Work, rest and play...

Unfortunately it is my turn to work boxing day this year, I am also working the 27th to get 'my bit' out of the way. The two good things that come from this is christmas off next year and two days in lieu to be taken off in the first week back at work giving me a few days to add some species to the patchbirding list nice and early.

A few December moths have been attracted to the security light recently- the nights have been so mild lately, warmer than many of this 'summers' nights, may have to put a moth trap in the garden this evening if the rain holds off.

Today I managed to get out of the office to check cattle and to check on the state of the paths (River was flooding over the path on the way to Tower Hide still) On my wonderings I managed to bump into 4 Waxwings sittling nicely in a tree along sandy wall, looking fantastic in the sunlight, a Bittern decided to do a flyby and an Otter swan across in front of Fen Hide as well as at least 12 Marsh harriers playing in the wind. Not bad for an hours check of cattle! I then managed to complete the majority of my paperworkso rewarded myself by going to reception hide.
I sat in reception as dusk approached to see if there were many harriers coming to roost, and was greeted by a chinese water deer just in front of the hide, a kingfisher perched on the fish refuge and a couple of water rails battling for territory just in front of the hide. Marsh harriers were always tricky to count as they were behind the block of scrub but I managed to get up to about 14 birds, then another large raptor flew accross the fen, at first I thought it was a MR flying slightly oddly/moulting, but then soon realised the shape of the long tail and flappy wings- a Red Kite, more of a spring/summer bird the fen, this was my first in December. Finally as the harriers were all floating about a stunning male Hen Harrier came into by binocular view, as always the bird did not hang around and just shot through the fen heading South, a cracking bird all the same though.

So as far as 'days in the office' go it was quite a rewarding one, good to get some work done and see some decent wildlife, hopefully there will be more of the same today, think I'd better sweep out the hides, do a litter pick and check on the water levels today.... well someone's got to do it!

Weekly round up- floods, otters and a Bittern

A great final week at work before christmas gave the opportunity to take a few pictures of the regular reedbed specialists.

Firstly a couple of pictures of the Lackford Run during one of the 8 days of flooding the reserve received in the past 2 weeks. for those who know the reserve, we often get complaints that the Lackford run trail is often quite muddy, the photos below show why it gets muddy! this path floods on the medium/high high tide and well below the Environment agency flood warning level, a constant problem during winter and summer too.

This is the path 3hrs before high tide... I decided to close the path!

This young otter was absolutely fantastic, one of my wildlife highlights of the year. I watched it forr about an hour, in which it caught and dismembered 5 fish. I was so close the crunching of scales was clearly heard!

To finish off a nice Bittern in front of reception, this was at the top  of the reeds and then crawled down and started hunting just behind the reed front, always amazing to watch them in hunt mode with the bill half in water head cocked.

Happy Christmas everyone!

The 2013 patch

My patch for 2013

Here is the outline of my patch for the patchbirding competition.
It measures 2.97 square km; although many parts of the above map cannot be walked on ie settling pools at the beet factory these have been included for ease of calculating area in one go.

The patch in more detail;
-All of Strumpshaw Fen, except Bradeston Marsh- standard reedbed species expected here as well as some wildfowl and raptors, hoping to repeat my self found Savis and Marsh warblers of this year for extra points.
-Strumpshaw Wood- woodland species, hoping for Lesser Spotted Woodpecker a would be patch tick.
-Most of Buckenham Marshes- useful while surveying for wildfowl and waders.
-Cantley- as Buckenham- only the riverbank counted in boundary.
-Cantley Beet Factory- could be useful for the all important extra species of waders, good track record of common/scarce species that are tricky even just next door on Cantley marshes (such as Curlew Sandpiper)
-Link road from low road to Buckenham wood- main reason for the inclusion of this is the car park at Buckenham wood, it's a very good vantage point for birds of prey and vis mig etc.
-Rockland Broad- this in the past has produced some diving species that are difficult elsewhere, recently held Red Necked Grebe, Black terns pass through regularly as well as decent Osprey hunting grounds.

So that's it, this year I managed (so far) 148 species, although birding took the back foot while Ruth was pregnant/since Toby has been in this world. Next year I will try and get out more and am looking forward to birding the slightly extended patch to see what it can produce.

A late afternoon stroll around Strumpy

I managed to get out of the house after a long tiring weekend. Amazing evening, nice and cold and calm with a beautiful sunset and 51 species noted.
The Waxwings are still present around sandy wall, some have been there every day now for over a month, far better than last years (20ish) one day record flock. Also saw Kingfisher, Otter, Barn Owl and quite a few Marsh Harriers, a (poor) roost of 1300 Starlings were out done by the sunset.

Also if anyone is interested I have joined twitter: @ben_lewis_uk

I have also joined the patchbirding competition for next year, a map of the patch will feature here soon, I'm looking forward to seeing what the Mid Yare Valley really has to offer!