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.

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!

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!

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!

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
.