Young birders: February 2011

Saturday 26 February 2011

Pulborough Brooks

We have today returned from a visit to pulborough brooks with the havering local RSPB group. It was an early start with the coach leaving at 7:30am. We arrived at around 10:00am and we both went straight to the feeders ticking of the common garden birds, blue tit, great tit, robin and goldfinch. After the lady in the visitor centre delivered a speech about the reserve we set off.

We saw a linnet sitting in a tree and spotted gold crest briefly as they flitted around the pine trees. With green woodpecker, nuthatch and and other woodland birds calling loudly. As we entered the first hide there were a number of around 50 wigeon, 7 pintail, 6 little egret and a escaped bar headed goose.

The next hide gave us Kestrel, Common buzzard and peregrine. The peregrine was spooking the large numbers of lapwing, dunlin and starling. In the final hide we saw again more buzzard and more pintail. Walking back to the visitor centre gave us a chance to see Bulfinch as it fed in tree.

When we got back we saw more nuthatch's on the feeders and the often marsh tit. It was a great day with weather being O.K apart from the wet showers that we had but we were in the hide at that time so it didn't matter

Young birders.

Blue tit (Matthew Foakes)

Common Buzzard (Matthew Foakes)

Wigeon (Matthew Foakes)

Nuthatch (Matthew Foakes)

Rabbit (Matthew Foakes)

Friday 25 February 2011

Rainam Marshes

Hi everyone

I have just returned from RSPB Rainham Marshes. The weather was all right and the temperature was mild. The feeders were disappointing as the was a strong wind sometimes which blew the birds of course rather than landing on the branches. The first hide was better getting some good view of common snipe, pintail and Pochard. As we left the hide and entered the broadwalks I heard a slash. Looked around and there in front of us was WATER RAIL!!

I have only ever seen one once at Rye Meads briefly and apart from that only ever heard them. We walked on to the second hide to see a Peregrines Falcon on top of a pylon and dunlin. Over all a very successful day with that photo of blackbird in flight(see last post moment captured)

Matthew Foakes

Water Rail

wigeon

Common Snipe

A moment captured

Hi everyone,

I thought I would share this photo which I took this morning of a Male blackbird just about to go on feeder.

Blackbird (Matthew foakes)

Thursday 24 February 2011

Southend On Sea

I have just returned from Southend in Essex. The weather was like it has been all week, overcast. however still bright enough to take some reasonable photos. We set off along the sea path. seeing many turnstones and trying finding some food. The black headed gulls were striking lucky and many people were abandoning there chips. We turned a corner and and there were some brent geese feeding on the green algee there. It was and plesant day though the weather was a bit cold.

Matthew