Local Wildlife Sightings, January 2023

 I braved the wind, rain and thick mud to go for my walk around the villages on the 5th. Highlights included around 200 Golden Plover, back at Park Farm after disappearing during December's wintry weather, twelve Corn Buntings at Hatchpen Farm and about 400 Linnets in three large flocks at Royston, Therfield and Reed. The pair of Gadwall was still present at Phillup's Lake, along with a Coot and 22 Canada Geese.

Male Gadwall, Phillup's Lake, 5 January

Canada Geese by Phillup's Lake, 5 January

On the 6th I visited the attractive little Lemsford Springs reserve, near Welwyn Garden City. This reserve hosts Green Sandpipers for around nine months of the year. Some of the sandpipers have been tagged and have been monitored here and at their breeding sites in Scandinavia. The warden, Barry Trevis, has some fascinating tales to tell about these birds, which feed at Lemsford on Freshwater Shrimps. I saw eight Green Sandpipers on my visit, together with eight Little Egrets and a Grey Wagtail. Ring-necked Parakeets have also found Lemsford - how long before they reach Royston?

Green Sandpiper (tagged), Lemsford Springs, 6 January

It is always nice to find a rarity on my 'Local Patch'. On 1 March last year I observed and photographed a 3rd winter Kumlien's Gull (the Canadian sub-species of Iceland Gull) at Hatchpen Farm in Reed. The bird over-wintered in the Cambridgeshire area in 2021-22, being regularly seen just over the county border at Heydon Pig Farm. This winter, presumably the same bird returned as an adult and was seen near Melbourn, 4-5 miles from my house, at the beginning of January. On the 10th I decided to walk up to Hatchpen again, not expecting 'lightning to strike twice', but it did! The very pale bird stood out on the ground amongst a mixed flock of around 200 gulls, before flying off west. I managed to grab a couple of flight shots of the distant bird in the gathering gloom which, when processed, showed it clearly to be an Iceland Gull although the distinguishing features of the Kumlien's sub-species were not visible. These are no more than 'record shots' - one day I'll get closer views of the gull in better weather!

Iceland Gull (Kumliens Ssp?), Reed, 10 January

Iceland Gull, Reed, 10 January

Another cold spell in the middle of the month, with frost and ice but no snow this time, meant unsuitable ground conditions for gulls. There was little of interest to be seen on my local walks, although, when I was on my way back from yet another failed attempt to see raptors and owls along the Icknield Way on the 17th at dusk, I was lucky to see a Woodcock fly across the path, near Wicker Hall. This was only my 4th sighting of this secretive bird in the local area, and my first sighting anywhere in the UK since 2021. Amazingly, I saw three other Woodcocks later in the week (see my UK Sightings blog). The frost and ice was replaced by thick mud towards the end of the month, and another gull-watching trip up to Hatchpen Farm on the 24th was rewarded by a sighting of a Yellow-legged Gull in flight, although there was no sign this time of the Iceland Gull.

The squirrels that had plagued my garden, gnawing away at the bird feeders, disappeared during the second half of the month but so, too, did the Goldfinches and Greenfinches. Had they found better sources of food? Despite my putting out loads of food (fat balls, peanuts, finch seed, sunflower hearts and apples) prior to my 'Big Garden Birdwatch' on the 27th, they didn't re-appear although, not surprisingly, the food attracted many Woodpigeons (maximum count six) and Jackdaws (also six) to the garden during the birdwatch.

Slightly further afield, I returned to Lemsford Springs during the cold spell on the 20th, after hearing news that up to three Jack Snipe were showing there. Two of the birds were hidden from view, but I had brief views of the third, which, annoyingly, spent most of its time hidden behind a lump of mud on the river. Two Common Snipe and at least nine Green Sandpipers were also present.

'Record Shot' of a Jack Snipe at Lemsford Springs, 20 January

UK Wildlife Sightings January 2023

 January began much as December had ended, very windy with regular spells of rain. My first opportunity to get out and about and find some birds was on the 4th, when I decided to visit the North Norfolk coast (surprise, surprise), visiting Titchwell, then Holkham Gap and finally the saltmarsh to the east of Wells. Although the day was mainly about getting my bird list started I did manage to do a bit of photography in the morning at Titchwell. Thirteen species of wader were recorded there, including around eight Avocet and several hundred Dunlin (by far the most of this species that I have seen at Titchwell). Moving on to Holkham I added Snow Bunting and Shore Lark to my year list, the latter (around ten birds) flying over to within about 20 feet of me, giving me the opportunity to get some decent photos of these extremely rare winter visitors. Although some rare ducks and grebes had been seen on the sea in recent days, I was only able to find a few Mergansers and Goldeneye. Walking from the east side of Wells towards Warham Greens I passed two hunting Barn Owls. My target bird, the immature female Pallid Harrier that I had seen in December, duly appeared very distantly. After a full day of bird watching I had recorded over 70 species (67 seen).

Dunlin at RSPB Titchwell Marsh, 4 January

Two Shore Larks at Holkham Gap, 4 January

Shore Lark at Holkham Gap, 4 January

On the 11th I visited RSPB Fen Drayton and WWT Welney, the two designated venues for our January RSPB Local Group coach trip. Fen Drayton produced a Great White Egret and a good selection of wetland birds. Disappointingly, Welney was totally flooded with all hides except for the main (centrally heated) hide being closed. Only a handful of Whooper Swans were present (lots more were feeding in the surrounding fields) and there was no sign, on a very windy day, of the Short-eared Owls that had been regularly reported during the winter (apparently they appeared shortly after I left....). I went for a walk around the Lady Fen trail in increasingly poor weather, with the only animals of note seen being three Roe Deer and an albino Brown Hare (or was it a very lost Mountain Hare?!). A few Tree Sparrows were seen at the Visitor Centre.

Whooper Swan Taking Off, Welney, 11 January

I visited Abberton Reservoir and Tollesbury in Essex on the 13th, partly to do a 'recce' for an RSPB trip in March, but mainly because there were lots of interesting birds at both sites (particularly at Abberton) that I wanted to see and photograph - and it was a lovely day, weatherwise. Scaup, Black-necked Grebe, Smew, Goosander (lots) and a juvenile Caspian Gull were all seen at Abberton, whilst Red-breasted Merganser and a host of different waders were present at Tollesbury. An unusual, but rather attractive Teal-like bird (image) was associating with some tame Mallards by the Layer Breton causeway at Abberton. Presumably an exotic/escape, I was unclear whether it was a single species or a hybrid bird - any ideas?

'Exotic' Water Fowl seen at Abberton Reservoir, 13 January

Male and Female Scaup, Abberton Reservoir, 13 January

Red-breasted Merganser in Flight, Tollesbury, 13 January

The 16th saw me visiting Eldernell, on the Nene Washes east of Peterborough, looking for owls and other raptors. I always find that, whichever way I go, it always takes me a long time to get there from Royston and this time was no exception. I arrived an hour before dusk, but (just) in time to be shown where three Short-eared Owls were roosting, by a bird watcher with today's very useful "go to" piece of equipment, a thermal imaging device. I managed to photograph one of the owls (image below). The guy said that Long-eared Owls were roosting along the same thick hedgerow a couple of hundred yards away, but in fading light I was unable to locate them. However, back at the car park I was able to watch two Hen Harriers (including a beautiful adult male) interacting with Marsh Harriers and a Short-eared Owl near a roost site and to see a couple of distant Common Cranes in what was a short but enjoyable visit.

Roosting Short-eared Owl, Eldernell, 16 January

I probably spend more time bird watching in January than in any other month as I try to boost my new year lists and look for winter visitors before they depart to northern climes. In cold but sunny weather I packed in quite a lot over the next few days, starting with a full day on the North Norfolk coast on the 19th. After a brief stop to view a large flock of White-fronted Geese near Holkham I went back to Brancaster to see and try to photograph the wintering Hume's Warbler. In December, the bird had been present (but hard to see) in a long line of bushes. It's behaviour was very different on this occasion as it was moving about on the bank leading from a raised footpath down to the bushes. The bank was covered with low vegetation, but each time the bird flew and landed on the bank it disappeared into this vegetation, remaining unseen until it flew again, making its distinctive two note call. Needless to say, I again didn't get any photos! However, I was left with a full afternoon at RSPB Titchwell, with the sun behind me on the beach and the tide coming in - ideal for photographing waders! I left at dusk and, having seen my first UK Woodcock for over a year on my local patch a couple of days beforehand, I was amazed to see at least three more flying across the road at dusk, between Hunstanton and Kings Lynn.

White-fronted Goose, Holkham, 19 January

I was out again the following day, although only as far as St Albans, where I watched Coots sliding about on the ice in Verulamium Park and added Siskin and Lesser Redpoll to my year list at the delightful little Watercress Nature Reserve nearby.

Coot on the Ice, Verulamium Park, St Albans, 20 January

It was back to Fen Drayton and Welney on the RSPB coach trip on the 22nd. There was intermittent fog, as well as a hoar frost at both venues. I was surprised to see a Bearded Tit walking over an iced up lake at Fen Drayton (at least one more was heard calling), but the presence of a grit tray nearby suggested that this species is a 'regular' here, at least in the winter. Other birds seen on the day included all three UK egret species, Short-eared and Barn Owls (Welney) and Bewick's Swans (again at Welney, but not seen by me).

Female Bearded Tit, Fen Drayton, 22 January

View from the Main Hide, Welney, 22 January

Feeding the Swans, Welney, 22 January

Great Egret Landing, Fen Drayton, 22 January

I was unsuccessful in my quest to see Hawfinches at Lynford Arboretum on the 24th, but did spend some time photographing birds (mainly tits) at a 'pop-up' feeding station there. My final expedition in January was an unsuccessful one, as I went to Manor Park in Flitwick (Bedfordshire) to look for the gaudy male Lady Amherst's Pheasant that had been showing there off and on for a few weeks. This rare pheasant, originally a release, was believed to have died out in 2016, the last male being seen in nearby Maulden Woods. The origin of the current bird is unclear, but since I couldn't find it I'm not too concerned about its origins!

Marsh Tit, Lynford Arboretum, 24 January