Portland Bluethroat and Sub Warbler

We had quite a drive this morning for a day on Portland birding for spring migrants. Having set off early we were in the obs garden at 7.30am but there was no news of yesterdays Bluethroat or Western Subalpine Warbler.

White-spotted Bluethroat at Portland Bill

I headed off up the hill into the fields in search of anything that might have dropped in and wasn't disappointed as the place was alive with Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs and the morning gave up views of ten plus Common Redstarts along with large numbers of Wheatear.
Three Stonechat, a Little Owl, two fresh Short-eared Owls and another two roosting made up a nice support cast with Gannets and Auks in action at sea and a Raven mobbing the local Buzzards the general birding was pretty good.

Western Subalpine Warbler at Portland Bill

A Hoopoe, Ring Ouzel and Gropper were all reported but we failed to connect with these three.

At 10am we headed down the track to see if we could find the Western Sub Warbler and as we reached the cliff top another birder said he thought he'd seen it a few moments ago so we plotted up and waited. Withing a few minutes we'd picked up the bird and managed to get the gathered group on it and even managed a couple of record shots as it flitted with haste in and out of a small bramble patch.

Little Owl

We left to return to the hill in search for the Hoopoe but news of another sighting of yesterdays Bluethroat distracted us and we pitched up with about thirty other birders to watch the privet patch in the hope the little treasure would show. More Wheatear, more Redstarts, more Willow Warblers and then bingo the White-spot came out to feed but within seconds it had returned to the safety of the bramble. This pattern repeated with us getting around a minute of bird in the next hour or so but in those precious seconds I grabbed a half decent record shot and we left for home more than satisfied with a very decent day on the Island.

Short-eared Owls at Portland

Bluethroat

White-spot!

Western Subalpine Warbler 

Year list finally hit the 200 mark today

Dungeness ticks the box again

Another trip this morning to my favourite place in Kent and a quick sea watch to start the day. Hundreds of Sandwich Tern flew up with a scattering of Common Terns. Large groups of Scoter and Brents moved up and the odd Gannet and Fulmar added to the spectacle. A pair of Mergansers, three Shelduck and five Shoveler made the list complete for just over an hours watch.

Dunge on our arrival this morning

On the shingle by the boats a pair of Wheatear showed themselves and on the reserve we found our first Sedge Warblers of the year as they sang from most bramble thickets along the entrance track.
A Cetti's Warbler competed for air space with the Sedge's and actually sat up for us as we sat waiting for a Sedge to reveal itself.

Cetti's Warbler Dungeness 

Down at Gallaways we had just Linnets, Stonechats and Mipits for our trouble with yesterdays Whinchat missing and no newbies in although a fly over House Martin gave another year tick.

Stonechat

On the journey home we stopped off at Elmley where we enjoyed good views of several Marsh Harrier and a group of seven Buzzards. Two Peregrine panicked the marsh as did a plane that continued to buzz over the reserve really low for some reason. Then one of those rare moments when the old man gives a confident shout on ID .."Yellow Wag!"  and it was for a nice year tick.

Yellow Wagtail at Elmley

Little Egret

Mallard

Mallard

Marsh Harrier

The M2 was closed adding an hour to the return journey home but a good days birding was enjoyed so I guess it was a small price to pay.

Year list now 196

Purple Heron at Wat Tyler CP ESSEX

A short drive and a long wait delivered a nice year tick and an Essex tick this afternoon down at Wat Tyler. The hide was pretty full when the Heron made the briefest of appearances climbing over the hedge row and dropping into the reeds to the left of the hide. I think the bird showed for less than a minute all day so if you're going for it be prepared for a wait.

Purple Heron at Wat Tyler

Purple Heron 

Purple Heron

A Merlin had shown just before we arrived and a Sparrowhawk was seen.
Kingfisher, Water Rail, Bearded Tits and Marsh Harrier made up the best of the rest.

Year list now at 191

Willow Tit at Lakenheath

Yellowhammer

News has been put out of a Willow Tit holding territory at Lakenheath and regularly visiting the feeding station in front of the visitor centre so I paid it a visit today and after missing it's first and second visit of the day I finally got to see it on the third visit as it resisted the aggression of Great Tits and made it to finally feed before sitting up and calling in a nearby tree.

Willow Tit at Lakenheath 

Next stop was to pick up a quick year tick with Stone-curlew and I also picked up a male Ring Ouzel whilst searching for the Stone-curlews. Woodlark sang and I managed a distant record shot of both the Ouzel and the Woodlark. Yellowhammers called from almost every bush on the heath and Stonechat, Skylark, Meadow Pipit and Chiffchaff were all present in good numbers. A pair of Wheatear were also picked out in the distance.  A total of four Stone-Curlews were seen on my visit.

Woodlarks

Ring Ouzel.....centre of picture sitting in the bush!

Year list now 190

Wood Pigeon

Minsmere and Landguard

Sand Martins were seen as we got out of the car this morning and we enjoyed watching them as they scrapped for territory on the sand bank at Minsmere.

Sand Martins at Minsmere

Sand Martin

From North Hide we located the Garganey and the old man found himself a Jack Snipe.
A long wait at East scrape failed to deliver the Iceland Gull we'd hoped for but a Caspian was picked out. Other birds present were good numbers of Med Gull, Blackwits, Avocet, Ringed Plovers, Turnstone, Snipe and Redshank. Bittern boomed as we waited but none were seen today. Cetti's warblers seem to be in every bush and a few bearded Tits pinged across the reed bed.
On Dunwich Heath we saw several Dartford Warblers and a nice Woodlark singing it's heart out up in a tree on the heath.

Woodlark

At Landguard we located five male Wheatear and a pair of smart Black Redstarts. Among the Pied Wagtails was a single White Wagtail. Migrant numbers were low but then tonight's easterly might help bring in a few for tomorrow.

Wheatear

Black Redstart

Year list now 187

The best of the rest from the Easter weekend

Chiffchaff at Dungeness lighthouse gardens

Chiffchaff feeding on the Sea Spurge (Euphorbia) in the lighthoouse garden at Dungeness

Goldcrest

Hare at Elmley

Common Snipe

Skylark

Reed Bunting

Reed Bunting

Meadow Pipit

Skylarks Hares and Harriers at Elmley NNR

I've joined the friends of Elmley and would urge others to do similar as there's some good work going on down there and I'm sure the extra funding would help all concerned.

Log onto http://www.elmleynaturereserve.co.uk/friends

 The following images were obtained today during a brief visit.

Hare 

Marsh Harrier 

Marsh Harrier

Marsh Harrier

Pheasant

Skylark

Skylark

Nice to meet Gareth on the reserve today who's clearly committed to the project.