Video - Black-winged Stilt & Turtle Dove

Wood Sandpiper at Lower Moor

Lower Moor Flash (Centre)

Thursday afternoons always enables me to finish work a little earlier and it was great to make the most of this time to head down an extra junction of the M5 on the way home to see a Wood Sandpiper reported on Birding Today. 

This wader had proved rather elusive this May so it was great to catch up with one even though viewing wasn't easy as the sun was right behind the bird. A cuckoo was calling in close proximity to the reserve. 

Lower Moor is very close to Pershore on the way to Evesham. If you are ever heading that way you are best parking on Bridge Street and walking down to the small car park where the flash is. There is room to park but it can get very wet and it's very difficult to pass another car. 

Great Reed Warbler lands at Slimbridge

Great Reed Warbler

Before heading back up the M5 I checked RBA (Rare Bird Alert) to see if the previous days sighting at Slimbridge of a Great Reed Warbler was a one day wonder or whether it had re-emerged.

The reports showed it was seen early but nothing for fours hours by the time I arrived. There was plenty of birders scratching their heads and having their patience tested.  I was starting to wonder myself after 90 minutes of just watching a single reed bed other than three Spotted Flycatchers.

Thankfully I was rewarded when I picked up a feint croaking call which then got louder and louder. It was no doubt it was the Great Reed Warbler but where was it ? Every one had to wait another couple of minutes before it moved from the reeds to the hawthorn bushes before being chased towards the hide the other side of the path. Once there I managed to get some fantastic views much to my amazement and I even managed to get a few seconds of video and a digiscoped image. You could clearly see the very strong bill and the bird was more thrush like in build. Looking at the reports it was only the third time a Great Reed Warbler had visited Gloucestershire. 

Whilst at Slimbridge I checked the progress of the nesting cranes that looked very close to producing the first wild cranes hatched in Gloucestershire for 400 years. The male and female were switching roles and looked to be expecting an imminent new arrival. The film crew who had been following the Cranes could well be rewarded by the weekend.

Ham Wall Delights

 Bittern 

  Bittern - This is how you see most of them at Ham Wall

 Landing gear out

 Habitat as you enter reserve

 Reed Bunting

Glastonbury Tor over looks the reserve

A very distant Hobby

After looking at a good weather forecast I opted to take a day off from work midweek to make my May trip to RSPB Ham Wall in Somerset. Despite there being areas of road works I was parked up in under two hours. The reserve can take a bit of finding if you haven’t been before but I had no such problems.

The first of many number of Cetis Warblers called as I put on the walking boots and headed up the path to the reed beds. I could hear the booming Bitterns approaching the first viewing platform and it didn’t take long until I was treated with the first of three different birds I saw during the morning. Before carrying on my walk a Great White Egret emerged at the edge of the water to make it a memorable start to the day.

A number of Marsh Harries including a stunning male was in sight at the second viewing platform. Round me there was constant noise of Reed & Sedge Warblers enjoying the warmth of the morning sun. I was hoping a Garganey might be around but sadly no luck. The Bitterns continued to boom.

As I headed back down the path towards the reed bed where the Little Bitterns were last year a Hobby flew straight over my head looking for an early breakfast, I watched it closely hunt before I saw it later in the morning very high with another Hobby. There were plenty of dragon flies around the reserve and it was really the first place I’ve noticed them in numbers this summer. I did hang around to see if any Little Bitterns were around but I didn’t hear or see any. The lack of the RSPB volunteers probably gave indication to my findings. The final bird at Ham Wall was a male Cuckoo.

As I entered the Shapwick Heath reserve the bird song increased again and a Garden Warbler was on view along side Blackcaps and the common warblers.  On the first flash there was a flock of Black-Tailed Godwits and two Little Egrets. Over head Marsh Harriers continued to hunt to please an increasing crowd of watchers who must have been on an organised trip as when I got back the car park it was full and any new arrivals were having to park on road causing much frustration to the local farmer.

Both Hobby and Bittern were new birds for the year. It must be the best place in the county to get to see Bitterns flying around.

Dunlin delight at Grimley

Dunlin

After a long day birding on Saturday I was back on cricket taxi service on Sunday. A relaxed start to the day was just what I needed. Once dropping the lad at Ombersley I made the short drive to Grimley. On the east shore were 11 Dunlin that seemed to be part of the large passage of the species this week. Large numbers of Swifts, Swallows, House martin and Sand martin were feeding above the water with 4 Common Tern. Elsewhere I found 2 Redshank, Ringed Plover, 4 Oystercatcher and a Common Sandpiper. 

Montagu's magic

Woodland walk at Weeting Heath

Stone Curlews

 RSPB Titchwell

 

Little Tern

Cley

On Saturday I headed to Norfolk with Upton Warren birders, Mike, Jarrad and Craig as a spare seat was available. An awful forecast delayed our departure and scheduled route, so we headed straight to Weeting Heath. This small reserve duly delivered it's fantastic Stone Curlews who were very active unlike on my previous visit. Two chicks had been reported in recent days but I could not locate them. In total we observed 4 adult birds including three displaying. On the woodland walk which starts close to the west hide we all heard a recently arrived Stopped Flycatcher which we then located just above us. A superb start the day.

We then headed to North Norfolk's Choseley Barns via the Wolferton Triangle to see 8 Dotterels showing well in a crop field. The area is regarded as Norfolks best site for Corn Bunting but we only managed to locate one at a distance but we did finally see a Grey Partridge (Red Legged Partridge also present) which has been outstanding on my year list. A single Yellowhammer treated us to a couple of fly passes also. 

Then it was the five minute drive to RSPB Titchwell, probably the best nature reserve in England as you never fail to see some amazing birds. I would recommend the Cornish Pasties from the cafe as once again it hit the spot and recharged me for the walk down through the reserve to the beach. 

We got as far as the reed bed pool when two Garganey dropped out of the sky. The male was a real stunner and a target bird of the day. The only time I'd seen these ducks before was at a distance and sleeping so we got good views even though we had to stand on tip toes. Above us the recently arrived Swifts were so close you could have caught them. Yellow Wagtails flew over and a flock of late staying Brent Geese were present on the marsh land to the left of the path.

A Little Tern offered us some superb view as we moved closer to the beach. I managed to grab the above image using the camera I use for digiscoping. Photos were very difficult all day given how strong the wind was. 

Sea watching was very difficult with the swirling sand but there was good passage of Sandwich Terns, a couple of more Little Terns, Gannets, Common Scoter whilst Sanderling and Dunlin could be seen along the coast. Sadly no Eiders or Great Crested Grebes. Other sightings included March Harrier, Spoonbill, Oystercatcher, Avocets, Greenshank, Grey Plover, Pochard, Red Crested Pochard, Pintail, Turnstone, Oystercatcher. Whatever I write it doesn't do justice to a trip to Titchwell.

Next stop was a roadside viewpoint that Craig had researched as a good view for raptors. Within the first five minutes we observed Marsh Harriers displaying and Common Buzzards enjoying the thermals. We were just about to leave when one of the other birders on the other side road called "Male" in which we didn't need any second invitation to see the bird he found was a male Montagu's Harrier. What a bird, simply stunning. The bird really stood out against the greying skies and it was amazing to watch the birds powerful and elegant wingbeats giving an impression of total ease. I'd never seen a Montagu's before and he was a bird I will always remember.

Final stop was Cley Marshes however we dipped a pair of Temminck's Stints which had been flushed an hour before we arrived. Highlights were 5 Little Egrets, Spoonbill, Wheatear and two flight views of a Bearded Tit. A super days birding despite Mike reversing his car into me before heading off to home much to the amusement of Jarrad and Craig.

Tawny at Morton Bagot

 Morton Bagot Pools

Good Evening Mr Tawny

I popped over to Morton Bagot on Thursday evening hoping something special might have dropped into the Flash.  On the walk down to the Flash there were plenty of Yellowhammers in the hedgerows whilst a couple of Swallows and Swifts flew over.

I then bumped into local birder Richard Harbird and joined him on the walk. No superstars were at the Flash so we headed to the local stronghold for a family of Tawny Owls. At first glance it looked like the juveniles had fledged but thankfully we located one high up in the canopy. On the way back to the car a Lesser Whitethroat teased us with his call and brief views.