Broadfield farm,thames chase,Upminster (1 Viewer)

[The sniper]

Have been a bit lazy with regards to the bullfinch the last couple of days,they tend to be seen best in the mornings around 8-10 on east facing bushes,especially if the suns out.
I have heard them deep in the bushes later in the day so they are still there!!

Saturday sightings:- 8 yellowhammer,2 green Sandpiper,flew into the scrape off our land (there is one adjacent to the site not 500 yards from our scrape)
Plenty of skylarks,greenfinch,gs & green woodpeckers
Still around 15-20 Lesser redpolls but hard to get decent views in the alders and to get a proper count, and around 10 Siskin which are a little easier
Had buzzard over the centre as well

 

[The sniper]

A quick visit to the site this evening produced
Buzzard over visitor centre
3 Bullfinch all males
4 yellowhammer
1 lesser redpoll


Rob

 

[The sniper]

Wednesday 14th march

Buzzard,bullfinch,yellowhammer

A grey partridge was reported on the ockendon side of M25

 

[The sniper]

First chiffchaff seen briefly Friday,had better views today and got a couple of decent photos
Green sandpiper,grey wagtail,2 mallard,4 bullfinch,skylarks etc
3 buzzards seen today
A nuthatch was reported in Saturday at the site in scrub around the car park

 

[The sniper]

Today :- green sandpiper,Grey Wagtail,3m 1f Bullfinch,4 Chiffchaffs singing

 

[BirdBoyBen]

Do Grey Wagtails breed on site? I'm trying to build up a database of interesting species in the area.

 

[The sniper]

The scrape is only a few months old and has high banks,close by are a couple of bridges so they could nest on site,the answer at the moment is don't know but they obviously nest close by,fingers crossed but i am checking for signs

 

[David Hale]

Highlights at Broadfield Farm today, 3 Yellowhammer, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 giving good views while we rested on a bench. 2 Sparrowhawk, courting over the M25. 1 Comma & 1 Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly. Oh & meeting Rob again for some birdy chat .

 

[The sniper]

Hi david,hope you had a good day.
No luck with the Bullfinches then,i had a good look but couldnt see them despite constantly hearing them,had a very brief female which very quickly dissapeared into a bush
Chiffchaff wise i had 2 singing on the other side of M25,another 2 towards the golf course and at least 3,probably 4 in the woodland area,with 2 in one shot at one time but i can't find that shot yet so its not on tonights blog lol,still got 700 photos to go through though lol,got 4 redpoll briefly
Someone reported that they had seen Nuthatch around the car park on Saturday,the lady is an expert on insects but knows her birds,i was sceptical but heard one today,could not nail it down though,an interesting sighting and if they do end up on site i will be extremely happy,we don't have any in upminster to my knowledge,next up Treecreeper although i think we may have to wait a little longer for them.

 

[The sniper]

Fridays sightings :- 13 singing chiffchaffs,Male Goshawk,M Blackcap,Willow warbler,Peregrine,2 Sparrowhawk,8 Buzzards

 

[The sniper]

Saturday sightings
Willow warbler,nuthatch again heard but not seen
Green sandpiper,yellowhammer,4 buzzards

Sunday sightings
3 Buzzards,Willow warbler,15 chiffchaffs

Monday(today) sightings
Willow Warbler,8 chiffchaffs,Kestrel,c40 linnets.

 

[David Hale]

I enjoyed a productive 3 hours at Forest Chase,Upminster, today. After a tasty bacon sarnie & a latte, in the centre`s lovely cafe, i ambled around half the reserve,to find, 3 Buzzard, all together up in the thermals, 1 female Bullfinch, showing well in a treetop. 1 pair of Chiffchaff, 1 fly over, Little Egret, pair of resident Pied Wagtail, busy gathering nesting materials. Many Blue & Great Tits, 2 Jay, 2 male Blackbird, 1 Kestrel & a Pair of Mallard, on the hide pond.Oh & 1 Cock Pheasant. A nice outing, see you soon, Rob.

 

[The sniper]

Sorry for not posting recently,been busy
5th April had a very early Garden Warbler,heard singing by two observers,one am,one pm hasn't been located since
2 Willow warblers seen today(saturday),another heard the other side of the M25
5 buzzards seen saturday
Been quiet the last couple of days,plenty of chiffchaffs about,still waiting for any hirundines though.

 

[The sniper]

Today at broadfield farm

Only managed to get as far as the visitor centre as have broken my ankle so reports from this sight may be very sporadic but I do at least intend on still visiting the centre area a few times a week if I can get there

2 willow warbler,heard near the centre,quite a distance from where they are usually heard so hopefully we have a couple more birds now
3 chiffchaff,kestrel,6 greenfinch on feeders,2 x yellowhammer

 

[The sniper]

Monday sightings
Scrape:- grey wagtail,House sparrow (site mega lol),mallard
Gt Barn:- 2 Willow warbler,5 chiffchaffs,yellowhammer,G S Woodpecker

Tuesday sightings
Willow warbler,3 chiffchaffs,6 Skylarks

 

[David Hale]

Sorry to learn about your broken ankle Rob, not looked at your reports for a while. I see you now have some feeders up at Broadfield Farm, good news. Must visit when the weather permits & hopefully find you mended, mobile & out birding again, best wishes Dave & Bren.

 

[The sniper]

It's driving me mad not being able to get out.I really want to see what warblers and other migrants turn up,as well as anything on the scrape.Been there a couple of times since I broke my ankle,just to sit on a bench with my feet up but both times have had to go home after less than an hour because of the pain.Am feeling better now though,no pain but I have to have a cast on for another 3 weeks,although they say it has heeled ok so I am going to pester them to have it off in 2 weeks as I can't work.

 

[David Hale]

Star bird at Hanningfied.

My wife & i, spotted a star bird at Hanningfield visitor centre today. Alex Polizzi, famous for her 'Hotel Inspector' programme, was in the centre with a film crew. There to do some team building with EWT staff, the action was forced inside by the wet weather. A life tick for both of us.

 

[The sniper]

Lol,can't get close to that.Although my best mate did have dinner with Ronaldo the ex Brazilian footballer last night,while watching the Chelsea game

 

[The sniper]

First trip back over at Broadfield farm today.Had my cast taken off and given a boot i can walk with and a support i can drive with,i know i shouldnt do it but the support allows me to hobble around birding,albeit slowly and only a short distance.
Water levels on the two ponds are very high,the highest i have seen,but nothing more than a pair of Mallards on each.I didn't make the scrape,bit too far for me,but weather permitting,i may get there tomorrow.

took a short walk 500 yards or so from the centre,saw
2 Swallows,Lesser Whitethroat,7 whitethroat,bullfinch heard,2 willow warbler,3 chiffys