wild goosander chase and on the Border with Lewis

Well it was off to Stockers again for the elusive Goosander but it was not around nor was the confiding Smew.Roger Dewey and I scanned to no avail but there was  Wigeon a plenty whistling down the wind.

From the kingfisher hide dabbling Shovelers aim to please and in the distance Grey herons were starting to nest.

Passerines were thin on the ground a few buzzing goldcrests and a great spotted woodpecker on the feeder.

Walking on noting Grey Wagtail and a large party of Red crested Pochards at the west end of the lake.

I saw Joe fishing the Colne he must be 80 odd he had a Robin for company after his maggots.

Did a full circuit tea in the café then home I rang Paul and we decided to cross the border to Ruislip where at the Lido the Jack Snipe one only was very obliging.

Stockers Lake a gem in surburbia

Well you might say the title is well known ,however it is due to all the hard work Friends of Stockers,bailiffs,photographers and birders have put in over the years.More and more people move to newer pastures,we have mourn there expertise in the field people like Joel and Richard Drew and now Andrew Moon.

So 2017 starts with a female Smew seen mostly from the Shell hide as it was again today in company with Gadwall and Wigeon.

The Wigeon whistled as the elegant White nun came close to the hide.

Above them a Kingfisher hunted from a lofty perch.

On to Stockers farm where Little Owl obliged be it distant,so back to Woodoaks Farm where another Little Owl was very obliging.

Finally caked in mud the track to the manure dump produced the wintering Stonechat.

So another day in the suburbs produces some quality birds.

Another frosty day at Stockers

Well I have been searching for the White Nun over the last few weeks as this enigmatic bird hides amongst the willow islands of Stockers lake.

I walked to the Shoveler hide had a quick scan and moved on however after a hundred yards did a U turn as I  saw my quarry off the main island .Back in the hide the red head Smew obliged giving close views as we waited.

Well close views of this small merganser made my day along with Shoveler dabbling in the shallows.

The icing on the cake not the lake was displaying Goldeneyes for a fellow birder and I before departing the crowds on the causeway.

The sunshine brings out the crowd winter or summer.

A Quick walk around Stockers Lake

A circular walk of Stockers today in search of Smew be it a red head,Anna Marett and I looked but alas only found Goldeneye good numbers of Wigeon and a good number of Red crested Pochards at least 8 and four on Bury GP.

Also large numbers of Coot we met Messrs Hulls and Lapworth and Tony revealed that Jack Snipe were at Ruislip Lido.

The ice covered a great deal of the lake and on it stood a few gulls.

Finally near the Alders a flock of splendid Siskin .

last days of November at Maple Lodge

Well it was a sharp frost this morning ,on arrival at the reserve I found the lake almost frozen over,so  I walked through the Paddock towards Lynsters Farm where good numbers of Stock Doves obliged.

These were feeding amongst the grazing Greylags,moving on to the hides a few Grey Herons hunted the shallows.

Returning along Long Hedge I noted a splendid Goldfinch feeding on Teazel.

Made my way back to the club house where dunnocks ,blackbirds etc fed under the feeders.

Autumn day at Stockers Lake

Autumn days at Stockers Lake are special,blue skys lead to clear nights and of course sunshine. Here I searched diligently for wildfowl to be precise the
Goldeneye, at the viewpoint  I am  lucky to see a nice pair.

Also good numbers of Wigeon as they whistle down the wind on a circular walk of the lake.

My walk ends at Bury Lake where some blue tits in the Silver Birch trees
near the Yacht club.

Well its time for tea now and I'm sitting next to  Jack Mann.

Jack was one of Churchills secret warriors he is 91 years young and still going strong.

It was an honour and a privelige Sir.

Moor Park and its birds on a cold sunny day late Autumn

Its not even light and the Jackdaws are in abundance along the Chestnut drive on route to the Mansion.

As day breaks Cormorants fly high overhead while distant Canadian geese are heard,the regular Egyptian geese have gone awol.
Small flocks of Redwing and Fieldfare cackle and twitter,on the pond a good number of Mallard and one lonely Moorhen.

The highlights of today were two Red Kite a Common Buzzard and a Sparrowhawk.