Water Rail Dunstable STW

Water Rail Dunstable STW

Nice treat to see one of these out in the open for a change and showing well, earlier in the year we had 2 individuals on site, not sure that's the case now with all the local upheaval and building works adjacent to the site?

Water Rail

Popped into Dunstable Sewage Works for a couple of hours today and was delighted to find the Water Rails had returned to site. I saw two together today with the possibility of another one which was calling from the opposite reed bed. They put on quite a show for me and enclose couple of snaps.

Dunstable Sewage Works 05-10-2014

Before the excitement of the Willington Hoopoe, I was at the Monthly open day 1st Sunday of the month at the Dunstable Sewage Works, It was really cold with the first frost of the year on the scrape which was full of Teal (no sign of the Gargany), the Kingfisher was hovering and feeding in front of the hide, three Water Rail were involved in a territorial punch up, 3 Snipe were playing there usual hide and seek game as was the Green Sandpiper. The Wren and Dunnock were very active and the Robin as usual was trying to rule the roost. Pied, White? & Grey Wagtail were seen with the usual Gadwall, Shovler, Tufted, Mallard Ducks & BH Gulls etc and far too many Cormorants.
A lovely morning made all the more fantastic with the re-appearance of the Hoopoe in Willington.

Day Out Flitwick Moore, Blows Down & Dunstable Sewage Works

Started out very early with my mate Mark on a quest to Flitwick Moore for the third time to try and get a decent picture of the Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers. Unfortunately I failed in this mission once again even after giving it 4-5 hours on site, saw the little beggars again at the bottom end by the bridges but no pictures!!

We did however bump into Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers, Jay, Magpie, Crow, Jackdaw, Buzzard, Blackbird, Dunnock, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Chaffinch, Robin, loads of Wren & Treecreepers, Great, Blue and Long-tailed Tit. We then moved on to Blows Down where Wheatear and Ring Ouzel were reported, we only managed to catch up with the Wheatear, I then moved on to DSW where I ran into Teal, Mallard, Pochard, Snipe on the main scrape along with 2 Water Rail, lets hope they are a pair?

Great day out around Beds and thanks to Mark for his company and patience as we didn't get the LSW on film, we did try very hard, perhaps next time we will be lucky.

Dunstable Sewage Works 06-10-2013

Once again the first Sunday of the month visit arrived today, unfortunately for the 4th month in a row the fishermen were on site when we arrived, so there were not many birds on the ponds 1, 2, 3 & 4. I can also report that due to a huge effort by Rob Dazley and a few helpers the scrape has now been fully cleared and will from hear on in give everybody in the hide fantastic views of the scrape and ponds to the side, well done to all those who have put the effort in, it is a great improvement. Unfortunately not too much water in the scrape today as it needed to be dry to enable all the works, but next month should be fine.

My bird list today is as follows, Kestrel, Buzzard, Magpie, Jay, Crow, Jackdaw, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Bulfinch, Meadow Pipit,  Reed Bunting, Coot, Moorhen, Water Rail, Grey Heron, Green Sandpiper, Common Snipe, Mallard, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Black Headed Gull, Kingfisher,Teal, Pochard, Blackbird, Song & Mistle Thrush. Some photo's from the Hide enclosed