Tuesday 29 April 2014

Theale GP's (29/04/2014)

A foggy, murky start before work and the Sedge Warbler was being particularly elusive but eventually got good views.

I managed to see 2 Nightingales, one in the scope.  There were at least 2 others singing.

As I was going to the car to leave, a Muntjac Deer with its single fawn was walking towards me, but when it saw me it bounced away.

Sunday 27 April 2014

Selsey (27/04/2014)

High hopes were dashed with a leak of Common Scoter, 2 Great Northern Divers, a smattering of terns including my first 4 Little Terns.  Best of all were 5 Arctic Skuas, 3 together two thirds distant and two dark phase birds very close in followed by a single Little Gull feeding close in.

Thursday 24 April 2014

Spencers Wood (24/04/2014)


A quick nip out from work to a field near Spencers Wood and the White Stork seen immediately preening in the top of a dead tree.

An excellent bird involving a short trip.


Tuesday 22 April 2014

Moor Green Lakes/Fleet Pond (21/04/2014)

No sign of any Common Sandpiper around the whole reserve but did see 2 drake Mandarin, 3 LRP's and my first 2 Garden Warblers of the year.  Also saw a fly-over Oystercatcher.

At Fleet Pond saw my first 3 House Martins.

Selsey/Pagham (20/04/2014)


The weather was atrocious today and the seawatch was dire, 2 Fulmars and 9 Bar-tailed Godwits the highlight.  In the gloom I managed to see 10 Whimbrels on Pagham Harbour.

While seawatching, the local birders got news that the Ring Ouzel was still present so I made a quick trip to see the bird by the paddocks.  The bird showed well despite the gloom.

Staines Reservoir/Staines Moor (19/04/2014)

At Staines Reservoir there were 10 Arctic Terns flying around the north basin and occasionally they alighted on the water but always as a flock.  Never particularly close I didn't get great views of them.  The Slavonian Grebe was seen distantly and was now in summer plumage.

At Staines Moor I walked around the whole area twice with no sign of the Ring Ouzel or the reported Grasshopper Warbler.  Best here was 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 of which I actually saw.

Inkpen Hill (18/04/2014)

Not a great start because I had to sit in a traffic jam on the M3 between Hook and Basingstoke for over an hour.

Despite extensive searching I couldn't find any Ring Ouzels.  Best I could manage was 7 Wheatears and a fly-over Raven.

Tuesday 15 April 2014

Coast and New Forest (13/04/2013)

First stop was Lower Pennington Lane.

The back path to Keyhaven saw first Whitethroat and Reed Warbler of the year.   Also had cracking views of a Cetti's Warbler.

On the coastal side had a Spotted Redshank on Keyhaven Lagoon.

Four birds high over the Isle of Wight could have been Arctic Skuas but couldn't positively identify them.

7 White Wagtails on the in-fill site were good and there was a small passage of Swallows.

I then went to the New Forest (Beaulieu Road Station, Bolderwood and north New Forest).

At least 3 Redstarts at Beaulieu Road Station and eventually an elusive Cuckoo.  I heard Dartford Warbler but didn't see it.

No sign of the Tawny Owl at is roost tree.

Finally had at least one Goshawk from a viewpoint.

Moor Green Lakes (12/04/2014)

First 3 Swallows this year over the diggings.  Also a flyover Mandarin and a Little Ringed Plover on the diggings.

Monday 7 April 2014

First LRP/C Tern (05/05/2014)

A distant Little Ringed Plover at Moor Green Lakes and a Common Tern on the newly created islands on Fleet Pond.