30/05/09 and 01/06/09

Haven't been getting out much recently due to revision, I'll be very happy when it's all over on the 17th of June. I did manage a visit to Slayley for Nightjars on the 29/05/09 with Crammy Birder and Steve, successful night, with lifer of Nightjars.

I had an evening session at Holywell on Saturday the 30th whilst everyone was watching Britain's Got Talent. First stop was the Beehive Flash, the water levels beginning to drop exposing a nice scrape so I was pleased when I spotted a Ringed Plover, a patch tick, it seemed a while since i've seen this species on the patch. Also about were a pair of Shelduck, 4 Mallard, 2 Redshank, and a lone Moorhen. Next was the Pond.

I arrived at about 20:30, Starling, Collared Dove, House Sparrow and Blackbird were picked up as I locked the car up. Down at the members there was a total of 9 Grey Heron, 6 on the island, I think this is the most Grey Heron I've had at the Pond, with a mixture f adults and imms. 3 Sedge Warbler were singing, along with Reed Bunting, and a Reed Warbler (patch tick) in the NW corner. On the water there was 4 Greylag, both with young, (4+3), 2 Mute Swan, 8 Mallard + 5 ducklings, 4 Tufted, 1 Cormorant, 2 Little Grebe, 1 Lesser Black Backed Gull, Black Headed Gull, Herring Gull, 1 Common Tern and a Pair of Canada plus 5 goslings. Also about were Chiff Chaff, Skylark, Willow Warbler, the usual feeding station crowd, 20+ Swift, House Martain, Swallow, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw and Rook.

North Pool was next, as I was walking along the backtrack to East of the pond, the Gulls began to fly overhead, whilst scanning I picked up a Juv Iceland Gull flying towards the sea. Only a pair of Lapwing and 6 chicks were on the now very dried up North Pool. Walking East a Fox ran from the crop into cover carrying a Rabbit, 2 Grasshopper Warbler were reeling, and there was quite a few large Bats flying overhead, making a high pitched screech, not sure what type there were, but something I plan to find out when I've finished my exams. Finished up at about 22:30.

Yesterday, 01/06/09, after I had my Unit 1 Biology exam I decided to have a revision break and do a bit of birding. I left the house at about 15:30 and headed for the carboot and a nice little patch of reeds in the farmers field towards the Beehive Pub. As it was absolutely scorching hot I had a little sit within the reeds, and was greeted by Reed Bunting, Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat, Blue Tit and Linnet. At some points the Sedge Warbler were coming within half a metre of me, and still belting there song out. I moved on to the Beehive Flash, where again I had a little sit, rather than the brief visits that normally occur. 3 Redshank, 2 Mute Swan, 6 Greylag, a Pair of Shelduck, 2 Lapwing, House Martain, Swallow, Skylark, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Swift, and a large number of Damsleflies were made note of.

Instead of walking to the hide I decided to walk along the Southern side of the Dene, there some nice bits of meadow, and stretches of hedgerow. I walked along through to West Holywell, Holywell Grange. There was quite a few pair of Yellowhammer along the hedgerows, at Backworth Pond, Grey Wagtail, Willow Warbler, Chiff Chaff, Whitethroat, Reed Bunting and a Pair of Stonechat (patch tick) were present. Not a bad couple of days.

Here my patch list so far this year, a total of 102 species;

1. Little Grebe
2. Great Crested Grebe
3. Cormorant
4. Grey Heron
5. Mute Swan
6. Whooper Swan
7. Pink-Footed Goose
8. Greylag Goose
9. Canada Goose
10. Shelduck
11. Wigeon
12. Gadwall
13. Teal
14. Mallard
15. Pintail
16. Garganey
17. Shoveler
18. Pochard
19. Tufted Duck
20. Scaup
21. Goldeneye
22. Goosesander
23. Ruddy Duck
24. Marsh Harrier
25. Sparrowhawk
26. Common Buzzard
27. Kestrel
28. Red- Legged Partridge
29. Grey Partridge
30. Pheasant
31. Water Rail
32. Moorhen
33. Coot
34. Oystercatcher
35. Ringed Plover
36. Lapwing
37. Snipe
38. Curlew
39. Redshank
40. Common Sandpiper
41. Med Gull
42. Black Headed Gull
43. Common Gull
44. Lesser Black Backed Gull
45. Herring Gull
46. Iceland Gull
47. Great Black Backed Gull
48. Common Tern
49. Stock Dove
50. Woodpiegeon
51. Collared Dove
52. Short Eared Owl
53. Swift
54. Kingfisher
55. Great Spotted Woodpecker
56. Skylark
57. Sand Martain
58. House Martain
59. Swallow
60. Meadow Pipit
61. Grey Wagtail
62. Pied Wagtail
63. Wren
64. Dunnock
65. Robin
66. Stonechat
67. Northern Wheatear
68. Blackbird
69. Fieldfare
70. Song Thrush
71. Redwing
72. Mistle Thrush
73. Grasshopper Warbler
74. Sedge Warbler
75. Reed Warbler
76. Lesser Whitethroat
77. Whitethroat
78. Blackcap
79. Chiff Chaff
80. Willow Warbler
81. Spotted Flycatcher
82. Long-Tailed Tit
83. Willow Tit
84. Coal Tit
85. Blue Tit
86. Great tit
87. Nuthatch
88. Magpie
89. Jackdaw
90. Rook
91. Carrion Crow
92. Starling
93. House Sparrow
94. Chaffinch
95. Bullfinch
96. Brambling
97. Greenfinch
98. Goldfinch
99. Linnet
100. Yellowhammer
101. Reed Bunting
102. Feral Pigeon