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Bank Holiday Weekend: Plans and predictions (1 Viewer)

dbradnum

Well-known member
Two questions...
  1. where's everybody going for their Bank Holiday birding?
  2. what rarities are going to turn up during the three days? (Already 2 Woodchats in the south-west, and forecast is for light, warm airflow off the continent throughout...)
I'll probably be birding local patches for most of the time, but I reckon the results of question 2 might well see me twitching down to the coast. (Reasonable chance of good sea passage, including Poms?)

My prediction... well, male Subalpine Warbler would be nice... Scops Owl or Little Swift would be nicer still...
 
I'm off to Minsmere on Saturday. Hopefully it will not be too busy as it is a long journey. I don't mind what birds I'll see but it would be nice to see bearded tit and redstart. Bittern would be good.

Dave.
 
d.steeley said:
I'm off to Minsmere on Saturday. Hopefully it will not be too busy as it is a long journey. I don't mind what birds I'll see but it would be nice to see bearded tit and redstart. Bittern would be good.

Dave.
Bearded Tit - if it's not windy, then the best bet is to stand for a while on the North Wall, or failing that, spend some time in the top deck of Island Mere hide

Redstart - trickier, but the most likely spots are between Canopy hide and the workcentre, and the woodland either side of the Bittern hide. Early or late in the day is best, when they should be singing.

Good luck!

David
 
dbradnum said:
what rarities are going to turn up during the three days?
For Saturday my money's on:
Another Woodchat or two
A couple of Serins
Night Heron or maybe Squacco Heron

Sunday and Monday: zilch. If anything is found on those days I'll just maintain it's left-over from Saturday! ;)
 
Iceland's one of those strange countries where if a public holiday (such as 1st May) falls on a Sunday, then it's just too bad. No May day holiday in 2005. Still might head out to glacier country out east this weekend, there's a Tundra Bean Goose knocking around, a major rarity in these parts.

But Thursday is Ascension Day and a public holiday so I'm off to Spain for a very long weekend (of 12 days!)

E
 
Dawlish Warren to meet a mate I haven't seen for a while and hopefully some corking year ticks then Prawle on Sunday hopefully for a Pom and some good migrants like the Woodchat at Start if it sticks around. A Golden Oriole was at Slapton briefly this morning.
 
dbradnum said:
Bearded Tit - if it's not windy, then the best bet is to stand for a while on the North Wall, or failing that, spend some time in the top deck of Island Mere hide

Redstart - trickier, but the most likely spots are between Canopy hide and the workcentre, and the woodland either side of the Bittern hide. Early or late in the day is best, when they should be singing.

Good luck!

David

Thanks for the information and advice David.

Dave
 
tom mckinney said:
Trumpeter Finch, Portland by the Obs quarry

Right bird, wrong end of the country...

or...

White's Thrush, Shetland, yesterday.
Citrine Wagtail, Fair Isle, today
Siberian Blue Robin, Shetland, tomorrow.
 
From the excellent Poyser book Rare Birds Day by Day, this is what beauties have turned up in the past on these dates:

30th April Little Shearwater, 2 Little Bittern, Gyr, Little Crake, Ross's Gull, Alpine Accentor, Rock Thrush

1st May Albatross sp, Little Shearwater, Pratincole sp, Great Snipe, TENGMALM's OWL, Dark-eyed Junco

2nd May Rufous Turtle Dove, Snowy Owl, LESSER SHORT-TOED LARK, Black-eared Wheatear, Black-throated Thrush

Those 3 days have also been good for Little Bitterns, Black Kites, Red-rumped Swallows & Alpine Swifts
 
dbradnum said:
Two questions...
  1. where's everybody going for their Bank Holiday birding?
  2. what rarities are going to turn up during the three days? (Already 2 Woodchats in the south-west, and forecast is for light, warm airflow off the continent throughout...)
I'll probably be birding local patches for most of the time, but I reckon the results of question 2 might well see me twitching down to the coast. (Reasonable chance of good sea passage, including Poms?)

My prediction... well, male Subalpine Warbler would be nice... Scops Owl or Little Swift would be nicer still...


I`m off to Dartmoor in the hope of seeing a Dipper and to get some shots of Skylarks.
And to sup some Gaol Ale!
 
tom mckinney said:
2 Little Bittern, Little Crake, Rock Thrush
I reckon I'm overdue all three of those - here's to hoping B :)

And let's push the boat out past Black Kite - I'll have a Black-shouldered, please...
 
planning on looking for a few migrants locally, probably Blows Downs and one other stop to catch up with Wheatear.

maybe a trip to Little Paxton one evening for the Nightingales.

not into twitching but might be tempted to get in my car for a Woodchat Shrike or Golden Oriole B :)
 
Saturday to Barnard Castle to see if the Pied Flycatchers and Wood Warblers have returned yet.

Sunday East Chevington for the Bird Forum NE mini-meet :t:
 
Saturday: Harthope Valley for *hopefully* Ring Ouzel, Dipper, Red Grouse, Cuckoo, and possible Peregrine & Raven....of those I've seen cuckoo & dipper previously, the rest will be new ticks so bear with me if I sound rather excited ;) LOL

Sunday: East Chevington for the NE Meet :bounce: and a chance to tick off a few BF members! ;) Oh, and an Avocet/Spoonbill or two would be nice there. ;) Lots of hirundines around last Monday so hopefully get the full set with Swift showing.

Not TOO bothered about seeing rarities, just looking forward to two great days out birding with good weather forecast - the sky outside (8.39pm) is THE most amazing shades of red and pink right now!!! :clap:

GILL
 
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I'll be on the Lizard as usual, but the forecast is for possible thick sea-mist, which tends to spread a few miles inland. You know there's stuff out there but you can't see it!
Our Iberian Chiffchaff turned up April 30th last year.
Golden O would be great as it has eluded me down here for 20 years (during which time I've seen no less than 11 Lizard Woodchats!)
 
4am start in the morning to Northumberland via Aberlady Bay and right round the coast. Just love to see what's there. Then hopefully meeting some BF members at E Chevington on Sunday. The rest of the week will be exploring Northumberland for the first time and hope to see Goshawk, Pied Flycatcher, Roseat Tern and just looking at birds.

Forgot - meeting my sister, that's why we're going down, she's coming up from Kent!

D
 
Only have Monday free, which will probably be around the broads somewhere quiet .... hoping for a Hobby and whatever else might be about
 
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