The Three Birds Of Christmas - Bedfordshire & Morden Hall Park - 22nd - 23rd December 201923/12/2019 The first team Kittiwake twitch was actually an unusually successful experience. It started off with collecting Arjun from the tube station before setting off for Whipsnade collecting Megan on Route. Along the way we had plenty of Red Kite, Buzzards and Kestrels to keep us entertained as we drove through the pouring rain. We eventually arrived at Whipsnade Zoo for around 9:40am and parked in the already busy car park. We followed a crowd of birders into the zoo and waited in the gift shop for 15 minutes until the zoo opened. It was a really odd experience with no other members of the public present with the exception of the 200 or so birders that we on site waiting to get a look at the rare Thrush. There was a rather odd buzz of excitement as everyone waited for the doors to open and it was really good to see so many people in such a good spirit. I was pretty confident that we would see the bird, but I never imagined the twitch to be quite like this. It was the first time that I had visited the zoo for around 7 years and it made it the experience even more bizarre since I was coming to look at a bird that wasn’t actually one of the exhibits. At precisely 10am the Gates were opened and the crowd of birders descended onto the zoo and headed straight for the Farm animals as this was the area that the bird had been seen in recent days. We were some of the first birders to arrive at the site which was between the goats and the pig pen. We set about scanning and eventually the thrush was picked up sat just about in view in the middle of a bush preening. It hadn’t yet left its overnight roost. We all stood around waiting for it to wake up properly, but given that it was a Sunday the Thrush had decided to have a bit of a lie in. The Blackbirds were already up and about as were a few Moorhens and Mallards on the pond below the bush. A Kestrel flew silently overhead and this finally caused the Black-throated Thrush to move up and into the open. It sat in view on the bush opposite us yawning as it did so. Above: Black-throated Thrush It must be an odd sight for a bird to wake up to a massive crowd of around 200 people starring at you. Eventually it did what everyone had been waiting for and hopped onto the berry bush in front of everyone and started feeding. It did so in the company of a few Redwings and Blackbirds and boy did it show well. It was on view for around about an hour or so whilst many people came and went. A few o non-birders passed by, but it was still and odd sight to see now over 200 birders standing in the Kids Zone of the Zoo with large lenses cameras, scopes, tripods, camo, and binos. It showed incredibly well before eventually heading back off into the middle of the bush it had roosted in for a rest. It was an awsome twitch and was great to catch up with some of the people there and the relative ease of seeing it, meant that we had now had the rest of the day to try and find both mine and Arjun’s 200th bird for our year lists. Above: Black-throated Thrush montage Above: Redwing We headed off in the general direction of Milton Keynes in search of the all-important bird. We came of the M1 at Junction 14 and headed a short way to Boborough Hill and the farmland there. When we arrived, we set about scanning from the bend on the road to try and find this all-important bird. We set about scanning the area and thankfully just as we were about to head off in the wrong direction the original finder of this bird turned up and told us all about it and where best to find it. Thankfully upon scanning from where we were, I managed to pick up the unmistakable white dot of a Great Grey Shrike sitting off in the distance two fields off to our right, at the top of the bushes. This was perfect as it was a new species for all of us and got both Arjun and I to the mile stone of 200 species which is something I hadn’t quite realised was going to be possible this year. Above: Spot the Great Grey Shrike sitting on top of its favourite bush... (Might need to zoom in to see it!) Infact the original finder of the bird was incredibly helpful and we owe him a lot for helping us out. We then followed his instructions and drove further down the road to a layby and then quickly scanned over the nearby reservoir which was full of Pochard and Tufted Ducks with potentially 1000 of each. Great Crested Grebes, Canada Geese and over 30 Goldeneye were also seen which was quite incredible for an inland site. Above: Goldeneye Below: Pochard We then headed back across the road and into the muddy fields to head over to look for the Shrike and to try and obtain some better views. We spent an hour squelching through the fields. Infact this was on of the most bizarre and muddy twitches I had ever been on. I should have taken a photo of my shoes by the end of it as they were literally caked in clay. At one point I lost a shoe. It was so incredibly muddy. This didn’t dampen our spirits though. We passed Meadow Pipits, Reed Buntings, a rather displeased Snipe, and a Stonechat which is apparently a rare sighting in this area, before eventually stumbling upon the Great Grey Shrike. What a bird it was and in the winter sunshine it made it even better. We watched as it moved up and down the hedgerow hunting as it went. It was incredible to watch it. Occasionally it would venture further out from the hedge and then hover in a similar style to a Kestrel. It was fantastic to see. Unfortunately, whilst we were watching it, we didn’t manage to see it catch anything. Above: Raven Below: The Star Bird - Great Grey Shrike After these incredible views we headed back to the road and then trudged back to the car with our boots caked with mud. An incredible experience and I must thank the original finder for helping us! There was still just enough day light hours left to head to the Tring Reservoirs to try and get Arjun one last lifer. We headed to Whilstone Reservoir. This was another muddy affair as the cause way was just a muddy bank and at one point, I nearly fell head first into the reservoir. Thankfully I managed to stop myself at the last minute otherwise this blog post wouldn’t have been written so enthusiastically! The reservoir was full of Tufted Duck, Pochard, and plenty of Great Crested Grebe. The far banks were full of Lapwing, Shoveler, Teal and Wigeon, while out on the open water there were a few Cormorant, Little Grebe, and 3 Goldeneye out and about, but unfortunately not the bird that Arjun had hoped to see. We then headed back to the car as flocks of Gulls, Starlings, Fieldfare and Goldfinch filled the sky to head to their respective roosts. It was an incredible way to finish the day with the sky full of birds with a stunning sunset to top it all off. And so, we headed back home dropping everyone one off in the correct locations and enjoying some proper country driving with thanks to the sat nav avoiding all possible traffic. There was a new found enthusiasm as team kittiwake ended the day scoring on two good birds. The Whipsnade Black-throated Thrush and the lifer in the form of the Boborough Great Grey Shrike my 230th British Bird. With 200 species of bird seen this year I wonder how many I will see next year? We will have to wait and see. Just in case I don’t have time to post another blog before the main festive period. I would like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays and I hope that everyone has a Great New Year. Bring on 2020!!! Bonus Blog Post - Morden Hall Park So How could we top yesterday? Well I decided that since the weather forecast was unusually good that I would continue with a preplanned visit to Morden Hall Park with Arjun. You may recall that I visited here in the summer with Arjun however with a lack of camera back then I wasn't able to make the most of the opportunities that this park has to offer. Today was however different and both Arjun and I had a morning that wasn't to be forgotten for a long time. We arrived at the park at just after it opened and headed straight for the proposed spot. A Little Egret in an Alder Tree was an interesting sighting as was a Kestrel which kept coming down onto the path in front of us, however it wasn't clear exactly what it was eating. (Pictured Below) We headed further into the park, before deciding to head back into position for the wanted bird of the day. A Grey Wagtail kept us company while we waited as did a Little Grebe, some Goldcrests and the Local Wrens, but there was still no sign of the target species. Above: Grey Wagtail I had been promised that the bird we were waiting to see usually turned up at around 9.15 and sure enough at around 9.03 it flew in from up river and perched right in front of us. This is where it remained for the next half an hour as we watched. From its perch it was clear that it was waiting for the right moment to pounce and sure enough he eventually flew down and caught quite a hefty fish first time, before flying a short distance. He sat whacking the fish on the stick where he had landed before stopping and holding the fish in its beak for at least 5 minutes before finally swallowing it Whole. It was incredible to watch it and it probably has topped seeing the two rarities yesterday. Kingfishers are just wonderful little birds. Above: Kingfisher Below: Grey Wagtail Arjun and I then decided to head off through the reedbeds out towards Dean City Farm in the search of locating some crests. Along the way we could hear the sound of Water Rails calling from the reeds. Redwing sat in the trees that over hung the reedbeds as did a Reed Bunting and several Greenfinch. There were also plenty of Herons about including one that was sat right above the main path. When we were walking down the path alongside Dean City Farm the call of a Med Gull saw Arjun and I looking up in the search of it. We located it immediately drifting through with a flock of Black-headed Gulls over our head. This was my first for a few months and it was Arjun's first on patch taking his list ever closer to the all important Century. Above: Adult Med Gull Below: Grey Heron having a bad hair day... After this we decided to head up to Beddington, however I am not going to bore you with what we saw as it was mainly Gulls. The pools were unfortunately too flooded for most of the Wildfowl and Waders due to the fact that there were no muddy banks visible. Even despite this we did manage to see a Common Snipe, some Shoveler and a pair of Gadwall in an amongst the more common species. A Showy Male Stonechat and a Cetti's Warbler were also a nice surprise. After this we decided to call it a day and so I decided to head for home just managing to get onto the Thameslink before the doors closed, having legged it upon seeing the train arriving at the station. The last two days have been incredible and probably much to most peoples surprise my top birding moment was probably seeing the Kingfisher up close, however the others were close behind. I would love to know which of the following you would call the top birding moment of the last few days; 1) Black-throated Thrush 2) Great Grey Shrike 3) Kingfisher Fill in the form below and the results will be revealed in the next blog post. I Wish everyone well over the festivities and see you in 2020!
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AuthorI have been a birder since I was 8 however only really started to be able to go out to places by myself in Summer 2016 (Blame the parents) My blogs will be from all over the place, but mainly from RSPB Rainham Marshes and Totteridge Valley! Photography done by Samuel Levy aged 19. ArchivesCategories |