Birding Technique

Pete had seen a Firecrest on the Wild Marsh East yesterday, so with Lol I set off to refind it. The plan was find a roving Tit flock and it would surely be in with them.

The first difficulty was finding a roving Tit flock, in fact finding anything was proving a bit difficult.

We eventually did stumble across a few birds and we started pishing, almost instantly a 'crest popped up, however it proved to be more Gold than Fire, still a nice bird. Nearby a male Blackcap also appeared.

Lol pishing in some bushes (I think that's what he said)

A couple of Snipe, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Redshank and a pair of Goosander were the best of the rest. The latter seem to like the canal/overflow channels more than the reservoirs for some reason and also seem to spend a lot of time commuting, the same birds being seen anywhere from No.5, occasionally, but more often around the top of the Lockwood on the Banbury but also on the Chingford reservoirs.

A few more Passerines noted today now the snow has gone, Greenfinches and Song Thrushes much more obvious than of late.

(On this date: 10 12 90 The Mediterranean Gull still present on the filter beds at Walthamstow also a 2nd winter drake Smew on the High Maynard and a Common Sandpiper on the Lockwood.)

PW