tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69590764605979639972024-03-12T19:38:03.397-07:00Bishop's Stortford Bird GroupBirds of the Bishop's Stortford Area.DorsetDipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612884207485991011noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959076460597963997.post-11753547887670886702018-10-05T09:45:00.001-07:002018-10-05T09:45:22.040-07:00About time I put some photo's on, taken in the garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Keith Overallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06820808017687726529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959076460597963997.post-35231447252796860372018-02-28T09:14:00.001-08:002018-02-28T09:14:25.352-08:00A few of the birds in the garden today<br />
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<br />Keith Overallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06820808017687726529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959076460597963997.post-7516156711050620522018-01-06T13:42:00.002-08:002018-01-06T13:42:46.436-08:00so that was 2017 ...The total number of bird species recorded on my completely uncontrolled and unauthorised spreadsheet in 2017 was 124.<br />
<br />
<u>Highlights include:</u><br />
<b>Raven</b> seen first on 29th Jan then occasionally during the year. Fingers crossed for breeding in Hatfield Forest in 2018 of this charismatic corvid.<br />
<b>Lesser Spotted Woodpecker</b> on 6th March. We will be doing well to record this species again in 2018.<br />
<b>Black-Necked Grebe</b> at SAL on 19th April. A stunning summer plumaged bird.<br />
<b>Ruff</b> at SAL in April<br />
<b>Corn Bunting</b> singing at Tharbies on 1st May was sadly a one-off and not a return of a lost breeding species.<br />
<b>Nightingale</b> singing in Hatfield Forest.<br />
<b>Grasshopper Warbler</b> and <b>Marsh Harrier</b> at Thorley Wash in June<br />
<b>White Stork</b> reported from Little Hadham on 10th August<br />
<b>Black Tern</b> at SAL on 5th Sept.<br />
<b>Osprey</b> over central Stortford on 1st October<br />
<b>Hawfinch</b> in Hatfield Forest from mid-October onwards.<br />
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<u>Notable misses include: </u><br />
<b>Pochard</b>. Surely present but not recorded.<br />
<b>Dunlin</b>, <b>Ringed Plover</b>, always potentially passing through somewhere in the area but not this year.<br />
<b>Turtle Dove</b> - none recorded in the area this year.<br />
<b>Yellow-legged Gull</b>, <b>Mediterranean Gull</b>, both can be found in autumn in freshly ploughed fields, but not this year.<br />
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So there are some decent target birds to keep us going, and who knows what else 2018 will bring!DorsetDipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612884207485991011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959076460597963997.post-67040507269549191902017-12-10T02:14:00.001-08:002017-12-10T02:32:13.411-08:00Hawfinches in Hatfield Forest in early winter 2017-18.<div class="MsoNormal">
For many birders the Hawfinch is a special bird. A large and
distinctive finch, it is a shy bird of mature woodlands in the UK eating mainly
Hornbeam fruit. Hawfinches used to<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>be a
regular bird in the Stortford area mainly in Hatfield Forest and also in other
local woods, but since the turn of the century this bird has become hard to see
with just a few scattered records mainly from Hatfield Forest and no records at
all for the last few years. Local birders wanting to see Hawfinches have either
had to go to Bramfield Church near Hertford to get one of a handful of wintering
birds, try their luck in the vast expanse of Broxbourne Woods or join the
crowds at the roost at Lynford Arboretum
in Norfolk.<o:p></o:p></div>
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All that changed this autumn with an influx unprecedented in
living memory. On 14<sup>th</sup> October birders across the south-east started
recording Hawfinches flying over their local patches and watchpoints. Former
Stortford-area birder Stephen Patmore had several birds flying over his new
patch in south London and let Sawbridgeworth birder Mike Harris know Hawfinches
were on the move. Mike immediately drove up to Shingle Hall Farm at Trims Green
on the high ground and soon had a flock of 5 birds flying south – the first local
birds records for a number of years. Whatever the cause of this influx (suspected
to be widespread beech-mast failure in Eastern Europe driving birds to flee in
search of food) this influx has become the principal birding event of the autumn <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Hawfinches continued to be seen across the country flying
over watchpoints. As the records continued Mike and I(JS) started wondering if
these birds were not just passing over but settling in woodlands, in which case
were they in <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hatfield-forest">Hatfield Forest</a>, the former local stronghold? Hatfield Forest is a
<a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/documents/maps/1431729754911-hatfield-forest.pdf">large ancient forest of 4<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.0pt;">km<sup>2</sup></span><!--EndFragment--> in area</a>. It is a series of discrete coppices with
rides of varying widths between them, and birding in the forest is always quite
a challenge due to the small size of the target birds and dense woodland. We went on 25<sup>th</sup> October to have a look and chose Wall Wood,
just off the SW corner of Hatfield Forest as a suitable place as the most
recent records were from this area. We saw none in this wood or in the neighbouring
SW corner of the Forest.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mike learned from Stephen that a favoured area had been
<a href="http://cdn.rowleygallery.co.uk/2012/05/Map-of-Hatfield-Forest.jpg">Elgin Coppice</a> on the east edge near Bush End car park where there
were Hornbeams. We returned on 31<sup>st</sup> October parking at Bush End car park and
headed off to Elgin Coppice. We saw no Hawfinches, and continued on to Elgin car
park. From there Mike saw a small flock of short-tailed Redwing-sized birds way
over on the west side of the forest, so with no better plan we headed over. We
came across a flock of Redwing and Bullfinch feeding on the edge of a
plantation just out the back of the Warren cottage and as we approached Mike
heard a distinctive call and a sausage-shaped bird with white wing-bars flew
out – Eureka! After many blank years Hawfinch was back feeding in the forest. Shortly
after another bird flew out, then two more, and slowly more flew out until we
had nine birds. We decided to head off back to the car park and as we left a further
flock of five flew over and then as we walked across the dam a flock of nine
birds were seen flying north over Gravel Pit Coppice on the eastern bank of the
lake. A total of 23 birds (assuming no duplication).<o:p></o:p></div>
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We put the record on the EBWS site and subsequently many
other birders came to the forest and started seeing and photographing the
birds. It soon became apparent that birds were feeding in Hornbeams between
Bush End car park and Gravel pit coppice by the lake. No criticism is intended in saying that whilst many
birders stayed in this area and had great views of these birds, this gives little information about how many
birds are in the forest in total. Was it just the 23 we had seen? Was it over
a hundred? We had no way of knowing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We returned with David Sampson on 10<sup>th</sup> Nov and
went from the car park round the lake and back through Elgin Coppice. We saw a
total of nine birds mainly in the car park / gravel pit coppice area. On 21<sup>st</sup> MH and JS had a 5 hour walk round the Forest with the exception of the south west section
and saw a total of 30 birds. Birds were seen well in open wooded habitat
north-west of the lake up from London bridge as well as the area near the car
park, and in the early afternoon flying west over the dam area in small groups.
Was there a roost on the western edge? If we found it would we be able to get a
more accurate total for the Forest? On 27<sup>th</sup> November JS spent the
early afternoon drawing a blank in the only unchecked area of the forest in the
SE corner near the Doodle Oak gate and then went to a likely-looking area in the
centre of the Forest. At 2pm a single bird flew into a tree , then shortly
after another, then at 3 pm five more appeared and went into some deciduous
grees where they sat quietly to be joined by two more. This seemed like
roosting behavior but with just a small number of birds. MH and JS returned on 8<sup>th</sup>
Dec and saw just a few in this area before fading light and freezing cold meant
we gave up for the day.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
What do these observations tell us about the total number of
Hawfinches in the forest? The maximum count is 30 birds. Are there 100 birds? I
consider it unlikely. Extensive looking has not revealed flocks away from the Gravel Pit Coppice/car park area or the central area stretching from the lodge up to the
Portingbury Hills. The roost site did not indicate large numbers of birds
coming in. Also, our experience has been that whilst the calls (now widely known
as being an electric "Tsiipp" settled contact and a flight "tseet" call) are quiet
and brief, Hawfinches are, like Bullfinches, chatty birds that let you know they are
around. Most of our observations started with hearing one of these calls and
then seeing the birds, so I don’t think our blank searching in parts of the
forest will have missed signficant flocks. Other birders have spent considerable time in
the forest judging by the times given on <a href="http://www.ebws.org.uk/ebs/news.asp?pageid=14">EBWS</a> site records and whilst seeing
many birds have not exceeded the number seen by MH and JS. It is possible that
there are areas of the forest where birds are feeding quietly, or possibly
feeding outside the forest and flying into an undiscovered roost, but I see little
evidence to indicate a maximum number of more than, say, fifty birds.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Mike’s experience as a ringer sheds light on winter finch flocks.
What can seem like a single static flock is often a highly transitory flock
with birds spending only a few days; over-flying birds are drawn in by calls from
the current flock, and others having exhausted the food they can find
move on. So the flock may be variable in number through the winter, and we may
have already seen the peak. <o:p></o:p></div>
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One feature of the interest in the Forest’s Hawfinches is
that a thorough watch of the Forest has taken place. In addition to the
Hawfinches there have been 2 Ravens seen a few times, several Marsh Tits,
maxima of 30 Jay and 24 Bullfinch throughout the forest as well as the commoner
woodland birds. There have however been no records of Lesser Spotted Woodpecker so this
bird continues to be at best very scarce in a former local stronghold.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Just a final personal thanks to Mike Harris for sharing his expertise, patience and enthusiasm in this quest for Hawfinch in Hatfield Forest and for finding the birds that have brought birding happiness to many local birders.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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John Slee
DorsetDipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612884207485991011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959076460597963997.post-16949515297149040112017-11-05T23:04:00.002-08:002017-11-05T23:04:50.969-08:00South Sawbridgeworth Patch RoundupSome highlights from my patch (Pishiobury Park east to the railway line, south of Sawbridgeworth as far as Feakes Lock) from Oct to early November.<br />
<br />
<b>Little Egret</b> 2 on 30th Oct<br />
<b>Buzzard</b> max 4 on 1st<br />
<b>Little Owl</b> seen occasionally.<br />
<b>Red Kite</b> 2 on 4th October<br />
<b>Hobby</b> last sighting on 9th Oct<br />
<b>Great Black Backed Gull</b> 1 through on 28th<br />
<b>Magpie</b> 22 in a field by Nursery Wood pre-roos 31st October<br />
<b>Ring-Necked Parakeet</b> 6 seen in the Park Osier beds on the morning of 5th November<br />
<b>House Martin</b>100+ N on 1st October<br />
<b>Swallow</b> last was 4 s over the park on 14th Oct<br />
<b>Redwing</b> 1st on 22nd Oct. 14 W on 30th Oct<br />
<b>Fieldfare</b> 32W on 30th Oct<br />
<b>Starling</b> 42W on 30th Oct<br />
<b>Stonechat</b> female on 28th<br />
<b>Pied Wagtail</b> 1 sous on 31st October was the first of the year<br />
<b>Hawfinch</b> 2 seen in flight with a small finch flock on 28th<br />
<b>Lesser Redpoll</b> 2 by Feakes Lock on 28th<br />
<b>Siskin</b> 2 over on 9th Oct<br />
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patch list currently at 91 for the year.DorsetDipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612884207485991011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959076460597963997.post-12784639789671955352017-11-05T07:00:00.002-08:002017-11-05T07:00:33.400-08:00HawfinchVisited Hatfield Forest this morning 8.45 to 10.30 only saw one Hawfinch but got more photo's in better light.<br />
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Keith Overallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06820808017687726529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959076460597963997.post-31188104378165750302017-11-02T09:33:00.001-07:002017-11-02T09:33:55.465-07:00Hatfield ForestVisited Hatfield Forest this afternoon looking for Hawfinch (thanks to John's report earlier this week ) and had almost give up when I spotted at least five at the top of a large oak, not far from<br />
Bush End car park to left of entrance road.<br />
See photo, record shot, poor light and very high up.<br />
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Keith Overallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06820808017687726529noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959076460597963997.post-82337041629876152152017-10-02T13:48:00.005-07:002017-10-02T13:48:37.015-07:00List update + OspreyAn <b>Osprey</b> seen heading south over Bishop's Stortford on 1st October gives me a chance to update the list.<br />
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also in there are <b>Greenshank</b> and <b>Common Sandpiper</b> taking the list to 121.DorsetDipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612884207485991011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959076460597963997.post-27374666816056609652017-09-24T12:28:00.000-07:002017-09-24T12:28:02.088-07:00South Sawbridgeworth 22 Sept<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Patch walk with Mike Harris and David Sampson.</div>
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The list was:</div>
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<b>Whinchat</b> 1 in the chat field</div>
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Coal Tit 1 - common enough in the town but unusual on the patch</div>
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Long-tailed tit - 25, unless we saw the same group of 10 twice.</div>
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Blue Tit 9</div>
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Great Tit 8</div>
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Dunnock 12</div>
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Robin 20+</div>
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Wren 2</div>
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Blackbird 2</div>
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Chaffinch 6</div>
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Goldfinch 7</div>
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Bullfinch 3</div>
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Greenfinch 2</div>
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Magpie 3</div>
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Jay 7. The majority moving SE or E - migrants?</div>
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Starling 1</div>
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Rook NC</div>
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Carrion Crow NC</div>
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Jackdaw NC</div>
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LBBG 1</div>
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Willow Chiff 11 seen. Nearly all ChiffChaffs</div>
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Willow Warbler 1 on Brook Road</div>
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Collared Dove 1 on Brook road.</div>
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Blackcap 2</div>
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Green Woodpecker 3</div>
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Great Spotted Woodpecker 2</div>
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Nuthatch 1</div>
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Meadow Pipit c20</div>
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Skylark 4 minimum</div>
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Reed Bunting 1</div>
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Goldcrest 1</div>
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House sparrow 1</div>
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Sparrowhawk 1</div>
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Kestrel 3</div>
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Buzzard 3</div>
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Mallard 4</div>
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Moorhen 1</div>
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Swallow 1</div>
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House Martin 55</div>
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Stock Dove 1</div>
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Wood Pigeon NC </div>
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Pheasant 1</div>
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A couple of photo's taken by David Sampson - the Whinchat against the light and a juvenile Green woodpecker.</div>
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And the following day 2 <b>Grey Wagtails</b> on Southbrook - the first here in the second half of the yearDorsetDipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612884207485991011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959076460597963997.post-38229214846939913062017-09-21T03:44:00.005-07:002017-09-21T03:44:52.378-07:00Tharbies Bird Observatory - two visits.Two recent visits to Tharbies. I park in the loop road by the cemetery just north of Sawbridgeworth, walk south a couple of hundred yards, cross the road and up the public footpath one field north of Leventhorpe School, then carry straight on past the end of the wood up to the ridge and stand by the NE corner of the field by Tharbies. I had Swallows almost flying into me from here today.<br />
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17th. Some <b>Pied Wagtails</b> in the fields on the way up with <b>Meadow Pipits</b>, 2 <b>Reed Bunting</b>, 2 <b>Grey Partridge</b>, 1 <b>Cormorant</b><br />
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21st.<br />
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<b>Yellow Wagtai</b>l 2<br />
<b>Swallow</b> c40 and <b>House Martin</b> 17 south<br />
c100 Gulls of 4 species, mainly <b>Black Headed</b><br />
<b>Common Buzzard</b> 3<br />
<b>Sparrowhawk</b> 1f in the large field<br />
<b>Red Kite</b> 1<br />
<b>Linnet</b> c30<br />
<b>Skylark</b> 30+<br />
<b>Meadow Pipit</b> c20<br />
<b>Yellowhammer</b> 3<br />
<b>Starling</b> c20DorsetDipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612884207485991011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959076460597963997.post-45004684830007571922017-08-29T11:03:00.001-07:002017-08-29T14:40:17.199-07:00South Sawbridgeworth Update and List LatestThe latest addition to the list was a <b>White Stork</b> reported on Birdguides over Little Hadham on 10th August<br />
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The South Sawbridgeworth patch has been well watched. "Usual" birds on the patch have included <b>Lesser Whitethroat</b>, <b>Reed Warbler</b>, <b>Common Buzzard</b>, <b>Kingfisher</b>, <b>Nuthatch</b>, <b>Green</b> and <b>Great Spotted Woodpecker</b>, <b>Grey Wagtail</b>, <b>Cetti's Warbler</b>, <b>Bullfinch</b>, <b>Treecreeper</b>, and <b>Little Owl</b>, <b>Sparrowhawk</b>, <b>Red Kite</b>. Visitors have included <b>Common Tern</b> on 8th June, <b>Peregrine</b> through from the south on 22nd August, and <b>Hobby</b> and <b>Ring-Necked Parakeet</b> on 29th August.<br />
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Passage has kicked off. <b>Willow Chiffs</b> have been present in decent numbers. <b>Swifts</b> have been moving through with a small flock seen on 29th August the latest date so far. 5 Y<b>ellow Wagtails</b> flew over the patch - the first record for a couple of years, and <b>Spotted Flycatcher</b> seen on 20th August and 27th August.DorsetDipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612884207485991011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959076460597963997.post-74300581106074655922017-06-13T13:03:00.006-07:002017-06-13T13:03:46.730-07:00Accident Narrowly averted at Allen's GreenA car breaked sharply near Allen's Green on Monday 11th June almost causing a car travelling behind to crash into it. The driver, who declined to be named, said " I realise I should have checked in my mirror and it was a bit reckless, but there was a <b>Grey Partridge</b> right by the side of the road and it's not every day you get a close up of one of those."DorsetDipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612884207485991011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959076460597963997.post-86246889200869292912017-05-02T12:05:00.000-07:002017-05-02T12:05:10.213-07:00Tednambury Marsh - 2 May<b>Cuckoo</b> - seen briefly, but it stayed in the area all the time I was there;<br />
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<b>Common Tern</b>;<br />
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<b>Cettis Warbler</b> - 2 x male very vociferous;<br />
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<b>Lesser Whitethroat</b> - heard only<br />
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<b>Common Whitethroat </b>3 pairs<br />
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<b>Sedge Warbler</b> - 1<br />
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<b>Reed Warbler</b> - 1<br />
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<b>Swallow</b> (no other Hirundines or Swift)<br />
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list from David Sampson (blog <a href="http://www.freewebs.com/davidblog/my-blog-2017">here</a>)DorsetDipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612884207485991011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959076460597963997.post-11742243553721431802017-04-30T14:15:00.002-07:002017-04-30T14:15:31.010-07:00100 upThe 100th species has been found, but I'm not sure what it was.
The list was at 99 when Steve and Paula Chanelle saw <b>Common Tern</b> and <b>Reed Warbler</b> at St Michaels Mead Lake. However I bumped into Colin Wills today at Abberton who had first seen the Black-Necked Grebe at SAL, and he mentioned that a couple of days later he'd seen <b>Ruff</b> and <b>Redshank</b> there so I think that pre-dates the Common Tern.<br />
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<b>Whinchat</b> and <b>Garden Warbler</b> today takes the list to 106. We are still missing Cuckoo, Swift, and Hobby from the list but we should get those next week, then fingers crossed Grasshopper Warbler and Spotted Flycatcher .<br />
<br />DorsetDipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612884207485991011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959076460597963997.post-43539386332059394742017-04-20T02:46:00.000-07:002017-04-20T02:46:17.122-07:00Black Necked Grebe at Stansted Airport LagoonsThere for its second day on the west-most of the three lagoons.<br />
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also 5 <b>Sand Martin</b>, a couple of singing <b>Willow Warblers</b>, and a <b>Lapwing</b>.DorsetDipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612884207485991011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959076460597963997.post-20852440654217149522017-04-19T05:35:00.000-07:002017-04-19T05:35:12.880-07:00Wheatears - 19th AprilA walk round the high ground west of Sawbridgeworth produced a total of 5 <b>Wheatears</b>; one in the big field at Shingle Hall Farm and 4 together in a paddock in the NE corner of Tharbies. Otherwise <b>Grey Partridge</b>, <b>Red-legged Partridge</b>, <b>Red Kite</b>, <b>Common Buzzard</b>, and a sprinkling of the usual resident birds.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">three wheatears in this shot.</td></tr>
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<br />DorsetDipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612884207485991011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959076460597963997.post-27368991361629093072017-02-28T05:55:00.001-08:002017-02-28T05:55:27.732-08:00Wall Wood, Hatfield ForestTook a walk round Wall Wood this morning. I regularly go here not because its particularly good, but its a convenient size so you can compare repeat visits, and regular has Fallow Deer. Today was more complicated because there is quite a lot of tree-felling going on so you need to keep an eye where you are putting your feet. I failed to do this and ended up going flat on my front. Fortunately I had my camera and telephoto lens round my neck to take the impact.<br />
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Mainly the usual Wall Wood stuff. From the entrance a distant <b>Red Kite</b>, once inside <b>Treecreeper</b>, <b>Nuthatch</b>, two <b>Marsh Tits</b>, <b>Coal Tit</b>, <b>Goldcrest</b>, <b>Great-Spotted Woodpecker</b>, about 20 young/female deer, and the usual glimpses of things that might have been. The most notable sighting was a couple of <b>Redpoll</b> sp. my first for the wood. I saw them and immediately though they looked a bit big and well-marked, possibly Mealies, but they were against the light, then in the tops of some trees. Anyway here's a photo, much expanded and lightened, of a might-have been.<br />
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DorsetDipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612884207485991011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959076460597963997.post-85504798241795928992017-02-18T12:55:00.001-08:002017-02-18T12:55:11.282-08:00Sawbridgeworth to Old Harlow walk 18thadded <b>Stonechat</b> to the year list with 2 males and a female at Rowneybury opposite Old Harlow Meads. Probably 2 <b>Barn Owls</b> over the meads showing well for half an hour down to 10 years or so at the closest. Quite acceptable.<br />
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Some wildfowl on SLRS included 2 male <b>Shoveler,</b> several <b>Gadwall </b>and<b> Teal.</b><br />
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Otherwise quite quiet.<br />
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<br />DorsetDipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612884207485991011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959076460597963997.post-376764692430672722017-02-03T05:18:00.001-08:002017-02-03T05:18:45.930-08:00It's an ill wind ...<br />
Avoided the horrendous snarl up in Sawbridgeworth this morning by detouring round the back ... and got <b>Grey Partridge</b> in the field south of Blounts Farm.<br />
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A walk round a water-logged patch this morning. The field between the horse field and the osier bed below Pishiobury Park is flooded. Through the hedgerow bordering the field I managed to spot 4 <b>Wigeon</b>, 2 <b>Shoveler</b>, low tens of <b>Teal</b> and <b>Gadwall</b>, 2 <b>Mute Swan</b> and a <b>Little Egret</b>.<br />
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List updated and now on 73.</div>
DorsetDipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612884207485991011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959076460597963997.post-91086028734927583762017-01-22T08:52:00.001-08:002017-01-22T08:52:13.442-08:00Rickling Green to Rickling ChurchSaturday 21/1/2017<br />
In fields both sides of road<br />
Fieldfare 50+ Lapwing 30+ Golden Plover 20+<br />
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Keith Overallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06820808017687726529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959076460597963997.post-87885807227626135872017-01-18T09:20:00.003-08:002017-01-18T09:20:24.500-08:00Sawbridgeworth 18th JanA morning walk round the patch. Write up with "atmospheric" photos <a href="http://dorsetdipper.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/patch-outing.html">here</a>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patch record number of Cormorants.</td></tr>
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Of note:<br />
<b>Little Owl</b> - 1 in same field as last year.<br />
<b>Meadow Pipit</b> - 1 in usual rough field.<br />
<b>Cormorant</b>. a max of 13. A record number for the patch. Not good as the patch cannot support this number. They were flying around a lot - I assume the more regular places are frozen over.<br />
<b>Great spotted Woodpecker</b> drumming!<br />
<br />
pm - a <b>Little Egret</b> in the stream by Southbrook. It fished away quite happily despite my standing only twenty yards away.DorsetDipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612884207485991011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959076460597963997.post-27205803161110526232017-01-15T11:32:00.000-08:002017-01-15T11:32:16.435-08:00Garden in the snowFriday 13/1/2017<br />
Eighteen species of birds visited the garden on Friday in the snow<br />
Starling - Fieldfare - Chaffinch - Blackbird - House Sparrow - Goldfinch <br />
Robin - Wood Pigeon - Bullfinch - Dunnock - Collared dove - Coal Tit <br />
Blue Tit - Long-tailed tit - Magpie - Feral Pigeon - Great tit - Wren<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_CbxKjy0GJZc17xzGB92rYgXmFqMeKtfrNxKaxdE1dzjPu74znW7rpxKmd2OXAA9QnchFcg3fMkN6TDZ49f2eCxcUBvVfxqGvYIJwA0TFhs5krA2GTHQ32fsO5mruL6gH5JAHxavKc4/s1600/H37A7630_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_CbxKjy0GJZc17xzGB92rYgXmFqMeKtfrNxKaxdE1dzjPu74znW7rpxKmd2OXAA9QnchFcg3fMkN6TDZ49f2eCxcUBvVfxqGvYIJwA0TFhs5krA2GTHQ32fsO5mruL6gH5JAHxavKc4/s200/H37A7630_edited-1.jpg" width="200" /></a>Keith Overallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06820808017687726529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959076460597963997.post-25831384749126925332016-12-29T06:59:00.003-08:002016-12-29T06:59:28.785-08:002000 Woodpigeons.There's always something to see on the Patch, even when there's nothing to see. Today it was a sky filled with <b>Wood Pigeons</b>. I didn't see what put them up. There was some shooting in the area, so may have been that.<br />
<br />
Counting was hard, but by the old technique of counting ten in singles, counting a hundred in tens, then counting hundreds, I got to 2000.<br />
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Here's a couple of pictures. I think the first has 800 in - this wasn't the only flock in the air - and the next shows some of the birds in the trees.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flock of about 800 Wood Pigeons</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wood Pigeons in tree tops behind Pishiobury House</td></tr>
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Other birds seen included several <b>Yellowhammers</b>, a few <b>Meadow Pipits</b>, a <b>Reed Bunting</b>, and a couple of <b>Little Grebes</b> on the river below Feakes Lock.<br />
<br />DorsetDipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612884207485991011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959076460597963997.post-21611537128328596002016-12-28T02:26:00.001-08:002016-12-28T02:26:42.729-08:00Bishops Stortford gardenTuesday 27 December 2016<br />
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Male Blackcap in garden in bushes and then<br />
on bird bath<br />
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Keith Overallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06820808017687726529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959076460597963997.post-9156767883843387182016-12-27T06:03:00.001-08:002016-12-27T06:04:32.717-08:00Pincey Brook Marsh, Hatfield Broad Oak, 27 Deca crisp morning walk.<br />
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selected list:<br />
<b>Wigeon</b> 1 female a first for me at this site.<br />
<b>Teal</b> c40<br />
<b>Little Egret</b> 2<br />
<b>Common Gull </b>c20<br />
<b>Lapwing</b> 18 flew over high NE<br />
<b>Grey Wagtail </b>1<br />
<b>Kingfisher</b> 1<br />
<b>Snipe</b> 1<br />
<b>Fieldfare</b> 2<br />
<b>Reed Bunting</b> 1<br />
<b>Goldfinch</b> 5<br />
<b>Buzzard</b> 2<br />
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<br />DorsetDipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612884207485991011noreply@blogger.com0