RJSeargent
Birding at the taxpayer's expense. Head down, bin
Anyone know if the Epsom Waxwings are still present this morning?
Bill,
not according to Birdguides.
Rich:C
Anyone know if the Epsom Waxwings are still present this morning?
The mercury has plunged. A cold morning at Tice's (-3) but with surprisingly large amounts of unfrozen water left. Lapwings had grown in number to around 86 and there was 1 Green Sandpiper and 3 Dunlin amongst them. Wildfowl numbers pretty static with 10 Shoveler, 6 Tufted Duck, 3 Gadwall and several very flighty Teal. Snipe are currently in the reed beds at the silt ponds.
In the shrubby area there was a large mixed flock of Finches which included at least 15 Siskin and 10 or so Lesser Redpoll. Winther thrushes included 6 Redwing.
Plenty of Thrushes at Farnham around the UCA car park. Two Mistle Thrushes defending a favoured tree and both Fieldfare and Redwing chattering around what berries are left.
Hoping for Goosander locally over the weekend.
An improvement this afternoon at Tice's with larger numbers of wildfowl, 20 (at least) Meadow Pipits, 1 Green Sandpiper and the Dunlin (the former flying between the river and the workings). An adult Great Black-backed Gull in with the 37 Lesser Black-backs. Best find was a single Mealy Redpoll in the Lesser Redpoll flock. Two new birders, both from Woking, with one called David. Welcome!
Sounds great! I will get up there again one of these weekends...(!) I'm off to Staines Reservoir tomorrow for the first time, with Sean F. Hoping for a good day.
Matt.
28/11/10 Waxwing Thatcham G Stewart
At least 12 in bare tree along Station Road Thatcham,near Kennet School/Turners Drive at 9.00 this morning.
Very cold at Tices this morning, Green Sandpiper flushed from the River & flew in the direction of the workings. Also 3 Dunlin still in amongst the Gulls, 16 Shoveler & at least the same no of Teal also present. Spent most time this morning tracking down the roving Finch flock which contained 3 Bullfinch, & at least 10 each of Lesser Redpoll & Siskin giving very close views. Unable to pin down any obvious Mealies today though.
John.
http://www.berksbirds.co.uk/birdnews.asp28/11/10 Waxwing Thatcham 22 M J Dear
13:00 agricola way.
Tad dissapointed didn't see any Waxwings in Thatcham .
Had a good look around the reported site.
Got home & saw they were in Agricola Way, must been opposite end to where we were.
http://www.berksbirds.co.uk/birdnews.asp
Moose (?)
That's Waxwings for you. One bloke in Surrey has dipped about 9 times at Epsom - he turns up just after the disappear. They are bound to be here soon now that the weather up north had deteriorated.
Rich
Tices this morning 09:45 - 11:30 - 1 Green Sandpiper, 9 Snipe, 3 Lapwing, 15+ Siskin, 10+ Lesser Redpoll, 3 Reed Bunting, 20+ Fieldfare, 10+ Redwing.
Workings still partially frozen so Wildfowl & Gull no's very low, no sign of any Mealies either.
John.