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| Reed Bunting |
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| Swallow |
Monday, 30 May 2011
Sunday, 29 May 2011
Saturday, 21 May 2011
Oare Surprise & Canterbury Woodlands
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| White-spotted Bluethroat |
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| White-spotted Bluethroat |
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| White-spotted Bluethroat |
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| Heath Fritillary |
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| Heath Fritillary |
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Common Buzzard |
Sunday, 8 May 2011
Lakenheath & Weeting Heath
Leaving the house at Tottenhill to our nesting Coal Tits and singing Cuckoo and Nightingale we headed to Lakenheath in Suffolk where we recorded: Cuckoo (heard), a booming Bittern, Garganey (pair), Hobby (5), Swift (10), Marsh Harrier (2), Common Buzzard (1), Black Tern (1), Common Tern (4) and various commoner summer visitors. Lunchtime was spent at nearby Weeting Heath where we managed to obtain distant views only of two Stone Curlews from the hide.
Norfolk Weekend: Titchwell & Cley
Started our day at Titchwell: Garganey (male), Little Stint (1), Little Tern (3), Spotted Redshank (1), Whimbrel (2), Little Ringed Plover (4), White Wagtail (1) and Brent Goose (20). Moving onto Cley we recorded: Shorelark (5), Spoonbill (2), Temminck's Stint (2), Whinchat (1), Wheatear (5), Yellow Wagtail (20), Marsh Harrier (2), Sandwich Tern (6), Little Egret (1), Pink-footed Goose (1) and Sparrowhawk (1).
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| Shorelark |
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| Shorelark |
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| White Wagtail |
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| Common Sandpiper |
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| Little Ringed Plover |
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| Avocet |
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| Shoveler |
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| Woodpigeon |
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| Greylag Goose |
Sunday, 1 May 2011
Northern France
We joined Bob Knight and Jeremy Hall this morning for our near annual day drip to France to visit some of the well known and easily reached birding spots within easy reach of Calais. Our first stop was Sailly Bray where aided by fine weather, we were soon watching: Marsh Harrier (2), Hen Harrier (male), Bluethroat (2), Whinchat and Grey Wagtail (2) among an assortment of the usual summer migrants.
Following our enjoyable start, we headed towards the coast and the area of Saint Valery sur Somme and our run of good fortune continued as we added a well observed Black Kite to our days tally. Also, circling on a different set of thermals was a single flock of ten White Storks.
With time pushing on, we continued our drive to Le Bois de Cise adding a Red Kite on route and a further three Marsh Harriers. The birding quietened down at this time but for a small number of Mediterranean Gulls offshore so we took the opportunity to enjoy some lunch and a well-earned (if not expensive!) beer at a beach front restaurant before continuing.
From this location, we had noticed that there was some significant flooded areas at nearby Hable D'Ault so we started our journey back via this location. This proved to be an inspired decision, as before long we had added Little Ringed Plover (5), Spoonbill (1), Kentish Plover (2), Crested Lark (1), Garganey (5), Red-crested Pochard (5) and a Caspian Tern to our list of sightings.
Time really had marched on considerably by the time we had soaked up these delights and there was now no alternative but to begin the journey back. As we passed the area of Saint Valery sur Somme, we noticed from the car a large Egret feeding in a roadside pool. After turning the car around to confirm our suspicians, we were able to see that there were actually two Great White Egrets feeding together!
Following our enjoyable start, we headed towards the coast and the area of Saint Valery sur Somme and our run of good fortune continued as we added a well observed Black Kite to our days tally. Also, circling on a different set of thermals was a single flock of ten White Storks.
With time pushing on, we continued our drive to Le Bois de Cise adding a Red Kite on route and a further three Marsh Harriers. The birding quietened down at this time but for a small number of Mediterranean Gulls offshore so we took the opportunity to enjoy some lunch and a well-earned (if not expensive!) beer at a beach front restaurant before continuing.
From this location, we had noticed that there was some significant flooded areas at nearby Hable D'Ault so we started our journey back via this location. This proved to be an inspired decision, as before long we had added Little Ringed Plover (5), Spoonbill (1), Kentish Plover (2), Crested Lark (1), Garganey (5), Red-crested Pochard (5) and a Caspian Tern to our list of sightings.
Time really had marched on considerably by the time we had soaked up these delights and there was now no alternative but to begin the journey back. As we passed the area of Saint Valery sur Somme, we noticed from the car a large Egret feeding in a roadside pool. After turning the car around to confirm our suspicians, we were able to see that there were actually two Great White Egrets feeding together!
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| Caspian Tern |
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| Fulmar |
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| Kentish Plover |
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