Lingering Avocets

16/07/11
Amazingly, the 3 Juv Avocets were still with us 3 weeks or so after the rest of the flock had left.
Migrationwise it was quiet, with 10+ LRP, a single Dunlin, 12 Green sand, 2 Common Sand and 29 curlew in amongst the Lapwing and BHG.
With the Roosts hotting up now with the posibility of a med gull i am ever hopeful, however tonight was quiet.
so i looked for ringed gulls.
and i found 2:
Juv (White ring, right leg 21A5)
Adult ( White ring, Right leg, 2K44)
I will post the deatils on the rings when i have it
MB

SHEEPWASH.

12/07/11

A nip over to Sheepwash urban park was needed, i never expect to see much when i visit here, but today, a single bird shon above the rest!

I had just walked through the main enterance on Sheepwash lane and was walking past a meadow type field with long grasses and scattered wildflowers.

I was just thinking that the habitat looked quite good for a passing Chat, However what happened next was totally unexpected,

I saw a Passerine sitting atop a yellow wildflower head quite close to the path, I cant explain it but when you get that feeling you have got something good before even raising your bins.

and a good bird it was:

A gorgeous WHINCHAT!!

And not only that a stunningly plumaged male Whinchat, in practically all its spring splendor!!

I was treated to Amazing views of this amazing bird at about 30-40ft range.

You have to remember, Sheepwash is an overgrown puddle in the middle of the hustle and bustle of a ferantic city, and to attract a common bird is hard work at a site like this sometimes.

I hadent got my scope with me, and if i had i would have been parading some decent photo's/videos here, but i had to try and digibin some photo's, and it didnt work, i couldnt pick up the bird at all holding my bins in one hand and my camera in the other to the lens.

Only when the bird flew to a tree about 100m off could i locate where it was sitting, but this was out of the range.

If you look at the photo you can just about see the white tail sides and white supercillium, and also note the stance.

I was treated to great views for around 40 mins from the main track as it went about feeding up, the bird then dissapeared ( i looked away to watch a Stock Dove fly past when it must have flow off) and wasent seen again all day.

To be fair, the rest of the walk was extremly quiet, 11 Common Tern were hawking over the pool, 2 Sum plum Little grebe had a fledged chick, and 2 Garden Warbler were found in a nettle bed.

so i took the opp for some Insects:

Gatekeeper: easilly the most common Butterfly today 15c of them.

Common Blue Damselfly

And thats it for another day at sheepwash

MB

Upton Egret

9/07/11

As we walked Past the Hen Pool at the flashes i quickly notcied a LITTLE EGRET flying over going north with some BHG.

This bird later roosted at the Moors, and on entering the hide i was told by fellow Upton birder Andy P that the bird had been on the deck for a few minuites before flying off.

Amazingly 3 Juv AVOCET remained at the back of the flash, and there was a good scattering of waders,

Including this Black-tailed Godwit

10+ LRP

13+ Green sand

1 Common sand and 30 Curlew were the other waders noted as well as Lapwing and the Godwit.

MB

Fill in's

9/07/11

Amazingly at 8:05 am our 2nd Garden record of Bullfinch was in the garden, just like last time, a pair flew in, however this time they stuck around for a few minuites and fed on some seed from the floor.

At earlswood later that day, i found my first Purple Hairstreak, as well as 2 Comma and a red admiral.

3 Goldcrest were in the trees bordering the garden.

MB

Patch Mandarins still going strong

8/07/11

Blackstone was teeming with warblers, both adult, and fledged Juveniles

Our family of Garden Warblers was showing well!!! sitting on top of a hawthorn sunning themselves and preening in the evening light.

2 adult Lesser Whitethroat were our first returning birds of the autumn, and seemingly along a 100 metre stretch of hawthorn hedge a Blackcap was flitting about in ever bush.

A few Common Whitethroat were 'scratching' away in dense bushes.

a male and female Kestrel were perched on the rock face behind the farm.

Chiffchaff's were commonplace with then 'hweet' ing from every suitable patch on the walk.

The walk was uneventful untill we reached the female Mandarin with her 3 chicks, which to say shown superbly would be an understatement.

They were feeding at my feet!!!!

MB