Sweet Sixteen

He's arrived. That well travelled local celebrity is here again. Back for his sixteenth (yes, sixteenth) winter, Valentino! Yes, please do go ahead, applause there is justifiable. London's most famous gull has returned.
 It's always a worry in early October that maybe this year Valentino won't return. At around eighteen now he's getting on.  How long is it before he retires and spends his winters on a Mediterranean beach rather than a eutrophicated lake with rats in London? Or worse, abandons us for Wanstead.  After making a few excursions to the flats last year that's a growing possibility.
 But let's not think about that, for now, let us just rejoice. What a bird!

Patching, It's More Than a Hobby

Today the patch was, to put it simply, good. No, I jest not, it was genuinely good.
 A morning visit around 9am, had nothing out of  the ordinary, save the first Cygnet of the year. While walking through the old pitch and putt however, I heard a call I'd long awaited in the park, and looking up - as I'd clearly forgotten to do for so many springs and autumns previously- there it was, a Swallow! Patch lifer... I know, how!?  It's simply incredible it took so long. Still, all the more rewarding after a couple of years of looking.
 A little gleeful after the Swallow, and wanting to see if there were any more Cygnets, we headed back in the afternoon. Alas no sign of Cygnets, nor the female Swan, so they most likely were hidden on the island.
 Heading home after photographing some Geese and their Goslings, I picked up on a small falcon bombing past the boating lake.  Hobby! I grabbed a few record shots before it flew off distantly to the West.  Wow.  Another patch lifer, and a great one at that!  I must say, I was pretty ecstatic, an incredible day on the patch. There's something I never though I'd say!

Grey Wagtails

Regular readers (if there are any) of this blog will probably know by now, that I'm a big fan of Grey Wagtails.  They've been an on and off photography project on my patch for well over a year now. And no, that's not just because there's nothing else to photograph in the park, that's almost, but not quite true.
 Over the autumn and early winter they spent about half the time too close for my lens to focus, then come January 1st they became elusive, I hadn't managed a passable shot since.  This seems to be their pattern, or at least it has been for the last two winters. But now, they're back, and with five fledglings!
On Friday, conveniently whilst looking for any Grey Wagtails, I found several fledglings around the Boating Lake and the Wash. The light was too high to really bother taking many images, so Saturday morning I got an earlier start. Naturally, it was cloudy. Still, beats the harsh midday sun.

 I headed back again in the afternoon, and found all five chicks lined up along the edge of the lake. While their parents were busy proving themselves amazing at fly-catching, with some incredible speed and agility! A pair of Pied Wagtails also joined them for this.  Probably the closest the park will get to a Flycatcher this year....

I would like to take this moment to apologise to my camera for the overuse of it's shutter - Sorry!  But a superb day out photographing.

Patch News!

Part two of my trip to Scotland is being temporarily put on hold, because (wait for it)... I have patch news!  I know, hardly believable.
 Having returned from Scotland the previous day, I was back on the patch on the 3rd. It was pretty quiet really, not much of note (as is the norm), but there was a singing Chiffchaff to put a bit of spring mood on things, although it was probably an over-winterer.  As I was beginning to head home I caught sight of a large bird flying over, pure white, heavy wingbeats and long extended black legs with yellow feet... In simpler terms, Little Egret!  A patch-lifer, I've been hoping for one of these to fly over the park for years, namely since I missed one which was seen in the canal after the park was reopened having been closed due to storms.
 Returning to the patch on Sunday, I took yet again to searching the old Pitch-and-Putt course for any Wheatears which decided Valentines look nicer than Wanstead. So of course it drew blank.  All was not at a loss though, as there came the distinctive call of a Meadow Pipit.  A moment of confusion followed, as I tried in vain to see it fly over with no luck, no wonder, as my father then found it sitting in a small tree! It showed nicely before flying down into the grass.  A second patch lifer in a week!
 Later that day, I even managed to find my second Great-crested Grebe for the patch this year! For now, the patch is good(ish).

Starting the Year

With 2014 now gone, I'd just like to wish you all a happy new year!  May 2015 bring plenty of good birds to London... please!
 It's already started out pretty good. After last night's celebrations - sitting at home watching television - it was time for some serious patching to get the year-list going.  It was unsurprisingly not the earliest of starts, there wasn't even time for breakfast. Devastating. It was a traditionally uninspiring bleak looking day. At least it wasn't raining, yet.
A couple of Mistle Thrush and a handful of Redwing were a nice start, and working through my admittedly tired eyes, I then got three Cormorants on the lake and, amazingly, a pair of Gadwall!  Only my second ever record for the patch, after the one-day-wonder trio back in October. Encouraging, especially when this was followed by brief flight views of a Sparrowhawk, a tricky bird to see in the park.
 Valentino the Med Gull was hunting for worms in the Cricket field, there were a couple of Shoveler on the second lake and the Kingfisher was actively flying up and down the canal.

 Two and a half hours passed in no time, for a change the patch was shockingly good. By half twelve we'd racked up an impressive (for Valentine's) forty one species. Beating my previous patch day record by four!
 A nice achievement to start the year!

What Winter Brings...

I feel it's safe to say the summer's definitely over.  My suspicions that this may be so were confirmed with a visit to the patch for sunrise earlier in the week... it was freezing.  Fool that I am, I didn't wear gloves and my hands were in agony using the camera - the light was worth it though.
 Having returned from Antwerp, Valentino the Med Gull is back for his fifteenth winter and still going strong!   He's been in the park for about three weeks now, and although to begin with, apparently he'd been sneaking off to Wanstead - oh the treachery - it appears he's settled back in his usual haunt of the park.  A regular Med Gull always brightens up a winter morning.  Yesterday, with the thought in mind to get some better shots of Valentino, I had a bit more than I bargained for with him showing down to four foot... surely there is no better gull?  It was a shame the light was quite as bad as it was, I'll put this down as a work in progress.

As if a showy med Gull wasn't good enough, the kingfisher's been showing regularly as well.  It seems as though she may have found a favoured spot, and is showing on practically every visit. A nice improvement on the rare and sporadic sightings earlier in the year.  Of course though, this favoured spot is in the darkest shadiest area on the canal.  It's understandable why she chose it though, it's the only area which is fenced off, and looking in isn't exactly easy.  Ah, Kingfishers are a tricky species! This shot is from my best (not closest) view so far... a lot of room for improvement.
 Easy to guess what I'll be up to for the next few months...

At Long Last...

While some patch birders may have wild dreams and fantasies of rare birds gracing their patch, I don't set the bar that high.  No, my most sought after patch tick isn't the kind anyone else (at all) would be interested in, it's not even a local scarcity!  Even after two years of searching with great scrutiny I have been unable to find one.  Mock if you will, but this seemingly impossible tick, is Gadwall. Why would they not come to park?  Surely it's not that bad... I was surprised to say the least, when yesterday evening, at long last the search came to an end.  I gratefully came across three Gadwall on the main lake, sleeping on the far side from me, even from that distance the grey of the two males was distinctive. Patch lifer.
 As I walked round to approach closer to the Gadwall, the distinctive call of a Kingfisher started, and there it  was, flying over the lake. By the time I had circled the lake I'd achieved some much better views of the Gadwall and the Kingfisher decided to show twice more. A treat for all the hours on the patch recently?   Such a satisfying find.

Heading to the patch this morning, the Gadwalls sadly were gone, and I was back to scanning the ducks for them without success.  Oh well. The next few hours were spent trying to accumulate a day list record for the patch, something I've been unable to beat for probably more than a year now, the current being thirty seven. And it certainly did seem on track for the first two hours, but then it got rather tricky.  the list was (typically) stuck at thirty seven. Would I have to leave on such tantalising a number?  It was just too much.  On the cusp of caving, and giving up, I was saved with the call of a Chiffchaff.  Which conveniently was followed by a view of the little bird.  Thirty eight!  As day-lists go, sure it's terrible.  But for the patch, it's pretty much fantastic.
 Worth almost missing lunch...

The Return

It's been nearly a month since I was last patch birding, my how much the park's changed... well not really.  I suppose yes, there's a little difference. Rats are now a lot more abundant, and I do really mean a lot. They nearly outnumber Squirrel, which in London is saying something. On occasion they can be quite nice though...

Do you remember me writing with some excitement about a Cormorant that was regularly gracing the park with it's presence?  As it turns out Cormorants are definitely going to become more regular on the park, with five - yes, five - being present at once yesterday, and four again today.  I'm not sure what the sudden popularity of the park is for them, it's a great mystery. Maybe we'll get a Little Egret next... I still have hope.
 Take into consideration first that this is my patch, now you should most likely be surprised to hear that this is not the biggest news.  No, bigger news is the return of the Kingfisher!!! I had the clichéd flash of iridescent blue and the piping call along the canal, it then proceeded to land along the water's edge. It was a female, so most likely the same individual as last year.  I'm frankly amazed though at how early it's turned up, most winter visitors don't turn up until October.  This gives me longer to try and get a shot of it this time, I think I'm going to need all that time....

Cormorant Conundrum

During the last couple of visits to the patch I've been greeted with the sight of a Cormorant on the main lake.  Yes I know what you're thinking, what's so interesting about a Cormorant?  Well generally speaking, over a year I'll only have a handful records on the patch.  And none of these have really stuck around long!  Usually only for a day, some for just a few days and even ones for a matter of hours.  These visits are interspersed with the slightly more frequent  - yet still unusual - fly overs.  Last week I had both in one day... shocking.
 As I'm sure you've gathered, where the park's concerned Cormorants are pretty exciting.  So three records over two visits is borderline mega.  Of course, it is possible, and highly probable that two were the same bird returning.  Are they now going to be a regular sight on the patch?  Who knows.

On a side note I'm off for a week in green old Ireland tomorrow, before returning there again in August for a further month.  So a busy summer ahead!

Pitch and Patch

I must say that today I was, for the first time in quite a while impressed by the patch. An aim to beat the patch day record of thirty seven didn't succeed, only off by three.  That's with some extremely obvious ones missing, Greylag Goose being one...that's the way it goes I suppose.  Today was a little bit more about quality than quantity.  Well, quality for the patch.  There's a big difference.
 A singing Coal Tit sparked things off, it being my first ever record away from winter.  Juvenile Goldcrest, Great-spotted Woodpecker and then a patch year-tick in the form of a Jay.  The old Pitch and Putt course held the real gem though, a Willow Warbler.  Surprisingly a patch first for me. Well, perhaps not so surprising if you consider that this was my first for the year.  Why it took so long I don't know.

So that, coupled with three year-ticks at Rainham yesterday, I think we can safely call the slump off.... for now.

Back in Numbers

Ah, at last.  I've located the Grey Wagtails on the patch again, and it's not just the adults anymore... they now have fledglings with them!  A rather early brood of four, who, it seems have taken after their parents, they're pretty showy.  After finding them on Friday how could I not spend Saturday morning photographing them?  Lying in stinging nettles wasn't the nicest experience, but well worth putting up with.  My, it was a fantastic morning.  And I will admit to being slightly trigger happy, I ended the morning with over a thousand shots of them, with how well they showed though...  surely it was excusable.  I'l let you judge.

Still Here

It had been almost three weeks since I'd last seen the Kingfisher on the patch.  So as I'm sure you understand I was beginning to doubt that it was still here.  Although with the amount of locations around the park people have told me they'd seen it.... It was hard to be sure.  I kept up a visual anyway and tried all the locations I could but to no avail.

 So Sunday morning when I walked into the park and the third bird I saw was the Kingfisher, well, I was -I believe the phrase would be- over the moon.  It only showed briefly, but after its long absence, even a few second's view was appreciated.   I just wish I could find out where it frequents.  If it does frequent a particular area that is.  At the moment is seems rather spontaneous. 

 To continue on from the Kingfisher, it was a successful patch visit.  We managed about 32 species and it looked as if a new record could be in sight, maybe 38?  But then we got the Grey Wagtails.  I suppose you could say I got a bit carried away.  The Wagtail showed amazingly, some of the best views I've had yet.  It may even have come too close for the camera.  At least that's my excuse for the out-of-focus shots.  Or perhaps that's just because they're such erratic birds? Before it came so close though, it sat preening for quite a while.  I've noticed them preening a lot recently, perhaps they are beginning to moult into their spring plumage? Again this could be due to our mild -if a little wet- weather this winter.  I haven't photographed them in their summer finery before, so I for one am looking forward to when they do change.  Whether or not that's the reason for this increase in preening I don't know.   Time will tell.

Patch Prospects...

I've been working out my lists recently, Life, Year, Patch, and entering them into Bubo Listing so I can keep an accurate count, as I have found myself uncertain on many occasions.  My life-list was as I had expected at 178, the same was to be said for my year-list at 79.  Then I came to my patch list, 57.  What?  I knew it was low but not that low, I was expecting at least 60.  Now I know it's not all about lists, but there are quite a few birds I would love to see at the patch which so far I haven't.  Quite a few common ones, for example I've somehow gone the last two summers without seeing a Swallow here, I mean is that even possible?  Clearly it is.  This year however I plan to change that, I will see a Swallow.
 Swallow will of course be a fly over tick, but for them small passerines which I will find near impossible to ID on their way over I've been scoping out some locations.  I think I now have a good chance Wheatear,  Mipit -which I can pick up by ear- and Willow Warblers.  I think Whitethroat and Redstart would be a little too much to ask.
 If I can keep up my regular patch visits through the spring I'm sure some of that should be manageable, especially the Swallows.

Summer Visitor Winters Here

After all the rain we had last night the patch was quite water-logged this morning.  The playing fields had become like marshes and the water level of the lakes and waterways had swelled rather a lot.  The canal was a good 5 inches deeper than usual.  I was certainly glad for a spell of sunshine while I was there, even if it didn't last for long.

As we were walking back around the Fish Lake before heading back I heard a call which sounded to me like a Chiffchaff.  And there it was flitting around in a conifer tree above me.  Quite an unexpected bird for the patch in January.  I watched it for about fifteen minutes or so and it seemed content to stay in a pair of conifers along with a Goldcrest, I wonder if it will stay for the winter or if it was just passing through when the heavy rain started?  I'm sure I'll find out soon enough though.

 Valentino the Med Gull was on the lake today as well, it's the first sighting I've had of him since New Year's Day so it was good to see he's still around.  Despite the high water there is still a Grey Wagtail around, but no sign of the Kingfisher recently.  Still not a bad day, it's always nice to find something unusual at the patch, maybe there'll be a Snipe in one of those flooded fields....

Happy New Year!

Just a quick post to wish you all a happy new year!  A year in review post will come soon I hope, I left it quite late in January this year and I do not wish to make a habit of it. So within the next couple of days, if I can.
 I'm looking forward to starting a new year-list tomorrow, from my recent trips to the patch I calculate I should manage at least thirty if the weather isn't too bad tomorrow.  I'll also start a patch year-list for the first time this coming year which should be interesting.  My yearlist  for Britain and Ireland this year was 166, I'm hoping to get 180 in 2014, though that may be tricky. So fingers crossed for next year!

Patch Kingfisher....

As I said in my last post it was my plan yesterday morning to have another look for the Kingfisher.  When I first arrived, the waterway where I believe the Kingfisher is currently residing was still in shade as the sun hadn't reached it yet.  So I doubted that the fish would be swimming in the cold water, I wouldn't want to if I was in their place.  However it wasn't long until the sun started reaching the area and only another fifteen minutes until I spotted the Kingfisher flying in from behind us.  It flew into a bush before landing on a perch I had randonly set up the day before.  It sat here for at least twenty seconds while my father and I stood just twenty five feet away on a footpath.  The bird was caught in a single ray of sunlight which brought the colours out superbly against a dark background leading to quite a good photographic opportunity.  Not a moment I will be forgetting anytime soon.

To think that there is a Kingfisher only a 2 minute walk from my house is unbelievable!  The start of a new project I think.
 While I was waiting for the Kingfisher to turn up I saw a fair few more Redwing than yesterday which is a sure sign that winter is coming.  Maybe there'll be Fieldfare soon, I'm ashamed to say I haven't patch-ticked them yet.  I know, dreadful isn't it?  But my patch now has a Kingfisher so I'm far more than happy. I remember a few months ago I was complaining about my patch having nothing of interest, it just shows that perseverance pays off.

Patch Tick

The patch yesterday was fantastic.  I managed to see over thirty species without trying too hard to get all the small ticks, I had the first Redwing of the season and a patch tick.  And all that in only an hour and a half, which for my patch isn't bad.  I don't think I've patch-ticked since the 1st of the year, so it's been a long time, though correct me if I'm wrong.
 Yesterday we were lucky.  A birder from Norfolk had found a Kingfisher on my patch, a Kingfisher! I had no idea the waterways on the patch were so good.  So thanks to that birder we now have Kingfisher on the patch list, one of the patch highlights of the year!
 Although I need to fine tune this shot just a little bit.  So that's this morning planned...

Old Faithfuls

Yesterday I took fellow young wildlife photographer Yusuf Akhtar around my patch for a morning of photographing Grey Wagtails.  I'd say that it was quite a successful morning, although I personally didn't get many shots to keep. The light was good but for the most part the birds stayed just a little out of range.   As they were a bit distant to start with I spent some more time noting there behavior, the most noteworthy of my mental notes being that they never leave the canal.  Despite flying in the completely opposite direction when flushed they will always come back  naturally further down from where they were disturbed. The more I know the easier it'll become to get shots -in theory.

 In the end the wagtails started to show quite well for me and Yusuf, not as crazily close as they have, but a more respectable distance, some fifteen foot or so.  At that distance I managed to get one more shot for the archives...

 This is going to be my last visit to the Patch before Christmas I'm afraid, but it was an enjoyable morning nonetheless, it's always good to meet other young wildlife photographers and it's always fun to photograph Grey Wagtails.  I've got quite a few plans for the Wagtails in the new year, from snow shots (if it ever comes) and possibly even wide-angles, so I will try my best to keep you updated.

Slightly Late Storm Damage

My patch is closed.  It has been for seven days now, one whole week.  Can you guess why?  Well remember that storm eleven days ago? That's who's to blame.  Strangely, I visited the park about twice after the storm before the park closed.  So I have no idea why they waited so long.  While I was there I did see a couple of fallen trees, and there was a lot of branches everywhere.  But why keep it open a couple of days before closing it if there was any danger? Personally, I would have thought the park should have been checked out the day after the storm.  That would be more logical.  Right?  Oh well there is nothing I can do but wait.
 Recently I've been working on photographing Grey Wagtails. surprisingly  they seem to be tolerant of my presence (at last), so it doesn't go too well with me to be away from photographing them for so long.    It's just so nice to spend time with a particular species.
I may have taken a few shots of them so far.  One day I did take about 400 images of one bird.  So I do need more, and I do have more. But for now this is all  you can have of my collection.  Once I've got more shots I will do a full write up, but until then that's it.  Just to keep you in suspense, they do come close...

So I am hoping they get their gear together over in the parks department, the park has been closed way too long.  Surely it won't take any longer to clear up?  Only time will tell.  But I live in hope...

Valentino....

The story behind Ilford's most famous gull.  It starts on an October day way back in the year 2000, when I was still but a baby.  Local birder Peter Hopkins was having what I'm sure was a nice walk around the lakes when he spotted a Mediterranean Gull.  The Gull we now know as Valentino.  Already in adult plumage, so at least two years old.  This fantastic little bird was then ringed in 2002.  And would you like to guess where?  Belgium, in the city of Antwerp.  He was ringed as part of the European Mediterranean Gull Ringing Scheme, and when they were told of his presence in the UK  they said -and here I quote: 'Really Astonished!'  I don't blame them.  A 200 mile journey at least.  I suppose migration of most birds is longer, but still to my eyes it's quite a trek.

After a bit of simple  (extremely simple) calculations, I estimated that this gull is at least fifteen years of age.  Older than me.  But the most interesting thing, in my opinion, is that according to the BTO's study the oldest recorded Med Gull so far lived until it was fifteen years three months and seven days old.  This means Valentino is in for a chance of snatching that title.  The funny thing is -well not exactly amusing - as far as gulls go, and they do go a long way, fifteen years is quite a short period.  Even Black-headed Gulls have reached twenty nine years.  Although this could be due to there being many more of this more common species, so more chance of a re-catch.  It would be incredible though if Valentino did set the age record.
 Considering his age he seems in good shape still, though I have yet to work out out if he is more or less dominant than the Black-headed Gulls?  Well he'll be here for a fair while longer, so I should have time to find out.

I'm not sure how it is in Belgium, but over here as I'm sure you know, some people seem to take feeding birds to the extreme - I have myself witnessed people come with shopping bags filled with bread, Usually very off bread- and the antics of birds like the Black-headed Gulls who are very partial to it seems to have rubbed off onto Valentino.  He's now got a taste for it himself.

Although, he usually is the last bird to take up from the lake to come to the bread he still shoulders his way in when he's decided he's hungry.  Although trying to keep track of him is no walk in the park. OK yes it does involve walking in a park but you know what I mean, don't you?
  And finally to top off this fantastic bird's story, Valentino seems to me to be a bird of habit. You see, the lake on which he resides is a bit bigger in scale to a football pitch.  However you would usually be wasting your time to scan the whole lake for him.  You see, save one occasion, every time I've seen Valentino on the lake he is on the east side.  And the last time he was within a twenty foot radius of where he was the time before. Even once taking bread he would return to the same spot.  Must be an age thing, I really hope I'm not like that when I'm fifteen.

 So now you know (hopefully) much more about Valentino, almost all there is to know. I would like to thank Peter Hopkins for the information he's provided.  It's been invaluable. I sincerely hope that you did not find this all that boring a read.  I rather enjoyed writing it.  It gave me a fantastic insight into Valentino's life.
 Now I just need some good images.