New Arrivals

Highlights from an hour at Lotmead Farm this morning were my first Shoveler here on the pool, a Tawny Owl calling and a Water Rail showing really well on the far bank. There was also a good passage of Wood Pigeons, with three large flocks passing overhead with 200+, 100+ and 100+. Not to be outdone there were also 200+ Fieldfare & Redwing which were heading west.

Below are a few record shots and video from this morning. Apologies for the background noise on the video. One it was windy and secondly the very low-light conditions causes the camera to continually track the subject and consequently you get a constant clicking.

Dawn and the sun isn't quite up yet at 6:57am.

A Water Rail showed well this morning on the far bank.

The Water Rail feeding along the waters edge.

Three of the five Shoveler on the pool. My first here.

A Grey Heron in the Paddock Area.

One of five "black" Pheasants around the pool. Close-up more a dark red than black.

A Common Buzzard struggles to keep his balance in the strong wind

Birds Recorded: 1 Little Grebe, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Mute Swan, 11 Mallard, 5 Wigeon, 6 Teal, 5 Shoveler, 1 Buzzard, 30 Pheasant, 1 Water Rail, 11 Moorhen, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Stock Dove, 400+ Wood Pigeon, 1 Tawny Owl heard, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 200+ Fieldfare & Redwing, 2 Song Thrush, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 50+ Starling, House Sparrow, 5 Chaffinch, 6 Goldfinch, 1 Bullfinch, 1 Yellowhammer and 1 Reed Bunting.

Also 2 Roe Deer

(Martin Adlam)

A Midday Visit to the Farm

Most of my trips to the Reserve Pool at Lotmead have been early morning visits, so it made a change to visit during the middle of the day. The biggest difference was the lack of ducks with just 7 Wigeon and 2 Teal. Noticeably there were no Mallard at all.

Main highlight here today was my first on the patch, a very vocal Tawny Owl at the back of the pool, that seemed to be quite stressed out about something! Other highlights were dozens Redwing and Fieldfares, flying backwards and forwards over the pool and 5 "black" Pheasants. Not seen that many before.

Here are a few images from today and a short video of the Tawny Owl calling.

A Fieldfare and Redwing (right) in a Hawthorn

Is it safe to come out......

.....4 of the 5 "black" Pheasants on the Reserve.

A straggler.

Here are two of the 7 Wigeon here today. I suspect the other 40+ will be back this evening.

In the middle of this Spindle-tree (Euonymus europaeus), with its vivid pink fruits and orange seeds is a Long-tailed Tit.

Sat in an old Oak tree are 8 Collared Doves, a Carrion Crow and 2 Starlings.

Tawny Owl calling at the back of Lotmead Farm Nature Reserve Pool

Birds Recorded: 1 Mute Swan, 7 Wigeon, 2 Teal, 1 Sparrowhawk, 18 Pheasant, 7 Moorhen, 1 Black-headed Gull, 2 Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, 8 Collared Dove, 1 Tawny Owl, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, 5 Blackbird, 15+ Fieldfare, 80+ Redwing, 1 Mistle Thrush, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 30+ Starling, 15+ House Sparrow, 20+ Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Bullfinch.

Also 5 Black Pheasants

More Firsts for my Patch

Main highlights this morning (6:45am - 8:50am) at Lotmead Farm, were two parties of Fieldfare 12 + 3, 4 Redwing, 17 Siskin overhead and my first Lesser Redpolls here with 3 pairs. There was also a Skylark singing as it rose above the fields at 8:30am. On and around the pool were 55 Wigeon, 4 Teal and my first Water Rail here. Whilst in the brook a Kingfisher called several times throughout the time I was there.

Birds Recorded here this morning: 1 Grey Heron, 1 Mute Swan, Mallard, 55 Wigeon, 4 Teal, 2 Buzzard, 15 Pheasant, 1 Water Rail, 10 Moorhen, Black-headed Gull, 50 Wood Pigeon, 1 Collared Dove, 1 Kingfisher, Skylark singing, 1 Grey Wagtail, Dunnock, 7 Robin, 3 Blackbird, 15 Fieldfare, 4 Redwing, 4 Song Thrush, 2 Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, 6 Wren, 1 Jay, 2 Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 20 Starling, 15 House Sparrow, 4 Chaffinch, 6 Lesser Redpoll, 17 Siskin, 16 Goldfinch, 2 Bullfinch.

Plus 1 Roe Deer

Not the best of videos of a Water Rail, but was 7:30am and very overcast. (Martin Adlam)

My first Water Rail here on the Lotmead Reserve Pool. (Martin Adlam)

Plenty of Moorhens about with quite a few youngsters. (Martin Adlam)

Two of 55 Wigeon on the water today. (Martin Adlam)

More from the Farm

Lotmead Farm: 6:30am - 9:30am
Location

Sunrise: 7:00am

Temperature: 15°C

Notes
Main highlight this morning was watching a Spotted Flycatcher preening and occassionally leaving its branch to catch its breakfast, behind the cow sheds. Other highlights were 10 Wigeon, which were new for me on the pool, a fly-by Cormorant and 2 Muntjac in the field between the Hide and pool. A few Red Admirals out in the early morning sun.

Birds noted flying over
- 1 Grey Heron that landed in the field behind the pool.
- A Cormorant that headed northwest.
- Just 14 large gulls overhead
- 30+ hirundines. At least 20 House Martins and 2 Swallows over the farm, and 8 Swallows heading south behind the pool.
- 1 Linnet
- 1 Yellow Wagtail over the farm
- 2 Grey Wagtail over the pool
- 5 Meadow Pipit

Hirundines etc. seen here today
- 10+ Barn Swallow
- 15+ House Martins

Warblers seen / heard around the water
- At least 5 Chiffchaff calling and 1 singing
- A Blackcap by the pool.

The counts from around the pool, duck pond and farm:
1 Little Grebe, 1 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Mute Swan, 28 Mallard, 10 Wigeon, 1 Buzzard, 3 Pheasant, 5 Moorhen, 2 Herring Gull, 12 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, 2 Feral Pigeon, 5 Collared Dove, 1 Green Woodpecker, 20+ House Martin, 10 Swallow, 5 Meadow Pipit, 1 Pied Wagtail, 2 Grey Wagtail, 1 Yellow Wagtail, Dunnock, 14 Robin, Blackbird, 2 Song Thrush, 1 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff, 8 Goldcrest, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 9 Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, 1 Linnet, Goldfinch, Bullfinch.

Butterflies: 5 Red Admirals

Also: 2 Muntjac

Images and videos from today:

An escapee. This female Pheasant was supposed to be in her pen.

Two of the 10 Wigeon seen on the pool this morning.

The first Muntjac to pass the Hide this morning.

And the second one 15 minutes later

A Muntjac

And very close.

A Cormorant heads northwest

A Spotted Flycatcher.....

...which spent most of its time.....

....preening....

....and more in depth preening....

..........and a stretch........

..........before sitting still for a quick photo.

A Spotted Flycatcher making the most of a bit of Autumn sun

A "Leaf Warbler" I suspect its just a Chiffchaff....

but those yellow underparts!!

Looks like something out of Macbeth. A Carrion Crow in moult. Youngster maybe!

Lots of these about this morning.

My first fungi of Autumn. I'm thinking Honey Fungus, Armillaria mellea

Getting there.....

I finally did it today with my 500th bird species seen Worldwide with a Spotted Crake, seen from the Van de Bovenkamp hide at Slimbridge. It arrived yesterday and was very obliging as it came out of the reedbed and started feeding right in front us at 9:44am . I was one of the lucky ones that came early, watched the Crake and then left as the Hide began filling up.

New Passage 6:30am - 8:30am
I actually left home at 5:20am, as I was already up at 3:45am making breakfast for Dawn before she left for work at 4:40am. With the car packed with bins, telescope and camera it was off to New Passage to see what was around. I had no idea what state the tide was in and when I arrived in the pouring rain, it was quite obvious I'd arrived at Low Water.

With waterproofs and wellies on it was off to the promenade first and a look across the beach. There were quite a few Wigeon, Teal and Tufted Duck on the water and several Oystercatcher, Bar-tailed Godwit and Curlew along the waters edge. There were also hundreds of waders with Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Turnstone present. A Little Egret was seen feeding in the River Pill and overhead there were many Meadow Pipit and Skylarks calling as they moved inland. A Sparrowhawk found an unwary Dunlin on the beach and was whisked off into a tree for breakfast. By the esplanade there were 3 Wheatear feeding on flies in and around the boulders and small party of Linnets landed in a bush to my right.

Birds Recorded at New Passage: Little Egret, Shelduck, Mallard, Gadwall, Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Ringed Plover, Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Dunlin, Ruff, 2 Snipe, Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Whimbrel, Redshank, Greenshank, Turnstone, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, 3 Wheatear, Blackbird, Song Thrush, 3 Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Great Tit, Wren, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow and 10 Linnet.

A few images from this morning:

6:36am in the pouring rain

A few Gadwall make their escape

As do a pair of Snipe

There were 3 very obliging Wheatear on the boulders. I reckon this is a juvenile male..

...and a female...

the juv male again

....another female/juv....

....and the male again. Well he is very photogenic!

Linnets

Slimbridge 9:05am - 11:15am
Having left New Passage in a light drizzle it soon stopped and as I arrived at Slimbridge, so the sun came out. Surprisingly I was the first one to arrive at main entrance, probably because they don't open until 9:30am. But after several minutes there were a good half-a-dozen or so bird watchers all waiting for the doors to open.

Now I've not been down to the Van de Bovenkamp hide before and Peter one of the wardens at Slimbridge was kind enough to take me there, as this was his patch on the Reserve. He had just come back off holiday and was just as keen to see the Crake as we all were.

By the time we got to the hide there were 7 of us, all sat there waiting patiently for the Crake to appear. And sure enough it did within a few minutes of us arriving, giving us amazing views as it began feeding in the shallows. A huge tick in the box.

As the Hide began to fill to the brim I headed off to the Zeiss Hide, which I found more by luck than judgement, and I must say this must be one of the best hides on the Reserve, with great views across a very shallow purpose made wetland, situated just behind a reed bed and field. In the hide I met another warden called John, who was spending his day off bird watching at Slimbridge. And why not, in fact I couldn't thank him enough as he kindly pointed out 3 Little Stint in amongst the Dunlin. I definitely would have struggled with Id'ing them, even with my 20 - 60 zoom lens on the scope. I did find a Ruff and Snipe, and heard a Green Sandpiper, which we both saw eventually with another bird. In the field were several Common Crane and they seemed to be enjoying the warm sun, as we all were.

Eventually it was time to leave and John suggested I went to the South Lake for the two Curlew Sandpiper. I didn't find two birds, but I did see one on the island on the right hand pool. So not a bad morning out at all.


Birds Recorded at Slimbridge were: Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Greylag Geese, Canada Geese, Shelduck, Mallard, Gadwall, 30 Pintail, 70 Shoveler, Wigeon, Teal, Tufted Duck, Water Rail, Moorhen, Coot, Common Crane, Lapwing, 60 Dunlin, 3 Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Ruff, 2 Snipe, 2 Redshank, Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, 2 Green Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Swallow, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Reed Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, 5 Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Reed Bunting

Spotted Crake

Little steps....

a quick look at the camera

all clear and a feed.

He certainly loved pulling at the weed for those little snails

A few of the Common Crane opposite Zeiss Hide doing a bit of preening...

...whilst these birds were on the other side of the reserve up by Holden Hide

A short flight and .......

....then down onto a field close to the river.

A drake Pochard on one of the pools. I just love those red eyes.