randombirder

Thankfully my weekend baby-sitting commitments went by without incident.  Managed a quick walk round Bury Lake, and then onto Springwell Lake in really cool and gloomy conditions. Like yesterday, hirundines were present in large numbers, with common warblers singing including a Cetti's Warbler , Reed Warbler , and Sedge Warbler along the causeway between Bury Lake and Stockers.   A pair of Red-Crested Pochard were seen on Stockers with another two pairs on Springwell.

Another gloomy cold evening in Staines but the skies were full of hirundines.  Common Swift swooping low over the causeway, Swallow in large groups fluttering close over the water with small clouds of House Martin and a few Sand Martin . There were at least two Arctic Tern this evening seen on the North Basin associating with at least 30 Common Tern .  A single Common Sandpiper scampered along the causeway, where later, two Little Ringed Plover were found.

Another fabulous reserve and an overdue visit to Pulborough brooks.  It felt slightly fresher today but the sun was still strong. The clear skies provided wonderful views from the visitor centre cafe garden across the reserve. The reserve was alive with birdsong.  This Willow Warbler melodically announcing spring from the treetops. The avian highlight was a male Nightingale in full song.  It was seen by the 'T' within a dense area of scrub and immature woodland.  Partially obscured, but seen well, breaking into that synonymous crescendo of whistles, chacks and warbles.  A truly extraordinary sound.  Another was heard on the further round the trail. There were plenty of common warblers seen around the reserve, three Common Whitethroat , three Lesser Whitethroat , and good numbers of Blackcap and Chiffchaff in song. Two Avocet and six Black-tailed Godwit were feeding out on the flooded meadow. The highlight of the day was the Adder...

A first proper visit to the park dragging my bike up hills and across the grassy slopes.  It is a beautiful park with plenty of wildlife. A Great Crested Grebe graced the Pen Ponds with small numbers of wildfowl present there including a drake Mandarin . There were a few passerines around.  A singing male Reed Bunting 'chipped' and 'seeped'   not to far from where I had sat while taking in the view and basking in the sun.  Common Warblers were also in song that included a Common Whitethroat , Blackcap , and Chiffchaff . A male Stonechat dashed along the tops of the bracken near the Pen Ponds, a my first Speckled Wood of the year flew through the woodland.

It all seemed a bit bonkers at the time, standing within a group of around two hundred birders, lined up along the trail at Carlton Marshes SWT, hoping to catch a glimpse of the American Bittern . Bonkers, because of the fog that had set in for the morning and showed no sign of lifting. That was until around lunchtime, when the trees and the horizon started to appear into view, Marsh Harrier became more active with a couple of smart males, wheeling around a sombre backdrop that was slowly having its hopes lifted. Skylark were singing, a couple of Chinese Water Deer were nervously scampering through the vegetation, but the assembled crowd were gradually getting more nervous. A male Hen Harrier flew over the scrape, with no intention of lingering as it bustled through.  It was a bright moment for what was at this point a dismal day. Then at 3pm, there was action.  We all headed further along the path where two Bittern had been seen in flight.  The first view...

Well it was a gloomy old day but there was a window around mid-morning where a brief hiatus in the rainfall prompted me to head over to Staines. I've never really liked Staines Reservoirs to be honest.  The large waterbodies do draw in real interest during the migratory seasons, but it is ostensibly a god forsaken place having also to put up with the constant fear that my car could at any moment be broken in to. Anyway, I headed along the causeway.  There were plenty of midgies trying to forcefully work their way into any orifice they could find but I fought them away with great skill and fortitude. There were plenty of Black Headed Gull on the South Basin but a few goodies to be found within the congregation.  Most notably, three Little Gull (2 1cy, and an adult winter), an Arctic Tern , two Common, Tern , four smart Black-necked Grebe , a pair of Goldeneye , and the continuing American Horned Lark . Small groups of Wigeon and Shoveler were still present, a...

The last full day in the country, and not satisfied with my return of two newbies, we headed back to the Korketeli Hills. Focussing on this only, I drove further along the windy road of a couple of days earlier stopping frequently to scan and climb up the rocky escarpment. Today was much more rewarding. The first stop produced three vocal Sombre Tit , not a species I had expected in this specific area but great to stumble across. The air was cool and the climb up the hill was purposeful and was great to get the heart pumping. The views were wonderful. Heading all the way to the end of the road, a single Lesser Short-toed Lark was found along with a couple of Isabelline Wheatear just by the roadside. One side of the road was predominated by agricultural land whereas the other featured rocky outcrops that led uphill onto the ridge-line. I decided to climb this with the hope for more. It was great. Firstly, two Wryneck were flushed from the short pines ...