geese and Lesser Black-backed Gulls. A couple of Linnet were a nice find, as were eight Redwing, my first of the season, flying low overhead.

A break from DIY - Sparrowhawk and 'Blackwit'

A long weekend meant gardening and DIY - and a sanity-preserving trip to nearby Brandon Marsh nature reserve.

An exciting morning's birding was just what I needed to help me get away from DIY hell - unfortunately no one told the birds. As I met birder after birder, the story was the same. The rest of the UK may be awash with Yellow Browed Warblers, Cream Coloured Coursers and Laughing Gulls, but south and mid Warwickshire seem to have missed out for now.



Still, nil desperadum. A Black-tailed Godwit was the one visitor of real note at Brandon (a rare visitor to this particular site) and an obliging male Sparrowhawk gave me a great photo opportunity that really made my morning.

A Reed Warbler on the patch

An exciting find on the River Leam today - a Reed Warbler, my first for the patch.

Having wandered through most of the Leam Valley reserve with little to show, I headed up to the Offchurch Bury weir. And there, picking its way through the reeds and willow scrub was this pale juvenile warbler.

After ten minutes or so of tantalising glimpses, it finally showed properly - with its wide 'spoon' like tail, black-tipped primaries, longish bill and plain face. A splendid bird on a patch with so little in the way of reedbeds.

That was a turning point in the morning, and in short order I then connected with a Grey Wagtail, a Kingfisher, a Jay, a couple of Chiffchaffs, two Swallows and a House Martin - the last three being fairly late-staying summer migrants.

Early October in the village

Back to the patch this weekend after the excitement of last week's trip to Norfolk.

Things were quiet in the fields surrounding my house, but just as I was hankering after the wide open spaces of East Anglia (or alternatively a nice bacon sandwich) three Buzzards flew low overhead to put on the most amazing display.

I know these birds well, and have watched them from that hilltop many times, but they never lose their majesty, grace or power. As they glided away (harried by a couple of unhappy Jackdaws), a female Kestrel dropped in, first hovering nearby then sliding in on the strong winds, finally coming to rest on a nearby fence.

Beautiful birds both, and enough, along with a pair of late Barn Swallows and two Sky Lark singing against a crisp blue sky, to put a spring in anyone's step. The bacon sarnie was nice as well.