Abberton Resevoir, Essex.

Walk round the major hides on a bright and sunny day. That is what summer is all about.

It was good to see a juvenile LITTLE RINGED PLOVER being encouraged by its parent. Obviously now in flight. OYSTERCATCHER 2 and many COMMON WHITETHROAT and 2 calling CORN BUNTINGS and 3 REED BUNTING. 60 CORMORANT at rest on promontory, MALLARD, LITTLE EGERET, COMMON TERN and a just showing GREY WAGTAIL on the inlet with a GREY HERON.  SKYLARK, HERRING GULL, L-B-B-GULL, WREN and several young PIED WAGATIL flitting across the shore line.
But also good to see BLACK TAILED SKIMMER and COMMON DARTER.

Gosbecks Archelogical Park to Roman River

This sit is an old roman amphitheatre which is sorted by the local council, which gave me the opportunity to talk to the ranger.

Gosbecks Park: The area is alive with SKYLARK and MEADOW PIPIT which is unlike my own local patch. But it did not take long to gain a CORN BUNTING, in fact three birds in all. One CB was feeding young. Also a few COMMON WHITETHROAT with young being fed. SWALLOW, SAND MARTIN, BLACKBIRD, CROW with 3 young. HERRING GULL and LESSER B B GULL.
Roman River: Not been here since I was 11 years old, as it was the school nature walk. Here two BLACKCAP still singing and 3 CHIFFCHAFF still calling. GREAT SPOTTED WOOD, and COLLARD DOVE, GOLDFINCH, CHAFFINCH 3, BLUE TIT, GREAT TIT, WREN, ROBIN.

           

Scotland Trip.

       Thanks to WBC took the opportunity to head North last Saturday. Weather odd but birding good.

Sunday 

 

Up early, that is 5am and of across the road for a short 2 mile hike. A small Lochin, held 6 GOLDENEYE and a pair of very noisy COMMON SAND, soon followed by numbers of TREE PIPIT, MEADOW PIPIT, a single SNIPE and fly over COMMON TERN, 1 COMMON BUZZARD, SKYLARK, CUCKOO calling across the valley and a TAWNEY OWL to. 1 COMMON PHEASANT, SONG THRUSH and PIED WAG,

 

Granton On Spey, Woods: Walk into woods and immediately two RED SQUIRREL, WILLOW WARBLER, COAL TIT,SONG THRUSH which led   to a walk along the Spey which brought in GREY WAG, RED SQUIRREL, HOUSE SPARROW, BLACKBIRD, JACKDAW, ROOK, CROW, HOUSE MARTIN, SWALLOW, SAND MARTIN, GOLDCREST, COAL TIT, COMMON SAND, SPOTTED FLYCATCHER, SWIFT, GREY HERON.

 

 

 

 

 

Monday

 

Aberneathy RSPB. This walk had the intention of locating two locally important birds. However we only gained one of them which was a CREASTED TIT. Which was difficult to locate and when we did I had a really good view. At 15 feet not bad as it sat and looked at much at me as I did at him. I also had GREY WAG, SPOTTED FLY, GREAT S WOOD, but of real interest was the TREE PIPITES feeding young.

Loch Garten:  Although the osprey here had failed to nest with the young dying in the nest, I had WILLOW WARB, L-T-TIT, COAL TIT, RED SQUIRREL, and a bank vole.

Avielochan:   This is a call in with a mission and sure enough SLAVONIAN GREBE but also sad as there was only one. The last reserve of these birds in the UK.

 

Tuesday

 

Findor Glen:  This ride out took us to the end and was our first sighting of KESTREL, RING OUSEL, PERI, WHEATEAR, RED B MERGANSER. We then went over the tops and caught up with RED GROUSE with chicks running over the road and RAVENS on the heights as well as C BUZZARD.

North Kessock:  Short call in at the lifeboat station to view under the bridge. Our first sighting of TERNS and CORMORANT.

Chinnory Point, Black Isle:  On golf course TWITE, YELLOWHAMMER, COMMON, SANDWICH, ARCTIC TERN, but I also got onto a ARCTIC SKUA which was a good one for here. Also GULLIMOT.

 

Wednesday

 

Cairngorms:  We went to the top on a guided tour and picked up on the classic PTARMIGAN which all the way up was difficult to locate. But on way down one was very close and one could not ask for more. We also had 3 DOTTREL which was more than likely the same bird. Also 2 MOUNTAIN HARES.

Feshie:  This site hidden from view was an expected Capa area but the only thing we found was poo, but then the birds could have been there but no sign of any, but we did have WILLOW WARB, TREE PIP, MEADOW PIP, WREN, ROBIN and MISTLE THRUSH.

 

Thursday

The day started for me with a male Bullfinch only yards from our accommodation, but then breakfast beckoned. So a big thank you to Kathy for all her hard work.

We had failed to catch up with an OSPREY all week, but things were about to change as we set out for a location we had been given the nod on. We gained a short sight of one flying near Aviemore railway station. But sightings improved once we had walked through a cemetery to find the male sitting above the nest and a female sitting tight on her young. Which is good news, as the nest at Lock Garten had failed this year. 

Insh Marsh RSPB Reserve:     We had enjoyed the previous evening with Peter and Hilary, meeting up with Peter at “Ivy Cottage” the reserve base. We were treated to a guided tour over the marsh which was a real privilege, as this is off limits to many. A young family of Goldeneye cruising away from us in the relief channel with a male the other side keeping an eye on proceedings. The sound and sight of CURLEW and snipe flying around, was a joy to behold and hear.  As we approached the river Spey a very large flock of GREY LAG GEESE could be seen on the other side of the far bank, with GOLDENEYE on the river.

 Insh Hide:    A truly amazing hide with a grand sight across the marsh. A Roe Deer grazing below, with LAPWING, CANADA GEESE, GREY LAG GEESE, REDSHANK and good numbers of GREY HERON. As for the feeder SISKIN, COAL TIT, BLUE TIT and GREAT TIT as well as a bank vole on the deck.

Lochindorb:   or “Loch of trouble” ( No reflection on any of our group)  We headed for Lochindorb on what is called  “The Old Military Road” this gave us a view of four RED GROUSE. Turning onto a single track, we found a nesting colony of several hundred COMMON GULLS, which is something we never see here in East Anglia. But why is everything common? But once we parked up at the Loch edge a pair of BLACK THROATED DIVER came into view, a far better one than at Ness Point. Then two fly over ospreys and yet more red grouse, followed by the only teal of the week.

Friday

 

Area around An Lochan Uaine:

I managed to add a bird to my life list which I have struggled to get. The main reason for this is that I tent to visit late in the year so to gain a CAPA is good. How it came about was that the sound of a redstart could be heard low down on a mountain slope. I and another team member headed of to locate but failed to do so. We were about to return the way we came and I suggested that we take a few steps further so we could get a flat area to view. Only ten steps away and sure enough as I made the move up flew a female CAPA. Flying of to our left it clattered through the trees with the tail band visible. It took of only feet away and must have been watching us for some time.

Also here we had a family of STONECHAT with young being fed by parents. Also our only GOLDEN EAGLE which although well of was visible and identifiable. GOLDCREST, WILLOW WARBLER, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER 7. 

Bird List for week:

The Osprey.

A graveyard seems a funny place.
To see an osprey, oh such grace.
But perhaps, not so strange at all,
As you listen to the osprey call.

No shouting here, “Will you please be quiet”
As Weasel roars another fart.
And someone laughs with happy glee.
To see an osprey in a tree.

To the high pitch of the osprey tone.
 The cemetery will be left alone.
 Left in peace they soon shall be.
As ospreys head across the sea.

But soon upon this favoured glen.
 The call will ring out ag’in.
 As those who lie beneath the ground.
Will, wake to here a higher sound.

Drive down to Colchester.

Not a very settled day weather wise and also difficult as family funeral and close family in hospital.

So on the way down only COMMON BUZZARD with eight birds in all. I think two were flying with adult and they being young. But the best bird of all was a single fly over SPOONBILL leaving the river Bly and crossing the A12.

Horsey, Norfolk.

Out with the family which caused rather an issue at the end of the day?

 

A few MEADOW PIPIT up and down and showing off, with obvious nesting and pairing. Also the same with SKYLARK. A few ranging LINNET the closer to the dunes and on beach a single RINGED PLOVER which was running up and down the shore line. Two COMMON TERN and gulls about. On return I disturbed a Lizard in the dunes but no ID. Sat on the dunes and watched out across the low fields and found a pair of EUROPEAN STONECHAT. Then started the walk back along track to find a SKYLARK sand bathing and on the South side well off a very odd Stonechat. It looked very dark and perhaps that bit larger. I viewed and as it flew it showed a very large white rump. Which was not only large but also down the tail and up the back. It also shew white wing patches in flight. I was immediately concerned as I new what this means and gave the bird the best I could in attention. The bird at rest shew white on wing and also the rump. It flew even further away and with no chance of catching up, I was left with the following pictures which leave much to be desired. The first thing to say to put the sighting down is THIS IS NOT THE TIME OF YEAR and the second is WHO CAN TELL THE DIFFERANCE even in the hand. So go for it and give me grief.

                                                                    Drinker Moth

What no pictures

No, but what does it take to share that today was the day a young and independent DUNNOCK came and gave me a look. He ran along next doors wall and gave me a quick look. Very smart and clean bird and very active. I also had several HOUSE SPARROWS in again today all very intent on taking live mealworms back to there young. They where all very wary of the male MAGPIE who was also so brave now he has young to feed. He thought that he was going to get in on the act of live mealworms but I am afraid there was someone there to stop that happening.

Colchester,Essex.

Drive down and back in the day on a bright Blue Sky day.

 

Colchester:   With a light Southerly breeze it was no surprise to see y COMMON BUZZARD in the air. One bird was rather tatty but others had really good hands and clear defined patters to under wing. In Colchester the most SWIFTS I have seen this year when a large group of birds gathered above the house of  around 30 birds. It turned out that the reason for this was an incoming HOBBY which was in a hunting mood, but not to the extent of taking any of the birds out. Some took a real dislike of this bird and gave him plenty of grief.