Went to see if I could find any Grasshopper Warblers but no luck. However, did see a Nightingale, singing Lesser Whitethroat and 2 male Yellowhammers.
Tuesday, 26 April 2011
Selsey Bill (24/04/11)
Not such a good seawatch today. The highlights were 4 Eiders, 5 Fulmars, 3 Great Northern Divers on the sea, 2 Common Terns and Black-throated Diver on the sea.
Saturday, 23 April 2011
New Forest/South coast (23/04/11)
On the entrance road to the car park I had a Muntjac Deer running along the road in front of me. Got to Acres Down at 5.30am and then spent the next 4.5 hours wandering around the tracks.
Managed to see 2 Redstarts, singing Wood Warbler (another one heard), 2 Tree Pipits, male Stonechat and my first Cuckoo of the year. On the way back to the car I jointed a few other birders on the down and started scanning for the Black Stork (which has been in the area) in the air. I wasn't successful (it was seen after I was on the way home), however, a bonus came in the shape of a flyby Hawfinch.
After getting back t the car I drove down to Pennington/Keyhaven marshes and walked the loop. It was fairly quiet on the outward leg but things got better on the return leg with 3 Mediterranean Gulls (2 ads, 1 2s), Avocet, Greenshank, flyover Whimbrel (which was calling), 5 Little Egrets, 4 Little Terns, moulting Spotted Redshank, Ruff, summer & winter plumaged Bar-tailed Godwits with the Black-tailed Godwits and 3 Reed Warblers.
Year total now: 150
I was so glad that I was on the way back home at lunch time, because the traffic on the opposite carriageway on the motorway. It was almost nose to tail from about Hook to Cadnam!!!
Managed to see 2 Redstarts, singing Wood Warbler (another one heard), 2 Tree Pipits, male Stonechat and my first Cuckoo of the year. On the way back to the car I jointed a few other birders on the down and started scanning for the Black Stork (which has been in the area) in the air. I wasn't successful (it was seen after I was on the way home), however, a bonus came in the shape of a flyby Hawfinch.
After getting back t the car I drove down to Pennington/Keyhaven marshes and walked the loop. It was fairly quiet on the outward leg but things got better on the return leg with 3 Mediterranean Gulls (2 ads, 1 2s), Avocet, Greenshank, flyover Whimbrel (which was calling), 5 Little Egrets, 4 Little Terns, moulting Spotted Redshank, Ruff, summer & winter plumaged Bar-tailed Godwits with the Black-tailed Godwits and 3 Reed Warblers.
Year total now: 150
I was so glad that I was on the way back home at lunch time, because the traffic on the opposite carriageway on the motorway. It was almost nose to tail from about Hook to Cadnam!!!
Staines Reservoir/Moor (22/04/11)
A very hot day and went to the reservoir where managed to pick off the very distant female type Velvet Scoter on the north basin. On the south basin were 8 Black Terns although they couldn't be seen well until they got out of the glare from the sun. Finally on the way out managed to get some fairly decent views of the summer plumaged Slavonian Grebe on the eastern shore of the south basin.
Next onto Staines Moor. As I started off down the path 2 Rose-ringed Parakeets flew over and my first Sedge Warbler of the year singing in a nearby hedge. Once I got to the moor itself I heard a singing Lesser Whitethroat but couldn't see it. At the moor no sign of the reported female Ring Ouzel but I did see at least 5 Wheatears, a Little Egret and best of all a flyover Hobby showing well in the sunshine.
Next onto Staines Moor. As I started off down the path 2 Rose-ringed Parakeets flew over and my first Sedge Warbler of the year singing in a nearby hedge. Once I got to the moor itself I heard a singing Lesser Whitethroat but couldn't see it. At the moor no sign of the reported female Ring Ouzel but I did see at least 5 Wheatears, a Little Egret and best of all a flyover Hobby showing well in the sunshine.
Tuesday, 19 April 2011
Selsey Bill/Pulborough Brooks (17/04/11)
Got to the bill at 6.30am and had a half decent seawatch along with some Selsey regulars.
Best of the bunch were:
5 Great Northern Divers sitting offshore.
dark phase Arctic Skua west
6 Fulmars
8 Whimbrels
1 Kittiwake
2 ad Mediterranean Gulls
2 Bonxies
6 Little Terns
It was then over to Pulborough Brooks to meet up with the RSPB group. The reserve was extremely busy and birds were few and far between. However, we did see 2 Nightingales, one of which perched at the top of a bush singing - right out in the open. A distant Green Sandpiper and Little Ringed Plover were also seen, however, the Grasshopper Warbler that was present refused to sing and show when we went to have a look.
Dropped in to Thursley Common on the way home but the only bird of note was a pair of Stonechat.
Best of the bunch were:
5 Great Northern Divers sitting offshore.
dark phase Arctic Skua west
6 Fulmars
8 Whimbrels
1 Kittiwake
2 ad Mediterranean Gulls
2 Bonxies
6 Little Terns
It was then over to Pulborough Brooks to meet up with the RSPB group. The reserve was extremely busy and birds were few and far between. However, we did see 2 Nightingales, one of which perched at the top of a bush singing - right out in the open. A distant Green Sandpiper and Little Ringed Plover were also seen, however, the Grasshopper Warbler that was present refused to sing and show when we went to have a look.
Dropped in to Thursley Common on the way home but the only bird of note was a pair of Stonechat.
Moor Green Lakes (16/04/2011)
Another walk around the west side of the reserve. 8 Common Terns were loafing around Colebrook Lake along with a drake Mandarin on the tern island. 3 or 4 Whitethroats were seen singing, a Garden Warbler was singing by the main hide and a Snipe was seen on the scrape.
Two distant Red Kites were over Finchampstead Church along with one Buzzard.
Two distant Red Kites were over Finchampstead Church along with one Buzzard.
Friday, 8 April 2011
Dinton Pastures (07/04/11)
As I had to go into work because the remote VPN wasn't working and it was a beautiful day I went to Dinton at lunchtime. There were Chiffchaff's singing everywhere and also a Sedge Warbler which just wouldn't show. I also saw my first Willow Warbler of the year, a subsinging male that was spending more time feeding. (123)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
