More Rope

An afternoon trip to Stewartby Brick Pits. On Rookery Pit south; Red Necked Phalarope, Ringed Plover, Dunlin and Sanderling. Heavy fine rain made for extremely poor visibility.
sh4rpy, Brendan G.

Norfolk Sat 28th 2011

Another trip to Norfolk with Paul F and Brendan G. We were hoping for Honey Buzzard and Montague's Harrier, however, we dipped on both! We did make a day list. I will add the sites we visited later.
Carrion crow

Kestrel

Magpie

Grey heron

Cormorant

Wood pigeon

Rook

Common buzzard

Pheasant

Skylark

Jackdaw

Mute swan

Collared dove

Blackbird

Starling

Swallow

Green finch

Mallard

Black headed gull

House sparrow

Chaffinch

Shellduck

Song thrush

Marsh harrier

Swift

Yellow hammer

Lapwing

Hobby

Goldfinch

White throat

Jay

Sparrow hawk

Blue tit

Red legged partridge

Yellow wagtail

Red Kite

Linnet

Lesser black backed gull

House martin

Robin

Tufted duck

Pochard

Gadwall

Greylag

Canada goose

Coot

Bittern

Shoveller

G c grebe

Moorhen

R C pochard

Bearded tit

Reed bunting

Redshank

Black tailed godwit

Herring gull

Avocet

Common tern

Pintail

Oystercatcher

Turnstone

Pied wagtail

Little tern

GBB Gull

Gannet

Dunlin

Eider

Sandwich tern

Ringed plover

Teal

Wigeon

Quail (heard only)

I've Redstarted so I'll finish.

I've been away in Bournemouth all week for our trade union's annual conference. I travelled back today but decided to get some birding in along the way. I stopped at three sites, Keyhaven Marshes, Hurst Spit nr Lymimgton and then Beaulieu Road Station in the New Forest.

Keyhaven; Swift, Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Reed Bunting, Reed Warbler, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Black Tailed Godwit, Grey Plover, Knot, Dunlin, Turnstone, Ringed Plover, Curlew, Pintail, Shelduck, Eider, Little Tern, Little Egret, Common Tern, Gannet.

Hurst Spit; Rock Pipit, (tick and run!)

Beaulieu Road Station; Cuckoo (calling,) Stonechat (3 pairs,) Marsh Tit (adults feeding young,) Mistle Thrush, Curlew, Reed Bunting, House Martin, Redstart (at least 5 pairs.)

Lesser Whitethroat.

A mid morning visit to Croxley Common Moor produced a Lesser Whitethroat. From Moor Lane entrance to the moor, turn left and walk 75 meters along hedgerow adjoining Ebury Way.

Hat Issue-Bless You

Hi folks I have decided to buy a new hat. What colour do you think? Follow this link http://www.snorgtees.com/beardheads-by-beardhead

Ring Necked Duck at Wilstone.

An afternoon visit to Wilstone Reservoir produced a female Ring Necked Duck offering good scope views from the "new overflow." Also noted were; Hobby, Swift, Swallow, House Martin and Common Tern. On the drive back a Red Kite and a Buzzard over the A41.
Paul Frost's record shots below. Ian Bennell also has pics on his blog http://ianbennellsbirdingblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/county-tick-18511.html

I spy with my little Cley

Paul Frost's pics from Cley. Clck on pics to enlarge. Please do not use without his permission. Pics now labelled "bottom up"

Whitethroat

 Avocet Chick

 Sand Martin

Ringed Plover

 Meadow Pipit

 Little Tern

 Spoonbill

 Spoonbill

Swallow

Can you tell Talk from Mutter?

Paul Frost's Black Stork pics. Cick on pics to enlarge, please do not use without his permission.

Funny Ha Ha

This article made me laugh rare species in wickes

Stalking Black Stork.

A midday visit to Northamptonshire with Brendan G and Paul F produced great scope views of a Black Stork. The location was from a footpath at the east end of Nether Lane in the village of Flore.
sh4rpy, Brendan G, Paul F.

Oh No Oriole!

Saturday 14th May 2011.
A day trip to Cley Marshes in Norfolk via RSPB Lakenheath with birding pal Paul F.
We arrived at Lakenheath about 07:30 and made our way towards the "second poplar wood." On route we noted; Cuckoo calling, 2 Grasshopper Warbler Reeling, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting and Whitethroat. On arrival at the "second poplar wood" we immediately heard a Golden Oriole singing quite close by. Our hopes were raised at the chances of seeing the Oriole, however, after nearly two and a half hours of intense seaching by myself, Paul and many other birders we were unable to connect with this elusive species. Whilst searching we did note the following; Marsh Harrier, Sparrowhawk and a booming Bittern.

NWT Cley Marshes.
A slowish start on the reserve produced the following; Avocet and chicks, Snipe, Common Sandpiper, Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Redshank, Shelduck, Marsh Harrier, Wood Sandpiper, House Martin, Sand Martin, Swift, Swallow, Curlew, Whimbrel, Godwit sp, Ruff, Turnstone, Dunlin, Spoonbill, Little Egret, Little Tern, Common Tern, poss Sandwich Tern, Meadow Pipit and Skylark. Then a nice finish to our day we noted on a pool looking west from the "East Bank" the following; 4 Wood Sandpiper, 2 Temminck's Stint and a Lesser Yellowlegs. Paul's pics to follow.
sh4rpy, Paul F.

One good Roseate Tern.............

Friday morning on Croxley Common Moor; Cuckoo, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Kingfisher, Reed Warbler, Reed Bunting, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Swift, Swallow, Greenfinch, Common Tern.

Lunchtime at College Lake, Bulbourne; Common Tern, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Little Ringed Plover, Buzzard, Red Kite, Hobby, Grey Wagtail.

Mid afternoon 30 minutes at Wilstone Reservoir, Tring; 8 Hobby, c150 Common Tern, Swift, Swallow, House Martin, Red Kite.

Early evening at the Jubilee river Eton Wick; Roseate Tern, Hobby.
2 Roseate Tern's in one week, 2 more than in my last 53 years!

Tyttenhanger

Midday at Tyttenhanger; 4 little ringed plover, 2 Common sandpiper, 2 Common tern, Whitethroat, Sand martin, Buzzard.

Sent from my iPhone

Right place, right time. Ole, Ole, Ole.

I paid a visit to Dungeness today. Started off at the power station area, not much about just Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Herring Gull, Great Crested Grebe and Common Tern. Next stop was the RSPB reserve, about 30 minutes after entering the reserve Brendan G phoned and said a Roseate Tern had been reported on the beach close to "the patch" So I went straight back to the power station and walked along to "the patch." A couple of birders were already there but the bird was not on the beach. After about ten minutes the original finder re-found the Roseate Tern further along the beach in amongst some Common Terns. The finder incidently was from the nearby bird observatory. Whilst we were admiring the Tern the guy from the observatory received a message on his walkie-talkie saying a Collared Pratincole had been seen on the RSPB reserve close to the Christmas Dell hide. So back to the reserve I went and headed straight for the Christmas Dell hide, but no birders or Collared Pratincole were to be found. So continued my way round the reserve noting; Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, Whitethroat, Marsh Harrier, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, Linnet, Stonechat (2 pairs.) Then an RSPB volunteer in a car stopped and told me the Collared Prtincole had been re-found and was showing well in the original place. So I hot footed (even hotter footed than for sunday's Ibis!) back to the Christmas Dell area where I and a handful of other birders enjoyed some great views of the Collared Pratincole hawking over the gravel pit for 15-20 minutes. It then disappeared out of site as before. It was seen again early evening.

Bathe it Daily!

Met up with Paul F, Geoff L and Tony H at Dorney Lake on sunday. Paul took the pic's you can see below. Please do not use them without his permission. Click on pics to enlarge.

Tyttenhanger

Tyttenhanger this afternoon; c30 Sand Martin, 4 Common Tern, 3 Buzzard, 3 Little Ringed Plover, Skylark, Redshank, Linnet, Whitethroat.

Parsonage Close, Abbots Langley; 4 House Martin exploring for nest sites in block of flats.

Slow Mo Kites

Red Kites in slow mo action feasting on bacon sarnies.

Stockers and Dorney

Early morning at Stockers produced; Swallow, Swift, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Sedge Warbler, Garden Warbler, Ring Necked Parakeet, Greenfnch, Red Crested Pochard, Common Tern, Sparrowhawk, Cuckoo (calling).

Then over to  Eton Rowing Club's Dorney Lake; Glossy Ibis, Egyptian Goose, Swift, Swallow, Herring Gull, Common Tern, Kestre, Shelduckl.

Later over my house; 4 House Martin and a Swift.

Early evening form Abbots to Kings and back again; c12 Swallow, c8 House Martin, Swift, Whitethroat, Yellowhammer, Kestrel, Buzzard, Common Tern with small fish.

Swift

Friday evening 3 Swift over Parsonage Close.

Titchwell, Brecks and Kent Pics

Paul Frost's pics from recent visits to Titchwell, Brecks and Kent.

Abbots

Red Kite and 2 House Martin over Parsonage Close at 16:00 also Blackcap and Chiffchaff in garden. Then at 19:30; Nuthatch and Swift.

Oare and Elmley Marshes.

A visit to Oare and Elmley Marshes in Kent with Paul F produced the following; at Oare Marshes, Black Tailed Godwit, Avocet, Lapwing, Swallow, Curlew, Little Egret, Great Black Backed Gull and Redshank. Then at Elmley, Redshank, Swallow, Yellow Wagtail, Teal, Wigeon, Avocet, Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, Whimbrel, Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Golden Plover, Common Tern, Peregrine, Shelduck, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Turnstone, Black Tailed Godwit, Little Egret and Marsh Harrier. Our birding was somewhat hampered by near gale force winds.
sh4rpy, Paul F.

Blackbirds

1 adult Blackbird feeding 2 juveniles with sunflower hearts from the feeder in my back garden.