Tuesday 15th April. In search of Goshawk.
A bird that has eluded me in Britain is the Goshawk so I decided to make the effort totry and see one. We tossed up between the New Forest and the Brecks and decided to go to the Brecks. Our first stop was at Lynford Arboretum to look for the Two-barred Crossbill. As we walked across the road we were told that it had been drinking in the pool to the left and was still around. We stood about fr a while, hearing it and seeing Common Crossbills as well as several other birds.
After a while, DW went further into the Arboretum and was seen signalling us to come as he had it. It had, of course, flown away by the time we got back, but perseverance paid off when we got good views of it a little later on.
As past observers we were invited to the opening of the new migration watch point at Bresken in southern Holland. When we arrived there was quite a gathering but not many birds, although a Crested lark had been seen earlier which caused a lot of excitement as there is now only one singing male in the Netherlands. Looking round we could see lots of changes that had been made, including a car park which now costs 4 eus for 24 hours.
The civic group walked up from the cafe and officially opened the watchpoint by removing the curtain from a plaque. This was followed by a lot of socialising and the distribution of a book about the watchpoint since 1981 to all attendees. We learned about the changes that were going to be implemented to encourage birds and nature, including scrapes, ponds and a new sea dyke, and it certainly looks as if it will be even better to visit when it all gets done.
We then spent a bit of time birding along the river exploring different areas before returning for a social drink, snacks and prize giving for the best bird for Breskens. The Crested lark won and then David and I were presented with a prize as the furthest travelled, which was a complete surprise and a lovely, touching gesture. Time to go home can too soon and we headed back to Calais after a really great couple of days.
Tuesday 11th March. A day Trip to France to look for Snowy Owl
We decided to make a day trip to France as we learnt that the Snowy Owl had been refound near Maisnil. DW, MC and myself caught the 6.00am boat across and, following a couple of false starts we were there around 9.00am.
We found the track and, seeing a man with a tripod, we parked up and walked towards him. The bird was sitting in a severly pollarded tree across a field and with it's back towards us. Over the next few hours we watched it as it shook itself, turned round and scanned the grass. The weather was quite grey and murky but the sun did appear for a short while. The whole time we were there only 6 other people turned up.
A bird that has eluded me in Britain is the Goshawk so I decided to make the effort totry and see one. We tossed up between the New Forest and the Brecks and decided to go to the Brecks. Our first stop was at Lynford Arboretum to look for the Two-barred Crossbill. As we walked across the road we were told that it had been drinking in the pool to the left and was still around. We stood about fr a while, hearing it and seeing Common Crossbills as well as several other birds.
After a while, DW went further into the Arboretum and was seen signalling us to come as he had it. It had, of course, flown away by the time we got back, but perseverance paid off when we got good views of it a little later on.
Next we went to a spot we had been told about and hung around for a while, seeing Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk, a Red Kite and eventually a Goshawk! flew in from the right, glided over the tops of the trees and disappeared behind the canopy. A hare and several Orange-tip butterflies kept us amused.
Our next thought was to return to Thetford to see if the Otters were still around get some lunch. The weather had warmed up as we parked in a car park and it was a lovely walk along the river but no sign of the otters. 3/4 Small Tortoiseshell and a Peacock butterfly were sunning themselves and defending territories.
Saturday 5th April. Opening of the new Breskens watchpoint.As past observers we were invited to the opening of the new migration watch point at Bresken in southern Holland. When we arrived there was quite a gathering but not many birds, although a Crested lark had been seen earlier which caused a lot of excitement as there is now only one singing male in the Netherlands. Looking round we could see lots of changes that had been made, including a car park which now costs 4 eus for 24 hours.
The civic group walked up from the cafe and officially opened the watchpoint by removing the curtain from a plaque. This was followed by a lot of socialising and the distribution of a book about the watchpoint since 1981 to all attendees. We learned about the changes that were going to be implemented to encourage birds and nature, including scrapes, ponds and a new sea dyke, and it certainly looks as if it will be even better to visit when it all gets done.
We then spent a bit of time birding along the river exploring different areas before returning for a social drink, snacks and prize giving for the best bird for Breskens. The Crested lark won and then David and I were presented with a prize as the furthest travelled, which was a complete surprise and a lovely, touching gesture. Time to go home can too soon and we headed back to Calais after a really great couple of days.
Tuesday 11th March. A day Trip to France to look for Snowy Owl
We decided to make a day trip to France as we learnt that the Snowy Owl had been refound near Maisnil. DW, MC and myself caught the 6.00am boat across and, following a couple of false starts we were there around 9.00am.
We found the track and, seeing a man with a tripod, we parked up and walked towards him. The bird was sitting in a severly pollarded tree across a field and with it's back towards us. Over the next few hours we watched it as it shook itself, turned round and scanned the grass. The weather was quite grey and murky but the sun did appear for a short while. The whole time we were there only 6 other people turned up.
I took the chance to experiment with phone scoping the Owl and I was quite pleased with the results. (All uncropped)
We decided to go and explore some woodland not far from Valenciennes which we knew used to hold Black Woodpecker. Parking in the parking area we walked along a ride in the improving sunshine. In the tree we found Short-toed Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Middle-spotted and Great-spotted Woodpeckers, Marsh and Willow tits, Coal, Blue and Great Tit and Crested Tit. We heard Black Woodpecker but couldn't get any views. Altogether a very pleasant day
A new interest is the evidence of leaf miners - there were lots of these in the brambles. Doesn't really do justice to the colour. It looks to me like Stigmella splendidissimella but will do further research.
Excellent phonescope shots Gill.
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