First visit of the year to Warnham Nature Reserve

 

For those of you that haven't been to Warnham, I cannot recommend it enough for its bird feeding station. Every nature reserve should have one like it. My first visit was early 2013, and today was my third visit. For me, who relies heavily on public transport from my home town of Hayes, its not the easiest or cheapest place to get to, however if you have a willing car driving friend.........well today my willing friend was Sue (without Jasper the bird-dog on this occasion).

 

Because of other commitments in the morning, we didn't arrive until after noon. We went straight to the feeders, and seemed to have arrived at exactly the right time. For two hours we watched Goldfinches, Lesser Redpolls (I hope I've got that id right !), Dunnocks, Robins, Blackbirds, a female Great Spotted Woody, Pheasants, Moorhens, Mallards, Reed Buntings, Magpies, Nuthatches, Siskins, Wrens, Chaffinches, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Coal Tits and Long-tailed Tits. At one stage I tried to get a photo of every species seen, but gave up. So below are just a few of the birds seen on and underneath the feeders.........

 

Goldfinches

Lesser Redpoll

Lesser Redpolls

fem Reed Bunting

Long-tailed Tit

fem Chaffinch

male Pheasant

male Siskin

male Blackbird

fem Pheasant

Lesser Redpoll and Siskin

Lesser Redpoll

fem Great Spotted Woodpecker

Lesser Redpoll and Siskin

Nuthatch

Lesser Redpoll, Goldfinch and Siskin

male Chaffinch

I also wanted some more natural shots of the Redpolls, rather than them being on feeders, so below are my favourite four......

 

 

 

 

 

We didn't have time to do the full circuit at Warnham, but did manage to fit in a few visits to both the Tern Hide and the Heron Hide. From these we saw the Herons in the Herony, a few Canada Geese, Mallards, Tufted Ducks, Great Crested Grebes, Black-headed Gulls, Common Gulls, juv Herring Gulls, a pair of Teal, Cormorants and a Kingfisher. More about that Kingfisher later.........

 

Great Crested Grebe

Heron flying low over the lake

male Tufted Duck

one of the nests in the Herony

We took a break in the brilliant and very reasonably priced café, and were lucky to get any hot food.

I got the last jacket potato and Sue had a panini. Lesson learnt for my next visit......have our lunch break earlier than 2.30 pm !! The quality of the food is excellent and the coffee was delicious. Warnham is a very popular site and today was half term school holidays, so in no way can we complain our choice of menu was restricted, it was purely our own fault for not eating earlier.

 

After our brief break, we went straight to the Heron Hide hoping to see the Kingfisher again..........we did, and again more about that at the end of my blog. We spent the next 45 minutes alternating between the Heron Hide and the feeder station hide, and at 4pm decided we should head home to avoid the M25 traffic. We were well on our way out when we spotted three birders with scopes and cameras in the 'sheep field'. One of them kindly met us at the gate to advise they had a Common Snipe in view. I'm sorry I didn't make a note of any of their names as I'd really liked to have named them on here. Many thanks to the trio anyway. Seeing the Snipe was a perfect end to our afternoon outing.

 

Spot the Snipe

So back to the Kingfisher. I wouldn't say this is one of my bogey birds. I've seen them at my own patch, Cranford Park, and at various other places, but I've never really got a decent photo of one.

 

Today, when Sue and I first sat in the Heron Hide, it didn't take long for Sue to spot one flying opposite and landing in the reeds. It then flew towards us and settled briefly in the trees on our right, and from there it took off again. At first we were just glad to have seen it, and I was seated by the only window in the hide that doesn't open.

 

Within minutes the FisherKing landed right next to the hide, on my left, and viewable for just a few seconds before it took off again. It then came back and rested briefly on a branch that was only viewable from the only window in the hide that doesn't open. Again it flew off.

 

We broke off for lunch then, but confident the bird would come back, we were soon perched hopefully in the hide after our food break. The bird did not disappoint. Not only did we see if before we even entered the hide (again on the left hand side), it came back and at one point was just six feet away. But as before, the only really good viewing was made through the only window in the hide that doesn't open. So my two photos below, although of my best views of this beautiful bird, were taken through a layer of glass.

 

 I tried lightening the first photo, but left the second picture untouched.

 

 

 

 

For my own satisfaction I would have loved these views without the hindrance of a dusty dirty glass window, but the thrill of seeing this gorgeous male Kingfisher so close up, will never be forgotten.

 

It was a great afternoon out and about. My poorly shoulder was made bearable by a few codeine tablets and a heat patch, and the weather stayed dry (though we would have been happier if it had been sunnier).

 

As for the reserve itself, one day I will spend a whole day here. There is so much to see.  



Sunny Sunday at Thorney and Cranford CPs

Every day last week, Sue and Jasper the bird-dog, had views of both a male and female Bullfinch at Thorney CP. Sue knows the Bully is my bogey bird, and she was so confident it would be there today, that I went with them. We searched and we searched and we searched.

The result was the Bullfinch is STILL my bogey bird !! Ha ha.

 

We did however get some lovely views of Siskins feeding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The lake was very high, but luckily its not as flooded as it was.

A couple of Cormorants were taking advantage of the tern raft.

 

 

We also had distant views of a Red Kite soaring over, and a hunting Kestrel.

 

From there we went to Cranford CP.

 Jasper the bird-dog soon headed for the first large puddle on the field.

 

 

After the River Crane almost burst its banks during the recent dreadful weather, the three Little Grebes couldn't be found, but we're glad to report that at least two were seen today.

No photos, they were very skittish, and seemed even more wary than usual.

 

The first crocuses and snowdrops were in flower by St Dunstans wall, and were attracting wasps, hoverflies and bees.

 

 

 

 

In the ancient woods we watched several pairs of Great Spotted Woodpeckers chasing each other around the tops of the trees. Green Woodpeckers were also seen in pairs. A sure sign that nesting season isn't that far away now.

 

Blackbirds were also abundant in the woods.

 

 

By the car park a Song Thrush was very busy singing and declaring its territory. Last year a pair nested in a patch of ivy behind the church. I'm hoping they choose the same site this year.

 

 

We were only out for three hours today. My painful shoulder couldn't take any more.

Other birds seen today was a solo Redwing, plenty of calling Great Tits and Blue Tits, and at least three individual large flocks of Long-tailed Tits.

 

As for the invisible Bullfinches.......one day, sigh, one day..............

 

First visit of the year to Rhyl.....

I've been going to stay with my cousins in Rhyl on a regular basis, for at least four years now, so when the news of a powerful storm tidal surge hit Rhyl early last December, I was naturally worried.

Luckily my cousins bungalow was not flooded, but he and his family were evacuated due to on-going concerns about the next high tide, and because of power cuts. They got away with it but some of their neighbours, and some of the roads both behind their bungalow and to the sides, were not so lucky.

 

Last weekend was my first visit both this year and since the tidal surge hit.

 

The enormity of the situation cannot be put into words. Two months on and the majority of the worst hit residents are still not back in their homes. The surge was so powerful that it not only affected those closest to the sea, but also went underground and flooded basements and ruined foundations of some homes more inland.

 

The area that I usually 'bird' when I come up for my visits, are from Splash Point, along the prom, past the golf course, and up to Prestatyn sand dunes. That was the area that was most affected. 

 

Splash Point. This is an 'after' photo taken on Sunday 2nd Feb 2014. New temporary defences can be seen to the right of the photo. This area used to be a popular walk through, with benches and a great view out to sea.

This is the view from half way up the prom. Splash Point is where the houses at the top right ends. On the left is the golf course. The fences were obliterated by the powerful tide. On the right is the sea wall. The surge on that December day was so powerful it went over the sea wall and immersed the whole of the green.

The photos below are of the same 'sea defence' system. Imagine the power of the wave to crack that !

 

 

 

There has always been a sign up along the prom about the ancient forests that once dominated the north welsh landscape, but the evidence was rarely seen. Now the tides have uncovered them again.

 

 

 

My last visit was in October last year, and I had never worried or considered about the power of a high tide before that, but after the events of early December, I saw the sea in a different light. When the tide comes in, it happens fast, much faster than I used to anticipate, and it seems to be higher than I remembered. But when its low tide, the whole atmosphere changes.

 

 

 

Below is a vid clip of the high tide last Sunday, but taken from the left of Splash Point where as my photos above, are taken from the right of Splash Point.....

 

So back to the birds. Although my visits to Rhyl are primarily for my family and friends, they all know me well enough to understand I have that 'urge' to get out birding when I stay.

 I managed to grab at least two hours out birding on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

 

Sunday morning weather was perfect for observing and taking photos.

 

Redshank

Sanderling

Common Gull

Pied Wagtail

Turnstone

 Monday morning was a lot duller, and my photos weren't as clear as I would have liked, but the high tide made for some interesting photos as the Redshanks struggled to stay on their feet in the swell, and the Turnstones were pushed ashore as the sea came in.

 

Redshank and Ringed Plover

 

Ringed Plovers

 

Redshank

Curlew

Great Black-backed Gull

Redshanks - before

and after.....the swell was immense

Turnstone snoozing

Turnstones

Turnstones pushed onto the steps by the high tide

Tuesday morning started off with a couple of rain showers, then the sun came out, which made the beautiful Curlew almost shine.

Sanderling

Sanderling and Ringed Plover

Ringed Plover

Curlew

Curlew and Black-headed Gull

Curlew

Curlew

Linnets picking at the algae on rocks

Meadow Pipit

Meadow Pipit

male Stonechat

female Stonechat

 

So a very enjoyable few days watching the Rhyl bird life, but very sad to see the destruction caused by the storm tidal surge. I'm going back up there in a couple of months, so it will be interesting to see how things have changed by then.