Burton Mere RSPB- The rare Trio! (10/09/14)

September often brings up a a good number of passage waders, so it wasn't a surprise to hear of a good build up of birds at Burton Mere RSPB, a place I have been only once before when I twitched the Buff-bellied Pipit earlier in the year.

A nice trio of scarce birds had been hanging around for some time, and so plans were arranged to head up there.

We had only walked to the visitor centre before our first target was seen, and the Cattle Egret was found as it sat on the islands among the Canada and Greylag Geese! I have only seen this species once in the UK (a flock of 4 near Slimbridge), so it was good to catch up with another!

Cattle Egret

There were a lot of people in the visitor centre though, so it didn't take much of a decision to head over to the IMF hide at the opposite end of the reserve to try to locate both of our next targets.

It is the flash here that has seen a large build up of wading birds, and it is fair to say I was impressed very quickly.

It didn't take long for the rather stunning juvenile Red-necked Phalarope to appear, and given some time, but bird swam closer, eventually feeding just the other side of the small reedbed! With the sun moving in the sky, the light got continually better, and the bird just looked even better!

Red-necked Phalarope

Red-necked Phalarope

Red-necked Phalarope

This also allowed for us to scan around as the birds were no longer in silhouette. By far the most common wader on the flash was Lapwing, with around 200, but it was more quality than quantity, and small numbers of desirable wader species kept appearing.

3 Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Little Stint, 5 Spotted Redshank, 7 Greenshank and 15 Ruff among the more common Redshanks and Black-tailed Godwits! A great mixed flock.

The 3rd and final target was soon picked out, and we were watching the Pectoral Sandpiper, and following a slight wait, the bird flew and landed on the island in front of the hide, giving superb views.

With the light now shining onto the birds, you really could see every plumage detail on each of the wader species, which made it all the more enjoyable!

Pectoral Sandpiper

Pectoral Sandpiper

The wider reserve also held a Whinchat, a Cetti's Warbler, as well as good numbers of Pintail, Shoveler and Teal among the other common wildfowl. A single Peregrine flew over, doing its very best to flush as many birds as possible!

All in all a very good visit to this reserve, and one I look forward to visiting again in the future!

MB

Patching comes up trumps!

2/08/13

Another patch visit, and another Mandarin count. I wanted to get out fairly early, and i did, so i was out scouring those hedges and tree's looking for some migrants. The first bird i came across was while standing adjacent to the old Sand Martin colony on the riverbank (now sadly unused) and i saw the distinctive flight shape of a Falcon approaching from the north. With its barrel chested-ness and heavy flight it was obvious a PEREGRINE was flying towards me, easily the rarest of the 'common' Falcons here on patch. Soon after i was treated to great views of this 1st summer male bird as it flew low over my head, across the river, dropping down low over the fields opposite, to suddenly rise up over the hedge to spook a flock of Woodpigeon before giving a pot-shot, and to be honest, half soaked lazy attempt at that, towards one of the Woodpigeons. Soon after the bird was lost to view, but a nice addition to the list.

Just a little further upriver, adjacent to the riverside field infact, and, for the 2nd time in 8 days, i heard a familiar 'glipping' sound above me, Looking up to see a party of 3 CROSSBILL flying along the river SW. I wont repeat from what i said a couple of posts ago, but this is still a very decent patch bird with very few records!

Moving onto Blackstone, i quickly found a variety of good birds, a LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER was seen briefly making its way through the dense tree's, the first patch record this year! And it was while trying to relocate the Woodpecker i heard the distinctive song and 'Pitchoo' call of MARSH TIT'S, a welcomed sighting as i had not seen any at this location  since the spring!

The expected flock of Mandarins had dropped significantly, with now only 7 birds remaining, 4 of which were drakes. The party of young that were first hatched have now disbanded and are now practically independent. 

The final highlight of the day was the confirmation that a pair of Lapwings had successfully raised 2 chicks at a site on patch! As far as i know, the first confirmed breeding for a few years, despite a semi-regular presence during the summer in previous years. The two adults and 2 fledged youngsters sitting together on an area of bare ground.

In the garden, both male and female Siskin have been present all summer, so it was fully expected when 3 newly fledged juveniles visited the feeders for around a month, however, more recently we have been visited by something larger...

A family party of Great-Spots!

But one of the most unexpected sights was to happen on the 3/08/13, when a WHITE-LETTER HAIRSTREAK visited the garden briefly, a butterfly lifer!

MB

Fens Pools- Looking for white wingers.

30/01/13
A Glaucous Gull had been seen at Fens Pools the previous week, and the bird did a re-appearing act at nearby Stallings Lane Tip, so, with the Gornal Birder, we decided to head down to the Pools in the hope that this white beast would drop in. So there we were, standing on the Causeway between Middle and Grove Pools scanning the fairly small amount of Gulls. And that proved very uneventuful, with nothing more than a few Herring and LBBG.
However, our luck changed at 2:20 when i heard the distinctive high pitched trilling of WAXWINGS heading towards us, and to my delight, a decent sized flock of WAXWINGS flew in from a northish direction, heading directly over the pool at resonably close quarters against a southerly wind, meaning we were treated to long views as they slowly made their way along. The wind proved too much for the birds, and they dropped down on the ariels of Fens Pool Avenue, just giving me enough time to count a number of 32 before they again flew off south into the estate.
Occasionally we saw the birds duck down behind the houses, and then would fly up, so i would expect that the birds would have landed somewhere nearby!

Later in the evening, we were treated to views of a Peregrine with a feral pigeon in its tallons, before dropping down onto the grass bank to briefly pluck the bird before being flushed. A steady stream of walkers ment that the Peg could no longer drop onto its catch, and after about 30 mins, the bird had enough, and flew off SW.

MB

The Big Boost

4/01/13
A dawn check of the patch revealed that the drake Goosander was still roosting on the floods, which was a nice surprise, as my dad had failed to see it over the last week.
Moving southwards towards our eventual destination, we stopped off at Stourport Marina, looking for the Grey Seal that had been seen there, however we drew a blank. In compensation, a nice Finch flock of 40c Siskin and 5c Lesser Redpoll were showing in the riverside birches. Again, onwards, and my next report is from the River Avon at Bredon, where the river had flooded its banks, and in the flooded field viewable from the motorway, i saw a LITTLE EGRET perched in the water!
And again, onward! To our final destination, Slimbridge.

Upon getting to the Center  it was straight to the Tack Piece, as in winter it is by far my favorite area at Slimbridge. You can sit in one of the hides (Robbie Garnett being my preference) and simply scan through the masses for hours, my hope though was to catch up with the Spotted Redshank which was present, as it was a bird i missed last year. Upon reaching the small bridge over the pond at the start to the Holden Walkway, i saw a wintering CHIFFCHAFF! I dont see many wintering Chiffies, so it was nice to see one so early on in the year!
The very decent sized Wigeon flock (of over 1300 birds) was grazing  at multiple locations over the flooded field. However it was the wader flocks that had the majority of my attention. However, a stunning Little Egret grabbed my attention. Always a great bird to see, and one that i am glad to say is regular over southern Britain, soon to be followed by a wide range of other heron species from the continent surely?

Waders were very well represented, most notable were the Lapwings (2000c), Golden Plover (1000+) and Dunlin (700c). This alone counts as amazing birding for a midlander like me, but combined with smaller flocks of other species 60c Redshank and 50 Black-tailed Godwit, and at least 5 Ruff all combine for some excellent birding. 

After a while scanning, i picked up a 'pale' Redshank feeding near the Golden Plover flock, and when getting my scope on the bird, i had confirmed that i did indeed have the SPOTTED REDSHANK, Mission done, time to leave.....

Not really

I got down to trying to get some long distance pictures as the bird waded in shallow water around the Lapwings. Subtly distinctive in winter plumage, Spotshank is always a nice bird to catch up with. I did end up getting one decent photo from the lot, and a little bit of footage

To compare, one of its Common cousins was showing fairly close to the hide!

Having had our fill, we decided to move on, getting into the Holden Tower for high tide....

And it wasnt worth it in the slightest, a count of 120c Curlew, and about 1000 Wigeon were on the estuary  which almost the entire wader flock was flushed off the Tack piece and landed on the far edge of the Dumbles, feeding in the long grass. Both of these sites also had huge numbers of Pintail, with around 500 plastered over both areas! Similarly, Bewick Swans and White-fronted Geese were also in both areas.

Me moved down the the Rushy Pen, where we first spotted a 2w Common Gull. Note the almost entirely black primarys and the bill pattern.

 The stars of the show here though were the Pintail's, of which a few were showing exceptionally close to the hide! Sadly, they spent most of their time asleep  however, when they woke up. Wow! Look at these stunning ducks!

The drakes in particular are stunning!

Wow, nothing more to say!

We briefly stopped at the South Lake, where a large flock of Black-tailed Godwit was present!

Following this, it was onwards to the Zeiss hide for our annual dip on the Bittern. 3 Hours and there was no sign. However, a nice adult Water Rail was nice compensation, which shown regularly at the edge of the reeds, and very close.

It made a change to see one with the sun on it!

As always, i also took some footage.




A small number of the 173 White-fronted Geese were feeding on the seawall, with the estuary as a background.

As always, large numbers of Teal, Wigeon, Shoveler and Pintail were also on the flash here. And this activity meant we were treated t a great fly through of a brute of a female Peregrine!

With the day drawing to a close, we briefly stopped near the rowing area to drink our tea. And this proved a good decision, as a Cetti's Warbler was flitting about the reeds!
MB

Shenstone- Migrant Passerines

26/08/12
Mark P (Doorstep Birding) had told me of some Spotted Flycather's he had found earlier in the day, and as (Unbelievably!) i havent seen one this year i was hoping for a 'get back' rush to see them, however, it was now nearly two hours after he'd seen them.
However, we still headed out, and, an arriving on site, saw nothing!
But hey, i was scouting a new area, so it wasnt all doom and gloom, Soon after, we spotted Jason K (The Shenstone Natrualist) trundling down the road in his car, looking for the same birds as us. After a good chat and a wait around the area where the Spot flys were, Jase mentioned that 2 Juvenile Whinchats were still at Shenstone, and Redstarts had been seen. So we planned to call in on the way back.

We dropped in at the Paddock Jase told us the Whinchats were in, parking at the gate, and it only took a single scan to locate both juvenile WHINCHATS sitting on thistle heads in the centre of the paddock. Sadly however, the birds wouldnt approach any closer, although giving great scope views, not very good for photos.

 

Both birds were in. fairly good looking freshly plumages

 

And it was sheer luck that i manadged to get a flight shot as one of the Whinchats moved from perch to perch.

It was while watching the Whinchats that we watched a PEREGRINE flew over fairly low, but obviously there was a thermal close by, and the bird rapidly circled higher and higher, at one point being in the air with 5 Buzzards! before flying off south.



We then drove down the road slightly to the hedge that runs through the paddocks, and had a scan from the car window in the hope a Redstart may be in there. And out luck was in, and soon after, i picked up a female type REDSTART as it flitted low down amongst the hawthorn and grass.

Out came the scope, and i was taking my first decent images of a Redstart soon after, Awsome!

In contrast to the Whinchats, these birds were very obliging and odly, the bird often perched out in the open for a fair bit of time!
I'd started taking photos of Redstart 1 when i saw a bird drop down from the hedge to my left, and i glimpsed a red tail as it flew back. It was another Redstart! Soon after, this 'new' bird flew over to the hedgeline with the other Redstart, both calling incessantly, and both giving great views!

I moved position slightly, and i was treated to superb views of one of the Redstarts as it just sat on the edge of a hawthorn in the sun. And i was able to better my attempts from a few minuites previously!

 

 

 

 

The above video in particular im happy with as it is moderatly sharp, you can hear the bird calling, and you can see its glowing red tail shivering, exactly as a Redstart should be doing!

MB