10th February
A thrush orientated trip with Simon P and Ian W and we
certainly found some in the Essex countryside.
We searched several immense flocks around Abberton and despite finding
nothing out of the ordinary, we estimated that about 4500 Fieldfare and 200
Redwings were seen.
The reservoir produced Smew and a new bird for the site for
me in the shape of an immature male Peregrine.
A single Ruff was noted. With
little else to do we headed for home, jamming in on a fine adult Med Gull on
the causeway at Hanningfield Reservoir on the way.
11th February
A Waxwing day with Mum and Dad with seven in Colchester and
50 in Woodbridge although as usual the weather was grim precluding any photos.
18th February
Pete G and I headed down to the Pevensey Levels on a
gloriously bright day to look for a Great White Egret that had been around for
a few weeks and after moving between Kent and East Sussex had settled
here. We did our usual and saw it within
ten minutes as it flew in, paused briefly and was then off again and out of
sight! [Eds: It was still a very scarce bird back then and worthy of a twitch!]
This was my first since 1991.
Whilst there we discovered why there were so few Redwing in
Essex and there were fields and fields of them and we reckoned on over 3000 in
the immediate area. Sparrowhawks were unsurprisingly present and a female Great
Spotted Woodpecker fed in the hedge opposite the car while we checked Thrushes.
East now towards and stopping at Pett Level for lunch where
there were a few waders, Goldeneye, Little Grebes and Brent Geese around the
pits. From here we checked all the roadside pits up to Scotney and aside from the
sparkling Scaup flock we found Smew, Little, Black-necked and Slavonian Grebes.
With my back suddenly giving me problems we headed north to New Hythe passing a
ringtail Hen Harrier in the way.
We eventually located the correct lake and quickly found the
Red-necked Grebe which along with Great Crested made it a five Grebe day. Five female and two drake Smew zoomed up and
down but with I was now in real discomfort and Pete had to help me to the car.
22nd February
A half day at work (the afternoon) allowed me to dash up to Nottingham
with Ian for Britain’s first Cedar Waxwing that had been associating with a
huge flock of Bohemians near the city centre. We dipped but 550 Waxwings in one
flock was a sight never to be forgotten and we watched them descend en masse
onto the ornamental Rowans. The noise
was incredible with a cacophony of trilling that left my head buzzing. Disappointed but reflective, we came home and
both headed off to work and only found out later that it had been found at the
Uni as we drove passed on our way out.
Oh for a pager!
24th February
We it would have been rude not to give it another go and so I
joined Ian and Steve B for another attempt at the Cedar Waxwing. Initially 200 Bohemian Waxwings dropped in by the Elf garage and I was standing next to Carl Chapman
when he said ‘There it is!’. Could I see it? Nope. Some birders got onto it but they soon flew
again. Rain and apathy set in and
birders just started to mill around so I suggested that we go and look
elsewhere. We followed Tony Wells and
Stuart Read to a spot where it had been seen the day before and their pagers
went off to tell us that we were almost on top of the bird. The next half hour
saw a mad cap chase in convoy around the southern suburbs before converging on
a housing estate where there were no Waxwings any more but someone spied some
birders off in the distance and it was back in the cars and off again.
Parking here was somewhat dodgy and required Steve cutting
across five lanes of traffic to park the wrong way in a bus lane with a host of
other birders. [Eds: No bus lane cameras back then and I think 'safety in numbers' was creating birder righteous confidence!]. Within 20 minutes both sides of the
road were parked up bumper to bumper. It was chaotic!
As before there were hundreds feasting on Rowan and after a
short while the Cedar Waxwing flew in with a small flock and I was fortunate to
follow it in and get it quickly in my scope.
The white undertail coverts were very noticeable once you remembered to
look for them when it was clambering around.
What a delightful bird and it the most spectacular of company.
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| Cedar Waxwing #425 |
He soon flew off into the distance but soon came back and
gave us another session where he performed even better.
Elated with finally connecting with this little bugger we
executed a quick U-turn to get back on the right side of the road and headed
for a café.
After a healthy nosh in a greasy spoon we headed for the A1
and the ‘other’ Black-throated Thrush at Werrington near Peterborough. It was raining but this did not deter the
Thrush that was performing well under his chosen Cotoneaster. He did not even flinch when the home owner
walked within just a couple of feet. A
browner bird with less intensity in the black giving a more chequered appearance
but at least this one was easier to see than the Webheath bird!
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| Black-throated Thrush - sorry not sure whose photo I bought at the time! |
News on the local Ring-necked Duck was scanty so we headed
homewards and diverted to Fishers Green where the rain held off and out popped Kingfisher,
Water Rail and a fine Bittern before the weather set in once again. Back at the car we were told of some Waxwings
on Ponders End and it was the perfect end to the day to see another 52 resting
up in the top of a big Ash. What a day!
