Leucistic Eurasian Nuthatch

For today's woodland walk, I attempted to get some better veiws of the Waxwing flock that have been present in the area since I located them a week ago. The birds have attracted some attention of county birders, having been the first county Waxwings of the year to stick around long enough to be twitched and photographed. The numbers have slowly risen over the week, and the highest weekly count of fifteen birds were present this morning. Today they were again seen in the large oak on Finsbury Close, which is visible from the Ludgate Close entrance to the park.

Aside from the Waxwings, Siskin were heard calling at the Three Ponds, two juvenile Herring Gull were flying over the field opposite the Adventure Playground, a male Great Spotted Woodpecker was calling and seen above the Wildlife Garden, where a few Coal Tit were visiting the feeders. Waxwings were arguably the most significant species seen today. However, perhaps of more significance was a Nuthatch visiting the Wildlife Garden feeders due to it lacking a black eyestripe. The significance of this detail is that it indicates a leucistic bird, and only one other record of a leucistic Eurasian Nuthatch has been found - a bird found in Norway in October 2008. Aside from this find, a further Nuthatch and several Goldcrest were in the yews along Woodman's Path.

Waxwings

No long walks in the park for me today... but I glanced out of the bedroom window (well, with binoculars!) and picked up a group of Waxwing in the very same tree that I'd had one in back in 2007. There were five - possibly six - birds sat in the top of the large Oak on Finsbury Road, Warren Hill just before 2pm today. I got a poor record shot through the scope (and bedroom window) before they disappeared. However, they returned later, so I took a walk round there to try and get some better shots. I bumped into Gill on the way there and she came along too, and we managed some almost silhouetted views in the failing light before they took off again.

Finch and Tit Flocks

This morning I headed to the Mill Lakes, seeing a Treecreeper in with a Long-tailed Tit flock at entrance gate by Dawson's Corner along the way, and five Fieldfare flew over to the west. On the lake, there were thirteen Greylag Goose and four Teal (two male and two female). A Sparrowhawk flew low over the north end of lake and down the path on far bank - it was later seen hunting above the entrance to the Peninsula. At least three Common Snipe were huddled together in vegetation on Mud Island. Three species of gull were seen: ten Black-headed Gull and a Common Gull on the water, and a juvenile Herring Gull drifted south over the Main Entrance. The finch flock at the Mill Lakes contained about five Goldfinch, thirty Siskin, and five Lesser Redpoll feeding in alders around the Peninsula.

Heading back, I counted 59 Starling in a flock in Bestwood Village opposite the Main Entrance to Mill Lakes. At least one Pied Wagtail was in Broad Valley Stables' Horse Paddock, and three Mistle Thrush were on the overhead wires. A Green Woodpecker flushed from the grassy verge alongside the Quarry access road, and flew back towards the Quarry. Mixed-tit flocks by Alexandra Lodge and The Triangle contained a couple of Goldcrest, over twenty Long-tailed Tit and a Nuthatch. Two Great Spotted Woodpecker were seen today: One flew from trees by the Dipping Ponds at Mill Lakes; and another was seen tapping a dead tree by the Ludgate Close entrance.

Wetland and Woodland

The morning's birds began with a nice looking male Bullfinch calling along the Sustrans path, whilst feeding on hawthorn berries. Small numbers of Fieldfare and Redwing were seen at Dawson's Corner, with the resident small group of Redwing feeding on the berries.

At the Mill Lakes a flock of six Greylag Goose flew south and then back north, with a single bird seen on the lake. A single Common Gull was on the lake briefly with some Black-headed Gull, before flying off to the north. A male and eclipse male/female Pochard at were at the southern end of lake, with a pair of Great Crested Grebe. Two Cormorant flew in together from the south: one to Tern Island, and the other - a juvenile - landed in top of the "usual" tree on the island in the middle of the lake. I took a few photos and moved on to the Peninsula. At least two male and a female Teal were by Mud Island, and a Water Rail was calling from the reeds behind it. A Kingfisher was perched in tree branches overhanging the water nearby, and the odd Lesser Redpoll were with the Siskin flock around the Peninsula.

Heading back towards the woodland, a Mistle Thrush was in Broad Valley Stables' Horse Paddock, where a flock of 39 Starling were feeding too. Near Alexandra Lodge I watched a good-sized mixed tit flock move through containing Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, two Nuthatch, and a Treecreeper, amongst others. Just before leaving the park, a female Great Spotted Woodpecker was in the trees near to the Hatton Close entrance.

Floody Patch Ticking

I debated whether or not to make a trek to the Mill Lakes before work this morning. Now that there's so little light, it doesn't allow for much pre-work birding time. The recent rainfall had me hoping to find something interesting, so I made the effort and was duly rewarded with a patch tick. On the way there, a single Fieldfare was in a hedgerow at Dawson's Corner, and the regular Redwing group were both there, and along the Sustrans Path too.

When I arrived at the lake, the water levels were the highest I'd seen in a good while. I gave it a quick scan from alongside the Vehicle Bridge, and picked out what seemed to be a sawbill with a smaller grebe-like bird close to the far bank's small peninsula. Gripped with a mild excitement, I headed quickly to the Dipping Ponds viewpoint where the bird would be visible near the adjacent bank. Some reasonable scope views confirmed it as a red-headed Goosander, my first for the park (and for the year too!). Also present was a single eclipse male Pochard.

The Goosander was moving towards the southern end of the lake, but also heading towards the nearside bank, so I made my way back to the Vehicle Bridge to gain a better view. At first, there was no sign when I got there, but then I came out from behind some overhanging trees just 15-20 meters from where I was. I got the scope on it for some great views, confirming it was an eclipse male, rather than female, before I and started to snap some shots with the phone. By this point it had become aware of my presence and was determined not to let me get a focussed image by heading back towards the far bank. Then it had a change of heart and took flight, heading south, past me, and over the Vehicle Bridge low over the Leen. It looked as if it might have settled on the river alongside the Reedbed, but it was out of view by then. In flight, it's large white wing patched were more obvious. As all the photos came out blurred, I made some sketches instead; something I should do more often, as I need the practice!

The notes with the sketches read: hooked bill (x2) rusty colouring on head pale/white breast mottled grey flanks dark tail longer neck than this! (drawing error) large obvious white panels on wings sketch from Collins (for comparison/colour test) Eclipse Male Goosander Mill Lakes 10/11/2008

Also on the lake were two Great Crested Grebe together at the western side, two Cormorant flying low over the water at the southern end (probably departing from Tern Island), and about 25 Black-headed Gull in the middle part of the lake. The usual Siskin flock was in its twenties feeding in the alders, and a single Water Rail was seen close to the wooded area on the north-west bank by Mud Island.

A hurried walk home via Broad Valley Stables and the woodland produced two Mistle Thrush on the overhead wires at Parkside Pasture, and a Green Woodpecker flying over to the top of a tree behind The Rectory, which suggests some birds seen on the Pit Tip Top may be the same as those seen at Bestwood Quarry. The Wildlife Garden's feeders had visits from both Coal Tit and a Nuthatch, along with the more regular Blue Tit, Great Tit and Chaffinch.

Wave of Redwings

This morning I headed out for a walk out to Lamin's Lane, although the conditions were pretty dismal. It was dark, misty, with a light rain when I set off, and the same when I got to Lamin's Lane. Most of the fields were still cropped, so I couldn't make out any birds in them, including the Golden Plover, which were meant to be around. Two Meadow Pipit heard calling and flying between fields were the first birds of any note. A couple of Fieldfare flew over towards the very back corner of Bestwood Quarry, and that was about it... until a large flock of Redwing flew over heading west in an elongated wave-like formation. I quickly counted/estimated around 350 birds, which is the most I've ever seen together by quite a way, so that made my morning.

More Frost

Another frosty morning, and with the north-easterlies still coming in, I hoped for something interesting to turn up. The first notable sighting was a juvenile Meadow Pipit on Pit Tip Top. Not very notable in itself, but it let me approach to within five meters as it sat in one of the mud puddles. At the new Pit Tip Pond, a female Green Woodpecker was drinking from the bank, and a Water Boatman was swimming about in the half-frozen water. The odd Fieldfare and Redwing were about, and at Dawson's Corner a male Bullfinch showed well as it fed on berries near the footbridge.

At the Mill Lakes there was no sign of the Little Grebe, Pochard, or Snipe, but a Sparrowhawk flew to the trees by Main Entrance as I approached the Peninsula. There were about ninety Black-headed Gull spread across the lake, but no Commons amongst them. Whilst looking for the Snipe, I got a good, but brief, view of a Water Rail moving in front of the reeds on the far bank adjacent to Mud Island. On the way back another Sparrowhawk was hunting the gardens along the Spinney path, and later one was over Khalsa Wood. A juvenile Herring Gull was over Broad Valley Stables to the west, and a Coal Tit was seen in Bramley Wood close to Dell's Gate.