First steps back with the bins

Just a couple of very short blogs as I continue to recover from my recent groin operation. Hopefully all went to plan but will just take a period of time to get back to full strength. After 10 days of not getting out of the house my parents kindly took me down to Arrow Valley Lake where I recorded my first Little Egret, a female Goosander and two Shoveler as I shuffled as best as possible. We also called in the local farm on the hope of seeing the Little Owls however they were keeping their heads down but we did get some nice views of a Grey Wagtail and number of Redwings.

Sightings from Salford Priors care of Mike Inskip & Chris Lane included a Pintail, 3 Green Sandpiper, Peregrine, 26 Lapwing, Water Rail, 7 Common Gull and an impressive 57 Wigeon (4/11).

Jon's counts included: 18 Little Grebe, only 1 Cormorant, 3 Herons, 10 Mute Swan, 365 Greylags, 320 Canada Geese + 1 hybrid, 3 Wigeon, 36 Gadwall, 124 Teal, 199 Mallard, 1 male Pintail, 12 Shoveler, 1 male Pochard, 59 Tufted Duck, usual 3 raptors plus adult female Peregrine all morning, 1 Water Rail out in open at main pit, only 115 Coot now, 11 Lapwing, 9 Snipe, 2 Green Sands, 2 Common, 4 Herring and 1 GBB Gulls, 1 Kingfisher, 140 Skylark and 45 Meadow Pipit (influx), 25 Pied and 2 Grey Wagtails, 1 female Stonechat still, 1 Chiffchaff, 480 Starlings moving west in small flocks, 50 Chaffinch, 50 Linnet, a few Redpoll and Siskin, 25 Reed Buntings. 

Black Redstart in Sharpness

 Digiscoped Black Redstart

  Digiscoped Black Redstart from distance

 Distance view

 Pied Wagtail

 Grey Wagtail fly catching

Sharpness Docks, Gloucestershire

In my three years of birding seriously the Black Redstart has been a real bogey bird which has just avoided me where ever I have been. There has been no lack of effort as I even double dipped the species a couple of weeks ago 90 miles apart. 

I didn't need a second invitation when Vern and "Breaking" Phil were going for a drive down the M5 at lunch time. ("Sauntering" Phil was apparently shopping, poor chap) 

The docks looked to be a great location for the bird with a number of flat and vegetated roofs and I'd noted in the British Breeding Atlas a breeding dot was shown in this area. As soon as we parked up I saw a bird drop from the large building in front of us into a tree and then pass us to the top of the nearest house. The flight view showed the red on the  tail and once landed you could see his robin size, domed head and vibrating tail. It's sessions like this you really appreciate having a superb telescope. 

During the session we located two different birds that seemed to be working their way around the docks every 30 minutes. The good light enabled me to get a few digiscoped images however it wasn't easy as the birds were on the move all the time. Vern's image can be seen here. With less than a 100 breeding pairs (RSPB) it was a real pleasure to see such a beautiful bird.

Other birds noted during the visit included Grey & Pied Wagtails feeding in the same location as the Black Redstarts, Wigeon on river, Mute Swans flying downstream, Robin, Wren, Black-headed Gulls and a single Curlew. 

Biggest Twitch to Worlds End

Worlds End at dawn

 Black Grouse

  

 Worlds End

 Cuckoo

 Grey Wagtail

Nant Ffrancon

 Meadow Pipit

Wheatear

After a brilliant day with Alan Davies (The Biggest Twitch) previously I opted to take advantage of one of his trips to watch the Black Grouse lek in North Wales. 

I met Alan at 5am and we made the short journey up on to the top of the Moors. We arrived at the lek in darkness but the noise of the Grouse bubbling call was extremely loud - so loud you would estimate there were at least 30-40 birds however we counted 13 in total as the light lifted slowly. It was interesting to watch the jousting at close quarters. The dominant males in the middle of the lek appeared more interested in their own superiority and completely missed a rare appearance of a female bird on the edge of the lek. During the lek a Red Grouse and a Red-legged Partridge appeared, obviously to see what all the fuss was about. It was definitely a session of birding I will never forget, simply awesome.

As we drove to the other side of moor we saw another two Red Grouse fly across low and quickly whilst a Whinchat was calling loudly and sitting up wanting to get noticed.  Once parked up and refreshed with a Hot Chocolate (luxury birding, I know) we walked up through the moor for a higher view. At least another 15 Black Grouse could be picked out at various points whilst a great range of woodland birds were observed here and slightly further down the valley including Cuckoo, Tree Pipit, Redstart, Coal Tit, Dipper, Stonechat, Crossbill, Raven, Pied Flycatcher, Wood Warbler and Stock Dove.

After a rather hearty full welsh breakfast (whilst watching Goldfinch, Chaffinch and Buzzard) we headed through Betws y Coed and stopped off to watch Dippers and Grey Wagtail riverside. The birds offered superb views and were just happy carrying on their daily business.

Our final stop was the beautiful old glacial valley called Nant Ffrancon. As soon as we arrived numerous Wheatears were picked up and the call of Ring Ouzel rang round the valley. We watched a male and female Ouzel on the steep banks of the valley whilst a Raven was making it very difficult for Common Buzzard. In a area of small trees a returning Garden Warbler sang his heart out in the company of the Willow Warblers.

As we headed back round in a circle we picked up around 20 Sandwich Tern feeding off the sea front at Ross, no doubt they will be heading to Cemyln Bay on Anglesey.

This rounded off a brilliant day and I'd urge anyone to look up the Biggest Twitch. Alan and Ruth know every bit of North Wales and I enjoyed the fact I could take in the stunning scenery instead of concentrating on the driving. 

A walk in the Wyre

 Dipper

 Tree Pipet Bench

 Knowles Mill

Wyre

Moors Pool (Upton Warren)

Swallows at Arrow Valley Lake

It was off to the Wye Forest on Sunday morning for a spring walk despite there being a sharp cold breeze. Parking at the end of Dry Mill Lane I headed down the railway line where Willow Warblers and Chiffchafs were calling. 

The usual Pipet field on the left of the patch delivered instantly as I observed a Tree Pipit land and then call. Tree Pipit are always difficult birds to find so it was good to get a good view even if it was fleeting. 

Dropping down towards Knowles Mill I picked up a pair of Wood Warbler calling and clearing enjoying themselves. 

When reaching Knowles Mill I noticed a Dipper feeding only to be flushed by a loose dog ! Some people have no idea. Once the carless dog owners had moved on I got treated by a flyover by the same Dipper and some views of Grey Wagtail. Further along the river I re-located the Dipper and managed to get some video footage.

After a quick coffee at Webbs I spent a few hours at the Moors, Upton Warren. Two Arctic Tern had passed through earlier in the morning but no more appeared. A good selection of Warblers were busy on the East path whilst other sighting included Teal, Shelduck 10, Gadwall, Tufties, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Sedge & Reed Warbler and good numbers of Swallows & Sand martins.  

As the weather worsened during afternoon I dropped down to Arrow Valley in case a Tern or Little Gull had dropped in. Whilst there was no superstars 30+ Swallows were feeding joined by my first Sand martins and House martins.