The Lodge - Recent threads

Ring Ouzel at The Lodge 21 April 2013

Sandyman2 — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 13:50:58 GMT

A little film of the Siskins, Redpolls and Bramblings at the feeders :)

DeniseAnderson — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 09:48:25 GMT

Hi,

Managed to get up to the reserve early last Sunday morning and filmed some of the birds at the feeders.... here's some of the footage I've put together :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Uqdp1PYaMs

Denise

Sparrowhawk

Rob — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 15:27:53 GMT

Took a trip up to RSPB Sandy this morning with a friend- along with the new Canon 100-400mm lens I've got on hire. 

As we were enjoying the standard showing of tits, finches and the odd woodpecker, all of a sudden they all started shrieking and promptly scarpered.

Then this impressive Sparrowhawk swooped in and sat on the branch briefly, to our amazement. Stunning.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/78602428@N04/8191138950/in/photostream/

Bird-call ID websites

Dr Nick — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 16:43:23 GMT

For the very helpful and friendly volunteer in the Lodge shop on Friday afternoon (sorry, I didn't think to ask you name or look at you badge), the bird call identification websites that we talked about are:

xeno-canto - http://www.xeno-canto.org/europe/all_species.php

HiNT - http://www.birdid.no/index.php

HiNT is the one that I couldn't remember that uses a quiz-based approach to learning bird ID. You can use the training quiz as many times as you like for free and you only need to register if you want your name and score to appear in the results list.

Philip

The Spotted Flycatchers :)

DeniseAnderson — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 22:07:27 GMT

Hi :)

I've just read Marks blog about the youngsters hatching... I was up there with my partner early Sunday morning and they were very busy even then, here's some footage of the parents i grabbed :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHYeL7IhNek&feature=plcp

The lodge coming to life

Kiteman47 — Fri, 18 May 2012 13:39:49 GMT

I was at the lodge on Wednesday the 16 may , and i must say it most fruitful . The amount of species recorded at the hide was quite amazing , some visited the feeders none stop . Nuthatch ( 3 ) Cuckoo , Garden Warbler , Blue Tit , Great Tit , Raven , Crow , Jay , Green Woodpecker , Great Spotted Woodpecker , Pheasant , Male/Female Blackcaps , Male Robin ( 3 ) , Blackbird , Chaffinch M/F ( 9 ) Woodpigeon ( 5) Spotted Flycatcher bathing , Whitethroat Female ( 2) Buzzard , Dunnock (2) Brambling , there was also some swallows and swifts flying in the sky . I also spied a house martin over the fieldds low level flying . Great day out

Sky full of swifts

IanH — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:04:20 GMT

Great day to be at the Lodge if you like swifts, the whole of the reserve seemed to be resonating with their calls, and not just from the speakers on the buildings trying to entice them in to nest! The St Marks flies seem to have had a big hatch today among other insects which has brought in flocks of swifts and house martins, probably swallows and sand martins as well and they have been putting on quite a show as they zoom around the tree tops.

Not a bad supporting cast with at least 4 buzzards over the reserve, a brief fly by from a hobby and the odd wheatear still showing. There is lots of nest building and fledged young are about as well so listen out for the high pitched calls and keep an eye out for busy parent birds with beakfuls of food!

All seen this morning, 7th May between 7.15 and 10,.00am.

ant — Mon, 07 May 2012 13:54:08 GMT

Thought you might be interested in my record of birds seen this morning - fabulous walk around The Lodge.

Partridge, hobbies,
cuckoos, woodpigeons, green woodpeckers, gs woodpecker, wrens, robins,
blackbirds, song thrush, mistle thrush, chiffchaff, blackcaps, goldcrest, long tailed tits,
coal tits, great tits, blue tits, nuthatch, jay, magpie, chaffinches,
greenfinches, goldfinches. Greylag geese, mallard and a shellduck on the heath.

The cuckoo was flying with 2 birds I am sure were hobbies, they were very fast! The hobbies flew off over the shop and the cuckoo landed very near me, good view but too quick for a photo. I will send a photo of what I am sure was another cuckoo but it was very far away, my camera struggled! Let me know if you think it is something else please. The mistle thrush was having a great feast on the garden in front of the shop.

Anthea S.

New to birdwatching-The Lodge Reserve

Munkey_Boy — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:38:18 GMT

Hi Everybody I am new to birdwatching and have recently joined the RSPB with my Dad. YAY!!!! I am into by bird photography using a compact camera possibly upgrading to a DSLR. Anyway this Saturday we are going to The Lodge in Sandy. I am just wondering what birds will I possibly see at this time of year? Where to look in the reserve to see these birds? Any help would be great thanks to any info!

Look forward to hearing from everyone.

P.S Does anyone know what the bird is below, I saw it in a shrub in my estate if it helps

Wind Turbine

Sandyman2 — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 22:28:35 GMT

I saw this on the news today. I feel deeply let down by you

Fox in the Lodge snow

IanH — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:04:11 GMT

It's still a bit of a white out here at the Lodge although the roads are clear, the paths are still a bit of a challenge! A couple of shots from earlier in the week.

Sightings on 07/12.2011

Kiteman47 — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 22:52:27 GMT

Today as usual there was an abundance of Great/Blue and the odd Coal tit , numerous Chaffinch's , male and female Great spotted woodpeckers visiting the feeders , a female Sparrow hawk put in a brief appeirence , a Jay gave us a quick glimpse , a quartet of rooks , Robin , Pheasants , Goldfinch , Kestrel , Greenfinch and a small flock of 5 or so Bramblings all of this from the Lake hide . On the way to the car park i saw a flock of twenty to thirty Fieldfare circling near the rowans also in the silver birches there were three mistle thrushes . So yet another good visit thankyou R.S.PB

starlings

loud ed — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 22:24:52 GMT

can anybody tell me where the nearest starling roost is to north luton please i have seen the one at fen drayton but that was a few years ago i was looking for one a bit more local

uploading photos

Alan Crofts — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 18:53:12 GMT

Hi, I was trying to upload some photos that I took on Sat 22.10 of some Crossbills at the hide. I select upload from my computer (as I have in the past) but all it says in the box is undefined file. Any ideas?

Migration

Kiteman47 — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:24:52 GMT

On the 19th of october i was lucky enough to see the first recorded Fieldfare come and land in the trees just past the car park , there was a couple of red wings included, in this flock of migratory birds . We walked around the wood and saw greenwood pecker , buzzard , wren ,2 jays , numerous greenfinch , lesser spotted woodpecker , 6 wood lark , the usual blue great and coal tit oh and the obvious robin . Great day out .

Visible Migration at The Lodge

Darren Oakley-Martin — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 13:21:43 GMT

The autumn visible migration season is upon us once more. A time of year that sees me standing stationary at a fixed spot on the new heath, counting all birds passing over. It can be very exciting - not knowing what is going to pass over next, or, it can be extremely dull! My first 'vis-mig' exercise of the autumn was carried out on Wednesday morning, between 07:05-08:35. It was rather windy (14mph SW) so conditions were not optimal, but we experienced some movement nevertheless:

Meadow Pipit, 67
Grey Wagtail, 1
Siskin, 34
Chaffinch, 6
redpoll sp, 3 (blogging)
alba wagtail, 1
Sand Martin, 3
Skylark, 6
Goldfinch, 1>S
Swallow, 3
House Martin, 2
Redwing, 3
Yellowhammer, 5>W

I will post details of future watches on these pages, but why not head for high ground and try it for yourself? It is highly addictive...

ATB,

DOM

Where to stay in Sandy

ali_abbas — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 22:06:56 GMT

Hello everyone

I'm planning on spending a weekend down at Sandy in a month or two's time. The last time I visited was at the age of 9, I'm 27 now and my priorities have changed! No parents!

I'm looking for a B&B ideally that's close to the reserve and isn't too pricey. A place with some character, a tasty breakfast, within walking distance of a nice country pub or restaurant and most important of all - somewhere friendly. What were your experiences like visiting Sandy? Where did you stay?

We're planning on getting the train from Kings Cross. It doesn't seem too arduous.

Anyway, hope you can help

Ali x

Birds this weekend

Mark Brandon — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 16:11:42 GMT

Still holding on to summer, hobbies are around the belt of pines on the new heath, along the track to the hillfort from the shop, although they can be in other areas of the reserve as well.A chiff chaff was calling today,unlike most migrants they do start to 'sing' as Autumn arrives and can be heard well into October.No reports of the spotted flycatchers lately, so maybe they have flown off now.

It's a good sunny weather forecast tomorrow, so let us know what you see if you come up to The Lodge, must be time for an exciting migrant, last year we'd had a red backed shrike and a redstart by now!

Image credit John Bridges RSPB images.com.

Moving to the area!

Charlie — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 10:14:38 GMT

Hi there,

I currently volunteer at Old Moor in South Yorkshire, but in October I'll be moving down south as my partner is starting a new job in Stevenage. I'm hoping to transfer my volunteering to the Lodge!

I was wondering if anyone had any opinions on nice places to live in the area, preferably somewhere between Sandy and Stevenage, with a train station. We'd identified Hitchin as a possibility but know nothing about it and haven't had chance to visit yet. Any help would be much appreciated - its difficult when all these places are just names on a map!

Also, if anyone has any info on volunteering at the Lodge, that would be great too!

Thanks in advance,

Charlie

Sightings from The Lodge

Tom — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 14:03:01 GMT

The Lodge

A number of Crossbills have been reported from various locations and in varying numbers around the reserve this week (Steve Blain, Mark Gurney, Andy Schofield et al.) – listen for their distinctive calls overhead or when given from pines. http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/c/crossbill/index.aspx Male Cuckoo still widely reported from various points around the reserve; Hobbies conspicuous by their absence this week.

Friday 10 June

Another weather-related Swift movement with c70 east over the old heath before the rain set in at 13:30. Male Four-spotted Chaser and male Emperor at the Natterjack Pond on the Old Heath. (Darren Oakley-Martin)
Pair of Red-legged Partridges on the meadow (Nigel Willits)

Thursday 09 June

Couple of 4-spot Chasers at the swimming pool. Lots of Field Grasshoppers active on the old heath. (Nigel Willits)

Wednesday 08 June

Female Emperor dragonfly hunting over the ridge meadow. Meadow Browns at various spots around the reserve. (Nigel Willits)
Not a hugely significant weather-related movement, but 14 Swifts north- east (wind south-westerly) over Bunker’s Hill were a precursor to rainfall shortly after 13:00 o’clock. (Darren Oakley-Martin)
Adult fox seen running across the drive near the Yew Tree car park yesterday morning at 08.10 (Claire Farrar)

Tuesday 07 June

Stinkhorns (Phallus impudica) along the trail behind the meadow. (Nigel Willits)
Southern hawker around the Avocet end of the gardens (Katie Fuller, Andrew Westley)
Lovely sunny morning for the Tuesday walk group, so ventured to walking over to the Working Quarry. First sighting - a young dunnock followed by a Great Tit feeding a fledgling with caterpillar. Crossing into the field surrounded by 50+ sand martins - adults and juveniles catching the insects on the wing- amazing sight. Sound and sight of the beautiful skylarks added to the start of the walk. 'Jack go to Bed at Noon' flower head which disperses at midday (Meadow Salsify) was spotted along path just before the Quarry road. Meadow Brown butterfly was sighted & studied, and walking further saw Meadow Pipit on branch. Above 2 swifts soaring into the skies. In the ground near the quarry a pair of Mistle Thrush foraging for food with Magpie nearby. Following along onto the path leading alongside the wooded area, cinnabar mouth, whitethroat, green woodpecker plus garden warbler heard. Great Spotted Woodpecker juvenile on tree by Deepdale area, and Blue Tits 2 Buzzards high in the skies above the Sandy TV mast, more whitethroat and warblers on route back and finally a Jay in the oak tree on the path going back towards the Gatehouse. An extended walk of 3 hours and good to see the new RSPB signs over in this area to encourage other walkers to come across to our lovely Lodge reserve. (Jan Murphy)

Monday 06 June

Hummingbird hawk moth feeding on the pink flowers at the front of Osprey Building near the steps at 6:50 pm. (Jackie Bruce)

Sandy, Bedfordshire

Tuesday 07 June

6 calling buzzards gliding over the reserve yesterday at about 10.15am. Viewed from Sandy station London-bound platform. (David Pennington)
Two water voles seen swimming and munching amongst the sedge in the margins of the ditch that runs underneath the footpath from Sandy to Beeston, next to the Riddy (Julie & Jon Balaam).

Spotted Flycatchers

ant — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 08:28:13 GMT

Enjoyed a quiet hour this morning watching the flycatchers visit their nest box.

Wednesday at The Lodge

Woodpecker — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 13:39:54 GMT

I put a report plus photos about our trip to The Lodge in the Where to watch wildlife forum, but rather than post all of the photos again here, I decided to put a link to the thread.

Our trip to the Lodge

First Visit

Ima — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 12:58:03 GMT

Just thought I would say Hello :-)

My first visit to The Lodge yesterday afternoon just as the sun came out, what a beautiful place!!

Was told by the lady on the gate to look for a pair of owls in a pine tree (didn't find them lol), and to go to the hide and see Redpolls, did find those. Never seen one before, very pretty little birds I was very pleased to see them.

Highlight of my visit though were 20 Waxwings in a tree on the heath, they were there only a minute or so but I was so excited to see them I was practically jumping up and down....

We will be back........

Sarah

Red kites

IanH — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 17:14:11 GMT

Lovely blue skies today brought the raptors out in force. A pair of buzzards were circling over head this morning and early this afternoon a red kite drifted over towards the plateau.

Already a good day but even better when a second red kite loomed over head giving cracking views in really good light!

Lets hope for some more sunny days and further good views!

Visit next Friday

Valmc — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 13:46:32 GMT

We are going to a wedding on Saturday in Huntingdon so a visit to The Lodge on Friday is a must for me!

Can anybody update recent sightings

Thanks

Val