19/04/2018 Seawatching at Splash Point.

Thursday 19th April 2018


Splash Point, Seaford
A very early start at Splash Point where Alastair and I joined a group of 10+ birders.  The wind direction was not favourable to a large movement of birds east along the English Channel but we had some success.

• Pick of the sightings for me were the Skuas.  There were several sightings of  Arctic Skuas during our 2.5 hr visit.  We also saw a Bonxie, just before we left around 09.00.
• I saw my first Common Terns and Arctic Terns of 2018.
• 13 close Little Gulls was a nice sighting as were the 4 Mediterranean Gulls.

Being my first seawatch here this year, I was a bit rusty and took a while to get my eye in.  This meant I missed a Little Tern that flew by.

A reasonable first visit to Splash Point this year.                

Hindleap, Ashdown Forest

I arrived home from the seawatch around 10.00.  Sue wanted to try walking the dogs in the Ashdown Forest so off we went to Hindleap - binoculars in hand!  By now t he temperature was rising into the mid twenties.

• I heard then saw several Tree Pipits.
• There was also an abundance of  spring migrants, namely Blackcaps, Willow Warblers and  Chiffchaffs.

Dog walking and birding - great!

16/04/2018 Cuckoo and Redstart at Old Lodge NR

Monday 16th April 2018
Old Lodge NR

Spent a very pleasant evening at Old Lodge where I saw my first Redstarts of 2018 - a couple of stunning males and also my first Cuckoo.

Pick of the rest was a graceful Red Kite that flew over.

15/04/2018 American Bittern showing superbly at Carlton Marshes

Sunday 15th April 2018
Carlton Marshes, Suffolk

An American Bittern, present at Carlton Marshes for just over a week  and the first in the UK for 8 years, drew crowds from all over the country with over 3000 visitors to date.  My chance came yesterday - boy was it worth it, with perhaps the best observations yet!

courtesy of Jeff Higgott and Independent newspaper.

courtesy of SWT and Gavin Durrant

• I arrived on site just after 2 p.m. and within 45 minutes the bird began to show, alongside it's European counterpart.  For several minutes we witnessed what appeared to be a courtship routine with the American bird making amorous approaches towards the Eurasian bird and the latter seemingly returning the interest. From time to time it even fluffed out its white feathers. All this was happening as they moved along the edge of, and in front of, the reed bed some 100-200 metres away. 

• Soon the European bird took to the air followed closely by the American Bittern.  They flew right in front of us coming as close as 100 metres or so in what was a magnificent flying display.  We were able to see the important ID issues - the American bird was noticeably smaller, with plain blackish wing feathers as opposed to the barred ones of the Eurasian bird. After about  a minute the birds landed and disappeared in the reeds.

American Bittern pursuing a Eurasian Bittern 

courtesy of Jeff Higgott and Independent newspaper.

Some of my fellow birders had been there all day and seen nothing, as the early morning mist did not lift until well after 12.00.  

Misty Carlton Marshes

I, however, enjoyed excellent conditions and was perfectly placed to take in the display!

Carlton Marshes - now clear!

There is a terrific YouTube video which captures all of this - in fact I think the guy who shot this (Shaun Ferguson) must have only been only a few feet away from me.   Use the link below and listen to his comments in the background to get a flavour of the excitement that this bird generated in its oh-so-brief appearance.

American Bittern. Carlton Marshes, Suffolk. 15/04/18 - YouTube

▶ 3:17

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kh6k8iI1tMQ

Away from home for 8 hours to get 2-3 minutes with the American Bittern.  Was it worth it?

It was priceless! 
Another "lifer" - my third this year!

13/04/2018 London Wetland Centre - Jack Snipe

Friday 13th April 2018
London Wetland Centre

I took the chance to visit the London Wetland Centre this afternoon where there had been several Jack Snipe sightings this week.

One of my targets for 2018 was to avoid flushing a Jack Snipe so that I could observe its behaviour in the habitat.  Every one of my sightings to date had been the result of flushing the bird and observing the resultant flight pattern.

• As I arrived at the Peacock Tower Hide, several birders were already watching one so it did not take long for me to find it in the scope.  True to form it was bobbing up and down and doing exactly what I hoped for.  Then it was stationary for 15-20 minutes before it was disturbed by a Moorhen, whereupon it started moving again and repeated the previous routine.  For the first time in my short birding life I was able to observe a Jack Snipe for over an hour!

• Prior to that I had been to the Scrape Hide where I saw my first Sand Martins of the year as they flew into the nest bank.  On the way back I heard my first Willow Warbler of the year.
• The obligatory Ring-necked parakeet was also nice to see.

Friday 13th was certainly not unlucky for me! 

10/04/2018 First Swallows!

Tuesday 10th April 2018
Weir Wood Reservoir

Saw my first Swallows of 2018 at Weir Wood Reservoir this morning.  There were 32 of them, most of which were perched on the tern raft with only a few flying around.

09/04/2018 Rye Harbour for the Stilts

Monday 9th April 2018
Rye Harbour NR and District

With the weather being not so good, I took the opportunity to go back to Rye Harbour - this time targeting 2  Black-winged Stilts.

• As I arrived 3 other birders were already watching the them from the mound just west of Harbour Farm.  The birds were about 100 metres away and set apart by about the same distance.  Over the duration of my stay they moved closer together and approached within 30 metres of our viewing point, much to the appreciation of the photographer.  The views were excellent!

• 

  Black-winged Stilts

  courtesy of Sussex Wildlife Trust and Facebook

• On the way there and on the return leg, I heard my first Sedge Warblers of the year.

• As I was driving out along Harbour Road I had an instinctive feeling that the churchyard might be home to a Black Redstart.  I was wrong - the bird was in the industrial plot of land adjacent to the church on its NW side.

Very pleased with this short visit!

08/04/2018 Savi's Warbler at West Rise Marsh

Sunday 8 April 2018
West Rise Marsh, Eastbourne, Sussex

Got a text from Alastair, just after lunch, about a Savi's Warbler at West Rise Marsh.  I was actually travelling to Arlington Reservoir at the time so quickly changed my plans and was there within 20 minutes.

• When I got there the bird was not showing!  But it had been seen just 30 minutes earlier by Matt Eade and Kris.  After 30 minutes or so Jake Everett and I got our chance when it flew right for 30 metres or so, being pursued by a Cetti's Warbler.  
• A  Little Gull provided a really good support act as it flew over the nearby water.

• A screeching Water Rail in the background added to the sound effects and there were several Reed Buntings around.

The only down side to this sighting, my second UK "lifer" of 2018, was in the evening when I saw a tweet from Alastair saying that he had not seen the bird despite waiting over 4 hours for it to re-appear.  

Right time, right place again and with some very talented company! Thanks Alastair.