Scotland Weekend - Pt 1 Caerlaverock WWT

A mini weekend in Dumfries & Galloway with Phil, Chris and Tom where we would visit a few reserves and concentrate on seeing the good numbers of Geese and Waterfowl.

Caerlaverock WWT would be the first call on Saturday. A first visit for me and the hope of a few life birds as well as bumping up the year list..

The star species in the winter are the Whooper Swans and Barnacle Geese. However a scarce but long staying Green Winged Teal would hopefully stay one more day until I arrived.

First stop was the Folly pool watch tower. A climb to the top a quick scan of the pool and Phil found the Green Winged Teal in the perfect spot. An easy way to bag a lifer. Widgeon, Teal, Shoveler and Black Tailed Godwits were all in good numbers.

The feeding was to take place at the Whooper pond so we quickly changed pools to see the Whooper Swans. 100+ Whoopers as well as over 50 Mute Swans and a male Gadwall were the highlights of this pool. Wild birds they maybe but who can refuse a free handout of grain......







"OK who's idea was it to leave the Tufted Duck as a look out?"

 

Whooper Swans are a little less graceful than Mute Swans when it comes to feeding.

 

 

as the grey leaden skies fill with snow these two Whoopers take off into the incoming storm.

 

 

outside along the tracks we were treated to some stunning farmland species

 

Yellowhammer

 

 

Reed Bunting

 

 

a rare break in the poor weather sees Tom and Chris trying to evade the snow showers

 

 

The stars of the show..........  Barnacle Geese

6000 of them dotted about the reserve and surrounding fields.

 

 

 

 

and a leucistic individual that flew in on its own and joined the party

 

 

 

we save just enough time before the light fades to revisit the Green Winged Teal and try for some images.

 

Trip companion Phil Hampson takes credit for providing me with this great comparison shot of the common Eurasian Teal on the left vs the Scarce Green Winged Teal on the right

 

 

then all hell broke loose as the Eurasian Teal attacks

 

 

after a few rounds of fighting the Green Winged Teal seen here on the right wins the day..... probably

 

 

A lovely reserve with some great birding even if the weather was mixed. Two lifers on one reserve isn't bad going and as one of the lifers was the charismatic Barnacle Goose the day couldn't have been much better.



Goyt Valley - Christmas Walk

It was nice to get out with the family and blow a few cobwebs away from Christmas. We started at Pyms Chair and continued through the Goyt Valley, Derbyshire Bridge and upto the Cat & Fiddle. Myself, Liz, Steve, Kim and Michael.

Pyms Chair

 

Steve & Liz

 

Erwood Reservoir

oops!

lad and dad...... Steve and Michael

 

Liz

 

Kim and Liz

Derbyshire Bridge

Michael sees warmth

we see Beer (the Cat & Fiddle)

Derbyshire bridge in Black & White



 



 

First morning of Winter

Couldn't resist getting a few shots depicting the first day of winter here in the UK. An early start and a short walk to Lyme Park to see the Red Deer. I was rather hoping that I wouldn't have to search to far. As I crossed the moorland sure enough a large flock of stags were evident. This handsome looking fella was first to pose in the dawn light......

 

 

an older stag with his Hinds

 

 

 

 

 



The Redpoll species

Mealy Redpoll Carduelis flammea
Lesser Redpoll Carduelis cabaret

Thought I would add this review that I produced for my County recorder of two species that I am lucky enough to have in the garden during the winter months.

Lesser Redpoll Carduelis cabaret is a fairly common species in the UK and one that visits gardens up and down the UK especially when the winter months draw in.

Mealy Redpoll Carduelis flammea isn't so common and is quite scarce and usually very localised although we do have some years when large influx of birds arrive from Scandinavia.

The review for late 2013 and early 2014:

"I need to go back in time….. just a few days. December 28th 2013.

I had just returned home from twitching the American Buff bellied pipit and Siberian Chiffchaff when I noticed on the two Niger feeders were a large flock of Lesser Redpolls and within this group were possibly what I regard as my regular Mealy Redpolls. Proper inspection showed I had two together on the same feeder. Large, bull necked and paler they stand out a mile from the more slender and elegant Lesser Redpolls. I have certainly been able to get my eye in on these species variations over the last four years or so and instantly felt confident and excited that they were back. 

Sunday 29^th December just a single Mealy Redpoll appeared although a morning’s walk meant I only had an hour or two to inspect the feeders.  

Monday 30^th December and bam…….. 3 Mealy Redpolls. Two were very light individuals and one ever so slightly darker, but unmistakable. Phil Oddie had already asked to be kept informed and he duly came round, verified the sighting and went home happy with his local patch year tick (well, 3 x year tick). 38 Lesser Redpolls were counted also.  

The weather now turned very stormy and 31^st and 1^st January were a write off in the garden and only managed a brief glimpse of 6 Lesser Redpolls on New Years Day.  

I think the stormy weather had an effect on the garden as the next two weeks were fairly quiet with low numbers of all garden bird species and with my work pattern I wasn’t able to see any Redpoll species again until 23^rd January 2014 when a large flock of Lesser Redpolls arrived with 25+ on the feeders. A day later and even better  as this time 32 Lesser Redpolls and you guessed it…….. 2 more Mealy Redpolls.  

Unfortunately this was the last sighting of the winter, however my garden was now starting to become a pre-roost for the local population of Redwings. On a daily basis before last light a flock of upto 35 would sit high in the Willow for around 45 minutes before flying off. 

Now it’s approaching December 2014 and I await my first seasons Redpolls………."

 

Two comparison images Mealy vs Lesser

3 images of Lesser Redpoll

2 images of Mealy