birding on the border with Lewis

Crossed the border today,being on the triangle of three counties has it's blessings but a I usually stick to Herts it made a change,Broadwater is more overgrown than it used to be but you get a good variety of birds,todays special one was Velvet Scoter, it showed well through scopes all diagnostic features even down to yellow base to the bill.Dipped on Slavonian grebes there was two yesterday according to Lewis,but overall a pleasant morning of note pair of bullfinches,goldeneyes,gulls,geese,grey wag on the river and small party of siskins,saw Lee Evans briefly and a few other birders,sorry no photos.

egyptian geese

cold day at maple lodge

Small party of teal from Rotunda,nothing doing ring necks investigating nest site in Alder woods,pair of great spot courting .At long hedge 4 Egyptian pairing up,finally small party of siskins in alders and silver birch.

wren

wednesday 10th of November

Walked to Stockers,red kite overhead on route a bit nippy,a few wigeon on Inns GP.
Seven goldeneye on Stockers. Quiet returned to Maple lodge more raptors ie kite sparrowhawk and a peregrine around 1600 hrs briefly.

Sunday morning visit Maple Lodge

On arrival walked to Rotunda where Common Buzzard was in tree with crows and magpies.
When leaving 3 Red Kite 1 Common Buzzard and 3 Ring necks were in the sky together.

Maple Lodge Nature Reserve

Morning at Maple Lodge quiet due to working party,Ring necks flying over,Joe Crump arrived and put pole out on the marsh,I missed a Kingfisher earlier on the other post.Went back to the Club house for a cup of tea .  A lot of common birds obliged at the feeders,see photos below.

                                                     male Great Spotted Woodpecker

                                                            Dunnock

                                                         camo creeper

Maple Lodge Nature Reserve

On arrival of note ring necks calling,from Rotunda up to 14 common teal plus brief view of water rail,unusual chiff chaff calling,while doing up my boot lace sparrowhawk flushes teal and green woodpecker.

                                          Green Woodpecker from Rotunda