Scorchio (23/05/10)

Picture: Four-spotted Chaser


A really hot day and went over to Thursley Common for dragonflies.

The bonus birds I saw here were Tree Pipit (117) and a female Redstart (118).

Dragonflies/damselflies included:

Lots of Large Red Damselflies
Quite a few Four-spotted Chasers
Smaller numbers of Common Blue Damselflies
Half a dozen Downy Emeralds

22nd May 2010 (Woolhampton)

Common Blue Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Black Tern, Beautiful Demoiselle, Banded Demoiselle

A beautiful day so went to Woolhampton for Turtle Dove and Hobby.

As a approached the main lake a Yellow Wagtail (116) flew over, then as I reached the lake a tern caught my attention - a summer plumaged Black Tern. It was actively feeding sometimes quite high and the local Common Tern took a bit of a dislike to it.

I then walked out to the agricultural land but couldn't find any Turtle Doves. Near the main wood I had good views of a Hobby (115) and distant views of Cuckoo. I then switched to dragonfly mode and recording the following species: Lots of Common Blue Damselflies, good numbers of Beautiful Demoiselles, a couple of Banded Demoiselles, a few Red-eyed Damselflies and a couple of Blue-tailed Damselflies.

River Thames @ Wargrave (17/05/10)

The warmest day for a while and decided to go looking for Club-tailed Dragonflies on the river.

Things started slowly with 3 Banded Demoiselles but then I found a small path the wandered away from the river where I got good views of a female/imm male Club-tailed Dragonfly resting on vegetation.

Other interesting sightings were first a male Mandarin Duck (114) and then a female with 8 ducklings (she was chivvying them across the river using her wings as to push them along).

I briefly saw the tail end of a Grass Snake disappearing onto the river bank and then there were two fly-over Red Kites and a Buzzard.

Little Marlow GP (05/05/10)

A lunch time visit to eat my sandwiches and the first surprise was an Oystercatcher on the spit.

A distant Kingfisher (112) flew across the spit towards the Cormorant/Heron island but I couldn't find it in the scope.

The best bird was at first very distant - I thought at first it was another Red Kite but once in the scope I could see it was an Accipiter. The bird proceeded to approach the lake although it was never really close. However, based on the characteristics of the bird (large size, long rounded tale, powerful flight and large white undertail coverts) I identified the bird as a Goshawk (113), probably a female.

Wandered to the small ditch by the lake and saw my first Odonata of the year - an immature Large Red Damselfly

The missing hirundine (05/05/10)

Just noticed that I haven't ticked off House Martin (111) for this year, so I have now because there were a few flying around Zebon Copse this morning.

Iping Common (03/05/10)

Rather a waste of time as the cold northerly wind was keeping the birds down.

Highlight (if you can call it that) was a pair of Mistle Thrushes (110)

Skuas - not! (03/05/10)

As I was on my way to pick up by birthday present, I decided to have an early trip to Selsey Bill to watch the Pomarine Skuas fly past, ha! ha!.

I was there for about 4 hrs and not one skua sp. flew through.

Highlights were as follows:

Lots of Gannets (102)
Lots of Common Terns
Lots of Sandwich Terns (103)
8 Little Terns (104)
4 Oystercatchers (105)
at least 4 Great Northern Divers
Fly-past Red-throated Diver (106)
4 Swifts (in off the sea)
1 Fulmar (107)
1 Manx Shearwater (west) (108)
1 Common Scoter (west) (109)

Water off a ducks back (02/05/10)

Yet another disgustingly wet Sunday morning, however, this time I was prepared with my mackintosh.

The bird in question was a stunning drake Garganey (101) on Lavells Lake scrape. The bird was feeding actively, although occasionally being chased off by a Gadwall.

Also on the scrape were a pair of Shelduck.