A round-up of the weeks birding so far, including a Collared Pratincole at Dungeness

 Week beginning 6th June 2021

Sunday 6th June 2021    Pulborough Brooks with the East Grinstead RSPB Local Group

13 of us met up for this visit to Pulborough - just inside the limit set by the Covid rules and a very good turn out all things considered.

It was great to see everyone after such a long while and we took the opportunity to catch up on each others news.

• On the birding front, expectations were not high -  at this time of year migration has finished and many birds have stopped singing.  Nevertheless, most members managed to hear the Nightingale.  
• We managed a good selection of birds without seeing anything special.

Good to meet up - birding took second place today with the emphasis on getting reacquainted!

Monday 7th June   Dungeness Twitch - Collared Pratincole and Glossy Ibis

I just had to go down to Dungeness after hearing that the Collared Pratincoles were still there.

• My faith was rewarded when, after a short wait, the birds came out to play from the nearby reeds and flew around us.  In total there were 3 Collared Pratincoles and they flew overhead several times, affording us brilliant views.  The last and only time I saw this species was in 2016 at a twitch in Ham Wall in Somerset when there was only 1 bird.

                       

                                                                      courtesy of Plodding Birder and Twitter

• Prior to this, a Hobby flew overhead with superb views.
• On the way back to the car on Denge Road, I heard a Dartford Warbler in the scrubs 
• At the ARC I was lucky to see the long-staying Glossy Ibis.  It wasn't there when I arrived but, obligingly flew in a few minutes later and landed close by.

courtesy of Plodding Birder

Tuesday 8th June 2021   Weir Wood Reservoir

My luck was still in at Weir Wood today and resulted in me seeing an Osprey, my first of the year and one of the best views ever of this superb bird.  With Open Day coming up I arrived early to pick up the snake survey sheets so that the rangers could cut the grass and make good some of the paths in the meadows.  Had I arrived at my normal time I would have just missed the Osprey.  If I had arrived much earlier I would have joined Clive who had started the snake survey early and again I would have missed the sighting.

• The Osprey flew down towards us at the west end and was being challenged by the terns and then the corvids, resulting in it making a quick exit.  Nevertheless, I had enough time to get good views before it left.
• The snake survey was good too with 11 grass snakes and a lizard showing- better than last weeks showing of 8 grass snakes.

So lucky!  .... and so grateful!

175 species seen so far this year - less than last year but way beyond my wildest dreams considering the circumstances.