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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Shropshire Birding (1 Viewer)

A very quiet 50 minutes at VP yesterday. Main items of note were a Shelduck and a rather discreet mixed flock of tits, finches, goldcrests etc. I scoured the reeds for the Bittern again but no luck. I'm out of the county this weekend but might try to get back for late afternoon, because that seems to be the best time to see it.

Silver_ether - the 2 m barrier is definitely still there. I've no idea what a Bongo is, so your best bet is to drive down there and have a look if there's space to pull in by the adjacent entrance without blocking access. Failing that, it's a walk of probably less than a mile from parking in Cross Houses and there are usually birds along the lane to VP.
 
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Silver_ether - the 2 m barrier is definitely still there. I've no idea what a Bongo is, so your best bet is to drive down there and have a look if there's space to pull in by the adjacent entrance without blocking access. Failing that, it's a walk of probably less than a mile from parking in Cross Houses and there are usually birds along the lane to VP.

Thankyou ... a bongo is errrrrrrr scroll down this link a bit
http://www.pictures-of-cars.com/Mazda-Car-Pics.htm:t:

A Mute Swan has joined the gang at Bridgnorth...
 
Oddly enough, I was standing outside one of my workplaces this morning and what should pull up in front of me other than a Bongo Friendlee, so now I know.

Pleased to see a Bullfinch for a few minutes this morning here in Central Park, Telford. If 2007 and 2006 are anything to go by, several will be around most days between now and the Spring.
 
Two partidge (Sp unknown, probably RL) over the high point on the A5 between Shrewsbury and Telford yesterday. Lots of Redwings over Shrewsbury last night - calls heard every time I was outside - about 10 times - between 18:30 and midnight.
 
Well a misty and colorful Baggeridge late morning offered up lots of Blue and Great Tits a few Long Tailed Tits Chaffinches, Robins and Gold Finches in several area. A Kestrel that flew into a tree and sat there for some time on the concrete road...
I got into my Bongo and was about to start her engine when a delightful Wren looked straight into my window and sang to me .... how smashing is that:t:
 
Cattle Egret at Ellesmere this morning - half a mile south of Ellesmere, 200 yards from Blackwater Meadow Marina in a sheep field between the canal and plantation.

2 Lesser Redpolls in the Siskin flock here at Mytton Mill.
 
no sign of the cattle egret when we were there at 2 30

so we went colemere whilst here
and there was a big gull roost there
with 2000 + black headed gulles
15 lesser black backs
2 herring gulls
3 common gulls
snipe
2 wigeon
5 tufted duck
4 great crested grebes
2 buzzards
 
Shame about the Cattle Egret. Was thinking of going up there later for a look. If anyone gets any further info, please post it. Finally getting a day off today and the 'phone's staying at home. We might nip up to Haughmond Hill shortly and then VP later on.
 
Cheers both. Forecast for tomorrow sounds awful so I might give it a miss.

Haughmond Hill around lunchtime was quite quiet. No finches at all - not even chaffinches. Treecreeper, Goldcrest, Jay and several tit species were about it.

VP hide was very busy at 15:30 - 13 people inside at one time. Kingfisher present for much of the time and a large raptor over towards the Wrekin that seemed to make the geese go very quiet and wasn't obviously a Common Buzzard - however I don't know what it was. Didn't get a very good view and my first thought was Osprey, which it certainly wasn't, but by the time I'd decided that it was out of site. The Bittern put in an appearance at about 16:40 when the light was getting a bit poor, but after 5 minutes of teasing it actually gave decent views.
 
Caught up with the Cattle Egret at the marina at Ellesmere on Saturday morning before it became more mobile, and looking forward to Jim's photos of it in due course.

I understand it was seen around the nature reserve at Wood Lane occasionally yesterday, and should still be around, it was feeding well in amongst the sheep by the marina (follow the signs for the marina when in Ellesmere, park by the bridge and walk along the towpath towards the east to view the sheep field by the marina itself).

However, the movement of Thrushes and Finches on Saturday morning, both over Ellesmere and subsequently Shrewsbury, was outstanding - not only thousands of Redwings and Fieldfares passing westwards up until early PM (when it seemed to stop) but also Chaffinches, a party of Curlews, Reed Buntings, Sky Larks and 1 excellent Brambling that flew over the garden calling late morning. 2 Goldcrests moved through the garden at the same time, and there were several along the canal towpath at Ellesmere earlier in the day.

Had a walk at Haughmond Hill later in the day, but nothing other than a few more Goldcrests in the trees, and nothing passing overhead by then.
 
Might see if I can get a day off this week, after the exertions of the last few weeks. I'll have a look at what the weather's doing. Haven't seen many Cattle Egrets in the UK ans certainly none in Shropshire.
 
Day off looking less and less likely.

I was stopped on the way into work this morning (Central Park, Telford) by a Sparrowhawk that was circling for several minutes overhead.

The Bullfinch "flock" is now up to three. I think that the most I've seen since moving to this location in December 2005 has been five.
 
hi patrick, if you manage to complete your webs count at melverley this weekend, in light of the weather = floods I would be very interested if you record Bewicks swan or any grey geese. I'm doing a county bird list and still need the above species, other want's Ls pecker GG shrike, Black redstart, waxwing, the only gulls are RBill or Kittiwake.
My list is curently 172 and my previous best (unofficial record 175, how/when will it be official?) so any help would be appreciated, post the news here or yahoo shropshire birds. 1 other gap is Curlew sand, however its late now....

andy.
 
Hello Andy

We did manage the WeBS count on Sunday and picked up a remarkable number of birds on the extensive flooding around the S/Y floods. None of the species you mention yet although I will put any of those on the pager if we pick them up. In addition to the Whoopers (I also had 5 Whoopers over Shrewsbury, flying along the river, Sunday PM) there were excellent numbers of Thrushes, Finches (including Bramblings), a Goldeneye and male Peregrine.

Large numbers of winter thrushes at Bridges on Saturday as well, plus at least 30 Ravens on the Long Mynd, several of which were displaying. Usual Red Kite over the pub at Bridges at lunchtime.

3 Crossbills and at least 3 Lesser Redpolls at Haughmond Hill on Saturday PM.
 
Thanks patrick,
I had a day out of county yesterday with captain Kirk and an old friend from staffs. We nailed steppe grey shrike & two barred crossbill both showing extremely well (check out jim's blog in a few days!!). I don't twitch very often these days but I think twitchers/birders are becoming a right grumpy lot, rather than enjoying a new bird they seem to find something to complain about instead. eg: Jim was asked not to enter the crop fields, he stepped into a rut which was a nano-millimetre from the track. Andy B commented 'He could see no reason for people to chase the shrike because it was so tame' which was a major moan on the lincolnshire forum last week, a curt reply was "the shrikes' chasing us" from another birder standing nearby and Jim was told I needed some manners at the crossbill site, presumably because I asked a birder "do I need my scope mate?" and omited excuse me, please & thank you sir, the birds really did perform, in brilliant light, the birders sadly did not!
Saturday I had a water pipit (173 for the county) at allscott and Wood sand @ the mire lake flew in from the east late morning.
Back to grind now for another week..

andy
 
Andy

Sounds like a good day! Have to say that my mainland twitching days are, with the exception of local stuff (if I'm not away, which seems to happen a lot!) and the very occasional longer distance thing, over for the very reasons you give, and particularly if:

a) I've seen it abroad; and/or
b) It's going to be a miserable experience like you say!

I hear there are now 24 Whooper Swans at Melverley. Also, there was a record Common Snipe count (97) for the area on Sunday as well.

Water Pipit's a good bird - I'm keeping an eye out for them around the floods at Melverley as it looks ideal.

Cheers,
 
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