Cuckoo

Cuckoo (2 males), Hobby (1), Oystercatcher (2), Buzzard (1), Kingfisher (several sightings), Little Grebe (main pool and the scrape), Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush (one doing very good nightingale imitation)

Common Blue Damselflies

21st May 2008

Once again I took advantage of some time off from work and went up to Whitacre. It's a funny time of year really not much happening as birds are sitting on the nest and the dragonflies & damselflies aren't really out yet so it was quiet - apart from the hum of the mozzies !

Somewhere between the River pool hide and the Scrape Hide there was a cuckoo calling but I didn't see it and the Greater spotted was calling as well.

First stop was the River pool hide - The Coots now have 5 chicks and were defending them against all comers including Grey Herons and Mallards. The one highlight for me was a pair of Bullfinches seemed to be nesting close by as the kept appearing carrying small twigs and lining material.



The only other bit of colour was provided by the Kingfisher.

The only other sightings were:-

Scrape Hide
2 coots, 2 Mallards and a pair of mating Gadwall.

Flashes Hide
Oystercatcher flying towards Coton Lakes
Buzzard,
Kestrel (a single one and then two others chasing one another)
Woodpigeon

Wednesday May 14th

Good views of Hobby hawking over river hide. 3 little grebe on pond.
Little in the field other than Canada with young and pair of lapwing.
The scrape had pair of Canada with 6 young and pair of Swan, a kingfisher was about for quite a time using the reeds for a perch. 1 Heron.
At the lake hide 3 heron, 2 little grebe and a pair of Swan. Mallard and Gadwall.

Common Terns

Quick visit today:

Shoveler (1 m), Gadwall (1m), Coot (+6 young), Little Grebe, Buzzard, Common Tern (3), LBB Gull (2), BH Gull (1), Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, GS Woodpecker, Reed Bunting, Whitethroat

Small White (15+), Large White (4), Peacock (4), Speckled Wood (1)

Spotted Flycatcher

Flashes: No sign of yesterdays whinchat, sky lark, Whitethroat, GS Woodpecker, Swift (20+)

Meadow: Linnet (2 m, 1f), Kestrel (1), Swallow (2)

Scrape: Little Grebe (2), Pied wagtail (1), Gadwall, Canada Goose (2)

Main Pool: Little Grebe (5), Coot (+ 1 young), Reed Warblers (n)

River Pool: Spotted flycatcher (1), Little Grebe (2), Swift (30+), Sand Martin (1)

All over: Blackcap, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Garden Warbler, Whitethroat

Today at Whitty ..

Well as the sun was still shining I thought I'd take myself of for a few hours. I didn't see much out of the ordinary but what I did see was good.

After a lot of s searching I finally nailed this little git ...



Then a bit further round from the Scrape Hide I saw this Whitethroat singing his head off for ages till I pressed the shutter ...


And from one of the other windows I got this Dabchick



Then finishing off at the field hide Nothing much was happening till this Kestrel landed with a Mole in it's talons

24th April

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker reported in wood, also whitethroat.

© P.Satch

Wednesday April24th

Common Sandpiper and Grey Wagtail from river bridge.
We have removed the nyger feeders from the site for repair due to squirrel damage. We hope to start feeding again in late October.

Little Egret

Little Egret by railway line (J.Harris)

Sunday 13th April

River Pool/Path: Little Grebe (2), Coot (pr nesting), Willow Warbler (3), Blackcap (2 singing males), Bullfinch (1 male), Chiffchaff (4), Song thrush, Goldfinch (4), GS Woodpecker (1)

Northern Pastures: Shelduck (1), Teal (6), Coot, Canada Goose (2)

Railway Bridge/Ingram's field: Oystercatcher (2), Lapwing (6), Sky Lark (4), Canada Goose (6)


Main Pool: Little Grebe (3), Blackcap (1 singing male), Coot (2 pr nesting)

The Scrape: Gadwall (pair), Canada Goose (1 pr nesting), Little Grebe (1), Muntjac deer (1 female), Buzzard (2), Willow Tit (1)


Feeding station: Lesser redpoll (1)

Car Park feeder: Willow Tit (1)

Frog Pool Feeder: Lesser redpoll (1), Goldfinch (4)

Flashes: Buzzard (4), Sky Lark (3)

Thursday 10th April 2008

I had a couple of hours to kill yesterday so I nipped up it the company of Richard Dawkins and Dave Hutton. A very pleasant time it was. The Flashes produced 4 curlew and 2 Oystercatchers and a few stick doves plus the usual suspects.


We then moved on to the Feeder hide. The Siskins and Bramblings have long gone as but it still produced a few Redpoll, Goldfinch, Chaffinch and Reed Buntings plus the normal Tit families


Walking round the other hides didn't provide much in the way of exotic. But did manage to see a Blackcap but wasn't fast enough on the draw to get a shot off.

Let it snow....

A nice snowy morning at Whitacre Heath.



Feeding Station: Willow Tit (2), Lesser Redpoll (6), Siskin (1), Goldfinch (10), Reed Bunting (6), GS Woodpecker (2)

Flashes: Sky lark (2), Meadow Pipit (1), Buzzard (2), Mute Swan (2), Canada Goose (3)

Railway Bridge: Oystercatcher (1), Cormorant (1), Redshank (1)

2nd April 2008

I had sometime off yesterday and it turned out to be a good un! I nipped up to Whitty for 3 or 4 hours and although I didn't take many photo's I had one of the best days for some time. There were 6 cars on the car park so I didn't bother with the Feeder Hide but did the others. List as follows:-

Pool Hide
Moorhen
Coot (7)
Canada Goose (6)
Heron (1)
Chiffchaff (1)
Longtail tit (2)
Mallard (1)
Treecreeper (2)


Main Pool
Dabchick (2)
Coot(5) - 2 on nests
Teal (1)
Heron(1)
Woodpigeon (lots)
Buzzard being Mobbed


The Scrape
Pheasant (1)
Canada Goose (2)
Moorhen (2)
Reed Bunting (1)

and on the way to the Field Hide I spotted thiss little Beauty

The Flashes
Canada Goose (50+)
Curlew (6)
Avocet (1) - flying towards Furnace End
Oystercatcher (1) - flying towards Coton
Shelduck (2) - Flying towards Coton
Reedbunting
Woodpigeons (10+)

I think thats the best haul from the Field Hide!