Tuesday 30 November 2010

2 unusual birds on a snowy morning 30th Nov.













































An early morning walk in a dusting of snow was rewarded with good views of, firstly, a snipe. This was flushed from a field opposite South Cottages. Only the 3rd village record. Later at Westland Green, 2 lapwings were observed heading high in a westerly direction. Again, the 3rd record.
A morning garden watch gave views of: great tit, blue tit, coal tit, robin, starling, greenfinch, chaffinch, goldfinch, jackdaw, carrion crow, collared dove, house sparrow and wren. Following this was a walk over the golf course and around Alder Wood. A common buzzard was being mobbed by 3 jackdaws whilst 3 green woodpeckers were witnessed. Black headed gulls headed north along the Ash Valley and 3 bullfinches were found feeding on fruit along New Road.
Photos attached show the snowy scenes south and south west of The Ford.
From the top:

New Road

South Cottages

Ford Hill

Looking south east from 2nd fairway.

The rest are of trees found around the golf course.

Tuesday 23 November 2010

Siskins arrive

Whilst playing golf last Saturday, I noticed a flock of 40+ siskins near the 6th tee. They were in the same alder trees that held a similar number last year. I returned on the Sunday morning with scope, bins and camera, but no sightings. Quite possible for redpolls and a brambling to be mixed in with them. Consequently, I shall try again for this flock as it will probably remain faithful to this wood, especially as it is named after their favourite food: Alder Wood.

Monday 8 November 2010

On the golf course today

Foul weather has limited the club to 4 brave souls going out to play a round. All 4 didn't finish the 18 due to a drop in temperature combined with a rise in wind speed and horizontal drizzle.
Consequently, spending time viewing the course from the club house. Good numbers of birds;
On the feeders:
5 Great tits
4 blue tits
2 coal tits
1 greenfinch
2 chaffinches
8+ starlings
Viewed from the club house
1 great spotted woodpecker
3 green woodpecker
2 jays
50+ fieldfares
20+ redwings
100+ starlings
1 pheasant
12 goldfinch
2 dunnock
1 robin
2 carrion crows
250+ wood pigeons
1 skylark over.

Friday 5 November 2010

New Species (sort of!)

A harvest mouse was found this morning at Ash Valley Golf Course, near the 4th tee. Unfortunately the creature was dead, but upon inspection there appeared to be no puncture marks from a predator. This may give some credence to the fact that there is a population of them here. A humane trap is being sought. The smallest British rodent and the only Old World mammal with a prehensile tail. Need to check on the numbers of these creatures within Hertfordshire. Few photos to follow.

Thursday 4 November 2010

Illustrated Talk. All welcome


I shall be giving an illustrated talk on: a,) Little Hadham natural history update 2010 b.) The Camargue and c.) the bio diversity action plan that I have written for the parish.

All welcome: Little Hadham VillageHall 7.45pm Tuesday 9th November and afterwards (9.30ish) at the Nag's Head.

Admission £1.50 including refreshments. We would be most grateful for any raffle prizes handed in at the door. All proceeds to the village Social Club. Hope a few can make it to boost numbers. Photo of a white plume moth in flight, a most fortuitous shot!

Monday 1 November 2010

Autumnal Colours 1st Nov.













































































































































































A morning walk on the 1st November gave 32 species of birds, with, yet again, quantity prevailing over quality.
Many fieldfares (100+) and redwings (300+) were observed in the sky over Ash Valley Golf Course, along with several blackbirds and a solitary song thrush.
Birds of prey came in the shape of 1 common buzzard, 1 female sparrow hawk, 1 male kestrel and, most pleasingly, fleeting sights of the male merlin that appears to have taken up winter residence in the parish. This particular bird was observed on two occasions in fields between the River Ash and New Road. Flying low over the ploughed field before rising into an oak tree and then 10 minutes later being chased by 2 jackdaws towards South Cottages.
3 bullfinches were heard and then witnessed near Chapel Lane whilst a single meadow pipit fed in the grass of the 4th fairway.
However, the highlight of the whole 2 hour wander was the colours in the leaves, as shown in the attached photos.

This is me

This is me
At the end of another Norfolk Coastal footpath walk. 47 miles, 3 days 99 species of bird. September 2009

Caley Wood view

Caley Wood view
sunshine through the canopy 29.05.08

A walk along the Warta Valley, Poznan, Poland. Feb 2007

A walk along the Warta Valley, Poznan, Poland. Feb 2007
Best birds on this walk: black and middle spotted woodpecker and short toed treecreeper

About Me

My photo
A primary school teacher for 30 years, I retired from teaching in July 2009 to set up my own science enhancement and communication company. The Primary Works offers science clubs, workshops and staged science shows nationwide. I have always been interested in bird watching since my early years. Apparently my first tick was after inquiring about a chaffinch and then receiving the Observer book of birds. By the age of 9 I had moved on to Tory Peterson's collins guide and was now involved on YOC birding holidays to Northumbria, Essex coast, Slimbridge and Yorkshire. My twitching rule is that I will willingly travel 1km for each gram the bird weighs. However, I have had many rarities just by being in the right place. I have travelled widely throughout Europe and also visited Australia and Sri Lanka. In 2016 I spent time at Portland Bird Obs and two trips to Aviero, Portugal. 2017 found me back in Sri Lanka in Feb/March, then July and back for New Year's Eve celebrations in December. Also returned to The Camargue in May for a 4 day trip. Few plans for 2018, but nothing yet booked apart from a trip to the IOW.

Grey heron

Grey heron
Over the allotment 28.09.08

Southern Hawker

Southern Hawker
Ridge footpath 27.08.08

Juvenile green woodpecker (17.08.08)

Juvenile green woodpecker (17.08.08)
Note the stripes, denoting a bird fledged this year.

common blue

common blue
Ash Valley G.C. 15.08.08

Indian balsam (impatiens glandulifera)

Indian balsam (impatiens glandulifera)
River Ash

azure damselfly

azure damselfly
River Ash 28.07.08

marbled white

marbled white
Discovered at Westland Green 22.07.08

ruddy darter

ruddy darter
Bush Wood 21.07.08

honeysuckle 19.07.08

honeysuckle 19.07.08
growing in hedgerow in Chapel Lane

cinnabar moth caterpillar

cinnabar moth caterpillar
Photographed on ragwort 19.07.08

Bittersweet

Bittersweet
Study of petals 11.06.08

male yellowhammer

male yellowhammer
08.06.08

common blue butterfly

common blue butterfly
06.06.08

River Ash

River Ash
looking south from the bridge at Hadham Ford

Common poppy (papaver rhoeas)

Common poppy (papaver rhoeas)
in rape field 29.05.08

Caley Wood sunshine

Caley Wood sunshine
29.05.08

Millenium Wood fox

Millenium Wood fox
24.05.08

common comfrey (symphytum officinale)

common comfrey (symphytum officinale)
06.05.08 banks of the River Ash

Garlic Mustard or Jack by the Hedge,(Alliara petiolata)

Garlic Mustard or Jack by the Hedge,(Alliara petiolata)
flowers, leaves and fruit edible . Good in salad and pesto

April showers

April showers
Double rainbow 30.04.08

Caley Wood bluebells

Caley Wood bluebells
22.04.08

Yellow Archangel

Yellow Archangel
Chapel Lane (20.04.08)

sunlight 16.04.08

sunlight 16.04.08
looking south west from Bush Wood

snowy buds

snowy buds
06.04.08 in Bush Wood

Looking north west

Looking north west
05.04.08 evening shower approaching

Back Garden

Back Garden
Easter Sunday (23.03.08)

Brick Kiln Hill

Brick Kiln Hill
Looking east (23.03.08)

No play today

No play today
The 2nd hole at Ash Valley golf course

Teasel head

Teasel head
Bush Wood (21.03.08)

Reflections

Reflections
daffodils at Bush Wood pond (21.03.08)

Swollen River Ash

Swollen River Ash
The river at the bottom of Winding Hill 16.03.08

Daybreak over the chapel

Daybreak over the chapel
Thursday 13th March

Wild daffodils (narcissus pseudonarcissus)

Wild daffodils (narcissus pseudonarcissus)
growing in Bush Wood

January snowdrops

January snowdrops
Banks of River Ash, north of Much Hadham

Good Moon

Good Moon
From garden 24.01.08

Village Green

Village Green
Looking east towards Acremore Street

Looking south before Hadham Ford

Looking south before Hadham Ford
rare January blue sky

Useful sites

The following are some useful websites that may interest readers of this blog.
Firstly, Bishop's Stortford Natural History Society http://bsnhs.webplus.net/

Fellow birder, Gary Whelan's blog. Gives reports from our trips out together plus reports from his trips abroad. http://hairybirders.blogspot.co.uk
http://www.hertsbirdclub.org.uk/ The official herts bird club website. Frequently updated, listing bird sightings around the county. Offers links to many other websites. Both of these sites also offer links to yahoo discussion groups.
http://www.birdforum.net/ An international site. You can enter as a guest but become a member( free) to post comments, bird sightings and just about anything to do with wild birds. Good news updates, classified section for binoculars, cameras etc.
http://www.guidedbirdwatching.com/ A new site set up where you can contact people worldwide who will help you find good birds in their country. UK section being set up presently.
http://www.britainsbirder.co.uk/
Fellow birders blog. Strtford resident, Graeme Smith regulary birds the area south of Stortford as well as around Spellbrook and the River Stort from Spellbrook to Twyford Locks. Some superb bird photography: Graeme uses a digital camera attached to his powerful telescope to get detailled images of the birds he sees. Well worth a browse.
Two local sites that may be of interest can be found at
http://www.thehadhams.com/ www.thepelhams.net/content/section/12/139/

South Easterly walk

South Easterly walk
black, normal, red extended walk

South Westerly route.

South Westerly route.
Black usual, red extended

North Easterly walk

North Easterly walk
black short, walk. Red, extended

North West Patch

North West Patch
black route regular. Red route the extended wander