Web sites

hello viewers of my blog, me and my brother have created two web sites one called "kings langley bird club" and the other "young birders of herts, beds and bucks" I hope you could help and spread this  around so that they can be put to proper use.

Tring Reservoirs

My school ended today at 12 because we were breaking up for the Christmas holidays. I had heard that there was a Snow Bunting at Tring so I decided to go and find it. I got the London Midland train from Kings Langley to Tring at 12:59 and arrived at Tring around 13:15. I set off for Startop's End Reservoir straight away. When I arrived I got off my bike and walked the rest of the way along the bank until I saw someone looking at the Snow Bunting. I went over to him and found it almost immediately feeding on the bank. I took out my brothers scope and placed it on the tripod and trained it on the Snow Bunting so that I could diggie scope it. The Snow Bunting was surprisingly close and I managed to obtain a few pictures with my iPod Touch. Unfortunately my iTouch has not got very many megapixals so the picture is not of the best quality.

I also managed to get some footage of it with my camcorder.

After watching the Snow Bunting for a while I began to get cold and decided to go onto Wilstone Reservoir. I arrived at Wilstone Reservoir and found someone I know and chatted to them for a while before going onto the hide and looking for the Bewick Swan's. On the way I stopped off at a hedge were I saw a flock of at least 20 Redwing and Fieldfare. I also saw a huge amount of wildfowl fly up when thy had been disturb by something which was a magnificent sit.  I managed to see the Bewick Swan's and identify them as 2 adults and 2 juv. Before I thought that there was 4 adults. From the hide I also saw 2 Golden Plover medaled in a group of Lapwings. I did not have much time to look for much more because I was getting cold and my train was leaving in the next 50 mins and I still wanted to look round the reservoir.By the time I got round the reservoir I realised that I only had 26 mins to get to the station. I cycled as fast as I could but it was so wet that if I cycled fast I would just do some wheel spin. Unfortunately I missed the first train and had to wait half an hour before I could got the second. I was very wet and and muddy by the time I got to Kings Langley so I went to my dads office (which is closer than my home) and left my bike there and went back home with my dad later on.

Posts

sorry that I have not posted anything recently for a while. But I have not really had time. Hopefully I can finish my post on Dungeness soon.
Thanks Ephraim

South Essex Marshes and Canvey Island (19/11/11)

Yesterday my dad took me to South Essex Marshes for a nice trip. The trip did not revolve around birding but it was a part of it we started at the RSPB reserve and got a key for the hide and went there for maybe half an hour. In the hide I saw a Green Sandpiper, a Buzzard and heard a Bearded Tit. Unfortunately I did not stay in the hide long enough to see one. We went back to the visitors centre and gave back the key before we went on a nice long walk around the marshes. At this point I did not do much birding but at one point I saw a Goosander. Otherwise I mainly just looked at the scenery and the archeology as the sit had many WW2 archeological sites around it. After maybe 2 or 3 hours we left to go the Canvey Island were we went to a beach. We walked along the beach but there was not much to be seen other than Common Gulls, Herring Gulls and Black-headed Gulls. I occasionally found a mud pit with Oystercatchers, Curlews and Redshanks wading in them. This was until we found an amazing place for waders I looked for no more than 10 seconds before finding some Sanderling all together there were c. 100+ on the beach I walked to a better viewing point to look at them more closely were I also saw some Ringed Plovers and Turnstone and then suddenly 3 Dark-bellied Brent Geese flew over me and landed. The marsh looked really good for other waders to but unfortunately I did not have a scope so I was unable to identify some waders which were very far away and another factor against me was the light because by now the sun was setting which meant I could only see silhouettes so we decided to go back to the car on the way a managed to obtain some pictures of the sun setting and I also saw a flock of waders fly past which I was unable to identify because of the light.

Behind RSSKL

Today I went for a walk with my brother behind the RSSKL. We were walking for about 2 minutes and then we saw a flock of 8+ Linnets they flow in front of us until they landed not more than 10m away. we tried finding them through the scope so as to look at there plumage. While we were watching them we also heard a Great Spotted Woodpecker and saw a skylark. We went on seeing a few birds fly over and then we saw a whole flock of up to 40 Redwings, Fieldfares, and Starlings. Later in the same field we also saw a flock of 14 Goldfinches which also landed and allowed us to take a closer look at them through the scope. We carried on and saw some Woodpigeons in fairly large flocks just sitting around not doing much. When we got to another field we suddenly heard a Meadow Pipit flying over we looked around but just could not find it later another one flow in our field of vision and we could tell it was Meadow Pipit by its call. In the same field we saw some more Woodpigeons and we wanted to count them so we set up the scope to get a accurate number. We carried on scanning and my brother found a Red Kite sitting in a dead tree there was also a Rook which sat next to it most of the time. The way back was not as eventful.

Wilstone Reservoirs (a long time ago)

Sorry that I haven't written on my blog for so long but i was on a school trip to Devon for about 2 weeks. After that I could not really be bothered to write any thing but any way at Wilstone I saw some Gadwall, Pintail, Water Pipit and a flock of golden plovers.

The River Ver and Tyttenhanger (24/9/11)

On the 24 of September I went with my brother on the monthly RSPB trip this time to the River Ver and Tyttenhanger.We started off the trip by going to the River Ver. Unfortunately the main way onto it was blocked off for shooting that day so we were unable to walk through onto the river. So we decided to walk around to another entrance of the river. On the way to the river we saw some Red-legged Partridge, a Buzzard, Pheasants, Black Headed Gulls and a Grey Heron. When we arrived at the river we saw a Reed Bunting sitting on a telephone wire. While we were walking down the river we passed a small cottage next to a farm with a shed next to it and inside the shed there was a Little Owl.

A Little Owl sitting inside a shed.

We went on and saw some birds which included Hobby, Swallows, Red Kite and Chiffchaff.

TYTTENHANGER

We arrived at Tyttenhanger a bit before lunch so people wanted to get some snacks and meals. whilst this was happening a man came over to us and told us there was a Black Tern. We went over to the place and we all found it in our scopes.

 A Black Tern.

We walked round the pit and saw some more birds but I have forgotten most of them all I remember is a Redshank, Common Gulls and some Gadwall.

All pictures taken by Samuel Perfect

Pectoral Sandpiper at Wilstone Reservoir (9/9/11)

A few days ago I decided to go to see the Pectoral Sandpiper that had been staying at Wilstone Reservoir. I had packed my bags ready to leave the next day straight after school had finished at 3:30. On the day I came home and got ready. I left my home at 3:45 and was on my way I arrived at Wilstone Reservoir around 4:15 and ran straight to the pier were it had been seen from I had looked up on Herts Bird Club if it was still there and seen it was so I have no idea why I was in such a rush. I looked for it with my binoculars and could only see a small spec which looked like a Pectoral Sandpiper but I was not 100% sure fortunately someone kindly showed me the bird through their scope and I recognised it straight away as a Juv. Pectoral Sandpiper later I found out it was a female. I came back after walking half way round the reservoir when I saw my brother with his scope we managed to get some good looks at it and I also managed to film it with my camcorder.

 luckily it was not to far away.

Also later we found a juv. Black Tern flying around the reservoir and over our heads.

Tring Reservoirs

WILSTONE RESERVOIR

We left the house around 6 to catch the 6:27 train to Tring we got to Tring at about 6:42 and cycled the rest of the to Wilstone Reservoir. We arrived and went straight to the pier to find the Little Stint. we searched for about 10 seconds and then found the Little Stint we put it in the scope and began examining it. after a while I decided to digi scope the Little Stint with my iPod touch which has a camera.

feeding

not feeding

We stayed there for a while looking at the Ringed Plovers and even saw a Peregrine fly past.

After this we moved on to the hide onto the way we passed some birders who had found a Whinchat in one of the fields next to the reservoir. As it sat on the thistle we were able to have a very rare viewing opportunity which also allowed me again to take some digi scopes of it. As well as the Whinchat a Blackcap was sitting in one of the hedges on the field.

After a while of looking at it and taking pictures we moved on.

When we arrived at the hide I decided to take a scan as I looked round the reservoir one bird popped right out and I almost instantly recognized it as a juv. Ruff. We stayed in the hide for a while and saw a Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Greenshank and had a brilliant view of 3 Hobbies (1 being a juv.) The juv. Hobby was showing the best swooping in front of the hide and landing on the ground which allowed us to inspect the plumage and identify it as a juv.

STARTOP'S END RESERVOIR

After Wilstone Reservoir we went to Startop's End reservoir were we found another juv. Ruff this time though I was able to digi scope it and film it.

here is a small video I put together of our trip.

We did go to Incombe Hole but we saw nothing so I have skipped it out.

 

music by Ian Butcher and Steven Faux

Scotland Ardnamurchan

A satellite photograph of Ardnamurchan.

We set off at about 7.00 am from Kings Langley, Love Lane. I had brought my iPod Touch, books and a few other things to entertain me on the long journey. As we had brought Theo with us to Scotland we had to take a brack every few hours to allow him to stretch his legs and relive himself. After about 4-5 hours we had crossed the boarder into Scotland and the scenery became more mountaines and green.

 

picture taken from inside the car in Scotland

After going through Glasgow we began having to go onto smaller roads. At about 7.00 pm we arrived at a ferry which brought us over loch Sunart and onto Ardnamurchan. The crossing only tock about 10 mins but me and Samuel still got out of the car to have a look around we reached the top and instantly saw a bazaar of Black Guillemots (bazaar is the correct name for a group of guillemots). When we did arrive on the other side we went onto a pier next to the ferry were Samuel took out his new scope and we carried on observing the Guillemots (footage coming in next post on Scotland) Whilst on the pier we also saw eiders, Shags and gulls. After we had finished birding we carried on our way on a incredibly small road. After a hour of driving at about as slow as a car could we arrived at our self catering house. 

 Our self catering house from the front.

 

 The view from my room

Some how this house had managed to get a sea view from every room. Luckily for me the owners of the house had left a scope for the visitors to use.

 

 me using the scope they lent us.

Later in the week it was my dads birthday. To celebrate it we decided to go to a castle which was near by.

The castle

To get to the castle we had to go across some sand which was only possible when the tied was out.

On the sand there was a surprisingly small number of birds including the Oystercatcher, Common Gull and a Rock Pipit. After that I decided to explore around the castle. 

On our way back to the car I found a bunch of these flowers growing next to the path.

 A Scottish thistle also the emblem of Scotland.

We were on our way home from the castle when a common seal was spotted. I got out of the car and took a few photos of the seal and then after about 15 mins we moved on.

A Common Seal.

 

The next day we went on a cycle ride to a hill which we could climb. To get there it took about one and a half hours and when we arrived the way we had wanted to go was locked off with a sign on the gate saying 

NO ENTERY but my dad still wanted to go that way I saw a small foot path leading up a small hill which I thought we could climb. When we got to the top the view was amazing.

 

The view half way up.

 The view from the top.

A few days later I decided I would like to climb up the mountain were the Golden Eagle usually flow over. My dad had the same idea and so we set off. Unfortunately half way up we were cut off by ferns up to my shoulders which meant we had to turn back

 

The rest is vague so hear are some pictures to see what i was up to.

  

   

Yellow Wagtail's behind school

Today me and my brother went behind the Kings Langley school to look at what could be seen. The main thing to be seen were the Yellow Wagtail's unfortunately whilst I was taking pictures of the Yellow Wagtail's my brother spotted a Lesser Whitethroat by the time I had arrived back to were my brother was it had already left. This was quite annoying as this would have been a new bird on my year and life list. But in exchange for not seeing the Lesser Whitethroat I was able to get some OK pictures.

Farthing Down's Hoopoe (20/8/11)

 

This is Farthing Down's

3 days ago I booked some tickets to go to Coulsdon South station which was near Farthing Down's where a Hoopoe was frequently seen. I had booked the tickets a day early because we had to change train quite often. the next day (20/8/11) we left on the train to go to Farthing Down's our first stop was Watford Junction from there we went to Clapham Junction then to East Croydon and finally to Coulsdon South. When we arrived we walked the rest of the way to the park. When we first arrived at the park we walk briskly as to cover the whole area after about 5 minutes of walking we came across a bunch of birders who had already found the the Hoopoe. They told us were it was and my brother set up the scope to take a look at it. When I looked through I realised how far away it was if we had not come across these birders we would have never found it. maybe after 5 minutes of looking at the Hoopoe it flow we followed it and after a while it flow out of a bit of long grass to a tree a bit closer to us. When it landed on the tree it opened its crest allowing us to see it.

The Hoopoe with its crest down unfortunately.

It then flow back down to the ground to feed luckily this time it landed on the path where the grass was a lot shorter. We looked at the bird just sitting and feeding very close to where we were. Unfortunately not long after it had flown down a jogger came over the hill and and flushed the bird away. We followed it but lost it me and my brother carried on walking in the way it had left but did not see it. After this we decided to head back to were we had first seen it as it had seemed to like that area. on our way we gathered a group of two birders who seemed to follow us as we had seen it already. We set up our scopes to scan the field were we had first seen it. As we waited more birders joined our small group thinking we had found it after a while we were surrounded by about 9 birders not including me and my brother, then suddenly some said they had found it the whole group looked through there scopes to find the Hoopoe feeding in front of a bush. It stayed there for quite a while until all of us payed no attention to it and then it slipped away.

After a while our group with a few less people joined another group to find the Hoopoe again. It was about 1 o'clock when we came across the Hoopoe again this time it was very close. It left that place and moved to another place were we had a brilliant photo opportunity and if thing could not get any better we managed to get even closer to allowing me to film it and my brother to take some pictures.

A bunch of clips of the Hoopoe put together and music added.

The Hoopoe with its crest open.

All these photos are taken when the Hoopoe was about 9m away.

All the photos above are taken by my brother but I filmed the film.