#indoorstoomuch

Finally managed to get a Stock Dove over at Rainham today, all quite abundant over there some how i have never manage to locate one. So viewing from the Purfleet Scrape Hide today i was pleased when two dropped in. Other birds for today: Moorhen, Coot, Common Tern, Black Headed Gull, Herring Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Wren, Blue & Great Tits, Greenfinch, Blackbird, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Common Gull, Mallard, Shelduck, Cormorant, Reed Warbler, Mute Swan,

Went back this after noon for an hour to see if the Hobby was still there; it was. I had great views, the best i have had of this bird. So good that in a lot of cases i didnt even need bins to view its activity. Probbaly on this bird alone for well over 20 minutes while it fed in the area. It also, luckily for me, settled in a dead tree no more than 5 meters away which in itself was good viewing. I didnt however remember my "note to self" on the previuos post; Horse Dung again! Once it had gone i set about on other birds, hoping for more Raptors and i was rewarded with another Sparrowhawk view, two Kestrels, and viewable at the same time three Common Buzzard circling in the thermals bewteen the Common & Woods. No Red Footed Falcon though; bit optimistic but they have been two reported on the pagers today just up the road and over at Rainham Marshes. Theory proved or just a lucky day; i shall have to return another day.

A first visit to Tylers Common this morning gave me 2 raptors; a Sparrowhawk & Hobby, so i was pleased as i had always thought that raptors could be quite viewable from here. In addition other birds seen this morning where twp very close calling Linets and i hope to have that recorded; along with Blackbird, Wren, Green Woodpecker, Skylark, Swallow, Woodpigeon, Dunnock, Whitethroat, Collard Dove, Carrion Crow. On a side note to myself; In future watch out for the Horse Dung! its a nightmare getting out the tread of your boots.

I have always thought that Tylers Common could be a good vantage point for Raptors; its higher than the surrounding areas and in addition looking towards Tylers Wood it then rises again giving i think a good area for thermals and wind generally. So i have made a decision to go in the morning on the way in to the office.

Rainham Marshes today proved to be a wise move. I increase my patch list by 3 with one of those being a new life tick. A Whinchat from the pathway leading to the Woodland Area, looking back onto the Purfleet Scrape area. On and off one of the fence posts. The two others that increased my patch list were a Common Tern, seen from the Northern Boardwalk looking back into the pools on a stump in the middle along with 3 Green Sandpipers seen from the Thames Wall looking into the reserve to the scrape outside the new Purfleet Scrape hide. Some audio posts to follow.

Ingrebourne Valley on Friday afternoon and i came accross this call. I beleive its either a Willow Warbler or Chiffchaff; im going with Willow Warbler but does anybody agree or do you think im wrong. Please comment; thanks Lee Via Twitter i had a reply from Jonathan Lethbridge (top London Lister and columnist in Bird Watch Magazine; he feels its a Willow Warbler as well Hosted by kiwi6.com music upload . Download mp3 - Upload music .

Another recording from the visit to Warley the other day, this time a Blackbird Flushed call. Hosted by kiwi6.com music upload . Download mp3 - Upload music .

The first response has come in - one vote for Wren; partial song. Second vote received - Wren gets it again What do you think? I genuinely dont know and the responses have been from two top London listers, so i would have to assume their both correct - thanks for replies guys.

Is there anyone that can i dentify this song / call. Its from Warley Place and for those who dont know the area its typical Woodland. Hosted by kiwi6.com music upload . Download mp3 - Upload music . Thanks Lee

At Warley the other day one of my recordings was while i watched a Green Woodpecker from a hide. Its the original un edited version (still looking for a player that can deal with WAV or AIFF files). Hosted by kiwi6.com music upload . Download mp3 - Upload music .

I received an email the other day titled "When you just cant take the nagging anymore!"

I have purchased a Remembird and went out yesterday to test it out; 3 trips; first to Warley Place, second to Hanningfield Resevoir & third to Ingrebourne Valley. My first Spectogram; a singing Male Blackcap. I have made another post on this recording which confirms as Blackcap here Hosted by kiwi6.com music upload . Download mp3 - Upload music .

Over at Hanningfield Resevoir this morning and i saw my first Black Swan. In addition i there were 4 Egyptian Geese along with Tufted Duck; Pochard; Black Headed Gull; Great & Lesser Black Backed Gulls; Cormorant; Common Tern; Oystercatcher; Greylag; Canada Geese; Mallard; Willow Warbler; Blackcap

A quick evenning visit has increased my patch list over at the Valley to 48 with sightings tonight of Greenshank, Jay & Black Headed Gull

Following a trip to the Ingrebourne this morning i went to Rainham and after a full circuit i was advised that a Grasshopper Warbler had been seen along the reeds by the Marshland Discover Zone. So after heading up and down he Thames Wall in the area for 45 minutes along with a couple of others on the wall and another couple in the reserve i was ready to leave. Just as i was heading away i had managed 10 yards when it went off; a reeling so loud it had to be near. Sure enough at the top of a low bush just in front of me a Grasshopper Warbler. The others rushed over as did the few in the reserve. We managed to view the bird for 4 full reels before it dived low and out of sight.

On my way to Rainham this morning i stopped in at the Ingrebourne to get more views of the Yellowhammers from Friday. I was at the correct area and could hear them calling. Then a finch flock came out of the trees to my right and something was with them that i had not banked on seeing - very possibly a patch first. It was substanially lighter than the other birds to the point of White with a Blue tinge. The flock headed towards a Hawthorne to my right and settled and there i had my first views.... A Budgie! A Blue Budgie with a Yellow Head! It looked really healthy, flying with the Finches, Linets & Yellowhammers and headed into the Wheat field to feed. So are Budgies colonising the Valley? - Of course not An escapee? - I would reckon

Patch List Update: I managed to get over to Ingrebourne Valley this afternoon and picked as i entered from the Berwick Woods car park end a Male Cuckoo, in the small trees edging the car park. This is a new one to my patch list for the Valley. Also got my first ever views of a Yellowhammer sitting nicely on a picnic table singing away; Luckily i was not disturbed by any dog walkers and as such i had views for about 5 minutes. A few minutes later revealed another in the Wheat field. Other birds: Swift; Swallow; Skylark; House Martin; Woodpigeon; Mallard; Moorhem; Green Sandpiper

As i looked out into the garden tonight i was suddenly thrown back to the early 80's; there were 28 house sparrows on a mix of feeders; water table and floor. Their numbers have been growing over the last couple of months so lets hope they stick around.

I have just read the latest posts from Rainham and it appears that after making a decision to not enter the Barretts hide on Sunday morning there were Green Sandpiper easily viewable, these would have been a patch first for me!

A morning trip to Rainham was pretty un eventful, although as the earlier morning sun started to warm it was just nice to be out and about. At the Woodland Zone i managed to hear a song i didnt think i had heard before. Waiting by the tree in question finally revealed my first Lesser Whitethroat. I confimred the look of the bird against both Collins and iPhone and then the song against the iPhone as well. New one to the list

Whilst undertaking some work in the garden today, i came accross some unusual visitors. The first of these was a female Stag Beetle, however the second appears to be a Roesel's Bush Cricket? These photo's were taken on my mobile but i tried to highlight some of the identifying features. That being said there pretty naff.

Patch List Updated