essex buzzard

[essexbuzzard]

WINTER RETURNS
Woke up this morning to find several inches of snow creating a fresh white winter wonderland outside. Allthough forecast, i was surprised how quickly the snow settled,as it rained for several hours on sunday,before turning to snow overnight.
The snow had a high water content,unlike the snow last month,and is typical of snow that falls at temperatures a fraction above freezing.

[essexbuzzard]

SLIMBRIDGE
On Thursday,we went to WWT Slimbridge,in Gloucestershire. If you want to get close to nature,this is one of the best places to go. Not only have they got a huge collection of wetland birds from all over the world, but they also have a big nature reserve,with an excellent set of hides and lots of wintering wildfowl,many up close. This is perhaps the best place to see Bewick's,or Tundra,Swans,the smallest and rarest swan to be seen in Britain,and all just yards away,making great photo opportunities. Getting there early,we watched the swans flying out for the day,and comming back in the evening. Big flocks of Lapwings and Golden Plovers were seen. To put it simply,there were birds everywhere! Far too much to mention them all here.I've been many times,but this place just gets better! And there is a restuarant and shop,so every comfort!
Birds of prey seen during the day were Buzzard,Kite,Kestrel,Peregrine and,while driving home,a ghostly white Barn Owl over the M4.
Wow, a super winters day out!

[essexbuzzard]

WEDNESDAY 27 FEBRUARY.
Today,i went to Blue House Farm, an Essex Wildlife Trust reserve near the coast. Saw several Kestrels on the journey,and lots of Buzzards. Although common in the west for as long as i remember,i feel so privileged to live at a time when Buzzards are becomming common in eastern England.
Much of this farm is marsh land,managed for wildlife. Good numbers of Wigeon were close to the hides,with some Shovelers, Pintails,Shelduck,Mallard and Gadwall. Teal were feeding around the edges of the water,along with many Coot.
Waders included abundant Lapwing,and Curlews and a few Redshank. Three Herons were in the air together,with Little Egret nearby.
Every now and then,everything would fly up in a panic,as a Marsh Harrier sails by. But perhaps the highlight was a male Kestrel,which decided to hover low down at eye level,right next to the hide-the best veiw i've had of this species.
Meanwhile,on the grazing marsh,hundreds,if not thousands,of Brent Geese were grazing.
A super,if cold day!

[Wurzel]

Fantastic shot of the Kestrel Essex

We used to have a reliable flock of Bewicks near to me at a place called Ibsley Bridge (Harbridge now) but the most I've seen in recent years is 6 together , and this year there have been even fewer. Hopefully "my" birds have swelled the ranks at Slimbridge which is a stunning place .

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[essexbuzzard]

Agreed,Wurzel!
The general thought seems to be that fewer Bewick's Swans are finding their way to GB these days,because they come from Siberia and some are staying in the Netherlands,as a result of better food supply and shorter migration. A similar thing may be happening with White-fronted Geese.
My bird interest has always been from late Autumn to early Spring, which helps to bridge a gap-winter is otherwise a long time for the butterfly and wild flower enthusiast!
Cheers!

[essexbuzzard]

WEDNESDAY 20 MARCH
On Wednesday,i had the pleasure of spending the Spring Equinox at Heyshott Down,with volunteers from Murray Downland Trust and Sussex BC,including our very own Sussex Kipper. Such great things about Heyshott are on his page, so i won't repeat it here.
The amount of work done here since my last visit is impressive,as the pictures show. The dips and little depressions created should hopefully become great little sun traps for territorial male Dukes in a couple of years time.
While working,we were treated to good views of buzzards,ravens and a peregrine,while woodpeckers were drumming nearby.
Hats off to all who help improve this already excellent site.

[essexbuzzard]

THE WINTER THAT JUST WON'T GIVE UP!
After reports from the Midlands and north,winter returned to Essex,and elsewhere in East Anglia on Saturday,though in truth it never really left!
With snow falling most of the day yesterday,and grey skies today,temperatures have stayed below freezing throughout, remarkable for so late in the season.
A cold autumn and late spring then-winter has been very long this year!
Here are some cold Essex pictures...

[essexbuzzard]

Well i'm sure i don't stand alone when i say i'm absolutely fed-up of this winter,which goes on and on!
My page seems to have become more of a weather update than anything more interesting.

Snow has been lying for a week now! Now,there is nothing new about snow in late March,or even April. It's the length of this late cold spell which is so extraordinary. I cannot recall snow lasting more than a day of two in late March.It is unusural enough for snow to last a week in the middle of winter in southern England,nevermind at Easter.

I was working today,so i took the picture below on Friday,when at least the sun came out to play-breifly.

Three displaying Buzzards Friday,and a Peregrine today,were the only wildlife of interest this week.

[Wurzel]

It is getting riduculous isn't it? I wouldn't mind so much if I could see into the future to see if there is an end to it Cheer up though it'll soon be April with its little deluges then washout May and soaking June etc etc before it finally gets nice around October time when the final hibernators are bedding down

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[essexbuzzard]

Exactly!
Cheers Wurzel,enjoy the rest of the weekend,whatever it brings...
At least it's not raining,i suppose...

[essexbuzzard]

AT LAST-WE'RE OFF AND RUNNING!

After the coldest and dullest March in East Anglia anyone can remember,the sun at last came out to play today!

In the local woods,the sun was shining,and it felt almost warm! The primroses were coming out,the yaffle was,well,yaffling,the woodpecker was drumming. There was an air of Spring about,and i saw my first 2013 butterfly!
It was a Comma,see picture below. It's been a very long time coming,considering i saw butterfles in every month last year except December!

[essexbuzzard]

Then,after lunch,off to one of my favorite ancient Essex woods-Shadwell wood,near Saffron Walden.

On the country roads,a buzzard was alarmingly slow to take off from roadkill.

At Shadwell,the wood was full of redwings. Several buff-tailed bumblebees were seen,and a couple more Commas.
Buzzards were performing their spectacular diving display,with much mewing,and on the woodland floor,anemones were starting,the real display will come next week.
Mezereon is in flower here. The first oxlips were seen,and it's only a matter of time before this wood erupts into a riot of colour.
Spring is here!

[Wurzel]

Great shots of the Comma Essex This Sunday coming looks great over your way so I'm awaiting enviously further posts!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[essexbuzzard]

Thanks for your comments,Wurzel,though i'm not sure about the weather-it now looks like the milder weather is likely to be accompanied by wind and rain,rather than the blue sky and warm spring sunshine predicted earlier in the week.
I'll let you know what happens,i hope i'm just being pessimistic!

[essexbuzzard]

Well,i was too pessimistic,in the event!
It was a glorious warm day in the far east of England,if rather windy.

Unfortunately,i had to work today! However,i thankfully work outside,and i've seen quite a few Swallows flying through on the south winds over the weekend,and i had a couple more Commas today-thank goodness we live at a time when these are so common. It's hard to believe that a hundred years they were excessively rare,their dissappearance from Scotland,and most of England and Wales much lamented.
Also saw my second species for 2013,the male Small cabbage White in the picture,below.
After work,at 4PM,went to Birchanger woods,where a brilliant carpet of Wood Anemones,or Windflowers,is nearing its peak:

[Wurzel]

That Small White is an excellent find - you'll have to check with Hideandseek to see who got it first I too was pessimistic about the weather so I think this year I'm going to try a different technique for weather watching - plan to go somewhere and then look out of the window before I go!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

If that Small White was down amongst all those lovely anemones, you'd never spot it!

Everything is appearing at once - if the sun carries on, there'll be Orange Tips in no time. Not a bad forecast for the week here, truth be told...

Dave

[essexbuzzard]

ANEMONE DAY!

On Thursday,i took an early trip to Danbury Common,where i had my first singing nightingale,willow warbler and whitethroat of the year.
Later,i also saw several of my third butterfly species for 2013-Peacocks.

But my main aim was to visit a couple of ancient woods,where the wood anemones are at their peak.I love these simple little flowers,the first real display of the Essex spring. Although the wind was howling,the flowers eventually opened up,giving a cracking display.In the morning,went to Blakes Wood,near Danbury,and then up to the north of the county,and to Stour Wood,managed by the RSPB.For sheer numbers,and quality of display,these ancient Essex woods put on a show that is as good as anywhere in the country-maybe even the world. Wow!

[David M]

That anemone 'carpet' fair warms the heart.

[essexbuzzard]

Thanks David,aren't they spectacular? Always a great show,they seem even better this year!

Perhaps this is the result of last years wet weather?