Dotterel at Long Mynd with a dodgy hamstring

Long Mynd

The Shropshire Way

Dotterel

Dotterel

Female Pied Flycatcher

Male Pied Flycatcher

Dipper

Common Redstart

Yellow Wagtail

After really looking forward to a good Easter break I ripped my hamstring on Thursday evening at circuit training which felt like being shot on the back of the leg. However the report of Dotterel on the Long Mynd made me just pass an early morning fitness test (well I could hobble) and head off to Shropshire picking up Upton birders Phil and Vern on the way.

Despite it being a Bank Holiday we seemed to be ahead of the traffic and quickly made our way to the location. Some of the roads were very high with very steep banks so that kept us entertained. About 25/30 birders were already roadside but the views were very distant. A jogger however, running where he shouldn't have been flushed the birds a bit closer to enable everyone to get good scope views. I counted 11 birds including 4 stunning females. I wanted to see these birds for a long time so I was seriously pleased. Red Kites, Sky Larks and Meadows Pipits were also observed all around us.

From here we headed to some quiet woodland to try and locate some more migrants. This small channel of woodland was like a bit of paradise as it contain multiple Pied Flycatchers, Redstarts, Dipper (seen twice), Kestrel, Goldcrest, Nuthatches …….it was brilliant and we had the place to ourselves for plenty of time. A local walker kindly pointed out a distant bird which when scoped it was my first Cuckoo of the year. Over head we had Buzzards, Curlews and Raven.  

On the way home we stopped in at Venus Pool for an hour and managed to get some stunning views of 6 Yellow Wagtails feeding on the ground close to edge of one of the lakes which also held Teal, Oystercatcher, Lapwing among others.

Earlswood delivers early migrants

With a late start planned at work I headed over to Earlswood Lakes on Tuesday morning to meet up with Matt. Whilst waiting on the causeway an early returning Common Sandpiper was on the side of the Engine Pool and then treated me to a fly pass when a couple of dog walkers flushed the bird. The Windmill Pool was hosting 4 roosting Common Terns are always great to see. 

Once Matt arrived we headed to some scrub land where a Lesser Whitethroat could be heard instantly and then showed on and off for about 40 minutes. My first Common Whitethroat was also picked up in the same location whilst Chiffchaffs and Reed Buntings were also enjoying the spring sunshine. 

A great start to the day……..

A bit of Lesser Spotting

Last week I opted to take a short drive to an undisclosed site to hopefully see one of Britain's most elusive birds the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. A two hour wait was rewarded the above video clip.

This bird has suffered huge losses in its population since the 1970's so it was great to get some superb views. Hopefully the nest will be successful and help support the ever deceasing numbers. Nothing more to add really the pictures say it all. Well worth watching until the end though. (Please do not email me for location details)

Gropper makes early return to Coney Meadow

Arrow Valley Lake

 
Goldeneye (Sheepwash)

 Goosander (Sheepwash)

Sunset at Coney Meadow

Starting work slightly later on Tuesday gave me a great chance to walk around Arrow Valley. The Grey Heron’s certainly didn’t seem to be as settled as they were last year. A couple of the nests looked in poor condition and it will be interesting to see how the next few weeks develop. The first Willow Warblers were noted along the east path with growing numbers of Chiffchaffs. A Greater Spotted Woodpecker flew over me and then sat up on a tree top allowing good viewing whilst the Nuthatch was in its usual place. Very few ducks on the lake, whilst Greylags out numbered the Canadian Geese. The Great Crested Grebe were at their normal levels.

At lunchtime I had a flying visit to Sheepwash where a female Goldeneye was gracing Sandwell’s Urban Park. Only other notable sighting were 4 female Goosander, Kingfisher and Lesser Redpoll.

After a recharge at home I drove over to Coney Meadow at Droitwich. Dave Walker had located a very early returning Grasshopper Warbler. At 7.39pm it started to reel about 15 feet in front of us. Whilst difficult to see at first the bird did sit in a channel we could see before becoming more elusive. We only managed glimpses in flight from this point despite how close the bird was.

Highly satisfied we headed up to the Church yard where a Tawny Owl was calling. Within a couple of minutes the Owl treated us to two flypasts inside the wood. Superb evening at Coney once again. This small area of Worcestershire has certainly been kind to me when visiting.

Taiga Bean & Hooded Crow star in Slimbridge Twitch

 Black-tailed Godwits

 Mandarins

 Taiga Bean Geese

 Hooded Crow

 Hooded Crow

Kingfisher

Despite a full day in Cambridgeshire the day before and a bad forecast the draw of super birds at Slimbridge made it another early start. On the way to picking up @midlandbirder in Stourport I stopped in Shenstone to locate a couple of Corn Bunting. As I approached Stourport, Craig text me to drive through to the field gate as two of the local Mandarin were sitting up on a tree by the river.

Once arriving at Slimbridge we headed straight to the Holden Tower to locate the two Taiga Bean Geese. A seriously rare bird in these parts. They are normally only ever seen in small numbers in Norfolk. The birds were close enough to enable us to get some excellent views. Other notable sightings were 5 Little Egret, 14+6 Golden Plover, 2 Peregrines, Lapwings, Oystercatchers, Pintail and Skylark. 

It was then down to the Kingfisher & Ziess Hide to locate the Hooded Crow. After about 30 minutes I saw the Crow land in the field. I'd never seen one of these birds before and I  was struck with how striking he was. Whilst in the Kingfisher hide we observed a pair of Kingfisher sat outside the nest they were excavating. It was brilliant to watch the Kingfisher at close quarters, normally I only see these birds flying fast. Upon leaving the hide a Swallow past over head - a sure sign that summers round the corner.

Off to the Ouse

 Whooper Swans

 Black-tailed Godwits

 RSPB Fen Drayton

 Upton crew scanning 

 It's all to much for two twitchers

Spoonbill

Saturday it was off to Cambridgshire with three fellow Upton birders, Mike, Craig and Jarrad. Our target bird was a Baikal Teal and we were very hopeful when we saw an audience of birders watching over the lake as we arrived at RSPB Fen Dayton. Despite the bird being present for a couple of weeks the Teal had elected to disappear over night. The four of use walked the reserve in hope but sadly no luck in over 3 hours. 

From there we set off for the RSPB Ouse Washes which is a huge reserve with many hides. You could spend many hours here and miss many a rarity given the huge expanse of land and water. With some helpful advice from the locals we located a female Ring-necked Duck. Although distant you could clearly see the bird and was the first time I'd seen this type of duck. We actually viewed from two separate places, the second place was because a Spoonbill had been reported. The Spoonbill was very active which was great to see and was also in full summer plumage. Other notable sightings included Kestrel, Marsh Harriers, 50+ Ruff, 200 Black-tailed Godwit and Whooper Swans.

Little Gull at Bartley Reservoir

                                                    Little Gull in front of Shoveller

With Little Gull sightings reported around the country it was frustrating being stuck at work on Friday however a late afternoon confirmation that one was still around Bartley Reservoir and traffic jammed M5 made me take a chance. Parking on the dam it didn't take long to pick out the Little Gull that was mainly in flight on the far end of the reservoir. I opted to drive round to Scotland Lane hoping for a closer view but it remained distant although I grabbed a couple of distant record shots. I had a quick catch up with Halesowen birder Hughie King before leaving.