May 2011 - WWT Slimbridge (part 1) - Geese

WWT Slimbridge visitor center

Wednesday 4th: On my way home from South Wales, I called-in at WWT Slimbridge as it's just a short journey up the M5. A wildlife centre that I've never visited before, it is largely a sanctuary for endangered birds of the world, created by Sir Peter Scott, the renowned naturalist. Although Slimbridge is home to many wildfowl from around the world, there are also many areas and hides to observe wildfowl and passerines of all shapes and sizes along the Severn estuary. Unfortunately, I arrived later that I expected, 11am, the site opens at 9am and there is much to see and do, one day is just not enough and I plan to go back in the near future, just to spend the day by the estuary and in the hides.

This visit, I had spent the day touring the different areas and these are open, where most of the birds can come and go. Most have rings on their legs to indicate that they are captive birds, had been hatched at the centre or are just ringed birds by one of the many conservation organisations world-wide.

So with many wildfowl there, some I had never seen and one of the most friendly...too friendly, were the small geese from Hawaii. The Hawaiian Goose or Nene (Branta sandvicensis)! These are an endangered species in the Hawaii islands...falling prey to ground-dwelling "introduced species" like domestic rats, cats and dogs etc. On site the Nene roam freely and mix with many other wildfowl.

Above: a pair of Nene with 3 fledglings take exception to a White-faced Whistling Duck that innocently wanders too near!

The Barnacle Goose is a frequent regular visitor to these shores during the winter months. A protected species, vast numbers, in fact, the entire Svalbard population can be seen at WWT Caerlaverock and the Solway Firth during the winter months. Summer sees the goose return to its breeding grounds in Scandinavia.



Another very common goose to these shores is the Greylag Goose. Usually you will find this goose virtually anywhere and at anytime as there is a large population that is resident in this country.


We all know, and at sometime have seen the familiar Canada Goose which is widely resident in this country, having been introduced from North America. But there is a smaller variant, Richardson's Canada Goose (Branta hutchinsii) or Cackling Goose. Having shorter legs and neck with a more compact body, Richardson's Canada Goose is, if you like, a dwarf goose of its larger cousin. I must admit that when I came across these two, even I was taken aback!

Above: Richardson's Canada Geese

Other geese included the Tundra Snow Goose in both its white and blue phases. These tend to winter along the Gulf Coast to Nebraska, Summering in Arctic North America and the Wranel Islands, NE Siberia. Bar-headed Goose and the Red-breasted Geese were there in numbers as was the White-fronted Geese. The oddly-named Swan Goose was also mingling with other wildfowl. There were at least 3 pairs here all with rings. I have seen this Goose in the wild up in South Yorkshire. Native to China, there are some in conservation collections and I suspect that the one I saw in the wild was an escapee.

Snow Geese (white phase, above, blue phase, below).

Swan Geese (in foreground) and Red-breasted Geese (in background).

Bar-headed Geese

March 2012 - Hatfield Moors (south)

Thursday 29th: Another warm and sunny Thursday. I took myself up to Hatfield Moors from work in search of Grebes. Only saw a couple of Great Crested Grebes. But there was still plenty to keep my interested. The Skylarks in the field behind me were continually singing as they rose vertically up into the sky and they slowly fluttered down. Swallows and Sand Martins were zig-zagging in the sky over the lake and they plummeting down in pursuit of some microscopic insect. Yes it looks like Spring is here!

What interested me more was the two Lesser Black-backed Gulls in the distance with an egg. Not in itself unusual, though it is the first time I have seen Lesser Black-backed Gulls at Boston Park Lake, no it was the fact that they appeared to be prodding it and were getting some near-aggressive attention from a pair of Oystercatchers! Eventually the Lessers must've got bored because 20 minutes later they flew off leaving the Oystercatchers to prod the egg. The egg didn't belong to either the Oystercatchers or the Lesser Black-backed Gulls. It was more likely that of a Greylag Goose.

Lapwing.

Canada Geese and Greylag Geese.

Canada Geese pair splash landing.

Greylag Goose

Pied Wagtails

November 2010 - Thrybergh Country Park

Sunday 15th: Not planning to do any Birding this weekend, Sunday dawned a sunny but cold day and an unplanned trip to Sheffield was on. I have never seen a Waxwing and currently, there is a population invasion from Scandinavia. A quick drive to Sheffield and the location that I had, produced nothing! Next time I will be armed with several locations. I am determined to see at least one Waxwing before the end of the year! The website http://www.sbsg.org/ looks a good place for picking up sightings. So determined that my trip out was not totally wasted, I drove on up to Thrybergh CP near Rotherham.

A small country park where there is a lake with various waterfowl. Plenty of Mallards, Coots and Canada Geese not to mention the ever predsent Black-headed Gulls. But what caught my eye was a unusual goose, the type of which I had never known existed, let alone seen! It turns out that this goose is called a Swan Goose (Anser cygnoides). Originally from China/Mongolia, its possible that this is an escapee. It seemed 'at home' with the other waterfowl and a Greylag Goose spent alot of time in its company. Several Lapwings came in from the surrounding fields. There were also large numbers of hybrid Mallards as the photos show. Apparently Mallards routinely cross breed with other ducks. At the car park, 3 Mistle Thrushes and a female Bullfinch were in the trees, but not much else was seen. A very quiet day!

April 2010 - North Cave YWT & Blacktoft Sands RSPB

Saturday 17th: A glorious sunny and warm day was too good to ignore, so I ventured up the M62 to make my first ever visit to North Cave Wetlands NR. Born from disused quarry pits, North Cave certainly attracts a variety of bird life. A gentle stroll around the site takes around 90 minutes and if you stop off at any of the three hides to view the birds then be sure to add on another hour or so.

As usual with most water-borne sites, Black-headed Gulls were in some abundance and their raucous calls dominated the area. The Reserve is surrounded by crop fields and at the time of my visit a tractor was ploughing a field which attracted a retinue of Black-headed Gulls and Rooks. Sand Martins were continuously zipping around the sky and skimming the lakes.

Great Crested Grebes were paired-up, I counted 4 pairs and saw one on a nest of two eggs (I was informed) at the edge of the reed-bed. There appeared to be a small grouping of about 12 1st-year Lesser Black-backed Gulls. I have heard that they tend to stay inland, in small groups while most of the adults leave and go back to the coast for the Summer.

The immatures who are fending for themselves now, will eventually depart and join their piers. Lapwings, Gadwalls and Mallards numbered amongst other waterfowl. A Mute Swan was seen at some distance on a rather large nest amongst the reeds. I did note two pairs of Great Tits seen at close quarters and not too bothered by my presence.

But it was getting late in the afternoon and I needed to get to Blacktoft Sands. Time for a quick sandwich and coffee before I departed. A pleasant place for birds, though not enough passerines for me. Maybe I need to get there in the morning! Definitely worth another visit and not too far away!

Soon I was on my way back down the motorway making the short trip to Blacktoft Sands, five miles east of Goole. The last time I was here at the beginning of the month, I saw a non-stop display by the recent influx of Marsh Harriers. Maybe because it was late in the afternoon; 5pm when I got there, but I only saw three displaying; an adult male and two immatures. Even so, they were very distinct through binoculars and not too far away.

Up at Ousfleet hide I saw my second group of Avocets of the day... I don't get to see any for over a year and in one day manage to bag at least 32. A fair few Pheasants were seen, particularly males, as the site emptied and became quiet, they all came out into the open, I counted 6 within an hour. Wigeon, Shoverlers, Shelduck, Gadwalls, Mallards and the ever-present Black-head Gulls were on the lagoons in reasonable numbers. One Little Grebe in breeding plumage was also seen. Also on the water and in the adjacent crop field were Greylag Geese. Walking back to the car, the Sun was starting to set and this was the signal for the passerines to start singing from their roosting places. Chaffinches and Goldfinches were very conspicuous in the budding-tree branches while some Reed Buntings and Tree Sparrows were helping themselves to a last snack before darkness fell.

February 2010 - Hyde Park, London

Saturday 6th: Went down to London to the Astrofest convention in Kennsington. Met up with Neil from Dawlish, Eddie, Dave and Brian. After looking around the stalls and spending a little money, I ventured that we go and to Hyde Park as it was a 5 minute walk up the road. This was my first visit for....about 30 years! In all that time, it's not really changed at all. As you can see from the image of the BT Tower, which looks closer than it really is, Euston is not that far away, 3 miles I think.



Anyway, I wanted to sample the bird life here and see what was about, unfortunately I had not fetched my binoculars, only the camera. There were plenty of Gulls, most Black-headed, though I did count 6 Common Gulls and I suspect that there were plenty more around the lake. It was perishingly cold and the breeze coming off the water didn't help!

What intrigued me was that while people were feeding the waterfowl, they were being surrounded not just by lots of Gulls and Mallards but Starlings and Feral Pigeons! Didn't see any House Sparrows though. The Starlings for instance, and there were very many of them and Pigeons were right at the waters' edge in an effort to get to the food before the Mallards etc! Walking back to the tube, I did catch a glimpse of what I was certain was a Peregrine, that familiar call and sleek flight are a give-a-way! A good day out combining Birding with Astronomy.