Having promised to take my friend to seek out a Kingfisher to photograph today I could not go to North Wales to dip or otherwise a Royal Tern.The uk life list will have to wait!
Promises are promises (eeek) still I think it is on its way North so Lancs is relatively easier to get to than NWales coast! Talons crossed for Seaforth!
So to Little Marlow GPs via M40 - lots of Red kites to cheer me up!
A long walk around the Little Marlow GPs....seeing lots of Tern activity including a first for my friend young Terns(unable to fly yet), beautiful water lilies and finallyafter armies of Canada Geese (mixed ages) Lapwings a plenty - several GC Grebes including one busy building a nest, Coots various ages, Mallards similar, lots of woodland birds including a Garden Warbler that would not show! Finally I spy a KF land on a branch in the distance - and manage to get Pat on it before it flew landed on another branch on another tree and then fly over the water and away!
We decided on a walk beside the Thames as we could not go where te bird had gone and it didn't return.....
An angler had tod us of a Farm with a lake where there were 4 KF.at White Waltham....well we tried to find it without any real directions ( if we had the name of the farm we could have found it,I have now on the net!) and failed. There is always Lavell's Lake I thought - yes 2 years ago daily KF but now - nope.
However I ran into local patch worker Alan and that was pleasant and Pat got photo's of GCGrebe pair and one young another first for her - the 2 week old stripey headed beauty being fed fish by the parents!
When we were at the local country park enjoying cold Pea and mint or Watercress soup she showed me a small wabler she had taken a lovely photo of...yes a Sedge Warbler ...Alan had said he had seen Reed Warblers and Buntings today but no sedge well there it was!Another new bird for pat!
I will post up pics when I receive them.
Thinks one really needs a nest site with fledged young for KF photos.....its really a tricky assignment! Maybe we will have to return to Wakehurst.
Come on Royal Tern I need you to show somewhere accessible for a trip on Wednesday early morning.....
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Reached the 250 Year Birds
Just been sorting out the lists!
Kent and Sussex still need to be entered at some point on Bubo Listing.
256 for the year so far.....missed some really obvious birds....like Dotterels - some i will have to wait for on their return from their breeding sites....and some I need to seek out like the Spot and Pied Fly's - Wood Warbler, so a trip to the Forest of Dean called for I think...doesn't help that i am not planning on a Scotland Highland trip this year (may change my mind as I do love it up there!)
some sea watching is on order!
Some Waders also to be sought out!
Looking forward to two weeks on Shetland in the Autumn...might find a rare or two!
I have enjoyed watching the Garden Birds in my garden this year as the feeders are a defo attraction for busy mum and dad birds! At the moment my tree gets filled with fledglings.The Swifts continue to scream over my house daily and its lovely watching them feeding.
(Wonder if that Ruddy Shelduck off Crossness counts or not?)
Kent and Sussex still need to be entered at some point on Bubo Listing.
256 for the year so far.....missed some really obvious birds....like Dotterels - some i will have to wait for on their return from their breeding sites....and some I need to seek out like the Spot and Pied Fly's - Wood Warbler, so a trip to the Forest of Dean called for I think...doesn't help that i am not planning on a Scotland Highland trip this year (may change my mind as I do love it up there!)
some sea watching is on order!
Some Waders also to be sought out!
Looking forward to two weeks on Shetland in the Autumn...might find a rare or two!
I have enjoyed watching the Garden Birds in my garden this year as the feeders are a defo attraction for busy mum and dad birds! At the moment my tree gets filled with fledglings.The Swifts continue to scream over my house daily and its lovely watching them feeding.
(Wonder if that Ruddy Shelduck off Crossness counts or not?)
A twitch that wasn't
On Monday - Royal Tern on the pager! Couldn't go on the Tuesday. Awaited news with a slight tremor. All geared up for a long trip to N Wales - on Tuesday the bird didn't show, so I didn't go -a twitch that wasn't!
Mates of mine on their way back from birding in Northumberland via Norfolk for a raptor or two were having bets on when I was leaving and when arriving and having a laugh at my expence - so when we met up last night for a spot of Roding Woodcock and Nightjar hunting the laugh was on them!
Weather a slight factor as it decided to rain before we left and then as we arrived...nowt to stop the Nightjars! Nice healthy numbers churring and several flying - one right over us. A reasonable sight of a roding Woodcock but one of us dipped apart from the tail from in the wood !
Nice pint in the Red Lion.
Mates of mine on their way back from birding in Northumberland via Norfolk for a raptor or two were having bets on when I was leaving and when arriving and having a laugh at my expence - so when we met up last night for a spot of Roding Woodcock and Nightjar hunting the laugh was on them!
Weather a slight factor as it decided to rain before we left and then as we arrived...nowt to stop the Nightjars! Nice healthy numbers churring and several flying - one right over us. A reasonable sight of a roding Woodcock but one of us dipped apart from the tail from in the wood !
Nice pint in the Red Lion.
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
A bit of a breather blogwise.
Long time since my last blog...well its been busy - between birding, electioneering, having hassles with the pc.....
I have seen Polecats in UK - not far from London!
Been collecting lifers of the Pratincole kind.
Visiting Kent, Sussex, Surrey and the Home counties with a trip to Norfolk, Devon and a very brief visit to Lancs (sorry Pauco but I didn't know we were going to do a diversion from Yorkshire!)
No time to blog!
Oh and a half term Friday visit to Wakehurst Place - on a day that turned into a scorcher -
secret target bird - a Kingfisher for my friend who had never seen one and wanted to photo one..which we saw and she got a record shot of...before we really admired the gardens...if you havent been Trish you'd enjoy it!
the day that the M25 ground to a halt and we had to go cross country to get home -a feat of navigational skills that I was proud of!
All pics are Pats.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
A brilliant piece of prose!
Well by any other name.......
here
apart from being an hilarious blog its interesting too!
I am still elated by yesterdays happenings altho cant add the full story yet!
Must go again!
here
apart from being an hilarious blog its interesting too!
I am still elated by yesterdays happenings altho cant add the full story yet!
Must go again!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
A superb day!
Well I am very happy to say that I am glad I didn't go for the Black Winged Pratincole yesterday. Bob and I went to Kent today.
Full details later as I must have a bath - creaking old limbs - well knees and have something to eat as well as dry the old boots out!
Dungeness - called in at Info centre see Melodious down nr the patch....on route 100plus Swallows over the road with Sand Martins and a few House Martins.
Saw a Tree Pipit(YR tic 1)on route
Find a Subalpine Warbler!(yr tic 2) We saw it together and Bob id it immediately as he sees lots in Spain.I managed to take a record shot (to be posted later!)This was at 11am.
Saw 10 Black Terns (Yr tic3)on the patch
Went off to the Old Lighthouse Garden to seek out very elusive Melodious Warbler (Yr tic 4)
off to Grove Ferry for Black-winged Pratincole (lifer! yr tic5 ) and then Temmincks Stint (yr tic6) along with a Little Stint - brill to compare!
Yes I got wet through but very happy! Celebrated in the Grove Ferry Inn with a Pint of Early Birder!
Full details later as I must have a bath - creaking old limbs - well knees and have something to eat as well as dry the old boots out!
Dungeness - called in at Info centre see Melodious down nr the patch....on route 100plus Swallows over the road with Sand Martins and a few House Martins.
Saw a Tree Pipit(YR tic 1)on route
Find a Subalpine Warbler!(yr tic 2) We saw it together and Bob id it immediately as he sees lots in Spain.I managed to take a record shot (to be posted later!)This was at 11am.
Saw 10 Black Terns (Yr tic3)on the patch
Went off to the Old Lighthouse Garden to seek out very elusive Melodious Warbler (Yr tic 4)
off to Grove Ferry for Black-winged Pratincole (lifer! yr tic5 ) and then Temmincks Stint (yr tic6) along with a Little Stint - brill to compare!
Yes I got wet through but very happy! Celebrated in the Grove Ferry Inn with a Pint of Early Birder!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Where to today?
After a chat with Bob yesterday - I followed his advice and decided to visit Otmoor (RSPB) nr Oxford a nice little run out on the M40/A40 (Any excuse to see Red Kites!)
Just before I was leaving I saw the Black winged Pratincole had been relocated to Stodmarsh (it was found at Reculver at the w/e) what to do...a longer trip than i had planned on or what?
Its a lifer....its not been in Kent for 20 odd years - its not been in UK...
I changed my mind -ok Kent.
Got to car - a soggy tyre...its a puncture I thought...the nearest Kwiqfit is very near so off there....88 quid later its a new tyre...
weather clouding over whats it going to be like in Kent?
No if Bob wants to go we can only go tomorrow as he is busy today. OK stick to Plan A.
60 Red Kites on the journey there with 4 Buzzards and a Kestrel!
Otmoor is well hidden and I managed just one wrong turn into avillage rather than bypassing it but found the place . A helpful volunteer and I had a chat.
off to find see able Groppers...Grasshopper Warblers....notoriously skulkers first class...and a Cuckoo - target birds....
well the firing range wasn't today so I could walk there- lots of singing but non seeable birds due to the winds.
Back to the bench nr the feeders.Be patient -well rewarded was I!
A Gropper popped out and showed well and then vanished!
A REd Kite flew over my head and stayed for a secong or two giving fab views. I found the camera and tried for some shots of the flying beauty- shouldn't have bothered! Went back and sat down and immediately stood up again - A HOBBY! flying in that same field and then vanished. A little while later scaning with bins and I found him sitting in a tree and watched him for 20-25 mins as he swayed in the wind perched and then flew to capture an insect and back!Brilliant.
Heard the Cuckoos and on walking back up to the bridle way was rewarded again with a flyover Cuckoo!
Wow 3 year ticks - and one I was not even looking for!
Plenty of other birds about including Lapwings a very nosy Rook, Crows and Magpies as well as a wide variety of smaller birds- Reed Warblers, Long tailed Tits and Chaffinches with Greenfinches and the usual garden birds!All looking at their best...also lots of fledglings- Blackbirds and two Swallows on my way up Otmoor Lane.
I was quite happy with my day!
On the M25 - (after 38 seen Red Kites on route back!)thought should I go to Kent bird still been seen up to 2.17 and it was three ish-- no I really ought to wait in case Bob wants to go too.....( I hate the M25 in the rush hour and at other times too like today I didn't fancy it one bit!)
then it had flown off by 2.40 and I was glad!
But it was back by 3.10...reported at 3.34.
I hate this twitching lark it plays havoc with your brain! Better to be at work i think then you cant go!
Well you cant see them all says Kite!
Still I think its a phone call to Bob re tomorrow as I think I would like to go!
Just before I was leaving I saw the Black winged Pratincole had been relocated to Stodmarsh (it was found at Reculver at the w/e) what to do...a longer trip than i had planned on or what?
Its a lifer....its not been in Kent for 20 odd years - its not been in UK...
I changed my mind -ok Kent.
Got to car - a soggy tyre...its a puncture I thought...the nearest Kwiqfit is very near so off there....88 quid later its a new tyre...
weather clouding over whats it going to be like in Kent?
No if Bob wants to go we can only go tomorrow as he is busy today. OK stick to Plan A.
60 Red Kites on the journey there with 4 Buzzards and a Kestrel!
Otmoor is well hidden and I managed just one wrong turn into avillage rather than bypassing it but found the place . A helpful volunteer and I had a chat.
off to find see able Groppers...Grasshopper Warblers....notoriously skulkers first class...and a Cuckoo - target birds....
well the firing range wasn't today so I could walk there- lots of singing but non seeable birds due to the winds.
Back to the bench nr the feeders.Be patient -well rewarded was I!
A Gropper popped out and showed well and then vanished!
A REd Kite flew over my head and stayed for a secong or two giving fab views. I found the camera and tried for some shots of the flying beauty- shouldn't have bothered! Went back and sat down and immediately stood up again - A HOBBY! flying in that same field and then vanished. A little while later scaning with bins and I found him sitting in a tree and watched him for 20-25 mins as he swayed in the wind perched and then flew to capture an insect and back!Brilliant.
Heard the Cuckoos and on walking back up to the bridle way was rewarded again with a flyover Cuckoo!
Wow 3 year ticks - and one I was not even looking for!
Plenty of other birds about including Lapwings a very nosy Rook, Crows and Magpies as well as a wide variety of smaller birds- Reed Warblers, Long tailed Tits and Chaffinches with Greenfinches and the usual garden birds!All looking at their best...also lots of fledglings- Blackbirds and two Swallows on my way up Otmoor Lane.
I was quite happy with my day!
On the M25 - (after 38 seen Red Kites on route back!)thought should I go to Kent bird still been seen up to 2.17 and it was three ish-- no I really ought to wait in case Bob wants to go too.....( I hate the M25 in the rush hour and at other times too like today I didn't fancy it one bit!)
then it had flown off by 2.40 and I was glad!
But it was back by 3.10...reported at 3.34.
I hate this twitching lark it plays havoc with your brain! Better to be at work i think then you cant go!
Well you cant see them all says Kite!
Still I think its a phone call to Bob re tomorrow as I think I would like to go!
WWBT
A couple of photo's here
you need to scroll down to see
There has been a bit of a discussion as to age....I didn't think it looked as clean black/white as adults I had seen before - but then i know not a lot about WWBT!
A birder there yesterday wondered about 2nd summer and this seems to be the considered opinion at the mo.
you need to scroll down to see
There has been a bit of a discussion as to age....I didn't think it looked as clean black/white as adults I had seen before - but then i know not a lot about WWBT!
A birder there yesterday wondered about 2nd summer and this seems to be the considered opinion at the mo.
Monday, May 11, 2009
A local twitch
Well I arrived home after helping in my local school with the yr 6 SATs (reading).
On the pager (dont take it to School in case it went off in the exam!) was White-winged Black Tern at Staines Rservoirs - my tetrad for the Bird Atlas and a local patch.
But the bird had been flushed by a Marsh Harrier ...which is quite an uncommon bird here anyway.
Eating my chicken and sweet corn sandwich I realised there was another message seen at 1.12 - so that was it....scope into car and off I went.
Friendly bunch of birders on site as I arrived and there it was -great year tick and patch tick!So from 1.50 to about 4 I spent time watching the bird - first on the South basin then on the north -flying over the causeway nearly over our heads! Stunning!
I rang my mate Bob;s house and heard he had gone to his allotmentas the bird had been flushed - tell im I am watching it now -I said to his wife...later Bob phoned and he was on his way. Eventually (despite the traffic) he arrived and soon picked up the bird...several times we had had close passes and now the bird perfomed brilliantly - so close had I had my camera I might have even got a pic!
At one time the wind was gusting a hooly and the birds were battling against it!
Nice to have a local twitch which was with friendly birders!
I'll see if I can find a good pic for those of you who dont know what a WWBT looks like.
On the pager (dont take it to School in case it went off in the exam!) was White-winged Black Tern at Staines Rservoirs - my tetrad for the Bird Atlas and a local patch.
But the bird had been flushed by a Marsh Harrier ...which is quite an uncommon bird here anyway.
Eating my chicken and sweet corn sandwich I realised there was another message seen at 1.12 - so that was it....scope into car and off I went.
Friendly bunch of birders on site as I arrived and there it was -great year tick and patch tick!So from 1.50 to about 4 I spent time watching the bird - first on the South basin then on the north -flying over the causeway nearly over our heads! Stunning!
I rang my mate Bob;s house and heard he had gone to his allotmentas the bird had been flushed - tell im I am watching it now -I said to his wife...later Bob phoned and he was on his way. Eventually (despite the traffic) he arrived and soon picked up the bird...several times we had had close passes and now the bird perfomed brilliantly - so close had I had my camera I might have even got a pic!
At one time the wind was gusting a hooly and the birds were battling against it!
Nice to have a local twitch which was with friendly birders!
I'll see if I can find a good pic for those of you who dont know what a WWBT looks like.
Friday, May 08, 2009
A cool rescue on the Scillies
My birding mate Danny the Pirate resides on the Scillies at the moment and was involved in a great rescue recently - a dolphin was stranded and he helped refloat it!
read hear for the tale
read hear for the tale
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
My Swifts are back!
Now I have seen Swifts over the last week passing over my house at first light and also when woken up and looking out of the window.But these are the "local" Swifts.
In the middle of the day screaming over the house and catching flies.
I shall have to go to see whether they have started building their nests at a local site....not too far away and in the middle of houses....all the way from SA...lovely.
Now they do outshine the Savi's Warbler.....altho from a rariety viewpoint not.
A very early visit was necessitated to see the said bird but you would have had to be deaf not to have heard it! A very elusive bird! oh it was in the Lea Valley and a certain non twitching birder went to see it with a more twitching friend but they heard only.They got there at 7 am and I think breakfast got in the way of them staying all day plus they wanted to look at said non twitchers local patches.....
In the middle of the day screaming over the house and catching flies.
I shall have to go to see whether they have started building their nests at a local site....not too far away and in the middle of houses....all the way from SA...lovely.
Now they do outshine the Savi's Warbler.....altho from a rariety viewpoint not.
A very early visit was necessitated to see the said bird but you would have had to be deaf not to have heard it! A very elusive bird! oh it was in the Lea Valley and a certain non twitching birder went to see it with a more twitching friend but they heard only.They got there at 7 am and I think breakfast got in the way of them staying all day plus they wanted to look at said non twitchers local patches.....
Friday, May 01, 2009
A lifer and a UK lifer.
Well what an exciting week -a trip to Portland for the lifer -a Collared Flycatcher which conveniently came out of an inaccessible garden so we could see it and a Crested Lark at Dungeness which was mobile but seen!
Great sea watching as well those days but I had to turn up at Staines o my way home to see a Common Tern (well 40) and my first Swifts of the year - must have been 50!
Think it will be Norfolk this w/e but which day? Not Monday - never go anywhere if i can help it other than local on the bank holls! Not sure where else - but why is there another good bird down at Portland?
no pics not even record ones my long lens is being borrowed by a friend. Typical!
Great sea watching as well those days but I had to turn up at Staines o my way home to see a Common Tern (well 40) and my first Swifts of the year - must have been 50!
Think it will be Norfolk this w/e but which day? Not Monday - never go anywhere if i can help it other than local on the bank holls! Not sure where else - but why is there another good bird down at Portland?
no pics not even record ones my long lens is being borrowed by a friend. Typical!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Just to say I have updated my South Africa tales
on Bird Forum in the local patches area....my adventures in SA (last October/November)
almost finished...just updated St Lucia and the Drakensberg MOuntains....totally awesome birding up and down the Sani Pass!
oh there are afew typos as I was scurrying along - this new notebook keys dont always pick up the letters! Strange.
almost finished...just updated St Lucia and the Drakensberg MOuntains....totally awesome birding up and down the Sani Pass!
oh there are afew typos as I was scurrying along - this new notebook keys dont always pick up the letters! Strange.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Heavens how time flies!
I cant believe it!
So much time gone and so many opportunities for viz mig and I just havent had timeto blog!
So here are some photos taken by Pat - in Norfolk and at Barnes I am hoping that she gets some goodies over the bank hol w/e as they will bein Devon and she has borrowed my 100-400 lens!
I hope to do some sea watching in the next week or so and seek out any rares that might arrive...a very nice Purple heron turned up in east london and then went to erith marshes which I found so much easier...alth I should have gone on the friday and bought ba permit as they were only £1.
Over the weeks there have been Velvet and common scoters on Staines...some interesting visitors to Barnes and locally the migrants are arriving.
For a laugh you might try to id all these birds and the mammal! No prizes just the satisfaction of being right!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Another Yank Sparrow
This time in Hants and has been there for ages - could have had it on the 2008 list!
Tale to be told = footy is on!
Tale to be told = footy is on!
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Osprey over my house!
Gets better and better!
Standing by my back door this am and I was looking up at the sky doing a little viz mig and this large bird hove into view.....too big for......
its a bird of prey..............OSPREY! yes indeed!
I discover later that a birder had reported it in from Isleworth Station at 8am - so beat me to it! Just before 8 - I am a couple mins walk from the station!
I also saw that an Osprey was reported from Beddington at 7.30am!
Thought the Honey Buzzard last september was the tops.....from my front bedroom window...
but a flyover my garden!
Standing by my back door this am and I was looking up at the sky doing a little viz mig and this large bird hove into view.....too big for......
its a bird of prey..............OSPREY! yes indeed!
I discover later that a birder had reported it in from Isleworth Station at 8am - so beat me to it! Just before 8 - I am a couple mins walk from the station!
I also saw that an Osprey was reported from Beddington at 7.30am!
Thought the Honey Buzzard last september was the tops.....from my front bedroom window...
but a flyover my garden!
Friday, April 03, 2009
A Swallow!
Finally a Swallow!
I decided to go to a farm I know in Stanwell Moor (where Swallows and House Martins nest each year) to se if any had yet arrived.
Well one House Martin was spotted on my arival and eventually one Swallow flew in and perched chattering on the wires.
So that was it - whether there are others who were higher up (it was avery cloudy morning) I dont know only the one I saw.
Good news as well there were several greenfinches about - wheezing -cant call that singing! but in lovely plumage...hope that viral infection might be over ?
203 Year list
Hopefully will be seeing other migrants over the w/e
.
I decided to go to a farm I know in Stanwell Moor (where Swallows and House Martins nest each year) to se if any had yet arrived.
Well one House Martin was spotted on my arival and eventually one Swallow flew in and perched chattering on the wires.
So that was it - whether there are others who were higher up (it was avery cloudy morning) I dont know only the one I saw.
Good news as well there were several greenfinches about - wheezing -cant call that singing! but in lovely plumage...hope that viral infection might be over ?
203 Year list
Hopefully will be seeing other migrants over the w/e
.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Past the 200 year list!
Well I finally finished my year listing on Bubo and I have seen 201 species this year so far!
I have had a little flurry of birds that have been tricky this year - Dartfords Warbler on a site in Sussex , a Grey Partridge or 5 in Sussex as well and finally a seen LSW rather than heard in Nonsuch Park on Sunday.
A pair of Garganey in Barnes, a Bonny Gull and a Chough or 4 in Wales with alittle trip to Leicestershire for an uncounted Kumliens Gull(I await the split) and a Green-winged Teal.
Thinking about a trip to Devon to try for the American Herring Gull which whilst has been there for a while it only appears to get seen on a Friday afternoon - this is when the finder is back in the hide! Altho someone saw it last Sat morning briefly and again seen today. May haveto leave it until other good birds are about to justify the long trip, or for my mates to accompany me!I see from RBA that the gull hadn't been seen on the sat or on Wednesday- they were reports saying someone had looked for the bird but not seen it!
Perhaps I willsee if the finder sees it again and then contact him and find out when he is next going! Or perhaps not!(edit)
There are migrants in bound but where the LRP was at Barnes at lunch time - I imagine curled up in a nice roost while the wind howled and the rain pelted down!
Stil the birds are arriving ad its such fun to see them again- a lot on their return from Africa!
I feel a trip to Scotland cant be far away!
I have had a little flurry of birds that have been tricky this year - Dartfords Warbler on a site in Sussex , a Grey Partridge or 5 in Sussex as well and finally a seen LSW rather than heard in Nonsuch Park on Sunday.
A pair of Garganey in Barnes, a Bonny Gull and a Chough or 4 in Wales with alittle trip to Leicestershire for an uncounted Kumliens Gull(I await the split) and a Green-winged Teal.
Thinking about a trip to Devon to try for the American Herring Gull which whilst has been there for a while it only appears to get seen on a Friday afternoon - this is when the finder is back in the hide! Altho someone saw it last Sat morning briefly and again seen today. May haveto leave it until other good birds are about to justify the long trip, or for my mates to accompany me!I see from RBA that the gull hadn't been seen on the sat or on Wednesday- they were reports saying someone had looked for the bird but not seen it!
Perhaps I willsee if the finder sees it again and then contact him and find out when he is next going! Or perhaps not!(edit)
There are migrants in bound but where the LRP was at Barnes at lunch time - I imagine curled up in a nice roost while the wind howled and the rain pelted down!
Stil the birds are arriving ad its such fun to see them again- a lot on their return from Africa!
I feel a trip to Scotland cant be far away!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
South Africa
Well I have been posting my SA tales over on Birdforum - in the Southern Africa local patch area.It starts at post 588.
The guys and girls in SA were so very friendly and helpful before I went - it seems curlish not to post my adventures there!
I seem to forget to keep the blog up to date tho- as I really cant spare the time to be in three sites and get on with the work I need to be doing!
However since I didn't get a pic or photo of this I have borrowed it with permission from one of the SA peeps.
Spotted Eagle Owl by Martin Hobbs.
Saw a couple of juveniles outside Pretoriouskop Camp - not a chance of a pic!
Lovely!
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Oare
Oare has to be one of the sitein Kent I love!
When the wind blows it blows! When the wind drops all the little birds on site spring up and sing!
Finally put to bed a couple ofbirdswhich were becoming bogeys this year!
First Little Stint on the shoreline(phew!) and then Bearded Tits - typical when you want one none come along but once seen they are like buses and come in threes!
I defo had 3 different birds but there may have been more.
Tetrad week ahead now to complement the 2nd winter visits.
Now for the tricky bit nesting birds!
194 for the year .
Oh Shifty I see there is a Bonaparte's Gull been seen in Cardiff Bay. Wish t had been there when i went for the Lesser Scaup!
Looks like a Welsh trip is on the cards for the w/e?
When the wind blows it blows! When the wind drops all the little birds on site spring up and sing!
Finally put to bed a couple ofbirdswhich were becoming bogeys this year!
First Little Stint on the shoreline(phew!) and then Bearded Tits - typical when you want one none come along but once seen they are like buses and come in threes!
I defo had 3 different birds but there may have been more.
Tetrad week ahead now to complement the 2nd winter visits.
Now for the tricky bit nesting birds!
194 for the year .
Oh Shifty I see there is a Bonaparte's Gull been seen in Cardiff Bay. Wish t had been there when i went for the Lesser Scaup!
Looks like a Welsh trip is on the cards for the w/e?
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Top of Surfbirds!
Well for a few minutes!
LOL!!
6 New Year Ticks today with a visit to Dorset with Bob.
Portland Bill for 2 Puffins and a Rock Pipit for moi, Shag and Puffin for Bob. Breakfast at the Cafe for both - lovely!
Also 7 Purple sands which are always great but I fear for them as 2 GBB Gulls appeared to be eyeing them up!
To Radipole for the Hooded Merg in his fancy clothes- Bob not seen him at all, he played fast and loose with us for a while but he is a very frustrated boy duck, chasing everything - shame he cant be leant a girlfriend from a collection and their babies can be half plastic! We also saw our first Sand Martin of the year.
Radipole has so many Cettis- exploding all over!!
On in the rain to Lodmoor where Bob found the Spoonbill (with help from the friendly RSPB girl at Radipole) and I saw the Greensands- unfortunately Bob had gone off to find some low water areas and missed them flying in with Snipe - oh Snipe at least 20 , but then I think again and there may have been 30! Then I told Bob on his return what I had seen and then a while later he was elsewhere and I saw thm flying away from Lodmoor towards a Crane!
Bob is off soon to Espana where he will see lots of Greensands and Wood sands so he is not bothered!Plus other loverlies - which I am bothered about!
To Wareham for Bob and a possible Cattle Egret - nope in the field where the desstructions said it was - was a Little Egret!Either mis id or its a popular field!
On to Arne where the sun came out but so did the wind and the Dartfords were no shows (seen yesterday) - do we blame them not a bit!
But we did find one Spoonbill feeding on an island and then 5 in a channel opposite the hide.
Also Ringtail and 2 Little Egrets.
Oh I did see one small bird a Dunnock feeding on the floor in the sunshine = he didnt appear to mind for ages at being watched!- I would rather he had been a DW!
Bob spotted a Roe Deer and I found a host of Sika deer on our way back as I crossed the car park overflow field I came eye ball to eyeball with Mum...and last years young one...so I retreated behind the gate and they fled back to where others were = eventually they decided they would cross the field but all the time keeping an eye or two on us. Eventually they got to where they wanted and we crossed the field after them!
pics later...need food!
LOL!!
6 New Year Ticks today with a visit to Dorset with Bob.
Portland Bill for 2 Puffins and a Rock Pipit for moi, Shag and Puffin for Bob. Breakfast at the Cafe for both - lovely!
Also 7 Purple sands which are always great but I fear for them as 2 GBB Gulls appeared to be eyeing them up!
To Radipole for the Hooded Merg in his fancy clothes- Bob not seen him at all, he played fast and loose with us for a while but he is a very frustrated boy duck, chasing everything - shame he cant be leant a girlfriend from a collection and their babies can be half plastic! We also saw our first Sand Martin of the year.
Radipole has so many Cettis- exploding all over!!
On in the rain to Lodmoor where Bob found the Spoonbill (with help from the friendly RSPB girl at Radipole) and I saw the Greensands- unfortunately Bob had gone off to find some low water areas and missed them flying in with Snipe - oh Snipe at least 20 , but then I think again and there may have been 30! Then I told Bob on his return what I had seen and then a while later he was elsewhere and I saw thm flying away from Lodmoor towards a Crane!
Bob is off soon to Espana where he will see lots of Greensands and Wood sands so he is not bothered!Plus other loverlies - which I am bothered about!
To Wareham for Bob and a possible Cattle Egret - nope in the field where the desstructions said it was - was a Little Egret!Either mis id or its a popular field!
On to Arne where the sun came out but so did the wind and the Dartfords were no shows (seen yesterday) - do we blame them not a bit!
But we did find one Spoonbill feeding on an island and then 5 in a channel opposite the hide.
Also Ringtail and 2 Little Egrets.
Oh I did see one small bird a Dunnock feeding on the floor in the sunshine = he didnt appear to mind for ages at being watched!- I would rather he had been a DW!
Bob spotted a Roe Deer and I found a host of Sika deer on our way back as I crossed the car park overflow field I came eye ball to eyeball with Mum...and last years young one...so I retreated behind the gate and they fled back to where others were = eventually they decided they would cross the field but all the time keeping an eye or two on us. Eventually they got to where they wanted and we crossed the field after them!
pics later...need food!
Saturday, March 07, 2009
Long eared Owls!
Went for a visit today to beddington to meet Johnny Allan of Dip or glory website fame.
You wouldn't know you were in London/Surrey there - cant hear the traffic or see any houses!
Very impressed - I have only been there only once before for a Spotted Crake in 2006 - I believe - that was a flying visit.
The Tree Sparrows were all over the feeder at the hide very nice close views and I will have to take my Canon there when next I visit.
Thanks Johnny I will return!
Then I went to a undisclosed site nr to Beddington, with Johnny to see a Long-eared Owl - in fact there were two fairly close together. One was sitting well out in the sunshine and occasionally glanced in our direction with his ears up! Not at all phased! The other well I couldn't see his/her head! Just the fabuously well camouflaged body and wings!
Lovely year tick! Dont think I would have found them without Johnny's guidance.
You wouldn't know you were in London/Surrey there - cant hear the traffic or see any houses!
Very impressed - I have only been there only once before for a Spotted Crake in 2006 - I believe - that was a flying visit.
The Tree Sparrows were all over the feeder at the hide very nice close views and I will have to take my Canon there when next I visit.
Thanks Johnny I will return!
Then I went to a undisclosed site nr to Beddington, with Johnny to see a Long-eared Owl - in fact there were two fairly close together. One was sitting well out in the sunshine and occasionally glanced in our direction with his ears up! Not at all phased! The other well I couldn't see his/her head! Just the fabuously well camouflaged body and wings!
Lovely year tick! Dont think I would have found them without Johnny's guidance.
A week of year ticks!
There's the perched Buzzard!
So it was a trip to the New Forest, one to the Forest of Dean, a local trip to Staines and a visit to Kent! 10 year ticks in all! Began with a GWE at Farlingham Marshes on Monday,onto Ravens,Grey Wagtail,Willow Tit and Dipper - a Lesser Scaup in Wales.
Local Fudge Duck and Common Sandpiper and then Black Redstart and 25 Snow Geese in Kent!
Missed / couldn't find - any Lesser Spots, Bearded Tits or Little Stints!
Unfortunately I had a funeral to attend on Thursday which prevented me going to Norfolk for a massive miss! But was it really. Overall now I think I am glad I didn't go up but did wait as I could have gone on Friday.
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Some recent record shots!
You have been warned!
Oh heck they will come out the wrong way round! I forget!
So we have Salthouse, Snow Buntings (those little white things on the ground), a view towards the SB and how close the photographers were - there was seed on the ground keeping the flock there but you could see by the activity they weren't really happy as every 30 seconds they would take off and fly around until they landed at the seed again. I am off was the Buzzard taking off from the perch dur to loud mouthed dog walker! Hawfinch at Blackwater Arboratum a little while ago...see below. Thanks Seth for your help! Directions and advice! Widerscope help again!
Oh heck they will come out the wrong way round! I forget!
So we have Salthouse, Snow Buntings (those little white things on the ground), a view towards the SB and how close the photographers were - there was seed on the ground keeping the flock there but you could see by the activity they weren't really happy as every 30 seconds they would take off and fly around until they landed at the seed again. I am off was the Buzzard taking off from the perch dur to loud mouthed dog walker! Hawfinch at Blackwater Arboratum a little while ago...see below. Thanks Seth for your help! Directions and advice! Widerscope help again!
New Forest and a twitch!
Lovely day monday - so after a lete start Bob(day off)and I found ourselves in the New Forest looking out for Gos - again - raptor lovers both!
First bird seen? Crossbills!
Second bird a Buzzard who very conveniently flew into perch right in front of us giving lovely close views - I had the compact with me- the Canon of course was in the car!
So it was hand held digiscoping!
We watched the Buzzard until a loud mouthed dog walker disturbed the bird! Shame was a very nice dog walker and well behaved dog were close by for ages - then idiot walks in and not so obedient dogs hared over to good dog!
One Gos had been seen 30 mins earlier by one chap and another different bird by another birder!
I went for a walk into the trees and flushed accidently 3 Roe Deer - our own native breed with their lovely velvety antlers! 3 birders were very pleased as the deer made off down the side of the valley and up the other side giving great views!
Hawfinch were also about.
On to Blackwater Arboratum (third visit) to look for Lesser spots....heard very clear Firecrest calls along with many Goldcrests. Goldcrests seen - Firecrest (much to Bobs friustration kept his head down! A flash of white - 75% certain but not a good enough view for Bob! We continued to hear Firecrests but not seen em except for a flash here and there! I did try - even though I do have a year tic already - but I love those feisty little birds! Of the Lesser spots? Well we heard long drilling but no calls- I did see a small bird flit off through the trees with a jerky woody flight but so brief and very quick no chance of bins on it!Now I really like BA but another frustrating time.
Bob says well its off to Farlington then...what we were supposed to go to Keyhaven and also see if we could find any Dartfords....what?
Great White Egret has turned up there - ok at least we would gain a year tick for the day and maybe that LEO was still about?
Off up the M27 quite good in the afternoon.....in true twitching fashion I hadto drive quickly now didn't I....arrived to park and see a warden(?) go through the locked gate to the Information centre by the time we arrived he was watching the GWE.
With a Little Egret in the same field and in the scope view for comparison!
Is the LEO about? Well I dont know as I havent looked today and I have just arrived says the warden(?) He then directed us to the seawall.
Once there were the bushes to the right or left o well lets look here. We searched one set of bushes - you wouldn't elieve how many LEO's I saw! ON 60x zoom though they were all leaves/twigs and stuff! LOL!
Bob had seen the Splatt Bridge one on Sat but searched hard for this one.
A local birder eventually walked by and I asked him about the LEO- oh I saw it last week over there and took me towards the bushes/trees nearer to the car park!
It was there- but not today! Bob had gone in totally the other direction and found another local birder who took him towards our bushes/trees and I joined them. of the LEO well another birder who knew every inch of this area had been here earlier and said he hadn't seen the LEO at all!
Thats it lets get back to London as I ad an evening meeting to go to!
A lovely day in the sunshine, some fab scenery, some nice birds and a twitch and a miss or two- thats a birding day!
Record shot!
First bird seen? Crossbills!
Second bird a Buzzard who very conveniently flew into perch right in front of us giving lovely close views - I had the compact with me- the Canon of course was in the car!
So it was hand held digiscoping!
We watched the Buzzard until a loud mouthed dog walker disturbed the bird! Shame was a very nice dog walker and well behaved dog were close by for ages - then idiot walks in and not so obedient dogs hared over to good dog!
One Gos had been seen 30 mins earlier by one chap and another different bird by another birder!
I went for a walk into the trees and flushed accidently 3 Roe Deer - our own native breed with their lovely velvety antlers! 3 birders were very pleased as the deer made off down the side of the valley and up the other side giving great views!
Hawfinch were also about.
On to Blackwater Arboratum (third visit) to look for Lesser spots....heard very clear Firecrest calls along with many Goldcrests. Goldcrests seen - Firecrest (much to Bobs friustration kept his head down! A flash of white - 75% certain but not a good enough view for Bob! We continued to hear Firecrests but not seen em except for a flash here and there! I did try - even though I do have a year tic already - but I love those feisty little birds! Of the Lesser spots? Well we heard long drilling but no calls- I did see a small bird flit off through the trees with a jerky woody flight but so brief and very quick no chance of bins on it!Now I really like BA but another frustrating time.
Bob says well its off to Farlington then...what we were supposed to go to Keyhaven and also see if we could find any Dartfords....what?
Great White Egret has turned up there - ok at least we would gain a year tick for the day and maybe that LEO was still about?
Off up the M27 quite good in the afternoon.....in true twitching fashion I hadto drive quickly now didn't I....arrived to park and see a warden(?) go through the locked gate to the Information centre by the time we arrived he was watching the GWE.
With a Little Egret in the same field and in the scope view for comparison!
Is the LEO about? Well I dont know as I havent looked today and I have just arrived says the warden(?) He then directed us to the seawall.
Once there were the bushes to the right or left o well lets look here. We searched one set of bushes - you wouldn't elieve how many LEO's I saw! ON 60x zoom though they were all leaves/twigs and stuff! LOL!
Bob had seen the Splatt Bridge one on Sat but searched hard for this one.
A local birder eventually walked by and I asked him about the LEO- oh I saw it last week over there and took me towards the bushes/trees nearer to the car park!
It was there- but not today! Bob had gone in totally the other direction and found another local birder who took him towards our bushes/trees and I joined them. of the LEO well another birder who knew every inch of this area had been here earlier and said he hadn't seen the LEO at all!
Thats it lets get back to London as I ad an evening meeting to go to!
A lovely day in the sunshine, some fab scenery, some nice birds and a twitch and a miss or two- thats a birding day!
Record shot!
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Buckinghamshire for a duck!
Yes this afternoon was a little(!) long way through Bucks for a famous Ring-necked Duck. This young man has been coming from the States to spend his winters with his British cousins- Pochards at Foxcote Reservoirs for ages now...a fully mature stonking beauty.
Now some of you like ducks...this is a duck to be respeced. he is way bigger than any tufty and that head shows so big but its his smart attire that takes the biscuit! So elegant. Nearly as lovely as a Smew or a Marbled but not!
Well the chaps had a brilliant day yesterday....and Bob enjoyed telling the tale. I shall have to pop down there on Wednesday! Cant bear the thought of Dipper and Grey Wag and Raven and LEO being missed. They even saw a bunch of Waxwings on their arrival in Frampton village - they had only been there ten mins!
Geoff clawed back quite a few birds today and so did Bob - only just ahead of them - I am!
LOL
Now some of you like ducks...this is a duck to be respeced. he is way bigger than any tufty and that head shows so big but its his smart attire that takes the biscuit! So elegant. Nearly as lovely as a Smew or a Marbled but not!
Well the chaps had a brilliant day yesterday....and Bob enjoyed telling the tale. I shall have to pop down there on Wednesday! Cant bear the thought of Dipper and Grey Wag and Raven and LEO being missed. They even saw a bunch of Waxwings on their arrival in Frampton village - they had only been there ten mins!
Geoff clawed back quite a few birds today and so did Bob - only just ahead of them - I am!
LOL
Raptors in Surrey
Well having had to cancel going on our annual pilgrimage to the Forest of Dean at 6.45 on Saturday I went to sleep until 10.30.
The weather looked great! The birds were singing in the garden and the feeders were covered as was the tree!
How do I feel? Better.
A little later I thought about my mates watching Ravens and Goshawks at New Fancy and then the penny dropped. Thursday I had seen a report of Goshawks on Thursley Common on birdguides.Well why not? Not very far at all. So off I went down the A3 to Thursley armed with OS map. Now I dont know Thursley so I had a plan, start at the Car Park at the pond named The Moat and then walk to Pudmore Pond and thence to follow the path that leads to the highest point where I can scan around.
On arrival I heard Woodlark great, and then Coaltits and Greats and Blues and all these sounds became reality!
I had a scan of the Mote not much of note there, so on to walk towards Pudmore and as I was walking I spied a Buzzard and then another and then three! At least some raptors.
I turned to look towards the highest point and then my eye was caught by another bird of prey...and there were two soaring up higher and higher and they
disappeared before I could get them in my scope. OK,looked like Gos but need to be sure, so on we go..... another 10mins and there were two BOP flying, no tumbling in the skies....and as I watched two Goshawks became closer and closer until they were in my scope and they were displaying!
Exhilaration! Not only was I in Surrey not far from home but I was watching what I had been hoping for today but somewhat earlier in the day! February and Gos displaying! What a treat!
Now for a Raven!
Nope no Raven.....
I watched the Goshawks for another 20 mins and then once more they soared higher and higher until they disappeared into the ether!
I continued walking across the Common and looking for birds but no sign of the Dartford Warblers that Bob remembers so well being here.
About 3.30 I got myself in a nice position and decided to watch the skies...scope set bins alert and scanning.....
two Buzzards flew by no idea if the same birds but I guess so and then the unmistakeable male Hen Harrier flew magnificently into view - wow! They do take my breath away!
I am always in awe of Raptors as they hunt and fly!
A very satisfactory half days raptor birding.
Wonder how Bob and Geoff got on? Did they get to see the LEO? Bet they did and the Ravens. Cant have it all! Actually the Gos make up for missing the trip!
The weather looked great! The birds were singing in the garden and the feeders were covered as was the tree!
How do I feel? Better.
A little later I thought about my mates watching Ravens and Goshawks at New Fancy and then the penny dropped. Thursday I had seen a report of Goshawks on Thursley Common on birdguides.Well why not? Not very far at all. So off I went down the A3 to Thursley armed with OS map. Now I dont know Thursley so I had a plan, start at the Car Park at the pond named The Moat and then walk to Pudmore Pond and thence to follow the path that leads to the highest point where I can scan around.
On arrival I heard Woodlark great, and then Coaltits and Greats and Blues and all these sounds became reality!
I had a scan of the Mote not much of note there, so on to walk towards Pudmore and as I was walking I spied a Buzzard and then another and then three! At least some raptors.
I turned to look towards the highest point and then my eye was caught by another bird of prey...and there were two soaring up higher and higher and they
disappeared before I could get them in my scope. OK,looked like Gos but need to be sure, so on we go..... another 10mins and there were two BOP flying, no tumbling in the skies....and as I watched two Goshawks became closer and closer until they were in my scope and they were displaying!
Exhilaration! Not only was I in Surrey not far from home but I was watching what I had been hoping for today but somewhat earlier in the day! February and Gos displaying! What a treat!
Now for a Raven!
Nope no Raven.....
I watched the Goshawks for another 20 mins and then once more they soared higher and higher until they disappeared into the ether!
I continued walking across the Common and looking for birds but no sign of the Dartford Warblers that Bob remembers so well being here.
About 3.30 I got myself in a nice position and decided to watch the skies...scope set bins alert and scanning.....
two Buzzards flew by no idea if the same birds but I guess so and then the unmistakeable male Hen Harrier flew magnificently into view - wow! They do take my breath away!
I am always in awe of Raptors as they hunt and fly!
A very satisfactory half days raptor birding.
Wonder how Bob and Geoff got on? Did they get to see the LEO? Bet they did and the Ravens. Cant have it all! Actually the Gos make up for missing the trip!
Monday, February 23, 2009
A Sunday in Norfolk
A planned trip to Norfolk put off by a week and a day due to weather.
We planned to work our way from Hunstanton to Titchwell with a visit to Salthouse likely.In the event we changed that slightly to call in on Dersingham Bog for Bob's bogie bird of the year Great-grey Shrike as he and his mate had not found the Pannell Valley bird on Saturday! Obviously this involved a trip around Wolfendon Triangle for the elusive Golden Pheasants which proved elusive!
However Dersingham Bog proved much better and we were soon listening and watching Crossbills and hearing Woodlarks! The Great-grey Shrike was a harder bird to locate! We were joined for a while by the local Warden who was armed with his camera - hoping to get some nice shots of the bird. He hadn't though counted on the hoardes of birders who descended on DB today. Fortunately we were the first there with him! Bob located the prey - as I was busy looking for the Woodlarks.Son both scopes were on the showy bird
and two happy older women were looking in our scopes!Sisters - one local birder was taking her sister to see the GGS - but they lacked a scope - as the bird had been showing very close the other day.
We were informed by the local birder where she saw Woodlarks and that was on the way back to the car - there was a stream of birders (some in groups) flooding the place. We fortunately both saw one or two Woodlarks and beat a hasty retreat!
To Hunstanton to watch Fulmars and there were lots to watch. Bob was keen to find a Velvet Scoter and a small flock of Scoters were happily bobbing about right in front of us altho a little way out - so scopes up and find the 2 Velvets that were present!
The tide looking like it was on its way out decided our next stop- not to Salthouse but Titchwell to the Beah to see what we could find of the usual birds our year lists were lacking. On arrival one bird I saw on the first feeders was a male Brambling and I guessed that Bob would be pleased and stop and watch them. So I ordered the Teas and a bacon Bap for one and awaited his arrival - which wasn't to much later. We knew we had to get to the beach! Spotted 'shank in a field, followed by Black Brant (nonBOU) with Dark bellied Brent Geese and then Avocets - three nice year ticks altho only 2 to count! From the beach we soon picked up Knot(lots) and at last Barwits! Bar-tailed Godwits - not one or two but dozens!
The tide was out a distance and so were any birds!
(titchwell was heaving with people....I really prefer to be here early mornings or late afternoons...still we then heard two or three Cetti's Warblers and at the far Car Park I heard another and finally saw my first of the year!
Birds of Prey - few and far between today, Kestrels and Sparrowhawks and a couple ofMarsh Harriers were the best we could do.
So it was off to Salthouse for my Snow Buntings - such a delightful winter visitor.
As we drove towards the cr park a flock of Snow Buntings wheeled in the air!. Coffee from the friendly guy at the Beach taken to do some sea-watching.
Of the Gluocous gull there was no sign - but then we didn't really want to see an injured bird.
Back to Cley to walk the East Bank - more seawatching...this time stonking views of the Black-throated Diver which had by now drifted to us again! More Red-throats and Seals.We were on our way back to the car and a decision as to what to do next, visit the Cley Visitors Centre? - and we looked at the pager - I saw it flash up -Cattle Egret .....Norfolk.That was it Bob needs Cattle Egret. Study map and off we went.
Today had been very easy birding - each target bird seen and ticked in good timing.
(except the elusive Golden P)
However the cattle egret was to be the bird to prove once again that birding aint that easy! It was not in the field we scanned - a local couple pulled up and said 15 mins ago it was - over there on that bank. Thanks - a brilliant sighting of a Barn Owl then ---off we went to see where the Cattle Egret had gone after 15 mins of driving around and stopping and scanning (found some beautiful Snowdrops) we returned to the same field. Bird has gone to roost we decided!
Another birding couple had been off for a walk in the other direction now returned and no show either.
We stayed for a while longer watching a second Barn Owl doing its hunting circuit which fortunately for us involved flying down the road we were on and over the car!
Fab views and made up for Bob's dip!
A good days birding in great company.
Its always easier here, once the eye is in! So Red-throated Divers by the score and Common Seals kept bobbing up! There was one Black-thraoted Diver. I then watched the Snow Bunting flock for a while and then back to the sea and there were two large divers flying- Great northern Divers!
We planned to work our way from Hunstanton to Titchwell with a visit to Salthouse likely.In the event we changed that slightly to call in on Dersingham Bog for Bob's bogie bird of the year Great-grey Shrike as he and his mate had not found the Pannell Valley bird on Saturday! Obviously this involved a trip around Wolfendon Triangle for the elusive Golden Pheasants which proved elusive!
However Dersingham Bog proved much better and we were soon listening and watching Crossbills and hearing Woodlarks! The Great-grey Shrike was a harder bird to locate! We were joined for a while by the local Warden who was armed with his camera - hoping to get some nice shots of the bird. He hadn't though counted on the hoardes of birders who descended on DB today. Fortunately we were the first there with him! Bob located the prey - as I was busy looking for the Woodlarks.Son both scopes were on the showy bird
and two happy older women were looking in our scopes!Sisters - one local birder was taking her sister to see the GGS - but they lacked a scope - as the bird had been showing very close the other day.
We were informed by the local birder where she saw Woodlarks and that was on the way back to the car - there was a stream of birders (some in groups) flooding the place. We fortunately both saw one or two Woodlarks and beat a hasty retreat!
To Hunstanton to watch Fulmars and there were lots to watch. Bob was keen to find a Velvet Scoter and a small flock of Scoters were happily bobbing about right in front of us altho a little way out - so scopes up and find the 2 Velvets that were present!
The tide looking like it was on its way out decided our next stop- not to Salthouse but Titchwell to the Beah to see what we could find of the usual birds our year lists were lacking. On arrival one bird I saw on the first feeders was a male Brambling and I guessed that Bob would be pleased and stop and watch them. So I ordered the Teas and a bacon Bap for one and awaited his arrival - which wasn't to much later. We knew we had to get to the beach! Spotted 'shank in a field, followed by Black Brant (nonBOU) with Dark bellied Brent Geese and then Avocets - three nice year ticks altho only 2 to count! From the beach we soon picked up Knot(lots) and at last Barwits! Bar-tailed Godwits - not one or two but dozens!
The tide was out a distance and so were any birds!
(titchwell was heaving with people....I really prefer to be here early mornings or late afternoons...still we then heard two or three Cetti's Warblers and at the far Car Park I heard another and finally saw my first of the year!
Birds of Prey - few and far between today, Kestrels and Sparrowhawks and a couple ofMarsh Harriers were the best we could do.
So it was off to Salthouse for my Snow Buntings - such a delightful winter visitor.
As we drove towards the cr park a flock of Snow Buntings wheeled in the air!. Coffee from the friendly guy at the Beach taken to do some sea-watching.
Of the Gluocous gull there was no sign - but then we didn't really want to see an injured bird.
Back to Cley to walk the East Bank - more seawatching...this time stonking views of the Black-throated Diver which had by now drifted to us again! More Red-throats and Seals.We were on our way back to the car and a decision as to what to do next, visit the Cley Visitors Centre? - and we looked at the pager - I saw it flash up -Cattle Egret .....Norfolk.That was it Bob needs Cattle Egret. Study map and off we went.
Today had been very easy birding - each target bird seen and ticked in good timing.
(except the elusive Golden P)
However the cattle egret was to be the bird to prove once again that birding aint that easy! It was not in the field we scanned - a local couple pulled up and said 15 mins ago it was - over there on that bank. Thanks - a brilliant sighting of a Barn Owl then ---off we went to see where the Cattle Egret had gone after 15 mins of driving around and stopping and scanning (found some beautiful Snowdrops) we returned to the same field. Bird has gone to roost we decided!
Another birding couple had been off for a walk in the other direction now returned and no show either.
We stayed for a while longer watching a second Barn Owl doing its hunting circuit which fortunately for us involved flying down the road we were on and over the car!
Fab views and made up for Bob's dip!
A good days birding in great company.
Its always easier here, once the eye is in! So Red-throated Divers by the score and Common Seals kept bobbing up! There was one Black-thraoted Diver. I then watched the Snow Bunting flock for a while and then back to the sea and there were two large divers flying- Great northern Divers!
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Birding tales
Briefly last w/e I went to W Sussex and Hants with my birding buddies -
on Sunday I just had to go and see the King Eider in Kent this time!
During the week I had a little trip to Devon and Cornwall!
added quite a few really nice birds to my year list!
No sign of the American Herring Gull unfortunately - that would have been a lifer!
Off to Norfolk tomorrow.....
on Sunday I just had to go and see the King Eider in Kent this time!
During the week I had a little trip to Devon and Cornwall!
added quite a few really nice birds to my year list!
No sign of the American Herring Gull unfortunately - that would have been a lifer!
Off to Norfolk tomorrow.....
Friday, February 13, 2009
A year tick, Barnes and a Bittern
Well the sky was blue and I thought I've had enough of sorting out the study. I'm off to Barnes.
Possibility of a couple of year ticks.
I went first to Dulverton Hide - usual Tufties, Shovellers, and there a Snipe (Common) ok and on to the pool between D and WWF and lo and behold a Woodcock (tic) then it was off to the Peacock hide and more Snipe and Water Rail and - a Bittern but tricky sightings. Must be good from the WWF hide...hot foot back and right in front of me...a Bittern. Now there have been 2 Bitterns at Barnes but none seen this winter here by me.
Seen Bittern at Dungeness and Burton Mill Pond but not here, and what views brilliant, first it raised its neck to giraffe height then it walked about in the reeds at the waters edge and then it came right out. Typical I only had the little compact so I tried a few digiscope shots - well records they are!
Then off to Wildside to see if I could finally nail the Water Pipits- nope!
Still the Bittern was good.
Oh and I did say hallo to the Cranes - of course!
Possibility of a couple of year ticks.
I went first to Dulverton Hide - usual Tufties, Shovellers, and there a Snipe (Common) ok and on to the pool between D and WWF and lo and behold a Woodcock (tic) then it was off to the Peacock hide and more Snipe and Water Rail and - a Bittern but tricky sightings. Must be good from the WWF hide...hot foot back and right in front of me...a Bittern. Now there have been 2 Bitterns at Barnes but none seen this winter here by me.
Seen Bittern at Dungeness and Burton Mill Pond but not here, and what views brilliant, first it raised its neck to giraffe height then it walked about in the reeds at the waters edge and then it came right out. Typical I only had the little compact so I tried a few digiscope shots - well records they are!
Then off to Wildside to see if I could finally nail the Water Pipits- nope!
Still the Bittern was good.
Oh and I did say hallo to the Cranes - of course!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Australia and those fires
I have been aware of the Aussie tragedy unfolding as I expect you have been too. Here is a little story that shows the hope and human kindness that can come out of such a tragedy.
Animals have suffered too but firefighters are caring - click on firefighters
I have just received this in an email -
Simon's blog
Well didn't go to Devon or anywhere else today - possibly Barnes tomorrow!
Sussex and Hampshire on Saturday.
Animals have suffered too but firefighters are caring - click on firefighters
I have just received this in an email -
Simon's blog
Well didn't go to Devon or anywhere else today - possibly Barnes tomorrow!
Sussex and Hampshire on Saturday.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Now where to go?
I was hoping for a trip to Devon tomorrow but then I saw this has been reported from
Cumbria
and now the bird is sw of Castle Douglas - so it looks like its on its way north to Mull and west Scotland. I'll leave that to later when hope to go up to Scotland for the specialities!
So Rainham and those Pen tits! showing today - but maybe I #d be better going down to Devon where there are other nice birds for my year list?
Cumbria
and now the bird is sw of Castle Douglas - so it looks like its on its way north to Mull and west Scotland. I'll leave that to later when hope to go up to Scotland for the specialities!
So Rainham and those Pen tits! showing today - but maybe I #d be better going down to Devon where there are other nice birds for my year list?
Monday, February 09, 2009
Another trip into Surrey
Well I mention this to prove that going to new places with vague directions is a lost cause!
Bookham Common has been recording Hawfinch frequently. It was an afternoon trip and the traffic was heavy. Everyone off to Auntie Flo.So took a longer time than anticipated to get to BC station.We went across the bridge scanning as we went and then a wander through the trees. I spied a small flock of Redpolls a long way off and searched through them for any Mealies or even an Arctic! No all Lessers.
No sign of Hawfinch. We met a couple of people with bins and a dog. They have seen the Hawfinch on many days -but not today.They told us of a place where they have been seen a lot, so we went there and no sign either!
We were running out of light and it started drizzling. Home we went.
Bob muttering about how he (the driver) really would have preferred to go to Barnes as he hasn't seen that many Jack Snipe over the years! (I saw one the other day there!) Bob doesn't like Barnes and only goes there when something is about! I wonder if I might see one of the Water Pipits there this week, they are elusive!
Oh yes and Staines was also mentioned - Scaup there again!
Well you win some you lose some!
Better directions as to where on the vast area of Bookham Common the Hawfinch preferred would have helped!We will go to the places we know in the Forest of Dean or to Suffolk/Norfolk where we have seen Hawfinches before!
What a miserable morning it is today, as I look out of my window. Looks like a sorting day and working on the pc!
Bookham Common has been recording Hawfinch frequently. It was an afternoon trip and the traffic was heavy. Everyone off to Auntie Flo.So took a longer time than anticipated to get to BC station.We went across the bridge scanning as we went and then a wander through the trees. I spied a small flock of Redpolls a long way off and searched through them for any Mealies or even an Arctic! No all Lessers.
No sign of Hawfinch. We met a couple of people with bins and a dog. They have seen the Hawfinch on many days -but not today.They told us of a place where they have been seen a lot, so we went there and no sign either!
We were running out of light and it started drizzling. Home we went.
Bob muttering about how he (the driver) really would have preferred to go to Barnes as he hasn't seen that many Jack Snipe over the years! (I saw one the other day there!) Bob doesn't like Barnes and only goes there when something is about! I wonder if I might see one of the Water Pipits there this week, they are elusive!
Oh yes and Staines was also mentioned - Scaup there again!
Well you win some you lose some!
Better directions as to where on the vast area of Bookham Common the Hawfinch preferred would have helped!We will go to the places we know in the Forest of Dean or to Suffolk/Norfolk where we have seen Hawfinches before!
What a miserable morning it is today, as I look out of my window. Looks like a sorting day and working on the pc!
Sunday, February 08, 2009
gull fest!
So off to Hampshire- we thought leave later as the weather forecast was dire. We get to Portsmouth - have they seen any snow?
Surrey we came through and whilst the roads were good - you could see the snow everywhere. Hampshire, well it didn't do what the forecast said. We could have left earlier and had longer birding there.
Still first to Southsea and to see an Adult Glaucous Gull - my first adult, all the others I have seen were 1st or 2nd winter.Well he was bobbing about in the sea - no pic any good as the gull was in the sun! Then a Rock Pipit flew up and I heard it but missed it and Bob who saw it couldn't say where it had gone and it wasn't seen again. While Bob went to find another Red-necked Grebe, I watched the gulls and then suddenly I saw a Med Gull, full adult.
Then it was off to Gosport for Gossie the Ring-billed Gull. Who was hiding in a channel in the creek and suddenly popped up for a while and then disappeared down the channel again!
Bob found a Med gull here, oh and our first Ringed Plover of the year! We thought we might have a Barwit but it was another Blackwit! Where are these Barwits?
We then drove over to Blashford Lakes - where we learnt the GWE had flown back to France on the 18th January but they had a showy Bittern. We also discovered where Blackwater Arboretum was, from the helpful Warden. Wr drove across the New Forest to a spot where Crossbills had been seen but we didn't, but heard lots of tits and other passerines and then on to BA. A lovely drive, BWA looks a good place and here we saw 3 male and 2 female Bullfinches in a tree and another male Bullfinch further on!
No sign of Hawfinch!
On the drive back to London we had a Tawny Owl fly in front of the car!
A gull fest indeed.
Havent mentioned the Herring, Common, Blackheaded, Lesser and Greater Blackbacked....who were all around!
So a pleasant 5 for the year list for me!
Have a go at iding the gulls above!
Thursday, February 05, 2009
News on the Garden list front!
Three Goldfinches on the feeders at lunch time plus the usual Blue and Great tits and Blackcap(male) plus a lovely displaying Wren quite whom he was displaying to I'm not sure. A good way to answer a phone call watching out of the upstairs window at my garden!
Tried a couple of shots through the window...have yet to see if they are any good.
Tried a couple of shots through the window...have yet to see if they are any good.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
South Africa Trip 2008 Oct-Novemember
I have managed to begin my SA exploits as I cant copy and paste quickly all the details, I have uploaded the posts to the Southern African Forum - the posters on here are a lovely bunch and were very helpful to me before I went and when I thought I had lost all my pics...so its there and I will post a link every time I post on the new Thread. Entitled Birding with Sea Eagle from the Kruger to Drakensburg. here
Interesting posting now with the snow melting but still very cold ...thinking about 28 degrees!!
Interesting posting now with the snow melting but still very cold ...thinking about 28 degrees!!
Barnes on Sunday.
I mentioned below that we went to Barnes on Sunday originally to take a couple of non birders - one of whom enjoyed our visit a couple of years ago to Dungeness.We were all atayng at Greatstone so it was a good opportunity. Well the non-birders couldn't make it in the end.Having booked Sunday "lunch" - we went about 12 as it was very cold and the traffic was so heavy - we went to long way round via Hammersmith Bridge as there are road works on the journey by the Thames.
Once on site it was off to the Cranes....Demoiselle Cranes. Good photographic opportunities and I really like Cranes!
They appear much more settled into their new home now.Apparently when they first arrived every plane on its journey to Heathrow caused all three heads to peer skywards. Well they still do a fair bit of peering skywards and head turning. Seem very alert.
After the Cranes it was a wander around. Did I say it was cold?
Pat was trying out my compact camera - which appeared to have a problem...well it did and it was me! On the zoom when it goes past a particular point you need a tripod or to support it firmly on something. Problem solved.
We were in the reed beds area keeping an eye out for the Bittern (well I was)and I spotted this chap.
He was just diving as they do..and the up he came with afish which he dropped again and dived to retrieve it and after struggling to get it into position he dropped it again! Finally he won and gulped the fish down! Good protein there.
After a really good Carvery lunch. We went out again and came across this bird.
My friend Pat really likes Grey Herons.....so
While she wandered about taking photos I went off to the Peacock Tower in an attempt to see a bird for the Year List.
Having successfully found the "Jack Snipe" hidden in reeds...but fortunately bobbing up and down I returned to find Pat still taking photos.
Back to the centre to look for fat cake (birds) none easy to hang in trees tho unless you buy another cage!
Had a look at the Peter Scott book that has been republished to celebrate the Centenary.Interesting looking.
All photos by Pat Simmons
and from another visit......
Once on site it was off to the Cranes....Demoiselle Cranes. Good photographic opportunities and I really like Cranes!
They appear much more settled into their new home now.Apparently when they first arrived every plane on its journey to Heathrow caused all three heads to peer skywards. Well they still do a fair bit of peering skywards and head turning. Seem very alert.
After the Cranes it was a wander around. Did I say it was cold?
Pat was trying out my compact camera - which appeared to have a problem...well it did and it was me! On the zoom when it goes past a particular point you need a tripod or to support it firmly on something. Problem solved.
We were in the reed beds area keeping an eye out for the Bittern (well I was)and I spotted this chap.
He was just diving as they do..and the up he came with afish which he dropped again and dived to retrieve it and after struggling to get it into position he dropped it again! Finally he won and gulped the fish down! Good protein there.
After a really good Carvery lunch. We went out again and came across this bird.
My friend Pat really likes Grey Herons.....so
While she wandered about taking photos I went off to the Peacock Tower in an attempt to see a bird for the Year List.
Having successfully found the "Jack Snipe" hidden in reeds...but fortunately bobbing up and down I returned to find Pat still taking photos.
Back to the centre to look for fat cake (birds) none easy to hang in trees tho unless you buy another cage!
Had a look at the Peter Scott book that has been republished to celebrate the Centenary.Interesting looking.
All photos by Pat Simmons
and from another visit......
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Osterley House in the snow
All the photos ought to be the other way around! Why is blogger such a tricky software?
I couldn't find these photos yesterday! In a different folder!
Compact camera - that I thought had broken...learnt a little about close ups and now realise that at a certain zoom you need to steady the camera..ie bean bag or tripod!
After these pics!
I couldn't find these photos yesterday! In a different folder!
Compact camera - that I thought had broken...learnt a little about close ups and now realise that at a certain zoom you need to steady the camera..ie bean bag or tripod!
After these pics!
Monday, February 02, 2009
Snow!
We were warned but this much?
Brilliant soft snow...just right for snowball fights in the street!
First to get some snow off my feeder tree and see that the feeders are full!
Mr Blackbird was defending his territory from everyone even chasing off his other half much to her surprise.
Out to my friends to collect my camera.
Quick diversion to have a snowball fight(!) with the little boy across the road and his mum and dad, well the dad and I threw at each other across the cars, me catching most before they hit me!
We are all big kids at heart.
Friends ringing up - got the day off school.
Pictures later - oh and my very first Goldfinch (in my garden) on the feeder just now - get camera out and gone!
Battery flat - that was quick couldn't have charged it properly!
Sunday, February 01, 2009
A visit to Barnes and a Jack Snipe!
Report to follow with (talons crossed) some photos by my friend Pat - stunning Mandarine - Cranes and Grey Heron!
I think I might have at least one ok shot of the Cranes!
But I did get me a Jack Snipe! and a lovely Sunday dinner!
I think I might have at least one ok shot of the Cranes!
But I did get me a Jack Snipe! and a lovely Sunday dinner!
East Norfolk (31st Jan)
Report to follow
Taiga Bean Geese,Cranes and Pinkfooted Geese - the target birds seen...with some unexpected goodies and a couple of dips for "extra birds" on route!
Staying local today.....
Taiga Bean Geese,Cranes and Pinkfooted Geese - the target birds seen...with some unexpected goodies and a couple of dips for "extra birds" on route!
Staying local today.....
Friday, January 30, 2009
Big Schools Bird Watch
Well its that time of the year again.
So on a couple of mornings found me with year 4 at my local primary school - engaging in a little counting and id birds!
Both mornings were good - Monday brill as we were relatively warm and the sun shone....thursday not so good but it didn't rain!
I love the kids eyes they spot stuff!
Best birds have to be the Goldcrests - a pair..now are they over wintering or are they here for longer?
The 4 long tailed tits caused a stir and a Lesser Black backed gull was a good find...we have them flying over to and from the Thames.
Mainly though the usual local birds...and we actually heard and saw RN Parakeets flying over and once in the trees!
Why do they do this - go away when they are being counted?
So on a couple of mornings found me with year 4 at my local primary school - engaging in a little counting and id birds!
Both mornings were good - Monday brill as we were relatively warm and the sun shone....thursday not so good but it didn't rain!
I love the kids eyes they spot stuff!
Best birds have to be the Goldcrests - a pair..now are they over wintering or are they here for longer?
The 4 long tailed tits caused a stir and a Lesser Black backed gull was a good find...we have them flying over to and from the Thames.
Mainly though the usual local birds...and we actually heard and saw RN Parakeets flying over and once in the trees!
Why do they do this - go away when they are being counted?
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Osterley Park flier
This is a lovely flight shot by my friend Pat taken recently at Osterley Park.
What do you think?
RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch
Well having guilt tripped my neighbour into filling her feeder (small) - I felt so sorry for my residents birds (no visitors for my Big Bird watch!) that I decided as my cats are elderly (will be 13 in April x3 plus the other one seems more interested in watching birds than catching them aged 11 appro) I would take the plunge and put out some feed.
On Thursday I started with water and some soaked bread in water and some seed in a tray - as I have Blackbirds - who dont tend to use feeders...well they liked that!
But on Saturday after the count found me in Pet Smart - and buying feeders that are squirrel and RN Parakeet proof oh and a suet cake as I also have some Starlings - i know they like suet cake!
Well the local birds have quickly taken to an extra stay in my garden.
First thing sat morning
8 House Sparrows
6 Starlings
6 Blackbirds
3 Wood Pigeons
2 Blue Tits
2 Robins
2 Great Tits
2 RN Parakeets
1 Dunnock
1 Blackcap
1 Magpie (who never stays long but generally perches watching from the rooves of the neighbouring houses)
None of the special recent visitors passed through on Sat (or even Sunday)
S'funny as flyovers aren't counted - Carrion Crows - lots of them
Feral Pigs, a variety of gulls....BH, LBB and Herring with the occasional Common
Grey Heron (daily),RNP by the hundreds and the Geese - Canada's, Egyptian and Greylags! Which gives a more rounded snapshot.
On Monday its the Big School Bird Watch at my local Primary School - we usually get a much wider variety in the School Grounds.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Sunday - gulls,gulls and a mega duck. (continued)
That post was becoming toooooooooooooooo looooooooooooong!
Off went Rocket Man (Bob) up the slope at speed. I followed more gingerly.
Bob had scooped a look into a friendly womans scope and seen said bird. Nowt said to me as I attempted to connect.....but the friendly woman who might be Penny Green - a guy Paul Jones on SOS has suggested....he said she stayed on the bird until he got there so perhaps he wasn't the boyfriend after all!
With some directions I finally saw a very dark blob pop in and out of my view as the waves were large! Eventually I was able to follow where the duck blobbed....it was quite distant and I was able to see the front of the duck and then a squint and the bill appeared - I zoomed in to 40x and then 60x and did my eyes in! Watering they were.
Birders appeared from the left, right and it almost felt like from above!
Soon there were desperate birders calling where is it how far out ....
Bob said lets move to the left as the sun is about to do my eyes in.....we went left and onto the beach the friendly woman and a bloke came along.
We were all looking straight out when someone spotted the duck again and soon all our scopes were on the duck and yes he was travelling towards us.....until we had splendid views.
A birder Bob knew was put on the duck in Bob's scope. But there were a few "famous" or infamous birders - well one in particular who had been getting very twitchy as he couldn't find the duck! We had a little snicker!
Time to be off to look for a Scaup on Scotney. Well we didn't find that duck but we did find a female Scoter sleeping and a Ruff with the lapwings.Best of all Bob spotted a Red-necked Grebe a self found as no had reported it before! Brill!
I look at my pager...we were on our way back to Dunge as the Birder Bob knew - wish I knew his name....had told us there was another gull found - my pager told me an
Iceland juv...now this is a lovely gull...the juv in particular!
So off we went a bit speedier than originally.Into the centre -look at the board and Iceland from Makepeace..."lets go"..."no need for that love" called the woman volunteer it was visible from in here...soon Bob had picked up the gull with a little help from another birder (complete with very small child) and I was soon looking at the lovely creamy colour of an Iceland juv...I even got an elderly lady onto the gull in my scope while we attempted to get her husband (who Bob had let see the gull in his scope) onto the bird with his scope...just as we-----and all the birds flew!
Thats birding!
This is a similar bird - taken in Ireland by Rich Bonser - I am seeking permission to post this...I will remove if asked.
See his website here
Very satisfied with our days birding we realised we were starving...nope just very hungry as we hadn't eaten since breakfast...Bob a large bowl of cereal, while I had managed a half bowl .......so off to the Little chef at Brenzett....
on route we stopped to seek out a Liuttle owl and whilst we saw it fly we were both hoping to be glared out by its superior eye! As we left the LC we both saw a Barn Owl fly up from the roadside.
Then it was too dark for anything other than the motorways to home.
Off went Rocket Man (Bob) up the slope at speed. I followed more gingerly.
Bob had scooped a look into a friendly womans scope and seen said bird. Nowt said to me as I attempted to connect.....but the friendly woman who might be Penny Green - a guy Paul Jones on SOS has suggested....he said she stayed on the bird until he got there so perhaps he wasn't the boyfriend after all!
With some directions I finally saw a very dark blob pop in and out of my view as the waves were large! Eventually I was able to follow where the duck blobbed....it was quite distant and I was able to see the front of the duck and then a squint and the bill appeared - I zoomed in to 40x and then 60x and did my eyes in! Watering they were.
Birders appeared from the left, right and it almost felt like from above!
Soon there were desperate birders calling where is it how far out ....
Bob said lets move to the left as the sun is about to do my eyes in.....we went left and onto the beach the friendly woman and a bloke came along.
We were all looking straight out when someone spotted the duck again and soon all our scopes were on the duck and yes he was travelling towards us.....until we had splendid views.
A birder Bob knew was put on the duck in Bob's scope. But there were a few "famous" or infamous birders - well one in particular who had been getting very twitchy as he couldn't find the duck! We had a little snicker!
Time to be off to look for a Scaup on Scotney. Well we didn't find that duck but we did find a female Scoter sleeping and a Ruff with the lapwings.Best of all Bob spotted a Red-necked Grebe a self found as no had reported it before! Brill!
I look at my pager...we were on our way back to Dunge as the Birder Bob knew - wish I knew his name....had told us there was another gull found - my pager told me an
Iceland juv...now this is a lovely gull...the juv in particular!
So off we went a bit speedier than originally.Into the centre -look at the board and Iceland from Makepeace..."lets go"..."no need for that love" called the woman volunteer it was visible from in here...soon Bob had picked up the gull with a little help from another birder (complete with very small child) and I was soon looking at the lovely creamy colour of an Iceland juv...I even got an elderly lady onto the gull in my scope while we attempted to get her husband (who Bob had let see the gull in his scope) onto the bird with his scope...just as we-----and all the birds flew!
Thats birding!
This is a similar bird - taken in Ireland by Rich Bonser - I am seeking permission to post this...I will remove if asked.
See his website here
Very satisfied with our days birding we realised we were starving...nope just very hungry as we hadn't eaten since breakfast...Bob a large bowl of cereal, while I had managed a half bowl .......so off to the Little chef at Brenzett....
on route we stopped to seek out a Liuttle owl and whilst we saw it fly we were both hoping to be glared out by its superior eye! As we left the LC we both saw a Barn Owl fly up from the roadside.
Then it was too dark for anything other than the motorways to home.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
A trip to Sheppey
Two year ticks
Hooded Crow which was very elusive! and a distant Short-eared Owl.
(There will be a few pics - just have to download them- laters!)
There were many flocks of different species who appeared really flighty. Yes there were lots of Marsh Harriers and at least two Hen Harriers but what really was spooking these birds? Was it a Peregrine or Merlin as neither were seen at all by two people who were scanning keenly!
There appeared to be hundreds of Golden Plovers and a few Ruff in there as well. Flocks of Lapwings. all very flighty - just when were they supposed to eat?
Teal were examined with a fine tooth.Never got the chance to scrutinese the Goldies!
There were several Common Buzzards and late in the afternoon talking with another birder they had sen the Rough leg on a pile of manure/straw earlier in the day....perhaps when I was asked to scope the second straw bale/pile that was were the RLB was - I didn't realise I was looking at a wrong place and couldn't see one straw bale. But we were in an incident at this juncture so perhaps it was inevitable something would go wrong...more re this later when Seth has had a chance to blog!
I'll add an internal link here for his tale! I did find Seth- Skylarks whilst he was engaged in car antics.
We went up to Harty Church and a walk through the field to the gate scoping as I went for the Hooded Crow. We had to get right to the gate before we were able to even have a 30 sec blast at him! Seth managed to find him but he was off within 30 secs so only a little look -thankfully seen lots of these before!
Of the Avocets (lots seen yesterday at Oare in morning - which is where I wanted to start - still Seth had gunned the car to sheppey before I could squeek!)there were none showing from where we were opposite - saw they were in the creek which is tricky from Harty ! The 15 Great Crested Grebes were seen but later at Harty Inn we didn't spot the GNDiver that was reported in the Swale by the Oare guys.Dont think the pint in the pub had anything to do with it!
Back to the Fleet another frustrating search for the RLB...a Barn Owl was called across to us by some birders on the mound - we were at the bend probably round it by now!
Good call as a lovely ghostie was flying and there was interaction with a Kestrel.
In fact there were at least a dozen Kes seen on the Island today!
Reminded me of the bird of the week on Birdguides -
there is a sequence here
Well done to Damian Waters.
Seth spotted a distant Short eared owl which was picked up in my scope quickly!
Well there was no sign of RLB so we walked to another vantage point and scanned again. No luck this time.
Seth had a meal in Southampton for 7 so we really had to leave...thats a tough call when you cant stay until the light has gone!
Still a very enjoyable and interesting day - not just cos of the incident but also due to the very exciting possible project Seth may be involved in very soon!
(all very hush hush at the mo!)
Happy Birthday, Seth for Wednesday! Enjoy your special birding treat on Sunday and here's to the next mega! Happy Hunting.
Purple Sandpiper a lovely little wader
Peter sosbe trying to contact for perm to publish. if you object please tell me and I will remove photo.
Monday, January 19, 2009
An amazing birding day.
Sometimes you get them - a day that is meant to be picking up bits and pieces with the possibility of a mega that turns into a top birding day!
Well on Sunday thats what happened to Bob and me! After a quiet Saturday when as the weather was so nice in the morning (after the rain!) I went out to seek an American duck which was fortunately a male.So off down the M4 and nearly to Greenham Common(that brought back memories of the early eighties!)I was able to arrive at Lower Farm GP's and spy the bird an American Wigeon add see a real rariety(after all the culling) a couple Ruddy Ducks. Later the pager said that a Green Sandpiper was also present but I didn't see it! Yet more Red-creasted Pochards. Where have they all come from this winter I wonder?
OK on to the day!
SUNDAY
Having arranged with Bob for a catch up day for him. A whatever birds I see, I see day for me with the possibility of a mega on the sea plus if we looked carefully a few new species for the year for me.
I thought it would be an appalling day- it wasn't so I must trust Bob's judgement and not look at my weather forecasts!
Off to see the long staying Night Heron at Hythe - well Lympne really!
We arrived a bit later than I had meant, met some birders along the track who Bob recognised from West London.We laughed they were down "in case" the King Eider was relocated so were seeing the local "sites".
They said the Heron was in the reeds in the main canal opp the bridge. That was a shame but the canal was free of ice so bigger fish available I reckon! It was showing better than pics from the night before year tick for Bob. I think he added about 26 today! over the ton as well.
Bob had an idea and we went cross country to Hythe proper to the beah where we picked up Purple Sandpipers - lovely little waders, worth a closer view so we staggered down the pebbley beach and up again this time with an occasional helping hand from Bob as I soon discoved my knees were not working so well today!
On to Walland Marshes were a large flock of Bewick's had been reported. Well fields full of Murte Swans kept us wondering where they might be as we weaved our way across the marshes. Spotted just round a bend a lot of Mutes with one interesting swan...scopes out...I saw behind us a flock of.....yes Bewick's and I promptly forgot about the "interesting one" and concentrated on countingthe Bewick's - I have a real soft spot for these elegant swans. Lots of youngster's in with the adults- a great sight.
a good place to read up on Bewick's (these are the Swans that Peter Scott first drew at Slimbridge and discovered that owing to their beak patterns you could tell one from another) is on WWT website - here Bewick's Swan Diary
I counted 79 - and Bob 81 - one missing as there should be 82!
We then drove to a farnm we know where there are lots of passerines.....and there were two flocks, one mainly Corn Buntings (18) and one Chaffinches - I never managed to count them all as they were very flightly , more so than usual. 30? 40?
No Yellowhammers and a couple of Tree sparrows this was worrying as usually there are lots more! Eventually we had great views of a lovely male Yellowhammer who had flown down to drink from the puddles next to the car. Why dont I have my camera on the back seat of the car when I need it?
Got to sort out the compact camera...maybe get it repaired if thats what it needs?
All the birds go up as we see a Hen Harrier explode out of a field and fly up! Brilliant we watched her for a while untilshe flew away....
A local birder than pulled up and after a chat we went further down the road to the next farm and outside there were lots of House Sparrows with several more Tree Sparrows....this is were they were as this farmer has put up feeders and nest boxes...no further sign of Yellows tho but bingo...a Fieldfare calling and then YES finally for the 2009 year a Fieldfare and then another! The local birder had told us that all the Redwings had left in the cold snap earlier and just about 100 fieldfares had stayed...last we see of the Redwing then til October.
This was getting good!
So on to Dungeness and a loo stap! Lets see whats about. Well the Black-necked Grebe was still at Christmas Dell and the Slav had moved to Denge Marsh - but the variety had lessened not so cold today no iced up ponds so birds able to feed anywhere.
Off to see if we could spot a Ruddy Duck for Bob...few and far between but yes there were two! In the hide and a quick look around two Coots and two Tufties and Black neck grebe - were all the ducks in the reeds probably...aware of time on we went to Arc pits to seek out Firecrests and maybe a Red head?
Pager would have bleeped but on solence except for megas - but sense it and
Caspian and Yellow legged Gulls - where? on ARC! bit faster movement.
Bob's off mets birder coming the other way and speeds off - must still be here great!
(Meanwhile I am trying to see whats on the mob as it rang with with-held on...I am expecting calls but work related not on a sunday so I dont answer than its a left message...I leave it can see this later.)
Arrive at hide- blokes been there 5 mins tells us where a Caspian is - Bob is on it - here Corinna...yes! 2nd Winter and a lovely bird.
Back to my scope find bird....what's the difference between 3rd winterYLG and adult I ask clever gull man...structure...and then we have a short discussion , while everyone goes through the hundreds of gulls....
Yellow leg - describes where - oh I think I have it..got to be...check whats happening with other gulls around it yes on same bird.
I decide to ook at other end to have a break from gulls and so does another birder we call about the same time Redhead and yes goood for Bob...
I have the Adult Caspian and soon all on that as well! We look around and no new birds....come on says Bob lets go find the Firecrests....on way back I ring 123 - its Seth in Devon do I have a half decent Fieldguide? They were on a female poss surfscoter....ring Seth not with me ....have a chat...(I'd had texts already of
Pen Tit, Cirls etc!) reach car - seth says King Eider as Nick (in Devons pager has bleeped) - I look at pager Jury's gap - very close great...Seth hears me say
"King Eider - jury's gap LETS GO NOW! bye Seth must go!....
Spring into car knees fine!We droive safely but quickly to Jury's gap. Arrive birders on top...scopes to the west...slight delay with my parking owing to local oldies divering with trolleys...s***. Go Bob....and I follow.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Heathrow Expansion
Well despite local cross party objections to any expansion of Heathrow - Geoff Hoon announced this week that it would go ahead. Well it aint over until it is over!
So Greenpeace, Alistair Mc Gowan, Emma Thompson and Zac Goldsmith have bought a field in the middle of the planned site for expension.They are the four legal owners.
see here
Airplot
If like me you are against this expansion you can become a beneficial owner as well.
As a beneficial owner you'll be included in a legal deed of trust and are represented in any legal fight for the land by the four purchasers of the land.
It wont cost you a penny but you can donate to Greenpeace and/or Airplot.
So Greenpeace, Alistair Mc Gowan, Emma Thompson and Zac Goldsmith have bought a field in the middle of the planned site for expension.They are the four legal owners.
see here
Airplot
If like me you are against this expansion you can become a beneficial owner as well.
As a beneficial owner you'll be included in a legal deed of trust and are represented in any legal fight for the land by the four purchasers of the land.
It wont cost you a penny but you can donate to Greenpeace and/or Airplot.
Local man beat Galileo to see the moon first
So for all the Galileo fans out there....
First Moon Map made in Syon Park
Thomas Harriot made first observations of moon through telescope
On July 26th 1609, several months before Galileo, an English scientist, Thomas Harriot, carried out the first observations and drawings of the Moon made using a telescope at his residence in the grounds of Syon House, West London.
There is very little public recognition of Thomas Harriot in the UK and no lasting memorial to his very considerable achievements in maths, physics, engineering as well as astronomy.
He collaborated with some of the most brilliant scientists of his time. He was a close friend and in the service of Sir Walter Raleigh, with whom he sailed to Virginia as a scientist/explorer. His lunar observations were remarkable for the time. His very detailed observations and drawings of the Sun and sunspots may also have been the first. He also recorded the motions of Jupiter’s satellites. Read this biography of Harriot, specially written for this event by Dr Allan Chapman of Wadham College, Oxford.
Articles at Bad Astronomy, Royal Astronomical Society and Telescope400 give further details of Harriot's life and larger images.
* There will be a celebration of the 400th Anniversary of the first ever telescope observations of the Moon - made by Thomas Harriot at Syon Park in Middlesex on July 26 1609 on Sunday 26th July 2009.
Telescope 400 will draw attention to the importance of the telescope in astronomy today and in the past and highlight the unique contribution to UK astronomy made by Thomas Harriot (1560 - 1621)
Monday, January 12, 2009
Sunday in Sussex
Well we motored to Sussex...hardly anything on the roads...Ivy Lake - to spy Tundra Bean Geese (good sussex ticks) and on to another lake nearby for Whoopers Swans Pair.
Then we realised Bob had lost his wolly hat so to Pulborough B to buy new one!
We travelled mainly through back roads and spied a variety of birds...including Sprawk,Red legged Partridges and Buzzards.
We saw Marsh and Coal Tits on the feeders at PB and Nuthatch.
We went to a lake in Arundel to look for Mandarins and dipped out. Then we sought out Bewick Swans. We dipped these too!Bob said we ought to go to a certain place but then we didn't - guess what- later speaking to another birder waiting to see the Burton Mill Bittern- he had gone to this place and after a very carefull search had seen 20 Bewicks there! Drat!
We went back towards Chichester to go to Church Norton....lots of lovely birds here waders of a wide variety. With a bit of extremely rough sea watching!
(list to follow!)
Then it was on to Burton Mill Pond with a definite lack of birds.....
however we did get Goldcrest and Kingfisher and finally the Bittern popped up to the top of the reeds and was still there when we left!
A good days birding that finally brings my Year List to over a 100!
Peregrine,(my second of the year) Buzzards,(lots!) Sprawk, Kestrels(a few of these) - a nice little raptor fest!
With Red Kite yesterday as well!
Cold yes but not as bad as yesterday.
Then we realised Bob had lost his wolly hat so to Pulborough B to buy new one!
We travelled mainly through back roads and spied a variety of birds...including Sprawk,Red legged Partridges and Buzzards.
We saw Marsh and Coal Tits on the feeders at PB and Nuthatch.
We went to a lake in Arundel to look for Mandarins and dipped out. Then we sought out Bewick Swans. We dipped these too!Bob said we ought to go to a certain place but then we didn't - guess what- later speaking to another birder waiting to see the Burton Mill Bittern- he had gone to this place and after a very carefull search had seen 20 Bewicks there! Drat!
We went back towards Chichester to go to Church Norton....lots of lovely birds here waders of a wide variety. With a bit of extremely rough sea watching!
(list to follow!)
Then it was on to Burton Mill Pond with a definite lack of birds.....
however we did get Goldcrest and Kingfisher and finally the Bittern popped up to the top of the reeds and was still there when we left!
A good days birding that finally brings my Year List to over a 100!
Peregrine,(my second of the year) Buzzards,(lots!) Sprawk, Kestrels(a few of these) - a nice little raptor fest!
With Red Kite yesterday as well!
Cold yes but not as bad as yesterday.
A Winters Tale.
Today Bob and I had agreed to meet at 11am - to go to the Chilterns to see Red Kites and some other birds!
Awoke to a severe frost and snow! well 2mm???
It was cold and I had quite a few "things" to do. Anyway we meet as arranged and oft to Chilterns we went......it got colder and colder and by the time we were on the M40 we were wondering what we had let ourselves in for - we saw a Red Kite - later we realised we ought to have turned around at the next exit and gone to Stockers Lake!
We persevered ....some one had a giant icing sugar container and emptied it all over the tress and everywhere in the Chilterns...decided lack of any birds!
One place with running water...some birds...all very pretty and no camera!
We did have a lovely Brazilian Coffee in Henley!
We visited Stockers Lake and suddenly there were birds including 12 Red crested Pochards!
Several other birds as well and squealing Water Rails with Grey Herons after them!
A brilliant local patch if you live in Rickmansworth!
We arranged to go to Sussex on Sunday. 8am start.
Awoke to a severe frost and snow! well 2mm???
It was cold and I had quite a few "things" to do. Anyway we meet as arranged and oft to Chilterns we went......it got colder and colder and by the time we were on the M40 we were wondering what we had let ourselves in for - we saw a Red Kite - later we realised we ought to have turned around at the next exit and gone to Stockers Lake!
We persevered ....some one had a giant icing sugar container and emptied it all over the tress and everywhere in the Chilterns...decided lack of any birds!
One place with running water...some birds...all very pretty and no camera!
We did have a lovely Brazilian Coffee in Henley!
We visited Stockers Lake and suddenly there were birds including 12 Red crested Pochards!
Several other birds as well and squealing Water Rails with Grey Herons after them!
A brilliant local patch if you live in Rickmansworth!
We arranged to go to Sussex on Sunday. 8am start.
Friday, January 09, 2009
An amazing gull or two!
I couldnt believe it = GlaucousWingedGull nr Stockton on tees- where i have a very dear friend - we go back years!
I ring how about a sofa for the night? a weekday? well I will be vvvquite when leaving
I get up there... have to go for the bird and bingo! we spy a grey winged gull...
guess what... woweee and the Glock was spotted soon afterwards
glad i couldnt do the mega twitch altho if Seth had rung me I probably would have gone!
better with fewer birders... and a good nighs sleep whizz back friday as lots to do...
very happy Eagle!
sorry Sneaky aka Pauco aka Paul....
for some flight shots see here
http://roblaughtonbirdphotography.blogspot.com/2009_01_01_archive.html
there is a good photo here
I ring how about a sofa for the night? a weekday? well I will be vvvquite when leaving
I get up there... have to go for the bird and bingo! we spy a grey winged gull...
guess what... woweee and the Glock was spotted soon afterwards
glad i couldnt do the mega twitch altho if Seth had rung me I probably would have gone!
better with fewer birders... and a good nighs sleep whizz back friday as lots to do...
very happy Eagle!
sorry Sneaky aka Pauco aka Paul....
for some flight shots see here
http://roblaughtonbirdphotography.blogspot.com/2009_01_01_archive.html
there is a good photo here
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Night Heron sequence
The local Grey Herons clearly were wondering what all the fuss was about!
Bare with me as this is a long sequence and I have only just got the hang of posting the last pic first! Strange.
Setting the scene
At the Maidstone service station at 07.30am minus 5!
At Hythe this was the scene that greeted me.
Sunday, January 04, 2009
A Night Heron fishing and a trip to Dungeness
Well I now know why the Night Heron has remained at Lympne since 22nd November.
If the fish are here then why move?
I will finish this later as a friend has just arrived!
If the fish are here then why move?
I will finish this later as a friend has just arrived!
Friday, January 02, 2009
Rainham Marshes 2nd Jan
Well I have decided that I must put the clock radio alarm on on Sunday or I will not drag myself out of bed early.
Meant to be there (RM) at early opening....nope so didn't worry!
Left just before 10 and arrived at 11 - knew Penduline Tits had showed this am
- serin 1 had been seen early -
well short story I dipped again! The birds PT had been seen, then they flew away but had not been enough time for most to take pics and certainly not the fantastic ones from the 1st!
Then there was no sign again...we looked and we searched and searched I met up with Paul Jnr and Paul (Dad)...we birded together in companiable silence and occasionally conversation...but often - Snipe son...where? or did you say a Pintail? where? (me)
Theres a raptor up there(Dad) - I got on it with my scope - a Peregrine!
They had light weight travel scope...so my scope was jolly useful and birders all around were sneaking a peek!
Got my pintail.(thanks to Dad relocating it!)
..wonder if Paul jrn ever saw the snipe...they kept flying but where he wasn't looking!
saw all sorts of little reedy birds....including this delightful Chiffchaff!
no PT....
so when a dip is on what do you do go look at gulls and Rainham has planty!
Soon Common Gull added and Yellow-legged gulls as well....seeking a Caspian well if there was one it was amidst 1000's !
Very cold now and light falling.....its about 1...or so...cuppa tea? good idea...
well we got separated as you do and I found some siskins merrily singing or calling away!
Then hallo we met up again and shared coffee/tea and cakes!
Some Essex birders chatted away all very friendly.
They decided to go back for another hour (but no more reports of PT were on the pagers!) I changed my mind and headed home!Saw PT reported at 11.20 - couldn't have been then as we were looking then!
Great driving conditions today...home just over the hour...
I think total today was 21 new birds.
Thats about 60 in two days....not the 200 some wag text me today! got your 200 yet?
haha obviously quality birding over speedy birding!
Bird of the Day on the first - Rough-legged Buzzard
the second - Peregrine
A new year means I look again at usual birds that I see often. The first Reed Bunting, a female but you look again. Lesson for this year if seeking my own rares look once twice and thrice at each bird!
This is going to be a busy year - politically this year and next! So I shall have to ration the birding selectively.
Bob is back from Espana by end of next week so we will have to think where we go birding over the next few weekends.....Sussex,Kent,The Home Counties and longer trips to Norfolk,The Forest of Dean and I think Dorset and West Wales....
perhaps even Cornwall? Who knows .....depends on time and what birds are about as well as finding our own!
Local patches need to be watched as well as the BOU tetrads......oh and that garden needs to have some more wildlife friendly shrubs added.
2009 1st January
Well the best laid plans of mice and corinna went well wrong today. So the drinks will be on me Seth as you must have gotten more year ticks than me today!
Forget the plan...out the window when i didn't get to sleep as early as planned on New Years eve and therefore didn't get up and be at Oare for first light! Another day!
So once that all went wrong other things conspired!
So a Garden list that I didn't expect to be doing...first birds seen and heard fly over BH and Herring Gulls and oh yes a couple of LBB - then a bunch of starlings over the back garden then crows and wood pigeons. Whats the hurry birds none stopping!
Oh yes in my tree an unfamiliar sight a Dunnock! Not the expected bird at all!
Then oh yes Mr. Blackbird - hear and see RN Para(greenrats)keets- and a bunch of Feral pigs. Great list eh?
Magoie heard first and seen later
Finally the House Sparrow gang - great and the Blue Tit pair then Robbie Robin and yes there is the Mr Blackcap! feel much better now! 15
of to Kent - through Bushy Park and spy
Coot
Canada Geese
Egyptian (count for now until I go to Norfolk and great the real McHoy!
Jackdaws a plenty and yes there is a BGreater Black Backed and he is sperched on Diana's head!
on through Esher and Oxshott nothing added! M25/26 and 20 - tho gloomy grey weather affecting all except Feral pigs and Woodies!
To Elmley and Kestrels great....up the long drive to the toilets....almost nowt a few Mute swans....
over the wall at the T block no Little Owl...but zillions of whistling Wigeons feeding frenzy
and Teal, Moorhens and Tufties.
Brent and White fronted Geese......
on way back - Stonechat (Mrs) and a Little Egret
out to Harty Ferry Inn Road and yes Cornbuntings on telegraph wires!
then a flashing Merlin
lots of fiels full of Dizzies- whoops Lapwings to most of you!
At Capel fleet - birders...now pager had already reported the presence earlier of RLB
- I asked is the RLB about? Yes said a friendly Kent birder!
Parked the car and scope in hand rushed to the birders.
You wont see it - have a look in my scope...its well hunkered down.
Yes there was a bird....but at that distance and a shape. Well thats not good enough -yet.
We loked around I got my scope into the correct position and checked on the landmarks.
Now to see what else is around a Grey Heron huddled on a metal fence!
A very white fronted (chested) Common Buzzard and Marsh Harriers harrying.
Oh yes Mallards! Looking daper.
It was cold and grey and grey and cold..but not as biting a wind as usually is the case here.
The RLB is strtching "her" wings called a birder....on straight away and there she was flapping wings and off she lifted and flew showing off that broad white rump against the tail! Great.
Then she sored a little and flew some more showing the under and upper sides to her wings and her massive head..pwerful birdthen she flew along beside a fence and down!
Wat time is it I asked to be told after 2...quick phone my neice I'm late! no answer at least I tried...I dallied a little thanked the Kent birders - dragged names out of the most helpful two to discover one of the Kent Recorders there!
Thanks must fly! Off I was ---gone!
In my neices road to greet me was a Song Thrush......
yet more starlings perched on the wires as ever but no Pheasant or WP ...no matter!
I was warm and able to change out of the birders gear into smart comfortable gear!
Cup of tea most welcome as was the greetings of my great-neice!
Lovely scrumptious Christmas Dinner and I was full!
A lovely day made better as there was not a lot of traffic on the motorway and coming back it was travelling smootly!
Total birds seen 40
not the soughtful nearer 100! That would have been possible if I had got up earlier and started at Oare!
So drinks will be on me next time Seth and meet up...help I feel a bank loan coming on!
Forget the plan...out the window when i didn't get to sleep as early as planned on New Years eve and therefore didn't get up and be at Oare for first light! Another day!
So once that all went wrong other things conspired!
So a Garden list that I didn't expect to be doing...first birds seen and heard fly over BH and Herring Gulls and oh yes a couple of LBB - then a bunch of starlings over the back garden then crows and wood pigeons. Whats the hurry birds none stopping!
Oh yes in my tree an unfamiliar sight a Dunnock! Not the expected bird at all!
Then oh yes Mr. Blackbird - hear and see RN Para(greenrats)keets- and a bunch of Feral pigs. Great list eh?
Magoie heard first and seen later
Finally the House Sparrow gang - great and the Blue Tit pair then Robbie Robin and yes there is the Mr Blackcap! feel much better now! 15
of to Kent - through Bushy Park and spy
Coot
Canada Geese
Egyptian (count for now until I go to Norfolk and great the real McHoy!
Jackdaws a plenty and yes there is a BGreater Black Backed and he is sperched on Diana's head!
on through Esher and Oxshott nothing added! M25/26 and 20 - tho gloomy grey weather affecting all except Feral pigs and Woodies!
To Elmley and Kestrels great....up the long drive to the toilets....almost nowt a few Mute swans....
over the wall at the T block no Little Owl...but zillions of whistling Wigeons feeding frenzy
and Teal, Moorhens and Tufties.
Brent and White fronted Geese......
on way back - Stonechat (Mrs) and a Little Egret
out to Harty Ferry Inn Road and yes Cornbuntings on telegraph wires!
then a flashing Merlin
lots of fiels full of Dizzies- whoops Lapwings to most of you!
At Capel fleet - birders...now pager had already reported the presence earlier of RLB
- I asked is the RLB about? Yes said a friendly Kent birder!
Parked the car and scope in hand rushed to the birders.
You wont see it - have a look in my scope...its well hunkered down.
Yes there was a bird....but at that distance and a shape. Well thats not good enough -yet.
We loked around I got my scope into the correct position and checked on the landmarks.
Now to see what else is around a Grey Heron huddled on a metal fence!
A very white fronted (chested) Common Buzzard and Marsh Harriers harrying.
Oh yes Mallards! Looking daper.
It was cold and grey and grey and cold..but not as biting a wind as usually is the case here.
The RLB is strtching "her" wings called a birder....on straight away and there she was flapping wings and off she lifted and flew showing off that broad white rump against the tail! Great.
Then she sored a little and flew some more showing the under and upper sides to her wings and her massive head..pwerful birdthen she flew along beside a fence and down!
Wat time is it I asked to be told after 2...quick phone my neice I'm late! no answer at least I tried...I dallied a little thanked the Kent birders - dragged names out of the most helpful two to discover one of the Kent Recorders there!
Thanks must fly! Off I was ---gone!
In my neices road to greet me was a Song Thrush......
yet more starlings perched on the wires as ever but no Pheasant or WP ...no matter!
I was warm and able to change out of the birders gear into smart comfortable gear!
Cup of tea most welcome as was the greetings of my great-neice!
Lovely scrumptious Christmas Dinner and I was full!
A lovely day made better as there was not a lot of traffic on the motorway and coming back it was travelling smootly!
Total birds seen 40
not the soughtful nearer 100! That would have been possible if I had got up earlier and started at Oare!
So drinks will be on me next time Seth and meet up...help I feel a bank loan coming on!
To Rainham for the Penduline Tits 31st December
Well I had to go. I have dipped these before so I need to end the year on another high!
Well it came on the pager they were there in good views. I went and I didn't dip it was after 2pm but they were showing! Great a lovely bird and these were well stonking!
(No camera --- but plenty of good pics on the net!)
In the New Year I shall return with camera.
2008 UK Year ticks 306 - great over the magic 300.
Help I have to sort out the Western P total...trip to Picos - where did I put that list?
World total seen this year well 306 plus extra Espana birds plus SA birds which was at least 300+ .....303 I think - 609 + picos over 600 birds well!
Well it came on the pager they were there in good views. I went and I didn't dip it was after 2pm but they were showing! Great a lovely bird and these were well stonking!
(No camera --- but plenty of good pics on the net!)
In the New Year I shall return with camera.
2008 UK Year ticks 306 - great over the magic 300.
Help I have to sort out the Western P total...trip to Picos - where did I put that list?
World total seen this year well 306 plus extra Espana birds plus SA birds which was at least 300+ .....303 I think - 609 + picos over 600 birds well!
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Sunday and waxwings!
Trip to Folkestone.
Waxwings and coffee at friends who are so struck by the pretty waxwings they will be seeing them tomorrow on the way to work!
The above is a cropped pic, I will need to look at the others....
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Christmas Birding!
Went to Cornwall to see a Snowy Owl!
Stayed over just outside Penzance and returned on Boxing Day via a Hooded Marganser.
Two lifers (if the Hooded is recognised as a wild one!)...302 year list!
(further details to follow)
Stayed over just outside Penzance and returned on Boxing Day via a Hooded Marganser.
Two lifers (if the Hooded is recognised as a wild one!)...302 year list!
(further details to follow)
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Tuesday 23rd December
A trip to Barnes, nice quiet day as far as people went!
Birds were a bit quiet too - still we went primarily to take photos, I had a little surprise up my sleeve for my friend...some newly arrived birds. Ok so they are in the collection...but what birds! Brilliant!
Here are 3 Demoiselle Cranes - they arrrived from Martin Mere and will spend the next three years at Barnes - going back to breed as part of the captive breeding programme.They arrived on the 26th November - this was the first time I went to see them- thinking Pat will really enjoy these. She did and took lots of photo's _ I didn't take that many - Pat had my 100- 400 lens - I had her - up to 300 lens which ius brill but you can get as close!
Sometime in 2009 Barnes may also get some Eurasian Cranes...I prefer to see them in Norfolk!
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Well I went on a dip today!
Non showing Penduline Tits at Rainham Marshes!
Yes I really wanted to go round the M25 today - still what we do for our art!
So to cheer myself up I had a look at my SA pics and thought ahh dragons....so i give you
Later this week I will visit Barnes to see what might be about with cameras and friend...who wants to see a Kingfisher. We never see one - altho I have seen them at Barnes when she isn't with me and there are other local places where I see 'em and guess what? Yup they hide when she is around.
So lets see.
Oh yes Waxwings are on their way to West London (I hope!! Talons crossed!)
Non showing Penduline Tits at Rainham Marshes!
Yes I really wanted to go round the M25 today - still what we do for our art!
So to cheer myself up I had a look at my SA pics and thought ahh dragons....so i give you
Later this week I will visit Barnes to see what might be about with cameras and friend...who wants to see a Kingfisher. We never see one - altho I have seen them at Barnes when she isn't with me and there are other local places where I see 'em and guess what? Yup they hide when she is around.
So lets see.
Oh yes Waxwings are on their way to West London (I hope!! Talons crossed!)
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Swan at Slimbridge in December
Well lets have another go!
I took this Swan at Slimbridge about 4.20pm on Saturday 6th Dec in the last rays of the light.I have cropped the swimming swan as I was trying for reflection.
The flying swan was just lucky - a bird just happened to flying in from the fields and I tracked it I took two shots, this was the one I liked best.
As ever I forgot to start with the last photo so these are not in the right order...I will do better next time.
I have a couple of Goldeneye photo's but I need to do something with one of the male as it is too dark. Have to wait until I can sort out photoshop! (Thats scary as I usually only crop!)
Anyway any good shots and its thanks to a few helpful hints from Andy Rouse (in the seminar) any rubbish shots thats down to me!
Monday, December 15, 2008
A couple of Swans
Well there will be when I can sort out my pics...arrrghhh!
They wont load on blogger at mo...so i edited the post.
Will be back soon!
There will also be more SA photo's!!
They wont load on blogger at mo...so i edited the post.
Will be back soon!
There will also be more SA photo's!!
Rare Gull on Shetland
A 1st winter Ivory Gull has been found on Fetlar, Shetland.
For Hugh Harrops photo's see here
The finder posted pics on Nature Shetland here
his name escapes me at mo.....Brydon Thomason his comment
"Rather astonishingly it turned up on a small beach I've been intentionally baiting since mid November!"
Thats a stunner.......
For Hugh Harrops photo's see here
The finder posted pics on Nature Shetland here
his name escapes me at mo.....Brydon Thomason his comment
"Rather astonishingly it turned up on a small beach I've been intentionally baiting since mid November!"
Thats a stunner.......
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
A Bagpuss Clanger with Noggin
Oliver Postgate who entertained me as a school then college student and a young teacher, has died. I am sure nobody in the UK has missed this news. Strangley - well perhaps not after my initial "oh, thats sad" - I immediately smiled as I remembered my favourites "The Clangers".
Their little knitted bodies and their perfectly understandable "whistles" with expressions - ears and noses can say the most wonderful things!I thoroughly enjoyed them.
Then I remembered Noggin the Nog - that was at Secondary school. So very clever!
Now I saw very little TV at college itself - little time but The Clangers!
a lovely obituary here
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/dec/09/oliver-postgate-bagpuss
pics here
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/gallery/2008/dec/09/oliver-postgate-bagpuss-clangers-ivor-the-engine?picture=340522087
A UTUBE tribute here
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Jisqle37uWI
That was the very first then came
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=pTcStBUW2Ao
I'd forgotten Pingwings!
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=JwL9DA84Wus
Bagpuss came much later to my notice than the TV series.There is a small Bagpuss sitting in my car keeping an eye on me when I drive!
They all make me smile! with a little tear in the corner of my eye!
Thank you Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin
I will edit this later so the links click through but I have to go now!
Their little knitted bodies and their perfectly understandable "whistles" with expressions - ears and noses can say the most wonderful things!I thoroughly enjoyed them.
Then I remembered Noggin the Nog - that was at Secondary school. So very clever!
Now I saw very little TV at college itself - little time but The Clangers!
a lovely obituary here
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/dec/09/oliver-postgate-bagpuss
pics here
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/gallery/2008/dec/09/oliver-postgate-bagpuss-clangers-ivor-the-engine?picture=340522087
A UTUBE tribute here
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Jisqle37uWI
That was the very first then came
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=pTcStBUW2Ao
I'd forgotten Pingwings!
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=JwL9DA84Wus
Bagpuss came much later to my notice than the TV series.There is a small Bagpuss sitting in my car keeping an eye on me when I drive!
They all make me smile! with a little tear in the corner of my eye!
Thank you Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin
I will edit this later so the links click through but I have to go now!
Monday, December 08, 2008
Visions of Light Seminar - Andy Rouse
Well I went to Slimbridge on Saturday. Of course I was birding!
On route Red Kites in the Chilterns - and Buzzards from the Chilterns to Slimbridge.
Kestrels.
Corvids but no Ravens -sigh.
On arrival in the fields outside the centre - Bewick's and what a racket they were making...a lovely racquet!(LOL) I just love Bewick Swans.
Later I took some pics of some Bewicks and Mute Swans.Also BHGulls and lots of Ducks.
I tried taking a Water Rail but it was too far away.
There was a lovely perching Peregrine a great way off visible in the scope!
I dont have my list with me -will edit this later.
But we went there for a Seminar with top Wildlife Photographer Andy Rouse.
Biog if you need one!- http://www.andyrouse.co.uk/about.asp
but you will recognise his photographs....front cover of BBC Wildlife Mag this month! Tiger.
http://www.andyrouse.co.uk/blog.asp
on first page.
Well remember I am an amateur with the old pics....but I have now been on a couple of Photography workshops involving animals with John Wright of Photographers on Safari - which were good as I had some hands on help.
Still too technical for my brain but John saw I loved my Birds and Big Cats and gave just the right help with my limited knowledge for meto get some good shots-well one or two, of course Pat being a brill photographer (IMO) picked up loads and had some stunning images.
So when I was asked would I like to go on this seminar I said yes, then thought afterwards help - its a seminar and i will get talked at and I will not understand the technical stuff...help!
Pat instructed me to take notes to help me get better photos and write down anything you need to ask me afterwards.
Well if you get the opportunity to go on a seminar or even to a talk by Andy Rouse - just do it - to quote a famous phrase.(Actually, thinking about it - dont all of you book up - in fact dont go- he mentioned that there was a waiting list for our seminar of 300 -yes 300!- I might never get on the next seminar that I do want to go on!)
He was brilliant and funny, very funny and so totally fresh. He has opinions - strong ones and expresses them with a refreshing enthusiasm.
Now all of you who know me, know I like enthusiasm!
He also debunks a lot of the myth of the "professional" photographer.
I shall leave you if interested to read an interview I found on the net he gave a while back and the message is in there too!
see here
http://www.ephotozine.com/article/Andy-Rouse-on-Wildlife---exclusive-interview-1
He illustrates his seminar with his photographs. He explains what he was doing, he answers questions fired at him including technical stuff.
A lot is simple stuff.
Warehouse Express were there as well - they sponsor Andy (he does a lot of the reviews of new stuff....cameras/ lens)
One of the staff a guy called Ben who has helped me order stuff in the past was there -" I dont do technical" - used to be my cry when I was teaching ITC - "thats why I have a Network Manager!" Ben used the expression KISS - Keep it simple stupid.
Now I like that.
Andy knows all that stuff but he does keep it simple. The questions from a lot of the men there was full of technical jargon, I didn't understand a lot of the questions - but I certainly understood a lot more of the answers!
I learnt a lot - simple phrases are running round my head.
We were so fortunate that the weather was clear and the light was good no, great!So we had a 2 hour break in the afternoon to go take some pics!
Andy was going off to some remote area of the reserve with James Lees one of the Reserve Wardens- to do some photography.He was highly complimentary of James photography.
I took Pat to the Flamingo's- we saw the Cranes but they are so carefully
shielded from the public that no opps there. We walked through the collection...Pat said - if you want to go and look at your birds I'll catch you up - so off I went to the Zeiss Hide.
We returned to the seminar (I'll put some comments on Corinna's pages about the birds seen) and Andy showed us his technique for photo shop....very basic stuff that even I followed most of!
By now I was very tired in my brain.
A fantastic experience - Andy Rouse rocks! Yes I like the guy -he tells it like it is and I do like that!
S'funny another wildlife photographer I like is another guy who can be controversial - Hugh Harrop.
What do these two have in common?
A passion for wildlife and doing everything that puts wildlife first.
They also spend time with amateurs and pass on their knowledge.
I spoke with James at the end of the seminar - Andy was surrounded by people- he said "He is different in the field, nothing about camera's just wildlife!" I expect he can talk cameras but clearly the Wildlife comes first!
I had a great time.
Guess what? When we got back Pat asked me if I had taken many photos.
No said I not many at all. Yesterday I down loaded over 50!
I surprised myself. Some are actually quite good...I think I was influenced by what I had heard.
Cant say fairer than that!
I will post a couple later, these have had nothing done to them except I might crop one or two. But they have my copyright. (I learnt that from the seminar).
On route Red Kites in the Chilterns - and Buzzards from the Chilterns to Slimbridge.
Kestrels.
Corvids but no Ravens -sigh.
On arrival in the fields outside the centre - Bewick's and what a racket they were making...a lovely racquet!(LOL) I just love Bewick Swans.
Later I took some pics of some Bewicks and Mute Swans.Also BHGulls and lots of Ducks.
I tried taking a Water Rail but it was too far away.
There was a lovely perching Peregrine a great way off visible in the scope!
I dont have my list with me -will edit this later.
But we went there for a Seminar with top Wildlife Photographer Andy Rouse.
Biog if you need one!- http://www.andyrouse.co.uk/about.asp
but you will recognise his photographs....front cover of BBC Wildlife Mag this month! Tiger.
http://www.andyrouse.co.uk/blog.asp
on first page.
Well remember I am an amateur with the old pics....but I have now been on a couple of Photography workshops involving animals with John Wright of Photographers on Safari - which were good as I had some hands on help.
Still too technical for my brain but John saw I loved my Birds and Big Cats and gave just the right help with my limited knowledge for meto get some good shots-well one or two, of course Pat being a brill photographer (IMO) picked up loads and had some stunning images.
So when I was asked would I like to go on this seminar I said yes, then thought afterwards help - its a seminar and i will get talked at and I will not understand the technical stuff...help!
Pat instructed me to take notes to help me get better photos and write down anything you need to ask me afterwards.
Well if you get the opportunity to go on a seminar or even to a talk by Andy Rouse - just do it - to quote a famous phrase.(Actually, thinking about it - dont all of you book up - in fact dont go- he mentioned that there was a waiting list for our seminar of 300 -yes 300!- I might never get on the next seminar that I do want to go on!)
He was brilliant and funny, very funny and so totally fresh. He has opinions - strong ones and expresses them with a refreshing enthusiasm.
Now all of you who know me, know I like enthusiasm!
He also debunks a lot of the myth of the "professional" photographer.
I shall leave you if interested to read an interview I found on the net he gave a while back and the message is in there too!
see here
http://www.ephotozine.com/article/Andy-Rouse-on-Wildlife---exclusive-interview-1
He illustrates his seminar with his photographs. He explains what he was doing, he answers questions fired at him including technical stuff.
A lot is simple stuff.
Warehouse Express were there as well - they sponsor Andy (he does a lot of the reviews of new stuff....cameras/ lens)
One of the staff a guy called Ben who has helped me order stuff in the past was there -" I dont do technical" - used to be my cry when I was teaching ITC - "thats why I have a Network Manager!" Ben used the expression KISS - Keep it simple stupid.
Now I like that.
Andy knows all that stuff but he does keep it simple. The questions from a lot of the men there was full of technical jargon, I didn't understand a lot of the questions - but I certainly understood a lot more of the answers!
I learnt a lot - simple phrases are running round my head.
We were so fortunate that the weather was clear and the light was good no, great!So we had a 2 hour break in the afternoon to go take some pics!
Andy was going off to some remote area of the reserve with James Lees one of the Reserve Wardens- to do some photography.He was highly complimentary of James photography.
I took Pat to the Flamingo's- we saw the Cranes but they are so carefully
shielded from the public that no opps there. We walked through the collection...Pat said - if you want to go and look at your birds I'll catch you up - so off I went to the Zeiss Hide.
We returned to the seminar (I'll put some comments on Corinna's pages about the birds seen) and Andy showed us his technique for photo shop....very basic stuff that even I followed most of!
By now I was very tired in my brain.
A fantastic experience - Andy Rouse rocks! Yes I like the guy -he tells it like it is and I do like that!
S'funny another wildlife photographer I like is another guy who can be controversial - Hugh Harrop.
What do these two have in common?
A passion for wildlife and doing everything that puts wildlife first.
They also spend time with amateurs and pass on their knowledge.
I spoke with James at the end of the seminar - Andy was surrounded by people- he said "He is different in the field, nothing about camera's just wildlife!" I expect he can talk cameras but clearly the Wildlife comes first!
I had a great time.
Guess what? When we got back Pat asked me if I had taken many photos.
No said I not many at all. Yesterday I down loaded over 50!
I surprised myself. Some are actually quite good...I think I was influenced by what I had heard.
Cant say fairer than that!
I will post a couple later, these have had nothing done to them except I might crop one or two. But they have my copyright. (I learnt that from the seminar).
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Elephants and almost a close shave!
After the mudbathing Elephant, some more Elephants doing what they do best...eat! 20 hours a day well a very long time anyway...leaves and shoots! So trees with new shoots on get knocked down and the new leaves and shoots - ah delicious get eaten!
Well we came across a group doing just this and a lovely baby ahhhhhhh!
Then I realised that another Adult was coming straight at us and as you see trumpeted! We removed ourselves, clearly this Ellie wasn't in the mood for photographers!
As we left I managed a final ahhhh pic!
Elephants!
Well we came across a group doing just this and a lovely baby ahhhhhhh!
Then I realised that another Adult was coming straight at us and as you see trumpeted! We removed ourselves, clearly this Ellie wasn't in the mood for photographers!
As we left I managed a final ahhhh pic!
Elephants!
Friday, December 05, 2008
More Elephants (mud bathing)
We then came across this group of Elephants having the time of their lives! They were mud bathing and having great fun!
Unfortunately most of my pics were on my compact and they didn't come out well on the pc - they look ok on the camera screen but not converted!
Unfortunately most of my pics were on my compact and they didn't come out well on the pc - they look ok on the camera screen but not converted!
Elephants
The first group of Elephants I saw in the Kruger - were fantastic
every sighting had that wow factor!
I like Elephants!
every sighting had that wow factor!
I like Elephants!
Thursday, December 04, 2008
Some pics from Kruger
I will never get used to the fact that the pics go on backwards in the wrong order.
First Giraffe I saw, the first Elephants and the view from the little plane from Jo'burg to Phalaborwa.
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
I realise that i just havent got the time at the moment to write up my trip report in detail so i am going to do a quick version and then do it in more detail later!
Its very interesting when you return from as action packed a trip as the one to SA.There are memories that are at the top of your list, there are others that lie dormant until something triggers them and others that I expect will only arise when speaking to one or two of the other trip birders!
Well as I have gone through the photo's I remember things.
In the Kruger - just how tired I was on our arrival as we travelled overnight so didn't get much sleep - SAS have some of the least comfy seats in Economy and that was having two seats to myself! its the design of the armrests they do not go right back so which ever way you attempt to get comfy some part of you has a hard armrest digging into you!Then we reach SA and excitement - at the airport at Jo'burg watching the first southern african birds.....the small plane to Phalaborwa...was interesting - with its propellers!
My luggage didn't arrive - drat to not putting a long sleeve shirt into my hand luggage - the last min T-shirst was good!Mike also didn't have his luggage! However it came on the next fliht which we didn't know until the next morning - as the gates to the HP closed after that flight comes in ...but not having suntan lotion or anti bug stuff was a bit disconcerting and I had to buy stuff - that a) i only needed for a short while and b) was not the same quality! THe long sleeve lightweight jacket I bought was a really good buy tho - so not all bad.
Some pics!
Its very interesting when you return from as action packed a trip as the one to SA.There are memories that are at the top of your list, there are others that lie dormant until something triggers them and others that I expect will only arise when speaking to one or two of the other trip birders!
Well as I have gone through the photo's I remember things.
In the Kruger - just how tired I was on our arrival as we travelled overnight so didn't get much sleep - SAS have some of the least comfy seats in Economy and that was having two seats to myself! its the design of the armrests they do not go right back so which ever way you attempt to get comfy some part of you has a hard armrest digging into you!Then we reach SA and excitement - at the airport at Jo'burg watching the first southern african birds.....the small plane to Phalaborwa...was interesting - with its propellers!
My luggage didn't arrive - drat to not putting a long sleeve shirt into my hand luggage - the last min T-shirst was good!Mike also didn't have his luggage! However it came on the next fliht which we didn't know until the next morning - as the gates to the HP closed after that flight comes in ...but not having suntan lotion or anti bug stuff was a bit disconcerting and I had to buy stuff - that a) i only needed for a short while and b) was not the same quality! THe long sleeve lightweight jacket I bought was a really good buy tho - so not all bad.
Some pics!
Monday, December 01, 2008
Friday, November 28, 2008
Just thinking about SA Birds.
This is a Grey-winged Francolin. We saw several together in Lesotho not long after we entered that Country from the Sani Pass.
The story of the Sani pass will wait for another day.
It was interesting to say the least!
Now the pic above (or where ever it will be on the page, was only a half recovered pic but I was able to crop it. I have a limited range of tools at my dispersal at present. Until ican down load more software on my new pc.
So mainly pics will be raw except they are not technically RAW.
I am particularly pleased about this pic. The birds were spotted and then called in nearer to the 4x4 and one came really close.
Well the real urpose of 4x4 was brought home on the Sani pass both going up and coming down. Fog we would call it here in UK there its cloud cover!
LOL! I was in the passenger front seat and had to keep an eye out for Lorries as at each hair-pin bend there is little room for manouvre - sometimes there is a bit but you go very near the edge!
oh and a Hornbill - I grew quite attached to the antics of the Hornbills.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
South African photos recovered!
Well what clever software we can now purchase! My deleted photos are now recovered - mostly!
Some are lost but majority are now on my hard drive and being copied. They are all read only but I can sort that out and then maybe some will need cropping ...whatever!
Very happy Eagle!
Monday, November 24, 2008
300th Bird UK 2008 year list
I was going to Folkestone for lunch anyway...so whats about? Do I see the bird before or after lunch? Before would be good.
A Night Heron at Hythe - well the same place as the Green Heron!
So in the weather that was Sunday I drove to Kent. Snow, rain, sleet, hail, fog and wind where there was not fog! Great driving conditions but it was forecast to clear up late afternoon so on I pressed!
I stopped on route for the coffee and petrol required for moi and car.I looked at pager
Bird had flown south! Oh not in this weather wonder where its gone. So lets get to the turn off and see if its relocated?
At the turn off not been seen since.By now I was going to be late if i went to seek out the bird so i decided that the bird was an extra add on and my friends were expecting me so on I drove to Folkstone. Here I had a delicious dinner and chat.
Recalling my South Africa trip with pics from the compact camera seen through the camera! Look good there!
I got into my car for the drive home in the light and thought is anything about? Pager - showed the Heron was back!
Well I just had to stop to see and yes there was the Heron....no 300 for my year list!Great.But how interesting that the same canal held both a Green and a Night Heron within a month of each other!
Home was rain and rain but we were able to travel at a faster pace than the morning trip!
299
Steppe Grey Shrike - what an impressive bird it has been wowing birders since 7th November (when I was in SA). I got back shattered and unable to go due to committments until the sat evening for early sunday morning viewing (talons crossed) I also wanted to go to Donna Nook to see the seals!
Photos to be posted here later......
A Night Heron at Hythe - well the same place as the Green Heron!
So in the weather that was Sunday I drove to Kent. Snow, rain, sleet, hail, fog and wind where there was not fog! Great driving conditions but it was forecast to clear up late afternoon so on I pressed!
I stopped on route for the coffee and petrol required for moi and car.I looked at pager
Bird had flown south! Oh not in this weather wonder where its gone. So lets get to the turn off and see if its relocated?
At the turn off not been seen since.By now I was going to be late if i went to seek out the bird so i decided that the bird was an extra add on and my friends were expecting me so on I drove to Folkstone. Here I had a delicious dinner and chat.
Recalling my South Africa trip with pics from the compact camera seen through the camera! Look good there!
I got into my car for the drive home in the light and thought is anything about? Pager - showed the Heron was back!
Well I just had to stop to see and yes there was the Heron....no 300 for my year list!Great.But how interesting that the same canal held both a Green and a Night Heron within a month of each other!
Home was rain and rain but we were able to travel at a faster pace than the morning trip!
299
Steppe Grey Shrike - what an impressive bird it has been wowing birders since 7th November (when I was in SA). I got back shattered and unable to go due to committments until the sat evening for early sunday morning viewing (talons crossed) I also wanted to go to Donna Nook to see the seals!
Photos to be posted here later......
Friday, November 21, 2008
Birding in South Africa
Well where to start?
Truely amazing trip with over 300 lifers. Not as overwhelming as you might first think as i had done lots of research and tried to learn as much as I could from videos before I went. Being in the field is where its at and i was soon learning faster than a cheetah runs!
We saw over 350 birds - and that helped, seeing birds I was familiar with.
(I learnt my lessons from my trip to peru in 2005 - I was overwhelmed there - but since I thought there was a bird called a College Cleaner are you surprised? It was of course Foliage Gleaner! I was very tired when it was called and I did spot it!LOL!)
As well as the birds we saw lots of Mammals - well not lots of different species but lots of individual species...lots of Elephants, Lions, Buffalo's and a fair amount of White Rhino's (1 Black Rhino) + 2 Cheetah's (defo the stars of the trip!), all those "deer" now I know they are "Antelopes" ...I had given up trying to learn which was which before I left but now i can tell a Kudu (I grew to be impressed by this ante) from a Sable (http://www.african-safari-pictures.com/sable-antelope.html) and as for the fast food for all that is the Impala.(or pyjama bottoms)
My big regret was not seeing a Leopard. They were everywhere apparently. We missed one in Kruger by 5 mins or so....where we stayed in St Lucia - there was resident male who frequented the garage roof, not when I was there alas!
But Giraffe are as elegant (and very pretty) in the wild as I thought and Rhino are scary! Elephants just cant help but be endearing.....except when they sway at you......get out quick...they didn't at me but....respect!
It was surreal though looking out of the minibus to see Giraffe by the window and then later a Rhino looking at the front of the minibus and spraying!
Hippo's lie about, submerge and reappear with no noise at all, we did see one trotting off about his business, on a Game Drive, this was just outside a camp.Moving remarkably quickly!
Crocs - yes there were a few - some huge ones - I must admit I as happiest when they were not to be seen , altho come to think of it actually it was better when you could see them!
Warthogs I found surprisingly endearing!
Gnu/wildebeest were there...might find something to say about them......
but ah yes the Duiker -( http://www.krugerpark.co.za/africa_duiker.html)the Red the most attractive little Ante. and the best of all - really liked this little ante- the Steenbok (http://www.underwater.org/mermaid/tanzania/images/steenbok1-800.jpg) how could you not be when they look like this?
Thats it for this afternoon!
Truely amazing trip with over 300 lifers. Not as overwhelming as you might first think as i had done lots of research and tried to learn as much as I could from videos before I went. Being in the field is where its at and i was soon learning faster than a cheetah runs!
We saw over 350 birds - and that helped, seeing birds I was familiar with.
(I learnt my lessons from my trip to peru in 2005 - I was overwhelmed there - but since I thought there was a bird called a College Cleaner are you surprised? It was of course Foliage Gleaner! I was very tired when it was called and I did spot it!LOL!)
As well as the birds we saw lots of Mammals - well not lots of different species but lots of individual species...lots of Elephants, Lions, Buffalo's and a fair amount of White Rhino's (1 Black Rhino) + 2 Cheetah's (defo the stars of the trip!), all those "deer" now I know they are "Antelopes" ...I had given up trying to learn which was which before I left but now i can tell a Kudu (I grew to be impressed by this ante) from a Sable (http://www.african-safari-pictures.com/sable-antelope.html) and as for the fast food for all that is the Impala.(or pyjama bottoms)
My big regret was not seeing a Leopard. They were everywhere apparently. We missed one in Kruger by 5 mins or so....where we stayed in St Lucia - there was resident male who frequented the garage roof, not when I was there alas!
But Giraffe are as elegant (and very pretty) in the wild as I thought and Rhino are scary! Elephants just cant help but be endearing.....except when they sway at you......get out quick...they didn't at me but....respect!
It was surreal though looking out of the minibus to see Giraffe by the window and then later a Rhino looking at the front of the minibus and spraying!
Hippo's lie about, submerge and reappear with no noise at all, we did see one trotting off about his business, on a Game Drive, this was just outside a camp.Moving remarkably quickly!
Crocs - yes there were a few - some huge ones - I must admit I as happiest when they were not to be seen , altho come to think of it actually it was better when you could see them!
Warthogs I found surprisingly endearing!
Gnu/wildebeest were there...might find something to say about them......
but ah yes the Duiker -( http://www.krugerpark.co.za/africa_duiker.html)the Red the most attractive little Ante. and the best of all - really liked this little ante- the Steenbok (http://www.underwater.org/mermaid/tanzania/images/steenbok1-800.jpg) how could you not be when they look like this?
Thats it for this afternoon!
Monday, October 27, 2008
1st for Kent
Finally a mega I could go and twitch!
News of the Green Heron came up on my pager on Saturday. Well I thought its worth the risk of going tomorrow whatever the weather and I knew I wouldn't be able to go until Monday afternoon (and that would be tight if I didn't go on Sunday morning.
Would the bird still be there? I wanted to see it for my Kent list and also for my year list.Sometimes these megas just vanish overnight.
The weather was not nice...in fact it was rainy and windy and the weather forecasts kept saying how 'orrible it was out there.Clocks went back in the night.
So off to Hythe I went in the wet morning - a very well known path as I go to Dungeness frequently.
Not nice on the motorway with surface water but I arrived to find not huge crowds so that was good!
The Heron had been hiding away not from birders just its natural way. There was rain and rain and wind and wind and I thought this bird is not going to show!
I love sideways rain!(not)
Eventually the Green Heron (who actually didn't mind the rain one bit) decided to show itself. Great. Where's the camera and click a miserable record shot of an out of focus Heron!
Too much foliage! Not enough Heron, but then i had seen a first for Kent. Bird safely on the Kent list.
Thanks to Robin Mace for permission to use one of his photographs that he took today (Monday) in bright sunlight! I think he enjoyed the fact that he probably enjoyed better sights than those of us yesterday!
He also saw a Kingfisher.
I had a flock of raindrops!
News of the Green Heron came up on my pager on Saturday. Well I thought its worth the risk of going tomorrow whatever the weather and I knew I wouldn't be able to go until Monday afternoon (and that would be tight if I didn't go on Sunday morning.
Would the bird still be there? I wanted to see it for my Kent list and also for my year list.Sometimes these megas just vanish overnight.
The weather was not nice...in fact it was rainy and windy and the weather forecasts kept saying how 'orrible it was out there.Clocks went back in the night.
So off to Hythe I went in the wet morning - a very well known path as I go to Dungeness frequently.
Not nice on the motorway with surface water but I arrived to find not huge crowds so that was good!
The Heron had been hiding away not from birders just its natural way. There was rain and rain and wind and wind and I thought this bird is not going to show!
I love sideways rain!(not)
Eventually the Green Heron (who actually didn't mind the rain one bit) decided to show itself. Great. Where's the camera and click a miserable record shot of an out of focus Heron!
Too much foliage! Not enough Heron, but then i had seen a first for Kent. Bird safely on the Kent list.
Thanks to Robin Mace for permission to use one of his photographs that he took today (Monday) in bright sunlight! I think he enjoyed the fact that he probably enjoyed better sights than those of us yesterday!
He also saw a Kingfisher.
I had a flock of raindrops!
Friday, October 24, 2008
The Moon in the daytime
The other day I spotted the Moon in the daytime and I took these pics.
Experimental with my compact hand held.
Experimental with my compact hand held.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Red-back Shrike in Kent and Serins in Rainham Essex
Well a little outing to my old haunts along the Medway...to spy a Red-backed Shrike for my Kent list and then a trip up the motorways to Rainham Marshes for a Serin or two or three!
I had almost forgotten that 1 hadn't seen a Serin in UK this year having seen them in Espana!
Went to a secret location on Sunday and discovered that there were at least 2 Willow Tits still there. claw back for the year list.
On Saturday I got a new patch tick for Redlees Park a Grey Wagtail - 1st winter feeding happily among the leaves on the ground!
Redwings flew overhead and Fieldfares were in Syon Park.
Meanwhile I couldn't go to the Scillies/Ireland/Yorkshire for various birds several which would have been UK ticks and a couple lifers. Thats the ups and downs of birding!
Still I am still studying Southern African birds for the big trip!!
Field guide marked up with potential birds and a really helpful crew of South African Birders on Bird Forum who have been educating me about SA birding and Mammals!
(Just think of all those birds that might turn up next October when I am in Shetland for a fortnight, thats why they are not seeing so many there this October!!)Ever the optimist!
There is a Sabine's Gull out there with my name on it!
I had almost forgotten that 1 hadn't seen a Serin in UK this year having seen them in Espana!
Went to a secret location on Sunday and discovered that there were at least 2 Willow Tits still there. claw back for the year list.
On Saturday I got a new patch tick for Redlees Park a Grey Wagtail - 1st winter feeding happily among the leaves on the ground!
Redwings flew overhead and Fieldfares were in Syon Park.
Meanwhile I couldn't go to the Scillies/Ireland/Yorkshire for various birds several which would have been UK ticks and a couple lifers. Thats the ups and downs of birding!
Still I am still studying Southern African birds for the big trip!!
Field guide marked up with potential birds and a really helpful crew of South African Birders on Bird Forum who have been educating me about SA birding and Mammals!
(Just think of all those birds that might turn up next October when I am in Shetland for a fortnight, thats why they are not seeing so many there this October!!)Ever the optimist!
There is a Sabine's Gull out there with my name on it!
Nethy the Osprey in West Africa
Taken from the RSPB site.
Wednesday.22/10
Ok then, I've just checked the satellite data and as of 9am this morning (22nd October) Nethy had reached the river Richard mentioned yesterday and has followed it up to Lac de Guiers. Yesterday she travelled about 77km (48 miles), so she's just taking her time and enjoying the fishing.
Nethy's story is possibly set to hit the national press tomorrow.
Meanwhile back here at the reserve, the first wintering fieldfares have arrived. At this time of year when we get crisp, still, frosty mornings the like of which we get in Spring, we can sometimes see an out of season resumption of lekking activity by black grouse. Sure enough, this morning we came across 8 males strutting their stuff.
Tuesday 21/10
The latest data we have, up to 10am this morning, shows Nethy to now be in northern Senegal, just 12km (8 miles) from a large river close to Lac de Guiers, south of the Senegal River. Over the last two days she has covered approx. 203km (126 miles).
She seems to be relaxing, taking some well-earned rest and enjoying the presumably plentiful supplies of fish available to her now, as the data shows her to be spending time, resting for prolonged spells - clearly no great urgency for her to be constantly searching for food or pressing on anywhere in particular.
Nethy must be enjoying the warmth of the region too, unlike Loch Garten today where we had snow and sleet. The gale force winds over the weekend, have stripped the leaves form the broadleaf trees and strewn yellow pine needles everywhere.
You might want to watch The One Show on BBC TV next week on Tuesday 28th October at 7pm, as Operation Osprey at Loch Garten will feature - an historical piece about the early days of osprey protection.
Wednesday.22/10
Ok then, I've just checked the satellite data and as of 9am this morning (22nd October) Nethy had reached the river Richard mentioned yesterday and has followed it up to Lac de Guiers. Yesterday she travelled about 77km (48 miles), so she's just taking her time and enjoying the fishing.
Nethy's story is possibly set to hit the national press tomorrow.
Meanwhile back here at the reserve, the first wintering fieldfares have arrived. At this time of year when we get crisp, still, frosty mornings the like of which we get in Spring, we can sometimes see an out of season resumption of lekking activity by black grouse. Sure enough, this morning we came across 8 males strutting their stuff.
Tuesday 21/10
The latest data we have, up to 10am this morning, shows Nethy to now be in northern Senegal, just 12km (8 miles) from a large river close to Lac de Guiers, south of the Senegal River. Over the last two days she has covered approx. 203km (126 miles).
She seems to be relaxing, taking some well-earned rest and enjoying the presumably plentiful supplies of fish available to her now, as the data shows her to be spending time, resting for prolonged spells - clearly no great urgency for her to be constantly searching for food or pressing on anywhere in particular.
Nethy must be enjoying the warmth of the region too, unlike Loch Garten today where we had snow and sleet. The gale force winds over the weekend, have stripped the leaves form the broadleaf trees and strewn yellow pine needles everywhere.
You might want to watch The One Show on BBC TV next week on Tuesday 28th October at 7pm, as Operation Osprey at Loch Garten will feature - an historical piece about the early days of osprey protection.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Cornwall Day 2 Part 5 well after the gulls!
Now what with all the downloading of photo's I cant remember where i am, except it was Cornwall and a beautiful day!
Oh yes after Hayle I went down to Sennan Cove to find a Yellow legged Gull, which i did after a while of studying lots of lesser black backs, Herrings and the occasional Greater BB - they are enormous when you accidentally stand near one!
There was at least one Common Gull here but as it flew off the other one i saw might have been it back! Boy it would have been good to have been with another birder as you can lose which bird is which when there are so many!
Paul would have been in his element! So many gulls so little time. Anyway i left the Cove which was a bit too full of tourists and birders (another lot who were keeping themselves to themselves...so grockles to a boy!- Actually I might be doing them a disservice as they did appear to have coffee and teas! One deligent birder was scoping for his life....so I guessed the YLG was elesewhere and it was. It was in a field as I discovered a little later!(this was a refound or refind bird!)
Then it was on to discover a few self found birds - oh I also saw a Whinchat and a Raven which I didn't write down on my list!No Choughs though which was a shame.
The Self found birds that ought to be reported? (Which I have btw along with the Red Kite as Peregrines are not noted here...I think they get so many!)
Red-breasted Flycatcher at the lighthouse at Pendeen Point which i just had to go to look at in the sun!Never seen it out of rain and wind! I also tried to refind a Rosy starling but I failed but now i have seen a pic of the little thing I'm hardly surprised as it looks different to the other Rosy I have seen this year in Wales. Still awaiting a stonking adult male though. (got a lovely photo by Kit Day of one as an incentive which I won in a Bird guides competition a couple of years ago!)
Oh have I mentioned Buzzards? Probably not sawa really pale morph along the main road to Lands End/Sennen. I also saw a another couple of dark birds - one I did get a record shot of - nearly got a brilliant shot but as i opened my car and got scope out a young man asked me the way to a place that wasn't on my OS map - but trying to help him meant the bird flew off!
I digress- on to the Ortolan Bunting outside a tiny village M (something)Madron.
Its great on these back road you can stop when you like and the birds take no mnotice if you stay in the car.
Then it was on to Marizon Marshes where I saw some Dragonflies....beautiful!(id later as I still havent decided what they were! 4 seen ......
Here I watched some Meadow Pipits feeding and then realised after they had flown away and then come back that one was not a Meadow but something else and whilst I thought Richard's I had to look into the field guide again to check!
Then the little blighter's flew over a hedge and I couldn't find them again...well i found some other Mipits! Richard's Pipit very nice!
The best thing about these birds was that they were all year ticks and two were UK ticks and one the RBF was a lifer! So that was all jolly well brilliant!
I went off to find a loo (this being important for a woman birder) and was going to get an ice cream as it was so hot but the que was too long so I left to try to find
Stithians Reservoir .....however I was rudely interrupted by the pager bleeping - MEGA.... and there no not the Alder Flycatcher back or relocated but a Red eyed Vireo! Well there should be no doubt about that id I thought and i will know what it looks like without having to check the Sibley or NA Field guide (that is at home!)as I saw my first in Canada in 2004! So it was about turn double check the OS map as to where the bird was and where I had to go to park! and off I went - on a Twitch!
Well what a cracking little bird! If you havent already seen it on Surfbirds or Birdguides then look on Cornwall Birding
What a little cracker!
(the Alder Flycatcher is also pictured )
I meant to say there were lots of birders about near Sennen Cove - mainly in three's and four's must all have been looking for that RARE.
Buzzard
Something had been here...was it the Whinchat?
Oh and after all this I then went and found the reservoir I was looking for and found the Nature Reserve part and the hide!
There was not really time to have a real search of all the gulls on the other part(also sailing people were a bit of a nuisance - in that they get in my way!
Nothing against sailors.
But not much on the other bit - I gather its the fault of the grey heron!
Looks an interesting place for a weekday! Now I have found it will visit next time I am in Cornwall.
website is here
Oh yes after Hayle I went down to Sennan Cove to find a Yellow legged Gull, which i did after a while of studying lots of lesser black backs, Herrings and the occasional Greater BB - they are enormous when you accidentally stand near one!
There was at least one Common Gull here but as it flew off the other one i saw might have been it back! Boy it would have been good to have been with another birder as you can lose which bird is which when there are so many!
Paul would have been in his element! So many gulls so little time. Anyway i left the Cove which was a bit too full of tourists and birders (another lot who were keeping themselves to themselves...so grockles to a boy!- Actually I might be doing them a disservice as they did appear to have coffee and teas! One deligent birder was scoping for his life....so I guessed the YLG was elesewhere and it was. It was in a field as I discovered a little later!(this was a refound or refind bird!)
Then it was on to discover a few self found birds - oh I also saw a Whinchat and a Raven which I didn't write down on my list!No Choughs though which was a shame.
The Self found birds that ought to be reported? (Which I have btw along with the Red Kite as Peregrines are not noted here...I think they get so many!)
Red-breasted Flycatcher at the lighthouse at Pendeen Point which i just had to go to look at in the sun!Never seen it out of rain and wind! I also tried to refind a Rosy starling but I failed but now i have seen a pic of the little thing I'm hardly surprised as it looks different to the other Rosy I have seen this year in Wales. Still awaiting a stonking adult male though. (got a lovely photo by Kit Day of one as an incentive which I won in a Bird guides competition a couple of years ago!)
Oh have I mentioned Buzzards? Probably not sawa really pale morph along the main road to Lands End/Sennen. I also saw a another couple of dark birds - one I did get a record shot of - nearly got a brilliant shot but as i opened my car and got scope out a young man asked me the way to a place that wasn't on my OS map - but trying to help him meant the bird flew off!
I digress- on to the Ortolan Bunting outside a tiny village M (something)Madron.
Its great on these back road you can stop when you like and the birds take no mnotice if you stay in the car.
Then it was on to Marizon Marshes where I saw some Dragonflies....beautiful!(id later as I still havent decided what they were! 4 seen ......
Here I watched some Meadow Pipits feeding and then realised after they had flown away and then come back that one was not a Meadow but something else and whilst I thought Richard's I had to look into the field guide again to check!
Then the little blighter's flew over a hedge and I couldn't find them again...well i found some other Mipits! Richard's Pipit very nice!
The best thing about these birds was that they were all year ticks and two were UK ticks and one the RBF was a lifer! So that was all jolly well brilliant!
I went off to find a loo (this being important for a woman birder) and was going to get an ice cream as it was so hot but the que was too long so I left to try to find
Stithians Reservoir .....however I was rudely interrupted by the pager bleeping - MEGA.... and there no not the Alder Flycatcher back or relocated but a Red eyed Vireo! Well there should be no doubt about that id I thought and i will know what it looks like without having to check the Sibley or NA Field guide (that is at home!)as I saw my first in Canada in 2004! So it was about turn double check the OS map as to where the bird was and where I had to go to park! and off I went - on a Twitch!
Well what a cracking little bird! If you havent already seen it on Surfbirds or Birdguides then look on Cornwall Birding
What a little cracker!
(the Alder Flycatcher is also pictured )
I meant to say there were lots of birders about near Sennen Cove - mainly in three's and four's must all have been looking for that RARE.
Buzzard
Something had been here...was it the Whinchat?
Oh and after all this I then went and found the reservoir I was looking for and found the Nature Reserve part and the hide!
There was not really time to have a real search of all the gulls on the other part(also sailing people were a bit of a nuisance - in that they get in my way!
Nothing against sailors.
But not much on the other bit - I gather its the fault of the grey heron!
Looks an interesting place for a weekday! Now I have found it will visit next time I am in Cornwall.
website is here
Cornwall Day 2 Part 4 Gulls 2
Common Gull
Med Gull
Now why did I post this?
More gulls seen (seeking permission to post these - but will acknowledge anyway - if they are yours and you object -let me know and I will remove them)to be honest I may have seen these gulls - as they were both in Cornwall and I saw a Med Gull and at least 2 Common Gulls (at different places) but I did not see them at the place these photos were taken! They looked just like the gulls in the photo's which was my point!
But as for the third bird I cant remember why I posted it but it is a nice gull!
Perhaps its a beauty contest?
Cornwall Day2 Part 3 - Gulls 1
Now here are some interesting photographs by Simon Chidwick of a possible
Azorian Yellow legged Gull - at Sennen Cove. Now I did see this bird and took pics of it but when I uploaded them they were out of focus! Simon has kindly given me permission to post them here. If anyone has any thoughts please post them and I will pass them on to Simon.
Azorian Yellow legged Gull - at Sennen Cove. Now I did see this bird and took pics of it but when I uploaded them they were out of focus! Simon has kindly given me permission to post them here. If anyone has any thoughts please post them and I will pass them on to Simon.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Cornwall Day 2 Part 2
Off to the Hayle estuary where i had seen an American Wigeon (juv/female?) had been spotted and reported on the pager the day before.....
its a good place to start the day as sea-watching wasn't a real option owing to the sunny day!
There were hundreds of gulls...Black-headed I was told a few years ago are not as common here....but i'm not sure anybody had told them that! There were Herrings of all ages...Lesser BB and some GBB then i spied a Common Gull and a Med Gull. No YLG that I could see.A Curlew was causing great delight to a group of Welsh birders who happened to be in the same car park as me..as did the Grey Wagtails and Dunlin! I pointed out a Little Egret and off they went into ecstasy! A Redshank marched into view. I couldn't stand the delight! Off to the Reserve via another view point...where a Curlew and Redshank were sharing a feeding area. Not a lot about so a walk to the causeway...Meadow Pipits and a couple of Rock pipits interrupted my walk.
Once I had crossed the main road I joined a number of other birders...hi I said as I approached...grunt came one reply that I had to do with as they were the sullen bunch!
A flock of lots of wigeon greeted me as well as the flocks of gulls! (see previous post!) So no help from these miserable b******! Well as luck would have it lo and behold I saw a different Wigeon....I think I have the American I said gently and waited...the guy who had grunted on my arrival was no longer there and the others ignored me...suit yourselves I thought!
Been trying to find photos of this bird you will have to go to Cornwall Birding to see it!
to be continued!
its a good place to start the day as sea-watching wasn't a real option owing to the sunny day!
There were hundreds of gulls...Black-headed I was told a few years ago are not as common here....but i'm not sure anybody had told them that! There were Herrings of all ages...Lesser BB and some GBB then i spied a Common Gull and a Med Gull. No YLG that I could see.A Curlew was causing great delight to a group of Welsh birders who happened to be in the same car park as me..as did the Grey Wagtails and Dunlin! I pointed out a Little Egret and off they went into ecstasy! A Redshank marched into view. I couldn't stand the delight! Off to the Reserve via another view point...where a Curlew and Redshank were sharing a feeding area. Not a lot about so a walk to the causeway...Meadow Pipits and a couple of Rock pipits interrupted my walk.
Once I had crossed the main road I joined a number of other birders...hi I said as I approached...grunt came one reply that I had to do with as they were the sullen bunch!
A flock of lots of wigeon greeted me as well as the flocks of gulls! (see previous post!) So no help from these miserable b******! Well as luck would have it lo and behold I saw a different Wigeon....I think I have the American I said gently and waited...the guy who had grunted on my arrival was no longer there and the others ignored me...suit yourselves I thought!
Been trying to find photos of this bird you will have to go to Cornwall Birding to see it!
to be continued!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Cornwall Day 2 Part 1
Havent got many pics as I was busy birding and forgetting the camera or when attempting to digiscope took so long hand holding and getting into focus - silly!
However Curlew was busy feeding and going slowly!
The picture of the gulls is for Paul - just a few of the gulls at Hayle!
Saturday was a wonderful day weather wise but I had been expecting to do seawatching in a howling gale...not today! So no chance of Sabine's but did have other goodies including some self found beauties!
Long w/e to Cornwall day1 part2
Later in the afternoon went for a walk around Newquay. Interesting for surfers and young students!
The waves seemed quite big....so it was back to our Hotel and our beach.
In fact the waves were huge! Actually discovered that they were even high for the local surfers!
My friend Pat had her camera (I had left mine behind!) I may be able to post a couple of her pics later!
Watched for ages...most of the surfers were on the waves for a few seconds! Most about 10 seconds.I did notice one guy who seemed to be up for ages - all that effort for a couple of seconds?
Still I dont do swimming any more and would never have even tried surfing so what do i know?
The w/e was a reunion with some old friends from my last school. 4 of us arrived this am and the others arrived in the early evening - for a meal and drinks!
I was aware I was driving the next day and retired to bed early.My hire car was arriving early the next morning and i had some serious birding to do!
The others were due to go on a long coastal walk - Boscombe to Tintagel. (A walk I di back in the eighties!)
The waves seemed quite big....so it was back to our Hotel and our beach.
In fact the waves were huge! Actually discovered that they were even high for the local surfers!
My friend Pat had her camera (I had left mine behind!) I may be able to post a couple of her pics later!
Watched for ages...most of the surfers were on the waves for a few seconds! Most about 10 seconds.I did notice one guy who seemed to be up for ages - all that effort for a couple of seconds?
Still I dont do swimming any more and would never have even tried surfing so what do i know?
The w/e was a reunion with some old friends from my last school. 4 of us arrived this am and the others arrived in the early evening - for a meal and drinks!
I was aware I was driving the next day and retired to bed early.My hire car was arriving early the next morning and i had some serious birding to do!
The others were due to go on a long coastal walk - Boscombe to Tintagel. (A walk I di back in the eighties!)
Long w/e to Cornwall
Have to admit I had been hoping that the Alder Flycatcher might still be around but as Saturday would be my day with a hire car to myself it was looking tricky when I heard the bird had been trapped and ringed on the Thursday afternoon. I was right to be worried by the Friday am there were no sightings.Not that I needed this little bird for my World List but for my UK Life list - it was a first for the UK provided its accepted.(I saw one in Canada in 2004)
Still who could anticipate what the w/e held?
I certainly didn't.My wonderful w/e began with a self found Yellow-browed Warbler on route to the beach at Polzeath...we were after breakfast! Two of my friends were walking in front and had gained quite a bit on me as I watched and listened for birds.Starlings, H.Sparrows,Woodpigeons just like being at home (altho no sign of the noisy RNP's!)
Then I saw a YBW perched up in a treee/shrub and i was able to watch it for about 3 mins in the sun! Then it dropped down and I left.
There were lots of Rooks and Jackdaws and some Crows a very few Magpies.
On after breakfast with a walk around Pentire Point.There were many birds to see here
various gulls mainly Herring and LesserBB with an occasional Common.There were lots of Oystercatchers and there were lots of Rock pipits! I was surprised at how many! Pied Wagtails, Meadow Pipits by the score!
Kestrels were hunting from the cliff edges....and being successful.A Curlew was spotted along with several Dunlins.Three birds were flying a fair way off shore....Gannets!
Stonechats were perching up.
A Longtailed Skua was seen flying purposely west.
A mainly white bird which appeared to have orange or a bright yellow on it was chased over our heads by Crows.Whatever it was I could not get a good sight of it with my bins as it went so fast! bird sp!
On the way across a field and on through a slightly wooded area I saw Chaffinches being the most numerous of the song birds...with Blackbird, Robin and Great Tits. Then on a wire was a Linnet with a couple of others lurking below!
Blue Tits were heard and finally one seen!A Song Thrush was spied.
Not bad for a walk chosen by my non birding friend John having read it had birds!
On route for Newquay I saw a Red Kite near to St Columb Major. (Please note all birds of note have been sent on to the Bird Recorder for Cornwall) Red Kite in Cornwall are noteable.
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Barnes on Wednesday
The sun was out- the dog walked so i could go somewhere...where?
Still no Broad-billed Sandpiper in Essex...so if I'm at Barnes then if something turns up via the pager I could go!
So out to hunt out a rare of my own...in Barnes? Well anything can happen!
Dragons everywhere and I even managed a shot! Took the SLR - I have two battery chargers for that! Discovered a dragon eating heron and took some shots missed it taking dragons....quite pleased with this sequence!Needless to say it missed whatever it was after - frog or fish? Shame that as it would have been brill!
The pager went mad...Alder/Willow Flycatcher in Cornwall (a UK first!) - Ortolan, Melodious and White's Thrushes - on Fair Isle and Northumberland.Will the Cornish bird hang on til Sat when i shall be there- and able to go birding?
Still no Broad-billed Sandpiper in Essex...so if I'm at Barnes then if something turns up via the pager I could go!
So out to hunt out a rare of my own...in Barnes? Well anything can happen!
Dragons everywhere and I even managed a shot! Took the SLR - I have two battery chargers for that! Discovered a dragon eating heron and took some shots missed it taking dragons....quite pleased with this sequence!Needless to say it missed whatever it was after - frog or fish? Shame that as it would have been brill!
The pager went mad...Alder/Willow Flycatcher in Cornwall (a UK first!) - Ortolan, Melodious and White's Thrushes - on Fair Isle and Northumberland.Will the Cornish bird hang on til Sat when i shall be there- and able to go birding?
A bit of twitching
Well Dorset called - well a siberian stonechat did!
Now I may have seen one before but there was a plenty of quibble about it and since I didn't have a clue at the time I didn't tick it.
I forget how easy it is to get to Dorset from West London...when the M3 is behaving!
Bypassing Poole is a must unless I am visiting my brother, who was at work and would be none to pleased that I remind him I am not!
Well I was aiming for Cress beds south of Bere Regis and eventually I found it. Since no one else was around I had to do my own finding at least the bird had been seen on Sunday would it still be around? There was a few false alarms as European Stonechats appeared including a female! But then a bird with a white throat and white rump was spied. I got out the compact camera for a hand held shot and damn the battery was dead!
However there was a Stonechat from Siberia, what a long way to fly. So in respect I watched the bird for a while!
Photo on Birdguides here
Now I may have seen one before but there was a plenty of quibble about it and since I didn't have a clue at the time I didn't tick it.
I forget how easy it is to get to Dorset from West London...when the M3 is behaving!
Bypassing Poole is a must unless I am visiting my brother, who was at work and would be none to pleased that I remind him I am not!
Well I was aiming for Cress beds south of Bere Regis and eventually I found it. Since no one else was around I had to do my own finding at least the bird had been seen on Sunday would it still be around? There was a few false alarms as European Stonechats appeared including a female! But then a bird with a white throat and white rump was spied. I got out the compact camera for a hand held shot and damn the battery was dead!
However there was a Stonechat from Siberia, what a long way to fly. So in respect I watched the bird for a while!
Photo on Birdguides here
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Birding in Cambridgeshire and elsewhere!
In January(13th) some of you will remember that I posted this
"Then we dipped on - not a bird but a whole RSPB reserve!
Got to Manae and then couldn't remember which road to take for Ouse Washes.Even the RSPB sign didn't help. Neither of us has ever gone there on our own we discover and I didn't check the directions. Now I know I had to look out for the Rose and Crown!
Spent too long up and down roads that all looked the same but looked somehow wrong!
The RSPB site says the following
By plane the reserve is 90 minutes from Stansted airport - head for Ely and follow directions from there.haha.
(course it says all the other ways too!)"
Much to quacks of life amusement in particular.
Bob and I were in Cambridgeshire again today....Sutton Gault to see a year tick bird....Glossy Ibis.We arrived about 10,30 to be greeted with "have you come to see the Brown Heron?"....so Glossy Ibis will be forever a Brown Heron!
We walked about 400 metres down the side of the river where a 4x4 was pulled up we sheltered from the wind behind it spotted the G IBIS out in the field feeding merrily.
The driver turned out to be Edwin Frear(I discovered his name later with some research!) - who chatted to us about scopes digiscoping or buying a better lens for his camera.Then he showed us some of his photo's ...really lovely shots of Barn Owls, Kingfishers and some other birds.He had one of his photo's accepted for publication in the Countryside calandar for 2008.
see here http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvradio/programmes/countryfile/2007_picpops/gallery12.shtml
Three wise Owls.Thats the photo at the top of the page.
Nice talking to you Edwin.
He was a farmer and really keen on wildlife and photography of birds....he said he hadn't been doing it for long. He has a really natural eye.
We left him going to photograph the Glossy Ibis.
House Martins were much in evidence.
Bob and I had already planned that with the impending rain and high winds to go to Welney for food and a warm in the heated hide.But first we had to collect a reserve year tick!
Armed with an OS map we proceeded to drive from Sutton Gault to Welches Dam...short story we got there but realised that the RSPB sign we both remembered being in Manea has been removed! Park Road!!!On the Straight Road we had fabulous views of a Kestrel.The woman driving like a maniac (who turned out was not a local but a birder going to WD too) missed the Kes as she overtook at speed!Whatever was the rush?
We arrived to tick the reserve and see Tree Sparrows and better views we had of them than the Kent birds! On the feeders and in the trees.
We had an eye on the clock and it was time for Welney......coffee calling.We could have walked the miles to the first hide to see if we could pick up Marsh Harrier but it was really cold by now and we thought food!
We had a very nice Shepherd's pie and good coffee. While eating we saw Whooper and Bewick's Swans had already started to arrive, skylarks and hunting Kestrels, as well as a small flock of Redshanks.Then it was to the observatory.Looking out we saw Greylags, more swans and Pink footed Geese newly arrived...(there had been 27 counted altho we didn't see that number)
2 Cranes were in the area but we didn't see them...if it hadn't been for the pager we may have stayed and watched for them...but a Ferruginous male had been seen in Bucks ...ao our route home was decided.(also we still had the threat of impending rain hanging over us)
On our way up to Sutton we had enjoyed seeing Buzzards and a Honey Buzzard (M11)as well as a Sparrowhawk. So having now seen a couple of Kestrels in Cambridgeshire we were happy BOP wise.
We traversed to the A10 seeing mixed flocks of Finches and Pied Wagtails, Lapwings
the occasional Kes and hundreds of Crows, some Jackdaws and a few Magpies.
Our route was relatively uneventful except a traffic jam in Bedford but mainly light traffic and much more pleasant than motorways!It began to rain and the wind got up.
We eventually turned down the A413 and looked for Calverts Lake....Bob's OS would have been really useful, but was at home...we did however manage to find it down lots of little country lanes. The Badger sign a giveaway.Here it was not raining and we realised that we had been birding without rain...so even if it had rained we were lucky and dry!
We didn't even need to find a hide as there were Pochards out in a bay we could see from the other side of the lake. Almost immediately Bob picked out the Fudge duck...I saw it through his scope and then refound it in mine.
Nowt else about so we wended our way home through Alyesbury and through the Chilterns down the beautiful valley that goes through Amersham...
on route ....yes a Red Kite over the road giving fantastic views and then several more Red Kites as we drove on.
A small flock of about 100 Starlings were seen moving in the skies...showing that even though there were not lots of them they could anyway!
We ended the day looking under wooden doors in the allotments near Bob's to see Wood Mice and Field Voles to add to our mammal list of GSquirrel and Foxes.
A thoroughly absorbing day in good company.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Honey Buzzard from the garden!
Wow - a really brilliant from the garden tick!
This morning I was in my garden about 7.15 doing the normal check of the local birds in the "patch" - and a large raptor appeared flying in the clear cloudless skies!
It didn't actually fly over my garden but I could clearly see it from my garden! Thankfully I had my bins with me but having watched lots this summer in Espana - I recognised its jizz!
I rushed through the house and out into the road and watched it turn south and fly on south...
Honey's have wide wings , a long tail a very clear stripe/band on their tails and they lead with their head - I'll try to explain that - on some birds when they fly you dont notice the head (Common Buzzard) but with a Honey you really see the head!
(I was shaking - and this is only a from the garden tick - rivals my Whooper Swans !!!!)
Apparently we are having a Honey buzzard invasion from Scandinavia - most of the birds appear to have by past London but some have come straight through.
Reminds me of Logie - Osprey who flew across Terminal 4 on her route back to Scotland earlier this year!
Oh boy - got to have another cup of tea!
_________________
This morning I was in my garden about 7.15 doing the normal check of the local birds in the "patch" - and a large raptor appeared flying in the clear cloudless skies!
It didn't actually fly over my garden but I could clearly see it from my garden! Thankfully I had my bins with me but having watched lots this summer in Espana - I recognised its jizz!
I rushed through the house and out into the road and watched it turn south and fly on south...
Honey's have wide wings , a long tail a very clear stripe/band on their tails and they lead with their head - I'll try to explain that - on some birds when they fly you dont notice the head (Common Buzzard) but with a Honey you really see the head!
(I was shaking - and this is only a from the garden tick - rivals my Whooper Swans !!!!)
Apparently we are having a Honey buzzard invasion from Scandinavia - most of the birds appear to have by past London but some have come straight through.
Reminds me of Logie - Osprey who flew across Terminal 4 on her route back to Scotland earlier this year!
Oh boy - got to have another cup of tea!
_________________
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Rain and more rain!
Well sea watching proved a damp squib - so am hoping to go again this w/e Saturday or Sunday or both!Somewhere out there is a Sabine Gull with my name on it!
Found a small flock of Fieldfares in Syon Park the other day. I love to see these birds again as it shows that migration is in full swing! Their plumage was so smart - just like all the feathers had been through the dry cleaners!
There were a few House Martins busily feeding.
There was also a juvenile GSW with two adults.
Staines Reservoirs had a visit from a Great Skua - known as "Bonxies" in Shetland.It stayed for part of the afternoon before going off - presumably to find some sea!
I have to get used to "Bonxie" as I shall be going on my first visit to Shetland next October. I'm excited as I have been thinking about a proper visit for ages.
I say proper just in case something spectacular is turned up there that I have to twitch - that would be unlikely as its a long way to go - and I do have commitments down south!I will be travelling all over the Islands and getting to see all the "hot-spots" - with a view to going back if its as brilliant as birders say!
More about this trip later!
I am currently watching videos of birds in Southern Africa. I am trying to learn to id as there are many that I havent even seen on TV! Its a good video - I'll do an ad on it later - its in the wrong room!You get a clip of a bird then the name comes up so you can quickly have a go at its id! There is no commentary - oh bliss but good views and the calls/song - so you can then look it up in the field guide.
I am off for about 3 weeks towards the end of October into November.Kruger Safari - staying in 3 Rest Camps - cant believe I will rest as there will be too many birds and mammals to watch!This is a trip I wanted to do since I was 14 - quite why its taken this long I have no idea!Dreams are great but to be about to fulfill them... well.I wanted to be a Wildlife Photographer then (age 12 -14) and if I had gone on Safari to Africa then....who knows maybe I would have been as famous as Simon King! Or perhaps I would have stayed forever!Haha couldn't have afforded it then!
We are travelling about quite a bit and covering quite a lot - including St.Lucia wetlands and the Drakensburg Mountains!
I will blog later about this, now back to earth and some shopping!
Found a small flock of Fieldfares in Syon Park the other day. I love to see these birds again as it shows that migration is in full swing! Their plumage was so smart - just like all the feathers had been through the dry cleaners!
There were a few House Martins busily feeding.
There was also a juvenile GSW with two adults.
Staines Reservoirs had a visit from a Great Skua - known as "Bonxies" in Shetland.It stayed for part of the afternoon before going off - presumably to find some sea!
I have to get used to "Bonxie" as I shall be going on my first visit to Shetland next October. I'm excited as I have been thinking about a proper visit for ages.
I say proper just in case something spectacular is turned up there that I have to twitch - that would be unlikely as its a long way to go - and I do have commitments down south!I will be travelling all over the Islands and getting to see all the "hot-spots" - with a view to going back if its as brilliant as birders say!
More about this trip later!
I am currently watching videos of birds in Southern Africa. I am trying to learn to id as there are many that I havent even seen on TV! Its a good video - I'll do an ad on it later - its in the wrong room!You get a clip of a bird then the name comes up so you can quickly have a go at its id! There is no commentary - oh bliss but good views and the calls/song - so you can then look it up in the field guide.
I am off for about 3 weeks towards the end of October into November.Kruger Safari - staying in 3 Rest Camps - cant believe I will rest as there will be too many birds and mammals to watch!This is a trip I wanted to do since I was 14 - quite why its taken this long I have no idea!Dreams are great but to be about to fulfill them... well.I wanted to be a Wildlife Photographer then (age 12 -14) and if I had gone on Safari to Africa then....who knows maybe I would have been as famous as Simon King! Or perhaps I would have stayed forever!Haha couldn't have afforded it then!
We are travelling about quite a bit and covering quite a lot - including St.Lucia wetlands and the Drakensburg Mountains!
I will blog later about this, now back to earth and some shopping!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
