Tuesday 30 August 2011

28-8-11, Gailey Reservoir.

A summer plumaged Red-necked Grebe has been present here fo a few weeks now so I thought it was about time I got over there to see it. I was there nice and early, met up with a chap with a big lens on his camera and strolled in between the upper and lower reservoir. Ten minutes of scanning had produced nothing. Had it gone? I just wished I had read a certain blog as he describes the grebes pattern and we would have found it easier. It was soon relocated, resting with its head tucked into its wings and drifting towards the gull island. For some time it stayed resting but eventually it came to life and headed towards the south east corner feeding. Birds noted were Swallow, Green Woodpecker, Swifts, Black Headed Gull, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Pochard, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Little Grebe, Robin, Cormorant, Red-necked Grebe, House Martin, Chaffinch, Carrion Crow and Blue Tit.

28-8-11, Belvide Reservoir.

I was in the area so I decided to check out Belvide. A walk around the site produced Robin, Woodpigeon, Chiffchaff, Carrion Crow, House Martin, Great Tit, Teal, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Mallard, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Black Headed Gull, Nuthatch, Canada Geese, Grey Heron, Wren, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Coot, Dunnock, Cormorant, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, Gadwall, Greylag Geese, Jackdaw, Swallow, Magpie, Ruff, Greenshank, Shelduck, Little Ringed Plover, Starling, Common Sandpiper, Yellow Wagtail, Long-tailed Tit, Lapwing, Knot, Shoveler, Whinchat, Coal Tit, Tree Sparrow, Greenfinch, Blackbird and Willow Tit.
Not a bad session and I rerally enjoyed a short while in the new hide overlooking the feeders in the plantation. Very good.

28-8-11, Whitemoor Haye

I wanted to be home for the grand prix at 13.00 so I managed a quick twenty minutes at the lake at Whitemoor Haye. Birds noted were Goldfinch, Swallow, Mute Swan, Black Headed Gull, Pied Wagtail, Great Crested Grebe, Greenshank, Carrion Crow, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Blue Tit, Lesser Black and Black Headed Gull, Great Tit, Stock Dove and Robin.
A bit rubbish really. The sun was very bright causing a heat haze so visibility was not brilliant. During the grand prix a phone message and pager message got me heading back to Whitemoor Haye "Black-necked Grebe on the pool at Whitemoor Haye". I was there in five minutes and met Steve Richards who had found the grebe and soon I was on it. Bloody superb but bloody annoying. Whilst I was feasting on my third Black-necked Grebe of the weekend, Steve found 2 Hobbies hunting over thegravel pits. Absolutely brilliant. Other birds noted were Greenshank and Common Sandpiper and I managed to get back for the end of the grand prix.

28-8-11, Alrewas GP.

After the grand prix and the 8-2 mauling of Arsenal by Man City (ouch) I decided to head out to Alrewas pit to see if I could find and waders or grebes. As some of you will be aware, this pit had a Red-necked Grebe a few years ago so you never now. Birds noted this evening were Woodpigeon, Robin, Carrion Crow, Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Blue Tit, Black Headed Gull, Grey Heron, Tufted Duck, Cormorant, Linnet, Sand Martin, Lapwing, Pied Wagtail, Mallard, Buzzard, Long-tailed Tit and Lesser Black-backed Gull. Rubbish really.

28-8-11, Junction Pit.

It was getting to late to bird the arboretum or Whitemoor Haye again so I pedalled over to Junction pits to see if anything was on it. Another waste of time. Birds noted were Magpie, Pheasant, Woodpigeon, Canada Geese, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, Black Headed Gull and Great Tit.

I went home.

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