Bartley Wood/Swinley Brick Pits (21/05/11)

First real true dragonfly hunt of the year.

Species at Bartley Wood:

3 Broad-bodied Chaser
3 Four-spotted Chaser
Large Red Damselfly
Azure Damselfly

Species at Swinley Brick Pits:

Four-spotted Chaser
3 Downy Emerald
Azure Damselfly
Large Red Damselfly
Emperor Dragonfly

Poms at last (02/05/11)

Didn't sleep very well so I slunk out of bed at 6.30am and decided to go to Selsey Bill for a seawatch. A lot of other people were there on arrival and it appears I hadn't missed up but then for the next 3.5 hours it was one of the most enjoyable seawatches I have had. Approximate numbers are:

8 Pomarine Skuas:

• Flock of 7 including one dark phase @ 8.25am









• Single light phase @ 10.35am

18 Little Terns
Many Gannets
80 Bar-tailed Godwits
190 Common Scoters
3 Whimbrel
2 Bonxies
2 Great Northern Divers
Black-throated Diver
Red-throated Diver
3 Arctic Terns (positively identified)
Lots Common Terns
12 Sanderling
5 Grey Plover
5 Golden Plover
Fulmar
2 Great Crested Grebes
7 Curlews
2 Black Terns
Razorbill

One the way home dropped in to Sidlesham Ferry where there was a summer plumaged Spotted Redshank, 2 Avocets, 2 Greenshank, LRP, 2 Common Sandpipers and a drake Garganey. Finally dropped into Farlington Marshes but it was so windy that birding was very difficult and the highlights were a singing Lesser Whitethroat and 3 Greenshank on the lake.

Dinton Pastures (25/04/11)

My annual, early morning spring visit to Dinton Pastures. Not particular good this year missing out on Lesser Whitethroat and Swift and some common finches etc. However, still some good birds particularly the pair of Mediterranean Gulls on Lee Farm GP which after an altercation with the local Black-headed Gulls flew off at 6.30am.

Other good birds included 4 Egyptian Geese, 2 Garden Warblers, 11 Common Terns, Cuckoo, Cetti's Warbler (seen well), Nightingale, female Grey Wagtail, Red Kite and Buzzard.

Only managed to hear Reed Warbler, the brisk wind probably kept them out of sight.

Overall tally was 51 species (one heard)

Amberley Wild Brooks (24/04/11)

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.

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.

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!!!

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.