Easter Wanderings

Good weather birding.

Blue-ee

This cracking bird spending a fruitless second spring on territory at Welney. I didn't manage to visit last year but the little beauty showed very nicely yesterday morning once the sun had decided to come out. If only a female would drop in..........

Grasshopper Warbler

Good to see Grasshopper Warblers in the village this spring following two or three years where they had seemed to have vanished. A full selection of warblers this morning with the exception of Lesser Whitethroat which doesn't seem to have arrived yet. The local male Cuckoo has also returned - wonder if he's as glad to see me as I am to see him ?

Hornet

I don't like getting too close to these beasts despite finding them fascinating. Fortunately the 400mm and a heavy crop gave me safe range and didn't bring the goose-bumps out too much!

Avocets @ Willington

On the 16th March I recorded my first Avocet at Willington, this morning I found two there. Two had been seen earlier in the morning at the Brick Pits so it seems they had relocated to here. Poor shots but good birds for Willington.

Garden Birds

I tend to take for granted the diversity of birds I can see from my garden living close to the river here in Willington. As well as the local Barnacle Geese, I had a pair of Shelduck fly low over the garden last evening in the lovely light. Best fly-over birds seen over the years include Whimbrel, Kingfisher, Barn Owl, Raven, Merlin and Lesser-spotted Woodpecker.

Close Ups

Lost Property

River Ouse, Willington.

Super Mooning

The closest we have been to the moon in the past 19 years apparently and supposedly looking

625 miles closer to us than it did last month. News reports said that it would appear 14% bigger and 30% brighter when it rose last night but I think some of this is an illusion. Nice moon though, I wouldn't be without it.

There are some scientists who believe that close lunar influence can be the trigger that impacts seismic activity on planet earth, as seen recently off the shores of Japan.

Spring is Sprung

Devonshire

A few hours to spare in Devon this week..........

Orientalis

Having eluded hundreds of birders on Tuesday, the Oriental Turtle Dove duly obliged this morning in the dull, wet garden of number 41. Chipping Norton, Oxon.

It Went That Way

Fun and games in Chipping Norton.

I Saw a Rare Bird

What happens when the tragically uniformed meet the regretably uptight. Funny!

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/8226531/

Odd One Out

I count the flock of naturalised Barnacle Geese at Willington every month and can't say I've seen this one before.

Searching on the web and advice from others suggests a blue-phase Ross's Goose. The bird's facial features don't necessarily point at the initial instinct I had of a hybrid including Barnacle Goose parentage. See the bird here :-

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg787D955qVpjzRFtXHBN6LIk8wpUFEDLR7UmKtRZf7kLhEDXsyXNdccXcyLPpJroSpFgWS_wYAZPojnT4jtrjxyXF9adZ-zzVFnL9wEeE3yfXRDQ28Ni0pXwfmibZwUSjAD-A_/s1600/goose-1b-01-11.jpg

I wonder where it's fence-hopped from? It's not a Danish Camp bird.

Stewartby

Digi-snap of one of the four Scaup from a fleeting visit to Stewartby lake today. A good selection of local birds seen with Bittern and Red-throated Diver being the best of the bunch.

Red Letter Day

In the Telegraph , Ricky Ponting announced that he thought that the Ashes trophy urn should travel to the winning nation rather than remain locked up in the Lords Museum. Funny really as his wishes will be truly granted and the urn will remain in situ !

Geoffrey Boycott reports - "England Brilliant. Now on to Syndney and let's beat the buggers again."

Iced Up

A late WeBs count for Willington this month to reduce the impact on disturbance in such harsh conditions. I found that the Main & Fishing lake were iced at 95% with only a small pool of open water remaining on the latter with the Main Lake totally frozen and devoid of birdlife. The open water was unfortunately close to the access causeway which meant that every dog walker resulted in putting the birds up, burning calories that they cant easily replace.

I counted 178 Wigeon and only a handful of Tufted Duck, Gadwall and Pochard. A single Great-crested Grebe, Greylag and Mute Swan with a count of 52 Coot. For the first time in many years, no Barnacle Geese were on site.

Thank goodness for the thaw which has now set in ! Count taken on Monday 27th.

Who you calling Long Ears ?

Spending a winter convalescence with my Brother in Baldock.

Willington Wonderland

I decided not to do my WeBs count at the lakes this morning as to avoid disturbance when the birds are struggling to survive. Can't get the car out the drive so a few images around the village captured instead - snow like this is a novelty and I couldn't resist a few pictures. Like a scene from the Narnia chronicles !