four wheel birding (1 Viewer)

Thanks for the comments Pie/H ... aways nice to have one's efforts at 'reporting' to be appreciated

Matt said:

Roll on those september migs eh!!

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Matt, much of what I've seen recently have actually been passage migrants, especially the Redstarts, Grasshopper W's, Whinchats and high number of Spot Flys etc (and the Osprey of course). Mid to late August is a pretty good time for Sussex birding!

D, I love the Woody. I saw this thread when we first got to Gib, but I couldn't take the time to read as the WI-Fi fee is very high here and I had to spend my minutes on family stuff and final insurance communications regarding my burned-to-a crisp patch in California. Since then I've found a local cafe, DaVinci's who offers free wi-fi if you have a cuppa or glassa. I'm on my second glass of house red and need to post before I get too blotto. I'm so glad your Gull was taken care of and got released. It's always good to hear something positive.
Sue
P.S. Thanks for the B'Day Greetings.

Thanks for the comments Sue ... hope you find a few phoenix when you return to Cally. (You need to spend more time on the Net B B B )) Hope you enjoyed you B/day.

WET WET WET

Arrived by bus to 7 Sisters car park around 11.00 and headed down Cuckmere Haven to get to Hope Valley in the hope of the Wryneck that had been reported a few days ago. I'd heard last night that a G Phalarope had also been reported on one of the oxbow lakes but had no details as to where it was actually spotted. Nearly an hour later, finally caught up with the/a Grey Phalarope for some splendid views.

Headed back to road to make my way down the West side of the river. Ooh er ... it started pelting it down and I had no coat so spent the best part of the afternoon crawling under blackthorn bushes to keep dry .... Sun came out briefly but I was immediately coated in a swarm of flying ants, so when the rain came down again, it became the lesser of two evils! Trawled around Hope Valley but showers were coming in thick and fast so decided to head back to get the bus. By the Coastguard cottages however, I got my first Merlin (f) of the year skimming low over rough pasture being pursued by a crow. A few minutes later, a raucous shrieking alerted me to a Stoat pursuing a hapless bunny. They momentarily clashed. I just about had time to grap my camera from my Lowepro and take a couple of blurry pics. A few moments later, a rather injured rabbit leaped away to be finished off 10 minutes later if the unearthly scream was anything to go by. No Wryneck of course but a Kingfisher was good to see perched and even better, a flock of 50+ Yellow Wagtail on the way back.

By 5.30pm rain was coming down heavily but had the fortune to meet up with the first two birders I'd seen all day, one of whom offered me a lift back to Brighton. How could I refuse ... I was muddy, soaked and very tired!

Some pics:

and the Stoat, lots of Wheatear around too

Nice (Birds not the weather etc I guess....)

Not too acquainted with the group myself, but their 80's hit 'Birds are all around' seems a little appropriate?? Or flies and showers all around?? ... anyway no love felt by hapless bunny I guess. (And have you ever seen one actually with its hap still intact? No me neither. Strange.) Nature though, great innit?

And some nice pics. Ages since I've seen Grey Phal. They're just the most excellent birds.

Very nice pics of the Grey Phal:t:

Sounds like you've had a great day's birding, if not perhaps a Bigby one

Nothing better than getting a good shot of a quality sighting to take home is there...well worth getting a bit wet for!!! Actually went out half expecting to see a Wheatear myself today but maybe I'm just too far inland at the moment..was definately in the right place for one though!!!!!

Matt

matt green said:

Sounds like you've had a great day's birding, if not perhaps a Bigby one

Matt

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Lol spent most of it sitting on my rump under bushes waiting for rain to subside. Upside, very few people around once the rain started!

Agree wholeheartedly re: having pics, for me the greatest aspect of the day was getting some decent record shots to take home and as you say, well worth getting muddy and wet for! Am actually beginning to enjoy having a camera but it's taking a helluva time to learn to use it!

dantheman said:

Ages since I've seen Grey Phal. They're just the most excellent birds.

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My first for this year but fairly regular annuals in Sussex - smart birds (especially watching them on an insect merry-go-round) although this one just drifted up and down!

Highlight of the day definitely the Stoat (and rabbit minus hap ) though.

I can't believe that darling little creature attacked a bunny! It has such a cute little face. I wish I could spend more time on the net, D, but it's hard during Peregrine's migration. We've gone about 1,000 nautical miles since Roma and have only gone ashore a few times. I did do some birding by bike on Formentera (Balearics)and thought about posting on your Bigby, but it was too much of a stretch considering we motored nearly all the way through the Balearics. Maybe we'll be able to get a monthly Wi-Fi service in the Canaries and I can pop in more often. Hummm...being able to hang out on BF for as long as I want...reason #657 for getting home faster!
Sue

Another great day out despite the weather, D. (same here again partially today) Always nice to see a Stoat.

Cheers H and Sue (ps. I believe those darling little Stoats make rather a habit of munching on floppsies )

Pulborough Brooks RSPB, Sussex

A very wet and windy afternoon at Pulborough and ended up having to get a taxi to the Reserve from Pulborough Station, it was sheeting it down and the only bus was another 50 minutes wait!

Reserve was very quite both in birds and people not surprisingly. Managed to pick up a flock of 6 Little Stint and a few c.Snipe. Had a good look for the Pectoral Sandpiper where it was last reported but no luck, no waders at all other than the above mentioned. Walked round woods and ended up in another view point over some more mud banks an hour later. Quick scan produced the same flock of Little Stint that had moved over along with an accompanying Ringed Plover. There were a couple of blokes behind me with good scopes, so asked them if anyone had picked up the Pec Sand today. One of them had been on it just before I arrived but it had moved behind some vegetation. Within a few minutes I picked it up through the scope beyond bino range, as it popped out again from it's hiding place, one Pectoral Sandpiper, a very nice Juvenile it was too with clear tramlines down it's back. Thanks lads :t:

Really little else around, a few Chiffchaff, Garden Warblers, and Nuthatch. Got a hitch back to train station from one of the staff who found me dripping wet at the bus stop!

Deborah - I like your description of Pulborough in the wet. It makes me think I ought to make the effort to get out there again soon.

I took your example of some 4-wheel birding a couple of weekends ago and popped into Rainham marshes RSPB reserve en route to visit family in London. It turned out to be a most opportune visit, as it turned up 2 lifers for me, after being pointed in the right direction by the range staff. Firstly a very cute little Spotted Flycatcher showed obligingly in the tress by the cordite store. I then followed the path back towards the river, and what I thought was the way towards a large number of birders all pointing large numbers of big lenses towards a bush in the middle of a reedbed. Unfortunately my path took me to the other side of the bed, but nothing daunted I tried a view through the binos from the opposite side to all the experts. There, in the middle of the lens and the edge of the bush was a Wryneck, which showed obligingly for several minute before disappearing to my view (but not to the better placed experts). All in all, not a bad trip for barely an hour.


Richard