Food and a Feather Prize - Broomfield Track 05/04/20

The sun had come out this afternoon when I headed out for my exercise walk. It was good to be out and I enjoyed listening to and seeing the usual suspects as I made my way along. A Great Tit was demonstrating a wide range of calls between alternating with song and a little further along alarm calls from Blue and Great Tits, Wren, Robin and Dunnock alerted me to a Kestrel perched in the Oak Tree. It flew down into the paddock and as I came round it was perched on one of the fence posts looking stunning in the afternoon light. I could not manage much of a photo but it made a nice memory shot.

Kestrel

A pair of Rooks were busy feeding in one of the fields as I made my way up to the top path and the nearest bird's gular pouch was noticeably swollen with food. The clear afternoon light highlighted its feathers beautifully, particularly when it flew.

Rook

Rook

It remained generally quiet throughout my walk but I enjoyed watching a female Chaffinch with a feather that she was presumably taking back to a nest. Despite a couple of dog walkers passing she stayed tucked in, with it firmly clasped it in her bill while watching them warily, before moving off with it once the coast was clear.

female Chaffinch and feather

I could hear a Ring-necked Parakeet calling again from the wood as I came past and a Long-tailed Tit was busily looking for insects as it moved from tree to tree. They are lovely little birds.

Long-tailed Tit

The rest of the walk remained quiet but I was grateful for the time out and finished with the sweet song of a Robin perched high above as I made my way home.

Cuckoo and a Hairy Dragonfly in difficulty - Marshside 27/05/19

I came down to Marshside after work on an overcast but mild afternoon. Lots of Azure Damselflies were on the wing but it seemed pretty quiet for birds. As it was so quiet bird wise it turned out to be an afternoon that I saw a lot more insects than birds. The Marsh Frogs were very vocal.

A small moth settled briefly. I am not sure what it is and will update when I find out. A female Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis was feeding away in a Buttercup flower. I tend to see more males than females of this beetle so it was nice to catch up with a female.

Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis

Chaffinch and Wren were singing away and I could hear a Ring-necked Parakeet calling from the trees but could not manage to see it. Three little balls of baby Garden Spiders were suspended in a fine web, all around the same size as this one.

baby Garden Spiders

An old horse paddock was a sea of buttercups and a beautiful sight. Several Grass Vetchling Lathyrus nissolia flowers showed magenta pink amongst the yellow.

Grass Vetchling Lathyrus nissolia

I saw 2 Common Malachite Beetles, a male and a female. I thought, when I saw them, that they were fighting but the website UK Beetles explained that this was part of the mating ritual. It made fascinating reading.

male and female Common Malachite Beetles

A Chiffchaff was singing away and a Whitethroat and Reed Warbler were also in full song. A Common Earwig was resting up and a pair of Hairy Shieldbugs were mating.

Common Earwig

mating Hairy Shieldbugs

Rooks were back and fore between the rookery and a recently planted field and a male Ichneumon deliratorius gave some good, even if partially obscured views.

Rook

Ichneumon deliratorius

A pair of Great Tit were busily collecting food and made several journeys while I was watching. I was sorry to see that the female Mallard is down to 8 youngsters but those seemed to be doing well.

Great Tit

female Mallard with ducklings

female Mallard with ducklings

I came across a Ptychoptera contaminata amongst the vegetation bordering the dyke and also a beetle that I did not recognise. I haven't been able to identify the beetle and I will update when I can.

Ptychoptera contaminata

The Yellow Iris's were out in flower and are really handsome flowers and always a welcome splash of colour. A Blue-tailed Damselfly colour form rufescens gave a chance to admire that colour form close up.

Yellow Iris

Blue-tailed Damselfly colour form rufescens

I saw a Hairy Dragonfly resting low down in the vegetation at the waters edge. It was only when I saw it from the other side that I realised that its wings were only fully expanded on one side. On the other side one wing was only partially expanded with half of it shrivelled and folded back on itself and the other wing seemed to be missing altogether or else completely unexpanded. It was a sad sight.

Hairy Dragonfly

Hairy Dragonfly

I came across a Red-eyed Damselfly which  was a little too far away for a photo but further on I came across a much more obliging one which I was able to try some photos. They are very attractive damselflies.

Red-eyed Damselfly

Red-eyed Damselfly

I had heard a Cuckoo calling at times throughout the visit and it flew in and landed on the power cables. It sat preening until a nearby Wood Pigeon took exception to its presence and flew straight at it. The Cuckoo dropped off the wires and flew to a nearby tree whereupon the Wood Pigeon followed it and once again flew at it until it moved on. This happened three times before the Cuckoo gave up and flew further away before it began to call again.

Cucckoo and Wood Pigeon

Cuckoo and Wood Pigeon

It was nice to hear the Turtle Dove purring away. It is a lovely sound. I had a couple of different Ladybirds, both quite small. One I think is a 24-spot but I am not sure, at present, on the other one. Once again, I will update when I can identify it.

24-spot Ladybird

A Bee was busy amongst a Bramble flower and I came across a snail shell that was surprisingly translucent.

translucent Snail shell

I saw a very distant Barn Owl hunting which came as a nice surprise. It was too far for a photo but I thoroughly enjoyed watching it. It always makes my day when I see an owl. I haven't seen one here for a while so it was nice to know that they are still around. I finished the visit with a couple of moths, one of which I will have to update when I can identify it.

Small China-mark Cataclysta lemnata

Birds seen this visit include: 2 Ring-necked Parakeet, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Carrion Crows, 8 Wren, 15 Blackbird, 6 Robin, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Starlings, 4 Chiffchaff, 8 Reed Warblers, 8 Whitethroat, 3 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Wood Pigeons, 5 Swallow, Great Tit, 5 Sand Martin, 5 Song Thrush, Rooks, Jackdaws, female Mallard with 8 ducklings, 1 Turtle Dove, 1 Cuckoo, 4 Moorhen, Herring Gulls, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Collared Doves, 5 Blackcap, 2 Dunnock, House Sparrows, 2 Magpie, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Mistle Thrush, 1 Yellowhammer, 2 Long Tailed Tits, Skylarks, 1 Barn Owl

A Case of Fieldfares Galore - Highstead to Marshside 18/01/19

I haven’t been to Highstead for a long time so I thought I would give it a go this morning and see if there was any chance of being able to see the water, going on the fact that the vegetation would have died down, being winter. I did look in the summer but at that point I could not see the water at all, everything was too grown up. The wind was south westerly today and some sunshine was a definite bonus.

It looks as if the apple orchard is being extended as they have cleared all of the rough ground. There are going to be some very disappointed birds as it was superb habitat there. A tractor was still working at the bottom of the area, while at the top 33 Black-headed Gulls were picking around in the newly cleared ground.

There were a huge number of Fieldfare, easily 1000, on and near the apple orchard, together with at least 500 Starling. The sound of the birds calling was incredible. A mass of Starling together are certainly pretty noisy. I could also see at least 60 Redwing as well. They were all making the most of all the fallen apples, and presumably the ones left on the trees. They were so loud that I could hear them as I walked up the road.

There were the usual little jobs around the stable area and I could hear a Green Woodpecker calling.

I could see some Fieldfare in the trees ahead as I started up the bridleway. I half expected them to all take off as soon as they saw me but luckily I was able to gradually work my way closer. As one of the birds came into land it showed its white underwing showed well.

Fieldfares

Fieldfare coming in to land

I kept tucked close to the hedge and worked my way slowly closer. There was a lot of swapping back and fore with the birds, as some flew to the orchard, and some flew from it to settle in the trees. One of the birds was showing its grey rump well and another allowed a view of its undertail covets.

Fieldfares

Fieldfares

I continued to work my way closer, keeping well tucked in to the hedge. By doing this I was treated to some lovely close views. They are very handsome birds. Some were very heavily streaked with very orange breasts while others were less heavily streaked and much paler breasts.

Fieldfare

Fieldfare

I carried on down the track, surrounded by sound from the Starlings and Fieldfares. I reckon any count that I make will be an underestimate. It sounded like thousands of birds in there. There were 44 Lapwing feeding at the back of one of the fields. At one point a Common Buzzard flew through and put them all up.

Lapwings in flight

I headed on towards the old gravel pit. There was a Common Buzzard perched in the far trees, perhaps the same one that flew over. It was disappointing to find that it was impossible to see the water. The banks are too high and too much vegetation has grown up in the bits that I might have been able to see. It seems such a shame. It used to be a really good spot to watch but since they reverted it back to farmland it is just no longer visible. There were a few sheep feeding on the banks. I am not sure what breed they are. A Common Buzzard flew over and may have been the same one I saw perched.

Sheep

Sheep

Common Buzzard

There was a little bit of a puddle in one of the fields, in the same place it used to collect and where I used to sometimes see waders, but nothing was on it today and it was very small. If we suddenly get some sustained rain it would be worth checking out again.

I headed on down towards Marshside rather hoping to catch up with a Woodcock as I have seen them here before on one occasion. Unfortunately no such luck today. I did however get a new bird for the year as I saw a female Sparrowhawk (75) fly out from the wood. At the bottom of the path there was some Traveller’s Joy and I also took a photo looking back up the ploughed field.

Traveller's Joy

Vanishing point

More Fieldfares were in the bottom trees while there were a few Redwing in the garden by the footpath. Although one of the Redwing was fairly obscured by branches it did enable me to take a shot. They are lovely birds. There was another small flock of Goldfinches.

Fieldfares

Redwing

As I carried on towards Marshside there were a few Long-tailed Tits feeding along the back of the hedge but they remained too obscured to be able to get any usable shots. A Kestrel shot across and a Sparrowhawk put up a large flock of Fieldfare. They had no sooner settled after that when there were birds up everywhere, bunching together in flocks, and clearly panicked. The reason soon became clear as I could see a Peregrine (76) going through the middle of them. It really did cause chaos. I was pleased to see the Peregrine but I did feel sorry for the birds. I could hear a Robin singing from the hedge and I was able to get some nice shots of it. Initially it was quite obscured by branches but I was able to slowly work my way round until I could see it better.

Singing Robin

Singing Robin

Singing Robin

A male Chaffinch gave some nice views, turning first this way then that. It was a real case of which is my best side.

Male Chaffinch

Male Chaffinch

As I walked down the road to Marshside flocks of Starling and Fieldfares shot into the trees with a whirring of wings. There must have been a raptor again. They are amazing, the air is full of multiple calls and then suddenly it goes completely silent as if mute has been pressed. It seems to be as soon as they spot a raptor. By the sheep field there were 6 Moorhens in the dyke and as I walked along the road a Grey Heron flew over at the back. I walked as far as Reynolds Lane and then called it a day. I took a photo, from the dyke just before Reynolds Lane, and as I arrived at the lane a few Rook flew over, one of which passed right overhead.

Marshside Dyke

Rook

It had been a good, even if very painful visit and two new birds for the year was a bonus.

Birds seen this visit include: Black-headed Gull, Carrion Crow, Rook, Jackdaw, 1 Meadow Pipit, 500 Starling, c 1500 Fieldfare, 60 Redwing, House Sparrow, Goldfinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, 3 Green Woodpecker, 5 Song Thrush, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Wren, 44 Lapwing, 3 Common Buzzard, Magpie, Jay, Cormorant, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, 7 Moorhen, 1 Grey Heron