A lunchtime amble around Amwell to see the new hide, suitably unimpressed with its location. The top secret warblers could not be located neither could the hobby's, but all the usual suspects were present most with young. A superb kingfisher and a sparrowhawk were the highlights until a garden warbler graced me with its presence.
26th June
An evening visit to Fowlmere which was pretty quiet, particularly as I missed the key area for the owls.
23rd June
An early start and the feeling was not good heavy rain was not good for butterflies. We reached our destination at Green Down, Somerset as the weather took a turn for the better and we headed down onto the reserve. Good numbers of marbled whites, ringlets, gatekeepers, meadow browns, small heaths and small tortoiseshells were present and after a short while we found a Large Blue. The weather closed and it rained, but it was short lived and the sun came out and the weather was perfect and the large blues obliged, several easily found showing well. We left for home and spotted a black vulture over the A303 but it was near the Hawk conservancy so probably escaped. Next stop was Oaken wood, but no wood whites or fritillaries but the weather was not perfect, a nightingale was the highlight.
17th June
A double whammy of waders was on the cards but the white tailed lapwing did not show at Leighton Moss but bittern and bearded tits oblidged. So it was on to Walney where in short time we had the Hudsonian Whimbrel which showed well but distant and the weather did not help, but it showed all the features well and we were satisfied.
Our trip back home was interrupted by a visit to Avonmouth where we easily found the drake ring necked duck on his favourite pool. A brief walk on the Thames near my parents produced kingfisher and lots of banded demoiselles and white legged damselflys.
Cornwall was the destination for a Basking shark trip but it was not to be, and the trip had to be cancelled. So we took a walk round the lizard a good selection of common butterflys and a hummingbird hawk moth as well as a good selection of birds but no choughs. We had a few other stops and found small pearl bordered fritillary but not much else. A few touristy stops and we headed to our B&B.
12th June
A leisurly walk round King Mead this evening highlights were the
LRP chicks newly hatched and a good selection of common birds and dragonflys.
10th June
A leisurly breakfast before going to the harbour to get our boat, for a tour of the harbour and to see white tailed eagles. The weather was misty but we quickly found the female white tailed eagle but it would not come down to the boat. We quickly added 4 auk species shag, cormorant and Gannets in the Harbour most unusual this close in, then came 4 manx shearwaters
followed by a large flock of at least 50 including two balearic shearwaters not a bad trip, so we headed home.
9th June
A sensible start and we met up with our guide for the morning Stephen Duffield http://www.western-isles-wildlife.co.uk Cuckoos were easily found by the roadside taking advantage of the abundant meadow pipits, and a hebridean song thrush showed well. We tried a few lochs for divers without success before ending up at Loch Eynot. Here we spent quite some time and it was well worth it. We had insect eating plants by the path and meally redpolls, hebridean dunnocks, and hebridean wrens a plenty as well as several common seals. A small pool held 4 spotted chaser, large red and blue tailed damselflys while we waited for otters. They did show two cubs with their mum. The loch held two pairs of red throated divers displaying (they don't breed here so don't worry) but both eagle species breed nearby and we caught up with a juv and female white tailed eagle before a pair of golden eagles showed themselves. The walk back gave us views of short eared owl, hebridean rock pipit and an osprey A large heath was found of the ssp scotia as well as painted ladys. Next stop was Loch Bee where little terns were conspicuous. We finished back at our B&B and had a few stops some lunch before getting the ferry back to Skye. After more healthy Scottish fare we settled into our B&B in Portree.
8th June
We caught the first ferry to North Uist, but the crossing was uneventful apart from a Black throated diver and an artic skua and news that the Bufflehead had been refound on Lewis, on arrival in Lochmaddy two golden eagles were soaring over a ridge. The snowy owl had not been seen for a week so we headed to Balranald for excellent views of corncrake and hebridean marsh orchids driving around we found several short eared owls and after some more healthy Scottish cuisine we headed to the Loch where we easily found three female red necked phalaropes showing quite well. The redshank and lapwings were with chicks that were very well advanced. Drumming snipe and calling corncrakes finished the evening off and tiredness took us to the B&B.
7th June
It was lucky that we had planned a four day trip to Scotland for some of the late spring specialities when news broke that Caelaverlock WWT was hosting a White tailed lapwing. So we arrived to be told that it had just flown. But 20 mins later it was spotted on the saltmarsh and I was looking at a White tailed lapwing. We had a few minutes of good but distant views before an excellent flight view. It then went missing for a while and I had another few distant views before leaving the madness that had become of the hide. We headed north to our next stop Glasdrum wood where butterflies were our target. The weather was perfect sunny, no wind and we quickly found our targets, small pearl bordered fritillaries at least 20 and well over a dozen checkered skippers. The wood was excellent and we had small blues, speckled woods and small heaths. Fort William was within easy reach for deep fried refreshments before heading to Ardnamurchan for otters. We searched several bays finding lots of biting midges as well as common seals, red breasted mergansers and a heronry. Eventually we found lone otter but it was not very photogenic. Time was getting on and the light was fading when we pulled into yet another bay where three otters were playing close in. A duck was present andin the light possibly a goldeneye, but a closer look was taken and it was clearly a BUFFLEHEAD, I scrambled for the digiscope equipment as it was to far for the SLR. I managed to get a few shots before it flew out further into the bay and was out of reach of my digiscope in that light. I had completely ignored the otters that were showing well and took a look at them before checking my photo's. Passable but definatly good enough to ID it as a Bufflehead. The drive north produced a pine marten and eventually after a little sleep we got a phone signal and reported the Bufflehead.
3rd June
Some touristy things again this morning in Sandown, however we were temped by a Marsh warbler less than a mile away. We found the site birder less (I assume the Rainham bird was more popular) after a short while it sang and we were able to locate it in a small bush, but not as showy as the Rainham bird. A selection of common butterflies were present and banded demoiselle were on the small stream. Next stop was Parkhurst Forest where we easily located a red Squirrel and lots of butterflies. We returned to Hannover point for low tide and went on the beach. Here we searched for and found the fossilised dinosaur footprints. Large numbers of sandwich terns were present on the return ferry.
2nd June
We caught the first ferry to the Isle of Wight, for a weekend away mainly touristy things. A harbour porpoise showed wekk/ By mid morning we pulled up at Hannover point and after a short while we found a Glanville Fritillary but it did not stay put and the sea mist rolled in so we moved on, after a few more touristy things we returned and the weather now perfect we easily located dozens of Glanville Fritillaries on the sea thrift some very fresh and some very worn.
29th May
Cooking my tea and glanced at the bird table where a turtle dove was feeding dashed for the camera and managed to get a record shot through the grubby window, still top bird to have feeding in the garden.
28th May
First stop was Chillingham, where a herd of wild cattle have untouched by man since the 12th century, the warden showed us around and just under half the herd were found close to the meeting point. These are the only true wild cattle left in europe. We headed for home with a diversion to Saltholme pools and eventually after finding it we quickly got onto the Broad Billed Sandpiper in gale force winds, good job the rain held off. A new site for me so we looked around and a temmincks stint was located although a little distant. Panic set in as we were told about a white rumped swift, but when we located it, a pacific swift it was not just a partial leucistic bird. A little stint, wood sandpiper and little gull were also present before the wind defeated us. Southward bound to Methley where we walked straight past the juv black crowned night heron showing from the boat yard. It did very little during our stay and we eventually headed for home.
27th May
After a nice lie in it was a much more touristy day, the main birding was to visit the Scottish seabird centre. From here there are live cameras on the islands to see closeups of the birds. From the balcony we could see the mighty bass rock and the gannets were fishing close to the shore in gale force winds. A few touristy stops were made on the way back, including a stop at Eyemouth harbour to see the resident seal.
26th May
A glorious morning for our trip to the Farne Islands, rock pipits and eiders in the harbour before we set off. We arrived at Staple island and were within inches of shags, razorbills, guillemots, kittiwakes and puffins walking round the island we located eiders and a selection of gulls. We took a boat tour of the islands watching the grey seals and hearing about Grace darling and the lighthouse. We then headed to Inner Farne where we were bombarded by artic terns nesting stupidly close to the board walk. Eiders also nested by the path. The cliffs held similar birds to Staple island, I had a inquisitive razorbill who came right up to me. Next stop in the small hailstorm which came out of nowhere was the sandwich tern colony. The weather returned to normal and we headed to the beach to find the ringed plovers they were not close at all. Next the warden came upto me, he had been looking for me to tell me the first roseate terns had been seen on the beach a short while earlier. We scanned the beach and found a dodgy tern and eventually just as we were loading the boat another birder found on on the other beach, we had a quick view before departing. A top day and after some fish and chips we headed to our local B&B for an early night.
22nd May
A return trip to Bison Hill for Duke of Burgundy, in perfect butterfly weather green hairstreaks were easily located and peacocks were everywhere along with a few common blues and several red kites flying over, but no Dukes. Onward to Totternhoe where on the Knoll, turtle dove and peregrines present. common blues were common! also present were both dingy and grizzled skipper but still no dukes. Onto the quarry where as luck would have it some people were colour marking duke of burgundys some in pristine condition.
The next stop would be some distance away in Lancashire and my quarry somewhat larger and less gentle. I arrived and Dunsop Bridge early evening and met up with a local couple and we walked up the valley quite some distance, but the views were fantastic, but the birding a little quite. We arrived to find two eagle owls sitting out in the open although well camouflaged. Absolutely amazing views were had and the supporting cast of two goshawks and two short eared owls really made the evening. The police arrived to investigate some problems at the site and were most informative about the birds and the story, and so helpful they gave us a lift back to the car and escort to the chip shop - many thanks and what a top day.
20th May
DIY prevented me from seeing the Semi P the previous evening, and it was not present this morning, so I continued past Over and North to Lincoln. Here at Little Scrubs meadow were an impressive selection of butterlifes. brimstone, green veined and large white, orange tip and dingy skipper but my target was marsh fritillary there were 15+ some quite photogenic, basking in the glorious sunshine.
cuckoo was of note. I had planned to go home and do some local stuff, but I was told that duke of Burgundy was still about at Totternhoe the previous day. So I headed there, drew a blank in the quarry, but an emergence of small blue had recently happened as they were everywhere. I tried the Knolls and saw a duke of Burgundy although briefly, I saw three or possibly the same one three times all briefly. I tried Bison hill but nothing here at all.
18th May
A very unusual sight in and a first for my garden was a mole which my cat was playing with they are amazingly powerful and I had trouble picking it up as it held onto the ground tightly. It was unhurt and released in the field behind my garden.
17th May
Rescheduled from last week was a night pond survey at Stanground, there is a colony of great crested newts and we located a selection of males, females and juveniles in all the ponds and a good number of smooth newts.
15th May
This morning the turtle doves reappeared in the village always a welcome sight.
An evening jaunt to Devils dyke in the good weather did not produce any Green Hairstreaks and only a single dingy skipper, but the place was crawling with chiffchaffs and a couple of whitethroats, as the dark clouds approached I headed home.
10th May
The Hoopoe reappeared in Stortford, so eventually after work in the poor weather (all my recent trips have been in poor weather) I managed to see this elusive bird, which showed well a few times.
5-7th May
Despite a weekend of Family commitments and DIY I managed a trip to Grafham water on Saturday to see the Wilson's Phalarope and what a corker it was, pity the weather did not match. Some dodgy hybrid Swan geese were in the Mander car park. Of note in the garden a common blue and a 4 spot chaser emerging inside my greenhouse.
