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| Otter |
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| Otter |
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| Otter |
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| Otter |
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| Otter |
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| Otter |
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| Otter |
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| Otter |
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| Otter |
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| Otters |
Thursday, 30 August 2018
Otters at the BWC
A weekend visit to the BWC gave me a nice opportunity to grab a few shots of the Otters.
Wednesday, 29 August 2018
Red-backed Shrike on Wanstead Flats
Wanstead Flats is a short drive from where I work so when Nick C found a Red-Backed Shrike in the pub scrub yesterday I was hoping to find an hour or so to connect but work took over on Tuesday and was difficult again today so I had to wait until I locked up to make the short trip but it was worth it as I connected quickly with the target and enjoyed an hour watching it in the company of Tony B.
We managed a few shots of the bird in the fading light without disturbing it and left with it still on site and with rain forecast I guess it'll still be around in the morning for others to enjoy.
Another good find Nick, well done.
Year list now 231
We managed a few shots of the bird in the fading light without disturbing it and left with it still on site and with rain forecast I guess it'll still be around in the morning for others to enjoy.
Another good find Nick, well done.
Year list now 231
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| Red-backed Shrike on Wanstead Flats |
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| Red-backed Shrike |
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| and without the crop |
Sunday, 26 August 2018
Stilt Sandpiper at Frampton Marsh
I drove up to Frampton in the early hours this morning to see my second Stilt Sandpiper and in the hope that it might show for me as well as it has been this week for others.
On arrival I walked towards East Hide where the bird has been seen most but stopped on route to scan the Godwits on the main pool finding to my surprise that the Sandpiper was among them.
It showed rather distantly between the Godwits legs and occasionally popped out in the open.
I took a distant record shot and walked the reserve finding nothing else of real note so returned for a second fix of the Stilt Sandpiper. It took flight on a couple of occasions but returned to the same distant spot where it gave good scope views but challenged my 400mm lens.
year list now 230
On arrival I walked towards East Hide where the bird has been seen most but stopped on route to scan the Godwits on the main pool finding to my surprise that the Sandpiper was among them.
It showed rather distantly between the Godwits legs and occasionally popped out in the open.
I took a distant record shot and walked the reserve finding nothing else of real note so returned for a second fix of the Stilt Sandpiper. It took flight on a couple of occasions but returned to the same distant spot where it gave good scope views but challenged my 400mm lens.
year list now 230
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| Stilt Sandpiper |
Saturday, 25 August 2018
American Black Tern at Dungeness
We took the trip to Dunge today after I'd finished work in the hope that we might be able to see the American Black Tern that's spent the week on the reserve. A quick drive down Gallaways gave us a year tick when several Whinchat appeared along with the Stonechats as we drove the track. At the far end we searched for the reported Wryneck but dipped despite it being reported a few times during the day.
On the reserve we sat in the hide and enjoyed good views of a dozen juvenile Black Terns and a single adult before picking out the American bird which flew up and down all afternoon resting a couple of times on the distant Tern raft. It's hoped that the American/European birds will be split which would then give up another life tick but until then it's just a year tick for the "black" Terns.
Year list now 229
On the reserve we sat in the hide and enjoyed good views of a dozen juvenile Black Terns and a single adult before picking out the American bird which flew up and down all afternoon resting a couple of times on the distant Tern raft. It's hoped that the American/European birds will be split which would then give up another life tick but until then it's just a year tick for the "black" Terns.
Year list now 229
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| Common Tern |
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| Common Tern |
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| American Black Tern |
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| American Black Tern (far right corner behind clay pipe honest!) |
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| Black Tern |
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| Black Tern |
Sunday, 19 August 2018
Slowly ticking over
The year list continues to drag itself along.
A shopping trip to Faversham Market on Saturday gave me a brief window to scan Oare Marsh where I found a single Little Stint for the first of the weekends year firsts. Also on the marsh was singles of Curlew and Green Sandpiper. A Wryneck was reported but not seen by me on my very short visit.
Sunday saw me making the trip to Rutland for the Birdfair where I obviously scored a year tick with no fewer than five Osprey sightings whilst at the optics stand. A Wood Sandpiper was the only other bird of note although a Grasshopper in the hand at the ringing demo was a welcome surprise.
So the year list moves to just 227 but I live in hope of an action packed Autumn where I can catch a few I missed on the way up.
A shopping trip to Faversham Market on Saturday gave me a brief window to scan Oare Marsh where I found a single Little Stint for the first of the weekends year firsts. Also on the marsh was singles of Curlew and Green Sandpiper. A Wryneck was reported but not seen by me on my very short visit.
Sunday saw me making the trip to Rutland for the Birdfair where I obviously scored a year tick with no fewer than five Osprey sightings whilst at the optics stand. A Wood Sandpiper was the only other bird of note although a Grasshopper in the hand at the ringing demo was a welcome surprise.
So the year list moves to just 227 but I live in hope of an action packed Autumn where I can catch a few I missed on the way up.
Sunday, 12 August 2018
Swallows and a first SKUA of 2018
Destination Dunge this morning arriving for first light. We took in a couple of hours in the sea watching hide where a single local was already counting Gannets and Terns. We were joined by another two guys and trying to ignore the constant call of "Fulmar down" Scoter up" etc we concentrated on trying to find something a little different and before long I'd found a single light phase Arctic Skua which was my first of the year. The bird vanished but was again picked up shortly later this time a little nearer and gave good views to all in the hide.
With this tick in the bag we left for Denge Marsh where we scoped from Springfield bridge and found Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Ruff, Common Sandpiper and then Wood Sandpiper for another year tick. The fence line was alive with Sandmartins in the hundreds with good numbers of other hirundines too.
A quick stop at Elmley where we found a family of Swallows that entertained us for a while but with the reserve now very dry the only other birds of note were a Green Sandpiper, Marsh Harriers and a couple of Yellow Wags.
We had hoped for a little early migrant action but this didn't work out too well but still a good mornings birding.
Year list now 227
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| No seeds left in the sunflowers. |
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| The fences were full of Sandmartins |
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| Swallow at Elmley |
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| Swallow |
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| Swallow slam |
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| Swallows |
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| Missed! |
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| Swallows |
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| Feeding time |
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| READY! |
We had hoped for a little early migrant action but this didn't work out too well but still a good mornings birding.
Year list now 227
Sunday, 5 August 2018
Titchwell all to ourselves
We left home at 4am Saturday and arrived in the car park at Titchwell two hours later.
The place was empty and we enjoyed a good hour or so before anybody else arrived.
A quick scan into the rising sun failed to find the Lesser Yellowlegs so I continued to the beach which was again totally empty. The wader numbers are so impressive here and on the walk back we enjoyed great views of five Spoonbill at quite close range for a change. From Parinder hide we quickly picked out the Lesser Yellowlegs and then located my first second and third Green Sandpiper of the year before adding another late tick with Spotted Redshank. A Little Gull dropped in and a single Grey and Golden Plover added to the day list before we left for Cley.
At Cley we found another nine Green Sandpipers and more Spoonbills. Another birder thought he'd found a Buff-breasted Sandpiper and put me on it but I then had to tactfully point out it was a Red Knot which took some diplomacy but he eventually conceded the fact. I've only ever seen one Buff-breasted Sandpiper but I've seen a lot of Knot.
The Year list is really struggling along this year and I'm currently down about 22 on this time last year The 2018 list now stands at a very modest 225 but I have had the most special distraction in the form of little George.
The place was empty and we enjoyed a good hour or so before anybody else arrived.
A quick scan into the rising sun failed to find the Lesser Yellowlegs so I continued to the beach which was again totally empty. The wader numbers are so impressive here and on the walk back we enjoyed great views of five Spoonbill at quite close range for a change. From Parinder hide we quickly picked out the Lesser Yellowlegs and then located my first second and third Green Sandpiper of the year before adding another late tick with Spotted Redshank. A Little Gull dropped in and a single Grey and Golden Plover added to the day list before we left for Cley.
At Cley we found another nine Green Sandpipers and more Spoonbills. Another birder thought he'd found a Buff-breasted Sandpiper and put me on it but I then had to tactfully point out it was a Red Knot which took some diplomacy but he eventually conceded the fact. I've only ever seen one Buff-breasted Sandpiper but I've seen a lot of Knot.
The Year list is really struggling along this year and I'm currently down about 22 on this time last year The 2018 list now stands at a very modest 225 but I have had the most special distraction in the form of little George.
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| Lesser Yellowlegs (last bird on the right of the rocks after the Lapwing and Ruff) |
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| Adult and Juvenile Spoonbill flying in |
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| Spoons for bills |
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| begging |
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| Green Sandpipers |
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