Patchwork Challenge - Longham Lakes Visit 9 02-May-2016

So after hearing there was a Mandarin Duck on the patch, I hurried out with the wife to see if I could spot it. Annoyingly, as we reached the lakes it started to pour down with rain, meaning our time there was very limited.

Despite only staying for around 40 minutes, we nevertheless saw a decent amount of birds, including four new ones for the year. When we arrived, the air with think with Swifts, Swallows and House Martins, all busy hawking for flies. Before long I spied a few Sand Martins, giving me my first new bird. There were plenty of baby ducks around and we also saw a pair of Canada Geese with several young, which is always nice to see.

Ducklings were everywhere. These ones were quite old.

Although we searched the island, I couldn't see any sign of the Mandarin Duck, but I did spot my first Common Sandpiper of the year, rushing along the bank in search of food. Aside from a few Mallard the island was mostly empty.

A number of Reed Buntings were in the reeds along the centre causeway and I also spied a Reed Warbler too, which kept on returning to a spot suggesting a nest was possibly nearby. Moving to the back there were a few very distant gulls in the back fields, as well as Magpies, Rooks, a Grey Heron and a Little Egret. Several blackbirds were also flying about in the thicket and I also spied a couple of Chaffinches, Greenfinches and Goldfinches. It was relatively quiet and the rain was starting to hammer down so we headed back to the car.

A very distant Blackcap.

Getting to the car park we spied a distant Blackcap singing, several Dunnocks and my first House Sparrows of the year.

Finally, some boring old House Sparrows on the patch!

I'm now up to 59 birds for the total year, which isn't that bad going at all.

Great British Bird Hunt - 2 new birds

I kick off the New Year with two brand new birds I've not seen before.

Redwing
I was hoping to see Redwings when I went to Wales as they typically move around with flocks of Fieldfare, which I did see. Sadly, they eluded me and I thought my chance of seeing them ended there. Luckily, I got a call from my Aunty on January the 2nd saying she had a pair in her garden and would I like to see them. Normally I don't drop everything at the drop of a hat, but it was too good an opportunity to pass up.
The shots aren't the best as I was using a bridge camera, but I'm still happy with them. Rredwings are Scandinavian thrushes and a lot smaller than I was expecting. There were about 5 in total, but they were typically getting chase off by Blackbirds and proved to be quite timid. It's distinctive for a line above its eye and the red patches under its wings. Nearly 700,000 birds typically visit each year, but only a handful tend to breed.

The birds loved the ivy berries.

The white eye stripe is very distinctive.

Easily the best shot I took.

Blackcap

While we were looking for the Redwings I spotted a Blackcap but in my excitement couldn't get a good shot of it. We continued to look for another 20 minutes but the male didn't show. Just as I was leaving I followed what I thought was a Robin to the other side of the garden. I soon realised that it was a female and within seconds a male was with her too.

Blackcaps are migratory warblers, but more and more spend all year here. In the past I've heard them in hedgerows while out in the countryside (they have very melodious songs) but I've never spotted one long enough to get a photo. It's probably far too early for the birds to think about breeding, but they were certainly spending time together.

He's obscured by bushes but you can see the distinctive black cap.

Shot one of the female.

And a harsher crop. Would love to get one of these in my 600mm lens.

So that's all for this week. I'm not at 145 birds in total!