Waxwings, Wet Feet and Wildfowl. A New Year at Bev's. Jan 2013.

* 4 Waxwings seen on route to Bev's * 

A new year list begins at Bev's and I was able to get 2 visits in this week. The water level is extremely high, the banks on most sides have become submerged, the image above shows the island in March last year and the image below shows just the top remaining out of water. The grass verges are waterlogged, moving the Snipe further in. I counted around 20 or so that were flushed when I walked through, but one little snipe made me jump, when just feet away it took to the air only for it to drop straight down again, totally unlike the Common Snipes characteristics, this was my first new site tick of the year... the long awaited Jack Snipe...finally I had nailed it and worth getting wet feet for.

 I then set about recording everything on site from the road to the river North to South. It was fairly quiet but the birds present needed to be added to the list if I was to try and break the species number from last year. The geese were in large numbers with around 300 Greylags, including the solitary Barnacle goose still in tow. A handful of Canada geese flew over, and the next notable species were the gulls. Mostly Black headed gulls  and Common gulls.

Duck numbers were not as high as before and there were definitely less Gadwall present. Plenty of Coots but just a single Moorhen. On the second visit of the week I added Lesser black backed gull and in one group of Common gulls I counted 54 birds, definitely up on last year, maybe due to the depth of the water? 

 It was a lovely bright day on the second visit, and I did a double take when I heard a cricket calling from the grass behind me! Its not spring yet mate!

 I had counted 41 species and there were some not present that I would of thought would be, so hopefully they will be added next time, ie; Little Egret,Teal and House Sparrow even, they are normally present around the house but only Starlings for now. I cant wait for the year to progress and maybe turn up a scarce bird or two, I just hope the water levels drop significantly or there will be a drop in nesting birds and passing waders. 

"Stock Take at Bev's". 2012 finalised.

With the New Year nearly a week old already, I took stock of what I had recorded at Bev's. I knew there were a couple of bird species I had missed there, namely Jack Snipe and Black tailed Godwit, but the final tally came to 96 bird species seen there with nearly all of them captured on camera. The 2 that stand out straight away for me were the Kingfishers and the Black necked Grebes, what stunners they both were. The weather had a detrimental effect on the nesting birds and washed a few nest away, sadly. But despite the weather, when it did change, the insects  put on a great show with the likes of 5 species of dragonfly, damselflies and Demoiselles, 9 species of butterfly, 7 types of grasshopper/cricket including Long and Short winged Coneheads and not forgetting all the spiders,flies and moths seen. It will be a great challenge to add to and try and beat these tallies in 2013, and hopefully find something a bit scarcer.

Now to sort through all those photos!!!

"Swan Lake". Bev's. December 2012.

Ten days after the first December visit to Bev's and the month is flying past. There were a few more Common Snipe this time although only just into double figures. No sign of the Goldeneye that was here last, but plenty of Gadwall still and a few Shoveler.

After a quick jaunt around I set up to see what was available for some images, I opted to stay put and capture anything providing picture opportunities especially any flight images with which to practice on.

Any larger gulls than the Black headed and Common seemed to pass over high, the lone Kestrel was very active, no doubt taking advantage of the decent weather that was gracing us for a change.

I think this is the first record shot of a Wren at the sight, I'd seen them before but never managed to grab a shot. I also noticed there were a handful of Song Thrushes around the site. Normally just one maybe two but I had 5 or 6 today feeding in the waterside vegetation, and never stopping to pose for a shot.

With a few more Mute swans present I finished up with some images of them, getting close in for some water dripping images. Then to add to a very nice morning out, I noticed something along the waters edge on the far side. With just binoculars, although more than adequate for identifying stuff at range, I happily picked out a Water Rail scurrying along the waters edge before weaving in and out of the vegetation. I'd only been thinking about catching a glimpse of one earlier as I searched the drainage ditches for snipe, no picture because of the distance, but a tick I was pleased to get.

Hoar frost extreme. Wrestlingworth. December 2012.

Only the second real hard Hoar frost that I can remember, and the first that Sarah had been able to witness, we both dressed for the cold and set off around the village. It is an amazing sight to see, everything white and frozen. But the extent of frozen taking to a higher level, on closer examination the leaves,branches and virtually everything else had a needle like coating. Some of the leaves still had some vivid colour and these stood out on the almost bare branches, most were falling with the added weight of the spiky ice jackets. The leaf litter covering the ground was brown and wet from the defrosting ice and giving a contrasting colour scheme when a ice laden green leaf hit the floor.

Every branch just glistened with the icy spikes. Yet some ice formed more like small crystal beads. A feather    lodged in a tree had now become more of a jewelled brooch, whilst the berries took on a frozen punk look hairdo!

I hope the next Hoar frost graces another work free day, I'll be donning the thermals and getting out there again. 

Waters freeze at Bev's. December 2012.

 The start of December and the conditions were becoming cold to say the least. A trip to Bev's found the outer edges of the lake frozen over. Mostly Black headed gulls and a few Common gulls occupied these areas, there was a group of Lapwing that were circling but they ventured further afield.

 This Common Gull unusually stayed put and allowed a fairly close approach, enabling me to grab a few decent images.

 The Goldfinches were mobile as usual, but not in the large groups as before, busily feeding on any seed they could find.

 Even on a grey day these birds seem to shine in colour.

 This female Goldeneye dropped in on its own, after a very short spell it disappeared, not before I could get a record shot though.

Whilst skirting the reed fringes I noticed a small bird flitting around, revealing itself as a Chiffchaff only to then be moved on by a Reed bunting. Other birds noted were a Green woodpecker perched in a hedge and a Goldcrest which was nice to find but frustratingly flew as I pulled focus with the camera!!

With the cold weather forecast to carry on hopefully some winter birds will visit the lake....oh and as for the Snipe, I only saw 2 this time, no doubt they were further back from the water sheltering in the grasses.