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

Grimley and Holt (1 Viewer)

Thursday evening CL pits quiet with 1 dunlin, but approx. 15 snipe were feeding on the causeway. Walking down to wagon wheel pits a single red-legged partridge the first I've seen at grimley this year. 2 green sandpiper were flying around the pits calling . Tawny owl calling from the fishing pools. On a sombre
note a dead grass snake on the road as I walked back to the car.
 
Sunday morning,no sign of any hurrindines, is this the end of sightings this year? Cl pits all quiet with a dunlin heard ,kingfishers on the causeway,a pair of pochard new in and 3 stonechat east shore. Wagon wheel 51 wigeon on north pool and 4 stonechat in hedgerow.
 
Brief visit this afternoon to Wagon Wheel pits and fields around Grimley. Wigeon, gadwall and snipe on pits. Red-legged partridge in fields. Plenty of skylark flying up from ground. Very dynamic skies with wheeling flocks of jackdaw. Very autumnal.
 
The female American Wigeon has returned to Wagon Wheel Lane Pits. I was quietly confident it would after its long stay and it was amongst the very last group to leave, back in the spring. The numbers of Wigeon have been building steadily and after scanning through the 70 or so present this morning it was nice to see she was amongst them.

Brian
________________
Worcester Birding
 
Sunday morning blustery wind and much cooler temp made telescope viewing challenging . Pochard , tealand shoveller numbers all up and all showing well in winter plumage. Looks like I was the only one who failed to see the Am. wigeon . I did notice that all the wet pools and marshes along the river are now completely dry ,I've not seen this before .
 
Considering the rain we have had there should be more water but if the areas are very shallow then the consistent wind, particularly sustained breeze, will remove lots of water in a relatively short period👍

Laurie -
 
Sunday morning,cool brisk wind overcast,small flocks of redwing passing over throughout the walk. Camp lane pits not as busy as usual, maybe due to recent landscaping of hippo pool . However 2 dunlin and 3 stonechat close to the causeway. South end 13 male and 2 female pochard but the highlight for me ,my first redpoll of the year at grimley feeding in alders west shore. Sling pool /holt church the waters and edge were quiet, but Siskins in larches and redwing, nuthatches ,greenfinches feeding in church yard. Fly over peregrine.
 
Sunday morning, all 5 common species of thrush seen between car and grimley village with all but fieldfare feeding on yew berries. Couldn't see the ruff but big increase of shovellor with possibly up to 60 birds feeding in a tight flock . Stonechats were spread around all camp lane pits - 5 pairs at least. South end water rails heard but not seen and a mixed flock of goldfinch and Siskin in alders. After missing the female American wigeon on the last visits , it showed very well even giving me a wing flap at wagon wheel.
 
Sunday morning raining, north wind not good bird watching conditions,2 redshank ,a single dunlin,200+lapwings with another 150 in fields opposite farm. A water rail and 2 kingfisher southern causeway. 2 male and a female pochard on the new church farm pools the first I've seen there.
 
Sunday morning sunny and calm for a change ,camp lane pits fairly quiet with only water rail calling in a few locations and kingfishers on northern causeway worth mentioning . Walking back through the village the yew trees were busy with various thrushes and finches ,but the berries are now getting harder to see. Wagon wheel ,southern pit 4 little egrets, northern pits American wigeon still .
 
Sunday morning clear frosty,slight breeze, at first camp lane pits appeared quiet with only 2 lapwing ,normally 50+ and the main pit with lower numbers of teal and shoveller. Then at 8:50am half down-west shore a marsh harrier gave splendid views for about 1/4 hour flying over east shore and north/hippo pools. Then drifted off northwards towards top barn farm. I was in this area about an hour and half later but saw no further sign . A first at grimley for me.
 
Sunday morning,mild overcast, poor light,a possible hawfinch in grimley village but didn’t get chance to scope it for conformation. A Male blackcap was in a garden hedgerow and keeping with the warbler theme at least 3 chiffchaff were in alders and bullrushes along south west shore of camp lane pits. Looking across to east shore in water logged alders a group of pochard and wigeon with the American wigeon still. A female goldeneye was also in the same area but on crossing over southern causeway for a closer view could no longer locate it. Wagon wheel pits were busy with well over 100 wigeon and 4 other species of duck but nothing unusual.
 
Sunday morning after a stunning sunrise the morning quickly deteriated with poor light drizzle which turned into continuous heavy rain . At first disappointment as most of camp lane pits were covered in ice. A pair of stonechat and a brief sighting of a female goldeneye as it took off and headed to the south end all that was on offer ,but on reaching the southern causeway f. Goldeneye,7 pochard 50+ teal, shoveler, mallard , tufted and gadwall all in view. Water rail walking on the ice with at least 3 more calling . An unexpected female goosander flew over heading south the first I’ve seen at grimley this year. Didn’t get chance to visit wagon wheel as rain stopped play.
 
Sunday morning breezy but mild,the flooded area at the end of wagon wheel lane held 100+wigeon and a few teal,a Male peregrine sitting on a fence post was watching proceeding and on taking off the ducks remained but all other species ,corvids and wagtails took flight soon to return as the peregrine headed off north. Camp lane pits 485 Canada geese ( I need to get out more) with a single grey lag goose ,the first I’ve seen since July ,feeding on the east shore. From the southern causeway 13 pochard /2 female, and the best sighting of a water rail down to 12 feet I’ve seen this year, others calling. Stonechats feeding in bulrushes and the long staying f.goldeneye with a group of tufted duck.
 
Wednesday morning,cold and blustery wind, Holt water levels have risen giving multiple small flashes away from the normal pool but little of interest except 2 raven displaying overhead. Camp lane pits very choppy making it difficult to see birds clearly,I could find neither American wigeon or goldeneye. About to leave this area at 11:50 when a Male pintail landed on the hippo pool but stayed very alert and after less than 5 minutes took off first east and then headed north . Took the car down to the river flash at the end of wagon wheel lane to see if it had landed there but the water almost gone and the only bird of interest amongst the corvids , a lone egret.
 
Friday morning changeable weather, after missing both goldeneye and American wigeon on the last visit the first was quickly spotted by the part submerged metal bridge. It was not alone a second another female goldeneye close by . The American wigeon took another 3/4 of an hour but eventually found on the west shore. Well over a 100 shoveler and 30+ teal along with a LOT of Canada geese. Akingfisher on hippo pool probably from the coloured flooded river. A group of about 30 shooters were in the fields adjacent to wagon wheel pits and these were deserted apart from coot.
A review of the 2017 year ,l thought I’d challenge myself and try to see 100 species throughout the year. 122 species seen ,American wigeon,common scoter, jack snipe, avocet ,black tern and marsh harrier all firsts for me taking my grimley total to 142. Birds missed there has been many but the most obvious is little owl which I’ve tried on numerous occasions to track down ,but had to admit defeat. The resident bird most at risk though must be red legged partridge 1 sighting of a single bird all year normally a regular multiple for me.
I will try to again see over 100 species for 2018 ,for those reading this have a happy new year and good birding.
 
Sunday morning cold and sunny sling pool and surround, water levels have risen so a second flash has appeared behind the fence as last year nothing on this but a pair of swans. I hope it will stay and be as productive as last year . On sling itself only mallard and coot, and some lapwing . Close views of winter thrushes in horse paddocks by church. Moving onto grimley camp lane pits . The star of the day was in the village a Hawfinch perched near yew, a first for grimley for me. The pits held the usual ducks and although great conditions I failed to find the American wigeon ,nothing new there,and the goldeneye were not on show either. 6 stonechat 3 separate pairs along eastern shore. 59 species seen a good start to the year
 
Sunday morning overcast cold ,poor light ,camp lane pits quiet all the usual species on show but most of the ducks asleep and difficult to see under the alders. However the 2 female goldeneyes missed on the last visit were towards the south end. 2 great crested grebes the first of the year were also here . Along the river a female goosander , flying towards worcester and the the end of wagon wheel lane a green woodpecker. 49 species seen .
 
sunday morning 14c cloudy sling pool not much happening here but a pair of ravens and 2 treecreepers along the lane . Song thrushes and dunnocks singing and generally a bit more activity . Camp lane 2 female goldeneye, 2 snipe the first ive seen this year single skylark another first. Good numbers of wigeon shoveller teal including 20+ pochard. Southern causeway a small group of goldfinches and lesser redpoll in alders and on the ground. River flash at the end of wagon wheel lane common gull among the black heads,oystercatcher, probably my earliest ever sighting , could be very interesting here in the next few days . Back towards the main road up to a dozen skylark with a group of 50+linnets and 130+ lapwing over. 59 species seen 6 new for the year.
 

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