Plants from Shetland 2

Edmudsen's Chickweed

Plants from Shetland

Heath Spotted Orchid

Lousewort

Ragged Robin

Tormentil

Yellow Rattle




Even I manage to photo a plant that cant move out of focus...I dont have any of Yellow Rattle that are in focus- 3/3 eek!

Pictures from Grove Ferry 11/08

These are all Pats photos....I need to look at her photos as she hasn't sent me the duck photos - hopefully she has some of the Garganey family! One problem with having a non birder photographing birds is you are never really sure that they have taken photo's of the more important birds - the Spotted Crake was too far but I did hope she had at least one shot of it! This will have to wait until her return from France.
Marc Heath has a record shot on the KOS site.

Sunset over Oare Marshes

Part 2 Kent

Dungeness in the sun!
First to the sea.....100's of Common Terns and usual Gulls.

then to reserve - no sign on route in of CE ....but was there earlier....to Denge Marsh Road and lots of waiting after the initial several seconds of flight by
Purple Heron seen - one adult! No photo much to the despair of the photographer!

Dip = Cattle Egret and GWE

Nice time at the Arc followed.

Then to Grove Ferry in pursuit of the Spotted Crake!

Lovely cross country journey from Dungeness via Folkstone to Grove keeping off the main roads!Kent countryside still difficult to beat!

Grove Ferry Inn parking snip at £1 a day!

To the mound and then to look at the brand new hide next to deep water and then on to the hide where the Spotted Crake had been seen.....long wait as one two three Water Rails kept us on our toes!
Whilst waiting we were treated to some lovely interactions between Coot parents and young, Garganey adult female and her brood plus a nice variety of other ducks and waders.

At 5.15 I said lets give it 15 more mins and lo.....just beyond 2 water rails a slaty blue back is glimpsed before all vanish!

at 17.30 out comes the Spotted Crake lurking along the reeds and as far away as possible....but eventually giving good views of all the salient id features and as a Water Rail obligingly decided to feed next to it -good comparisonswere made!

Eventually they chased each other off!

So to Oare.......

by now it was getting late so a swift visit rather an introduction to the delight
that is Oare.




Photos to be added

Two days out Part 1 Sussex

Monday found us wandering around Sussex - first Ardingley Reservoir in the Loder Valley to try to photo a posing Kingfisher....nope the nesting adult Kingfishers had said goodbye to their fledglings and were seen leaving the roosting site!

So on to East Grinstead for coffee as the delightful village coffee shop was shut!

Thence to Weir Wood Reservoir where a friendly local birder engaged in conversation and happy bird watching - whilst my friend went into the hide to take photographs.

Common and Green Sandpipers among the grey herons (many) including lots of juvs...successful breeding season by the looks!

No sign of the hoped for Osprey altho a couple of other regulars joined us and good banter took place.

So then it was to where?

Bough Beech? or further south?

Pulborough - thoughts were - Pats not been - a nice cafe (for coffee) and loo stop!
What might be about not high on the list altho oner of the guys talked about the possible Butterflies......

pleasant day if over cast.....

wandered around P......

so now where?

Burton Mill Pond - well been there before but much liked so off we went......


Not huge numbers of birds sen but Dragons and Butterflies were about.

Dungeness 03/08 part 2

Dungeness , Dragons and almost dipping!

On Tuesday Bob and I were goingto go to Minsmere (Fudge Duck, Little Gulls and Dartford Warblers for me- Fudge for Bob and whatever might be about in Suffolk!)but when I got to his house - at 7am it was well the Cattle Egret was seen yesterday at Dunge and we both wanted GWE - and surely I wouldn't dip it for a third time?

I was hopeful of Sandwich Tern and maybe Little Tern also....so we went to Dunge!

It turned out to be a lovely day and Dragons and Damsels and Butterflies were everywhere!

I also ran into a couple of my friends attending a Bumblebee talk in the afternoon!

Yes - we saw a couple of Sandwich Terns out on the patch - lots and lots of Gannets - the usual cast of sea gulls and Harbour Porpoises!

We went to Dunge and heard the Cattle Egret had been seen early morning from the Screen....not visible.....

drove down the road - still no sign - so off to Denge Marsh Rd

Hounslow Heath Nature Reserve

A quick jaunt down the road to Thursley produced a lovely Wood Sand.

Went for an amble around Hounslow Heath after looking at a couple of Planning issues.

Saw one Rabbit, one Rat and lots of birds despite the fact it was very cloudy humid and overcast! It was quiet until you stood and waited....

Wren, Blackbird, Blue,Great and a large flock of LTTits.Herring Gulls, Crows and Magpies with Wood Pigeon and Ferals.Kept hearing the Yaffle and finally saw a Green Woody!
Then came the Warblers, Blackcaps, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat and then the unexpected year tick- Garden Warbler! Later on another Garden Warbler- typical!

I didn't go over to the River Crane as it was getting on and I wanted to watch the last evening of the European Athletics Championships!That can wait-Butterflies seen Meadow Brown, Small Copper and Large White - that I could id and a black Insect with red wings which looked menacing!

(Heard that Little Owls are back in Osterley Park on Saturday when I ran into a friend as we were leaving OP...good to catch up with Hugh again)
Yesterday we had some good views of a very large Dragonfly and some pretty Blue Damselflies (?) where is that book?
So a little search on the net is required here!


Cattle Egret at Dungeness along with the GWE so I wonder?

Maybe it will be Kent?
Then Frank is back - seems to roost at a Staffs reservoir....long time since I have seen one and this is a lovely male adult!

Ok Athletics on -----