Sunday 12 February 2012

BROOKLANDS, ABBEY MEAD AND THE RIVER SUNDAY 12TH FEB

I got a message from Jerry this afternoon saying there were three Red-head Smew in the small piece of ice free water in the corner of Brooklands lake. I don't very often get the chance to see one of these super little birds so how could I resist the lure of three?
Eddie was just arriving too as I parked the car so together we started walking along the west side of Brooklands lake. It was almost completely ice covered and to make things worse, shrouded in mist, which cascaded from the mill like warm, halitosis laden breath. A grey, gloomy scene indeed. There were a few gulls standing on the ice which we checked in case the Med Gull that Jerry had also seen earlier had returned. It hadn't, so we turned our attention to the east bank where we could see the three Smew on a very narrow patch of water. As we watched, one of them flew north and a minute or two later the others did the same, we then realised that somebody else was walking along the bank above them. Never mind, at least we saw them.
Abbey Mead was also ice bound apart from one patch towards the east bank. There were dozens of birds crammed onto this piece of water. We could see Pochard, Gt Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Gadwall, Coot, Mallard, Canada Goose and Tufted Ducks along with various gulls, but no Med Gull and none of the less common species of ducks. We continued along the river path where we saw Redshanks and multitudes of Teal, more here this year than I remember seeing in recent years, plus a flypast by two Goldeneyes and some Bullfinches that still managed to look stunning even in the late afternoon gloom. A final look around Brooklands on the way back produced four Water Rails wandering aimlessly around the ice covered reedbeds and a chance look over my shoulder revealed another Marsh Harrier flying very low along the river, my second this week, or more likely the same one twice. Eddie seemed to think this was the same bird he'd seen recently at Holborough marsh just to the north so maybe it's hanging around.
Finally, while watching one of the Water Rails I had the rare opportunity to watch and photograph a Cetti's Warbler. Pity the light was so bad but a real treat nevertheless.









9 comments:

Greenie said...

Phil ,
Honest , it wasn't me who flushed the redheads .
Nice one with the Cetti shots ,and the Marsh Harrier .

Wilma said...

Looks pretty chilly in the icy reed beds. You got good shots of the cetti, though.

Marc Heath said...

To get a shot of a Cetti's is very good. Just hope this weather has not wiped a lot out.

Simon said...

You did well to get some shots of a Cetti's!! Well done with the Marsh Harrier!

Mike H said...

Great shots and Lucky you with that cettis Phil

ShySongbird said...

'shrouded in mist, which cascaded from the mill like warm, halitosis laden breath.' How wonderfully descriptive Phil, a thrilling use of words!

As you said, at least you did get to see the Smews but a shame they were disturbed.

Well done with the Cetti's, I would be happy just to see one :-)

Chris said...

That's a nice bird to spot and not so easy. I've seen it once in France and could not get a nice shot at it. You did! Congrats!

Warren Baker said...

A grey day indeed Phil, but some spectacular birds seen there !

Bob Bushell said...

Oh, you are a beautiful man, fancy photographing the Cetti's Warbler.