After a busy weekend with little chance to do any birding, though I did manage to dip a Great Grey Shrike near Hambridge and a couple of Common Cranes near Puddletown, I spent an hour or so on Monday morning at Sutton Bingham Reservoir. A late afternoon visit on Sunday had produced a squealing Water Rail somewhere on the banks of West Pool, a Little Egret by the Fishing Lodge and a Peregrine atop a pylon at the southern end, but it seemed much quieter this morning.
A couple of Mute Swans were seen from the southern causeway before eventually flying off north and a couple of Ravens passed overhead. There were reasonable numbers of Fieldfares and Redwings about but nothing in the way of winter duck on the water so I concentrated on the car park.
There were quite a few birds flitting around the trees with three Treecreepers being seen, a fly-over Meadow Pipit, a Nuthatch heard calling and a couple of Goldcrests. There were also several Chiffchaffs present with at least six being counted. All appeared to be the nominate collybita with the exception of one bird which really stood out. This Chiffchaff had an all black bill and legs, was brown and buff in colouration and had a noticeable, if somewhat pale, wing bar...it looked bang on for a tristis Siberian Chiffchaff. Unfortunately I didn't hear the bird call during the prolonged views I managed as it fed in the trees which would have surely clinched the ID...but I'll be certain to take another look when I get the chance!
No comments:
Post a Comment