31/01/2007
27/01/2007
27th January....
Not much change still
The short period of cold weather during the week, has made no impact on the numbers of waterfowl around the reservoir. A look around today produced a few more year-ticks, mainly common species, but also a pair of Pintail. Otherwise 4 Mandarin and 4 Goosanders were the only other highlights.....
Bored of seeing nothing of interest at Grafham, I stopped at Paxton Pits on the way home to see the Black-necked Grebe. Nice bird, and showing well.
GW Year List: 81
The short period of cold weather during the week, has made no impact on the numbers of waterfowl around the reservoir. A look around today produced a few more year-ticks, mainly common species, but also a pair of Pintail. Otherwise 4 Mandarin and 4 Goosanders were the only other highlights.....
Bored of seeing nothing of interest at Grafham, I stopped at Paxton Pits on the way home to see the Black-necked Grebe. Nice bird, and showing well.
GW Year List: 81
23/01/2007
23rd January....
Cold and birdless
After the relative excitement yesterday (for those who were about!), I managed a quick look mid-afternoon today. The cold wind hampered a good look around, but I was pleased, however, when a Grey Plover flew over calling mid-afternoon.
GW Year List: 73 (still some common species still needed)
After the relative excitement yesterday (for those who were about!), I managed a quick look mid-afternoon today. The cold wind hampered a good look around, but I was pleased, however, when a Grey Plover flew over calling mid-afternoon.
GW Year List: 73 (still some common species still needed)
22/01/2007
22nd January.....
Not a good day to be at work....
.... missing 2 Brent Geese and 12 brief Whooper Swans today!
.... missing 2 Brent Geese and 12 brief Whooper Swans today!
21/01/2007
21st January....
No RTD today.... One of the quietest WeBS counts I can ever remember during my 9 years of WeBSing at Grafham today, no highlights, no sign of reported Diver from yesterday, and not a single Mute Swan on the whole reservoir!
If this is as good as the winter is going to get, then roll on spring.....
If this is as good as the winter is going to get, then roll on spring.....
20/01/2007
20th January....
A small crowd gathered at Mander car park today, mainly in the hope of seeing the adult Iceland Gull (which failed to show), but two Caspians were picked out from the thousands of roosting large gulls, 1st and 2nd winters, and both probably the same individuals as that seen earlier in month. No other highlights, but 4+ Yellow-legged Gulls. Also 3 Goosander and a drake Mandarin were on view, and 18+ Pintail made a brief stop-over (although I missed them!).
A birdery-type person reported a Red-throated Diver near Savages creek today, but I didn't have time to go and look for it. Hopefully it may get located during the WeBS count tomorrow. Also, belated news of a Little Gull seen yesterday evening.
GW Year List: 71 (still). Must do some birding other than gull watching soon!
A birdery-type person reported a Red-throated Diver near Savages creek today, but I didn't have time to go and look for it. Hopefully it may get located during the WeBS count tomorrow. Also, belated news of a Little Gull seen yesterday evening.
GW Year List: 71 (still). Must do some birding other than gull watching soon!
16/01/2007
First Update
January 1st-15th - sightings so far......
A very quiet start to the year.
Highlights so far have included 2 different Iceland Gulls, with one on the 6th (a 1st-winter) and the other on the 12th (an adult), both found by Jono Leadley. I again saw the adult on the 15th, along with a splendid 2nd-winter Caspian Gull. Two Caspian Gulls roosted on 10th (including a beautiful 1st-winter), and several different Med Gulls are regularly being seen in the roost.
Aside from Gulls, there has been little of interest. A little bit of woodland birding on 14th produced a vocal Nuthatch (quite scarce at Grafham), but what is really required, is some nice cold weather.....
.....may be it would dislodge some of those pesky divers from Rutland!
Stats to 15th January:
GW Year List: 71
GW Life List: 210
A very quiet start to the year.
Highlights so far have included 2 different Iceland Gulls, with one on the 6th (a 1st-winter) and the other on the 12th (an adult), both found by Jono Leadley. I again saw the adult on the 15th, along with a splendid 2nd-winter Caspian Gull. Two Caspian Gulls roosted on 10th (including a beautiful 1st-winter), and several different Med Gulls are regularly being seen in the roost.
Aside from Gulls, there has been little of interest. A little bit of woodland birding on 14th produced a vocal Nuthatch (quite scarce at Grafham), but what is really required, is some nice cold weather.....
.....may be it would dislodge some of those pesky divers from Rutland!
Stats to 15th January:
GW Year List: 71
GW Life List: 210
An Introduction
Introduction:
Grafham Water has been my local patch since 1997. It is watched by a merry band of birders, but the three most active of those, are Colin Addington, Jono Leadley (http://www.indybirder.com) and myself.
After setting a new Cambs Year List record in 2003 of 214 species (and failing to better it in 2004, 05 or 06!), I have decided that during 2007 I'm going to concentrate my birding-effort around Grafham Water, and may be see how many species I can see around the reservoir during the year. My previous best is 171 species, set in 2005, which included such goodies as 3 species of diver and 5 species of grebe, Gannet, Leach-Storm Petrel, Ring-necked Duck, Long-tailed Duck, Hen Harrier, White-rumped & Purple Sandpiper, Phalarope sp, Sabine's, Iceland, Glaucous & Caspian Gull, Sandwich Tern, Short-eared Owl, Wryneck, Tree Pipit, Black Redstart, Stonechat and Twite (I happened to miss 9 species at Grafham Water during 2005) - although this total was impressive, Colin Addington probably holds the record for the highest ever Grafham Water Year List.
1st January stats:
GW Year List - 0
GW Life List 210
Grafham Water has been my local patch since 1997. It is watched by a merry band of birders, but the three most active of those, are Colin Addington, Jono Leadley (http://www.indybirder.com) and myself.
After setting a new Cambs Year List record in 2003 of 214 species (and failing to better it in 2004, 05 or 06!), I have decided that during 2007 I'm going to concentrate my birding-effort around Grafham Water, and may be see how many species I can see around the reservoir during the year. My previous best is 171 species, set in 2005, which included such goodies as 3 species of diver and 5 species of grebe, Gannet, Leach-Storm Petrel, Ring-necked Duck, Long-tailed Duck, Hen Harrier, White-rumped & Purple Sandpiper, Phalarope sp, Sabine's, Iceland, Glaucous & Caspian Gull, Sandwich Tern, Short-eared Owl, Wryneck, Tree Pipit, Black Redstart, Stonechat and Twite (I happened to miss 9 species at Grafham Water during 2005) - although this total was impressive, Colin Addington probably holds the record for the highest ever Grafham Water Year List.
1st January stats:
GW Year List - 0
GW Life List 210
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