Will it ever get warmer?

Balancing the demands of work with birding and the weather is proving ever more difficult. My first visit here in over a week and it was cold, windy and rather...... British, I suppose.
I arrived at 5.30pm this evening and didn't expect to see much as the gale force winds had probably blown most of the birds into the next county.
What few birds were there appeared to be pairs: Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Canada Geese and 3 pairs of Mallards. The Teal appear to have moved on. Most of the smaller birds were sheltering in the hedgerows and several Chiffchaff were noticable by their distinct song.

Just when I thought I'd give up and go home, I had an unexpected windfall of "new to the patch" birds. Firstly a skulking Whitethroat in the hedgerow, followed swiftly by a Willow Warbler and then out of the blue a small flock (around 12) Lapwing cascaded across the sky and over the reedbeds.

So, patch list up to 56 and plenty of good weather to come! (fingers crossed).

A late visit today. I didn't get here until after 6pm but it was another calm, glorious sunny evening.
I spent the first 20 minutes sat in the hide watching the Mute Swan terrorising a pair of Canada Geese. Like some school yard bully he chased one, then the other goose, relentlessly. I concluded that they were either strong willed or plain stupid as they just kept coming back for more. A gaggle of Mallards sat and watched the proceedings with some amusement, quacking their approval (or maybe disapproval?) as the swan lunged out.

Unfortunatley I only had my fixed 400mm lens and couldn't get both birds into the same frame but I think the swan's body language says it all! (click photo to enlarge)

A single Stock Dove flew over during the proceedings pushing my patch list to 52.

There were less birds generally this evening. Most of the Teal seemed to have moved on and only one Snipe was evident. However, I saw 3 Reed Buntings and Chiffchaff were plentiful.
I ended the evening trying (unsuccesfully) to get a photo of a singing male Yellowhammer, high up in an oak tree but obscured by branches and I just couldn't get the focus right. I had to settle for simply notching up No.53 on the list.
I'm happy with that.

You learn something new everyday

I made a late afternoon visit to the Orchard Centre today and I wasn't disappointed.
Today must be the first time that I haven't worn a jacket. "Huzzah!", I thought,  "It's summer".
In fact this was confirmed by the sight of four Swallows skimming over the meadows.
My patch list topped 50 today with the addition of Raven, Reed Bunting and Shoveler.
I was particularly pleased to see the magnificent raven croaking overhead.
Other birds, particularly ducks, seemed much scarcer today. Just a couple of Teal, a few Mallards, 2 Snipe, a Heron and a handful of singing Chiffchaffs.

The female Mute Swan was sitting alertly on the nest while the male was in full on territorial mode, harassing 3 Canada Geese who looked as though they were considering moving on somewhere for a quieter life!

However, the highlight of the day had to be the sight of a swimming Hare.  I saw a small animal dive into one of the ponds. My immediate thought was that it was a Muntjac Deer. I was shocked when it reached the other side of the water and then shot off through the long grass. Two more (somewhat drier) hares were waiting at the other side of the field for him. I never knew that hare could swim.

One swallow does not a summer make

In fact neither do two. It's wet and windy and not at all welcoming weather for migratory birds. Still, it's my first Swallow sighting of the year so I shouldn't be complaining. Welcome to England, chaps!

Some enchanted evening.

The demands of work are making bird watching difficult this week so I thought I'd try a late evening visit. I had "a feeling in my water" that a Barn Owl sighting was due.
I arrived about 7:30pm. What few birds were there were preparing to roost. Birds seen: 12 Teal, 6 Mallards, 30 Wood Pigeon, 18 Goldfinch, a Canada Goose and 2 Jackdaw.
The pair of Kestrels were displaying well and quite noisily too.
No Barn Owls though.
I won't lie. I went home cold and a little disappointed.

Not the Orchard Centre today, but Hartpury itself.
In the fields opposite The Watersmeet Country Inn this evening, at least 450 to 500 Fieldfares.
The largest flock I have seen for a long time and a sighting I thought worthy of note.
So there we are. I've noted it.

Hare today, gone tomorrow.

Another glorious morning. This can't last, surely?
The first thing I noticed today was a pair of Mallards with 8 newly hatched ducklings. It's official -  spring has arrived!
The Mute Swans have also built a magnificent nest.
The Kestrels were showing better today and I got a shot of the male (click photo to enlarge):

Ploughing in the field adjacent to the Orchard centre was attracting a large flock of gulls (Herring and Lesser Black-Backed). So that's numbers 47 and 48 added to the patch list.
More suprisingly, this was also pulling in a large number of Buzzards (I counted at least 12).
Whilst I was watching the Buzzard/Gull ariel display a Hare shot out from under my feet. I managed to swing the camera around and fire a couple of shots off but they're not the best:

Other than that, it was the usual suspects: 7 Snipe, 14 Teal, a lonely Canada Goose and a Grey Heron.

Saturday 6th April

Arrived at the Orchard Centre at 7:45am. What a glorious day! Still cold and frosty but the sun was shining and that bitter wind had at least subsided.
I counted 27 species within the hour I was there today. This included 7 Snipe, 4 Bullfinch, 2 Chiffchaff, 14 Teal, a Grey Heron and at least 4 Buzzards. I could only find one of the Canada Geese today, so thought I better take a photo before he/she disappeared!

Two new species seen today: A pair of Kestrels and a singing Skylark.
So that's number 45 and 46 in the bag!

A late afternoon visit to the Orchard Centre.
The wind was biting and I was in no mood to sit in a freezing hide for long.
However, I can now add Goldfinch to the list.
So that makes 44 so far.

A good day's birding yesterday at the Orchard Centre. 32 species. I guess the highlight was 6 Chiffchaffs. The first I've seen this year. This bitter cold seems to have kept them away. And who can blame them?

The 2 Mute Swans have built a nest and the female was on it. A couple of Canada Geese have also turned up . Teal and Mallards are still plentiful and there are good numbers of Fieldfare in the hedgerows still.
Lovely to see a pair of Bullfinches - my first this year.
A magnificent Red Fox crossed my path as I was exploring some of the smaller ponds. I should think he was a male judging by the size.

Introduction

I've been toying with the idea of a "blog" for a while. 
I wanted it to be a record of my birding expeditions, but rather than just being random records of various trips I needed somehere to "centre" my log - a Local Patch, if you like.
After considering various sites I have settled on Hartpury Orchard Centre in Gloucestershire, about 5 miles from my home.
Why? Because no-one else seems to have discovered this wonderful place yet!
It's off the radar to most but I think it has the potential to be one of the best birding sites in Gloucestershire. Restoration of the ancient wetland meadows at the Orchard Centre began in 2008 and work is continuing. This gives it the feel of "early days" and I want to be here to see it grow and blossom.
http://www.tasteandexplore.com/cider-perry-centre.shtml

I've visited this "patch" around 10 times since last autumn but now intend to make these visits at least once a week now.
So far I have recorded 43 species of birds.
These are:

Blackbird   Blue Tit   Brambling  Bullfinch  Buzzard 
Canada Goose  Carrion Crow  Chaffinch  Chiffchaff   Coal Tit  Collared Dove Common Gull  Coot Cormorant
Dunnock
Fieldfare
Goldcrest  Great Spotted Woodpecker   Great Tit  Green Woodpecker  Grey Heron
Jackdaw  Jay
Long-tailed Tit
Magpie  Mallard  Mistle Thrush  Moorhen   Mute Swan 
Pheasant  Pied Wagtail 
Redwing  Robin  Red-legged Partridge
Snipe  Song Thrush  Sparrowhawk  Starling  Swallow
Teal  Tufted Duck
Woodpigeon  Wren