Peregrine almost ruins day

Photos:

White Stork, oddly marked Buzzard and Roe Deer at West Moor, Somerset
Red-necked Phalarope and first summer Little Gull, Upton Warren

15^th May 

When I got to my hotel last night and checked some websites, I was a little miffed to find a White Stork had been seen just a few miles from my hotel. Given my usual insomnia in hotels, I was up at dawn this morning and heading towards West Moor. There was not a soul around as I headed through the grass to the point where the stork had been. I did surprise a Roe Buck who didn’t quite know what to make of me and so just stood and stared for ten minutes. 

Eventually I found the stork, still in residence though distant and flighty. I watched this superb bird for around an hour or so before I realised I had to go to work and thus I trotted off back to my car, seeing a weirdly marked Buzzard on the way. 

On my way home this afternoon I heard of a female Red-necked Phalarope at Upton Warren and given I was literally driving past it (few birders realise how close this place is to the motorway) I decided to make a pit stop.  

I had a quick chat with one of the warden’s I know, John Belser before moving to the hide and getting straight onto the phalarope. It was with some Dunlin and was constantly being pestered by Black-headed Gulls which breed here. After around ten minutes, just as we were all sat patiently and quietly, suddenly without warning a Peregrine appeared and was off with a small wader. No one saw it approach and even the gulls didn’t react to it. 

There then followed that sickening feeling in the hide – had the falcon done for the phalarope. Fortunately one chap in the downstairs section (new hide by the way and much better than the old one for me) had snapped the Peregrine and we were just about able to identify the wader as a Dunlin. Nevertheless the phalarope had done one and didn’t come back at all. 

There was still plenty to go at here though with lots of Avocets, Little Ringed Plovers, a fox and a first summer Little Gull which has been around for a few weeks and has set up a territory in front of the hide. 

I eventually got home this evening, finding a Wheatear and a Corn Bunting in Highfield Lane as I drove down it and then later taking Bill to HGF 210+ Swifts, 170+ Swallows, 3 Little Ringed Plovers and a Common Sandpiper were present.

The heron family stars in Somerset

Photos:

Squacco Heron, Blagdon Lake
Great White Egrets, Shapwick Heath

14^th May 

I am working away tomorrow and landed in Somerset early evening. I wanted to see the Squacco Heron at Blagdon Lake, however this requires a permit from Chew Valley Lake so I headed there first. Having acquired the important piece of paper I drove past Heron’s Green Pool where the faithful Barn Owl was flying around and eventually found my way to Blagdon. The Squacco Heron was wandering around in the undergrowth and was being watched by two other birders who put me onto it. I would have completely missed it otherwise. I watched the heron for a bit and had a natter with Lee Evans who also turned up (apparently he has the UK’s last example of this species in his freezer?) and then headed off to another location somewhere in deepest, darkest Somerset. I was considering keeping this quiet, however Natural England have publicised this anyway. 

I arrived at Shapwick Heath and began a walk up towards Noah’s Hide. It was extremely windy by now and all the birds had gone quiet. Except of course for the one bird that never seems to shut up whatever the weather or time of year – Cetti’s Warbler. Anyway I heard a few of these and then strolling further along came across a Great White Egret in breeding plumage – lots of plumes and dark bill. Yes – these birds are breeding here – see this link: 

http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/about_us/news/2012/220512.aspx 

I watched this cracking bird for a bit and then continued on, eventually seeing 2 Marsh Harriers. 

At the hide there was sod all – nothing moving and a seemingly endless blast of wind. I decided to head past the hide further up the track and eventually spotted my target bird – a Hobby. It was the only one I saw and then only briefly. On a still day I could expect to see a few dozen here at this time of year. 

I headed back when first a Cuckoo called, second a Bittern boomed, third a couple of Bitterns flew over my head making noises like strangled sea birds and fourth a second Great White Egret appeared. Oh and then a Garden Warbler started singing. All in all a better end to a very good day!

Dunlin at HGF

Photos:

Dunlin at Houghton Green Flash. Digiscoping sometimes has its advantages!

14^th May 

An early morning start at HGF produced a patch tick in the form of a Tree Sparrow which was observed flitting between the west hedge and Myddleton Farm. A Dunlin and a Common Sandpiper was also present. At Rixton on my way through were 7 Wheatears and a Yellow Wagtail. The local terns are still present.

Barbondale & Morecambe Little Gull

Photos:

Whinchat, Tree Pipit, Dipper and Wheatear at Barbondale

12^th May 

Back at the van this weekend and after eventually crawling out of bed this morning I took Bill and headed off to Barbondale. The weather wasn’t great – it was windy all the time which partially masked birds calling and singing and it alternated frequently between bright sun (very warm) and overcast conditions (cold). 

Down by the beck I spotted a Dipper and then a pair of Grey Wagtails feeding young. Going through the first gates I first picked up a Wheatear perched on the dry stone wall and then a male Whinchat. The latter later spent 20 minutes playing in the beck. I wandered slowly along watching birds flitting back and forth. There was plenty to see, however there was also a restless edgy feel to the morning and no birds would sit still for long. I eventually spotted 10 Redstarts – nearly all males, 3 Pied Flycatchers (a pair plus a single male) and 3 Tree Pipits. A Cuckoo also called briefly. The only warbler species picked up was Willow – at least 15 of these were seen. I’ve had better days here, however it was still a very pleasant way to spend a morning. 

Back at the van late afternoon two Ravens flew over and headed in the general direction of Clougha. 

13^th May 

I got up early for a change today and headed over to Heysham. I met Pete Marsh there and was met with the “best morning’s sea watching for some time”. Pete later posted in his blog that the bird activity had almost died a death by 06:45, five minutes before I turned up! 

I did stick around for a couple of hours and a dark morph Arctic Skua blasting through was some reward. I also had 2 Kittiwakes, 9 Gannets, 11 close in Razorbills flying line astern and another 10 or so unidentified auks. 5 Whimbrel also flew past. 

Next I headed over to Morecambe. It was around 2 hours after high tide by now and there was plenty of exposed mud. Around Town Hall groyne lots of waders were feeding including a mixed flock of 107 Ringed Plovers and 95 Dunlin. A Peregrine suddenly appeared, spooking the waders as it streaked over the mud. It missed and turned its attention to the local Pigeons – it was last seen disappearing over back yards in the town! I carried on scanning thinking there might be something interesting out there and I eventually found it – a first summer Little Gull perched up with some Common Gulls on a sand bar. It eventually flew closer and flitted up and down the shoreline for 20 minutes or so before disappearing. A lone Whimbrel was also observed here.