Monday, August 31, 2009
Egypt Woods
A large mixed flock containing a willow warbler and a couple of goldcrests was moving restlessly through the canopy - very difficult to observe. On my way out, I stopped to watch a couple of blackbirds in a rowan tree. Distracted by a stoat running across the path, I nearly missed a lesser spotted woodpecker. It was a couple of metres away in an oak sapling, just above eye-level - a smart male bird.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Dorney Common
A spotted flycatcher was among warblers in the corner of the common this morning.
I didn't pay much attention when a pale bird landed rather clumsily in nearby brambles and began to preen in full view - very different behaviour from the swift dash into cover of the other warblers.
I thought it was a female chaffinch. Realising my mistake I took a few pics but then lost it. Blackcaps, chiffchaffs and whitethroats were also present.Monday, August 17, 2009
Egypt Woods
On an evening walk in failing light I caught sight of half a dozen small but stocky birds, fluttering about in a silver birch above a horribly dirty puddle. These, to my great delight, proved to be crossbills.
"Nope, she's no better this way up!"
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Dorney Lake
A quiet "chek" suggested a garden warbler might be present in one of the plantations, so I loitered at a distance and eventually the bird emerged to feed on the ripening elderberries.
This was my first garden warbler at Dorney Lake.Saturday, August 15, 2009
The Downs
A long walk from Ashdown House in windy conditions brought very few birds. The harvested rape field on Weathercock Hill was the highlight, as it held numerous yellow wagtails.
Up near the gallops, a peregrine crossed our path; but I was too slow to get anything more than a shot from behind as it powered off into the distance.
The only other sightings of interest were four buzzards in the air together and five grey partridges flushed on Weathercock Hill.Tuesday, August 11, 2009
A weekend in Cornwall
We arrived early evening at the Old Quay House, Hayle. "First things first" we both said, as I set the scope up and Greger got the beers in.
We arrived early evening at the Old Quay House, Hayle. "First things first" we both said, as I set the scope up and Greger got the beers in.
Our little room was right on the edge of the mudflats, with curlews practically a garden tick.
The following day we drove across the county to the south coast, and walked west along the cliff path from Lizard Point. Greger did well to photograph a pair of wary choughs.
We wasted a lot of sympathy on the herring gull on the rock for having only one and a half legs - until Greger pointed out that he was merely holding his foot up! The buildings of Kynance Cove can be seen in the distance.
At Kynance we lunched on Cornish pasties at the beach cafe and then set off back. Swallows were everywhere, launching attacks every now and then on a party of inoffensive wheatears. This is another of Greger's shots.
Soon we were back in sight of Lizard Point and the lighthouse.
On the path ahead was a long fly clearly up to no good; I looked it up when I got home and learned that it was a sand wasp. She has paralysed the caterpillar and is dragging it back to her nest. She will lay her eggs on it, and the larvae will have fresh meat to feed on. Rather knocks on the head the idea of a benign creator.
This morning I woke at seven as the tide was coming in. The usual redshanks and oystercatchers were below Lelant Saltings station. Seven common sandpipers were on the river bank near the road. A flock of ringed plovers and dunlins zipped across the mudflats and three black-tailed godwits fed together far out. An unfamiliar call made me look up to see a whimbrel flying over.Greger came out with a mug of coffee and pointed at a kingfisher flashing by just below us. As the swirling water crept over the mud and filled the creeks, the waders retreated to the south-west corner - which is difficult to see.
The best place to watch at this point is the car park; but after I'd done this the day before, a sign appeared there stating "This is not a bird-watching car park"! I wasn't sure if that was aimed at me, non-resident bird-watchers or everyone. When we stayed here before the manager was birder-friendly, but The Old Quay House has changed hands since then.
I was pretty sure I'd seen a curlew sandpiper and I thought I'd glimpsed a wood sandpiper. We booked out and loaded the car, and I risked setting up the scope in the corner of the car park. Greger took this picture of two wood sandpipers with the P90.
It was a great weekend with a fabulous cliff walk, some sunny weather, a nice meal at Alba in St. Ives and some good birding. But I doubt if we'll stay at the Old Quay House again.Sunday, August 02, 2009
In the afternoon, an exhausting tramp across Burnham Beeches and Egypt Woods brought the best of rewards: a lesser spotted woodpecker (in fact there might have been two).
And here's the head.....
This was my first summer sighting of a lesser spotted woodpecker in the woods - and it could be a juvenile bird, as the red appears to be spotty rather than the solid colour of an adult male. It was extremely wary, and just after I grabbed these pics it vanished into the canopy.