February Feast 2025

With so little time left for blogging these days, I'm now resigned to writing monthly compendiums, apart from very special days out and holidays which deserve their own entries. This blog covers most of our February birding except for a short break we made to Cornwall which will be covered in another post.

Saturday 1st February; Flat Land Birding

We made our annual excursion to the flatlands of Cambridgeshire. In fact we usually make two or three such trips early in the year but this one was to seek out the Owls at Eldernell, a now well known destination where several species of one of our more secretive bird families can be seen. We were really on a mission to find just two of those, Tawny & Long-eared Owl since we'd already had good views of Barn & Short-eared Owls this year.

A few years ago Eldernell would be manic, heaving with birders and toggers, but interest has quietened somewhat now and we joined just three other cars in the carpark. That would probably mean that we'd have to find the birds ourselves but that's part of the fun. The Tawny favours a particular tree where it (sometimes they) snooze away the day. Long-eared could be anywhere in a hedge that borders a wide ditch but there are favoured spots.

We walked slowly along the raised river wall. There were just three other birders ahead and I watched them as they stood looking intently at a particular spot. When they walked on, I made note of where they had stood. Reaching the approximate spot, I set up the scope and carefully scanned the hedge. I've learned over the years that Long-eared Owls often roost very low down, where they can keep out of the wind. It took a bit of shifting my position and a bit of intense scrutiny but I eventually found one. It was quite well concealed and proved impossible to get a clear photo.

Long-eared Owl

Further investigation of the roosting hedge failed to reveal any more Long-eared Owls so we continued our walk to the Tawny Owl roosting tree. One of the Tawny's was at home but was only just peeking above the entrance hole. The keen breeze of the day wasn't conducive to good owling. I logged the sighting, took the tick, and walked away. I didn't even bother taking a photo. I have plenty from previous years and they don't change much.

The floods were much diminished this year and there was little of interest and no new year ticks for us on this visit. A Kestrel perched in a small bush was the only bird I pointed the camera at.

Kestrel

We found a Short-eared Owl right next to the barns just metres away from the carpark. Like its cousins it was well tucked up for the day. We've had better visits to Eldernell but it was still good to be out away from the crowds.

Short-eared Owl

We followed up on a report of a couple of Tundra Bean Geese at the figuratively named Dog-in-a-doublet a few miles away. They were said to be feeding in ploughed up sugar-beet field but there was no sign of them. Over five hundred Whooper Swans in the same field made for quite a sight though.

With the day still relatively early, we toyed with where to go for the afternoon, and finally settled on a traverse across country to Eyebrook reservoir. Our quarry was Smew, one of the duck species that we'd admirably dipped a fortnight before. It took a bit of effort until we found a couple of smart drakes. Eyebrook is always reliable for Smew.

Smew

A coffee in a very strange little tearoom (don't go there) and it was time for home.

Sunday 2nd February; A Rail of a Time!

It was high time that we did a bit of meaningful local birding so we set out for our first visit of the year to Otmoor, mainly because a ringtail Hen Harrier had been seen well there during the week before. It was a fine sunny but cold morning, and shady spots and watercourses were frozen. 

Needless to say, the Hen Harrier failed to appear. In fact there was little to see in general apart from Water Rails which were by contrast unusually visible. On the path between the bridleway and first screen we saw five feeding off the path, testament to the fact that their normal feeding areas must have been frozen. Best of all was another that was picking up scraps at the carpark field feeding station.

Water Rail

Monday 10th February; Ardley Worth it?

While we were away in Cornwall (more of that in another post), a Green-winged Teal had been discovered at one of our most local reserves. The duck had been found on a small pond near to Trow Pool, which had been our lockdown patch back in 2020. Back then I found a Jack Snipe there on of our regular visits to the site. We trudged out there on a chilly and wet afternoon, I'd been back to work that morning. The Green-winged Teal was stood in almost the exact same place as the Jack Snipe had nearly five years before. The record shots were barely worth taking then, and were no better this time around.

Green-winged Teal (right) & Eurasian Teal

I dropped a big clanger while attempting to get better shots of the sleepy duck, when I dropped my camera in the wet mud, foolishly forgetting that only the lens, and not the body, is attached to the carrying strap while adding my teleconverter to the lens. Now I have a very dirty sensor!

Friday 14th February; A Different Quarry

St. Valentine's Day, and as is my norm I wanted to show Mrs Caley a good time so took her to a local Goshawk hotspot. She loves me. It was a cold day and the raptors weren't yet up for displaying. The camera stayed in the boot of the car although we did have a distant view of a female Goshawk high up in a tree but very distant.

Heading home we dropped back into Ardley to see if the Green-winged Teal had woken up. It must have, because it wasn't there! However, a fine looking Gull caught our attention instead. What I took to be a fine adult Caspian Gull was associating with a good sized flock of Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a few Herring Gulls. This was the long staying bird reported by some of the other local birders over the previous few weeks. Apparently the bill doesn't quite fit the (ahem) bill but otherwise it has all the necessary features of a Caspian Gull. I'm happy with it (sorry Lew, I know you're right and I'm not but everyone else is doing it…), ninety-nine percent of it anyway.

Caspian Gull (almost, right) & Lesser Black-backed Gull

On the shallow lagoon bordering the incinerator plant, a couple of Green Sandpipers were showing nicely as they fed around the edge. There was no sign of the American duck there either. It returned to the quarry a few days later so may have been secreted in the reedy fringes to one of the pools.

Green Sandpiper

We had fine views of a particularly bold Lesser Black-backed Gull as we left the site. We often see a pair of these handsome Gulls on the roof of the house opposite ours, enticed in by somebody putting their food scraps out in the garden, which also attracts many Red Kites. Gulls are not loved by many but when seen close up, then their intrinsic beauty can't be denied. It's just those beady eyes that make them look mean.

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Saturday 15th February; So Welney

Another trip into the fenlands, this time just into Norfolk to the WWT reserve at Welney. Truth be told, there wasn't much around and it was a toss up between there and Slimbridge. On balance we stood a better chance at adding a few more year ticks at Welney because we'd already "done" Slimbridge this year. On a drizzly and grey old day we took our time, arriving late morning and tarried even more by taking a leisurely cup of coffee plus sustenance in the decent reserve cafe.

We'd already logged us first year tick on the way in. Tree Sparrows abound on the feeders by the entrance. They are almost extinct in Oxfordshire, so it's alway good to see them elsewhere but I feel sad that we've lost them at home. I took a token shot through the glass of the building. This wasn't going to be a top day for photography, the weather had put paid to that.

Tree Sparrow

From the cafe window we looked out over Lady Fen which was teeming with birds, most at some distance away, and mostly Lapwings and Golden Plovers (the photo below of the latter showing just how dirty my camera sensor was after the mishap). A group of eight Cattle Egret stood hunched up against the drizzle and provided the second new bird of the year.

Golden Plover

Cattle Egret

There were a couple of birds that we wanted to see. Both were right at the far northern end of the reserve so we headed to the Lyle hide for the first, a Black-necked Grebe. The small grebe species was easily seen but it was quarter of a mile out on the floods. Judging by the number of birders keen to see it, I gathered that Black-necked Grebes are not seen that often in these parts. We had decent scope views of the bird, when it emerged from underwater which wasn't for very long, but photos were restricted to ropey record shots.

Black-necked Grebe

The second species on our hit-list was even further away and I'd have needed the Hubble to get photographs. However, the scope at full zoom enabled us to pick out the five Tundra Bean Geese that were resting on a narrow strip of grassland out on the floods. The salient identification pointers, well mostly the orange legs were just about noticeable at extreme range from the Friends hide. Occasionally one of the Geese would lift its head from slumber and exhibit the orange patch on the bill as well. The Black-necked Grebe was slightly closer from this hide but a clump of reeds was permanently in the way when trying to get a photo. I gave up and considered that I may as well have left the camera in the car.

We thought that we'd utilise the heated observatory hide and watch the wildfowl there at closer quarters but the noise from chattering adults and unruly children was too much to bear so we headed out into the chill again to the rudimentary hide at the side. At least it was quiet and we had some nice views of some of the wintering Whooper Swans.

Whooper Swan

More coffee and home. Roll on spring.

Sunday 16th February; Moor of Staines!

With winter hopefully on the wain, we spoke about the wintering birds that we hadn't seen yet this year. There were a few that we'd seen at the back end of last year that we couldn't just raise the enthusiasm for so soon into this year. Well, not quite true since I'd love to see Shore Larks, Snow Buntings and Glaucous Gulls for example but I just couldn't face any more three hours each way drives. The big problem with this time of year is the days are short. So if you don't leave in the dark, then little time remains for birding and the drive home will always be in darkness. Plus we'd only just taken a four day break to Cornwall, so we didn't really feel like going far.

Staines-upon-Thames is less than an hour from home and has two good birding sites close to each other, the Moor where Water Pipits spend the winter, although they were very elusive in December, and the reservoir which can throw anything up at any time, most recently for us an incredibly tame Lapland Bunting last November. It was another dank and grey day, and chilly too. February is mostly a heartless month. I chose to hit the Moor first, the Water Pipits were really the only quarry on the agenda there. We were greeted at the parking spot by a crowd of noisy Ring-necked Parakeets. There are hundreds, probably thousands, of the incomers in the west London area. They should really be blue of course and would be so much better if they were.

Ring-necked Parakeet

The walk to the Moor along the less than salubrious route was quiet. We noticed with sadness, that the lovely mural painted on the underpass of the A30, which depicts the animals and birds of the Moor, had been defaced with ugly graffiti. I wouldn't want to be walking this way late in the day when most of the ne'er do wells would be abroad. The Moor itself was shrouded in a fine mist, lending it an eerie feel. We couldn't see anyone else out and about so thankfully we'd have the place to ourselves for a while.

We made three trips here last year, and only saw a Water Pipit at the third attempt, and that was just a fleeting view of one in flight which only alighted for a second in a bush before disappearing. However, this time we were in luck immediately. Within a hundred metres of entering through the boundary gate, we spotted a flock of around thirty Pipits and a similar number of Pied Wagtails. A scan through the Pipits, mostly Meadow Pipits, revealed five Water Pipits. As is normal for flocks of birds, they were flighty and often flew up and relocated to another part of the flood that they were busily feeding on. I took a few record shots.

Water Pipit

It proved impossible to get close to the Pipit flock. There is no cover on the southern part of the Moor apart from a pylon. I managed marginally better shots by using the pylon both as a "hide" and as a huge tripod to steady the camera. The morning hadn't improved weather-wise and locating the birds through the camera viewfinder wasn't an easy task. But regardless of the difficulties, we had good views of the Water Pipits, particularly through the scope which I'm glad I had carried with me.

It was less misty at the reservoir but still cold and grim. We parked at the wrong end since it was soon clear that the majority of birds were at the eastern end, so we had to undertake the half mile walk along the causeway to get close enough to just identify the birds on the water. Totally unexpectedly, we flushed a Water Pipit off the causeway. It landed on the southern embankment but secreted itself in the longer grass there and we only got a few snippets of it after. The main interest was on the south basin, and we scoped the wintering Slavonian Grebe, a dozen Black-necked Grebes, and a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers. Moving closer allowed me to get record shots of the latter two, and much better photos of the Slavonian which suddenly appeared very close in to the bank.

Black-necked Grebes & Red-breasted Mergansers

Slavonian Grebe

A Common Sandpiper working its way along the eastern bank was a welcome year tick making it four new birds on the day. The conditions had been foul though and we weren't unhappy to get back to the car and head off for a warming coffee.

Tufted Duck

Wednesday 19th & Friday 21st February; Big Dick Pipit!

On the Wednesday we made an after work dash up to Newport Pagnell to look for a Richard's Pipit that had been found the previous day and had been showing well all morning. Of course by the time we got there, the bird had disappeared. Although, as it transpired later, everybody on site was looking in the wrong area for it so it wasn't any wonder that it hadn't been found again. It definitely helps if the correct information is passed on for the late arrivals.

Nobody enjoys dipping so on my day off on Friday, I took us back to Bury Field for another Pipit hunt. This time I knew where to look, the bird had stayed faithful to a small area of the field for four days so if it was going to show then it would show in the same place. It had already been reported early morning but had flown off into an adjacent water meadow before we arrived. We'd have to wait for it to return.

Our mission wasn't helped by a multitude of dogs charging around the grassy field, but the Pipit had shown well enough before and the dogs would have been around so that shouldn't have been too detrimental. There was a strong breeze blowing which may have persuaded the Pipit to find a more sheltered spot but, considering Richard's Pipits are birds of open country, I'd have thought the species was well used to a bit of windy weather. It was windy enough though for a Ring-necked Parakeet to have to hold onto a branch for dear life.

Ring-necked Parakeet

Every bird that flew over or past was scrutinised but none materialised into the target bird. We added Green Woodpecker to the year list and we saw lots of common birds, especially grassy field loving Skylarks. We chatted to friends, Madge & Spadge had also come to gain the tick.

Almost three hours of waiting ensued and then a large long tailed Pipit flew overhead. Instantly I knew it was the Richard's Pipit and I set off in pursuit of it to the place where it had landed. Several others reacted to my mad march up a slight hill, although I stopped and waited for Mrs Caley to catch up. It's always important to me that my wife gets to share in the birds. The Pipit had gone to ground but a review of a photo taken by another birder as the bird flew over proved that it had been the Richard's Pipit.

We didn't have to wait for long before the Pipit flew back over us again. This time it landed about fifty metres away and showed reasonably well whenever it stood up on a clump of grass. Mostly it was hard to see as it worked through dips and furrows in the ground but the species helpfully stands tall on its long legs and gazes around giving us chances to watch it and get some photos. 

Richard's Pipit

Unfortunately two ignorant souls, loudly proclaiming that they'd seen the bird so there was no point in hanging around, proceeded to walk directly across the field in the general area where the Richard's Pipit was feeding. It was no surprise then that the bird took flight and disappeared back over the hedge into the water meadow again, where there was no access. That was that as far as we were concerned. I'd have to wait for another Big Dick's Pipit to have a chance of getting better than mere record shots.

Saturday 22nd February; Tough Gig

I always like to get some birds "in early" so that I have more time to see others when spring arrives. One of those sought after species is the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, a bird that is becoming more and more difficult to find. All of my previously known local spots for them are now defunct, with none seen at any of them for a few years. So we are forced to travel further afield in order to see the charismatic little woodland birds. The RSPB reserve at Middleton Lakes near Tamworth has emerged as a good place to connect with a couple of pairs present. The stand of oak trees opposite the carpark is a reliable site although you are not guaranteed to see or even hear them. We've had mixed fortunes there, connecting well on one occasion but failing on at least three visits.

Now that is at least four, our two hour vigil from first light produced no sightings at all. Not even the sound of distant drumming was heard. It seems as if we, and the other thirty or so hopefuls, were too quick off the mark this year. Mind you, a male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker had been seen the day before. That was why so many people had come looking. We'd have to try again.

To save the day we drove an hour further north to the edge of the Peak District. We had several target species there, mostly at Carsington Water. Firstly though we called into Cromford to look for Dipper off the river bridge there. And we failed again! We scoured the river each side of the bridge several times but there was no sign of the resident pair. That was despite a friend of ours having seen them earlier that day (and again later too). The one place I neglected to look was actually under the bridge, and that was where the sightings had been. I know for next time.

Millfield's Carpark is a good place to see Willow Tits, another species that appears to be lost to Oxfordshire. There are feeders set up right next to the parking, and good views can be had of many woodland birds including the Willow Tits, and the almost as scarce, Tree Sparrows. This was proving to be a tough day though, because when we pulled up, the feeders were empty of food so there were few birds to be seen barring a dozen or loafing Mallards sat underneath the feeder trees. I tried to improve the situation by adding a small amount of seeds to a couple of the feeders and retired to the car to wait and watch. Birds gratefully came to the new food instantly but it took a while until a Willow Tit arrived and that bird was incredibly furtive. Eventually after a fir bit of effort, I managed to get a half-decent view of one in one of the trees. The first success of the day and it was way past midday!

Willow Tit

We moved to the Wildlife Centre carpark where two of the target duck species for the day had been found. We discovered that fact when a chap walked nonchalantly up to us as I scanned the bay at Millfield's for the umpteenth time, and said, 'If you're looking for the Lesser Scaup and Ring-necked Duck, I've just seen both in the same scope view from the Wildlife Centre'. Both ducks, incidentally both females, were lifers for him and he was happily telling the world of that fact. I'm glad he did too. The centre overlooks a small bay of the large reservoir but only offers limited viewing from a screen outside. Those viewing slots were being taken up by four birders who didn't seem willing to share with any newcomers. After much wrangling, and a fair bit of nudging, I managed to at least erect my scope and get a look at the Lesser Scaup, which was fast asleep

Lesser Scaup (right) & Little Grebes

With the other birders maintaining their places, I tried from inside the building. There I had better views of the rare duck but the views were through thick glass which distorted them somewhat.  A good Twitter friend, Dawn, was also there and we quickly caught up with other birds that may be around. She told me about the Dippers that we'd dipped earlier, I reciprocated by telling her about the Willow Tits which she had missed. Eventually the chaps outside did leave the screen free for us to get in and take a proper look. Now we could watch the Lesser Scaup at length. It was a fair distance out so it was record shot territory only once again. The Ring-necked Duck had disappeared but I didn't need that one for a year tick anyway, having secured the Oxon bird at the third attempt on the last day of January.

Better views were had of a pair of Great Crested Geese that were tentatively going through their pre-nuptial routine. They never really got going full tilt in their courtship dance and that somehow summed up our day when the birding didn't quite happen for us.

Great Crested Grebes

Knowing that a couple of first-winter drake Greater Scaups had been reported for most of the winter, we made the Sheepwash Lane carpark our last stop for the day, even though there had been no further reports of the ducks that day. Birding at Carsington Water can cost you a small fortune in parking fees if you move around the reservoir because each carpark has its own separate rates, I think a day ticket needs to be introduced that covers all areas. However, we did save a few quid because at this carpark the ticket machine was out of order. We walked the quarter mile or so to the Paul Stanley hide where the Scaup had been. This hide is as far away from the main visitor centre as you can be at Carsington, so unsurprisingly there was nobody else around. There was a good sized flock of Common Gulls out on the open water but initially there was no sign of the Scaup. I'd almost given up when I checked a small bay way out from the hide and clocked them lounging next to a tiny, one stumpy tree covered island. Finding them felt like the biggest win of the day!

Greater Scaup

Sunday 23rd February; Oh Deer, Deer, Bustard!

Great Bustards are relatively easy to see these days if you're willing to go to Salisbury Plain where they were reintroduced some years ago now. Because the population of them is now self-sustaining, I think that the species is alright to add on to a year list. One of the birds though has been wandering around South Oxfordshire near Wantage for sometime now, and I always try to see it at least once a year. Three years ago we had point blank views of the bird.

Great Bustard

On a wet, cold and thoroughly miserable morning this time, and even though I knew there the Bustard was hanging out, and the fact that it was cohabiting with a pair of Roe Deer, it took me a while to actually find it about half a mile out in a field. I'd seen the Deer the first time I looked but couldn't see the Great Bustard, it was only after looking from around half a dozen different viewpoints that I finally spotted the bigger than turkey sized bird tucked in between the two larger animals. It's a peculiar friendship but the three have been inseparable all winter and are probably still together as I tap this blog.

Friday 28th February; Last Slim Pickings

We have a go-to place locally to see Goshawks so fine mornings such as it was on this day, have to be, work providing of course, spent watching the impressive raptors. The woodland they display over is conveniently close to the best cafe and coffee in our area as well so we enjoy a good breakfast on the way.

That said the Goshawks so far this year haven't shown particularly well, although I've picked a couple out on each visit we've made. I'm yet to take a decent photo of them and my desire to get a frame-filler still eludes me.

A friend of mine had found a couple of Hawfinches in his local churchyard at Woodstock so we chanced our luck in finding them on the way home. We failed but Gareth had started putting seed down for the birds so we'd likely be back if his encouragement for the birds to feed on open ground paid off.

A slight diversion on the way home takes us past a Little Owl territory. Only distant views of our smallest Owl are possible since they nest on a working farm where access is prohibited but scope views can be had from a pull-in about a quarter of a mile away. We were in luck when I spotted one of the Little Owls stood on a barn roof. Our last year tick of the month, taking us up to one hundred and sixty, twenty more than by this stage last year, and sixteen more than when we achieved our best ever year total in 2023. The benefit of a long weekend in Cornwall which will be blogged next.

Little Owl