29-12-06

Not a very good day weather wise so I thought I would go to Holywell at least there is shelter if it rains heavy,the gulls where collecting as I arrived but not much else seen from the hide,I did catch sight of a Water Rail on the edge of the rushes and it eventually came in to the open and looked as if it would come towards me the light was improving very slightly so I reset my cameras iso, the bird came into the open again edging nearer as I pressed the shutter release "bleep bleep bleep" went the camera as I had caught the self timer button and the bird was off ***** & **** I thought my best chance so far of getting a Water Rail lost, it did come out again later and flew in front of the hide but to dull for any good shots.
The Pinkfeet came over in a large flock and a couple of hundred settled on the water briefly and left,Wigeon ,Teal,Tufted,Pochard,Goldeneye & Mallard at the far end hide but no sign of the Yellowhammer/Reed Bunting flock.

26-12-06

Hope you all had a very good Christmas,wanting to get some fresh air and also hoping for a white winged gull at the local harbour,I headed for Blyth docks also known as South Harbour I had hoped some fishing boats would have docked here for the Christmas holidays and brought some gulls in with them but alas not more than a handfull of gulls and the same for Eider.There was a report of three Snow Buntings and as I checked out a few gulls on the shoreline they flew across my field of view and into the dunes I took a couple of shots as they sat on the wall but they are not very confiding and rapidly took flight.

23-12-06

Today we went to St Mary's Island area and walked to nearby Holywell very quiet at the island a pair of Stonechats and a good flock of Curlew in the radio mast field Teal and Mallard on the pond and two Greylag flew overhead ,only saw one Golden Plover on the rocks,so from here we went to Holywell via the dene a Kingfisher flew past calling Yellowhammers on the Hawthorns up the hill and looking towards Deleval Hall a large flock of Pinkfeet circled and dropped back down in the distance.Back down the path and through the Dene.

22-12-06

Another visit to West Hartford for the Owls a much better day sunny and calmer weather,the owls where on show as soon as I got there flying across the rough grassland and mixing it up with each other but always at a distance took a few shots but still nothing special so I just enjoyed the view as they seemed to play with the Crows that tried to have a go at them .

21-12-06

Two Magpies and several Collared Doves in the setting sun

Another run to Hollywell Pond very quiet more Teal & Widgeon than usual Sparrowhawk passed over three times and again around 1pm a flock of gulls of about a thousand descended and began to bathe & preen,flock of about 60+ Yellowhammer & Reed Bunting down the track,more duck at the far end of the pond a walk around the fields only came up with the same Reed & Yellowhammers.

20-12-06

Just a quick trip to West Hartford to try for the Short Eared Owls but not showing only a pair of Stonechats Kestrel and Meadow Pipits

Richardson's Canada Goose

Little Auks 2 November 2006

Little Auk Movement November 2006

Photos

Migrant Hawker at Arcot Pond

The Red Arrows flying over Arcot Pond

Grey Wagtail Digiscoped at Arcot Pond

Photos 2006

Spotted Redshank Beehive Flash
Greenfinch Cresswell

19th December

Much the same as yesterday with perhaps a harder frost through the night so I thought I would go back to Holywell Pond for an hour or two as there is always tommorrow to go Christmas shopping.A lot brighter than yesterday but not much on the pond a Goosander in front of the hide and a Sparrowhawk over with the usual suspects at the feeders,but at around 1pm gulls just descended onto the pond in a huge stream like you see when Starlings go down to roost there was well over a thousand mostly Black-headed,I could find no meds in amongst them,a mixed flock of Yellowhammers & Reed Buntings along the track but the highlight of the day was a Stoat in full ermine not seen one for many years.

18th December

Not wanting to go far as it was late in the morning,but as the sun was shining I thought I would head up to Holywell for an hour or two going along the coast road there was a thick mist which covered the pond as well I thought it might burn off so I stayed hoping for Water Rail with no luck there was a large flock of gulls on the pond so I scanned and picked out an adult med gull and counted the flock for the sake of it 920 Black-Headed in total.