Feral or Rock

Now here's an interesting question when is a Rock Dove not a Rock Dove!

This afternoon, 2 pigeons landed on the neighbours roof and immediately I thought racing pigeons or at least homing pigeons. A quick check with the binoculars and no rings and then I realised that the bird on the left had all the hallmarks of being a Rock Dove. The bird on the right has had some interbreeding and the wing pattern suggest that this is a feral pigeon. But of course you have to remember that domesticated pigeons did originate from Rock Doves.

If only we could see the rump on the left hand bird. If it was white then it could possibly be a Rock Dove.

There were lots of poses, and though it didn't show its rump, there are other features to suggest that this might just be a feral pigeon. The first feature is the feet which would be a lot redder, these are quite pink feet as are the legs. Also the white cere looks too enlarged at the base of the beak......

....and when it took off there was still no clear indication as to what colour the rump was, but with pink feet and a large cere, there can only be one conclusion......... A feral pigeon

The chances of it actually being a pure Rock Dove would be very very slim and in the UK there are but a handful of pure Rock Doves, with a few colonies in north-west Scotland. So not a Rock Dove but a feral pigeon which apart from the enlarged cere and pink feet and legs, had me thinking for awhile.

Note: An interesting Site here on Rock/feral pigeons

Another Early Start

Cleveland Lakes Nature Reserve
Location

Another early start at Twitchers Gate (6:00am - 8:30am). When I arrived it was very cloudy and by 7:10 the rain began to fall, which saw 200+ hirundine drop in plus a Common Tern. The female Marsh Harrier appeared at 7:33 quartering the reed beds beyond the scrape, before heading north towards Pit 95. Other highlights were 4 Little Egret, 1 Shelduck, a drake Shoveler, a pair of Red-crested Pochard, 3 Lapwing, 6 Black-tailed Godwit on the scrape along with a Whimbrel, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Common Tern, a Cuckoo, a Nightingale singing, a Carrion Crow "hovering" above the water and picking something up off the surface and also a Raven again.

Birds Recorded: Great Crested Grebe, 8 Cormorant, 4 Little Egret, 3 Grey Heron, 8 Mute Swan, 3 Greylag Geese, 3 Canada Geese, 1 Shelduck, Mallard, 1 drake Shoveler, a pair of Red-crested Pochard, Tufted Duck, 1 female Marsh Harrier, Pheasant, Moorhen, Coot, 3 Lapwing, 6 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Common Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Common Tern, Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, 1 Cuckoo, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Sand Martin, House Martin, Swallow, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Sedge Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, 1 Jay, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 1 Raven, Starling, Chaffinch, Goldfinch and 1 Reed Bunting.

Also 2 Rabbits and a Black Swan

The view from Twitchers Gate at 6:00am.

A record shot of the female Marsh Harrier over the pit..

And a short video of her as makes her way across the Pit. In the background a Chiffchaff singing and then a Common Sandpiper.

When the rain fell so did 200+ hirundine

In amongst the Swallows and Sand Martins were a few House Martins

The Mute Swan was also getting good close-ups of them as well

Not the best of images, but it does show clearly the difference between a House Martin (top) and the one and half Sand Martins below.

A fly-by Common Tern passes through

And finally how many different bird species can you hear in this video.

I have listed the ones I could hear at the bottom of this page

CWP Pit 95
Location

Black-headed Gull, 2 Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, 1 Cuckoo, Sand Martin, Swallow, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 3 Song Thrush, Sedge Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Jackdaw, Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Reed Bunting.

Also 2 Muntjac and several Rabbits

When the sun came out so did the warblers.....

.....this one lurking about in the hawthorn above is a male Blackcap

My list so far from the Video above: Nightingale, Song Thrush, Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blue Tit, Blackbird, Moorhen, Canada Goose, Common Whitethroat and Cuckoo.

A Very Cold Morning

Blakehill Farm NR
Location

I was out early again this morning (5:20am - 7:10am) and this time it was off to Blakehill Farm Nature Reserve in the hope of spotting the Short-eared Owl and Ring Ouzel, seen yesterday evening. Alas I saw neither. But did come across 4 Whimbrel, 1 Curlew, a Stonechat and a fly-by Oystercatcher and Cormorant

Sunrise at 5:55am

The sun is well up now and this is the view across the reserve

One of 3 Roe Deer feeding on the grassland

3 Whimbrel fly past

And a Cormorant

This Skylark has damaged its tail feathers.........

......and opted to sing from the ground.

I know its just a bunny, but it does look cute.

And now the serious look as I walk on by.

3 Whimbrel come into land.

(Apologies for the noise of the wind. Might need to turn the volume down!)

This Skylark has damaged its tail feathers and preferred to sing from the ground rather than in the sky above.

Birds Recorded: 1 Cormorant, Buzzard, Pheasant, 1 Oystercatcher, 4 Whimbrel, 1 Curlew, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, 1 Green Woodpecker, 12+ Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Dunnock, Robin, 1 Stonechat, 3 Blackbird, Song Thrush, Common Whitethroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Wren, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Chaffinch, 12+ Linnet, Goldfinch, Bullfinch and 2 Reed Bunting.

Also 3 Roe Deer, 4 Hare and 6 Rabbits


Cleveland Lakes Nature Reserve
Location

Having left Blakehill I headed off to Twitchers Gate (7:20am - 8:30am) for the Nightingale and the possibility of seeing the female Marsh Harrier I found 2 days ago. No sign of the harrier but the Nightingale burst into song at 8:20am.

Other highlights here was a Stoat running across the garden lawn to the right of the screen, which not only got my notice but also scared the jeepers out a Chaffinch, Robin and Song Thrush feeding there.
Across towards the scrape there were 5 Bar-tailed Godwits, 3 Oystercatchers and 3 Lapwing. On one of the floating rafts a Raven attempted to raid a Black-headed Gulls nest, which caused a right commotion, with several of the gulls mobbing it before it gave up.

The view across the reserve from Twitchers Gate

One of the rafts on Pit 74, occupied by Cormorants sunning themselves.

A Song Thrush was busy collecting worms on this lawn.

And a Robin is also collecting food.

This Wren was very vocal and there's a recording just below

A Common Whitethroat......

.......takes to the air......

...and lands in a Hawthorn Bush. It was very vocal with its rasping song, a complete contrast to the Lesser Whitethroats also at Twitchers Gate.

A Stoat, which not only caught me by surprise but also the Chaffinch, Robin and Song Thrush feeding on the lawn of the house just to the right of Twitchers Gate.

This Wren really belt it out to let others know that this was his territory. 

Viewed from Twitchers Gate: Great Crested Grebe, 1 Little Grebe, 5 Cormorant, Mute Swan, 5 Greylag Geese, Canada Geese, Mallard, 1 Gadwall, 4 Shoveler, 5 Red-crested Pochard, Tufted Duck, 1 Buzzard, Moorhen, Coot, 3 Oystercatcher, 3 Lapwing, 1 Common Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 adult Great Black-backed Gull, Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Green Woodpecker, Sand Martin, House Martin, Swallow, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, 1 Nightingale, Robin, Blackbird, 2 Song Thrush, Sedge Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, Common Whitethroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 1 Raven, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Bullfinch and Reed Bunting.

Also seen 1 Rabbit and a Stoat

A Busy Morning

Knighton
Location

First stop this morning was Knighton to see if I could locate a Grasshopper Warbler. I arrived at 5:30am and straight away there was one "trilling" in the reed bed. Walking down to the River Kennet there were also Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and 2 Cetti's Warblers. As I was recording a Willow Warbler and Cetti's Warbler singing, a Muntjac decided it wanted to be on the video as well. It was completely oblivious to me standing on the path in front of it and just walked on by!

The path to the reed beds

Grasshopper country

A Muntjac steals the limelight

Birds Recorded: Canada Geese, Mallard, Pheasant, Wood Pigeon, Tawny Owl, Green Woodpecker, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, Sedge Warbler, 2 Cetti's Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Treecreeper, Wren, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Raven, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Bullfinch and Reed Bunting.

Also 1 Muntjac.

Savernake Forest
Location

A pleasant walk through the woods this morning and a pair of Canada Geese were seen on Thornhill Pond. quite a few warblers about and there seemed to be more Willow Warblers than Chiffchaffs.

A pair of Canada Geese on Thornhill Pond

Willow Warbler (Apologies for the sound of the wind)

Birds Recorded: 2 Canada Geese, 15 Pheasant, 3 Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, 2 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 4 Willow Warbler, 2 Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Marsh Tit, Willow Tit, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Raven, Chaffinch, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 6 Siskin, Goldfinch and Bullfinch.

Also 2 Muntjac and 10+ Rabbits

Foxhill
Location

I left Savernake at 7:45am and headed off to Foxhill, just in case there were any Wheatears about. There weren't but I did get a few warblers and close-up views of Red-legged Partridges.

A pair of Red-legged Partridges pose for the camera

Birds Recorded: Pheasant, 2 Grey Partridge, 6 Red-legged Partridge, Wood Pigeon, Skylark, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch

What a Morning!

As my other half had to be in work for 5:00am I thought I'd get up as well and head off to Cleveland Lakes Nature Reserve. I arrived at Waterhay car park for 5:15am and with wellies on, headed off to the pits. As you can imagine it was still pretty dark and that red sky had me a bit concerned. But I didn't need to worry and I ended up having a fantastic mornings birdwatching on a wonderful Reserve.

Well you know what they say "Red sky in the morning, Shepherds warning". Well on this occasion it did get very overcast, but the sun did come out later in the day! This was taken at 5:40am.

Its 6:00am and this is the spot here where I spooked the female Marsh Harrier. I couldn't see anything on the ground to suggest she was eating anything. Perhaps she was just resting!

I felt a bit guilty that I disturbed her.....

........but in my defence as I came around the bend in the track I certainly wasn't expecting to such a beautiful bird of prey sitting on the ground. But disturb her I did and she was off.........

I just love Cuckoos and there were two males here this morning, this is one of them calling with a Robin singing away as well,

A Fox catches a bunny and then runs off with it, no doubt to feed its cubs.

The Reed Hide (I think!). This is a wonderful hide looking across the small pools at far eastern end of the Reserve here.

It is really well laid out inside.........

With lots of info and good views from the windows.

On the water from the hide a pair of Great Crested Grebe and a Mute Swan

Great Crested Grebe

Further down the track another Hide here overlooks CWP Pit 74

I original recorded 69 species of birds from this morning, but when I got home and looked back at the images I'd taken, I realised I'd photographed these 4 Red-crested Pochard, so bringing my mornings count to 70.

I counted 4 Roe Deer this morning with 3 at Waterhay Car park.

I was really pleased that on my way back from the hides I came across the Marsh Harrier again quartering the reed beds along the scrape.

She even hovered in the reed bed, before taking off and giving me an opportunity to take a short video below.

The female Marsh Harrier working her way along the reed beds.

And the sun finally broke through the clouds just as I was leaving at 9:00am. This is Twitchers Gate

Bird Recorded: Great Crested Grebe, 8 Cormorant, 1 Little Egret, 3 Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Mallard, 5 Shoveler, 30+ Tufted Duck, 4 Red-crested Pochard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Pheasant, 1 Water Rail, Moorhen, Coot, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Lapwing, 3 Curlew, 1 Common Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Great Black-backed Gull, 2 Common Tern, 1 Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, 2 Cuckoo, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Skylark, 20 Sand Martin, 10 House Martin, 25 Swallow, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 2 Song Thrush, 1 Mistle Thrush, 2 Reed Warbler, 10+ Sedge Warbler, 10+ Cetti's Warbler, 2 Garden Warbler, 4 Common Whitethroat, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 25+ Blackcap, 20+ Chiffchaff, 10+ Willow Warbler, 2 Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, 1 Jay, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, 1 Lesser Redpoll, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, 2 Bullfinch and 3 Reed Bunting. 70 Species

Also Recorded: 4 Roe Deer, a Fox catching a Rabbit and 20+ Rabbits, Perch and Roach