Birds, Seals & Beatles

Three birds in shot

Penny Lane is in my eyes and my ears

Sunset at Parkgate

Conwy Valley Hawfinch

After the gloom lifted

Hawfinch high & handsome

Harry taking the Captain walks

Harry

Angel Bay Seals

Fantastic views

Beauty in the eye of the beholder

Rose-coloured Starling

Rose-coloured Starling

I take Mrs D to some lovely spaces

Female Scaup

Black Redstart

Great Orme 

We were lucky to have a return visit to North Wales for a bit of complimentary five star luxury so we decided to take in Liverpool on the way. We have been wanting to do a tour of the Beatles landmarks for a long time so we booked Fab4 Taxi tour company. This three hour tour was amazing from start to finish taking in the iconic Penny Lane, Strawberry fields and many more. 

After leaving Liverpool with the light faded we stopped at Parkgate on the Wirral the weather was too windy for Owls but we still recorded a Great White Egret, 6 Marsh Harriers & 3 Little Egret. 

Saturday started very gloomy so we decided to head down the Conwy Valley to try for Hawfinches. Thankfully some local intelligence took us to a great location where they had been seen in recent days. It was just the case of finding them. As we walked along the river we found a cracking male that sat above us busy feeding. After watching a Treecreeper at close quarters we then found another four Hawfinches perched together very high in the company of some Greenfinches.

On the way back up the valley we scanned RSPB Conwy but we couldn't find anything different to what you would expect. Out on the river there were Redshanks, Shelduck and a pair of Great Crested Grebe.

Given our location we had arranged to meet up with Mr & Mrs C & their lovely Labradoodle Harry. We met at Angel Bay where we took in the seal colony and also watched 2 Fulmers flying around the cliffs in glorious sunshine. We headed into Rhos for a coffee noting Dunlin, Redshank, Ringed Plover and Oycstercatchers on the beach. 

As Harry headed for home, I treated Mrs D to an hour among the dustbins & back streets of Llandundo looking for a mankie Starling. The locals were very friendly considering all these strangers were walking around their local streets. We both got a quick glimpse of the bird before it looked flight to fly a few streets aways. Mrs D opted to walk into town whilst I hung on hoping the bird would return for a better view. And……..wow did the bird return and showed amazingly well posing on a garden wall just 12 feet away from me. It may have only been a juvenile but it was great to see this species so well. We then walked the Great Orme which was very quiet before heading back to the hotel for a great night of amazing food & wine. 

The weather the previous day was a bit of a shock and we probably had used up all our good weather tokens. It was dreary from the moment we walked out the hotel and didn't improve all day. As we headed for home we noted female/1W Black Redstart at Kinmel Bay and a female Scaup at Brickfields Pond in a residential area of Rhyl.

Good Friday with Rutland Water's Ospreys

33 & Maya on the Manton Bay nest

Goldeneye

Wigeon flock

Mediterranean Gull

Osprey Centre

Lunch stop

Normanton Church

Distant Osprey Shot

Four days off for Easter started with a trip to Rutland Water. We hadn't been for a couple of years so we thought we would see as much of it again as possible. Thick fog greeted us on arrival so we decided to walk south along the dam and then to the stunning Normanton Church. The foggy background set an atmospheric church built between 1826 & 1829. With the fog easing we saw our first Red Kite hunting above the lambs, singing Skylarks whilst a number of the Great Crested Grebes & Tufties came into view.

We then headed to the North Arm where the first bird to stand out was a Mediterranean Gull that was calling loudly. This particular Gull had been seen on the main reserve and was actually ringed in Poland. There were still excellent numbers of Wigeon along side Gadwall, Goldeneye, Common Gull, Little Egret and Great Crested Grebes.

We then headed down the peninsula to where I saw the Cory's Shearwater last year. This little spot came up trumps as a thorough scan found 5 Scaup in the bay (year tick). From here we headed into Oakham where we enjoyed a fantastic lunch at Otters Smokehouse and Deli. The reviews met all our expectations. 

The main reserve was a little disappointed to be honest, 17 Sand Martin were busy over Lagoon 4 and there were three Chiffchaffs in full song. Other sightings included 6 Oystercatchers, Shelduck, Shoveler & other wildfowl. 

As we left it rained very heavily but thankfully it passed over when we reached the Lyndon Reserve that sits on the south side of Manton Bay. The feeders were very busy with Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Chaffinch & Tree Sparrow (bonus year tick). 

The walk to the Osprey viewpoint took around 15 minutes which was an upgraded hide since our last visit. They also plan to upgrade another of the hides to a double tiered hide with no vibration. We are really pleased that both of the birds, Maya and 33, were on the nest or in close vicinity. Whilst we were there both birds took turns to incubate the egg laid two days previous. The male bird did a super circuit before returning to the nest. (Second egg laid 31/3). The volunteers reported at least 7 Ospreys have returned to date and they expect a total of around 30. A scan from the same point found four Egyptian Geese were on the bank, 2 Great Northern Divers & a winter plumage Slavonian Grebe. 

The rain started again as we return to the visitor centre making the drive home difficult but we were grateful of another top day in Rutland.

Wheatears at last

Superb Male Wheatear

Romance on the rock

Female close up

Keeping a close eye on me

 Saturday saw the start of the cricket season

 Brown Hare

 Hybrid Goose

 Common Sandpiper

 Like this shot as shows environment

 Attention !

Swallows return

 How many Wheatear can you get on a rock ?

Never get tired of them

With an extended Easter break I've been visiting daily and sometimes going back for a double helping. With the Blackcaps & Willow Warblers now in good voice, an additional Reed Warbler has come in with five Whitethroats.  A Common Sandpiper was another pleasing arrival and looks pretty settled on the main pit.

By far the best entertainment was watching our Wheatear mini flock which has varied in size from three to a maximum of six. If you scan from the main pit sometimes they are impossible to see yet on other visits they have been comfortable going about their business around me taking no notice what so ever. 

Additional sightings of note were a pair of Pochard on the middle lagoon, a Red Kite, a drake Mandarin (found by Chris Lane), 3 Little Ringed Plovers,  6 Shelduck, White Wagtail and a frustrating female Greater Scaup that took off as I was setting my camera  up on the tripod.

From my records we have recorded 107 species at the pits to date up to and including Monday 17th April.

Burnley & back

Clowbridge Reservoir

Goosander

Goosander

Scaup

Kick off approaching at Turf Moor

A trip was overdue to support our team of Southampton FC so we took the opportunity to visit a great old ground in the shape of Turf Moor, home to Burnley FC. Thankfully the arctic forecast didn't materialise but there was snow on the moors as headed north.

Looking on the map before leaving, I found what looked to be a good size piece of water known as Clowbridge Reservoir just 15 minutes south of our final destination. With Flynn not so keen to experience the Lancashire air I walked down to the north corner where I could see most of the water.

Not knowing what to expect I was delighted to find nine Goosander at first sight with the common Mallards. On the far end there were 30 Cormorants and two Great Crested Grebes. Then came an unexpected sighting as a Scaup emerged from the right hand bank and made it's way towards the centre of the reservoir. The sun made taking images very difficult but a great year tick all the same.

A young family look interest in what I was observing and they took it turns to look at the Goosanders with the Swaro's. They couldn't believe the clarity. With my tour guide session complete it was off to the very friendly Turf Moor where Saints just couldn't score resulting in a 1-0 loss and a long drive drive.

Change of scenery at Draycote

Great Northern Diver

Great Northern Diver

Goosanders

Female Scaup

On Sunday I opted to drive over to north Warwickshire and meet Jon for a walk around Draycote Water. If you have never been it's a great place for a good walk and do some birding the only downside is that is also great for runners, walkers, cycles, sailing and fishing.

First notable bird we found was a juvenile Great Northern Diver that was off Farborough Bank. The bird drifted around the reservoir as first the fishing boats came out following by the sailing bikes. As we walked around we recorded five different wintering Chiffchaffs and we managed some close views of a Tree Creeper. It took us over an hour to find the reported female Scaup that was with the Tufted Ducks in Biggin Bay.

Other sightings included three Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Pintail, 9 Tree Sparrow, 8 Goosander, Kingfisher, 30 Wigeon, 8 Shoveler, 20 Pochard, 30 Meadow Pipits, calling Water Rail & 4 Great-blacked Backed Gulls.