Friday 30 April 2010

Venus Pool - More waders oblige

A Common Sandpiper has already performed and today, another chance for closer than normal views of a couple more waders....

Firstly Dunlin and the three which flew in on Thursday were whittled down to one which was still present Friday evening!










A Ringed Plover also dropped in today but stayed distant - pride of place has to go to this posing Little ringed Plover. I'll let the pictures do the talking....












A busy Saturday beckons with no chance for birding - just watch them Dotterel fly in with me stuck up in Wilmslow for the day!

Thursday 29 April 2010

Shropshire - April Gropper

Short and very sweet this post! Several Grasshopper Warblers have dropped into Shropshire this April!

A chance encounter with one individual bird, reeling late one evening led to one of those 'once in a lifetime' events. I was suddenly face to face with a Gropper - showing through a clear hole in the dense foliage!






It lasted 4 or 5 seconds and about 8 images, most of which were blurred! I think these two will more than do for keepers :-) .....






Told you it was short and sweet......

Sunday 25 April 2010

Shropshire bird race - April Marathon!

With the London marathon taking place today, I was about to embark upon a Shropshire marathon with Yvonne – the monthly bird race amid classic April showers….

A longer day meant more hours birding and with the laid back approach, the emphasis was once again on a fun day’s birding! Venus Pool was the start off point and once again a good opening hour with just over 40 species - numbers slightly down on recent months! No big surprises here and with Wildfowl doing a disappearing act, a lone female Pochard was a good example of a species that would not be seen elsewhere!
Atcham turned up Goosander and RL Partridge. Winter thrushes have now departed and Mistle/Song Thrushes were the only representatives in the Upton Magna area, a Lesser Whitethroat was a welcome bird on the approach road to CJ’s though! The Allscot and Isombridge lane area produced the goods (with the exception of Grey Partridge!) a group of six Common Swift (year tick!) Green sandpiper, Corn Bunting, Yellow wagtail and Curlew plus most of the common Warblers!

Andy L had texted welcome news of Wheatear (we counted 17!) and Whinchat (cracking male) at Nedge Hill with a bonus Jay at Apley en-route. So far so good, with the count up to 66 but then things started to go downhill as we ventured uphill on the Wrekin and copped one of those t-shirt clad showers…… We managed Pied Flycatcher, Common Redstart, Nuthatch and Treecreeper but the spent too much time searching for Lesser Pecker and Wood Warbler, both conspicuous by their silence!

The afternoon picked up after lunch and this is where it’s make or break time for the tally! Goshawk (a real bonus) and Sparrowhawk were picked up in flight east of Telford and our only Goldcrests at Shirlett. A check list is useful to reveal easy birds which have eluded capture and astonishingly Long tailed Tit remained unticked! We then saw plenty in the Bridgnorth area of course and another ‘not to be taken for granted tick’ at this time of year – House Martin! Peregrine, Raven and a flyover Lesser Black backed Gull took us into the 80’s……

Two birds were added shortly after: Little Grebe, Pink footed Goose, then a really important brace of daytime Little Owl and Tawny Owl!

We finally got our Green Woodpecker (nearly a bogey bird!) and a Dipper took us to 86.

Daylight was burning, it was now 5.00 and apart from a couple of certainties, most birds were going to be hard going? Time was against a North / South end to the day – it was one or the other! We opted for the North, via Venus Pool where two Dunlin had dropped in and we got ‘em! Needing some nutrition, it was 10 out 10 to Macdonalds for the fastest food service ever – no time lost there and I’m still alive! The Mere finally produced, erm, a Heron for the day and we then got Common / Herring Gull from Wood Lane!

Into the 90’s then and with a Whixall Moss finale we really needed it to produce like never before (it didn’t!) The floods turned up the long sought after Shoveler (conspicuous by their absence on all other stretches of water!!) No waders or Med Gull, just one more bird was added here – Cuckoo with two calling as the sun set on what we thought was the final tally (93).

One last bit of drama was to come on the drive back to Shrewsbury in the form of a Barn Owl across the road approaching Preston Brockhurst!

94 speciesthen and by far the best count for the year so far! Nearly 15 hours of travelling / birding within the confines of Shropshire had taken their toll though - totally knackered! Some great birds, one or two regrets on tactics or time spent ‘searching’ and the odd ‘how did we miss that! Overall though, a great total and day out! If we can rekindle the enthusiasm/energy for another stab in May – another good tally is possible?? We shall see…….

Saturday 24 April 2010

Little Paxton - Nightingales!

I didn’t see a single Nightingale during 2009 but planned to put that to right’s for 2010! Another minor diversion on my way to give a talk in St Albans saw me swap the M1 for the A14 and an alternative route via Little Paxton…..

This has to be the Nightingale capital of the UK. Several birds were singing as I walked around and tried to escape the hordes and find a peaceful spot…..

The first bird out in the open was sadly high up in the canopy but I would have settled for this after encountering one or two unseen ‘in the depths of the bushes’, noisy lurkers!








Eventually I found a small glade where one bird had a habit of returning…. and waited…… After 20 minutes or so, boy did I score big time. After singing in the depths of the brambles, I finally had a Nightingale singing it’s heart out, on top of the bramble patch and less than 20 metres away!








Another phenomenon I’ve noticed with Nightingales before – it soon started singing on one leg! This can’t be that unusual for me to notice it and I can’t say I’ve seen other birds routinely do this whilst singing!






My favourite of a very similar series and a close up crop.....








At least a dozen Common Terns over the water, a brief view of Cetti’s Warbler and at least three Garden Warblers (one below) singing were more additions for the year. Never mind the Nightingales, Little Paxton is also a real haven for Warblers too. Good numbers of Blackcap, Whitethoat, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff plus a single Lesser Whitethroat all in full song….






A couple of hours well spent.....

Friday 23 April 2010

Colemere - Common Scoter

An excellent week's birding on the County front had one remaining surprise in store. One of my more notable detours whilst on the way to Sainsburys saw me ending up at the Meres! The aim was a Gull recce, with the April bird race looming....

I surveyed Colemere, must have been just single figure birds: pair of Mallard, GC Grebe, Common Scoter, Coot and Tufted Duck... STOP, wait a minute - can we go back two birds!!!?? WHAT WAS THAT, keeping company with two Coots was an adult male Common Scoter!

He was way out in the middle though. A stroll to the boardwalk meant I was looking into the light (in twilight as well). Record shots only then - here he comes.....








And there he goes.....






A nice obliging wingflap showing the characteristic paler primaries....






Lucky Jim once again, if true to form and he was feeding like a Duck possessed, I doubt if he will linger into tomorrow.....

Thursday 22 April 2010

Venus Pool - Common Sandpiper encounter

A golden opportunity today when a Common Sandpiper approached for a close encounter of the photographic kind!

Despite having to shoot slightly into the light - I'm not complaining - honest!






The reason he was there? Flies and lots of them - stalk, crouch and gulp!








A quick wing stretch.....






A quick pose on the bank and then he was gone......

Tuesday 20 April 2010

Venus Pool - Sand Martins....

Blue skies and it was back to 'business as usual' at VP! A nice sunny evening (on Whimbrel watch?) and nothing better to do than try and catch the wind - or the Sand Martins flashing up and down the pool....

A bit too distant for anything special but at least there were a few keepers....










Another midge bites the dust!






Best of the bunch?






A skulking Sedge Warbler singing in the willows off the causeway was new for the year list!

Monday 19 April 2010

Venus Pool - Dunlin movement.....

*** CLOUD ALERT *** Overcast skies made a refreshing change from the clear blue variety of late and what a difference it made!!

A brief lunchtime call at Venus Pool turned up SIX Dunlin in addition to the three Common Sandpiper and four Little ringed Plover also present....










Two were busily feeding in front of the main hide.....








The other four kept to the island in front of the new memorial hide....






Oh well, hopes alive now of something more exciting!

All we need now is some low grey murk, driving rain and a bit of wader movement which is clearly happening right now! Or something else to Tern up?

Sunday 18 April 2010

Venus Pool etc - Patchwork...

Another local day picking up some new birds for the year. A 'not so dire' Ruff got the day going very nicely.

Venus Pool could still do with another two or three inches less water but at least there is some mud now! There have been up to three Common Sandpiper and one particular bird was able to relax on the feeding front, courtesy of this lobworm (calorific equivalent to 3,500 midges?? - I'm making this up though!)

First catch your tasty worm.....








A quick wash.....






Then down the hatch.....







And off to find another one.....






An evening Kingfisher fly through (bit scarce of late) and a mixed 40+ mixed flock of Hirundines containing at least 2 House Martins completed a relaxing day.

Not a day to produce much in the way of images - but enjoyable nontheless.....

Saturday 17 April 2010

Venus Pool - One flew over....

The cuckoo that is! Sort of blogging in reverse (this is the middle) as I was on my way back from Longnor late in the afternoon (the Dippers were there but playing hard to get!)

As I was nearing Cound Stank, a Cuckoo flew over the brook and me! I quickly turned round and after a couple of cruises up and down, eventually spotted a giant Swallow on the electricity wires! Problem was the hedges were high and I knew the moment I got near / out of the car, he'd be gone!

An initial shot 'through the hedge' amazed this is so clear!






Then through a nearby gap in the hedge - he was so aware of me by now - and did what I expewcted him to do in the first place.....








A very nice surprise and one less trip to the Netherworld of Mordor?

The middle done, the day started with a Green Sandpiper and Barnacle Goose(whatever!)








And ended with a drake Common Teal lit up very nicely in the low evening light....

Friday 16 April 2010

Venus Pool - Yellow Wagtails galore!

The Osprey appears to have moved on and has not been seen since yesterday lunchtime. A shame but all good things have to come to an end!

The Wagtail population has been steadily building up however and there were at least 12 Yellow Wagtails this evening in the Sheep paddock.

Then just about every angle you could want....








Closer and closer they came.....









Posing oh so nicely......






A Pied Wagtail to break the monotony.....






I won't be going far this weekend - still hobbling about with an inflamed toe - ouch! (and no socks with the sandals!)