Local Wildlife Sightings February 2022

 The redpolls were last seen on my garden feeders on the 2nd: hopefully, they find their way back successfully to their breeding site(s) further north. Apart from a probable stonechat, seen only in flight on two occasions at the western end of The Heath, it was a case of just seeing the 'usual suspects' on my regular walks. It was encouraging to see and hear more greenfinches locally, and on two occasions five were seen in the garden - the highest number for many years. With up to six chaffinches feeding on the ground below the feeders and up to nine goldfinches at a time using the feeders, the garden has been a bit of a 'finch haven' this winter. However, bullfinches have become even harder to find and must be in danger of dying out in the Royston area. Long-tailed tits were only seen in very small flocks, suggesting a poor nesting season in 2021. Many other nesting species were also hit badly by the very cold April and cold, wet May in 2021, but blue tit numbers this winter seem, if anything, to have increased (I counted 35 in trees on either side of the Icknield Way as I walked from Therfield down to Royston Hospital on the 7th). Great tit numbers also seem to have held up well. Going back to my garden, the single male collared dove that had visited throughout the winter finally found a partner at the beginning of the month. I rather like collared doves but so, for different reasons, do sparrowhawks and they take quite a toll on the local collared dove population.

Gulls, Gulls, Gulls - Again.

The middle weeks of February were desperately quiet for birds and other local wildlife. However, I did note a large flock of larger (herring-type and black-backed) gulls on the ground at Hatchpen Farm on a very dull late afternoon on the 9th. The local Kumliens gull had again been reported at Heydon Pig Farm, a few miles away, earlier in the day and I hoped that it might be in this flock. In very poor light I couldn't see it on the ground, but when the flock took off one gull did appear more uniformly pale than all the others. However, it was too far away for me to be certain of its identity. I walked up to Hatchpen on two other afternoons, seeing larger gulls on each occasion, but there was no sign of the Kumliens gull. Hatchpen and the Newsells Stud Farm seem to be on a regular flight path, possibly from Heydon, before they head west, presumably to roost. I regularly see roving flocks of black-headed and common gulls over the fields at this time of year, so it has become normal to see the four commonest UK species of gull on my walks.

Lesser Black-backed and Herring Gulls, Newsells Stud Farm, 10 February

Three 'named' storms passed through our area in the second half of the month, bringing trees and branches down. Walking became unpleasant and even dangerous for a few days, but when the storms abated bird watching on my local walks continued to hold little of interest. I saw a Mediterranean gull on another visit to Dernford Farm Reservoir (near Stapleford in Cambridgeshire, an 18 minute drive from my house) on the 28th.

UK Wildlife Sightings February 2022

 I had promised myself a quieter month of bird watching after some rather frenetic travelling in January. However, I couldn't resist the urge to visit the coast again on the 3rd, when RSPB Minsmere in Suffolk was the venue. Things got off to a great start, as I saw red-throated divers and (common?) scoters on the sea as I made my way up to Dunwich Heath. Dartford warblers and stonechats were soon seen here, and I was surprised to also see three woodlarks singing their beautiful songs - the earliest date that I have ever encountered this species. Back on the Minsmere reserve, bearded tits were added to my year list. I decided to move on to nearby Walberswick in the afternoon, hoping to see the reported four twite there. Twite is becoming an exceptionally difficult wintering bird to see in East Anglia these days (there were none at Thornham Harbour this winter). Despite the help of a knowledgeable local birdwatcher I was unable to find any, but I did see a spotted redshank on one of the pools that lie between Dunwich and Walberswick.

Dartford Warbler, Dunwich Heath, 3 February

Woodlark, Dunwich Heath, 3 February

Spotted Redshank, Walberswick, 3 February

I saw my first butterfly of the year on a photographic visit to Lynford Arboretum on the 8th. This red admiral was further proof that this species over-winters in the UK. I moved on to RSPB Lakenheath Fen in the afternoon, doing more photography (of reed buntings this time - the hoped for water rail didn't show). I missed seeing a common crane in flight by a few minutes, but a walk along the river provided a sighting of a water pipit (up to ten over-winter here) on the Washland, whilst another was heard nearby.

Female Reed Buntings, RSPB Lakenheath Fen, 8 February

I drove up to the Yorkshire coast on the 11th. After many adventures, following the closure of a large stretch of the A1, I made it (just) in time to spend a couple of hours both at RSPB Bempton Cliffs and at Filey. Gannets were already back in big numbers at Bempton and I walked northwards along the cliffs to find the field where an amazing 40-50 Lapland buntings were wintering - I've never seen so many! Unfortunately the three shorelarks that were feeding with them remained elusive. I timed my visit to Filey so that I could walk out to the end of The Brigg, where large numbers of guillemots and razorbills were feeding. As usual, purple sandpipers were feeding on the rocks here and a single pale-bellied brent goose was also seen (dark-bellied brent geese are far more common on the east coast). Two immature male common eider ducks were also seen off The Brigg and on the way back I passed a great northern diver that was struggling to swallow an enormous fish. A herring gull was following it, presumably in the hope of the fish being dropped.

Lapland Bunting, Buckden, 11 February

Purple Sandpipers, Filey Brigg, 11 February

Pale-bellied Brent Goose, Filey Brigg, 11 February

I'm always on the lookout to add birds to my UK life list and an opportunity arrived in the shape of an American robin, which turned up at Eastbourne in early February. This is a rather attractive American thrush, which has an orange-red breast (hence the name). Having confirmed that the bird was still present on the 16th I drove down via Reigate, where I popped in to see the ring-necked duck. Finding the location of the robin was not easy (I don't have sat-nav.), but I was relieved to see the bird, albeit some distance away, for about a minute shortly after I arrived. Having been assured that the bird would visit nearby gardens in due course I waited for over two hours, but didn't see it again. Consequently I have no photos of the bird to show you! At this point I decided to forego the opportunity to seek a wintering Hume's warbler nearby and drove home.

Female Ring-necked Duck, Priory Pond, Reigate, 16 February

I saw my first 'rare' grebe of the year, a black-necked grebe at Godmanchester gravel pits, on the 17th. A succession of powerful storms passed across the country during this period, but our monthly RSPB Local Group visit to Paxton Pits and Grafham Water still went ahead on the 20th, when we only had to contend with near gale force winds and a bit of squally rain. Highlights were goosanders at Paxton and five female scaup at Grafham Water.

Record Shot of Black-necked Grebe at Godmanchester Gravel Pits, 17 February

With my partner Helen I spent the weekend of the 25-27th away on the Hampshire coast at Milford-on-sea. Being only 200 yards from the sea I got up early on the Saturday morning to look for coastal birds and was surprised to see a couple of purple sandpipers with turnstones on the coastal rocks! The Sturt Pond, just over a mile to the east, hosted a good variety of waders including a big flock of black-tailed godwits. On the way back from our non-birdwatching break we went on a long walk in the New Forest, where I was lucky enough to add a stunning firecrest to my year list. We had glorious, sunny weather throughout the weekend - a great way to end an otherwise disappointing month.