Anser Birding

Collared Pratincole at Cley NWT, Woodlark at Roydon Common and Golden Oriole on the nest RSPB Lakenheath, Avocet at RSPB Titchwell.

22-24 May 2009 Anser Birding North Norfolk

The Spring weekend trip to North Norfolk is an annual one for Anser and always produces great birding. This visit was so memorable for me for the amazing avian behaviour we witnessed, the weather and the fact we managed to see everything we went for. To top it off a very enthusiastic group that ensured the outcome being the best Anser Norfolk Spring trip ever!

To round up the amazing sites we witnessed is not easy, lots of birds had young or were nesting which is always good to see. Stone Curlew was enjoyed by all, Golden Oriole, Crane and Bittern (Jill spotted this one) were seen by some of the group on day one. A look at the weather convinced me to go for the Collared Pratincole at Cley on Friday, my instincts told me it would go overnight, it turned out it did only to reappear in Yorkshire. This Mediterranean overshoot is delightful to watch, as it was windy it favoured sheltering and running about ‘plover like’. A Spoonbill was joined by two others that flew in. Some of the group had lovely views of Bearded Tit.

A good day of birding was had by all. On Saturday morning we woke to a scorcher, at Holme I picked up a Bittern in flight which disappeared. Ten minutes later it surfaced with a pair of Marsh Harriers attacking it. It must have been near the nest. The Bittern climbed to the top of the reeds and turned itself in a larger bird by opening out all of its feathers including head and neck. It opened the bill to a full gape and stabbed at the annoyed raptors on every dive. This went on for ten minutes, great stuff. After breakfast at Swanton Novers we watched a pair of Honey Buzzard cruise overhead then watched the male set out on a display session that must have involved c50 consecutive butterly flaps. Two female Montagu’s Harriers were also enjoyed today and at RSPB Titcwell, excellent views of Bearded Tits, a Hen Harrier and another Bittern in flight. The most significant record was of a female Red-crested Pochard with a brood of ducklings. In the evening the still, calm conditions were perfect for dusk birding and at Roydon Common we gained lovely views of Woodcock roding and calling and 2-3 Nightjar picking moths of the birches, churring, calling and chasing about over us. Unusually a Hobby flew past calling in the dark and more typical a Cuckoo was singing.

On Sunday we had great views of Woodlark (good spot Len) collecting grubs when the male carefully piled up the food package, all balanced on the ground and gathered another package. It returned to the original, picked them up as well and flew off to feed the young. We returned to RSPB Lakenheath and got great views of Golden Oriole in the nest, a Garagney pair on the washes and a Grasshopper Warbler reeling. We did not fit in a visit to the Squacco Heron in Cambridgeshire but I was pleased to hear Jill and Trevor saw it well on Monday. The Painted Lady invasion was in full force today, I noted c600 but the days to come were to see at least 16,000 past Scolt Head.

Thanks to all who attended for their company, special thanks to Neil Smart for helping me out and locating more birds and to Trevor Blythe who kept notes and compiled the list.

Martin J McGill

ANSER BIRDING: NORTH NORFOLK TRIP MAY 2009

1.Birding Itinerary:Birds Seen/Heard By Location.

Friday 22 May 2009

1.1.Newmarket .

House Martin

Sparrowhawk

House Sparrow

Starling

Swift

Magpie

Crow

Blackbird

1.2 ‘Stone Curlew site’

Stone Curlew

Yellowhammer

Red-legged Partridge

Jay

Woodpigeon

Pheasant

Lapwing

[en route to next stop at Lakenheath ]

Common Buzzard

Kestrel

1.3.Lakenheath Fen RSPB reserve

Mallard

Hobby

Common Crane [Flying in distance]

Whitethroat

Blackcap [Heard]

Marsh Harrier

Reed Bunting

Reed Warbler [Heard]

Swift

Cormorant

Bittern [Heard and/or seen by some]

Cuckoo [Heard]

Golden Oriole [Heard]

Blue Tit

Wren

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Great Crested Grebe

Mute Swan

Grey Heron

Coot

Gadwall

Swallow

[en route to Cley]

Collared Dove

Chaffinch

Stock Dove

Pied Wagtail

Goldfinch

Greenfinch

Starling

Black-headed Gull

1.4. Cley NWT NR

Greylag Goose

Collared Pratincole

Oystercatcher

Shelduck

Avocet

Spoonbill

Black-headed Gull

Mallard

Woodpigeon

Gadwall

Lapwing

Coot

Moorhen

Ringed Plover

Shoveler

Sandwich Tern

Pied Wagtail

Jackdaw

Bar-Tailed Godwit

Black-Tailed Godwit

Redshank

Linnet

Little Tern

Bearded Tit

Egyptian Goose

Dunlin

Mute Swan

Starling

Marsh Harrier

Swift

Sand Martin

Swallow

Pheasant

Greenfinch

Magpie

Blackbird

[en route to Hunstanton]

Tufted Duck

Little Egret

 

Saturday 23 May

1.5. Pre –breakfast walk at Holme next the Sea

Wood Pigeon

Reed Bunting

Linnet

Meadow Pipit

Redshank

Bittern*

Marsh Harrier*

Crow

Magpie

Oystercatcher

Black-headed Gull

Chaffinch

Robin

Turtle Dove

Wren

Stonechat

Cuckoo

Mallard

Mute Swan

Sedge Warbler

Red-legged Partridge

Lapwing

Chiffchaff

Dunnock

Jackdaw

Willow Warbler

Whitethroat

Swallow

Blackbird

Moorhen

* Marsh Harrier pair engaged in an aerial attempt to drive-off the Bittern, which had presumably strayed into a reed bed containing the Harrier nest. The Bittern fiercely resisted and showed well for several minutes.

[en route to raptor watchpoint]

Yellowhammer

Chaffinch

Swallow

House Martin

Crow

1.6. Raptor watchpoint at Swanton Novers NNR [Fulmodestone Road]

Sparrowhawk

Common Buzzard

Yellowhammer

Greenfinch

Skylark

Chaffinch

Lesser Whitethroat

Blue Tit

Hobby

Honey Buzzard [male and female]

1.7. ‘Raptor watchpoint’ near coast.

Grey Partridge

Skylark

Lapwing

Montagu’s Harrier [female]

Pied Wagtail

Black-headed Gull

Herring Gull

Swift

1.8.Titchwell RSPB Reserve.

Mute Swan

Coot

Black-headed Gull

Great Crested Grebe

Bearded Tit

Red-Crested Pochard

Reed Warbler

Wood Pigeon

Marsh Harrier*

Greylag Goose

Starling

Chaffinch

Collared Dove

Crow

Redshank

Lapwing

Grey Plover

Mallard

Reed Bunting

Swallow

Bittern

Ruddy Duck

Little Grebe

Avocet

Canada Goose

Brent Goose

Shelduck

Shoveler

Gadwall

Herring Gull

Common Gull

Lesser Black Backed Gull

Turnstone

Bar-Tailed Godwit

Black-Tailed Godwit

Hen Harrier

Oystercatcher

Little Egret

Little Tern

Cetti’s Warbler

Sandwich Tern

Common Tern

Sanderling

Cormorant

Robin

Pied Wagtail

 

* aerial transfer of food between a pair

1.9 Evening visit to Roydon Common.

Garden Warbler [Heard]

Green Woodpecker [Heard]
Cuckoo

Hobby

Woodcock

Nightjar

Sunday 24 May

1.10. Visit to Hunstanton shore

Common Scoter[Seen by Len and Kate]

1.11. Morning visit to Roydon Common

Mistle Thrush

Tree Pipit

Kestrel

Black-Headed Gull

Carrion Crow

Curlew

Yellowhammer

Woodlark

Jackdaw

Pheasant

Jay

Stock Dove

Rook

Red-legged Partridge

[en route between Burnt Fen and Sedge Fen]

Yellow Wagtail [Martin only]

1.12.Lakenheath Fen RSPB reserve

Great Tit

Great Crested Grebe

Coot

Cormorant

Mute Swan

Reed Bunting

Hobby

Grey Heron

Golden Oriole

Sparrowhawk

Marsh Harrier

Common Buzzard

Cuckoo

Sedge Warbler

Reed Warbler

Grasshopper Warbler [Heard]

Mallard

Garganey pair

1.13. Newmarket

Little Owl [Heard by Martin]

2. Total species seen: 102

Avocet

Blackbird

Bittern

Bunting, Reed

Buzzard,Common

Buzzard, Honey

Chaffinch

Chiffchaff        

Coot

Cormorant

Crane, Common

Crow, Carrion

Cuckoo

Curlew

Curlew, Stone

Dove, Collared

Dove, Stock

Dove, Turtle

Duck, Ruddy

Duck, Tufted

Dunlin

Dunnock

Egret, Little

Gadwall

Garganey

Greenfinch

Godwit, Bar-Tailed

Godwit, Black-Tailed

Goldfinch

Goose, Brent

Goose, Canada

Goose, Egyptian

Goose, Greylag

Grebe, Great Crested

Grebe, Little

Gull, Black-headed

Gull, Common

Gull, Herring

Gull, Lesser Back- backed

Harrier, Hen

Harrier, Marsh

Harrier, Montagu’s

Heron, Grey

Hobby

Jackdaw

Jay

Kestrel

Linnet

Magpie

Mallard

Martin, House

Martin, Sand

Moorhen

Nightjar

Oriole, Golden

Oystercatcher

Partridge, Grey

Partridge, Red-legged

Pheasant

Pipit, Meadow

Pipit, Tree

Plover, Grey

Plover, Green

Plover, Ringed

Pochard, Red Crested

Pratincole, Collared

Redshank

Robin

Rook

Sanderling

Scoter, Common

Shelduck

Shoveler

Skylark

Sparrowhawk

Sparrow, House

Spoonbill

Starling

Stonechat

Swallow

Swan, Mute

Swift

Thrush, Mistle

Tit, Blue

Tit, Bearded

Tit, Great

Tern, Common

Tern, Little

Tern, Sandwich

Turnstone

Wagtail, Pied

Wagtail, Yellow

Warbler, Cetti’s

Warbler, Reed

Warbler, Sedge

Whitethroat

Whitethroat, Lesser

Woodcock

Woodlark

Woodpecker, Great Spotted

Wood Pigeon

Wren

Yellowhammer

3. Total species heard only: 5         

Blackcap

Owl, Little

Warbler, Garden

Warbler, Grasshopper

Woodpecker,Green

4. Total species seen and/or heard: 108       

 

13-18 July 2009 Madeira for seabirds and endemics LAST CHANCE
20 -24 October 2009 Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, three places left
3-7 or 5-7 November 2009 Lundy Island NOW BOOKING
6-8 or 13-15 November 2009 North Norfolk NOW BOOKING
14-18 December 2009 Fuerteventura

Upcoming 2010 trips

February 2010 Hungary
March 2010 Slovakia
16-20 March 2010 Lithuania and Latvia
27-30 March 2010 Corsica
6-10 April 2010 Exremedura
13-17 April 2010 Andalucia and Donana
21-23 May 2010 North Norfolk in Spring
late May 2010 Estonia or Turkey
1-5 June 2010 Finland
8-12 June 2010 Iceland
mid-June 2010 Northumberland and the Farnes
late June 2010 Skomer and Pembrokeshire
12-17 July 2010 Madeira
5-9 or 19-23 October 2010 Isles of Scilly and Cornwall
18-20 November 2010 North Norfolk
late November 2010 Champagne Lakes and Cranes 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/coast/tides/west.shtml

Ruddy Darter MJM

Brown Brown Hawker, WWT, MJM

Female Emperor ovipositing MJM

29-30 June 2009 Still great insect weather, temperatures this weeks heatwave of up to 30 c has been good for butterflies and dragonflies. New birds include a breeding plumage, blackish form male Ruff at WWT today.

Shoveler brood WWT.

Baby Water Vole, WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre MJM

28 June 2009 The WWT landrover safari’s were very productive again today. The very warm weather made it a great day for insects. My first 2 Brown Hawkers of the year and 6 Marbled Whites. A Water Vole in the 100 Acre and at the Centre entrance wiith three young were appreciated by many. Also noted today a 1st summer and adult Yellow-legged Gull, Hobby, 2 Shoveler broods, 12 Green Sandpiper, 50 Black-tailed Godwit, 90 Redshank including 2 fledged juveniles and a fluffy juvenile in the Top New Piece. Cuckoo and Kingfishers at the Kingfisher Hide. Stacks of dragonflies, damselflies and butterflies of many species. On the estuary a Whimbrel, 100 Curlew, 200 Shelduck and thousands of gulls feeding in the mud.

Brown Hawker, WWT South Finger near the new dragonfly pond.

First summer Yellow-legged Gull

27 June 2009 A few damselflies about the garden and a chaser sp.

26 June 2009 A walk out at Frampton in the torrential rain produced singing Common and Lesser Whitethroat prior to the deluge, breeding plumage Spotted Redshank, Redshank pair with young and Lapwing with young at Saul Warth and a lot of water. A Common Whitethroat was singing adjacent to my garden.

25 June 2009 Generally numbers still building at WWT, six Green Sandpiper, 15 Black-tailed Godwit, a Dunlin, 9 Redshank and 40 Lapwing were on the Top New Piece but were eclipsed by a singing Quail that was clearly audible from the Zeiss Hide. Many visitors are seeing and photographing Otter from the Kingfisher Hide where Cuckoo and Whitethroat are also on territory. I may have glimpsed a Lesser Emperor at work today. At least three pairs of Common Tern are now nesting on the 100 Acre.

Had a couple of days off at home (except for covering the 1850-2220 period at WWT on safari/bar-b-q), highlight was a Spitfire performing stunts over the garden, due to 350mph speeds I never got a decent shot of this iconic aircraft with it’s beautiful sound.

Spitfire MK 4? in D Day landing livery, Whitminster.

23 June 2009 The safari was excellent at WWT Slimbridge this evening, a very warm evening, thousands on Meadow Browns on the wing, my first Southern Hawker of the year, Emperors out in the dark!, 40 Sand Martin and 30 Starling coming into roost, Barn Owl hunting at sunset, a great Severn Bore etc etc.

May Hill, The Severn Estuary and Barn Owl MJM

Barn Owl and Fretherne Sluice in the distance.

22 June 2009 RDH and myself ringed 18 juvenile Black-headed Gulls on the South Lake late in the afternoon. The Common Terns on South Lake are nesting on the small pier I built to gravel the island over a couple of years ago. An Oystercatcher also had a nest with one damaged egg in it. The Bottom New Piece flood had 30 Black-tailed Skimmers over it this afternoon. On the tide, six Yellow-legged Gulls (second summers and adults)were the highlight at WWT today.

Pyramidal and Bee Orchids WWT Slimbridge June 2009 MJM

   

Female Tufted Duck and young WWT Slimbridge MJM

Common Redshank WWT Slimbridge June 2009 MJM

10-21 June 2009 Not many posts lately but still plenty going on locally among the breeding birds. A Snipe was a very intriguing record from WWT today, maybe a breeder? At least two possibly three broods of Shoveler at work today made me very happy. One brood contains 10 ducklings and are very well grown.  Tufted Duck are now hatching young everywhere, another highlight of the summer and it is time for the orchids.

9 June 2009 Our breeding waders are always a highlight.

Lapwing chick MJM

8 June 2009 Another look at the breeding plumage waders at WWT which roosted and fed very near to Middle Point hide at low tide. Now 5 Grey Plover, a Red Knot, 3 Turnstone (all first summers), the Curlew Sandpiper which is a first summer and a small flock of Ringed Plover including many first summers and a juvenile and c 40 Dunlin.

First summer Turnstone MJM

First summer Curlew Sandpiper MJM

Curlew Sanderling!

Sanderling MJM

7 June 2009 A birdwatch morning at WWT focussing on waders was very good, 4 Grey Plover (two in fine breeding plumage), a Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint, 15 Sanderling and Dunlin and Ringed Plover all in breeding plumage.

6 June 2009 A wet day! almost forgot what they are like.

5 June 2009 Went to Ashleworth Ham again, the Redstarts were showing well along the road and Cuckoo singing. Next stop Cannop Ponds and brook with my target being the Golden-ringed Dragonfly, we found 4-5 and saw them resting, feeding, patrolling territories and even ovipositing in the Cannop Ponds. A family of Grey and Pied Wagtail were around the stoneworks. At Lydney Lakes I saw my first Tufted Ducklings of the year (3). A look at Saul Warth and Townfield Lake did not produce much out of the ordinary. News of a shrike sp at Coombe Hill today GWT and the Rosefinch seen again at Ashleworth Ham GWT on Wednesday shows that birds are still around/arriving.

The magnificent Golden-ringed Dragonfly, Cannop Stoneworks, MJMcGill.

2-4 June 2009 Lots of dragonfllies locally. A roundup in images follows, also a Bee swarm at WWT was nearly collected by a Bee Keeper but they did not want to go in the box.

Hairy Dragonfly, WWT 100 Acre MJM

 

Broad-bodied Chaser, WWT MJM

Black-tailed Skimmer, Saul Warth

Scarce Chaser, WWT Bull Ground, MJM

Four-spotted Chaser, Forest of Dean, MJM

1 June 2009 Up at 0440 to get to WWT for what ended up as four live and one recorded appearance for the BBC news. The Painted Lady invasion was the topic and the hot dry starts to the day certainly helped.

31 May 2009 A long day at WWT with the bird highlight being two Red Kites over the 100 Acre. I left work at 1800 and went straight to search for the Ashleworth Ham GWT  Common Rosefinch with NRS, PJT and RGB but our effort went unrewarded. 

Red Kites over the WWT 100 Acre, 31 May 2009
Note the primary moult.

This tour was designed to give some time to exploring parts of the Huelva, Cadiz, Malaga and Seville provinces and look for some their special birds. The weather was milder for the time of year and we had some windy days with showers at times. The marshes were very full of water so this allowed the birds to spread out over huge areas rather than be concentrated. The windy days made it difficult to locate reedbed birds as they were skulking, as a result some easy to see birds were not logged. Overall temperatures were well below the average but on the plus side we had no heat haze and it was a sheer joy to take in grand views across the wetlands in particular with such a variety of skies.

A full list of the birds and wildlife seen follows with images from the trip too. I will add a gallery of views and scenery plus the best of the bird images on another link as soon as I get a chance.

I met six friends at Malaga airort on the morning of 14th and after negotiating the madness of the airport we were soon on the road heading North before stopping off for lunchtime tapas en-route. A selection of great dishes was taken with good coffee and all were ready for some birding. A short way up the road and we arrived at magnificnet Laguna de Fuente de Piedra which has the largest breeding colony of Greater Flamingo in Europe. Thousands could be seen feeding and nesting but we were distracted by the four Lesser Flamingo with them which were lifers for most! We also visited the Donana area staying in Hinojos for four nights as our base. We visited all the main birding sites on 15-16th with a lovely part of the day spent watching the activity at the Jose Valverde Centre where coffee,  toastie and fine birding can all be enjoyed together. We took in El Rocio (memorable for Dave and Martin digging the bogged down bus out of sand), La Rocina, El Acebuche (where we picknicked), Torre de La Higuera before returning for a bit and heading out again to the Dehesa de Abajo. A day out was spent on the East bank of the Guadalquivir (Brazo del Este/Pinzon marshes), La Algaida salinas and pinewoods, Laguna de Tarelo, Bonanza salinas travelling as far as Sanlucar de Barrameda on 17th. We took in the Espera lagoons on 18th, the mountains from Zahara-Grazalema-Montajaque/Benojoan and Ronda. The last day was spent driving back to Malaga.

I have prepared a list of the species I noted with a comment for some.  There is a chance I may have missed some out though.

Black-necked Grebe- seen around Donana’s pools and deeper wetlands, the largest number was of 60+ at Dehesa de Abajo reservoir.
Little Grebe- also noted at many sites.
Great Crested Grebe- seen at Dehesa de Abajo reservoir and a couple of other sites
Gannet- a few off Torre de la Higuera on 15th.
Cormorant-noted
Night Heron-seen on our journeys with many present and nesting in the heronry at Jose Valverde centre on 16th.
Cattle Egret- a very common bird,  in prime breeding condition and atop the sheep make for such memorable sightings.

Squacco Heron-c6 seen at the Jose Valverde Centre on 16th with a few noted along the Brazo del Este/La Algaida road on 17th.
Little Little Egret-very common but still great birds in breeding plumage, especially at the heronries.
Great White Egret- a few noted in the wetlands of the Corredor Verde and East of the Jose Valverde Centre.
Grey Heron-noted
Purple Heron- seen around Donana but large numbers nesting the Jose Valverde Heronry reedbeds.

A pair of Purps

White Stork- very common, we took a look at the large tree borne colony at Dehesa de Abajo on 16th.
Black Stork-one was seen at the La Algaida saltpans on 17th.
Glossy Ibis- huge numbers nesting at Jose Valverde Centre with squadrons coming and going all the time. Seen in flocks at La Rocina on 15th and around Donana generally.
Spoonbill-seen virtually everywhere in Donana including in the ditches but a pair on an island tamarisk nest at Laguna de Tarelo were notable for the views and study of behaviour on 17th.
Greater Flamingo- no counting but 10,000+ at Laguna de Fuente de Piedra on 14th, 100 El Rocio on 15th and 400 at La Algaida on 17th. The former mentioned site had many active nests.
Lesser Flamingo-four among the larger relatives at Laguna de Fuente de Piedra on 14th. I have since heard there are six and a pair are nesting.
Greylag Goose- two on rice fields near Dehesa de Abajo on 16th.
Shelduck- two at Laguna de Fuente de Piedra on 14th.
Mallard-noted.
Gadwall- noted.
Shoveler- noted.
Teal- a pair noted.
Pochard-very common everywhere in Donana.
Red-Crested Pochard- seen at Dehesa de Abajo reservoir, El Rocio, Brazo del Este and many other sites in good numbers.
White-headed Duck- a male at Laguna de Fuente de Piedra on 14th and 7 males and one female at Espera Lagunas on 18th.
Griffon Vulture- seen over Donana and in the mountains around Ronda but not in great numbers.
Short-toed Eagle-seen well in a number of locations with prolonged views at Dehesa de Abajo on 16th.
Booted Eagle-both colour phases noted at a large variety of sites.
Bonelli’s Eagle-one flew past the bus near Zahara near Ronda on 18th but did not stay to be enjoyed.
Black Kite- very common in most places.
Marsh Harrier-seen hunting around Donana and Brazo del Este.
Black-winged Kite-one seen mobbing a Buzzard near Hinojos on 17th.
Montagu’s Harrier-best views were of hunting birds around Espera Lagunas on 18th. A first summer male was watched well here.
Common Buzzard- seen at a variety of sites.
Sparrowhawk- seen at a variety of sites.
Kestrel-seen commonly.
Lesser Kestrel-distant birds seen whilst travelling, the poor weather in Ronda put paid to good views.
Peregrine-one recorded.
Red-legged Partridge-seen commonly in the Espera area and at other sites.

Quail-heard around Donana.
Pheasant-noted.
Moorhen-noted.
Coot-noted.
Red-knobbed Coot- one seen well in thick emergent vegetation at the Brazo del Este. See below.

Purple Swamphen-seen well at a number of sites around Donana.
Great Bustard-2 seen flying N over the Antequera-Seville road near J43.
Avocet-seen in numbers at a number of sites.
Black-winged Stilt-very common at all wetland sites.

Black-winged Stilt at Laguna de Fuente de Piedra

Stone Curlew-6 seen around the Espera Lagunas.
Collared Pratincole-very common in a variety of areas.

Little-ringed Plover-seen at Laguna de Fuente de Piedra.
Ringed Plover-noted.
Kentish Plover-seen at a variety of sites.
Grey Plover-seen at Bonanza.
Sanderling-seen at Bonanza.
Dunlin-seen in numbers at many sites.
Curlew Sandpiper- lots at Laguna de Fuente de Piedra and Bonanza.
Little Stint-as above.

Wood Sandpiper-singles at Fuente de Piedra, Jose Valverde centre and in large numbers at Lagunas de Tollos.
Green Sandpiper-noted.
Common Sandpiper-noted.
Redshank-noted.
Spotted Redshank- small numbers at a variety of sites but 10+ at Lagunas de Tollos.
Greenshank-noted.
Black-tailed Godwit-noted.
Bar-tailed Godwit-noted.
Curlew-noted.
Whimbrel-noted.
Snipe-noted.
Ruff- breeding garb birds were seen in flocks.

Male Ruff in breeding dress, Fuente de Piedra

Black-headed Gull-noted.
Slender-billed Gull- 2 at the Laguna de Tarelo and 200+ at Bonanza, mating birds and calls all noted and feeding flocks watched at close range. See below.

Mediterranean Gull-a first winter at Brazo del Este.
Yellow-legged Gull-common.
Lesser-black backed Gull-noted past Torre de la Higuera.
Little Tern-seen at Bonanza especially.
Sandwich Tern- seen on the coast.
Gull-billed Tern-seen feeding in flocks over marshes and fields and even following the plough. Resting bird below.

Whiskered Tern-common over all marshes.
Woodpigeon-seen at Espera lagunas.
Collared Dove.
Turtle Dove-seen in the Northern woods of Donana.
Little Owl-singles spotted from the car on two ocasions with a showy bird along the Brazo del Este to La Algaida road.
Swift-common.
Pallid Swift-seen at a variety of sites but studied in detail over Dehesa de Abajo.
Hoopoe-seen everywhere in small numbers.
Bee Eater-seen at many sites.
Crested Lark-very common.
Woodlark-seen at El Acebuche.
Short-toed Lark-seen around the dry marshes and fields. One individual was at home in wheel ruts, see below.

Lesser Short-toed Lark-seen well at La Algaida and other salt scrub areas.
Sand Martin-recorded at many sites.
Crag Martin-seen at Ronda and in the mountains.
Barn Swallow-common.
Red-rumped Swallow- seen at many sites and on our travels.
House Martin-common.
White Wagtail-seen a few sites.
Spanish Wagtail-common around Donana and in crops around Espera lagunas as seen below.

Wren-heard at Puerto de las Palomas near Grazalema.
Robin-noted.
Redstart-one in the bushes outside the Jose Valverde Centre on 16th.
Black Redstart-seen and heard in the mountains around Grazalema.
Black-eared Wheatear- seen at Espera Lagunas on 18th.
Black Wheatear-a pair at Grazalema, a male nearby and a further pair near Montajaque all on 18th. One of the formers birds atop a boulder below.

Stonechat-seen commonly.
Blue-rock Thrush- recorded in the mountains.
Mistle Thrush-recorded.
Blackbird-recorded.
Blackcap-recorded.
Sardinian Warbler-common.
Common Whitethroat-seen around Espera.
Spectacled Warbler-seen at Espera.
Subalpine Warbler-heard at a variety of sites but seen very well near Grazalema.
Sedge Warbler-recorded.
Zitting Cisitcola-common.
Savi’s Warbler-seen and heard well around Donana but La Rocina gave the best views.

Savi’s Warbler, La Rocina MJM

Cetti’s Warbler- heard at many sites.
Reed Warbler-heard and seen well at La Rocina.
Great Reed Warbler-common around Donana.

Great Reed Warbler in full song, El Rocio MJM

Melodius Warbler-three at the Jose Antonio Valverde Centre on 16th and 30+ around Espera Lagunas on 18th. See image below.

Bonelli’s Warbler- one at Grazalema on 18th.
Iberian Chiffchaff-watched and heard well at La Rocina on 15th and one or two other sites subsequently.
Great Tit-noted.
Blue Tit-noted.
Crested Tit-seen nesting at El Acebuche and seen in woodland at some other sites.
Penduline Tit-males at La Rocina on 15th and Brazo del Este on 17th.
Short-toed Treecreeper-noted.
Woodchat Shrike-common.
Southern Grey Shrike-seen mostly from the bus.
Azure winged Magpie-common.
Magpie-common.
Jay-noted.
Jackdaw-noted.
Red-billed Chough-seen at Grazalema and great views at Ronda gorge.
Carrion Crow-noted.
Raven-noted at Grazalema.
Spotless Starling-common.
House Sparrow-noted.
Tree Sparrow-noted.
Chaffinch-noted.
Linnet-noted.
Goldfinch-noted.
Greenfinch-noted.
Serin-common.
Cirl Bunting-seen near Montejaque.
Rock Bunting-noted.

Singing Black-Masked Weaver ?, Brazo del Este

We also noted a few dragonfly species around Jose Valverde Centre especially with Scarlet and Red Veined Darters, Lesser Emperor and a few damselfly species. A variety of butterflies were noted but hard to track on the windy days.

Pick of the mammals would be Iberian Hare Lepus Granatensis but deer sp and Red Fox were noted.

30 May 2009 You cannot beat England on a day like today. An early start out and about checking out a few local sites to home, I was rather surprised to still find Nightingale in full song at Frampton on Severn. An interesting aythya hybrid was also present with the Tufted Duck (30) on Townfield Lake. It was reminiscent of Lesser Scaup but had a look of Ring-necked Duck about it. Closer views would help.

Aythya hybrid

Later in the day I headed for the Forest of Dean with NRS, we had a great morning to 1330 with 50 Four spotted Chaser, 5 Broad-bodied Chaser, male Emperor, Downy Emerald, 500 Large Red, 150 Azure, 10 Common Blue and 5 Blue-tailed Damselfies. Garden Warbler, Tree Pipit, 5 Willow Warbler, Siskin with young and singing Pied Flycatcher were also noted.

‘It’s art innit’  Pied Flycatcher, Cobweb and Ancient Oak 
Forest of Dean 30 May 2009 M.J.McGill

Downy Emerald, Forest of Dean, 30 May 2009  MJM

Painted Lady in my garden M.J.McGill

26-29 May 2009  My first Azure Damselfly for the garden plus an unidentified drag sp. The undoubted highlight has been the Painted Lady invasion. Today (28th) I noted over 2000 at WWT. In 15 minutes I watched 0ver 300 pass me in the Big Pen with over 200 seen crossing the A38 on the way home to Whitminster, only a 12 minute journey, spectacular insect migration. I even had one in Tesco this afternoon.

House Martin collecting mud, 25 May 2009 MJMcGill

26 May 2009 Very little in the way of migration but the breeding birds at WWT are as ever very entertaining. Large numbers of Painted Lady butterflies (c300) noted about the reserve today.

25 May 2009 Some migrants around WWT Slimbridge with 3 Ringed Plover, 2 Whimbrel, c18 Black-tailed Godwit, 27 Dunlin and 3 Sanderling. A second summer Yellow-legged Gull (not pictured)and a first-summer Herring Gull with white wingtips were interesting. I noted c70 Painted Lady butterflies with seven sightings in my garden at dusk.

22-24 May 2009 Back in Glos tonight after a weekend away on Anser tour to Norfolk, the best Norfolk trip I have ever known with amazing birding. More details and trip report with some amazing observations will follow this week. One interesting migration observation which was apparent yesterday and even more so today was the arrival of thousands of Painted Lady butterflies. I mentioned it to NRS who had also noted it. I reckon that I saw over 600 over the last 24hrs with most today, all seen on my travels around East Anglia. They were all worn and simply flypasts but impressive all the same. On checking tonight reports of 100 an hour in off the sea at Beccles gives some idea how many are involved, Severn Beach had 5 today and more reports are due to follow for sure. Sadly, at least two ended up on my windscreen. Good to see 3 bat sp hawking feet from my home this evening.

18-21 May 2009 Best at WWT fore me was the 53 Black-tailed Godwits, most are 1st summers but at least 7 adults.

17 May 2009 At WWT only the, 1 Barwit, 6 Curlew, 18 Dunlin and 2 Ringed Plover noted off Middle Point with 6 Sanderling and a single Dunlin just to the N of here. The two first summer Mediterranean Gulls on South Lake are displaying with one of them goung through a change in bill colour, now deeper red.

16 May 2009 Only an hour out and not a lot to report. 200 Swift over the small copse at Saul Warth the highlight. Only 15 small waders seen in flight over the estuary, DBP reports that they have all departed.

15 May 2009 A couple of hours at Middle Point saw more excellent wader watching, 280 Dunlin, 190 Ringed Plover, 6 Barwit, 5 Knot, 15 Sanderling, 2 Grey Plover and 2 Turnstone. A male Whinchat was also nice as was an adult Kittiwake looking somewhat lost.

14 May 2009 What a spectacular day!

Breeding and non-breeding plumage Grey Plover MJM

At WWT I headed for the 100 Acre first. Lots of birds were singing due to the still, calm start to the day. It was shrouded in a heavy mist but not that cold. One of the first birds of the day was a Great White Egret (undoubtedly the bird John Phillips saw the day before at Lydney) which was fishing in a pool. After a while it flew to another pool nearby which is adjacent to Splatt N reedbed and fished for 20 minutes before returning to the 100 Acre. It was seen a little later heading for Saul Warth.

Great White Egret, WWT 100 Acre /Splatt area 14 May 2009 MJM

A Cuckoo was singing and the still weather allowed me to start a count of the singing warblers on site. My second surprise of the day was a pair of Pochard, very late or lost migrants, unusual for mid-May. By 1330,  I had logged 117 singing Reed Warbler, 23 Sedge Warbler, 10 Chiffchaff, 8 Blackcap, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Common Whitethroat, or first Willow Warbler for two weeks, and best of all a Garden Warbler (rare here in Spring and I cannot recall hearing a singing bird at WWT before) and a selection of commoner species. It was clear that a large gull (Herring/LBB) passage was still in force, I estimated 25 birds a minute until 2.00pm at least but was not watching continously through the day. At least 250 Swift went through early with 1500 Swallow estimated during the day. Some Sand and House Martin were also involved. A first summer Mediterranean Gull was among the Black-headed Gulls on the Top New Piece and 2 Greenshank and a Reeve added to the interest. As did a Greenshank and 12 Black-tailed Godwit on South Lake as I drove by.

At high tide I headed out to check the estuary as a large number of waders were about, it was not dissapointing. 9 Grey Plover , 9 Bar-tailed Godwit, 15 Sanderling, 4 Knot, 2 Turnstone were among the stock waders of 160 Ringed Plover and 200 Dunlin. Seeing breeding plumaged birds is always one of the highlights of  each Spring. A pair of Whinchat had also arrived at Middle Point. At lunchtime (1345)  I headed out to the estuary where the gull passage was still on, what had gone through whilst I was not watching? A short wait and I soon had a dark phase Arctic Skua making it’s way across the mud and sand. I followed it all the way up the estuary, it stalled over a crow with it’s food but doubled it’s speed when over the water. To my surprise it settled on a sand bar and was joined and dwarfed by a pale phase skua next to it. Could it be, ten years of intense searching for the magic Pom in the Upper Severn in Spring, too far to confirm, I had to get closer so I headed up river to gain a better view, not believing. Checking again, no sign but after 5 minutes I found the pale bird, it was sitting in the water, it showed the right head pattern and I could see what appeared to be tail spoons when zooming up with the Swarovski. It soon took flight, made a few circles before it floated back downriver past me giving glorious views of it’s, as the Severnbeachboys put it,  ’full set of cutlery’. It was a fully adult Pomarine Skua. I radiode’d and started to ring people but lost the bird whilst doing this, my phone died and along with NRS and DBP who had arrived could not relocate it, the weather had closed in again. I went back to the digger with a big smile and finished the project I was working on. At the end of the day at 1700 I went back to the office, after updating the WWT website I headed out with DBP and NRS to search for the birds again but visibility, weather and low tide had beaten us. We sifted through and counted the marvellous waders on show. I had seen a male and female Wheatear to add to the day tally. I left for home at 1840.

Adult pale phase Pomarine Skua WWT Slimbridge M.J.McGill
14 May 2009

Sedgies in the Sunny and during overcast conditions MJM
Great birds whatever the weather. See following two images

13 May 2009 I will update with images later in the week but some migration was in evidence today at WWT/The Severn. I noted a Reeve, 4 Greenshank, 4 Red Knot, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 28 Black-tailed Godwit, 70 Dunlin, 45 Ringed Plover and large numbers of hirundines.

10-12 May 2009 A busy period at work with safari’s, dawnchorus and a photo safari but some nice results.

Smirking Brown Hare MJM

Male Hairy Dragonfly MJM 10 May 2009

Little Egret MJM

Dandelion eating Pheasant MJM

Sibling or road kill eating Fox cub MJM
Still cannabilism…

9 May 2009 No birding today.

8 May 2009 Out at 0530-0800 and 1115-1210 where a pair of Whinchat, 70 Dunlin, 5 Ringed Plover, 11 Sanderling, a Whimbrel and 2 Little Terns were the best birds today on the Severn. Two Common Sandpipers at Splatt Bridge were nervous but gavegood scope views as they were flushed by walkers every few minutes but were succesfully harvesting insects on the towpath. A Common Tern on Townfield Lake was eclipsed by a group of 9 Dunlin (scarce here). My hoped for skua/tern passage did not happen in the Upper Severn but Severn beach birder Paul Bowerman yet again watched an Arctic and Pomarine Skua head over the Second crossing into Gloucestershire this morning. An evening watch for three hours produced 3 and 13 Whimbrel N.

7 May 2009 My first Azure Damselfly of the year, 50 Blue-tailed Damslefly, 20 Common Blue, 30 Large Red and 3 Red-eyed Damselflies too. The latter was seen on the 4th. 61 Dunlin and 4 Ringed Plover in the WWT Top New Piece was encouraging.

6 May 2009 A breeding plumaged Golden Plover in the WWT 100 Acre was the highlight.

5 May 2009 Another dead day on the River Severn (except for 300 lovely Shelduck) and very few migrant passerines, a new Wheatear, another pair of Yellow Wagtails and a male showing territorial behaviour at a new site. I watched two or possibly three males fighting in mid-air yesterday with at least 3 possibly 4 birds present.  It would be nice to see this species doing well locally after the declines of recent times. They go so well with Cattle and marshes. Sedge and Reed Warbler and Common and Lesser Whitethroat seem to be taking territories in all sutiable habitat. A Cuckoo was singing at the South Finger. I also noted a Fox with a Shelduck in it’s mouth this afternoon.

Male Northern Wheatear at WWT MJMcGill
A poor Spring for this species for me, much less than I normally see with less than 20 individuals noted locally so far.

4 May 2009 Some new birds and passage around the Severn. I logged 3 Whimbrel, a Wood Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank and Greenshank joining the Dunlin, Redshank and Lapwing on the Top New Piece, WWT. A total of 70 small waders were about the estuary but all were Dunlin or Ringed Plover.

3 May 2009 Some new insects for the year today with Common Blue Damselfly, lots of Blue-tailed and Large Red Damseflies and good views of female Hairy Dragonfly at WWT.  New birds included another Curlew Sandpiper on the Top New Piece at WWT and the Garganey was still present.

Female Hairy Dragonfly seen on WWT safari M.J.McGill.

Sedge Warbler WWT. Larger numbers on territory this year in response to habitat tweaking M.J.McGill

2 May 2009 Only gardening so far today, wish I was scoping a Collared Fly! Lots of Glos birders have been to see it so far but not me.

1 May 2009 A look at Frampton Pools and a single Common Sandpiper and 2 Common Terns were notable, an obvious emergence of Large Red (30) and Blue-tailed Damselflies (10) was in evidence.