Mr Cherry at Sabeys pool

Saturday morning up with the lark ,set up ready for a carp , however I was soon nodding off.

Around 1300 hrs I got my only run of the day resulting in a 12lb Common Carp.

On the border with Lewis and Carter

A bailiff patrol around Stockers Colne side a few warblers calling ,no sign of Marsh Warbler.

We followed the lake arriving back at Springwell lock .

The cutting of the phragmites reeds is beneficial for birds and watchers.We saw a male Reed Bunting.

An interpretive board explaining the birds and habitat was good but the sight of a female Goldeneye minus any brood this year unfortunately.

Marsh Warbler at Stockers

On the 9th rushed off to Stockers along the River Colne whereI had been reliably informed of the appearance of a Marsh Warbler (Acrocephalus palustris).
On arrival I saw a guy taking a sound recording and Paul Frost who had photographed it yesterday .
A good contingent of birders were present i.e. Christina Bessant Dale Ayres,Roger Harbird ,Tony Hulls,Kevin Farrell,Chris Sharp and of course Lee Evans.
Too be fare call was good but not exactly crippling views but a Herts tick for me and a lifer for Lewis.   




                                                   

JR Hartley in Latimer and bailiff patrol in the Colne Valley

Yesterday it was difficult to catch due to blanket weed and high temperatures after 4 hrs i managed 1 Rainbow

Today a walk around Stockers lake provided a dozen Common Terns on the raft no doubt will be attacked by black headed and Lesser Black backed gulls.

Back home cleaning out the fish tank waiting for the promised rain.

Birding and Fishing

First stop Latimer where JRHARTLEY was catching a few rainbows such a lovely spot.

Next up a Common Carp obliged at Sabeys pool in Rickmansworth, to much enjoyment back on Bailiff patrol at Stockers lake looking for birds and keeping things in order

A Carolina Wood duck obliged at adjacent Bury Lake .

The great garden bird race

Herts bird club initiated this competition and at this time the Corona virus has kept most of us confined to barracks over the last 7weeks or so .Therefore what better way to keep us watching our feathered friends.

This was the final totals about 130 people took part and some cracking garden birds obliged from sea duck raptors and warblers.

This Kestrel was the most difficult raptor to see Red Kite and Common Buzzard far more common strangely.

However the Blackbird was regularly seen every day.

bailiff patrol via Stockers farm

Arrived Stockers farm 0830 hrs to the news of Yellow Wagtail Wheatear and early morning Barn Owl.  A dog walker had flushed the birds but fortunately the wagtail returned.

later I made my way canal side on route to the pulpit I saw 2 common terns on posts.

Later I saw garden warblers singing on the River Colne side.

A pair of GBB Gulls were swimming in front of me as I did a circuit of the lake.

A full circle of the lake and river the back to the farm where little ringed plovers are regular at the moment.

Birdin in the merry month of May

arrived at Stockers farm prior to a bailiff patrol I was astounded to find a Whimbrel on the flooded field.

It stayed a while I rang Paul Lewis as he arrived it took off calling good to confirm call but not for Paul behind me a Common Whitethroat was calling from the overhead wires.

I continued my patrol around Stockers lake and heard my first Cuckoo of the year and the breeding birds were in full swing from warblers to geese 

While on patrol along the River Colne some trees were down and need attention,concluded patrol.

Well it's been a while a few years , at the moment the Corona virus has confined to barracks however some walks to Lynsters farm . Oystercatchers present along with Ruff and Greenshank.

Today a Raven 

Bailiff patrol Stockers November

Started at Stockers house noting a flock of Siskin buzzed by Sparrowhawk then walked canal side noting gulls and immature male goldeneye,  then Andy Longfellow in to old Esox.

The pike weighed about 9lb caught on dead bait 

Manuel Antonio final morning and leaving for San Jose

Got up early for a walk around 0700hrs,first up was a splendid Cherries Tanager
 Further on some Smooth billed Anis ,more Black Vultures obliged as did Yellow headed Caracara.

In a stream near the beach a single White Ibis showed well.

Also near the road a confiding Ferruginous Pygmy Owl posed for pictures.

At breakfast a Roadside Hawk was calling below the hotel,after lunch we left for San Jose.

Passing through Carara over the River Tarcoles and its Crocodiles a traffic jam ensued about 18km from San Jose. Over night at Villa Tournon the last bird of the trip was Plain Wren.

Manuel Antonio park

Woke up around 6am heard Black and white owl calling,we headed for the park entrance then down to the beach where Black Vultures showed well.

Also Spotted Sandpiper and Green Kingfisher, after breakfast a big queue obliged at 0900 HRS mostly Americans going swimming.

We noted Sloth and Lesser Nighthawk and small flocks of Orange chinned Parakeets.
Hoffman's Woodpecker and Black hooded Ant shrike were good finds.

Another Lifer was Cherrie's Tanager a smaller version of Passerinis, it became very hot so I returned to the hotel.

Carara National Refuge

Left Monteverde on route to Manuel Antonio we crossed the river just before Carara NP where crocodiles swam below us.

The River Tarcoles held many of these,we saw River Wren and Southern Lapwing here too.

We entered the park hearing our objective long before seeing it.

We also saw a splendid Trogon before a flock of Scarlett Macaws.

Monteverde Curi Cancha reserve

Once again in search of Resplendant Quetzal at Curi Cancha.

We searched this open valley and found 2 males and 1 female they performed admirably but a little elusive in the shade.

They were scared off by Crested Guans as the morning progressed.

Moving on through the forest we noted Motmots and Chestnut headed Oropendolas,a distant Swallow tailed Kite in flight.
We rested by a river getting a few bites,at the humming bird area more Agoutis before lunch at Stellars bakery.

Monteverde

early morning walk produced blue crowned motmot and emerald toucanet all before breakfast.

We got the bus to Monteverde and went on the Sendero camino route our first bird was a Slaty backed or Black headed Nightingale Thrush.

Katherine found our first Resplendant Quetzal,the holy grail bird was quite splendid.

A superb passerine was the Slate collared Redstart as we made our way to the view point.

We also saw Black Guan  and another Coatimundi on route to the Hummingbird café.

At the Hummingbird café there was good numbers and varietys of the  aptly named café species.

One of my favourite hummers was this splendid bird pictured below.

The Violet Sabrewing,other birds also obliged at the feeders.

The Rufous tailed Jacamar amongst others incuding Collared Redstart.

Finally another Coatimundi before leaving for the Serpentarium.