August – Early September

Posted on 16th September 2020 by Richard

Migration starts so busy times ahead

Hook-with-Warsash

It’s always nice to have a highlight of the month and this month was without a doubt the Pied Flycatcher at Hook-with-Warsash. I’d heard there was one about and after a long circular walk spotted it in a residential street on my car back to the car. In fact it was about 200 meters away from the car. It’s amazing how often you can walk a long way, just see the norm and when all is lost you spot something in the Car Park back at your home !

Pied Flycatcher – Cowes Lane

Warsash late November

Posted on 27th November 2017 by Richard

Visiting family in Southampton has the added bonus that it’s close to the River Hamble as it goes into Southampton Water at Warsash, always a good spot for Waders and other coastline / wetland birds, especially through the Winter Months.

A visit there at high tide this week gave sightings of over 200 recently arrived Brent Geese, Curlews, Plover, Turnstones, plenty of Redshanks, Pochard, Wigeon and more all along a stretch of half a mile northwards from the Hamble / Warsash ‘Pink Ferry’.

Regrettably the tide was just on the turn when I arrived so there was no sign of the often seen resident Kingfishers.
I also hoped to see the Seals who, as the tide starts going out, are seen swimming back downstream and into Southampton Water.

Female Stonechat

Meadow Pipit

Smaller bird wise, apart from the usual, just some Pipits and Stonechats.
After walking this stretch I usually drive further along to Hook-in-Warsash, have a stroll to the beach then into the Fields and Woodland where a number of Green Woodpeckers and a Little Owl are seen, but insufficient time.

Wigeon

The Southampton area is a good base for various Reserves; Arne, Selsey, Pagham and the New Forest all close by and easily reached. I’m never bored down this way!
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Fieldfares return down the Lane

Posted on 18th November 2017 by Richard

It’s always good indication that winter is upon us when the Fieldfares along with their pals the Redwings return, always about the same time, 10th – 15th. November.
This year is no exception, it started with a trickle around the 8th and has now built up to more than 200 who jump from tree to tree along the edge of the field here.
If you have a Camera, you can put a bet on them always being two trees ahead of you though, they’re pretty well camouflaged against the branches and remaining few leaves, the first sign you get of them is when they all take flight leaving you to curse that you should have looked sooner!

Thus far Winter has been good in the Garden; a huge and pleasing amount of House Sparrows, Dunnocks, Robins, a few Goldfinches, Blackbirds, Long Tailed, Coal, Blue and Great Tits.
Plus the occasional Meadow Pipit, Reed Bunting and Yellowhammer, it’s looking good.
Overhead, four Buzzards and the Sparrowhawk are frequently seen.

Quick trip to Dungeness

I only had a couple of hours to spare so popped down to the Old Lighthouse, the 4 closest Hides in the Reserve and Scotney Farm where I hoped to get another glimpse of the Little Owl. Needless to say the latter obviously heard I was coming and wasn’t there.

Although a really pleasant day with no wind, not much about.
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Birds settling down for Winter

Posted on 5th November 2017 by Richard

Dungeness and Conningbrook

Late October and early November is a great time for spotting the smaller birds; the leaves are almost off the trees making things more visible and most of our feathered friends are now returning to their favourite Winter residences.

Stonechat

A trip down to the area around Dungeness Old Lighthouse produced the ever present Pied Wagtails on the Nuclear Power Station wall and in amongst the Gorse were the usual Robins, Starlings, Dunnocks and Meadow Pipits.

Meadow Pipit

Over the fields from here to Conningbrook showed some nice views of the Stonechats on North Field and on the fence posts beside the Great Stour, as indeed the Goldfinches did as well all be it they were only there for a couple of days before moving on.

Pied Wagtail – Goldfinches

As always, the unexpected seems to happen when I return home, a few days ago it was a Sparrowhawk and today, a Reed Bunting in the bushes of the front garden.
Garden wise we’re getting a lot of Long Tailed Tits who in a pack of around a dozen, flip along the trees before going on their way somewhere else. The Feeders have produced one Goldfinch and the Greater Spotted Woodp[ecker is back feeding at least three times a day.

Male Reed Warbler

It’s about now the Fieldfares along with Redwings return to the fields here. The challenge will be taking a photograph of them, they have a habit of wanting to be two trees ahead of you all the time !!

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A quick trip to Oare Marshes

Posted on 25th August 2017 by Richard

The place for the Waders!

I’m not very good at counting birds, unless there’s less than about 10, but reading the Kent Ornithological Society daily updates by various birders, when I was there, so were the followng..
7 Little Ringed Plover, 85 Ringed Plover, 300 Golden Plover, 30 Knot, 1 Little Stint, 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Long-billed Dowitcher, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit (one amongst the circa 1500 Black-tailed Godwits), 15 Whimbrel, 1 Spotted Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Bonaparte’s Gull, 4 Sandwich Tern (along the Swale), 25 Yellow Wagtail.
Which is quite a number of Birds !

Lapwings and Black Headed Gulls with backdrop of Dunlin and Black Tailed Godwits

To add to that list I spotted some Rock Pipits, 6 Little Egrets and well over 1,000 Starlings.
In fact, although I only visit Oare about once a month, I have never seen it so bird busy. Watching the sudden rise to the skies from various species was a delight.

Rock Pipit

Little Egrets

The appearance of the Dowitcher brought about more than the usual numbers of Birdwatchers, but to find the one bird carefully tucked in with over 1,500 Godwits was a challenge too far for my eyesight!

My amusement of the day came from a Cow who decided to walk the thin line of shingle to photobomb in a highly effective and efficient manner.
Good for her !!
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Sunny day at Dungeness

Posted on 18th January 2017 by Richard

I arrived at RSPB Dungeness at 0945., clear, sunny, no wind and zero degrees.
Earler I had ensured I had ample clothing; on top I had 2 T-Shirts, 2 Jumpers, a Shirt and my thick 100% Wool Nepalese Jacket.
After about 200 meters, I was too hot !

Meadow Pipit

I started off with a quick look to see if the two Long Eared Owls were giving everyone a show, neither of them did so I wandered off around the Hides, made my way to the Viewpoint and headed back.
It was nice as unlike my last few visits smaller birds were appearing; a male and female Stonechat were busy amongst the Gorse between the Christmas and Dengemarsh Hides, this was followed by a nice pose from a male Chaffinch perched in the bushes. In fact, there were probably 20 plus there.

Male and Female Stonechat

Next stop would be the Beach by the Power Station, but as I was getting in the Car, a Greenfinch appeared just opposite.
Not only were there quite a number of small birds around but many Humans as well, the most I’ve seen there since last Autumn.
Shame is that speaking to some it seemed they were there to see the Owls and the Ringed Neck Duck. At least they saw the latter who is still displaying well at Boulderwall.
No sign of the Slavonian Grebes on the New Diggings.

Meadow Pipit on wall at Dungeness Power Station

Meadow Pipit not in Meadow! – Early morning on Reserve – Greenfinch

I parked up at my usual spot beside the Old Dungeness Lighthouse and before enjoying a Roll and brew up, looked at the Garden. Nothing to be seen but even in this cold cold weather, there are still Bumble Bees flying there.

Male Chaffinch

Onward to the Beach. I walked up to where the Nuclear Station waste water is pumped into the sea which attracts literally hundreds of Gulls weaving and ducking. With three others I searched for the Icelandic Gulls which arrived two days previous, but I’m afraid our eyes could not keep up with them.
I took lots of photos to bring home and expand on the larger screen, but couldn’t pick them out.

Some of the hundreds of Gulls around the Point</center>

On my way back to the Car, a Meadow Pipit started jumping up and down on the Power Station Wall. Most obliging it was too and I managed to get a few half decent shots.

Other than that, there were two Great White Egrets at the ARC and a Sparrowhawk beautifully posed on a dead tree which, naturally, flew off just as I clicked. A nice close up of a branch and blue sky though !

Painted Lady, House Martins, Pipits at Samphire Hoe

Posted on 25th August 2016 by Richard

I had intended to go to Reculver near Margate and Herne Bay today but with the hottest day of the year forecast changed my mid and went to Samphire Hoe again expecting it to be slightly shaded and with a bit of breeze……….wrong !! It was boiling!

Without a doubt though, the highlight for me was spotting the beautiful Painted Lady Butterfly sitting on top of some Ragwort. The combination of yellow and a sunny day made it even more special. What beautiful creatures they are!

After giving up on sitting on a sun soaked beach I walked along to the northern end of the Hoe and at least found a couple of Rocks to shelter under. This gave me an excellent view of both Sand and House Martins nesting in the Cliffs. Very deceiving, you think you’re watching a bird but it’s actually their shadow casting on to the white. It took quite a time to actually spot one in the right place!

Rock Pipit – A quiet English Channel – House Martin leaving Nest

On my way back to the Car Park there was much activity going on by the Rock Pipits, all busy grabbing their lunch and mid afternoon snacks.
The sea was actually blue, you could just about pick out the hills south of Calais some 22 miles away and as calm as a Mill Pond. If you were going on the Ferry, good choice of day.

In search of some shade before going home I ventured down to the Royal Military Canal at West Hythe. Much noise, especially the Green Woodpeckers laughing away but little seen because of the heavy leaf on trees.

However, I was lucky enough to watch a Cormorant drifting along. I’ve never seen one floating before, usually they’re in their pre-historic poses at Dungeness, other coastal places and occasionally next to the Great Stour a few hundred yards over the field from me.

A good day, too hot, but us Pensioners are never happy are we !

Wildlife Diary

Recording wild life through the year around Hampshire, Kent and elsewhere

Tag Archives: Pipits