Tag Archives: Birding

Spring Update

Posted on June 4, 2016 by hootbot

Spring has been very rewarding this year. After we returned from Wales the birds started to arrive, and we’ve even got ourselves a life tick – and one from this year’s list of five targets, no less. Firstly, it was … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Arctic Tern, Birding, birds, Blackcap, Bramfield, buzzard, Chiffchaff, claybury, common sandpiper, Common Tern, common whitethroat, fairlop, Fox, garganey, Green Woodpecker, Hobby, lesser whitethroat, little gull, Little Ringed Plover, lockwood reservoir, Marsh Harrier, ornithology, owls, peregrine, photo, photography, Pied Flycatcher, Rainham Marshes, red fox, red-crested pochard, Redshank, redstart, Reed Bunting, Reed Warbler, regents park, RSPB, russia dock, Sanderling, Sedge Warbler, short-eared owl, Sparrowhawk, staines moor, stave hill, Stock Dove, stocker's lake, Stonechat, tottenham, tottenham marshes, Waders, Walthamstow Reservoirs, Wheatear, whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Wren | Leave a comment

Ceredigion Birding

Posted on April 9, 2016 by hootbot

It was time for our first birding break of the year, having not been away at all since July, and knowing that we won’t be going on our main holiday until late May. There were a few ideas bouncing around: … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged aberystwyth, Birding, birds, birds of prey, Black Redstart, blue tit, buzzard, ceredigion, chough, Coal Tit, dipper, fulmar, great tit, green sandpiper, Grey Plover, Grey Wagtail, Guillemot, kestrel, Kingfisher, mid-wales birdwatching, murmuration, new quay, nuthatch, ornithology, photography, ponterwyd, purple sandpiper, raven, red kite, red-throated diver, rock pipit, RSPB, seal, Shag, siskin, Sparrowhawk, starling, stoat, Stonechat, teal, Wheatear, ynys-hir | Leave a comment

A Whole New Year…

Posted on April 3, 2016 by hootbot

Only a few months late with this, but I’ve been busy… So, how has 2016 begun? Not too bad so far, despite the slightly odd weather. As the year has progressed it’s actually become colder, but we still seem to … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Amwell, avocet, Barn Owl, Birding, birds, bittern, Black-tailed Godwit, buzzard, Dartford Warbler, firecrest, frensham common, Goldcrest, goldeneye, great grey shrike, Green Woodpecker, kensington gardens, kestrel, Kingfisher, Little Owl, Marsh Harrier, Meadow Pipit, Muntjac, nuthatch, ornithology, owls, Oystercatcher, photography, Rainham Marshes, Red-legged Partridge, Redshank, Reed Bunting, RSPB, Rye Meads, Scaup, short-eared owl, siskin, Snipe, Sparrowhawk, strumpshaw fen, thursley common, tower hamlets cemetery, vange marsh, Walthamstow Reservoirs, wat tyler country park, woking | Leave a comment

Owls. Owls Everywhere…

Posted on November 15, 2015 by hootbot

We’ve had a very mild autumn so far, and after the passing-through of the Redstarts, Whinchats, Wrynecks, etc, the next step has been the influx of species that might want to hang around for the winter. The first day out … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Birding, birds, Black-necked Grebe, Curlew, Golden Plover, goosander, kestrel, owls, Pintail, Rainham Marshes, Redshank, RSPB, short-eared owl, Snipe, Stonechat, Walthamstow Reservoirs | Leave a comment

Summer Birding (post-Norfolk)

Posted on October 4, 2015 by hootbot

I recently bought myself a new Macro lens: a Sigma 150mm f/2.8, and a monopod to help stabilise it. So far I’ve tested it on the Banded Demoiselles around the close, and also on invertebrates at Fairlop Waters (Gatekeeper, Ruddy … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Banded Demoiselle, barred warbler, Birding, birds, brown argus, butterflies, buzzard, common redstart, Common Scoter, Common Seal, David Lindo, docklands, fairlop, Golden Plover, Goldfinch, Grey Heron, harbour seal, heron wharf, holly blue, insects, kestrel, Kingfisher, Lapwing, Lea Valley, Lee Valley, Little Owl, lockwood reservoir, Marsh Harrier, Meadow Pipit, nuthatch, Rainham Marshes, Redshank, redstart, river lea, river lee, Ruddy Darter, Scoter, Snipe, Sparrowhawk, staines moor, starling, Stonechat, Walthamstow Reservoirs, Wanstead Flats, Wheatear, whinchat, woodcock, Wormwood Scrubs | Leave a comment

Spring and Summer Catchup

Posted on August 30, 2015 by hootbot

In between holidays we’ve done a reasonable amount of local birding, but I’m only going to go through the not-necessarily-chronological highlights, rather than spend loads of time trying to remember everything… It started with a day out at Bramfield before … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged bearded tit, Birding, Bramfield, Common Tern, Goldfinch, Hertfordshire, kensington gardens, kestrel, Kingfisher, Lapwing, lesser black-backed gull, Little Owl, London Wetland Centre, long-tailed tit, Meadow Pipit, Rainham Marshes, Redshank, Reed Warbler, RSPB, Rye Meads, Sedge Warbler, staines moor, Walthamstow Reservoirs, whitethroat, WWT | Leave a comment

Lesbos – Spring Birding

Posted on June 5, 2015 by hootbot

At the beginning of the year Jem and I decided that we wanted to go on a birding holiday to Austria. We chose one from Oriole Birding which fitted the bill nicely. Unfortunately, as we went ahead to book it, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Birdfinders, Birding, cuckoo, eagle, greece, Harrier, kalloni, lesbos, lesvos, Owl, Reed Bunting, roller, Shrike, sigri, Waders, wheatears, woodpecker | Leave a comment

Pre-Lesbos Catch-up

Posted on May 9, 2015 by hootbot

After the fun we had in the Cairngorms back in early February, we’ve managed a number of days out-and-about since to see what’s around and to add to our UK yearlist. It began with a damp Saturday morning in Kensington … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Barn Owl, Birding, Birdwatching, Black-necked Grebe, Black-tailed Godwit, Blackcap, chaffinch, common lizard, cuckoo, Dungeness, Essex, firecrest, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Northern Diver, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great White Egret, Greater Scaup, Green Woodpecker, Greenshank, Hertfordshire, kensington gardens, kestrel, Lapwing, Lea Valley, lesser spotted woodpecker, Linnet, Little Ringed Plover, London Wetland Centre, marsh frog, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Rainham Marshes, red fox, Redshank, rickmansworth, RSPB, Sparrowhawk, staines reservoirs, stocker's lake, tawny owl, tower hamlets cemetery, Walthamstow Marshes, Walthamstow Reservoirs, Water Vole, Wheatear, WWT | Leave a comment

January – A Good Start to the Year

Posted on February 15, 2015 by hootbot

New Year’s Day saw Jem’s parents very kindly take us to Wallasea Island in Essex for our first ever visit. Despite grey skies ans strong winds off the Crouch, we were met as soon as we arrived in the car … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged A77II, Amwell, Barn Owl, Birding, birds, blue tit, Bramfield, buzzard, Essex, Fairlop Waters, goldeneye, Great Spotted Woodpecker, great tit, Greater Scaup, Green Woodpecker, gulls, hawfinch, Hen Harrier, Hertford, Hertfordshire, kestrel, Kingfisher, Little Egret, Marsh Harrier, ornithology, owls, peregrine, photo, photography, red kite, Reed Bunting, rough-legged buzzard, RSPB, Scaup, short-eared owl, Smew, Sony, Sony Alpha, Sparrowhawk, Wallasea Island, Walthamstow Reservoirs, water rail | Leave a comment

Review of the Year – 2014

Posted on January 7, 2015 by hootbot

A few days late, but it’s time for my review of 2014. During the year there was one trip abroad – finally getting to Finland after several years of trying to get out there – and three in the UK: … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Amwell, ashdown forest, Birding, birds, Bramfield, Broxbourne, Devon, Dungeness, Finland, London Wetland Centre, Norfolk, Pagham Harbour, Rainham Marshes, richmond park, Rye Meads, staines moor, Thurrock Thameside, Tices Meadow, Walthamstow Marshes, Walthamstow Reservoirs, Wanstead Flats, Waterworks Reserve, Yorkshire | Leave a comment