Birdwatcher’s Diary No.76

Published on: 17 Dec, 2014
Updated on: 17 Dec, 2014

By Malcolm Fincham

Moving into December the weather started to turn much cooler with the arrival of our first few sharp frosts of winter. This was quite pleasing to me as it also brought with it several days of much welcome sunshine, allowing me some good photo opportunities.

This included some improved pictures, much assisted by the good sunlight, of some of the birds I featured in my previous report.

Looks like this dabchick (little grebe) has caught a stickleback.

On December 6 in Shamley Green, the dabchick (little grebe) continued to show well, diving for long periods then re-emerging often quite successfully with a small fish.

A fox at Wonersh.

Later that day, while on my travels through Wonersh, I also caught up with a fox out hunting in the bright but low afternoon sun.

The following day also started well with some bright sunshine and a trip to Staines Reservoir with birdwatcher pal Dougal, in the hope of viewing a few of the recently reported winter arrivals. These included a drake scaup and a great northern diver.

Wigeon at Staines Reservoir.

Although both too distant to photograph, I was pleased to get a few nice picture of a pair of wigeon that have also recently arrived there.

Goldeneye.

I also managed to get a couple of shots of a goldeneye.

A Distant flock of lapwing, while a big tin bird flies off somewhere over the rainbow.

And even a few photos of a flock of lapwing as a distant rainbow began to appear.

Before long, however, black clouds began to loom, and as the wind got up literally out of the blue (sky) a torrential storm was upon us, blowing over our scopes, turning Dougal’s umbrella inside out and leaving me frantically trying to salvage my camera equipment from the rain.

A view across the marshes at Farlington.

On a far more pleasant day on December 8 I decided on a trip to Farlington Marshes near Portsmouth.

A view across Farlington Marsh.

With the sea at high tide, much of my viewing was on the inland lagoons where most of the waders and wildfowl could be seen. Many of these have arrived back from northern breeding grounds to winter here.

Brent geese at Farlington.

These included more than 2,000 dark-bellied brent geese, having travelled over 2,500 miles from Siberia.

A brent goose flies over.

Brent geese wintering at Farlington.

Drake shoveler at Farlington.

Groups of wigeon have also now arrived to dabble with other ducks of their kind, such as teal and shoveler, on the lagoons and surrounding grassland.

Teal at Farlington.

Small gathering of little egrets.

A few pintail duck were also now present along with a small congregation of little egret.

An omniscience of black-tailed godwits – also known as a pantheon of godwits.

Out resting on the lagoon was an omniscience of more than 200 black-tailed godwits.

Godwit at Farlington.

Waders (mainly redshank) gather on the lagoon at Farlington.

Along with a separate group of resting redshank.

Grey plover now in winter plumage among the various waders wintering at Farlington.

Grey plover, now very much in winter plumage since my previous visit, could also be viewed.

Lapwing at Farlington.

While the green plovers, better known as lapwings, could also be seen in good numbers – I even managed to take a pleasing photo of one as it flew over.

Kestrel at Farlington.

Of course, the day wouldn’t have been complete without a few pictures of one of the resident kestrels.

Common buzzard.

And as a bonus, while walking back to the car, a common buzzard flew low overhead pursued by a pair of crows, allowing me several pictures as the conflict evolved.