#indoorstoomuch

No pictures i'm afraid but a a superb day out with Paul & Martin, firstly to Snodland, were i caught my first ever Hoopoe, secondly to add a new McDonalds breakfast site to the "McDonalds life list visited restaurant list" courtesy of Martin and his app. Then for the rest of the day at varying sites catching another Black Throated Diver at Reculver offshore

I sent another record in from Saturday morning; 4ANA was on Albyns Farm Lake. I havn't seen him for a while, mainly because i havn't been over there however was surprised to see that he got taken into care for a few days because he got Botulism which hit Harrow Lodge hard with most birds relocated. He's looking well and was paired up with a female and ready to go (i don't know if swans pair for life so should look into that really). He plus 1 successfully raised 2 signets last year within the confines Albyns.

Works been full on this week, so in all honesty i took a very very early POETS day. Sunny Friday afternoon wandering around Rainham....superb. I took route via the Woodland off the ramp; easily four singing Chiffchaff Chiffchaff in the Woodland area Redwing x2  plus the usual woodland species and 5 singing Cettis, one of which was showing pretty well but always managing to be obscure for the camera. It was an afternoon to play with the camera; AV, TV, tracking modes, continuous shooting - yep you guessed it some very dark , blurry, fuzzy and generally appalling shots. The Coots  were the easiest to shoot, so became the main subject. 176 shots, with about 4 as almost passable, the rest when straight to delete. This photography is so frustrating.  I think i've got some OK stuff and when you get home its all rubbish.

Dunnock - by Me

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker is now my boogie bird, I've tried a few times now over at Cely Woods; so when Rob (Upminster Birder) Burgess found them again this week i met with him a couple of days after to see if i was in the wrong place. It turns out i wasn't and have just been unlucky. I headed over Saturday  morning, arriving for 6.30am. I stayed for about three hours in all and yet again missed out. Plenty of Great Spots & Green. The usual woodland birds all in fine voice, along with Stock Doves. I took the opportunity to have a wander for the last 30-40 minutes; Redwing, Song Thrush  and a lot of these. Yellowhammer - By me

Visiting a friends new house Sunday and he reveals that as he walks along the muddy edges to his lane, strange birds are being flushed. He has only been there a short space of time but he reckons it has happened every time he has walked to the pub  village. So naturally we take a wander and luckily for me these strange birds are Woodcock.   Now this is a bit handy, i've been tramping around Berwick looking for one of these now for three years!! A Lifer.....

Arriving at Layer Breton Causeway for 10.30 am, it was very windy; most birds preferring to stay hidden within the margins. I viewed for probably and hour before moving on to the center. Little Egret, Teal, Shoveller, Greylag & Canada Geese, Kestrel, Black Headed Gull, Red Crested Pochard, Tufted Duck, Grey Heron, Shelduck, Great Crested Grebe. I took a wander round the water within the center, plenty of Goldeneye, Lapwing along with 3 Stonechat's along the fencing and one Oystercatcher. Spending most of my time down the old road looking for the Firecrest which wasn't to be.