#indoorstoomuch

A quick call from Paul earlier and i was at the Stone Barges within 25 minutes ticking and running  Raven. Thanks mate.

I added a few to the Rainham list Friday afternoon, still not managed those bloody Ravens yet! Chiffchaff added to the year list by the Terrapin Pool 

Its not big, I can walk round it in less than 5 minutes but it gives me something to do when I need to get away from the computer. I haven't been over there much so little in fact I cant really call it an Office Patch 2012 = 1 2013 = 7 2014 = 6 2015 = so far 4 Woodman Road Cemetery in Brentwood. That's it So the list is a total of 35: Goldcrest have been seen throughout the year along with Coal Tit & breeding Nuthatch.  I've seen one flyover Buzzard and one Lesser Black backed Gull. The main tree has had one Ring Necked Parakeet. This year though so far the birches are attracting large numbers of Goldfinch & Greenfinch ; however one tree separate from the rest is pulling in Lesser Redpoll, roughly 15-20 at a time. The star for me this year so far is Treecreeper.  One on the 19th, Two on the 20th and three today; 21st. Who knows, four tomorrow. Think i will bring the camera in to work again tomorrow.....

Well, a couple of hours this afternoon were spent looking for Rainham's Ravens again; again no joy. A few site year ticks though plus 9 Stonechats.

A very windy walk from the reserve to Serin Mound didn't come up with much, One Marsh Harrier out over the reserve and a couple of Stonechat

With the wife and the kids at the Towngate theatre in Basildon, it left the afternoon free after dropping them off on Sunday. I headed for Bowers first and as usual needed a 4x4 to get to the car park. At a chilli 2 degrees and fog giving very little visibility i headed for the main viewing area where there were lots of gulls coming off the roost in the middle for a spruce up. In the main, Black Headed, Common, Herring & Lesser Black Backed.  The highlight being 2 Yellow Legged, however no Med which surprised me as this is the first time i've not seen one or two here. After a couple of hours i headed to Wallasea again... Corn Buntings, Short Eared Owl, Marsh Harrier and Hen Harrier. I must admit, i'm taking a liking to these raptors, getting closer views at Wallasea is great. Although with the fog it was eye straining....

I'm not going for a play on words, i shall tell it as it is.....needless to say that today, 2nd January 2015, the Little Bustard was not there - look empty fields, i've even done them large enough so you can see in detail the emptiness in question. Did it die? Did it fly of its own will? Did the nasty farmer man drive his tractor into the fields at night to flush it from his land? Just three of the discussions taking place by us - Monkey, Me & Bradders and others both at this site and and the Blyths Pipit in Wakefield. So after leaving Bradders at Fraisthorpe...he had his own car, he would be fine....myself and Monkey headed to the Blyths Pipit. As a side note - KFC in Calder Park  - you are very very nice people. Thank you so much for popping out with freebie hot chocolate for the Twitchers stood opposite your store. Anyhow.... Success!  - Tick Tick (for me, Martins already seen one)  .  We had been on site for about an hour i thi...