31/08/2016 Pectoral Sandpiper at Blue House Farm in Essex

Wednesday 31 August 2016
Blue House Farm EWT

I have shown quite an interest in the Essex sites lately, believing that they are very much going under the radar.  So today, with a pectoral sandpiper to "twitch" I took my chance to visit Blue House Farm for the first time.  

When I arrived several birders were heading back to the car park and they all had the same message - " the pectoral sandpiper had been showing off and on from hide 1 but it, along with all the other birds, had been spooked by a hobby and scattered."

• From hide 1 there were plenty of lapwings and a couple of little ringed plovers but little else.  A little while later a ruff re-appeared and a couple of yellow wagtails flew in but there was no sign of the returning sandpipers or the other ruffs.

I agreed with fellow birders Frankie and Prash to walk to the other 2 hides nearby, check them out and get back to them by phone if I found the target bird.

• From the second hide I found 2 green sandpipers and when they eventually flew off in the direction of hide 1 so I moved on to hide 3. 

 On the way I met another birder who was returning from hide 3 and from the photographs he showed me it was obvious that one of them was a real prospect for the pectoral sandpiper.  

• At hide 3 there was lots of activity and bingo!  There in the middle the action was the pectoral sandpiper feeding with the 5 ruffs, lapwings, mallards and black-headed gulls.  From 25-30 metres the views were superb, enabling me to be sure of the key ID features.  A quick telephone call brought Frankie and Prash from hide 1 to view this rare vagrant.

pectoral sandpiper
courtesy of Prash

Addition to BUBO 2016 UK Year List:
Pectoral Sandpiper   (0237)

A really interesting new site for me!

• They're scarce passage migrants from America and Siberia. A few are seen in spring, but the vast majority appear in late summer and autumn. 

•  It is the most common North American wading bird to occur here and has even started to breed in Scotland very recently.

• The brown breastband (which gives the species its name) and white belly are its most distinctive features.

30/08/2016 Wryneck .......at Shooters Bottom...........at last!

Tuesday 30 August 2016
Birling Gap and Beachy Head
Paul and Group

• I finally got to see the wryneck at Shooters Bottom today.  Previously I had spent over 10 hours looking for this, on 3 separate visits, to no avail.  Today it showed on a number of occasions but only fleetingly each time.  I managed 2 sightings - a good view of it on an oblique branch of a tree and another as it flew a short distance to a new location.  Paul ensured all 13 members of the group got at least one view before we moved away.

• Pick of the other birds seen were the 4+ whinchats we saw near Belle Tout.

• Several wheatears were seen and they looked as splendid as ever.

• By far the most common birds were the whitethroats, stonechats and willow warblers.

• The lesser whitethroats were pleasant additions to our list of sightings.

Clear signs that autumn migration is under way.

Addition to BUBO 2016 UK Year List:

Wryneck   (236)

29/08/2016 Black Tern at RSPB Dungeness this afternoon

Bank Holiday Monday 29/08/2016
Dungeness

A very late start today.  Got to Dungeness just after 4 p.m.  
Very good weather again.  Cooler than of late but still dry and sunny with hardly any breeze.  Target bird was the black tern.


RSPB Dungeness
Started here, hoping to see the black tern that had been seen earlier in the day.  

• In the reception area, I spotted a great white egret.  This total grew to 4 a short time later at Firth hide as they all congregated in the small trees on the opposite bank on Burrowes.

• From the same place I had excellent views of the black tern as it gave a powerful flying demo in front of me.
• Also seen were a ringed plover, a little ringed plover and a couple of dunlin.

Dungeness by fishing boats

I spent a short while seawatching from the fishing boats.  It was so quiet with no wind and mild weather.

• There were at least 6 gannets seen.
• Also present were a small number of arctic terns and a similar number of common terns.

ARC Hide

I finished off at the ARC hide.

• Highlight of this part of the proceedings was a little stint, showing in the distance.
• A garganey, in eclipse mode, was nice to locate.

• A greenshank flew in midway through my visit.

• Among the rest were several ringed plovers and little ringed plovers, a couple of dunlin, a cetti's warbler and several common sandpipers.

Addition to BUBO 2016 Year List:

Black Tern   (235)

A very pleasant and productive trip - as always at Dungeness

27/08/2016 Baird's Sandpiper at Reculver

Saturday 27 August 2016
Coldharbour Lagoon, Reculver, Kent

It was a "no brainer" for me to make the trip up to the NE Kent coast to see the Baird's sandpiper.  The bird, which was first seen yesterday, would be a lifer for me. The weather conditions were superb again with the temperatures a few degrees lower than yesterday and there was a refreshing sea breeze.   

I was surprised how easily I got there, considering it was bank holiday weekend; traffic was heavy but it was moving all the time and I was there in just under 2 hours. 

Coldharbour Lagoon is a good 20 minute walk east from the car park - a chance to get in my 10 000 steps today while I enjoyed the sunshine. 

• The Baird's sandpiper was showing well from just 30 metres away so I was able to enjoy prime viewing rights over a lengthy period.

Baird's sandpiper
courtesy of KOS

• Baird's sandpipers breed in the northern tundra from eastern Siberia to western Greenland. They nest on the ground, usually in dry locations with low vegetation.
• They are a long distance migrant, wintering in South America. This species is a rare vagrant to western Europe.

• One of the best identification features is the long wings, which extend beyond the tail when the bird is on the ground. Only the white-rumped sandpiper also shows this, and that bird can be distinguished by its namesake feature.

And it wasn't alone; there were several other interesting birds present as well.

• a little stint was in close proximity and was busy feeding on the muddy waters at the edge of the lagoon.
• a greenshank showed up and joined the others.
• 2 dunlin completed the small group.

Addition to BUBO UK 2016 Bird List:

Baird's Sandpiper   (234)

Addition to BUBO UK Birds Life List:

Baird's Sandpiper   (319)

A great late morning/early afternoon visit. 

I called in at RSPB Cliffe Pools on the way home but there was no sign of the black terns - or any other terns - that had been reported there earlier in the day.

• Pick of the birds seen here was the 100+ avocets.

• Also seen were lots of redshank, black-tailed godwits and great black-backed gulls.

25/08/2016 An afternoon in Essex. Wood Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowlegs

Thursday 25 August 2016
Essex 

I didn't get going till after lunch and, after tossing a coin, I opted for a trip to Essex rather than a trip down into Hampshire.  2 reserves stood out - RSPB Rainham Marshes for the wood sandpiper and RSPB Vange Marshes for the lesser yellowlegs.  The weather was sweltering with temperatures around 30 C.




RSPB Rainham Marshes, Essex
After a traffic jam at the Dartford Crossing I arrived at 3.45 pm, leaving myself with little or no time to get to the far end of the reserve and back before the 5 pm close.  

• Thankfully the wood sandpiper was showing well and I located it really quickly.  

• I even had time to admire a hobby that flew high in the sky in front of me.  2 hobbies in 2 days is just superb.

RSPB Vange Marshes, Essex

Less than 25 minutes after leaving RSPB Rainham Marshes I was at RSPB Vange Marshes.  Surprisingly there was nobody around.

• The first bird to catch my attention was the great white egret at the far end of the water.  It looked majestic among the other water birds.

• There were at least 3 ruff showing well just 50 metres in front of me.

• Also in the same area there were spotted redshanks and green sandpipers.

• Pride of place however went to the lesser yellowlegs, in the same area, going about it's own business and totally oblivious to everything else.  The views in the evening light were quite stunning.

• On the other side of the water, on my way back to the car, I detoured to take in a glossy ibis, in the field just to the left of a group of greylag geese. 

• As I was watching the glossy ibis 10 snipe flew overhead.

Additions to BUBO 2016 UK Bird List:

Wood Sandpiper     (232)

Lesser yellowlegs   (233)

A simply glorious and successful visit!

• The wood sandpiper is a passage migrant in spring and autumn, breeding in northern Europe and wintering in Africa.

• A few pairs breed in the Scottish Highlands.

• The lesser yellowlegs is a regular vagrant to western Europe and the odd bird has wintered in GB
• Their breeding habitat is clearings near ponds in the boreal forest region from Alaska to Quebec.
• They migrate to the Gulf coast of the United States and south to South America.

24/08/2016 On my Patch.

Wednesday 24/08/2016
Ashdown Forest

I did 2 shifts on my patch today, starting with Press Ridge Warren in the morning and returning in the afternoon to go round Churlwood.  

It was baking hot with temperatures reaching 30C at one point. 

The most surprising moment came in the evening session when I came across a Naked Rambling group making their way back to the car park after one of their walks!




Press Ridge Warren

There was quite a bit of activity here  - but no honey buzzards.  The highlights are described below.

• Pick of the bunch for me was a hobby seen flying above the trees in the valley below me.

• The whinchat, seen by others last week, was still there today and showed well on the fence to the side of the downhill path.

• A family of stonechats provided me with a prolonged period of amusement.

• At least 6 linnets stuck around for some time.

Churlwood

• Things were much quieter here in the evening but I did get a patch tick when I saw a redstart near the Harold MacMillan clump.

• Near the end of the walk I came across the Naked Ramblers - fortunately at a safe distance for me to avoid an embarrassing situation.

23/06/2016 Seaford Head and Cuckmere Haven

Tuesday 23 August 2016
Seaford Head and Cuckmere Haven
Paul and the Group

On a glorious early morning, eight of us did the rounds starting at the car park at South Hill Barn, walking down to Hope Gap and then heading off to the Cuckmere before returning to our cars via Harry's Bush.  We were looking for migrant birds.

• We were greeted by the "cronking" call of a nearby raven. We saw it on the roof of the building next to the parked cars and quite soon we watched it flying, enabling us to take in the ID features.  We must have had at least 4 good sightings of this species on our walk.

• On the way down to Hope Gap the main birds of interest included common whitethroat, lesser whitethroat ( I missed this one), willow warblers and linnets.

• On the cliffs there were several fulmars, great black-backed gulls and 4 little egrets by the sea.  Then, from nowhere, a hobby flew overhead providing us with some super views.

• Along the Cuckmere we saw several rock pipits,  a couple of pied wagtails, a meadow pipit, 2 ringed plovers and 2 dunlin. The stars of the show were however the greenshank in the channel and the yellow wagtails with the cattle in the field.

• Hirundines were present of course.  I saw swallows and at least 5 swifts.

• On the return leg I finally got to see a lesser whitethroat.

• There was signs of activity with regard to butterflies and I saw a several clouded yellows, a speckled wood, a red admiral, a common blue and a small heath. 

• Paul pointed out to us a moon carrot - a rare plant in this area.

A pleasant morning out in an idyllic setting with friends!  There was plenty of evidence that autumn migration is underway

22/08/2016 Beautiful Arlington Reservoir

Monday 22 August 2016
Arlington Reservoir, East Sussex

Circumstances were such that I only had time for an evening walk around Arlington reservoir.  With bright sunshine and less breeze today, conditions couldn't have been better.

• 12 black-tailed godwits feeding by the waters edge made for a good start.

• The Canada geese dominated proceedings as they moved around in large flocks and making a hell of a racket as they went.  All in all there must have been over 200 of them.

• 30+ pied wagtails is the most I have ever seen here or anywhere else in the country.  One of them looked like a good candidate for white wagtail.

• There were a couple of common sandpipers at the dam end.

• Hirundines in the form of swallows and sand martins provided  a lovely interlude as I approached the dam.
• Among the rest there was at least 2 little egrets, 3 pochard, a willow warbler, a black cap and 3 green woodpeckers.

Lots of birds in a fabulous setting, with exercise thrown in as a bonus!

20/08/2016 Dungeness in the evening

Saturday 20 August 2016
Dungenness


I finally surfaced from watching the Olympics and lunchtime live football to head down to the coast, late afternoon, hoping to see some of the black terns and balearic shearwaters that were on passage.

Sea Watch at the Fishing Boats
I got what I deserved here - there had been some good activity earlier but it was over by the time I arrived.  I had to be content with the usual suspects- 'commic terns', gannets, gulls and grebes.

ARC Hide and Screen Hide
A few islands have appeared in the ARC hide area since my last visit and they are attracting the birds at last.  A dunlin and a couple of little ringed plovers were the highlight.


Nice to be in the company of Plover and Plodding Birder by the fishing boats!

18/08/2016 No Wryneck but 10+ Whinchats at Shooters Bottom

Thursday 18 August 2016
Shooters Bottom near Beachy Head 

Spent a few hours, spread over 2 shifts, looking for the Wryneck today but had no luck.  It was nice to meet up with, and then go round with, Simon this morning.

• There were good numbers of common whitethroat on both visits.

• I managed to see a 2 wheatears  this morning and another 2 this evening.

• 3+ stonechats were seen in the evening session on the higher path.

• Highlight of the day was the 10+ whinchats seen on the opposite side of the road, on the path north, this evening.

• Butterflies were everywhere and even a novice like me had to be impressed.  The list included painted lady, red admiral, clouded yellow, peacock, common blue, large tortoiseshell, large white and a chalkhill blue.

I missed the target bird but was well compensated with the whinchats and the butterflies.  

A delightful day out in the sunshine on the south coast!

17/08/2016 Rye Harbour NR - Castle Water

Wednesday 17 August 2016
Rye Harbour NR, East Sussex
Castle Water then Pett Level


I returned to Rye Harbour NR today; this time taking in the Castle Water area.

Again there were not many species present.

• The highlight  was 3 ruffs which were showing well.

• 2 common sandpipers and 2 ringed plovers were seen

• Whilst walking from Pett Level to Castle Water I spotted a superb green woodpecker half way up a telegraph pole.

A lovely late afternoon stroll in bright sunshine!

16/08/2016 Missed the Osprey at Weir Wood Reservoir.

Tuesday 16th August 2016
Weir Wood Reservoir

I missed the Osprey at Weir Wood Reservoir this morning by 10 minutes.  

• The early arrivers in our conservation working party were given a master class by the Osprey.  The bird circled three times in front of the hide before swooping to pick up a large fish and heading off down the water towards the dam end.  

• Unfortunately the bird did not re-appear - presumably it was satisfied with it's early morning meal.

• The best I could do was to enjoy watching two treecreepers as we had our lunch.  

15/08/2016 Spoonbill at Rye Harbour NR

Monday 15 August 2016
Rye Harbour NR, East Sussex

Spent the afternoon and evening at Rye Harbour NR.  I needed to get out having spent the whole weekend watching soccer and the Olympics on TV.

There were not many birds around but there was a spoonbill which I saw first by the Narrow Pits as it fed in shallow water.  Minutes later I got superb views as it flew past me and into the new saltmarsh area where it started to feed again in the shallow water.

After this I made my way to Castle Water where a greenshank and a common sandpiper were the main highlights.

On my way back to the car, at dusk, there must have been 2000 to 3000 greylag geese coming in to roost - a noisy but spectacular event.

Birds were few and far between today but I did see a rather special one - and managed to do my 10 000 steps today!

11/08/2016 Cranes but no Purple Heron at RSPB Otmoor

Thursday 11 August 2016
RSPB Otmoor

Made 2 unsuccessful attempts to see the purple heron at RSPB Otmoor near Oxford.

• On Wednesday I arrived just after lunch and spent a pleasant couple of hours waiting in vain for the reappearance of the heron after it had been seen flying at 10.15.   I had to settle for good views of a snipe, several marsh harriers and a lovely bullfinch pair.

• I returned on Thursday, for the evening shift from 5.30 pm.till 8.30 pm  but again the heron eluded me - this time choosing to show at 2.15 pm.  Fortunately the 2 cranes were showing well, 6 mandarins in eclipse mode were unusual visitors and an early wigeon turned up.

• Not much luck with the main attraction but the Oxfordshire countryside appealed to me immensely.  As you would expect in this neck of the woods, there was a continuous supply of red kites en route to and from the reserve.

A good try and a pleasant birding experience.

09/08/2016 Curlew Sandpipers and Little Stint at Oare Marshes.

Tuesday 10 August 2016

Oare Marshes, Kent

I took the opportunity afforded by the continuing fine weather to visit Oare Marshes on the north Kent coast - one of my favourite reserves.  Target birds were curlew sandpiper and little stint.

• I didn't have to wait long!  Within minutes I was zooming in on not one, but two curlew sandpipers on the east flood.  In fact they were the closest birds to me so the views were magnificent.  

• As if by magic, a very accommodating little stint was showing well at the waters edge, barely 10 metres to the right of the sandpipers.

• With my main job done I could wander freely around the reserve and enjoy the rich array of colours on display.  A stunning male linnet and two little grebes in particular caught my eye.

• Among the usual suspects I saw plenty of golden plovers, black-tailed godwits, avocets, a couple of greenshanks and at least two yellow wagtails.

Addition to BUBO 2016 UK Year List:

Curlew sandpiper   (231)

A lovely way to spend a couple of hours! 

Had to leave early to get to the first home game at the Amex (4-0 win against Colchester)  so missed the Bonaparte's gull that turned up again.

01/08/2016 Western Swamphen at Minsmere

Monday 1 August 2016
RSPB Minsmere, Suffolk


I could not resist the chance to visit Minsmere and join the other 100+ birders enjoying a first sighting in Britain of the western swamphen.  

• Luck was on my side this time.  I arrived about 14.30, just in time to see the bird at the back of the pool to the west of south hide before it disappeared into the reeds.  

• Although we got several fleeting views over the next 45 minutes it disappeared into the reeds again.  This time it did not show again until after I left at 18.00 

• The western swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) is a "swamp hen" in the rail family Rallidae. From its French name talève sultane, it is also known as the sultana bird. 

• This chicken-sized bird, with its large feet, bright plumage and red bill and frontal shield is easily recognisable in its native range. 

• It used to be considered the nominate subspecies of the purple swamphen. 

• It is found in Iberia, France, Sardinia and North Africa to Tunisia.

Addition to BUBO 2016 UK Bird List:
Western Swamphen   (230)

Addition to BUBO UK Life List:
Western Swamphen   (318)