Bird Watching 2020 - U3A Site Builder
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Bird Watching 2020 January 2020: WOLLATON PARK On a beautiful sunny but cold winter morning, we began our bird-watching New Year in a spectacular way: the sight of ten herons seen all at the same time in a willow tree in an inaccessible part of the lakeside was a treat which kept us fascinated for a long time, as individual herons obligingly hopped about, took flight and preened themselves, enjoying the weather as much as us. They could be seen without the benefit of binoculars and at the other extreme, in terms of size, was the tiny goldcrest, also easy to see without binoculars as he was so close to us, just off the main path. We saw some more usual birds and ducks, such as gadwall, shoveller, pochard, an egret and a teal and there were plenty of geese, clustering around our feet keen for food. The long-tailed tits were harder to identify against a bright blue sky and we saw a pair of colourful jays and the parakeets in the conservation area at the far end of the lake. We finished our walk in the gardens of the hall, at the feeders, where there was a lone chaffinch and lots of nuthatches competing with the squirrels for the seed that had been left out. You can never tell what you will see on a bird-watching trip as it depends so much on the weather, but we went home happy after a splendid outing. Heron Goldcrest February 2020: ATTENBOROUGH NATURE RESERVE On a sunny and cold Friday morning, sandwiched between storms Ciara and Dennis, we were fortunate to have an excellent visit to our wonderful Nottingham nature reserve, where we saw a good variety of water birds from the comfort of one hide. There were clear sightings of a group of shovellers and wigeons, a pair of goosander and the very striking goldeneye, as well as gadwalls, great crested grebe and grey lag geese. On the way to the hide, we came across the distinctive Egyptian goose and enjoyed watching the long-tailed tits feeding and several reed bunting perched obligingly in the same tree. The sights and sounds of lapwings flying and settling in the scrapes provided entertainment for all. We retired to the café, defeated by the cold wind which started in the early afternoon, but rallied after a warm drink, to finish the day by a sighting of the Slavonian Grebe, a rare visitor to
these shores. He doesn’t look as spectacular in his winter plumage as he does in the summer, but it was nevertheless a satisfying way to finish our visit, and a first to tick off in our bird books! Goldeneye Slavonian Grebe March 2020: POTTERIC CARR NATURE RESERVE This Yorkshire Wildlife Trust is surrounded by a large industrial estate and the M18 and at first sight does not seem a likely place for an excellent day bird-watching. However, a group of 15 (13 in the minibus and 2 in their own cars) managed to see a very respectable quota of birds, starting with 5 buzzards and one kestrel spotted on the motorway on the way there. Some of the hides have feeders placed nearby so we saw male and female chaffinch, great tit, coal tit, male reed bunting and long tailed tit from the comfort of the hide. Some people caught sight of a goldcrest, but he did not stay around long enough for all of us to see him. We heard the first chiff-chaff of the season and also the sound of a cetti’s warbler. While we were in one of the hides overlooking the lagoons, we heard a report that a bittern had been seen and heard there the day before, but we were not lucky enough to spot him. We did see lapwing, oystercatcher, cormorant, little grebe and great crested grebe, as well as shoveller, gadwall, pochard, shelduck, teal, egret and heron. A further highlight of the day was the final cup of coffee outside the café on the verandah overlooking the lake, with the sun shining on our faces. Does that mean that spring is here? Oyster Catcher Shelduck
May 2020: BIRD ANAGRAMS & A POEM
Here is a bird anagrams quiz for you to try.
Bird Anagrams Quiz
tilts cardhop octave ribtent elegynode
ribno finkhiserg noher kidcrablb hailinggent
impage smartdinan sharkpowraw lawnpig treacherycost
pokerwecod orangesdo cutnthha stenchoat defilefar
The answer can be found further down the page.
{+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++}
The Skylark
Suddenly above the fields you’re pouring
Pure joy in a shower of bubbles,
Lacing the spring with the blue thread of summer.
You’re the warmth of the sun in a song.
You’re light spun to a fine filament;
Sun on a spider-thread -
That delicate.
You’re the lift and balance the soul feels,
The terrible, tremulous, uncertain thrill of it –
You’re all the music the heart needs,
Full of its sudden fall, silent fields.
By: Katrina Porteous
From: Ten Poems about Birds
{+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++}
Bird Anagrams Answers
stilt pochard avocet bittern goldeneye
robin kingfisher heron blackbird nightingale
magpie sandmartin sparrowhawk lapwing oystercatcher
woodpecker goosander nuthatch stonechat fieldfare
{+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++}
September & October 2020: LANGFORD LOWFIELDS & COLWICK
The U3A bird watchers have dusted off their binoculars and have met up to see what birds are
out and about in our beautiful local countryside. Needless to say we are COVID conscious and
limit ourselves to groups of 6 and social distancing!
September saw us visit Langford Lowfields near Newark and October, Colwick Park. We were
hopeful at CP to spot the Kingfishers but no such luck! Some good spots though including
Widgeons, Pochards and the local celebrity, the black Swan!
We managed to get back to the cars before the rain well and truly set in!
Next month will see us at Attenborough Nature Reserve, date to be confirmed and is dependent
on COVID restrictions at the time.
If anyone wants to join us please ring or email our convenor Nuala Leyden for details.
Helen Forrester
Langford Lowfields
Colwick Country Park
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