Scillies - Day 4 - Tresco tickage

 

Lesser Scaup

Turnstones

Drake Eider

Whooper Swans

Greenshank

Golden Pheasants

Spotted Redshank

                                                    Red Squirrel

Coastal walks

                                      View towards Abbey Gardens

 

Tresco always offers a great variety of birds whatever the season and day 4 proved to be no exception.

The Great Pool had plenty of birds to study, the star attraction was a Lesser Scaup discovered the day before. The bird was always distant making photography impossible in poor light. Other sightings included 2 Pink-footed Geese, 4 Whooper Swan, 20 Greenshank, Spotted Redshank, Redshank, Shoveller, Pintail and a few more common species.

Walking to the southern shoreline we stopped to watch a very pale Stonechat and the shoreline held a flock of Turnstone and a White Wagtail. Paul then picked out a drake Eider swimming east so we edged round the shoreline to get some pretty good views.

A juvenile Red Squirrel posed lovely for us close to the Abbey Gardens when we called in for a cuppa and from there ran into some of the local Golden Pheasants up on the ridge. Whilst released they we enjoyable to watch so well.

Evening meal was fish and chips from the shop two doors up, organised by Adam.

Whoopertastic

 

I'm trying to keep to a routine of aiming to get out at least once a day for a walk as home working is certainly not as good as it's cracked up to be. On Monday, I was due to set out when I had a text to say there were Whooper Swans at Earlswood. Only a short drive, I could do a sharp lap of the pools before heading back to the laptop. Whoopers never hang around very long so I was pleased that the flock of 14 were still present and located right in the middle of engine pool, allowing some excellent views. I took a few photos as I circled the pool and also noted 2 Gossander, 30 BHG and 3 Snipe. Nice lunch break...................

Scillies - Day 6 - Early depature needed

Black Redstart

Black Redstart

Black Redstart

Oystercatchers

Blyth's Reed Warbler (Whats App Group)

Whooper Swan

Tresco from the air

St Marys from the air

It always interesting to note how birds just appear on the islands. Reaching Portcressa there were four Black Redstarts whilst on all my previous days on islands I hadn't seen one.

A Whooper Swan had appeared at Porthloo which was in the bay close to the beach where the Oystercatchers were feeding.  I picked up a present in the town for Mrs D before waiting for the taxi to the airport. We swung past the recently found Blyth's Reed Warbler, found by Adam, before being dropped off. 

I'd never flown on this service before and I must say I'd highly reccomend it. The 14 minute flight gave me great views of the islands, upon landing my transfer to Penzance was waiting for me. Top class service. I'd certainly consider this in the future. 

Another great break on the Scillies in great company for a very reasonable price.  Many thanks to house captain Paul Freestone for his continued hospitality. 

Worcestershire Saturday double

Whoopers at the Moors

View from the Cuckoo hide

Avocet

The Flashes

There was no stopping on Saturday after a morning pits visit and another enjoyable hour in Studley, I was kindly granted access to head over to Westwood Pool in Droitwich. Warden, Wayne opened up for us to see the Black-necked Grebe that had arrived the previous day. Some fantastic scope views revealed the Grebe was most likely an adult coming out of winter plumage. The light was lucent allowing us to see the birds very red eye and much brighter plumage than a juvenile would have. I did take a couple of shots but I didn't take them until the bird was more distant, hence quality not good enough. Many thanks to Terry & Wayne for sorting access.

After a delicious scone and cuppa at Webbs (Upton cafe closed) we headed down to the Flashes to see the first of the returning Avocets. Ten have returned so far, all favouring the deep water. There was quite a crowd gathering in the main hide hoping to see the reserves Barn Owl but we favoured to head over to the Moors where we were lucky to see five Whooper Swans who joined up with the resident Whooper. It was great to hear all six take off together, so fingers crossed they have a safe migration home. 

Upton Warren Whooper

When updating a few records I realised I'd never seen a Whooper Swan at Upton Warren so after a very long cycle on the Christmas Eve morning I headed over for a late afternoon session.

Misty & overcast the long staying Whooper Swan did its best to avoid me sleeping on the side of an island I couldn't see from the east hide. A few gun shots from the local farm, apparently taking pot shots at Canada Geese, flushed most birds but did wake the sleeping Whooper. As I walked around from the east hide 10 Curlew fed in the A38 field whilst a male Peregrine watched from a distance.

When reaching the west hide I manage to get some great scope views of the Whooper Swan and other highlights included 7 Pochards, 2 Little Egret, Bullfinch, drake Wigeon & a calling Water Rail. 

A real goose chase

Pinkies galore

 Count them if you like

White front at back of image

Good numbers of Little Egrets & a Great White on show

 Whooper family

 Brilliant views

 Family advice

Lunch time in Lancashire

After sports taxi duty on Saturday (taking in three basketball games) I made the decision on Sunday to head north to catch up with a Red-breasted Goose that had been showing in the same field for previous six days. Sadly on arrival there was no sign except four White-fronted & a flock of Pink-footed Geese in the area.  Disappointing but certainly not the end of the world, so after an hour of checking every Goose flying over I started to investigate the local fields to see if I could find any more flocks of Geese.

There were thousands and thousands in many different locations. My car battery got a real work out as I moved around as best as possible. When looking for some Whooper Swans I found a Great White Egret stood among a flock of Mute Swans that had been overlooked by the locals. Instead of finding a couple of Whoopers I found a whole field of them, including a couple of Bewicks for good measure. I’d never seen this many in a remote location like this, it seems the lush grass was a real attraction for them.

Heading back towards Cockenham I found a layby that had great views of the landscape so I opted to scan from here for an hour. The numbers of Pink-feet were astonishing and when they flew as a group the sky turned dark. After thirty minutes I picked up the Todd’s Canada Goose along a fence line was a good addition along with a Bean Goose walking in the opposite direction. The Todd’s had been in the company of the Red-Breasted in Norfolk so I stuck to my task searching but all in vein. The M6 was relatively quiet but the long 50 mph speed restriction made the journey a little longer than it needed to be. Some of the weekend birders from around the local area had missed the bird three times as apparently its now disappeared every Sunday it’s been in the area.

Marsh Tit & Merlin provides light relief from hospital stay

Hospital visit

Marsh Tit

Goldcrest

Pink-footed Goose

View of pits from A46 bridge

View of Pophills from A46 bridge

Coffee & Dundee Cake - Hilliers Speciality

I experienced some ill health at the start of January resulting in two days in hospital so I've really been restricted in attendance.  This blog records visits before hospital stay and two short visits since as I've tried to get back on my feet. The first visit was just to Hilliers Coffee shop where I saw a nice selection of birds on the feeders including my first patch Marsh Tit. 

Other annual additions when driving around the pits included a male Merlin chasing its quarry, Yellowhammers, Linnets, Bullfinch whilst the Pink-foot was present until the 8th. Paul Hands recorded the Pink-foot and also observed 7 Whooper Swans that flew low south over the main pit also on the 8th.

My species count has reached 64 species at the site to date.