Wild

In as many weeks, another quality self-o with two Bewick's Swans at Broom.

Super Saturday Seabird Surprise

Mooching around Peacock's hoping for a Pintail when a Hobby shot over my head in hunting mode after some House Martins. It failed on this pass and drifted up over the wood to the south of the lake, by the "Village Pit", where it started spiralling upwards, presumably to gain height for another attempt. As I was watching it I noticed a fairly large bird drifting fairly lazily behind it and almost dismissed it as a Cormorant but then it jinked slightly and the wing shape made me reach for the camera. Going by the meta data from the 18 or so pictures I managed to fire off before it drifted off south out of sight the bird was on view for about 10 seconds and I would never have seen it but for the Hobby. How many other birds like this do we blissfully miss over our heads?

Sweeping 'em up!

Despite the human traffic and lack of time on weekends at my favoured patch, I seem to be getting lucky. Latest conquests of Greenshank, Grey Plover, Whimbrel, Turnstone and today Sanderling and Garganey have really bolstered the list. All to play for over the next week or so. Good luck all.............just need some Terns.

A Bearded Conundrum......

Happy New Year all,

Looks like I qualified for this year's tournament by the skin o' me teeth.

Anyway, Bearded Tits-

As a regular visitor to Broom GPs, I fequently look for Bearded Tits in areas that shall not be named in this post.

The question is this-

Having found 2 Bearded Tits today, but not during a handful of recent visits either by myself or other regulars. Is there are chance these birds..............

(a) .........are resident and have evaded attempts to see them since 27th November last year?

(b) .........are different birds that have just found themselves here having dispersed from elsewhere?

Although I had fleeting glimpses of 2 birds together, I suspect there could be more as I could hear calling from different areas of the site at various times. So with that in mind-

(c) Can I have it?

M

Beardies..............

It was finally my turn! After creeping round the G&M Pits at Broom and expecting nothing, two very showy birds appeared on the top of the reeds and then perched within 10 ft of me in some nearby Sallows. About time...............

Photo courtesy of (Jammy) Jim.

Nothing to see - hear!

Standing having a natter with Martin S in the general area of the recent #titgate affair and we got around to birds that the site should be perfect for but haven't been recorded there. We'd just mentioned Cetti's, when one gave a blast from the reeds. We hung around for a fair old while after and did get the usual fleeting views, followed by calls from its new position, but not even a chance of a blog standard record shot.

Another one I thought I'd missed this year.

The next bird on the missing list was Bittern........

Jim

GLE does the business again

I really didn't think I was going to get Goosander (in Beds) this year for some reason but lady luck played its part again today. I couldn't park at my "usual spot" at GLE, so had to move along the road a bit and saw these flying around and then over as I got out of the car.

Jim

Wildlife photographer of the year contender?

I suppose as record shots go it's all you need to confirm ID. After seeing a Skua reported in Herts I thought we'd be in with a chance of some wind blown strays today but 3 of these on Peacock's Lake this morning was the best I could manage. Funny ducks seem to be the flavour of the month just now.

Jim

Another Broom GPs 2 bagger

A bit of a bimble around the Broom area today threw up a Jack Snipe in the area of the G+M Pits and then a Caspian Gull at GLE having a wash and preen, before it flew off in the direction of Langford. I did get Steve to check my homework on this one and although my proper camera is away being looked at just now did get a few shots through the scope with the phone.

Not for the SFYL but I was also treated to the stunning sight of a Peregrine making a couple of failed attempts at taking Mallard off the water in the G+M Pits.

Tree Sparrows are back (I haven't seen them mentioned recently) on the hedge along the game strip at Upper Caldecote. I won't be adding these to my SFYL total, as I think that would be a bit cheeky.

Jim

2 bagger

At this late stage, 2 in a day is much more difficult. But the feat was accomplished today at Broom GPs. I managed to add Rock Pipit and SEO to the SFYL. Both decent patch birds and green too!
No photos I'm afraid and I'm not sure I've got another decent field sketch in me................

Pinned!

At last, a new SFYT. Female Pintail playing hide and seek with 200 Wigeon on GLW, Broom.

Mr Sanders

An early morning recce round Broom hoping for a Temminck's produced a nice surprise, fresh in with a flock of 'tundra' Ringed Plover.

Back to back

This is 2nd year on the bounce I've selfied this species after a brace last year. Reassuringly, this bird has no rings too. First found at 0630 on Peacock's Lake. Relocated to GLE before flying east at 0705. A nice one to get...........

WeBS debut

Its difficult to add new birds to my Broom WeBS list.  But 4 Arctic Terns did the trick on Peacock's Lake this evening. BTW, one of the terns is clearly visable at 10.00 o'clock from the small white blob which is clearly a Mute Swan.

Big effort, Little reward....................

After morning and afternoon visits and well over 3 hours of waiting, GLE finally came up trumps. Nice to catch up with Martin Stevens too. They were there for just 15 minutes of down time before climbing high and departing NW.

NE winds for the next 3 days folks- get out there!

...and then a Sarnie!

Almost immediately after my last post! Straight through GLE heading East over the A1. No quality image this time though.......

Club Med

An early morning vigil added a belting 2nd Summer Med Gull to my SFYL. Also caught up with a Kingfisher.
Another 2 green ticks. I think I've cracked this photography thing too!

Dun for fun + Chicken run.

I am well off the running again, puffing and panting in the lower middle order. But its all the more sweet when I actually see something at Broom that hasn't been seen by 10 other birders first!
Visits have been fleeting and infrequent this year as I save up valuable brownie points to get the Spring passage birds when Spring really kicks off. Though admittedly, now you can fall out of your car and watch birds at GLE- the task been made much harder.
A male Wheatear and a presumed newly arrived Chiffchaff were nice to see.

But my pictorial offering has come in the form of a long range shot of a Dunlin- none have been reported at Broom since last week, so I think this one is Bona Fide!

Caught in good light and clearly showing a classic winter plumage individual. I just couldn't face another field sketch!

Jim- I am available for photographic tutorials- just give me a call and I'll arrange an exclusive workshop..........................;)

Dunlin- click for a grainier view.

 STOP PRESS!- I managed to catch a female Rhode Island Red in the garden too! I can see its going to be a passage filled Spring!

Obviously exhausted after a long flight- it almost looks tame!

Av it!

An early morning start at Broom paid instant dividends in the form of these beauts!

The birds were only twitchable for around 15 minutes before flying south. But not before birding royalty in the shape of Lee Evans got them on his '14 Beds List.

I must say I'm please with my grainy photo too, as this is a phonescoping 1st attempt and is at least in keeping with the ethos of this blog. Later on Spotted Fly, Nightingale and Cuckoo also seen/heard this morning. The zero-carbon gods are certainly smiling today................................

Ball o' String

Well, my first post of the new year and the pressure is already being piled on by the main protagonists. Tales of Scaup, Owls and Cetti's have certainly sparked me into action. So a week or so back, I dusted of my trusty ecosteed and once more started to SFYL.
2 Snipe sp. and Shelduck have been barely notable as I anticipate better fare............
And then it came!
Is it? Isn't it.............surely not,.......er, yes it is!
So after I told the world about my first ever SF Slav, I brought myself back to earth again.
A long ride round the lake to see Mark T and Jim G (who had rushed to Broom on my account) to say:

"Er, sorry lads- I might have got a bit excited there"

But, I suppose it's better to have a rush of blood than actually find something good and not tell anyone till its dark................................

Slavonian Grebe

Like the one wot I saw at Broom today..............