Pagham.

A weekend down in Pagham promised much, and delivered a satisfactory amount. Arrived on Friday evening, and in the gloom clocked my first ever Little Terns feeding along the shore.



I came back on Saturday morning to get views of the Terns in good light (tens of them), and was pleased to spot more than a few Sandwich Terns about too. The Little Terns, even smaller than I'd expected them to be, were busy catching food. They really were hovering and diving more frequently than other Terns I've seen. The most interesting behaviour, though, was when two adult birds landed together on the shingle and one offered a caught fish to the other. Felt like some sort of mating ritual.

Anyway, over the weekend we took some very long distance shots of the Little Terns with the telephoto. The photographs are not mine, but belong to a member of my party. Given control of the camera equipment I would've had more patience than them and waited for the birds to come in closer. Still... to me they still represent a valuable record.



From the hide at the harbour mouth (next to the car park with board walks down onto the beach) there were tens of Greenfinch, Skylark, Linnets... some Swallows and Swifts... the occasional House Martin. On the mud were many Ringed Plovers, Dunlin in breeding plumage, a sole Grey Plover, many Little Egrets, Great Crested Grebes, Curlew, Cormorants nesting, Greater Black-backed Gulls nesting (also Herring Gulls), a pale phase Brent Goose, Oystercatchers, and one first summer Mediterranean Gull.



Plus the ubiquitous hordes of Shelduck.

It was great to see the breeding Gull colonies. For waders you have to catch the tide right as the harbour is a big area from whichever side you happen to be standing on!

Late on Saturday afternoon (to coincide with the high tide), I went to the Nature Reserve visitor centre and walked down to Church Norton.

The first stop was the Ferry Pool hide. Here were (aside from tons of desperately cute Shelduck and Lapwing youngsters), Avocets, Black-tailed Godwits, a Cuckoo singing, Redshank, Lapwing, Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Grebes and a Mute Swan family.

As I walked down to Church Norton - huge numbers of Reed and Sedge Warblers, a Cetti's heard, Little Egrets, Grey Herons, Meadow Pipits, Linnets, Whitethroats, Bar-tailed Godwits, Dunlin, etc... Pick of the bunch were the large number of Grey Plover... with one male in breeding plumage. A stonking bird.





The Meadow Pipit:



Finally, on Sunday morning I gorged some more on the Tern-fest and observed a second first summer Mediterranean Gull which - bizarrely - was being followed about by a Sandwich Tern:





Everywhere the Gull went - so followed the Tern! The Goose in the foreground is of course the Brent Goose. I thought that - despite the lousy camera I'm stuck with for telescope work - it was rather novel to have a Mediterranean Gull, a Sandwich Tern and a Brent Goose in the same frame!

The only tragedy was that Sunday afternoon was off-limits for birding (went swimming!) - and a male Ruff in breeding plumage showed up on Ferry Pool!

So no real rarities, but a good few days and something I'd like to repeat now I've got a better lie of the land. Would be good to go back in the Autumn, as I read it's great for passage migrants at that time of year.

How am I doing?

A look at my wishlist doesn't reveal much progress - despite a year list of 157. Since I last posted it I've been able to tick off House Martin, Tern (any) and Woodcock.

Barn Owl
Brambling
Common Scoter
Dipper
Firecrest
Glossy Ibis (must've gone to Ham Wall the only day they weren't there)
Grasshopper Warbler
Grey Partridge
Hen Harrier
Jack Snipe
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Little Owl
Merlin
Pied Flycatcher
Redpoll (never seen one. EVER)
Ring Ouzel (less said the better...)
Spotted Redshank (blown that until the winter)
Turtle Dove
Woodlark (blew it in Suffolk)
Yellow Wagtail

Two visits to Nagshead and not one Pied Flycatcher is frankly embarrassing. Everyone I meet there has seen one here and there. The people I went with on Sunday evening all saw one. Unbelievable. I need to find out which boxes they're in... although that wouldn't be as satisfactory as actually finding one myself!!!

The absence of Yellow Wagtails is just odd.

Nightjars.

Took a trip to the Forest this evening.

First a stop at Nagshead to see Pied Flycatchers. Much to my continued chagrin, however, I failed to see one again. I don't know what the problem is; I did everything right with no reward. Still, the Spotted Flycatchers from the Lower Hide were an unexpected bonus.

Then to Boys Grave. Teeming with insects. As twilight set - from the viewpoint over the clearing - a calling Woodcock flew past left to right providing great views. The Nightjars were calling regularly by 2130, and one flew past (closer than the Woodcock) right to left. It was a male, and through binoculars the fading light allowed muddy views of its plumage.

At one point a bird landed on right of the three trees in the immediate foreground. I got my telescope on it and had a good view. Then I tried to take a photo by shoving my little camera up to the scope on a very high ISO setting. The results were lamentable.

Red-footed Falcon.

Today I had a choice. Try for the 1st summer Red-footed Falcon at Wiltstone Reservoir in Hertfordshire, or the Little Bittern in Somerset. Despite driving into the rain, I chose the Falcon.

Good choice! The reservoir was teeming with Common Terns, Swifts, House Martins and Sand Martins - with three or four Hobbies hawking over the reedbeds. If it hadn't been raining one might've enjoyed the sight!

The Falcon was sat (for all the time I watched it) in a Hawthorn tree. I believe the spot was 'Cemetery Corner'. It had chosen an isolated branch. This made for great views. I got a couple of lousy record shots, but really it was all about enjoying a glorious bird.





On the way back I stopped in Aylesbury to watch a Red Kite appear to hunt over a housing estate!

And as I turned onto my street at home, a Grey Heron landed on a roof. Behold:



I gather the Little Bittern wasn't seen all day. A shame, as that was going to Monday's target.

Day with a Decent Camera.

On Saturday (22nd May) I had the use of a half-decent Canon SLR (a 40D) and Canon's 500mm f4 telephoto lens. Now, I know how to use the camera and lens, but lack experience... so whilst I had a ball, the photos are those of a learner!

(I make no apologies for this blog entry being more about playing with the camera and lens than the birds themselves.)

Saturday was host to glorious weather - so glorious infact, I had to give up by one o'clock for fear of heat exhaustion (lugging the lens about was hard work). So hot it was. Gave me a chance to watch the Championship play-off final anyway. So not all bad.

Early in the morning I went to the sailing lake in the hope of seeing a Hobby or two. Alas, none. Still, I had fun photographing some birds. Of the few reasonably successful efforts I include those of a House Sparrow and a Greenfinch.





Other birds about were some Linnets, Reed Buntings, Reed Warblers and lots of Black-headed Gulls. Just as I was about to leave, a pair of Common Terns landed on the Sailing Club jetty.





They represented a long overdue year tick, and seemed well bonded. After posing for photographs they flew off to fish on the lake - looking rather splendid with their tail feathers flowing behind them.

I stopped in Frampton itself to try and get a photo of a House Martin in flight. No real success - I'm not getting them sharp. More practice (if I ever get my hands on the equipment again!) and I'm sure I'd succeed. Here's my best effort.



Next I moved onto Green Lane in the hope of photographing a Reed Warbler. I know I could go to Slimbridge and photograph the obliging birds there, but I wanted to get one 'in the wild'. Hard it be. Here are two of my best efforts, along with a poorly exposed shot of a Cygnet (camera facing into the light!). The Swan family was on the water immediately behind the first viewing platform.







Further along Green Lane I ran into a bunch of Long-tailed Tits. Mostly youngsters.



To be honest, the Lane wasn't overflowing with interesting birds. Once out in the open - along the way to the gate and sharp left turn, I tried for a while to photograph an obliging Whitethroat in flight. No luck, alas. Even with a nice tripod and Wimberley head (as supplied), I struggled.

Finally, and best of all (back to a purely birdwatching perspective), on my way back to the car I stopped at the second Green Lane viewing platform - the old one. I don't usually, but boy am I glad I did. All week I'd been hearing about the Spoonbill present at Slimbridge, but expected it to be gone by the weekend. On Saturday morning a report popped up on birdguides advising that the bird had flown south shortly before 9.00am. I harboured no expectation of seeing it after that, but lo-and-behold it flew right past the viewing platform giving great binocular views (mobbed by gulls, oddly?).

Right place. Right time. A lifer.

I really enjoyed using a nice camera and lens, and the experience has prompted me to think about getting my own in due course. Perhaps not a giant 500mm lens, but something decent nonetheless.

The pure joy of birdwatching is best experienced with only a pair of binoculars and a telescope - one can feel under terrible pressure to get a photograph if you've got a camera with you - and this can detract from the observation itself (which is why I'm there). I think there's room for both, though.

12th and 13th May. One year tick.

Short trips after work to Witcombe on the 12th (Wednesday) and Coombe Hill on the 13th (Thursday).

Nothing particularly interesting at Witcombe. Gulls and gulls and gulls! A sole Grey Wagtail (I'm still yet to see a Yellow Wagtail there). Some great low flying Swifts which I had no chance of photographing! So, I settled on some Swallows in classic perched on telephone wire pose:



This evening at Coombe Hill, however, I did a little better. Starting with a singing Garden Warbler (year tick #150) in the trees next to the car park. I caught a glimpse of it, and heard it singing a lot - a perfect match for the recording on my iPhone. Lovely.

Along the canal were bazillions of Goldfinch, a Whitethroat, two Lesser Whitethroats, Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs, Chaffinches and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. The Woodpecker was clearly returning to a nest hole with food.

From the Grundon hide... pairs of stuff. Oystercatcher, Little Egret, Shelduck, Canada Geese, Skylark, Pied Wagtail, Mute Swan, Mallard, Lapwing. A Grey Heron, a calling Curlew very close to the hide and... well positioned in a distant tree to the left of the flashes... a calling Cuckoo. Lousy record shots of some of the above... below:

To do list update.

What have I managed to get off my 'not yet seen this year' list, then? Well... Common Sandpiper, Lesser Whitethroat, Little Gull, Reed Warbler, Ringed Plover, Sedge Warbler, Wheatear and Whitethroat.

The still leaves me with a mighty list of misses:

Barn Owl
Brambling
Common Scoter
Dipper
Firecrest
Glossy Ibis (must've gone to Ham Wall the only day they weren't there)
Grasshopper Warbler
Grey Partridge
Hen Harrier
House Martin
Jack Snipe
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Little Owl
Merlin
Redpoll (never seen one. EVER)
Ring Ouzel (less said the better...)
Spotted Redshank (blown that until the winter)
Tern (any)
Woodcock
Woodlark (blew it in Suffolk)
Yellow Wagtail

To it I want to add Pied Flycatcher and Turtle Dove.

Six Year Ticks.

I spent the morning high tide at the WWT's Middle Point 'Hide'*. Windy, but dry and productive.

*-I say hide, but the old van is next to useless as such... and pointless, as the birds just aren't fussed provided you stand within the area indicated. You can see bugger all from inside, anyway. It only has value if you happen to be caught in a heavy shower, and even then I'd be skeptical.

Firstly though, on the drive upto the reserve a Hobby flew infront of my car. I only saw it in silhouette, but the shape was clear. The first of six year ticks today.

Ran into two singing Lesser Whitethroats (what did I say about seeing them everywhere after breaking my duck!) along the summer walkway. Glimpsed one deep in the hedgerow.

Upon arrival, a couple of hours before high tide, there were lots of Dunlin (most in breeding plumage) and Ringed Plover (year tick #2) scuttling about in the middle distance along with five or six Bar-tailed Godwits and a few more Curlew.

Time passed. A Little Egret flew in, a Meadow Pipit sang in flight and a Reed Bunting disappeared behind some vegetation. Two Whimbrels flew overhead calling; one would later land on the mud infront of the hide. A Sedge Warbler finally revealed itself in the reeds to the right of the hide after frustrating me with it's song for half an hour or so. Another remained elusive along with one or two Reed Warblers in the reeds immediately to the left of the hide. Gulls continued to push up river, but nothing unusual I don't think.

There was also a decent-sized fish stranded on the mud at about 10.30am. A juvenile Herring Gull spotted it and moved in. Fortunately for the fish, the Gull didn't seem to know how to tackle the situation. It pecked at the tail a number of times and recoiled each time the fish reacted. Presently the Gull gave up and perhaps the fish survived long enough to be rescued by the tide.

Once the tide began to advance one of the other birders present identified a Great Crested Grebe on the far side (on the river!), an Oystercatcher flew over it's head and - FINALLY - a sole Wheatear (year tick #3) perched on the fence posts to the left of the hide giving nice views. A couple of Swallows passed through, then three Swifts flying low (year tick #4).

The most interesting sighting of the morning was made by the same person who spotted the Grebe - clearly an experienced birder. In the far distance, flying down river, was an immature Kittiwake (year tick #5)! I can add it to my list because although I failed to see the wing markings myself, I did get my bins on it briefly. So I did see it!

At 12.20ish, showers were closing in and I headed back to the main reserve. I didn't bother with any other hides, except to stop just after passing through the Holden Tower to add Reed Warbler (tick #6) to my year list.

That makes for 149 birds so far this year; two more than last. The Kittiwake was the 148th, and the one to take me past last years total.

I stopped off at the 100-Acre where three more Lesser Whitethroats crossed my path (half decent views of two - one in flight)!!! Not a great deal there, although to be fair I didn't stay long enough to earn any luck... but other birds spotted included a nice male Linnet, a pair of Goldfinches, three Redshank, many Reed and Sedge Warblers, Swifts high up and a lone male Wigeon. There was also a very, very mouthy Chiffchaff:



And on the canal, a cute family of Mallards:



The best bird at the 100-Acre however, was a nice female Whinchat along Green Lane to complement the male I'd seen last Saturday.

Finally, I have started a Balloon List:

1) Blue
2) White

The balloons were drifting down river at some considerable elevation in a tight teardrop formation, and showing well in the sunshine. I was unable to confirm the age or sex of the balloons. I am looking forward to seeing more balloons soon.

Spotted Crake.

A dash down to WWT Slimbridge this evening to see a Spotted Crake lurking right infront of the Robbie Garnett hide. A jewel-encrusted hand-painted ornament of a bird. Wonderfully marked, and cocking its tail repeatedly for character. Unfortunately, I neglected to bring a camera with me (left it behind in the rush), but did see it twice for a total of about four minutes (for twenty spent in the hide).

As great as the Crake was, for sheer satisfaction my bird of the weekend remains the Lesser Whitethroat. Now I've broken my Lesser Whitethroat duck, I'm sure I'll see many more of them... but right now it's ace.

Common Sandpiper.

A quick return to Witcombe Reservoirs this morning produced three Common Sandpipers with no fuss, two Pied Wagtails, a White Wagtail, a Grey Wagtail... but no Yellow Wagtails! Also lots of ducks and two very showy Whitethroats just beyond the abandoned cottage. Pictures of the third Sandpiper and first Whitethroat:

Lesser Whitethroat!

A personal triumph. Bog-standard for others, I'm sure - BUT I DON'T CARE!!!!

Anyway, rewind. I was at the 100 Acre's first viewing platform for 6.45am. A chilly morning to begin with (needed gloves), but little to no wind and lots of birds. Couldn't ask for more. Saw a Buzzard munching on some prey on the way from Splatt Bridge. A mutilated photo follows:



There were two major highlights of my couple of hours on the platform (with another birder for welcome company):
- My first ever Little Gull. I suppose it was the same first-winter bird seen cruising above the reeds to the back-right of the platform over the last few days. And it was first-winter, as it had no hood. I sent my sighting to Bird Guides who changed it to first-summer. Still, I spotted it and correctly identified it - which is important for me. I didn't expect to see it, as it hadn't been reported since Monday.
- My first ever Winchat (yeah, how silly). But still, it sat obligingly on the near hedgerow infront of the platform and gave good views. Unfortunately a small branch obscured a portion of its head and the viewing platform wasn't wide enough to work around it! Still, a record shot:



Also seen was a noisy Sedge Warbler in the reeds immediately behind the platform (good to very good views of that); a lovely bird to see again; I hadn't seen one since Scilly in May of last year! Other highlights were loads of Blackcaps, two Sand Martins, endless Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs, Swallows, a Linnet, lots of Redshank, a Snipe in the open, a Whitethroat, a Ruff, a Little Egret and a number of Reed Buntings. Here's a poor photo of one of the Reed Buntings:



I walked further down Green Lane (as far as the sharp left turn). Here I experienced joy and frustration:
- A Grasshopper Warbler was reeling in one of the hedgerows. It was, I was sure, right infront of me - not more than three yards. Unfortunately I could not locate it. After ten minutes of silence I decided that it had probably moved on. What a tick that would've been...
- And then THE moment. I had learnt the Lesser Whitethroat's song, and had been listening for it all day (and previous days!). I'd become fixated on seeing this bird. Finally, just along from the corner in Green Lane, I heard it. As I'd been lead to expect, the bird was skulking deep in the hedgerow. It wasn't going to perch atop the foliage and sing for my convenience. Anyway, I could see it moving about alright but NEEDED a clear view to add it to my year (and indeed life) list. After five minutes of careful and quiet tracking, it moved for maybe 30 seconds into an area with fewer branches. I had my clear view; a dull grey cap and mask, dull brown back and wings. Unmistakable. YES! Made my weekend, that did; and ID of a new bird triggered by hearing its song.

On the way back to Splatt Bridge I was treated to a fantastic view of a Cuckoo sat at the top of a tall canal-side tree. Got my scope on it, and watched as it called across all it surveyed. Fantastic bird.

Finally, a short visit to Witcombe Reservoirs produced no Common Sandpipers. I though this was odd. Plenty had been reported there over the last few days. I looked around all the 'shoreline' of the three reservoirs and off towards the stream coming down from the hill. Can't think where else I should look. Still, a pair of Green Woodpeckers flew through and a Little Grebe was on the water. Pied Wagtails were present, but no White.

By now it was 1pm, and I had to go. Right at that point a Wagtail flew past me. I got my bins on it but wasn't sure if it was a Grey or a Yellow. The view didn't permit a satisfactory ID - at least for my low standard. Shame really - if it was a Yellow (and I suspect it was - its tail was rather modest) it would've been a year tick. I'll go back one evening to suss it out.

140 birds now. Only seven shy of last year - I'm aiming high, now!

Tree Pipit & Cuckoo.

An anticlockwise walk from Wardens Wood to West Wood to Wontley Farm and back to Wardens Wood was notable for:

- My first ever Tree Pipit at Wardens Wood. Only briefly, but good enough to identify (plumage and song). Very pleased with that.
- At least four Cuckoos calling after emerging out of West Wood but only one seen. An even briefer view of this than the Tree Pipit; I caught it spinning around trying to catch its balance after landing on a branch too slender to support it. By the time I'd readied my scope, it had gone. At least 50 Linnets in a ploughed field here, too. Noisy!
- South of Wontley Farm many Meadow Pipits, a smart male Stonechat and a male Yellowhammer.

I also may have glimpsed a Cetti's Warbler in low foliage at Wardens Wood, but cannot be sure as the view only lasted a split second and the bird's rear end was not visible.

P.S. If I don't see a Wheatear or Whitethroat of any description tomorrow I'm gonna scream.

To do list.

Despite a healthy year list of 133, this is a ridiculous litany of list absentees:

Barn Owl
Brambling
Common Sandpiper
Common Scoter
Dipper
Firecrest
Glossy Ibis (must've gone to Ham Wall the only day they weren't there)
Grasshopper Warbler
Grey Partridge
Hen Harrier
House Martin
Jack Snipe
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Lesser Whitethroat (although this would be a lifer)
Little Gull
Little Owl
Merlin
Redpoll (never seen one. EVER)
Reed Warbler
Ringed Plover
Ring Ouzel (less said the better...)
Sedge Warbler
Spotted Redshank (blown that until the winter)
Tern (any)
Wheatear (I think they're avoiding me)
Whitethroat
Woodcock
Woodlark (blew it in Suffolk)
Yellow Wagtail

LRP & Osprey.

A trip to the 100 Acre on Monday evening produced a Little Ringed Plover, and this morning (Tuesday, 20th April) I was up at the crack of dawn in the hopes that the Osprey seen at Witcombe Reservoirs the on Monday evening would still be there before heading out. It wasn't me that located it, but it was still there and I had brief views of it sat at the top of a tree near the water and great views as it slowly flew south west (all the while mobbed by gulls).

Didn't get a chance to take a photo.

Whimbrel at Saul Warth.

Went out and about this weekend - Cleeve Hill and the Hawling area (both Sat), Saul / Slimbridge WWT (both Sun), but didn't see anything hugely exciting. Should've tried the 100 Acre viewing platforms, by all accounts! So... here's a couple of Whimbrel (amongst four in total) at Saul Warth this morning.