• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Search results

thxpress_search_the_forum Search Opus
  1. mattytheduke

    Hants, Berks and Surrey Borders

    I thought I'd heard a Firecrest singing in the Leylandii trees in my neighbour's garden a couple of times this past week, and this morning my suspicions were proved correct as I picked up the bird singing in dense holly/laurel behind my house. I won't say exactly where, for obvious reasons, but...
  2. mattytheduke

    Hants, Berks and Surrey Borders

    A male Blackcap in my Aldershot garden today, followed nicely by a low-flying Red Kite heading west at 16:20. Matt.
  3. mattytheduke

    Hants, Berks and Surrey Borders

    8 Waxwing on a tree on the big roundabout over the A331, between Aldershot, Ash and Tongham, at 17:00 today. They looked particularly stunning with their crested silhouettes against the yellow evening sky
  4. mattytheduke

    Hants, Berks and Surrey Borders

    Cheers John, I'll give that a try. Matt.
  5. mattytheduke

    Hants, Berks and Surrey Borders

    John, I haven't really walked along the Blackwater properly since I was boy. Keen to get out and explore it again. Where's the best to park, and walk to/from? Matt.
  6. mattytheduke

    Hants, Berks and Surrey Borders

    Great idea, Rich! Would make it easier for new people to find the thread too. Good news about the Sand Martin, John. I'm planning to get up Tice's early tomorrow after dropping my car into the garage, so hopefully may be a few more Martins present. Will let you know. Matt.
  7. mattytheduke

    Hants, Berks and Surrey Borders

    Not much in the rain at Tice's this morning. Did see a Chiffchaff flycatching from the hedgerow next to the bank though and, as I watched that one, a second one started singing further up the hedgerow. A nice surprise in such inclement weather!
  8. mattytheduke

    Hants, Berks and Surrey Borders

    Rich, it was great to see them, and to meet you! A unexpectedly fruitful couple of hours birding! Hopefully see you tomorrow.
  9. mattytheduke

    Hants, Berks and Surrey Borders

    Yes, that's a shame. Explains why there were only 40 or so left when I got there around 11.30. Matt.
  10. mattytheduke

    Hants, Berks and Surrey Borders

    Cheers, Sean. Gulls are still rather a grey area for me I'm afraid!
  11. mattytheduke

    Hants, Berks and Surrey Borders

    I didn't make it to Tice's today, but did notice a large gull over Tongham GP late yesterday that was a puzzle to ID. Roughly Herring Gull size but with a strange call. Presumably one of the Yellow-leggeds, but did cross my mind about the Caspian too
  12. mattytheduke

    Hants, Berks and Surrey Borders

    Thanks everyone for your help! I do already record on Surrey Birders, Kevin, so I'll make sure to post stuff up on there in future :t: Matt.
  13. mattytheduke

    Hants, Berks and Surrey Borders

    I posted it up then and there on the off chance some of you may have been around to see them! They all flew off around 3.15pm, heading NW over the school, back towards Aldershot town centre. Amazing to see different reactions from passers-by ranging from genuine interest, and enquiring what they...
  14. mattytheduke

    Hants, Berks and Surrey Borders

    Scratch that, it's over 100 :)
  15. mattytheduke

    Hants, Berks and Surrey Borders

    I'm currently stood on the footpath between the lake near Tices, and Heron Wood School, watching between 50-70 Waxwing flit about the trees. So close I can hear them plucking berries off the Hawthorn! Wonderful sight to start 2011!
  16. mattytheduke

    Hants, Berks and Surrey Borders

    Dipped on these! Was rather late getting there though. There were quite a lot of birds in a tree much further across the field beyond the sewage works, which could have been Waxwings, but too far to be sure. Also took a drive round the Highland Road area later on, but missed seeing any round...
  17. mattytheduke

    Hants, Berks and Surrey Borders

    Nice blog post about the Holder Lane Waxwings, for those of you who keep missing them (like me!): http://analternativenaturalhistoryofsussex.blogspot.com/2010/12/foreign-berry-pickers-take-industrial.html
  18. mattytheduke

    Hants, Berks and Surrey Borders

    What time did you see those, John? I clocked around 15-20 (I was driving!) flocking restlessly over the Ash Road near the crossroads with Lower Farnham Road around 11.30, but couldn't see any elsewhere.
  19. mattytheduke

    Hants, Berks and Surrey Borders

    Absolutely gutted I missed these. Literally five minutes from me. Glad you saw them though, and nice pictures!
  20. mattytheduke

    Hants, Berks and Surrey Borders

    Between ten or fifteen waxwings in Jacobs Well nr. Guildford just now. Heard them calling from an oak tree, then they flew over towards Clay Lane and were joined by a few more. I went to get my bins but they'd gone five minutes later, not sure in which direction.
  21. mattytheduke

    Hants, Berks and Surrey Borders

    Couple of flocks about in the Bracknell area too apparently. Meant to be some near Wraysbury Lakes too, where Sean and I also went today, but when we got there at lunchtime-ish there was no sign of them. Plenty of Redwings and Fieldfares about though, and a few Goldeneye there, and at Staines...
  22. mattytheduke

    Hants, Berks and Surrey Borders

    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.
  23. mattytheduke

    Hants, Berks and Surrey Borders

    Nice! Where is Island Barn? I took a wander up Tices yesterday in the rain. Lots of Cormorants (c30-50), Canada Geese, and B/H and LBB Gulls, but couldn't see much in the way of waders. Most of the distant pools were a bit too far away for my old bins to be of much use though! Going to ask...
  24. mattytheduke

    Hants, Berks and Surrey Borders

    Thanks Rich! I'd noticed from the A31 that some of the old quarry pits are now full of water, just hadn't realised it was publicly accessible. I had seen a great deal of birdlife on and around the water though. It sounds like a great haven for all sorts of waders and ducks. I look forward to...
  25. mattytheduke

    Hants, Berks and Surrey Borders

    I've lived in Aldershot all my life, and have developed a keen interest in birds over the past few years. To my shame, I've never actually been to Tices Meadow I don't think, or at least not the 'right' part evidently, since I've not seen half of the species you have, Johnny! I will make a point...
Back
Top