Ingrebourne Valley - Saturday Morning Usual
It seems a while now since i had a proper wander on my own round anywhere so fingers crossed tomorrow will be the day; but for today it was the usual visit to Ingrebourne with H in tow.
A couple of hours flew past and while everybody else seemed to be photographing Little Owls i took a stroll from the Hornchurch car park to Tit Lake, up to the Top Paddock and back.
These little Saturday morning strolls are paying dividends it seems; im picking a lot more up via calls and songs which in turn is allowing me to spend more time on the birds.
Im a lot better at the silent Chiffchaff / Willow Warbler and according to the Bird Guides photo quiz my average score out of 10 has now crept up to 8, when i started doing it my first score was low; very low, to low to put here. Finding Garden Warblers over there now is a lot easier although i still wait to see these as theres still quite a few instances where a Blackcap pops up.
A Lesser Whitethroat banged out its "Tututututu" and was so close i got to hear the quieter warble before it went at it. It was buried within a bush and i couldnt see it, it went again; still no joy but finally it made a dash over my head to a tree behind me where i got a little but decent view before it went further and out of sight. I do like finding these birds at the minute.
A Barn Owl in its usual spot; a showie Cettis Warbler, well as showie as they get; a good number of mixed Green & Great Spotted Woodpeckers; Willow Warblers & Yellowhammers up in the Berwick Glades all singing well. I only heard one Cuckoo today and didnt see it, it was off to the fisheries area.
A flyover Lapwing, Herring & Black Headed Gull
So we didnt get wet, the sun was shinning and it was nice and warm; the year list for the valley is up to 79 and i would love to get to 100; last years was 61 but i am spending more time over there now.
Im a lot better at the silent Chiffchaff / Willow Warbler and according to the Bird Guides photo quiz my average score out of 10 has now crept up to 8, when i started doing it my first score was low; very low, to low to put here. Finding Garden Warblers over there now is a lot easier although i still wait to see these as theres still quite a few instances where a Blackcap pops up.
A Lesser Whitethroat banged out its "Tututututu" and was so close i got to hear the quieter warble before it went at it. It was buried within a bush and i couldnt see it, it went again; still no joy but finally it made a dash over my head to a tree behind me where i got a little but decent view before it went further and out of sight. I do like finding these birds at the minute.
A Barn Owl in its usual spot; a showie Cettis Warbler, well as showie as they get; a good number of mixed Green & Great Spotted Woodpeckers; Willow Warblers & Yellowhammers up in the Berwick Glades all singing well. I only heard one Cuckoo today and didnt see it, it was off to the fisheries area.
A flyover Lapwing, Herring & Black Headed Gull
So we didnt get wet, the sun was shinning and it was nice and warm; the year list for the valley is up to 79 and i would love to get to 100; last years was 61 but i am spending more time over there now.
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