8 DECEMBER 2025 – NORFOLK (LYNFORD ARBORETUM and SANTON DOWNHAM

John gave Mike and I a choice of venue and we came up with Lynford Aboretum for Hawfinch as our main quarry, and Santon Downham for Brambling.

Leaving at 8.00 a.m. from mine we arrived at Lynford Arboretum shortly after 9.30 a.m. when John picked up a Firecrest within seconds of getting out of his car, with excellent views of a male (we believe we had at least two birds within minutes of the initial sighting) flitting around high up in  trees (a mixtures of pine and beech) with Goldcrests, several tit species and a Treecreeper, until the male flew across the road into a small maple (?) where we were eventually sated with stunning views within a mere few feet - although it proved almost impossible to get decent photographs due to a combination of poor light and the extremely flighty nature of the bird (they move like lightening) but we weren’t at all disappointed.

A short distance away - just behind the Shepherds Baa café - there was  a tree (species unknown) in the grounds of a ‘residential home’, with a flock of Red Crossbills atop it (Mike and John counted 24) - where the birds were constantly flying down to the roof of one of the buildings in the complex – Mike says it was known that they were likely drinking from pools of rainwater collecting on the roof. The light was appalling, but I managed a few photographs of up to fifteen Crossbills (comprising mainly red plumaged males and a few (green plumaged) females.

Along the way, the renown feeding station behind a gated fence had not been set up yet, so we were unlikely to see Hawfinches here - although Mike and I did have a brief view of a probable Firecrest (our third of the day). We made our way down to the bridge where we were expecting to see another feeding station - but that too was absent with the consequence that very few birds were feeding in the vicinity, which was very disappointing – although John did hear Siskins and flyover Crossbills. I also saw a Marsh Tit which John and Mike failed to see.

In the ‘Paddock’ nearby, we spent several minutes waiting to see if there were any Hawfinches which had been seen here of late, before I found one atop a distant pine, and got reasonable views in John’s telescope, before the bird (which was a probable male - although it was difficult to tell) flew nearer and was seen in better light briefly before flying off, followed by a second Hawfinch (a probable female) that we hadn’t realised was there too. Small flocks of Siskin flew over, and in addition the occasional Crossbill or two. A Buzzard was seen in the Paddock field too.

Back at the bridge, we were lucky to observe up to four Crossbills flying down to drink at a small pool at foot of Larches, and I managed a reasonable photograph of a red male (although, once again the light was abysmal). At the gated feeding spot, John found another Hawfinch feeding in the leaf litter; a couple of Nuthatches and Redwings were seen here too - but no Bramblings or Yellowhammers.

After a welcome cappuccino  at the newly expanded Shepherd’s Baa café (where there was a  roaring log fire) we returned to the car with no further sightings of Firecrests or Crossbills and made our way to Santon Downham.

At the St. Helens car park we had two Red Crossbills virtually immediately, but struggled for quite some time before finally we had our Brambling - a probable female; although it was difficult to see the bird well due to a combination of failing light and the heavy leaf litter that the bird was feeding in - together with several Chaffinches; a lone Coal Tit; Blue and Great Tits; Robins and Blackbirds. We tried birding at another location nearby (where we’d seen Woodlarks earlier in the year) but apart from several (deafening) F11 jets that were on exercises out of Lakenheath, the birdlife was sparse with only a male Stonechat, and a Sparrowhawk of interest. At that point we made a beeline for John’s car and journeyed homewards.

FIRECREST (MALE)

RED CROSSBILLS

RED CROSSBILL (MALE)

 

25 NOVEMBER 2025 – ROOKS and WATER BIRDS at SOUTHERN COUNTRY PARK

A bright, sunny morning got me out of the house. I didn’t think there was much chance of getting anything unusual, but I decided to go to Southern Country Park (SCP), more for exercise than anything else. But of course, I took my binoculars and my camera, just in case.

I needed to pass through Thorley Wedge on the way, but even before I got that far, I noticed several Rooks had gathered on telegraph wires/poles in Kent Crescent (just off Norfolk Way, BS) and they were unusually tolerant of me watching them at very close quarters, which allowed me to take a series of photographs. I’ve seen Rooks here on previous occasions, but never more than two at any one time, so I was curious as to why up to ten birds were here now. It soon became clear when a Black-headed Gull attempted to join them, then dropped into a garden where food had been left by the occupants of the house  whose garden it was. It didn’t manage to get a meal before first, a Carrion Crow landed on the food (which I think was bread), swiftly followed by two of the Rooks, though separately.

Previously, I’ve only managed to get fairly distant photographs of Rooks in fields, but these birds were very close indeed, so I could get some decent shots, especially as the birds were not at all concerned about my presence, which suited me fine.

On my way through Thorley Wedge, I noticed a lot of tit activity (mainly Blue tits; Great Tits and a few Long-tailed Tits) and more surprisingly, a decent flock of Chaffinches, which hitherto had not been obvious in the park all year, but I didn’t get to take any photographs.

Southern Country Park was sadly lacking in bird activity, and even around the lake, only 15 or so Mallards, with just one Moorhen and a single Black-headed Gull were obvious. I did my usual circuit without seeing anything of much interest, so as the bright sunlight was beginning to fade into cloud, I made my way home again.

 

 

6 NOVEMBER 202 – TITCHWELL RSPB RESERVE

A 7.30 a.m. start from mine saw us arriving at Titchwell Reserve shortly before 10.00 a.m. At the car park initial excitement soon waned as we failed to connect with Firecrest/s that had been seen earlier, although we did see a male Great Spotted Woodpecker low down that was entirely unexpected. A small movement of Siskin and Goldfinches gave rise to some optimism at first, but nothing much came to fruition up to the Centre, with some chaffinches and tits moving through continually.

News at the Visitors' Centre was more encouraging, as that morning, Firecrest; Yellow-browed Warbler; Bittern; Cattle Egret; a Ring Ouzel and even an Otter had been seen at Patsy’s Pool, so that was obviously our first port of call.

On the way to the Pool, through the fen trail, we endeavoured hard to find our own birds, but even though there was hardly a trickle of wind (which was southerly in direction, as a consequence of which the day was extremely mild for November) there was hardly any movement of birds, with really no more than glimpses of mainly tits and Robins, interspersed by small flocks of Siskin; Redwings; Blackbirds and Starlings. At Patsy’s Pool just a handful of species could be seen - a lone Great Egret; a single Black-tailed Godwit; Moorhens; Coots and a couple of Teal. Across the freshwater marsh to the north one could see the occasional Western Marsh Harrier hawking over the marsh; a Red Kite; a flock of Golden Plover overhead, put up by the Harrier; another Great Egret perched on a dead tree and a Little Egret above it on the same tree. But that was about the level of birding here. John called out a Redpoll (which Mike and I missed) and the surrounding bushes gave up the occasional Goldcrest; a Blackcap; Chaffinches; more Robins; Redwings, and Blackbirds.

Suddenly, a trio of Goldcrest-type birds, alighted on the top of a nearby bush, and the leading bird to me had a clearly defined eye-stripe, so was likely to be a Firecrest, but of course the birds were off and away within seconds, with no definite conclusions as to their true identity, although chances are that they were indeed Firecrests as several birders we encountered later recorded sightings of up to three in the Willow bushes along the fen trail - which was very frustrating for us.

On the way through to the Freshwater Marsh - with everyone searching diligently through the Willows and Oaks - John suddenly called out a Yellow-browed Warbler atop a Willow, and although Mike and I gained glimpses of the bird (and were happy that it was indeed a Yellow-browed) neither of us saw the wing bars and supercilium clearly as the bird was extremely active throughout.

Out on the Freshwater Marsh, and things were markedly quiet bird-wise, probably a consequence of work parties out on the Marsh. Up at the Parrinder hide, birders were on the lookout for an American Golden Plover which had been recorded the previous day, bit it wasn’t showing. The flock of around 200 Eurasian Golden Plovers were down, together with a small number of Avocets; several duck species; Grey-Lag geese;  a sizeable flock of Northern Lapwings; a couple of Ruff; a single Curlew Sandpiper (with a broken leg); Starlings; several Meadow Pipits and a couple of Pied Wagtails.

John and Mike moved off to the beach, with me trailing by some considerable way, as I was struggling in the extremely mild conditions, feeling decidedly weak and tired. At beach I could see my companions way off in the distance - as the tide was at its lowest (indeed the lowest tide I think I’ve experience here) - and turned my attention to a small flock of Snow Buntings that had been seen along the dunes only minutes before - although by the time I’d reached the quartet of birders that had been watching them, the birds had disappeared. I eventually caught up with John and Mike who were busily scanning the beach and the flat-calm sea (in somewhat misty conditions). They’d seen good numbers of Red-throated Divers, but little else of note, whilst on the beach the selection of birds was more encouraging, with around one hundred Knot; Oystercatchers; some Dunlin; a singleton Sanderling; a Bar-tailed Godwit; several Gull species…………. and a Great Egret.

On the way back to the car, news of the sighting of the American Golden Plover from  the Parrinder Hide came through, though by the time I  arrived at the scene a sizeable contingent of birders with their scopes trained on the marsh were present. I wasn’t sure if I stood a chance, but a call from John gave me an opportunity to view the bird through his scope - although as soon as I put my eyes to the lens, there was a flurry of activity as a Marsh Harrier quartered the marsh and put up everything in sight, and I thought my chance had gone. But within a short space of time, the Plover was back down and showing reasonably well amongst some Northern Lapwings.

On the way back to John’s car, I struggled once more to keep up and realised at one stage that I was having a diabetic hypo - more than likely the cause of a lack of nourishment and water. We’d planned to return to the car much earlier to eat our lunches, but circumstances prevented us from doing so. Luckily, I always carry glucose tablets with me, so within a few minutes I’d recovered sufficiently to make my way back - with excellent views of a Water Rail along a dyke near to the Visitors’ Centre; a lovely Roe Deer out in the fields, and a late Common Darter dragonfly to spur me on.

Back at the car park, John and Mike were scanning the bushes hoping to see a Firecrest, and as I was jettisoning my gear John spotted one literally twenty feet or so away, and gained superb views of a stunning male, along with another that joined it briefly. So, in the end we got our Firecrest, better than we’d ever dare hope. Of course, I tried to photograph the bird, but the combination of quite dense vegetation and the overzealous activity of the bird (well, that at least was normal for the species) made it virtually impossible to get a good shot. But it was very well-timed and was very probably the highlight of our day. Whilst we were watching the Firecrest John saw a large bat species fly over the car park, very likely to have been a migrant Noctule, given that it was moving in a direct line from the east, as opposed to hawking for insects.

But we hadn’t finished just yet, as an impromptu visit to a field in Burnham Norton (just along the coast road from Titchwell) where Cattle Egrets had been seen recently amongst the cows, yielded a flyover Egret of the Cattle kind - a definite bonus with which to end the day.

It had been a hard slog at times trying to see the Passerine species, and we were definitely ‘chasing shadows’ (as Mike put it) for a good portion of the morning. And although it wasn’t necessarily a stand-out day overall (at least it wasn't for me at times) there were some exceptional highlights. And that was great.

Regrettably, no photographs as the camera was largely redundant.

 

 

 

1 NOVEMBER 2025 – A WALK ALONG THE RIVER STORT

I needed a well-earned break from the stresses of modern life, as I hadn’t been out anywhere local (apart from shopping) for two weeks or so, and it was beginning to show. It’s Saturday morning and it has dawned bright and sunny - surely enough incentive. And so, following breakfast and some more mundane obligations, I picked up the binoculars and my camera and headed out into a breezy but sunny world, and headed for the River Stort, just slightly south of Bishop’s Stortford Railway station.

It wasn’t a good start, after all it seemed to me that half the population of Bishop’s Stortford had the same idea as me, along with their pet dogs, and the towpath was busy as a consequence. But I trundled on, until I approached the railway bridge, and a few Moorhens and Mallards gathered on the waters both near and beneath it. My camera was busy, as the birds looked at home on the river amid the wonderful array of autumn colours, that splashed through my lens; and the light was simply gorgeous. I knew I had some decent photographs, so I moved on.

Approaching Southmill Lock the play of autumnal colour on the water was truly beautiful at times, and even a gathering of leaf litter in the lock seemed to me to make an excellent composition for photography, as did the reflections of the sides of the barges moored there. Well, I do tend to pride myself on my objective to find unusual subjects for my photography, although I don’t always succeed. But today was different - so far, I thought I’d reached my goal – several times over in fact.

I hadn’t really intended to enter the reserve at Rushy Mead - which is managed by the Essex Wildlife Trust - largely because the place looked hugely overgrown, but something urged me to give it a go. I walked along the path, jagged with tangled brambles and Comfrey, through the trees, but nothing of interest emerged. Turning back, nearing the entrance again, an extremely large flock of Long-tailed Tits - 30-40 individuals strong - exploded above me, some blue tits and a Goldcrest amongst them, and when they eventually moved through (though no photographs were possible) I noticed one particular bird feeding low in the brambles, and when I got my binoculars on it, I couldn’t believe my eyes……………….. it was a Marsh Tit - the first one I’d seen here at Rushy Mead since December 2006! The species was regularly seen both here and at Thorley Wash further downstream near Spellbrook in the early 2000’s (although only two or three pairs or so were known to breed) but had since declined and had completely disappeared locally. Unfortunately, the Marsh Tit moved so quickly through the undergrowth that it proved impossible to get any sort of photograph; but this was a special record indeed.

Further downstream I continued to photograph autumnal scenes, with only a sighting of a Little Egret which flew in briefly, intending to land along the banks of the river, but was thwarted by the sight of anglers and boatmen (the latter clearing debris in preparation for a boatrace on the river tomorrow (2^nd November). I ended my walk at Twyford Lock with no further sightings of bird species, or any other wildlife.

Passing through Thorley Wedge on my way home, I saw at least two Red Kites, which looked as if they were hunting for food, as they continued to veer in flight this and that way, swerving their wedge-shaped tails in the swirling wind. Eventually they came overhead and the views were superb in the strong afternoon sunlight as at one stage a Carrion Crow attempted to intervene, with little effect. I was able to get some fantastic images in the camera, arguably my best efforts to date. Out into Norfolk way, the two birds came back and forth over me, and when I came into Patricia Gardens, they were joined by a third, mewing continually - the sound resembles that of a buzzard, but is higher pitched and drawn out. But I’ve rarely had such close views so near to my home. It was a truly fitting conclusion to my morning outing into the autumn sunlight.

I took a total of 81 images throughout the morning, with only a handful that I knew needed to be rejected; so that was certainly a high success rate - something I’ve rarely managed to achieve. I couldn’t have been happier in that regard.

 

MALLARDS GATHERING

MALLARDS

MOORHEN

RIVER STORT NORTH

BARGES AT SOUTHMILL LOCK

RIVERINE LEAF LITTER

REFLECTION OF A BARGE WINDOW

ON REFLECTION - COLOUR MIX

BLUEBELL WOOD

BLUEBELL WOOD - BEECH

BLUEBELL WOOD

BLUEBELL WOOD

GIANT HOGWEED - RUSHY MEAD

RED KITE - THORLEY WEDGE

RED KITE - THORLEY WEDGE

RED KITE - THORLEY WEDGE 

RED KITE - PATRICIA GARDENS BS

RED KITE - PATRICIA GARDENS BS

9 SEPTEMBER 2025 – TEDNAMBURY and THORLEY WASH

I’d heard about Whinchats being seen locally, so having seen the species previously at Thorley Wash (though not since September 2017) I thought I’d visit Thorley Wash in case one had found its way there. But as soon as I got off the bus at Spellbrook, instead of heading north along the Stort towpath, I headed south towards Tednambury, as I remembered I’d seen Whinchats there too in the past.

It started well with sightings of a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Green Woodpecker (both of which had been hard to see at Thorley Wash this year), but after a relatively short distance along the towpath I heard a ‘cronking’ sound and when I turned around, I saw a large ‘crow-like’ bird alight atop of a radio mast a couple of hundred metres or so away. The knew the ‘cronking’ was that of a Raven but the bird I was seeing was too far away to be sure, although binocular views when the bird bowed to show a large crop, I was certain in my mind that it was indeed a Raven; I mean its whole demeanour screamed Raven, and anyway Crows don't 'cronk'!!

I took several shots through the camera using my 100-400 mm telephoto - and in the screen when enlarged I could see the bird well enough to know that my conclusion was correct. But I couldn’t leave it there - I needed to get closer, to try and get better photographs if possible. So, I retraced my steps along the towpath, to get into the field where the radio mast was situated. I might have been trespassing (something I wouldn’t normally do) but access to the field was from an unrestricted pathway, so maybe I was okay; but up the hill I was luckily undercover of trees and bushes, and when I reached the mast I had no option but to leave the cover in order to view the top of the mast - but of course as soon as I did so, the bird saw me and took immediately to flight - joined by another equally large bird - both ‘cronking’ continuously. I had to act quickly, so trained the camera on the two birds, and tracked them as they flew, with just four or five shots taken before they were too far away to matter. They both flew around and away to land in a distant oak, where another - equally large - bird was perched, together with a kestrel which was diminutive in comparison. I looked at my shots, and could see the birds’ massive bills, and in one photo the wedge-shaped tail; so, I was happy I’d identified the Ravens correctly - indeed, I was over the moon at the superb views I’d had. Later, I enjoyed another sighting as a Raven flew high over me - ‘cronking’ all the time - and when I could see the wedge-shaped tail more clearly, although, unbelievably, I sort of forgot to use the camera!!

Along the towpath, I found a juvenile Little Grebe hiding amongst the reeds along the Stort. This was quite a surprising record, as normally Little Grebes are seen here (and at Thorley Wash) in the winter months - occasionally in good numbers, my best being fifteen individuals. But could this one be a locally bred bird?? I also saw a distant Red Kite and a Cormorant fishing in the river.

As for chances of seeing a Whinchat, well they were non-existent, as the marsh was virtually completely devoid of any birdlife - no Whitethroats; no Reed Buntings - absolutely nothing. But it would have been difficult to see any bird anyway as the marsh was completely covered in Himalayan Balsam, which was clearly rampant here; a scene completely different to the last time I visited the site some months ago. I turned back at that stage, and made my way back along the towpath, with no further views of Ravens, although I did get some quite lovely shots of the Little Grebe, before two canal boats disturbed the waters.

As I approached Thorley Wash Reserve along the towpath alongside Walbury Estate, I found a couple of pairs of Western Spreadwing damselflies (previously known as Willow Emerald damselflies) and the briefest glimpse of a Kingfisher flying high over some Willow trees.

A walk around the northern section of Thorley Wash Reserve produced little in the way of birdlife, and the number of Western Spreadwing damselflies was disappointingly small - indeed, I don’t think I’d ever witnessed the reserve so quiet. This quietude was exemplified by the sighting of a small herd of Water Buffalo that were lying down, sheltering from the warm sunshine beneath Willow trees. It had been warm, with unrelenting sunshine throughout the day, but cloud was increasing from the south, and by mid-afternoon showers were threatening. I did see several Hornets hovering over an Ivy bush, but it was almost impossible to get decent photographs because they were all entirely unpredictable and constantly on the move.

A few more Western Spreadwings were seen on my way north along the towpath - although they were incredibly difficult to photograph without risking falling into the river - and the Kingfisher was seen again, this time skimming the surface as it flew rapidly upstream. A few dragonflies were seen - a single Brown Hawker; several Common Darters (most in tandem with a mate egg laying); a couple of Common Blue Damselflies, and rather a lot of Migrant Hawkers - a couple of which I found ‘perched’ on stems of reeds and were photographable. Further along, I found a species of Cricket which I believe was a Brown Bush Cricket - an entirely new species for me.

I guess it hadn’t been exceptional bird-wise, but even as I write this, I still cannot believe I’d seen Ravens at such close quarters; and of course, the sighting of a Kingfisher was memorable because it was the first siting of the species anywhere this year.

RAVEN (the first view - vastly enlarged)

RAVENS

RAVENS

LITTLE GREBE

LITTLE GREBE

LITTLE GREBE

COMMON DARTER

MIGRANT HAWKER

WESTERN SPREADWING

WESTERN SPREADWINGS IN TANDEM

WATER BUFFALO

MUTE SWAN

HORNET

BROWN BUSH CRICKET

 

 

 

 

 

 14 MAY 2025 – SPARROWHAWK IN THE GARDEN

I’ve observed Sparrowhawks in the garden on many occasions - indeed forty individual sightings in or from the garden since 2006 - but never like the one I witnessed today. Indeed, the only photographs I’d managed to achieve were through the kitchen window. But this time I was actually ‘on the spot’ when the Sparrowhawk flew in.

I was in the back garden spraying some unwanted weeds (around 9.40 a.m.) when suddenly I became aware of a commotion of birds’ distress calls, and stood up only to have a ‘dark’ bird literally brush my scalp, and land at the bottom of the garden beside the birdbath, with a screaming juvenile Starling clutched firmly in its claws. It was a Sparrowhawk - a male.

I rushed into the house to grab my camera, and when I got back, I was able to fire off a few shots - just for ‘insurance purposes’ - in case the Sparrowhawk flew off. But it didn’t. So, I pushed my luck and attempted to get closer and closer - with the camera and 100-400 mm telephoto lens poised accordingly - until I was within a mere few feet of the bird, with the Starling still very much alive, and flapping its wings vigorously, trying to get away from the hawk’s iron-grip.

The Sparrowhawk didn’t seem to know what to do with the Starling, and in fact it was only towards the end of the observation that the hawk began to pluck the poor Starling’s feathers; but throughout this time the poor thing was very much alive, occasionally flapping its wings vigorously in a vain attempt to escape, whilst calling distressfully. Normally, I would have assumed that the bird was maybe a first summer male, and inexperienced in dealing with prey; but it was in full summer plumage, so was very probably an adult male - so maybe it was confused because of my presence.

The hawk made several unsuccessful attempts to fly off with its prey, until eventually it managed to do so, and flew into my neighbour’s garden and into dense bush cover, and out of sight.

I was initially under the impression that the entire episode (from start to finish) lasted about 20 minutes, with sixty-five images taken, but the EXIF details on the images themselves, indicate that it was a mere 8 minutes in total. Quite unbelievable!