Birds at Winkworth, 2nd-8th February 2015

I can't think of many better ways to start a grey, cold Monday morning than a close encounter with a Firecrest. So to have such an encounter twice while carrying out my morning site check on Monday last (2nd) was a real treat! The first was foraging in the vegetation along the stream through Phillimore, affording wonderful views just a few metres from me. The second bird was in a Camelia on the corner of the Winter Garden near the public toilets, the bright greens and oranges of its plumage contrasting rather beautifully with the pink of the flowers. Unfortunately I didn't have a camera with me to capture said beautiful moment, so instead here is a picture of one I took in the woods near my house at the weekend!

Firecrests were again noted in the Hollies at the northeastern and northwestern corners of Rowe's Flashe on Wednesday morning and Friday afternoon, respectively.

The other big excitement last week, of course, was the snow! A whole inch of it fell on Monday night into Tuesday morning, and Winkworth was looking really rather Narnia-esque, at least until lunchtime...

There was certainly evidence of some cold weather movements before and after the snow, with a Reed Bunting present in the reeds on the eastern shore of Rowe's Flash Lake on Monday, and several Canada Geese about (not all that common a sight at Winkworth, believe it or not) either on the lake or flying over. Despite being out on patrol in the upper arboretum on Tuesday morning I sadly wasn't able to pick up the three Brent Geese that Ed Stubbs had just seen flying south over Thorncombe Park. Thanks for the heads-up anyway, Ed! Talking of geese, Thursday saw the first record this year of Egyptian Goose, when I noted three flying south off Rowe's Flashe.

Bullfinch and Siskin numbers were high even by Winkworth standards last week, with at least a dozen of the former about the place on Monday, and over a hundred of the latter in Alders around the Rowe's Flashe on Thursday.

On Wednesday there was a pair of Grey Wagtails in the spillway towards the meadow end of the dam. On Thursday there was a Kingfisher at Rowe's Flashe, near the boathouse, and I also heard a Water Rail calling in Phillimore - the first I've heard for a little while, although I then heard it again during my monthly WeBS count for the BTO on Sunday (8th), when I also recorded Kingfisher again and ten Mandarin Ducks on Rowe's Flashe.

As the snow gave way to sunnier weather later in the week, so the birds and wildlife responded in spring-like fashion: on Friday there were at least three Buzzards and two Sparrowhawks displaying over Magnolia Wood, while on the ground the Primroses were beginning to flower and more Cherry blossom buds were looking to do the same. Spring is in the air!

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Birds at Winkworth, 18th-21st January 2015

A cold and at times frosty few days at Winkworth, although Sunday (18th) morning got off to a soggy start, with a WeBS count in the arboretum producing disappointing numbers of water birds, aside from eight Mandarin Ducks and a Little Grebe on Rowe's Flashe Lake. A flock of at least forty Siskins chattering away in the Alders on the east side of the lake made up for it though.

By Monday (19th) the Mandarin numbers had risen to ten, and there was also a Grey Heron lurking near the boathouse first thing.

On Tuesday (20th) I was finally able to confirm my suspicions that there is more than one Water Rail on site, as there was one squealing at the northern end of Phillimore late afternoon, followed by another just a few minutes later on the western shore of Rowe's Flashe Lake. Working with a volunteer group in Furze Field for most of the day, I also noted a Kestrel and a Buzzard lingering on the power lines and fence in the field to the east, while a Raven flew east late morning. There were also two Grey Wagtails calling in Phillimore, occasionally flying about over our heads as we struggled to get a bonfire going!

This week also saw the finches beginning to join in the ever-increasing chorus of birdsong around the arboretum, with a Chaffinch singing near the car park on Monday morning followed by a Greenfinch down in Furze Field on Tuesday. The latter was particularly of note as Greenfinches have been rather scarce locally of late.

On Wednesday (21st) morning a Red Kite flew low west over the top of the arboretum, followed by at least four Common Gulls. There were at least five Redpolls along the Spring Walk and a Buzzard flew very low through the Foliage Glade.

Bullfinch and Redwing numbers have been typically good, the former a common sight and sound all over the site as usual, while the latter are currently best looked for in the Holly Wood, feasting on the berries!

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Bird sightings, 7th December 2014

Although I wasn't working today I was in the arboretum at dawn to carry out a WeBS count on Rowe's Flashe Lake. After several days of cold and mostly dry weather with some beautiful winter sunshine, it was surprisingly mild, rather grey and murky this morning.

All the usual suspects were present on the lake - 48 Mallards, 16 Tufted Ducks and the resident trio of domestic Greylag Geese - but there was also a nice selection of somewhat less common birds, namely 1 Kingfisher, 8 Mandarins, 3 Little Grebe and the drake Pochard which has now been around for a couple of weeks. Just as I was about to leave, a Water Rail called in the patch of reeds on the eastern shore of the lake.

The Alders towards the south-eastern corner of the lake held at least 30 Siskin and 10 Lesser Redpoll. Redwings were also present in good numbers, with at least 20 around the lower arboretum and another dozen west over the meadow. Bullfinches were heard near the kiosk and in Badger's Bowl, and three flew over the meadow towards The Bowl. A Buzzard drifted north over Perrydean and Busbridge Copse, mobbed by a Carrion Crow.