Moor Green Lakes (06/05/2013)

I quick trot around the lakes and the new diggings revealed that the Grasshopper Warbler was gone (or at least not singing).  Highlights on a poor visit was a drake Mandarin and a Reed Warbler.

Morocco 2013

I haven't been birding in Britain for quite a while, but recently came back from a 2 week holiday in Morocco.

Here are a selection of photos

Moor Green Lakes (2nd February 2013)

Some good views of the Pallas's Warbler in a tangle of bush in the river and two Barn Owls, one in each box.

Also a Little Egret and some cracking views of Goldcrest which fed in a tree only a few inches from my nose!

Moor Green Lakes (12/13th January 2013)

On the 12th went to see the reported Yellow-browed Warbler which was eventually seen on the Hampshire side of the river near the conveyor belt.  Although not seen well I took everyones word for it that it was a Yellow-browed Warbler.

The following day news had come out that the bird was in fact a Pallas's Warbler - so I had to go and have another look.

Being fairly elusive I did see it on the Berkshire side of the river but it was mostly on the Hampshire side of the river.  At one point is showed very nicely feeding on the bank of the river where at last I saw the median crown stripe but still not the lemon rump.

The Barn Owl was showing in his box

RSPB Pagham Trip (16th December 2012)

Before meeting up with the group and had a quick scan at Selsey Bill but could only see a few Common Scoter.

At Sidlesham Ferry the highlights were a couple of Buzzards.

It was then round to Church Norton which was also quite quiet with a pair of Peregrines the highlight.  A Kingfisher flew past and paused to hover for a moment and I picked out a distant Mediterranean Gull.

There were a good number of Knot in the harbour and another Med Gull from the seashore but no sign of any Slavonian Grebes - just a single Eider riding the waves.

On the way home I dropped into Farlington Marshes where managed to see the Red-breasted Goose.

Queen Mother Reservoir (15th December 2012)

On finding out that there were going to be day permits on the gate I made my way to Queen Mother Reservoir and paid £3 to twitch the bird.

I made my way round the reservoir and eventually reached the bird - a Buff-bellied Pipit.  This bird was extremely confiding, running around the edge of the reservoir feeding ignoring the crowd of birders sitting on the wall photographing it.  Even though it was so close it was quite difficult to photograph because it was mostly on the move.

Also round the reservoir were a couple of Goldeneye, a Red-necked Grebe in amongst a small flock of Great Crested Grebes and a Long-tailed Duck feeding nearby.

Waxwings at last

After very little birding in the last couple of months, news finally broke of some nearby Waxwings.  What was even better was that they were right next to Morrisons where I was going shopping anway.

The birds were showing extremely closely and were seen to land on the ground picking up the windfall berries.  This is the first time I have seen Waxwings on the ground.