17 February 2025 – Spellbrook and 18 February 2025 – Southern Country Park

It was my intention to take a bus down to Spellbrook - south of Bishop's Stortford - then walk north along the towpath towards Twyford Lock - but as soon as I began walking, it was obvious that the path was extremely treacherous due to extremely muddy conditions, so I turned around to walk southwards towards Tednambury. However, the muddy conditions prevailed here too, and with the notable lack of birdlife, I decided to call it a day.  New species for the year included a lone Little Grebe and  a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers, but there was very little else of note, apart from a few tits, Mallards; a pair of Mute Swans, and a couple  of Cormorants.

FEMALE MALLARD

DRAKE MALLARD

LITTLE GREBE

On my way to Southern Country Park the following day - a pair of Rooks and a pair of Greenfinches were new birds locally at Thorley Wedge. At the Rookery in Thorley Lane East the old rooks’ nests were gone, and a new one was seen with an attendant Rook in the conifer opposite - and where a large contingent of Jackdaws (c20 - the largest number I'd ever seen here) and more Rooks soon joined the throng. In Thorley Lane East Wood - below where the rookery used to be - Snowdrops carpeted the floor of the woodland; more than I'd noticed previously. SCP itself was very quiet – seemingly almost devoid of birds at times. The lake was partially frozen except for an area by the boardwalk. The ice-free area was busy with Mallards and a few BH Gulls (being fed bread by a mother and her children) but predictably the Moorhens and gulls had trouble walking on the ice. A lovely Red Kite came in from the north a gave me wonderful views as it soared round above my head and rounded the lake before moving away - but my camera was on the wrong settings for a fast-moving raptor, so all I got were a few shots as it moved out of view. Apart from these birds - a few Blue Tits; Great Tits; a Wren and a Robin the place seemed like a 'ghost town' with the noticeable lack of passerines - finches; buntings etc. And add insult to injury the footpaths were incredibly slippery with mud; ugh!!

JACKDAW

ROOK AT THE NEST

THEN MORE JACKDAWS AND ROOKS DESCENDED

A PLETHORA OF SNOWDROPS

LAKESIDE

'SKATING' MOORHEN

MOORHENS AND BH GULLS - ON THE ICE

MOORHEN - WALKING ON ICE

RED KITE

GOLDCREST

 

 

 2 FEBRUARY 2025 – OUT AND ABOUT IN BISHOP’S STORTFORD

I haven’t been anywhere birding since my visit to Abberton Reservoir in early January, confining my visits to areas local to Bishop’s Stortford; indeed, a long three plus hours wander along the river Stort from BS to Twyford Lock, and hours watching for photographic opportunities from my kitchen window. What I discovered mainly is a dearth of birdlife along the Stort, with virtually the same result in the garden, which when you consider it is Winter, is extremely surprising and worrying – given that birds in particular need extra sustenance provided by food put out by us at this time of the year.

So, birds seen in or from the garden thus far are Long-tailed Tits; Great Tits; Blue Tits; a Coal Tit; a singleton Long-tailed Tit; Carrion Crows and Jackdaws (as flyovers); a Red Kite (seen overhead from the front garden); a Wren making numerous but fleeting visits – and very difficult to catch photographically; a Dunnock; two Robins (possibly a mated pair as they tolerate each other without sparring); a single Collared Dove; Woodies and Magpies galore (!); House Sparrows; Starlings; a male and female Blackbird (which don’t appear to be pair) - but so far no Sparrowhawks or Blackcaps (both of which were present on at least two occasions in January 2024). Mammals have been restricted to a lone Squirrel and two Red Foxes (which appear to be a mated pair) seen in both the front and back garden mainly late at night – though I did have a close encounter with the two one evening at around 9.30 p.m. – through the kitchen window and illuminated by the kitchen light!!

Here is a selection of photographs taken since my Abberton trip.

BARGES AT SOUTHMILL LOCK

ALONG THE RIVER STORT

BLACKBIRD

BLUE TIT

COAL TIT

ROBIN

ROBIN

DUNNOCK

MAGPIE

STARLING

WINTER WREN

COOT

COOT

MOORHEN

SALLOW CATKINS

MALLARD

WOODPIGEON

GREY SQUIRREL

LONG-TAILED TIT