Whixall & the 4th County Tick!!....

I couldn't believe it yesterday as I was spooning the spicy pasta I'd just made for my late dinner/early tea, when I recieved a text from Rob Stokes saying he'd just found a female Marsh Harrier on Whixall Moss!!! As I have 'the other two' harrier sp. on my Shropshire list, I dearly wanted this bugger to have the full set!!!...By the time I'd finished my dinner, lunch, tea... whatever!!, I broke my own rule of 'if you can go, GO!!!'... & headed up to spend a couple of hours with Mand before heading off for my night shift!!!...I got a call from Mike Stokes saying... well, more like taking the piss, that he'd got the Marsh Harrier, but it was being relentlessly mobbed by crows!!...I decided that I'd go straight from work in the morning, as the weather reports for the next couple of days looked somewhat shite!!...I left work around 06:30am & arrived at the Moss just after 7am. I headed out towards the 'Monty' spot, checking every bird en route!!... There were 100's of BH Gull, around 40+ Curlew, stacks of Reed Bunting & Meadow Pipit, but nil raptors!!!...Around 8am & 'no sign', I was starting to get 'that feeling'!!... Then behind me something disturbed the BH Gull colony, I then saw 2 large raptors!!!... Before I got my bins on them I knew what they were.... Buzzards!!..Then some more disturbance to the other side as another large bird was being mobbed!!.... This time a lone Raven!!!... Hmmmmmm... not good!!It was around 08:20am, & seriously tired, I was thinking of leaving the Moss for some much needed sleep, when I saw a large bird being mobbed roughly where I watched the Monty's a couple of years back, raising my bins I saw the bird was a deep, all-over brown colour, with long, narrower wings than buzzard & a uniform plumage colour!!!... Then it turned & the sun hit it head on... the head was a very (pale, light brown!!.... YES!!!... The ad. female Marsh Harrier!!!!!...

My 4th county tick in as many months & the harrier set for Shropshire!!.. (Well, bar Pallid of course, what a turn up that would be!!).... Anyway, I watched as the bird was mobbed by a lone Curlew, flying at roughly 100ft or so, occaisionally it stopped to circle, but was slowly pushing in a North-North-westerly direction, gaining height the entire time!!... Eventually a Lapwing joined in mobbing the harrier, by now I was watching the bird in my scope as it had no gained height to easily 400ft & was pushing off way across the Moss (well into the Wales side now),.... Sadly, after about 5 minutes the bird was a mere speck in the scope!!...Chuffed to bits, I headed back to the car (picking up 2 Willow Tit on the way - a year tick!!), sadly no Hobby or Cuckoo, but I wasn't too worried about that, & headed off for home for a few hours much needed sleep!!...

The atmospheric Whixall Moss, in glorious sunshine this morning!!... It wasn't like this a few hours later when the heavens opened!!....

More from VP!!....

Arrived at VP around 08:30am, sadly just too late for a lone Common Tern that flew through, but I joined Jim & Dave for quite a spectacle... over 110 Swallow were flying around the pool, along with at least 50 Sand Martin & 5+ House Martin... Then my first year tick, 3 Swift flew in (later we counted at least 10 Swift!!)... Then the second year tick, a stunning male Yellow Wagtail, which was soon joined by 2 females!!... A very tired looking Wheatear was on the shunge island. Also 2 Grey Wagtail & 1 male White Wagtail were present. 13 summer pl. Dunlin were busily feeding, a Common Sandpiper & 4 LRP also on the pool. A Lesser Whitethroat was showing well in the car park, with Sedge & Reed Warbler also seen, along with a few Whitethroat in the top field...

Not too surprised to see that the Avocet & the Whimbrel had gone.... But a great couple of hours birding.... With Jim keeping us going with his tale of 'The Flash!!'.... ;~p

Just some of the 13 Dunlin present this morning!!...

The lone Wheatear on the shingle island....

....& finally, a stunner male Yellow Wagtail!!...

...& we're back again!!!...

Recieved a message from Big V to inform me that not only had he got the Avocet, but also that a Whimbrel had dropped in!!!...

So, once again I stop the DVD player, pour another cup of tea down the drain & head off back to VP!!...

Had a quick chat with Rob in the car park before heading into the hide & the Whimbrel was sat directly ahead, calling merrily away!!... The Avocet was also still performing well.... And Helen has reliably informed me that the Avocet is indeed a first for VP!!! So, thats excellent, aint it?!!...

Couple of pics of the Whimbrel at VP this evening.... a year tick for me!!...

...& a slightly better photo of the Avocet....well, only just!!...

A VP first??!!...

What a turn up... a call from Richard Dodwell had me flying off to VP for a very tidy patch tick!! A stunning Avocet was feeding happily on the grass island to the right of the main hide... Although not a county tick for me (I was lucky enough to see the 4 Avocets at Wood Lane a couple of years ago), I'm pretty sure this may be a 1st for VP!!?... I'm not 100% certain, maybe someone can answer this... but a fantastic, and possibly long overdue, patch tick!!!...

One thing I know, for such a large wader they're a sod to photograph!!...

....My first attempt, & possibly as good as it's gonna get!!....

The second picture it's showing me where he thinks I can shove my camera, and finally, just before he hid behind the island!!... Awkward bloody wader!!... Nice bird tho!

Another Hoopoe!!!...

Just a quickie!!.... After scoring my 1st Reed Warbler of the year at VP, I decided to go to Pentre in the afternoon to see the Hoopoe that was seen by Geoff & Rob the previous day...
After another haul down the A49 I soon arrived at Pentre bumping into Paul en route, who informed me the bird was there but elusive!! (It hadn't been seen for over 2 hours!!)...
Yvonne & a couple of other birders were present, but no sign...
Then a local told me he thought he'd seen it up past the farm, I moved up the road & stood on a style to look across the field & the Hoopoe got up right by me & flew & perched in a nearby tree...
Sadly. it dropped out of view before the others arrived... But it's still there today, so I'm sure they scored...
Also had 2 Red Kite here!!.... My second Hoopoe this year & my 3rd for Shropshire!! Not bad eh?...

Skulking Ticks!!....

Just a quick stop-off at VP today, when I arrived I was greeted by Jim & Geoff who had found a noisy, but skulking Whitethroat!!... After a quick search, the bird was fairly mobile, it did briefly surface on top of the hedge (allowing a good photo opportunity for Paul), and another year tick! I decided to have a search for Blackcap as I still need this bird, after some searching I did get a brief view of a male over near where I had the Lesserthroat yesterday!...
So, not bad, 2 year ticks in 30 minutes or so, taking the owd county year list to 120 species & my UK year list up to 165 species.... Getting there slowly.... very slowly!!... ;~p

Spring at Venus...

A fleeting visit lunchtime today to show Mand where I spend so much of my time, paid off thanks to Rob who had found a very vocal & showy Lesser Whitethroat in the top field, just past the oak tree. Also had Chiffchaff & Willow Warbler here, plus Rob had found a female Redstart over in the far western corner of the field.

Not much on the pool, but there were at least 2 Sedge Warbler singing around the pool... Bumped into Jim, who I'm sure by now will have a great piccie of the Lesserthroat!!... So, no need for me to try & get one!!... ;~)

The oak tree in the top field at VP, there's a Lesserthroat singing away merrily in there somewhere!!....

Back home, back to Bridges!!....

Just a quickie here & you'll be pleased to know there'll be no pix!! (spilt Lucozade on my phone last night ~ what a tit!!!)...
Decided to calm myself with a visit to one of my fave places, the tranquil Bridges!!!... It didn't take long to find my 1st year tick, a splendid male Pied Flycatcher (in fact, there were at least 3 present!!)... Around c.12 Brambling were nice, especially a male almost in full summer plumage!! A lone Swallow, a few Raven & the usual suspects. After quite a search I found my 2nd year tick, a rather niffty male Redstart, right by the style where I'd parked my car!!!....
So, 3 stunning species of bird, 2 of 'em year ticks!!... Has this lessened the pain from yesterday?... Nah!.. not really!!... ;~p

Norfolk: The End of the Trip.

Oh this hurts to write... what could've been!!... As it was our final day, the rain had now begun to pour, the wind still relentless, around 11am we decided to head for home & with no news coming in, I agreed.

It was around 5pm, and now back in Shropshire, that news of a possible Black Lark (only the 3rd record for the UK), at Winterton Dunes, I was horrified as we were so close to the place that day!! It was only an hour & the news was confirmed!! A collossal blow for me, as I began birding just after the infamous South Stack, this would've been a huge unblocker for me!!...

As I write this on Monday 21st, the bird was reported briefly once at 7am this morning, but no news for over 5 hours now!!! Any late comers will have to 'make do' with the Hoopoe & Wryneck which are also at Winterton today ~ that east wind has certainly done it's job, what else may turn up?... There's a possible Roseate Tern at Sheringham today!!... If only we'd gone a day later or stayed a day longer?....

Am I upset?... Yeah, you bet I bloody well am!!!...

Pentland Lodge in Sheringham, our 'home from home' for the weekend, I cannot (as Jim said on his blog), recommend this place highly enough!!! If you're ever going to Norfolk and are looking for all round A1 B&B then call Jeff & Janette on 01263 823533 ~ I know you'll love it there!!!

....Your blog author looking at the report of what he missed on... no wonder I look so f***ed off!!!

Norfolk: Day Two.

After a superb brekkie at our brilliant B&B (recommended by Jim ~ nice call Jim!!), we headed off into Sheringham for a wander round... Nice place by the way, if you've never been...Then after dinner we headed off to Burnham to look for the reported Rough-legged Buzzard.

I walked out onto the long ridge that seperates the saltmarsh from the field area, viewable from the road. There was plenty of Marsh Harrier's yet again, with Dunlin, Knot & Redshank on the saltmarsh. A Peregrine caused a moment of excitement, but nothing much else....Then, after an hour or so of waiting, in the distance I saw a large raptor rise up over the nearby woodland, luckily I got my scope onto it, and as the bird turned I clocked the bright white tail... Yes!! the Rough-legged Buzzard!!! A lifer for me & a bird I didn't expect to see!!!... I was recovering from the excitment of seeing this when over to the north I noticed a huge bird flying towards me with 3 Shelduck, as I raised my bins I was chuffed to bits to see a Crane flying straight at me!!! The bird flew right past me, giving literally, scope-filled views, & was losing height the whole time, I was praying it would land on the marsh in front of me, but a Redshank took an instant dislike to the Crane & began to mob it!! The Crane did eventually land, but over a grass ridge just out of view.... I raced back to where the car was parked & managed to locate it in the far field & although distant, enjoyed great views of the bird as it fed in the field... a huge & truly spectacular bird!!!

End of day 2, only 2 year ticks, but both were brilliant!!!... An improvement on day 1!!...Final sum up coming next....

Overlooking the saltmarsh at Burnham, where I scored 2 fabbo ticks!!!.....

Norfolk: Day One.

Decided to have a weekend away in Norfolk with the fam & the galfriend.... Birding was of course my reason for going, but I knew it would have to be 'restrained!'... ;~)

We arrived in Norfolk in good time, but the weather wasn't too good though, grey skies & powerful winds were in place for the entire weekend, but as the winds were easterly I was hoping for the odd good bird to turn up.... (little did I know exactly how good a bird would turn up!!!... If I had, I would've stayed another day!!... more of that later!!)...

Wolferton was first, after a good half hour of searching Golden Pheasant failed to show ~ the first time I've failed to see at least one here, although I understand they are becoming very scarce now here?...

Then a text from Mike & Andy alerting me to a possible Pallid Harrier just a few mile up the road at Snettisham CP!!!... We were off!! We soon arrived to surprisingly no birders, although on the shore were hundreds of Black & Bar-tailed Godwits, all in summer plumage. There were smaller numbers of Avocet, Knot, Redshank & Curlew... Anyway, where was the harrier? As my Dad & myself walked along the shoreline 6 Twite got up just several feet from us, I never even noticed them on the deck, sadly they flew off over the holiday huts & out of view!! (I'm still to see a Twite on the deck, only ever had flight views!!)...

Then I met up with a local birder & after a chat it appeared that the bird hadn't been seen for over an hour, but!! the local lad believed that there was a good chance the bird seen was a female Hen Harrier, a small, lightly coloured & also showing a 'collar', which had been seen around Titchwell!!... With no further sightings or news over the next 2 days it was either this bird or it had simply flown off??....

As we arrived back at the car a skien of around 300 Brent Goose flew overhead... Onwards to Titchwell.

The wind at Titchwell was both cold & very strong, but us Shropshire lot are a hardened breed & undetered we pushed onto the reserve. There were displaying Marsh Harriers which were great to watch & at one point a lone & very brave Bearded Tit flew up at one of the Harriers, this was the only Bearded Tit I saw all weekend!!... As expected, there were loads of Avocet, but very, very few other waders as the water levels in the scrapes were very high. A lone House Martin was flying with several Swallow. A Sedge Warbler was in full song near the 1st hide, with an Egyptian Goose on the saltmarsh & a Ring Ouzel in the nearby field. On the beach seawatching was poor, with only a few Grey Plover on the beach of note.

Just a rather poor 4 year ticks on the first day, and with little news of anything much around, I guess it wasn't too bad a start?... But I did expect better, I could only hope Saturday would prove a better day?... More in Part 2 to follow soon....

A very confiding Avocet proved a chance for me to at last try & prove that I can take the odd good pic.... but he wasn't gonna give in that easily for that 'one' great shot!!... Too quick for me here!!....

....Aaaah, almost got 'im!!... just missed the owd bill!!....

....Oh sod it!!!... I just dont have the patience for this photography lark!!!... I gave up after this attempt!!!...

Oodles of Ouzel's!!....

Having now recovered from my birthday celebrations over the weekend, & with a free day, I headed off to south Shropshire & some much needed year ticks!! After the ball-ache of a drive down the A49, I eventually arrived at Titterstone Clee summit. I was a chuffed that it was a gorgeous clear day, sun shining... but quite a few people had the same idea today... hikers, dog walkers, a lad on a trials bike... even a bloody helecopter flying over low....

But, instantly I was onto a year tick - Wheatears!! Lot's & lot's of Wheatears in fact.... & a lot of Meadow Pipits... & Ravens!!....

I headed around to the quarry and after a short wait I heard the call I wanted!!!... Then 4 birds flew from off the cliff face!! Three landed high above me but out in the open, Ring Ouzel's!!! 2 stunning males, the 3rd looked to be a female (it was hidden slightly by a large branch), the 4th bird flew over the cliff face & out of view!! Excellent!!!

Then I headed off for Bury Ditches, en route I ticked Red Kite, circling with several Buzzard just outside Onibury!!...

Then in Craven Arms I got snarled up in a traffic jam due to road works!!! After 10 minutes & not moving I thought bollocks to it & headed for home via the Long Mynd!

Then the weather changed drastically, snow & rain pelted down!!... Deciding birding was out for the day, I did swing into Bridges, but no Redstart or Pied Flys, home for dinner it was!!!...

Rather splendid view from Titt. Clee summit today!!....

The quarry on Titt. Clee, a great spot for Ring Ouzel!!.... & possibly a set from Doctor Who involving Cybermen??!....

Trying to narrow the gap....

Well, working this weekend cost me a few year ticks, Ring Ouzel being the only one that will take some sort of gripping back!! The others a really a given, impatience led to a stop-off at VP today after my 5th consecutive day shift (plus I start my night shifts in just 7hrs time!!).... My 1st year tick was almost immediate ~ Common Sandpiper, outside the main hide... I then, through very tired eye's, began scanning the few hundred Sand Martin for a solitary House Martin ~ there wasn't one!!
So off to the top field for a look there, sadly, no Wheatear's or Yellow Wagtail's on either the newly ploughed top field nor along the causeway (did see a very strong contender for a White Wagtail though!!)... Anyway, it was whilst walking along the causeway that I got my 2nd year tick, & it was a little belter!! A Merlin shot across the trout pool, turned up the causeway (getting very close to myself!!), & finally disappeared over the birch trees to the eastern end of the causeway!!....
Still got plenty of 'easy' ticks to add, plus I'm off to Norfolk next week for a few days, so, should be hitting the 160+ mark easily by then.... (on 150 for the year as of now... just in case you were wondering?...)

The Coming of the Second Quarter!!...

It's been a kindda strange first quarter to the year, county wise, excellent, with 3 county ticks ~ as many as I'd have hoped for for the entire year, if I'm honest.... but to get them by the end of March ~ brilliant!!
But the owd year list has slipped to almost dire level, only 2 lifers.... not what I'd planned!! The other TSB boys faring far better, now all ahead of me on both year ticks & lifers!!!
But today, the 1st of April, has started well with a text from Geoff. I had actually booked the day off work to spend the day with Mand in town... However, I was to arrive at VP around 15:40hrs, to be treated to excellent views of an Osprey, endlessly circling the trout pool for over an hour!!..
This excellent bird was backed up by 3 more year ticks in the shape of 2 Little Ringed Plovers on the main pool, a single Swallow & a very showy, but silent, Willow Warbler outside the main hide!!...
Hopefully, this will be a catylyst to boost my year list somewhat!?... Just shy of 150 species by the start of April (crap, by the way!!), & up to 110 species for the county, not too bad...
With 3 days in Norfolk in mid April, I hope to be bitting 160+ by the end of the month... Time will tell....
No crap pictures today folks... simply couldn't get one of the Osprey!!... ;~)