Staines Reservoirs South Basin

A morning visit to Staines Reservoirs produced Great Northern Diver and a drake Scaup. Whilst there i met up with Geoff L, Tony H and Paul F. We headed off to Hampshire in search of a recently reported White Tailed Eagle. Unfortunately we drew a blank.

Back garden; 2 Coal Tit.

Goldcrest, Bat n Buzzards

I had to take my car in to a garage in Two Waters, Hemel today. I decided to walk to Abbots via Grand Union Canal to Kings Langley then Egg Plant Lane. Not much about and generally I was walking more than watching. Near Kings Langley fishing lakes I located 2 Goldcrest. There seem to be a lot of Goldcrests about at the moment. Then further along the canal near to Kings Langley College I noticed a small Bat apparently hunting flies over the canal. This was about 14:30, I have never seen a Bat hunting like this in broad daylight. 3 pics taked with my phone below. Then in Long Wood near Egg Plant Lane, Abbots, 2 Buzzards both perched up roughly 300 yards apart.

 Some people spend lots of money on top of the range camera's but why bother when you can get such high quality pics with a mobile phone?

Walthamstow Marsh Nature Reserve

I attended an ice hockey match at Lee Valley Ice Rink this afternoon. I had about an hour spare before the game so had a walk around the nearby Walthamstow Marsh Nature Reserve. The best birds seen were 2 Stonechat, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker (showing courtship behaviour) and a Kestrel mobbed by a Magpie. The Stonechats my first (and second!) of the year.

Tree Sparrow at Woodoaks Farm

A morning visit to Woodoaks, As I walked along the "public bridleway" towards the farm cottages I discovered a Tree Sparrow feeding on the track with House Sparrows and Chaffinches. Also noted were Ring Necked Parakeet, Redwing and Fieldfare.

Earlier at Maple Lodge; c100 Siskin, 2 Goldcrest, 6 Teal, 2 Pochard. On Lynsters Farm 7 Egyptian Geese.

Back to Woodoaks at 15:00. No sign of Tree Sparrow but 7 Yellowhammer, 2 Greenfinch, Red Kite, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Green Woodpecker and Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Waxwings Toms Lane

20 Waxwings opposite Jane Parker's cattery, bottom end of Toms Lane at 16:50.

Bramfield

An early morning visit to Bramfield churchyard and nearby with Brendan G; 3 Hawfinch briefly, 7 Bullfinch in the hedgerow around the playing field, Buzzard, Red Kite. 07:30 to 09:30.

My Abbots back garden; Coal Tit.

Beds Short Eared Owl

An evening visit to Wixams near Wilstead in Befordshire with Brendan G.
We enjoyed good scope views of a Short Eared Owl, showing well between 16:15 and 17:15. Also seen 2 Snipe, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk and 2 Muntjac. Postcode for Sat-Nav MK45 3HT (Dane Lane.)

Waxwings Toms Lane, Kings Langley/Bedmond

c40 Waxwings feeding on rotten apples in front garden of house next to IPS fencing Toms Lane at 10:15 this morning.

Waxwings at Croxley and Maple Cross

24 Waxwing between Dorrofield Close and Sycamore Road, Croxley today from 14:00 to at least 15:30. Similar number at Maple Cross near Nissan and Renault buildings at about 14:45.
Woodoaks Farm; 6 Yellowhammer, 12 Goldfinch, Little Owl, 30 Redwing/Fieldfare, 13 Pied Wagtail.
Maple Lodge; Teal, Gadwall, Little Grebe, Ring Necked Parakeet, Goldcrest, Redwing, Fieldfare.

Waxwings Toms Lane

60 Waxwing bottom end of Toms Lane, 100 yards before railway bridge.
Also Sparrowhawk over Tibbs Hill, Abbots Langley.

Ivinghoe Hotspot

A mid morning visit to Ivinghoe Beacon. Extremely high winds especially up on the ridge, not much about as you might expect with such poor weather conditions, however, on the way back to the car park I noticed a Blue Tit in the hedgerow and on closer inspection I could see another bird flitting about in the background. I put my bins on the birds and noticed the Blue Tit was closely accompanied by a Goldcrest. Almost immediately they were joined by a Marsh Tit, Treecreeper, Coal Tit and Nuthatch. All birds were within 4 feet of each-other.
Then I crossed the road towards Incombe Hole. The only noteworthy birds were Goldcrest and Long Tailed Tit. I did, however, have a great view of 2 Weasels.

Mauritius

Arrived back from a family holiday to Mauritius on sunday morning, not much opportunity for birding but did note the following;

Seen from, or near our accommodation at Perybere in the north of Mauritius.
Zebra Dove, Madagascar Turtle Dove, Ring Necked Parakeet, Red Whiskered Bulbul, Mauritius Grey Whiteye, Madagascar Fody, House Sparrow, Masked Weaver (weaving nest,) Spice Finch,

On the shoreline Pereybere area.
Striated Heron, Ruddy Turnstone, Whimbrel, Common Sandpiper.

Black River Gorge National Park.
White Tailed Tropic Bird, Mascarene Paradise Flycatcher.

 Common Mynah

 Madagascar Fody

 Masked Weaver

 Ruddy Turnstone

 Red Whiskered Bulbul

 Spice Finch

Striated Heron

Updates

Mon 31st Jan, Woodoaks Farm; 2 Little Owl, c100 mixed flock Fieldfare and Redwing, 3 Red Kite, c50 Linnet, 12+ Yellowhammer. Withey Beds; 2 Mistle Thrush, Buzzard, Green Woodpecker. Cassiobury Park; 2 Siskin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, 2 Goldcrest, Little Egret, 2 Water Rail.
sh4rpy, Geoff L, Martin.J.S.