Local Wildlife Sightings, February 2023

 Following three months of very wet weather, February was unusually dry and sunny - not that I'm complaining! There was no appreciable rainfall until the 22nd. I was away for the first part of the month, only resuming bird watching activity on the 14th when I logged 45 species (42 seen) on a walk around the villages. Phillup's Lake was particularly productive: in addition to the pair of wintering (and hopefully breeding in the future?) Gadwall I also saw Little Grebe (1), Tufted Duck (2 - a pair), Coot (3), Canada Geese (13) and Mallard (14). Although this lake is rather bleak and short of vegetation, it is starting to become more popular as a breeding site, with Little Grebes, Coot and Canada Geese having fledged young there in 2022.

Tufted Ducks, Phillup's Lake, 14 February

A large gathering of Linnets (170+) was seen on wires above the weedy field at Wicker Hall the following day. I visited Bramfield (near Hertford) on the 20th, looking for the Hawfinches that had been regularly sighted in or near the churchyard there. After a long wait I did see one fly out of a Yew tree and disappear round the side of the church to sit in a tree where it was briefly seen by others before flying off. I also investigated nearby Bramfield Woods, looking for but not finding Brambling, although I did hear a Raven calling there. On my return home I was delighted to find a female Blackcap feeding on a suet block in the garden - the first time I've seen this species in the garden for several years.

Female Blackcap in my Royston Garden, 20 February

High pressure dominated the second half of February, with a lot of cool, dull weather interspersed with a few bright days and only 6mm of rain in Royston for the whole month. With little happening elsewhere locally, I walked up to Hatchpen Farm on a few dates looking for interesting gulls. The fields at Hatchpen, and Newsells Stud Farm to the east, seem to be on one of the flyways used by larger gulls and this is where I have seen the Iceland (Kumlien's ssp.) Gull on at least two occasions. There was no sign of this individual, but I did add Great Black-backed Gull (a single individual) to my local patch year-list on the 22nd, the seventh gull species to be seen here in 2023. Lapwings were notably absent from the area in January and February. Indeed there seems to be a paucity of wintering Lapwings in Hertfordshire this winter, with two visits to Amwell and a trip to the Tring Reservoirs on the 28th failing to reveal a single bird, although the water levels at both sites were high and mud was in very short supply.

Great Black-backed Gull (top) with other Gulls, Hatchpen Farm, 22 February

Mixed Flock of Roosting Gulls, Amwell NR, 23 February

UK Wildlife Sightings February 2023

 After a fortnight's break due to holidays (see a later post) I was back on the road on the 15th, visiting the East Norfolk coast. My first stop was at Sheringham, where I photographed Purple Sandpipers on the shoreline rocks and groynes. I also saw my first (Red-throated) diver of the year here, but missed out on Black Redstart and Eastern Lesser Whitethroat, despite standing by the latter's favourite cherry tree for over an hour. I then moved on to Cley NWT, where I had good views of the wintering Long-billed Dowitcher. I had planned to move on to Blakeney to look for Twite, but tiredness caused partly by jet-lag forced me to cut short my visit, after enjoying some close views of waders and Teal on Pat's Pool.

Purple Sandpiper, Sheringham, 15 February

Long-billed Dowitcher, Cley NWT, 15 February

Male Teal, Cley NWT, 15 February

A first visit to RSPB Rainham Marshes for some time, as part of an organised RSPB Local Group 'own transport' trip on the 19th, produced a trip list of 65 species (62 seen) on a glorious, spring-like day. A wintering Ruff was the only addition to my year list, although I did see an over-flying Rock or Water Pipit, but was unable to identify down to species level. Others managed to photograph this or other 'Non-Meadow' pipits, but at the time of writing it is not clear which species is/are represented! At least two wintering Chiffchaffs (one singing) were present in the woodland area of the reserve.

Chiffchaff, RSPB Rainham Marshes, 19 February

A report of five Bewick's Swans (four adults and a juvenile) at Hockwold Washes (adjacent to RSPB Lakenheath Fen reserve) encouraged me to visit Lakenheath Fen on the afternoon of the 21st. What I found were five Whooper Swans (four adults and a juvenile) - a bird that is already on my 2023 year list. Nevertheless, I enjoyed a pleasant few hours in the area in sunny weather, photographing Reed Buntings and Oystercatchers and getting great views of a Barn Owl.

Three Oystercatchers in Flight, RSPB Lakenheath Fen, 21 February

Female Reed Bunting, RSPB Lakenheath Fen, 21 February

On the 26th I went with my partner to Great Yarmouth. This was my first visit since before Covid-19, and I was pleased to see that a few wintering Mediterranean Gulls were still using the beach here, between the two piers, as they have done for at least 15 years. Also present on the beach was a flock of 23 Ringed Plovers and a single Dunlin. Great Yarmouth is a great place to visit for photographers interested in landscapes, street photography and 'decay and dereliction', the last of which kept my partner happy whilst I was bird watching.

Mediterranean Gull (First Winter), Great Yarmouth Beach

Ringed Plovers in Flight, Great Yarmouth