2006 Sponsored Birdwatch

2006 Sponsored Bird Watch

This years sponsored bird watch and Grand Summer Draw was for the replacement of the Obs windows and door

Sophie Barker, David (Boy) Roche his father Ray (Man), Connor Rand and I chose to do the sponsored bird watch together locally. It was planned as usual for Christmas eve however with all the fog prior to this date I postponed the day until 28th. I usually start my day at Redwell, then go down to the Observatory to get the marsh species, and then do a sea-watch. From there I go into the village (Holme) to a Garden where birds are well fed to hopefully see Tree Sparrow and Yellowhammer then on to Titchwell to finish the day which usually ends with between 90 and 100 species.

I convinced young Connor that quantity is better than quality when doing a sponsored bird watch which means that staying locally not only cuts down on travelling time, it also gives over more time to finding more species. With this in mind he chose to come along. I did tell him that with a group of people such as us, we could expect at least a hundred species by the end of the day. Boy also chose to join us for his sponsored bird watch, and with his father (Man) we made a fantastic team.

So we all arrived at Redwell at 8am (well most of us, I live closest so I thought it only right and proper to get there first but to my surprise the day had already started for the others). There we had the usual wetland species of ducks and waders as well as Green Woodpecker, Barn Owl and Mistle Thrush.

Having spent half an hour here we headed for the Obs where Connor had Great Spotted Woodpecker which every one else dipped on, the usual common species were ticked off, except that for me Coal Tit was missed, (which would haunt me at the end of the day). We then went for a sea-watch where we quickly ticked off Long-tailed Duck, Red Throated and Great Northern Diver as well as other usual suspects. An added bonus was a Gannet heading west at distance just on the edge of the mist. Not every one got this species did you David!

Looking for Corn Bunting

By the end of the sea-watch the total species for some had reached about 45. After an hour it was decided that we should deviate off my usual route and go to Choseley Barns (something that I have never done in the past) to try for Little Owl, Corn Bunting and Tree Sparrow. The latter species was not looked for in the village as the owners were out for the day.

As we were going past Thornham barn we thought that may be we could get Twite which some times land on the roof. No sooner had we turned up then BINGO Twite on the roof, about 40 birds in all showing very well. We hung around in the hope of Linnet but no luck but we did get a bonus of Kingfisher and Rock Pipit. We then headed off to Chosely. There we had Yellowhammer, Pink-footed Goose, Pied Wagtail but very little else. No sign of any Little Owl, although one of the old barns has been taken down where the Owls use to be.

Looking for Twite

By now it was about 11am so we headed for our last location, Titchwell. Some of the group were by now up to 70 species, I was around 60+. Competition was hotting up, Boy decided to head off on his own, Sophie, Connor and I spent a little time around the amazing feeding station where we had the usual seed eating species, but not the hoped for Coal Tit which by now I was getting desperate for. We then sped for the sea as Slavonian Grebe had been reported along with Velvet Scoter. Man went off to one of the hides to find birds for us; he was the scout, as Man was not doing a sponsored bird watch, this tactic worked for several species. Having spent some time looking out to sea for the grebe and scoter, which we failed to get, but having added Kittiwake to the list, we started back along the path checking all the salt marsh and scrapes desperate to get the list, which had stalled a little, moving again.

Black Brant was a target species as was Mediterranean Gull, a Cetti’s Warbler was heard in the far distance by Sophie and Connor, too far for my aged ears, then they heard Bullfinch calling, again missed by me! In to Parrinder Hide where we picked up two Black Brants and the Mediterranean Gull along with a host of other species including good numbers of Pintail duck. Gadwall, Lesser Black Back gull and Avocet were also added, by now Sophie and I were at least into the 80s with Boy and Connor into the 90s.

Looking for Ruff

The light was now fading fast. Connor had wandered off to see what he could find and then he came racing back to inform me that he had heard a Woodcock in the dense scrub by the car park. This was Connors 100th species, my 91st and Sophie’s 98th . At this point we met up with Boy who had amassed a total of 100. I found a Ruff among all the Golden Plover which all the others desperately needed. I tried to put them on to it however, being among so many Golden Plover it was very difficult to pick out. One or two started to panic but then just as it looked like I had pulled a species back on Boy and Connor, in came two Ruff from the salt marsh. As the light faded we started to look for Harriers, but it was felt time would be better spent on a last ditch attempt to find Mute Swan, Fieldfare, Song Thrush and most of all a Coal Tit. We headed for Holme marsh where these species can normally be encountered but alas all we got to add to our list was a Tawny Owl. (Barn Owl was also new for some). We sat until darkness fell in the vain hope of a Short-eared Owl but it was not to be, so we reluctantly returned to our vehicles very satisfied with the days birding.

All in all it was great fun with a lot of species seen, Sophie ended up with 101, Boy 104, Connor 104 and yours truly 97, oh to have good hearing again! Between us we raised £1,452.20 for the cause and with other members having done sponsored bird watch days and including the summer draw we have covered all the cost of the work done to the Obs. In due course we will print all participants on the web site.

Jed Andrews (warden)