Elms pike match

Lewis and Carter Pike Match

Lewis and Carter sounds like the Bill today we are on an Esox thrill,the annual pike match produced Waxwings for Lewis as he unhooked a fish,while I shared the moment of seeing Mandarin duck also a Common Buzzard being mobbed by crows in sunshine,later the predicted rain arrived not before I  had won the Elms pike match two years on the trot,catching 3 pike 2 at 6lb and 1 at 3lb while Paul was runner up at 6lb 6oz, a great day all fish returned unharmed.
Kingfishers seen in flight while great crested grebes displayed,8 hours produced a variety of birds and fish for two anglers out of eight.

This Green and Pleasant Land

This Green and Pleasant Land but for how long

Yesterday Lewis was on the border  at Broadwater GP where he was in conversation with the bailiff,regarding the railway network destroying the lower halve of the colne valley.I  was doing a bailiff patrol at Stockers GP as poachers were there on Sunday I informed the enviromental agency as at 60 I struggle to throw people in nowadays,which brings me to our new goverment, our than any better than the last,will they sing Jerusalem at the proms and not heed the words.Has government rule been replaced with absolutism,perhaps its sedition on my account,my father fought for this country know its becoming far from green and pleasant. I would like the colne valley to become a national park  for all to watch birds catch fish sail boats etc, here are some articles relating.

Woodcock deceased

Woodcock at Woodoaks

Walked Ted to Woodoaks spoke to farmhand Chris,who had flushed what he thought was a snipe last month turned out to be Woodcock when I investigated the top meadow south of the Triangulation stone.
I found the carcasse it was about 3 to 4 days old the wings were in good condition but the head and body had decomposed,it looked like  the work of a raptor as I think a fox would have devoured it.
I took some photos with my phone before continuing my walk which yielded skylark,yellowhammer and meadow pipit.

Minsmere highlights

Cold day at Minsmere

Arrived Minsmere around 0930hrs we walked towards the beach where we were greeted by 7 snow buntings in flight,a little further on we met Malcolm Currie a former member of Maple Lodge now living in Suffolk.Up to four calling Cetti's warblers burst in to song around the reserve.Shelduck were displaying on the brackish marsh was unusual to see, as was 5 smew including 4 red heads and one drake.
It was cold so a quick cup of tea and food before moving through the woods to island mere hides where marsh harriers obliged on the mammal front Polish ponies Mad March Hares and Red deer.
Marsh tit on the feeders as we left around 1430hrs.

Tufted duck

Love a Duck at Maple Lodge

On arrival at the clubhouse it was quiet so I walked to the Rotunda met Martin Parr we found 5 common snipe,I  missed a Water rail, good numbers of shoveler and teal in display.Martin left for the working party while I waited for the water rail I waited in vain so onwards to another hide where tufted,little grebe and shoveler all obliged in good light,birds were aroused by a sparrowhawk gliding over the phragmites, moved on noting two goldcrests seen in flight.At Lynsters farm of note were 5 greylag 5 Egyptian amongst Canadas.The working party was in full swing so I returned to the club house noting great spotted woodpecker and ring necked parakeets.                                                 

red crested pochards on Bury GP

Spring arrives at Stockers

Walked to   Rickmansworth gravel pits on bailiff patrol doing some lure fishing I caught a pike of around 10lbs, then I noticed the Goldeneye I had heard calling they were displaying,this was followed up by a drumming great spotted woodpecker,I caught two more pike one with cormorant damage,on arrival at Bury gp two pairs of red crested pochards were confiding almost plastic as they have become imprinted on humans by to much feeding if this carrys on the birds will suffer the same demise as our fish,the poachers not only kill fish you have been warned.

Little Grebes trilling affair

Trilling time at Maple Lodge

A couple of hours at the Lodge produced a good numbers of dabchicks,along with a variety of duck Shovelers in particular.The only passerine of note was a goldcrest.
Three Egyptians were on Lynsters,but generally quiet except the triiling grebes in courtship.

Bramfield birders,Church and the elusive Hawfinch

Bramfield Village Church Yard

Paul Lewis picked me up around 0900hrs and we set off for Bramfield near Panshanger.
On arrival at the church a few birders were present mostly from neighbouring Beds,they were off there local turf as was we,some of these guys had been here since dawn,we arrived around 1000hrs.
Checking out the surrounding area in particular the hedgerow below the football pitch.
Lewis spotted 3 to 4 birds in an Ash tree good scope views but alas a bit distant to photograph,howevever later a closer view in the hedge and church yard was better .Other passerines of note see Herts bird club.the birds remained mobile and a firecrest was present.

Sunny Day at Maple Lodge

The sun was shining making it good for photography, I moved along to the Rotunda where teal were present,but at the Teal hide Little Grebe were collecting nest material a Grey Heron was nesting in dense scrub a pair of Gadwall posed for my camera.Later at Woodoaks farm Yellowhammers were present along with a small flock of Linnet

Walk to Woodoaks

Walked Ted to the farm in windy conditions, a buzzard overhead was being swept along as I made the farm buildings,in the fields next to the main road a huge flock of mixed winter thrushes took over the lower half of the field up to 250 redwings,100 Fieldfares also Starlings and a flock of 60 Lapwings mobile suggesting a raptor but none seen .Walking through the fields Skylarks up to 14 calling in flight.Lady Walk Wood produced nothing,a few Yellowhammers in the farm area where I met Messrs Laptop,Moon,Hulls etc on route home but alas no waxwings

Waxwings Denham Way 4th Feb

In Pursuit of Esox Luscius

A days fishing in pursuit of pike I decided on Rickmansworth GP ,so no camera or bins ,then  I see a kingfisher 10 feet away typical,moving on to the River Colne where I catch a 2lb pike on an ABU Tormentor,a lure that looks like a perch,good numbers of Tufted duck oblige as I arrive at the bend on Stockers a guy birding stops to talk it seems this Mr Mckenzie has been on my blog and is taking in the birds at Stockers.
I catch another pike around 3lb,following theColne I arrive at my last lake where I catch another pike of 4lb.
So a trio of fish caught and returned safely,watch this space for further adventures of Captain Jack.

Brambling female at Cassiobury Park 3rd Feb

Waxwings 1st of Feb Summerhouse lane Harefield on the border

Cassiobury park, Kentucky fried Kite and more Waxwings

Lewis and I are off to Watford,to Cassiobury Park where its a cross between too posh to work ,the unemployed and Battersea dogs home,with this amount of pressure we were lucky to find a female Brambling from the hide feeding with chaffinch,coal tit and great spotted woodpecker,we even saw a male drumming.
Also of note found a Badgers sett and more birds.
In to Ricky for a spot of tea then at Moneyhill parade,Mill End a Red Kite flys over the KFC while Paul and  I wait for a zinger burger.
Homeward bound I say farewell to Lewis then walk Ted down the road at75 Denham Way I See 20 Waxwings
in a silver birch tree,they fly off calling towards Woodoaks Farm.

Waxwings again

Walked Stockers and the river Colne the usual suspects were on parade,forgive me for being blaise,Red kite along the river, Goldeneye closer  today,spooked a Little Egret,in to Ricky met Geoff Laptop on the bus to Maple Cross.
A familiar call greets my ears as I look up the road circa 30 Waxwings are in the trees calling,yes a garden tick I walk towards them and they scarper across the road in to Maple Cross.

On the border again

Easy rider heads for the border in the hope of Waxwings,over the canal park the hog and I am viewing 50c Waxwings above Summerhouse lane,highly mobile their food store exhausted they cross in to Herts over the Coy Carp pub to Helicon/Pynesfield GP's.I follow them to no avail.
Later around 1300 hrs I walk Ted to Woodoaks where I meet Sharpy I get Little Owl while he is on the blower and he misses it so we walk over the top and down to Chalfont lane where 23 Stock dove fly up with 2 skylark.
On the other side of the road at Beechen wood 20 greefinch are in the hedgerows.

End of January at Stockers and Maple Lodge

Walked to Stockers most of the lakes frozen due to heavy frosts,I walked canal side till I reached the Shoveler hide where I connected with two fine goosander two Smew and up to 18 Goldeneye displaying,took some photos and walked in to Ricky to do some shopping.

After lunch around 1400 hrs went to Maple Lodge where 4 Common Snipe obliged from the Rotunda,this was eclipsed by stunning views of a Sparrowhawk at the feeding station.