0530 - Nightingale survey at Riverside CP. Only one singing, but a Turtle Dove purring in the background made for a pleasing sound to show the Maltese shooters that the birds will somehow get through. Also about were a few Reed Warblers, one Lesser Whitethroat, lots of Whitethroat, a couple of Willow Warblers and a few Chiffs.
1615 - A quick trip over to Elmley for the Black-winged Stilts; 4 of them! Loads about on Elmley as well. Up to 4 SEO's, 2 or 3 Marsh Harriers, 3 Spotted Redshanks, 4 Greenshanks, 5 Whimbrel, 3 Barwits and a few Yellow Wags about.
Showing posts with label Greenshank. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Greenshank. Show all posts
Sunday, 6 May 2012
Tuesday, 24 April 2012
A few days in Dorset 21/4 - 24/4 2012
I spent a few days in Dorset this week and picked up a few decent birds as well as a number of spring migrants I haven't yet seen back in Kent:
22/4 - Durlston Country Park: Plenty of Guillemots and a couple of Razorbill from the cliffs. Also, a female Bullfinch, my first Whitethroat of the year, a Sandwich Tern passed, singing Chiffs and Blackcaps, a Raven and a few Swallows through.
22/4 - Brand's Bay approaching low tide: Two flyover Med Gulls, two Whimbrel, a Common Tern and a couple of Sandwich Terns. A few hirundines passed through with two Sand Martin, two House Martin and a few Swallows.
23/4 - Just outside Wool: I twitched a short-staying White Stork, which left flying North 20 mins after I saw it. I saw another White Stork last year on 14/4, so both birds fell in the ideal migratory period for this species.
23/4 - Studland NNR and Little Sea: A bit quiete, but singing Willow Warblers, Chiffs and a couple of Wheatears and another couple of flyover Med Gulls.
23/4 - Middlebere: Hoping for Osprey and Spoonbills, but alas I had to make do with Chiffs, a couple of Sedge Warblers, a few Buzzards, a single Greenshank and c300 Blackwits.
24/4 - Studland NNR and Little Sea: Still no Dartford Warblers, but out at the Little Sea there was a juv Little Gull flitting from the surface into the air before alighting on the surface again. Also at least four Swifts, four House Martins and some Swallows through. A single Sparrowhawk fly along the adge of the lake.
74 species in three days and an additional 17 for the year list.
22/4 - Durlston Country Park: Plenty of Guillemots and a couple of Razorbill from the cliffs. Also, a female Bullfinch, my first Whitethroat of the year, a Sandwich Tern passed, singing Chiffs and Blackcaps, a Raven and a few Swallows through.
22/4 - Brand's Bay approaching low tide: Two flyover Med Gulls, two Whimbrel, a Common Tern and a couple of Sandwich Terns. A few hirundines passed through with two Sand Martin, two House Martin and a few Swallows.
23/4 - Just outside Wool: I twitched a short-staying White Stork, which left flying North 20 mins after I saw it. I saw another White Stork last year on 14/4, so both birds fell in the ideal migratory period for this species.
23/4 - Studland NNR and Little Sea: A bit quiete, but singing Willow Warblers, Chiffs and a couple of Wheatears and another couple of flyover Med Gulls.
23/4 - Middlebere: Hoping for Osprey and Spoonbills, but alas I had to make do with Chiffs, a couple of Sedge Warblers, a few Buzzards, a single Greenshank and c300 Blackwits.
24/4 - Studland NNR and Little Sea: Still no Dartford Warblers, but out at the Little Sea there was a juv Little Gull flitting from the surface into the air before alighting on the surface again. Also at least four Swifts, four House Martins and some Swallows through. A single Sparrowhawk fly along the adge of the lake.
74 species in three days and an additional 17 for the year list.
Wednesday, 19 October 2011
Riverside CP - 19th October 2011
I walked from the main car park around Eastcourt Meadows then out to Horrid Hill and back in to the visitor centre before heading off out to Motney Hill and back. The most interesting bird was a Peregrine which powered in towards a group of waders, which it completely missed before alighting on the old causeway some distance out (record shot attached). Also, good numbers of Avocet (c450), Brent Goose (170) and Great-crested Grebe (20). I also saw two Greenshank, one Marsh Harrier, one Sparrowhawk and one Kestrel. A bit of movement with 20 Chaffinch passing over and four Skylark as well as a few Reed Bunting.
Peregrine Falcon.
I really need to get a digiscoping kit as holding my digital camera to the telescope lens just results in too much shake for any decent shots. I've tried a couple below:
Curlew.
LBBG.
Greenshank.
Peregrine Falcon.
I really need to get a digiscoping kit as holding my digital camera to the telescope lens just results in too much shake for any decent shots. I've tried a couple below:
Curlew.
LBBG.
Greenshank.
Monday, 10 October 2011
Riverside CP - 9th and 10th October 2011
Just a quick update from two very brief visits to Riverside CP over the last couple of days as I have now moved house to Rainham.
On Sunday, I walked out and round Horrid Hill, but the tide was way out. A few Curlew, Grey Plover, Oystercatcher, Redshank and Lapwing about on the mud. I did manage to pick up a male Marsh Harrier hunting over Nor Marsh.
Today, I parked nearer Motney Hill and walked along the sea wall for a bit. The tide was out again and much the same birds were on the mud. There was a strange LBB Gull on the mud with a charcoal grey mantle and wings but completely black wing tips with no visible mirrors. Then the male Marsh Harrier passed over the mud putting a few bits up into the air, including a Greenshank. I heard two Cetti's Warblers in the reedbeds opposite the sea wall.
On Sunday, I walked out and round Horrid Hill, but the tide was way out. A few Curlew, Grey Plover, Oystercatcher, Redshank and Lapwing about on the mud. I did manage to pick up a male Marsh Harrier hunting over Nor Marsh.
Today, I parked nearer Motney Hill and walked along the sea wall for a bit. The tide was out again and much the same birds were on the mud. There was a strange LBB Gull on the mud with a charcoal grey mantle and wings but completely black wing tips with no visible mirrors. Then the male Marsh Harrier passed over the mud putting a few bits up into the air, including a Greenshank. I heard two Cetti's Warblers in the reedbeds opposite the sea wall.
Monday, 19 September 2011
Cliffe Pools - 19/09/2011
I walked from the car park round the top, back down passed Black Barn Pools and along the bottom back to the car from 10.30 til 3.15 today. Of interest were:
Black-necked Grebe - 1 on Flamingo Pool.
Black-tailed Godwit - 54 on Flamingo Pool.
Yellow-legged Gull - 1 on the Thames foreshore by the creek.
Whinchat - 2 along the track from the sea wall down to the Black Barn pools.
Ruff - 8 on the first Black Barn Pool.
Green Sandpiper - 1 on the first Black Barn Pool.
Spotted Redshank - 2 on Radar Pool.
Greenshank - 2 on Radar Pool.
Also of note, I found a young Grass Snake along the path between the top of Flamingo Pool and the viewing point over the creek by the sea wall.
A few butterflies still about as well with Red Admiral, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Common Blue, Large White and Small Heath.
Redshank - Cliffe Pools
Spotted Redshank - a distant record shot...
Grass Snake - Cliffe. Clearly showing the yellow collar which is one of the separating features between this and the Adder.
Black-necked Grebe - 1 on Flamingo Pool.
Black-tailed Godwit - 54 on Flamingo Pool.
Yellow-legged Gull - 1 on the Thames foreshore by the creek.
Whinchat - 2 along the track from the sea wall down to the Black Barn pools.
Ruff - 8 on the first Black Barn Pool.
Green Sandpiper - 1 on the first Black Barn Pool.
Spotted Redshank - 2 on Radar Pool.
Greenshank - 2 on Radar Pool.
Also of note, I found a young Grass Snake along the path between the top of Flamingo Pool and the viewing point over the creek by the sea wall.
A few butterflies still about as well with Red Admiral, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Common Blue, Large White and Small Heath.
Redshank - Cliffe Pools
Spotted Redshank - a distant record shot...
Grass Snake - Cliffe. Clearly showing the yellow collar which is one of the separating features between this and the Adder.
Thursday, 26 May 2011
Cliffe Pools - 26/05/11
A quick visit to Cliffe this morning whilst my wife went to Bluewater! Only really time to sit about by the 1st and 2nd viewing mounds which was very blustery.
View from the 2nd viewing mound. Although not as attractive to the scarcer birds which have visited the site, in years gone by it has held Broad-billed Sandpiper, Woodchat and Red-backed Shrike as well as annual Garganey.
From the 1st viewing mound there were more than 60 Avocets feeding across the black barn pools with 12 Dunlin, one Greenshank, lots of Redshank, 4 Ringed Plover, Lapwing and 100's of Shelduck. Also large numbers of Swifts moving around/through. I then took a break out the wind at the bottom of the viewing mound to look across the fields out eastwards. Not much moving about but 2 Adult summer Med Gulls flew over calling. A few Little Egrets and a Kestrel. A few Lesser Black-backed Gulls moving over and a Cettis calling from the reedbed. The only other warblers were Reed, Whitethroat and a few Blackcaps.
As I left I noted a Great-crested Grebe on the main pool and a Green woodpecker flew from one of the pilons.
View from the 2nd viewing mound. Although not as attractive to the scarcer birds which have visited the site, in years gone by it has held Broad-billed Sandpiper, Woodchat and Red-backed Shrike as well as annual Garganey.
From the 1st viewing mound there were more than 60 Avocets feeding across the black barn pools with 12 Dunlin, one Greenshank, lots of Redshank, 4 Ringed Plover, Lapwing and 100's of Shelduck. Also large numbers of Swifts moving around/through. I then took a break out the wind at the bottom of the viewing mound to look across the fields out eastwards. Not much moving about but 2 Adult summer Med Gulls flew over calling. A few Little Egrets and a Kestrel. A few Lesser Black-backed Gulls moving over and a Cettis calling from the reedbed. The only other warblers were Reed, Whitethroat and a few Blackcaps.
As I left I noted a Great-crested Grebe on the main pool and a Green woodpecker flew from one of the pilons.
Monday, 2 May 2011
Cliffe Pools 02/05/11
A very windy, but sunny trip to Cliffe today with some decent spring migrants and the usual species too:
Hobby - 2 East along the Thames then into the reserve by the grazing area to the eastern boundary.
Wheatear - 1 on the fence along the eadge of Coastguards.
Yellow Wagtail - 1 off the Thames on the path along the sea wall.
Greenshank - 8 on Coastguards and 2 others dotted about.
Dunlin - Huge flock (circa 200+) flew East down the Thames.
Barwits - 8 West down the Thames and 1 on Flamingo.
Blackwits - 3 on Flamingo.
Whimbrel - 2 on Flamingo.
Nightingale - only 1 heard.
Lesser Whitethroat - 2 heard.
Cettis - 3 heard.
Common Tern - steady trickle of 1s, 2s and 3s down the Thames.
Swift - 3 over the car park.
Hobby - 2 East along the Thames then into the reserve by the grazing area to the eastern boundary.
Wheatear - 1 on the fence along the eadge of Coastguards.
Yellow Wagtail - 1 off the Thames on the path along the sea wall.
Greenshank - 8 on Coastguards and 2 others dotted about.
Dunlin - Huge flock (circa 200+) flew East down the Thames.
Barwits - 8 West down the Thames and 1 on Flamingo.
Blackwits - 3 on Flamingo.
Whimbrel - 2 on Flamingo.
Nightingale - only 1 heard.
Lesser Whitethroat - 2 heard.
Cettis - 3 heard.
Common Tern - steady trickle of 1s, 2s and 3s down the Thames.
Swift - 3 over the car park.
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