Books / Birds

Over the on the right is a link to Steve Gale's excellent 'North Downs & Beyond' blog. He's set himself a target of bringing his moth list up to 1000sp., and he's taking an interest in the early stages of micromoths. Whilst I've always been interested in the early stages of moths (hence the Larval Life label that you'll also find on the right), looking at leafmines is something I've only really done sporadically and without any real systematic approach. And this is generally because I am still relatively weak at working out what I'm looking at when it comes to vascular plants. Including trees! Steve will have the advantage of being more botanically savy, and will no doubt find lots of good stuff.

I really should make a better effort, and it's not like I haven't got some helpful tools. I have the two key books that should be invaluable to anyone intent on looking for micromoth larval life:

Whilst I'm at it, there is a book soon to be published that I anticipate will also be invaluable to me. Porter's book on caterpillars was good, but missed the mark in a few respects by not showing variation and some not so great photography. I hope that this new book will take caterpillar ID to a new level, though no doubt I'll still end up rearing out larvae to be sure in many instances.

This morning it was a bit dull and drizzly to start, and I had a deserved lie-in. By the time I was up and about it had brightened up a bit, so I decided to head out somewhere that I could have a leisurely walk around with my bins and camera. I headed to Thornton Res, and arrived late morning just in time for the weather to return to its earlier gloomy outlook. The camera was under-utilised as there were fewer birds around than I'd hoped, and there were also more people there than I expected so not quite the solitude I was looking for.

Right near the car park was a small collection of bread-crazed gulls and wildfowl, but scanning the open waters revealed very little. All the gulls bar one were Black-headed, and vast majority of the generally few ducks were Mallard. There were a handful of Tufted Ducks, and I saw one drake Pochard. A group of three Little Grebes were about the most exciting birds I saw, and it was oddly quiet on the passerine front too. It's been so long since I actually went anywhere looking for birds that I was disappointed with my choice of site and I wished I'd got out earlier and gone to one of the big reservoirs in the far east of the county. Still, I got some fresh air and used my legs which was the aim.

Black-headed Gull checking its undercarriage in the mirror.

This Lesser Black-backed was the only gull with enough self-respect to ignore bread.

Cormorants are rarely appealing birds.

Don't be fooled, this Tufted Duck was loitering with the bread-addicts.

Just after the above phone shot, the squally drizzle returned and I headed back to the car. Some reading this may well remember my disdain for hybidised and feral wildfowl. Just look at the state of this pair ...

Feral Swan Goose, noisy, ugly, yuck.

Plumage is almost right, but just look at the size of this drake - looks like it's been eating Mallards.

County Tick .......

Somehow, I full expected to be out this weekend watching a first for the county Glossy Ibis. Turns out my thoughts of a county first were right - just the wrong species .... This morning, Andy Smith over in Thornton was no doubt delighted to find a juvenile Common Rosefinch in his garden ringing nets. He promptly got the news out, and before long a steady procession of county birders were invited into his garden to scan over some really superb looking gardens, scrub and woodland with Thornton Reservoir in the background. When I got there, there was c12 birders enjoying the view. After a few came and went, when I left there was still c20 and more were heading that way. I got good scope and bin views within seconds of arriving - OMCL! Let's be fair - a juve Rosefinch may not be the most inspiring bird, but this was a county first and everyone needed it. There must be a load of midlands listers who would need it as well - can't be many inland records. It was actually quite a smart bird with its massive beady eye, and it was in open view for prolonged periods inbetween actively feeding on elderberries. Many thanks to Andy and his family for their excellent hosting and for opening up their garden view to all. It was good to see all the faces there - probably the biggest county twitch of a VC55 garden since the Medbourne Rose-coloured Starling and my Black Redstart many years ago.

Thornton Reservoir - 29/04/2008

A very brief, slightly chilly and dully lit post-work visit to Thornton Res was almost entirely uneventful. There was loads of House Martins, Swallows and a few Sand Martins but none were photographable as they zoomed about. The wagtail field was pretty quiet - just the one Yellow and a handful of Pieds. I was going to walk further round the reservoir, but decided I really couldn't be arsed.


After a busy day, I can do without the incessant 'pink pink' calls of Chaffinches!


Synchronised preening.

Thornton Reservoir 18/04/2008

Back again - this site is pretty easy to get to quickly from my work. I'm visiting more regularly than the Thornton Mothman! Anyway, a call from John just before I left work lead me to return to look for a Redstart found a little earlier by the Wearside Whippet, Brian Moore. John had seen it but had to leave to collect his car from a service. Shortly after arriving Allen Pocock also turned up, and we spent the next hour failing to see the said Start. John returned but still no sign. Throughout the visit I kept scanning through the Swallows and Sand Martins and I eventually picked up a couple of House Martins amongst them. Aside from these, Yellow Wagtails, the Little Owls and a couple of Sparrowhawks were the only birds of interest. The main field held the ugliest cow I've ever seen. If it had been a lot warmer and brighter I may have taken a photo to illustrate this fact, but frankly I couldn't be arsed. I left Allen and the newly arrived Grayboy to continue the search ....

Thornton Reservoir & Grove Park - 16/04/2008

Nipped to Thornton Res. after work yesterday. The Little Owls were again on show as can be clearly seen from this pathetic image.

The round knobbly thing on a branch.

The wagtail field was also busy again. Initially I found 3 Yellow Wagtails and 2 White Wagtails amongst the Pieds. Jim Graham turned up and after another search the Yellow Wagtail count was up to 4.They were still a little too far for proper photos, but a bit closer than last week. Unfortunately the White Wagtails were always distant.

Yellow Wagtail on molehill.


Pied Wagtail on pile of shit.

After a walk along the waterside failed to produce anything else of interest, I re-checked the field on the way back and there was now 5 Yellow Wagtails and 3 White Wagtails. The hirundines started to appear as the late afternoon turned to evening, but still no House Martins for me.

On the way home I dropped into Grove Park to have another look at a pair of Little Ringed Plovers that appear to be attempting one last effort before the site is completely built over.

Bird = LRP, site = RIP

Thornton Reservoir - 08/04/2008

Following a texted tip-off, I met up with John after work at Thornton Res. After a quick look at the resident Little Owls, we carried on down the track to look over the cow pastures along with Thornton regular Andy Smith. Unfortunately the threatened showers started at this point, but they soon cleared to nice bright sunshine for a while.
Milling about the molehills and cowpats, apart from loads of Pied Wagtails (guess c25), there was at least one male White Wagtail and a spanking male Yellow Wagtail which is what we were looking for. Really smart bright bird. Sadly it was always a little too distant for anything other than a crap record shot for me, as were the Pieds.

This pants photo doesn't do the bird justice.

Pied

There were plenty of Sand Martins and Swallows, but no House Martins. Again, trying to get anything other than a record shot was not possible (too high, too far, too fast, me being too crap etc).

Sand Martin too fast/high.

Swallow too high/me too low.

By now John had left but Grayboy had arrived and almost immediately noted the male Brambling that had been seen last week and by John earlier in the day. Managed to grab a few quick shots before it fecked off again. Not sure what it had in/round its bill.

Smart Brambling.

There were lots of calves in the wagtail field:

"When I grow up I want to be big in fast food outlets."

Thornton Res. 13/02/2008

Another fantastic sunny day, so I nipped out of work over lunch to play with the camera at Thornton Res. I've never seen the place so busy - sadly this was with people (and in particular kids on half-term days out in the sun) rather than interesting birds. Nevertheless, I managed to grab a few shots. A bird table near the angling hut was busy, with the best birds on show being up to 5 Reed Buntings. A Nuthatch was knocking about there but never came close enough, and a Willow Tit flitted in and out too quickly. Alarm calling Crows overhead alerted me to the Buzzard they were mobbing, and a Kestrel briefly settled in a tree for a distant shot. Otherwise, the water was quiet apart from the greedy bastard feed-me birds at the car park.


Reed Buntings

Dunnock (or Hedge Accentor if you insist)

Kestrel

Common Buzzard & Carrion Crow

Black-headed Gull

Moorhen

Mute Swan

Mallard

Tufted Duck