31st Dec 2009 - Lunchtime - Wintering Chiffchaff

Wintering Chiffchaff - Manor Farm Dec 2009

13:00 > 14:00
3c Light northerly breeze, overcast.

After recent rain the River Ouse had followed Front and Back Brooks in breaking its banks, flooding some areas.

On the main body of water just a single female Shoveler. Along the ever diminishing accessible parts of river walk a Kingfisher and a skulking wintering Chiffchaff.

12th Dec 09 - NBBR

Via Rob Hill per NBBR

At Manor Farm this morning, 1pr Goosander and 1 Green Sand, plus 180 Redwing &
45 Fieldfare.

Fri 11th Dec 2009 - Afternoon.

14:00 > 15:00
6c Sunny spells, cloud.

300+ Lapwing in The Dip along with around 250 Gulls including a smattering of Herring and Lesser Black Backed Gull.
Pair of Goosander over.

8th Dec 2009 - Morning

10:30 > 12:00
6c Initial sun, clouding over.

The usual Green Woodpeckers now seem a fixture along drive past top field.
Little Egret along river.
Common Buzzard over farm buildings.
At the back of main body a single Green Sandpiper looks like its now overwintering.
Along the River Ouse, Reed Buntings and Treecreepers.
Highlight was a flock of thirty Meadow Pipits along in meadow (funnily enough) between workings ad river then later along muddied slopes and brush area.
Also a single Grey Wagtail.
Three Gadwall also put in an appearance.

Fri 27th Nov 2009 - Afternoon

14:00 > 15:00
Cold, SW wind.

The Dip is well flooded just holding a single Green Sandpiper along with circa 90 gulls split 50/50 Black Headed & Common Gull.

On the developing central spit around 40 Lapwing roosted.

Tues 24th Nov 09 - Morning/Afternoon

11:30 > 12:30
12c Mild , W Wind, Spit Rain.

A single Green Sandpiper in The Dip along with c50 Lapwing.
Around 100 Gulls, 25 being Common Gulls along with one Lesser Black Backed Gull the rest being Black Headed.
River Ouse level rising. In inlet second Green Sandpiper (pic to follow). Treecreepers in willows along riverbank.

The Dip - In Picture

You can now see what i've been whittling on about. The new, now well flooded, area. Directly north of the farm buildings down the bottom of the smaller central field, hence in 'The Dip'. Click on pic for larger image.

Thurs 19th Nov - Lunchtime - Winter Thrushes

13:15 > 13:45
Cloud cover, strong S/SW wind, gale force gusts. 12C

A very breezy brief visit. Water levels still high. Not much to report.

Fieldfares and Redwing are now here in large numbers, a flock of around 600 in The Dip area alone. A ratio of probably 70/30 in favour of the Fieldfares.
Starling flock also increasing in size to around 350.

With the strong wind not much else moving. A single Green Sandpiper was on the Old Wader Pool while a dozen or so Lapwing dozed on the Clay Islands in the deeper water.

A flock of around 70 gulls contained around ten Common Gulls and out on its own a single Herring Gull.

Mon 16th Nov - Afternoon - Mallard invasion.

Mallard - Manor Farm - Early 2009
15:15 > 16:15
Cloud, odd glimpse of sun. S/SW strong wind. 11C

The weekends rain has left The Dip with its highest water levels yet. It really looks the business now and something like the original wader pit was a year back, but then again I expect it will be drained (yet again) for whatever reason in coming days.

Out on the mud water has increased too in the pools. A single Green Sandpiper and 17 Lapwing were the only waders present though. Gulls few and far between again on the ground though hundreds over. Just a handful of BHG's and two Common Gulls.

Two Little Egret along back brook and an increasing number of Cormorant over.

On the fields small numbers of Redwing and Fieldfare fed with the increasing Starling flock. The Kestrel was still trying his luck, as ever, over the thistle banks. Pied Wagtails seem to have increased in number again, flocking into larger parties as it got dark.

Given the amount of water, or lack of it, up to this week wildfowl have been very low in number to non existent. An odd pair of Teal or Pochard the only thing seen. However today there were around 40 Mallard dotted about here and there and at 3:45 a large flock dropped in from the north, most hit the lakes over at Cosgrove Park but around 25 or so joined the group at Manor Farm. Okay so only the most common duck but its the largest count (circa 65) of any i've had there and shows there is potential for others to visit.

Thurs 12th Nov - Lunchtime - Lapwing

Collective Gulls - Manor Farm - Early 2009

13:15 > 1345
Sun, broken cloud. S/SW brisk breeze. 12C

The recent rain increaes the pools further although yet again the dip is drained.

Two Green Sandpipers flitted about the deeper pools but the wader of note today was Lapwing with a flock of over 300, the largest in quite a while. Gulls low in number again, around 30 on the old Wader Pool with around a quarter of these Common Gulls the rest Black Headed.

Mon 9th Nov - Afternoon - Merlin

15:45 > 16:30
Cloud, cold westerly wind, 5C.

A briefish late afternoon visit as the sun went down and the first real bird of note for quite a while at Manor Farm.

Highlight undoubtedly an almost slate grey male Merlin, along the edge of Back Brook then along the fenceline by the Ouse, stopping for a moment to perch on one of the pollarded willow stumps.

Water levels low in The Dip but still increasing elsewhere. The sites gradually getting back to what it was in early spring, we live in hope.

Only other birds of note were a pair of Green Sandpiper still holding out in The Dip and a single Little Egret over.

Fri Nov 6th - Afternoon - Tawny Owl

Fieldfare - Manor Farm - Winter 08
14:00 > 16:30
Cloud giving way to drizzley rain late on. 10C

Water levels down again in The Dip but made up for elswhere with inceasing pools, and depth out on the expanse of mud to the west of site. Small pools are also filling again the inlet.

At least three Green Sandpiper mooch around these pools whilst the old wader pool, which is now getting back to its old self, was claimed by the gulls. Not many but more than of late. 5 Herring Gulls, 1 Lesser Black Backed Gull, 25 Common Gull and around 50 Black Headed Gull. A single Little Egret over as it got dark.

In the deeper water just a trio of Teal. Over the river on the now deserted (by humans anyway) lakes at Cosgrove a build up of Coot, Mute Swan and a handful of Great Crested Grebe.

Winter thrush numbers building, especially Fieldfare favouring the bushes along Back Brook, while later over along the river trees one hundred or so Redwing put in an appearance.

Highlight of the day though was a Tawny Owl flushed from the pollarded willows along Back Brook. Tawny Owl was a regular bird before work started, especially in the area north of the south central field. Good to see one back though Little Owls still eludes me, still not seen one between the Aquaduct and the Viaduct, though have either side. One day, one day...

Weds 4th Nov - Lunchtime - Pochard

12:45 > 13:15
Sun, broken cloud, cool westerly breeze. 12C

A brief lunchtime visit and water levels much improved again. Pumps appear to be off in The Dip and water probably at its highest level, possibly reflecting what the River Ouse is like. However only a variety of corvids, a few Pied Wagtails and a small Goldfinch charm here at the moment.

Out on the expanse of mud further increase in the size of existing pools and creation of a few more new ones looks very promising. Whilst this area has been quiet of late today birds had started to slowly move back in. On the old Wader Pool a single Green Sandpiper was kept company by around 100 gulls, most Black Headed but around a third were Common while two Herring Gulls sat aside.

On the deeper water, which isn't really big enough to compete with the now quieter lakes over the river at Cosgrove there was a single Teal and a pair of Northern Pochard bucking the trend.

Only other bird of note a female Sparrowhawk over and mobbed by a hadful of crows.

Mon 2nd Nov - Afternoon - Changes

15:15 > 16:00
Cloud cover, sunny spell. SW breeze. 9C

After the weekends rain I expected to see even higher levels in The Dip but alas the pumps have been on again and water is low. The rain however did replenish the ever decrasing wader pool to the west and this and several of the other pools in the area should increase in the coming days should the forecast for more of the same hold. With Dunlin in the south of the county and just over the border in Norhants might well be worth a look again. Who knows 'Wader South Central' might exist once more.

Other changes over the last couple of weeks sees many of the willows along Back Brook coppiced. This includes all around the area where you could view down the inlet under cover, no more. Though it will take some deluge to see the inlet as attractive as it once was.

On the plus side Cosgrove Park saw off the last happy campers for the winter at the weekend. The riverside will be quieter and the lakes in this area which attacts all maner of ducks (all but the one far west are in Bucks, east of the Tove) can be viewed clearly, plus for scopers even along the ridge at back of farm.

To the birds, well not a lot about, due to that water level mostly, the late afternoon pre-roost gulls were nowhere to be seen and but for the multitude of Pied Wagtails still present the only birds in The Dip were a pair of Teal, a single Common Snipe and at least two Green Sandpipers. Away from the water a Common Buzzard and Kestrel were in the vicinity, the latter being mobbed by around 40 crows and jackdaws. Three Cormorant, the first in a while were over and the only winter thrush remaining a lone Redwing.

Fri 30th Oct - Afternoon - Fieldfare

Meadow Pipit - Manor Farm - 30/10/09
14:00 > 16:00
Sunny periods, broken cloud, southerly breeze at times, otherwise calm. 15C

First visit in three weeks due to holidays and illness.
Water levels highest yet. Good complex developing in The Dip of pools, channels and scrapes, but will anything be tempted in?

At least three Green Sandpipers on site, all flighty. Only other waders a small group of thirty or so Lapwing which headed west early on. An assortment of gulls in the dip numbering around 100. Mostly, as always, Black Headed Gulls but Common Gull numbers are increasing with around a dozen or so present. Only other species noted were two Lesser Black Backed Gull and a single Herring Gull.

Two Little Egrets, at the usual pool, were sighted.

Quiet along the river but a single Kingfisher foraged along the pebble beach area banking. A winter first returnee in a single Fieldfare, mobbed by Jackdaws for its efforts, whilst Redwing numbers start to increase with around forty on the main slope and in the hedgerow to the south of it.

And as the sun started to disappear a single rather dark Meadow Pipit (unless you know different) see above.

One notable aspect was the number of Pied Wagtails now on site, across the mudflats and Dip there must be no less that fifty or more birds present now and maybe the odd White Wagtail or two still remains in the area (see 2nd Oct posting) but no confirmation. Also looks like it has been another good year for Green Woodpecker in the valley again, good numbers in all the usual fields.

Finally on the insect front in a last glimpse of summer a single Peacock butterfly floated through.

Weds 7th Oct - Evening - Redwings & Golden Plover

Brief visit before heading south to sunnier climes.

Water levels up once more.
Highlights were first Redwings, a group of three in the top field.
Also a single Golden Plover spotted when the Lapwing flock (40+) took to flight.
Elsewhere, two Green Sandpipers, a single Common Snipe, a pair of Little Egrets and a Common Buzzard over were the only other birds of note.

Fri 2nd Oct - Afternoon - White Wagtails

15:00 > 17:00
Cloudy, dull, W breeze at times, cool. 14C

Another mostly uneventful visit though water level in The Dip highest yet. Looking good for attracting anything passing, but will it pass?
Highlight was a pair (at least) of White Wagtail in The Dip in amongst the multitude of Pieds, there must have been 50+, that have invaded the site. A pair of Mistle Thrush also dropped in for a drink and a bathe before the Jackdaws saw them off.
A couple of Common Snipe flitted about and a Green Sandpiper seen briefly.
Three Little Egrets sat by their usual pool out on the mud.
A handful of Teal were dotted about the various pools while the now daily seen Sparrowhawk did its everything skywards trick.
Along the Ouse, just a family group of Mute Swan and a couple of late Dragonflies.

Addition:
I forgot, in amongst the Black Headed Gulls in The Dip were a pair of Common Gull.

Links:
White Wagtail - Birdguides

Weds 30th Sept - Evening - GBB

17:45 > 18:30
Setting sun, brozen cloud, N breeze at first then calm. 16C.

Water level higher again in The Dip but nothing really of note just Jackdaws, Crows and Black Headed Gulls along with the odd Pied Wagtail in the area. A single Lesser Black Backed Gull sat amongst the BHG's while low and over but not landing was a returning Great Black Backed Gull.

Two Little Egrets out on the mud and a Green Sandpiper in flight from the High Pool down towards the river were the only other birds worth mentioning.

Tues 29th Sept - Evening - Water up...

17:00 > 17:30
Broken cloud, then warm sunny spell, NW wind, 19C.

After a brief visit on Monday (28th) where the water level was again pumped low and I saw nothing but a pair of Little Egrets across the site I was suprised to return today and find the water in The Dip at around its highest level yet.

Still not much of interest though. A Common Snipe over a single Green Sandpiper and the usual 50 or so BHG's and 30 Lapwing in the Dip. A pair of Teal were also in the vicinity.

Three Little Egrets fought for the best roost on the clay islands on what's left of the main body of water. The old wader pool now resembles nothing more that a largish puddle, we need rain and lots of it.

Two further Green Sandpipers were found on the High Pool south of the farm buildings.

On the canal section in the morning a single Kingfisher.

Fri 25th Sept - Afternoon - A mixed bag...

Reed Bunting - River Ouse - Manor Farm - 25th Sept 09
14:00 > 17:00
Breaking cloud to sunny warm periods, NW breeze. 17C

Again not much movement migration wise.
Three Little Egrets in the main area of the site plus a fourth on the river.
Corvids dominated the Dip, mostly Jackdaws but a smattering of Carrion Crow and Magpie while a single Jay to the east of site completed the 'common' set.
Also common the three most common birds of prey on site today in Kestrel, mobbed by around 20 Jackdaws, a female Sparrowhawk making a couple of low sorties along the Dip shoreline sending everthing skywards and a Common Buzzard over.
Gull numbers built during the afternoon with a max of around 250. As always mostly BHG's but a single Common Gull was spotted in the Dip.
Wader wise singles of Common Snipe and Green Sandpiper and circa thirty Lapwing dotted around the site, but a late afternoon flock over heading north must have been at least ten times that amount.
A pair of Teal were in the Dip and a lone Wigeon on the old Wader Pool.
Along the river, much quieter than of late, apart from the aforementioned Little Egret, a couple of Grey Heron and a party of Mute Swan, a female Reed Bunting (see above) was just about the only other bird seen.

Links:
Reed Bunting - Birdguides
Reed Bunting - BTO
Reed Bunting - Avibirds
Reed Bunting - RSPB
Reed Bunting - Wiki