23-1-12, Whitemoor Haye.

A day off today and thank whoever the wind had dropped and it was very nice around Whitemoor Haye. Around the lake and woods I noted Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Carrion Crow, Robin, Black Headed Gull, 39 Wigeon, 1 Little Egret, 8 Mallard, Wren, 5 Tufted Duck, Woodpigeon, Skylark, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Blackbird, Meadow Pipit, Starling, 2 Fieldfare, Pheasant, Magpie, 2 Grey Heron and Canada Geese. On to the lanes and I added about 1000 Lapwing, about 500 Golden Plover, Dunnock, 1 Grey Partridge, Pied Wagtail, 337 Mute Swan, a single Corn Bunting, Tree Sparrow, Great Tit, Reed Bunting, Cormorant, Stock Dove, Buzzard, Linnet and 2 Collared Doves. There was a noticable increase in Reed Buntings today. In recent visits I have had the odd one, always female but today there was a few males and females around.

Stubbers Green.

After a bit of shopping I headed again for a bit of punishment and targeted the gulls at the sailing pool. When I arrived there was a fair few cars around and things were looking promising. Birds noted were Mallard, Canada Geese, Coot, Black Headed Gull, Lapwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Magpie, Moorhen, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Common Gull, Starling, Dunnock, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, Kestrel, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Stock Dove and a couple of pairs of Shoveler.
As soon as I arrived on site I joined a few other birders who were on a possible Caspian Gull. As this is a nightmare bird for me I had bought along the gull bible (written by the Swedish or Danish people but cannot remeber as book still in the car) to try and find one. I fetched the book and we pondered over the bird for some time and to us it ticked all of the boxes. Sloping forehead, flat head, cigar looking bill and small dark eye. We couldn't see the legs as the bird was always in the water. The group of us were very happy but then a birder came along who was not sure as it just didn't look right, he thought it was a possible Yellow-legged Gull. I did take some photos but only with a 500mm slr and the bird cannot be seen good enough. After coming back home and looking at the bird on the Chasewater wildlife website I am convinced this is the bird we were watching.