My first stoat of the year running down the road as well as a nice roe deer on my way to work.
19th - 21st October
Away in North Wales no birding apart from incidental stuff the highligh was a dipper on a rather gloomy woodland stream - hence the poor pic!
17th October
After a hearty breakfast we headed to the rather smelly incinerator where the Little bunting did not show, so off for another look at the Blackpoll warbler after a little while it showed well allowing a few pics, a brief bit of lunch then off to the grey cheeked thrush where it showed fractionally better than previously but not great views, and still worse that the recent Norfolk Blyth's Reed. A few birds were showing on the island but our flight was due shortly so we headed for the closest the short toed lark which showed on our arrival, then back via the Little bunting that was still not showing before heading back.
16th October
With rain teeming down, we ducked out of the Blackpoll warbler and our planned trip to Tresco and visited the Museum to dry out, the Cream coloured courser that I saw a few years back was on display. The rain had eased a little so we went to Tresco, nothing on the island apart from a Richard Pipit, wich was near a site for some stick insects which we were looking for. The rain came down and we headed for the community centre for shelter, a brief view of a largish pipit flying round the corner of the building. A short while later a local birder arrived with the news it could be a Blyth's. It came back from where I had seen it fly and we started grilling it, my knowledge of Blyth's was limited to call, size and tail markings, but fortunately another birder and the finder joined us and were much more informed, and had sent photo's off for conformation, but the small group were convinced it was a Blyth's pipit. A sparrowhawk and some black redstarts entertained us during the rain. A break in the rain we headed off for the stick insects but to no avail in the poor weather. A boat had come in and a long stream of birders were headed to the pipit. We headed down through the island with whinchat, Stonechat and Linnets the highlights. Back on St Mary's we headed to the Blackpoll warbler but even heavier rain and we retreated back to the B&B.
15th October
Up early and off to St Marys - 25 mins by plane, dumping our gear at the B&B and a quick stop in the CO-OP for some food and we were off, the only bird reported that morning was the Wilsons snipe, which was showing well on our arrival, with two common Snipe, a jack snipe was also on the same pool. By this time the Rustic bunting had been seen, but our arrival was 30 mins too late and it never was seen again, our noisy northerner from Marazion was there jinxed or what! We headed for another stick insect and an extensive search eventually produced a Smooth stick insect. We were not as lucky with shrews and 45 mins did not produce any signs. Two firecrests were a bonus. Heading for the Grey cheeked thrush, which showed for a nanosecond, but a yellow browed warbler was more showy. Another beach - still no shrews, but an osprey flew over annoying the local gulls. Back to the Garrison where a short wait produced the Blackpoll warbler and a hummingbird hawkmoth.
14th October
An early stop at Marazion for the Crake no show again with its attendand noisy northener, followed by a trip to the zoo - I did warn you. We did manage a stop at the stick insect site, where we found lots including some youngsters.
13th October
A leisurly start then a trip to the Seal sanctuary (girlfriends birthday - and there will be more non birding stops due to this event), with no birds of note, but the afternoon we headed to the Nanquidno valley where I quickly found the Radde's warbler in a different place to the where the crowd were looking, it showed quite well for a Radde's.
Then to a local site I had been recommended for Unarmed stick insects, we managed to find 2 large ones, but photo's show a small red one as well which I missed at the time. Last stop was Marazion for the spotted crake but, a rather noisy Northener preveted its appearance, some flyby swallows were the highlight.
12th October
Off to Cornwall, but first a stop in Somerset to see the Great Bustards that have taken up residence there, but the thick fog hid them from view, so we headed south and into clearer weather in the Exeter region, where Cirl Bunting was on the menu. I didn't have to wait as a group of birders fanning out across the field flushed them to me, at least two birds were seen. A few non bird stops - (well it was my girlfriends birthday) before hitting Cornwall, a site just in Cornwall produced no stick insects but it was getting on and overcast so not ideal conditions.
6th October
Heading off to North Norfolk where things had been good all week, obviously the weekend was going to be poor, the Lesser Grey Shrike and the subalpine warbler had left, but our first stop Holkham pines produced several yellow browed warblers being very co-operative, and crossbill over along with numbers of brambling, redpoll and siskin. A rather friendly redwing was feeding along the path. Heading back to the car the Ross's goose flew right over livening up lunch. Off to Kelling behind the usual Sunday drivers, but this time they had electric cars! Kelling gave some nice views of two barred warblers and some goldfinches! A brief stop at Stiffkey gave a nice selection of common stuff, highlight common sandpiper and red brested merganser and a few grey seals along with a driveby sacred ibis. Back to Holkham where the great grey shrike showed and the redwing was still alive despite our predictions of its demise. The geese came in with a large number of litte egrets and the sacred ibis to round off the day.
30th September
Two birds had caught my eye from the previous day, up early and headed to Newport to pick picking Stephen up at 4am (well more like 4.15 as he overslept), Mouse sp,rabbit, Badger and Fox on the way we headed off north, muntjac before hitting the motorway. We arrived at Buckton and followed the track where the Turkestan Shrike was showing reasonable well but not particularly close. Having had our fill we travelled the mile or so to Speeton churchyard where the red brested flycatcher was showing on our arrival. Next to Flamborough where the buff brested sandpiper had done a midnight flit, it was a little quiet but a bit of sea watching produced artic skua and sooty shearwate and a porpoiser as the highlights. Negative news of our second target Blyth's reed warbler, but a nice yellow browed warbler eased the disapointment as did the wood sandpiper showing very well back in Buckton. News broke of a Blyth's reed warbler in Norfolk so we headed off frustrated by the Sunday drivers. There was no doubt as to the whereabouts of our quarry, the crowed could be seen from the road. We managed several frustratingly brief views of the Blyth's reed warbler in a bramble patch, as light faded so did we and home for some sleep.
29th September
Despite the fine weather the garden was quiet, a ovipositing migrant hawker was the highlight.
23rd September
A trip to North Wales, fpr two reasons, one unrelated to this blog but the other was to see an Aesculapian Snake, an introduced species, see the exotics page for full details. My thanks to The head keeper of the Welsh mountain zoo for finding this snake in the zoo grounds, it was a youngster probably 2 or so years old, and yes I did get bitten but this one is not venomous and did not hurt, but was a very photogenic individual. Several ravens were of note flying over. The only other wildlife of the day were a few mountain goats near Dinorwig power station.
22nd September
Thanks to Mike Harris for arranging a visit to the Rye Meads ringing group, a suitably anti social hour which I only had to do once they do it every weekend. A steady stream of birds came in the first a cetti's warbler which I will now not think of as a LBJ, seeing it up that close lets you really appreciate its plumage. sedge and reed warblers, Great blue and Long tailed tits which is a great favourite of mine. A selection of common birds robins, wrens, dunnocks and reed buntings were regularly caught and a good selection of warblers blackcaps, whitethroat, chiffchaffs and another cetti's were brought in along with a rather vocal song thrush, but seeing the kingfisher close up was a real treat before moorhens and a mallard, the final bird was a real beauty a lesser whitethroat which topped of a great morning. We saw a few birds around, grey wagtails, sparrowhawk, green woodpecker, great spotted woodpecker, house marten Also of note was a steady passage of meadow pipits over. Thanks to Mike Harris and the Rye Meads ringing group for a top morning. Next was a wander around Rye Meads, the first hide was where the beginners were arguing over a meadow pipit or a song thrush as the bird infront of them. I moved swiftly on so as not to embarasse them. There was little else around apart from a weasel, that was not very photogenic and would not face me. I surfed the web while eating lunch (modern technology eh) and headed north to Nottingham, well actually some random field in the middle of nowhere near Nottingham where a few dozen birders were watching, rather bizarrly a long tailed skua feeding in a ploughed field! I have only seen these birds at sea. It was not unduly bothered by the photographers following it around the field but, I resisted the need for the ultimate photo and stayed on the paths.
15th September
A day in NE norfolk, well most of it in hospital. Started off with a bit of seawatching at Winterton with a bonxie and some close in red throated divers the highlights. The barred warbler was not showing but a few butterflys were present grayling the highlight and a Fox Moth caterpillar was of interest. On leaving an adder was in the road it was very aggressive, donning riggers gloves it was moved to the dunes. We headed off to find the cranes, stopping for a flock of pink footed geese and two chinese water deer. However my hand was now hurting and it was apparent I had been bitten through the glove so off to hopsital and the end of birding for the day.
For David Sampsons excellent picture of the adder click here and for a much more indepth account read Stephen Patmores blog here
9th September
A gentle jaunt to Norfolk, first stop was Stiffkey where the escaped sacred ibis was consorting with the local egyptian geese a rather ugly bird, particularly compared with yesterdays beauty. Good numbers of speckled wood and common darters were present but not much else. The next stop was Chosley Barns where a surprisingly large number of birders was present for nothing at all which is all I saw except some painted lady's. So off to Tichwell, should have walked from Chosley as thats about as faraway as I parked in the car park. Fighting through the shop where the RSPB were doing a roaring trade, I made it to the freshmarsh where the pectoral sandpiper was easily located with its hoard of photographic attendants. After joining them for a bit I headed off to see what else was about. spotshank and both grey and golden plovers in summer plumage. A curlew sandpiper took my fancy and taking a few photo's attracted quite a few people thinking it was the pec sand which had done a bunk. A distant spoonbill was also of interest but mot much else. I headed off, a few stops produced nothing but red legged partridges so headed for home.
8th September
A trip to Isleham washes where along with small white and red admiral, ruddy darters were present but this was not the main target. The main target was the escaped Demoiselle crane which was present on our arrival, a beautiful bird. Good numbers of teal and snipe were present, waders included greenshank, green and common sandpipers and a ringed plover
1st September
I had to visit North Kent in the afternoon but an early start would allow me to do a bit of birding. First stop was Aston Rowant NNR for silver spotted skipper, but the improvement in weather John Ketley promised never materialised and the wind, clouds and eventually drizzle did not help my search, the meadow browns and speckled woods were little compensation but lots of red kites helped ease the situation. Then off to Kent, returning through London to Kelsey park where I was in search of Blue Crowned Parakeets, it was still busy but parakeets were easily found, but all of them ring necked parakeets. Eventually I did manage to locate a pair of Blue Crowned Parakeets flying over but not much of a photo opportunity. By now it was late so I headed home.
