Targets for 2019 (1 Viewer)

February 28th

A very different day dawned on Thursday. Cool and misty, even when the sun burned the mist off it remained hazy, a chill in the air enhanced by a stiff breeze. Time to layer up. I decided to put off looking for Rough-legged Buzzard until later in the day, raptors can be late risers, and I fancied trying for something with a better chance of success first, get something out of the day early before settling in for a long, potentially fruitless wait. So Eldernell on the Nene Washes was first port of call. Over a score of Roe deer were out on the washes, nine the biggest single group, which burst into a run at one point, spooked by something I guess, but I couldn’t divine what. A little further on we spied a trio of Common Cranes in the middle distance. Easy peasy, job done.

On then to Thorney Toll, where under a grey ceiling of cloud we scanned the area for large raptors, but with no success. The site description on RBA didn’t really tally with what we were seeing on the ground, leading to doubts as to whether we were even in the right place. The still relatively low sun and blustery wind hampered viewing conditions and further diminished my optimism and enthusiasm, so after about an hour I decided to decamp, resolving to return either here or Holme Fen for another go later in the day.

Frampton was our next destination, and it proved to be a truly fabulous place. Huge numbers of Brent Geese & Wigeon, plenty of other wildfowl, good scattering of waders, Dunlins & Ringed Plovers covering some of the short turf areas of the marsh, Ruff stalking amongst them, great flocks of Golden Plover, getting up and wheeling and whooshing round from time to time, a couple of Spotted Redshank augmenting the ranks of their less elegant Common cousins. The boys had their first ever views of dancing Great Crested Grebes (they were duly impressed), but they missed the boxing Hares I saw on a scope-scan of the distant marsh. Best of all, in one corner of the marsh, the long staying Long-billed Dowitcher. Brilliant. The chap who picked it up also proved to be a valuable source of information regarding the Thorney Toll Rough-leg. We had been close to the right location after all, and so, now in possession of first-hand gen, we headed back into Cambridgeshire.

To no avail, worse luck. Picked up a few Common Buzzards, one even hovered for a spell, but year tick Stock Dove was the best we managed in a near two hour stake-out before we called time and embarked on the four hour drive home. A slightly downbeat ending it’s true, but not one that detracted at all from the fact it had been a truly splendid trip.

Good stuff once again. Last weekend Daniel and I had a couple of targeted outings. On Saturday persistence paid off and saw us add Greenland whitefront to the yearlist, while Sunday saw us get him snow bunting for the yearlist after a couple of prior dips. No outings this weekend as I've been away with work. However yesterday Daniel was racing cross country down in Lothian. He remembered that we had seen shorelark there (John Muir Country Park) a couple of years ago and duly found one (two have been there this winter) without bins! Proud dad moment.

Rob

Not ideal weather for getting out at the weekend, however Daniel and I did manage a couple of hours yesterday. After a bit of hard work I tracked down a few twite in a linnet flock at Kingsbarns - tricky in windy conditions. Rather easier was adding gannet to the year list - plenty moving offshore.

Rob

March 17th

Just a morning out today, but that’s all we needed. Arrived at Conwy RSPB in bright blustery conditions, before opening time and no other birders present. Finding the Grey Phalarope presented no challenge at all. It was merrily pottering about, mostly within a small mixed gathering of feeding Gadwall & Shoveler. It broke off for a short period to preen on one of the small islands before resuming feeding. We enjoyed the show for twenty minutes or so before heading off up to the coast, mildly surprised that by quarter to nine we were still the only birders to have stopped by; I would have thought that a Grey Phal would have proved more of a draw. A visit to Little Orme to look for early Wheatears proved unproductive on that count, but several Fulmars playing on the wind and a bunch of Grey Seals loafing on the shingle at Angel Bay were good to see. We looped inland on the way home, to Llyn Bran, where the Ring-necked Duck was an easy score. I can’t help wondering if this is the same bird that was seen at Conwy and Burton Mere Wetlands last spring, returning to the region.

Having seen the weather items on the news showing massive flooding in the area it was perhaps not that surprising that you were the only hardy souls out and about in the area.

Although having only visited the RSPB reserve a couple of times during a family holiday to Conwy a few years back it really is a great place and seems to be picking up quite a good reputation. Cracking GP.

March 30th - April 1st

Saturday

After a lazy morning and a pre-booked afternoon, we finally got down to Burton Mere Wetlands late afternoon. The Stork had moved on by then, we never really stood a chance as it was only available while we were otherwise engaged. The boys managed to year tick Beaded Tit (I’d seen them already on a previous visit without them), and we all enjoyed our first Sand Martins and swallows of the year, before heading over to year tick a rather distant Long-tailed Duck on the border pool, as well as enjoying point blank views in glorious evening sunshine of Wigeon Shoveler and Pintail. A Marsh Harrier over the reeds and a Short-eared owl by Reception rounded our visit off nicely.

Sunday

A brisk family stroll after a nice Mother’s day breakfast out took place at a new site for me, Pencloddiau Hill Fort, recently reported venue for several Ring Ouzel. Well short of the favoured area for the birds we had four low over calling. I say we, Arch managed to miss them, and we couldn’t relocate them either, about which he was somewhat dischuffed, so Ring Ouzel moves to 2019’s unfinished business file.

Monday

God bless BST. Barely into it and we’ve already smartly executed our first post-work twitch of the year. Idly checking the bird news just after seven this evening only to see that there were two Black-necked Grebes on Gresford Flash. Well, that’s mighty doable – “Boys! Car, now!” – ten minutes later, bam! On the year list! Cracking little cuties they were too. May well go back for seconds in better light, although the next few days’ forecast is a bit grim.

Daniel and I had a short outing on Sunday morning. Nothing much on local wetlands though shoveler was new for the year. A local goshawk site then produced the goods. A flock of 20 whooper swans heading north on this morning's school run was nice.

Rob

April 6th & 13th

April 6th

Evening run up to World's End, Black Grouse at the usual spot, but with two cars taking up the best spots we didn't have that comfortable an angle to view from, plus the light was against us and the birds rather distant, so we didn't linger; we've seen them so much better in the past, and doubtless will again. Further on at our Ring Ouzel spot we picked up Wheatear & Peregrine for the year, but no get-back Ouzels for Arch...

April 13th

... until this morning, when we dropped in while out and about on an otherwise unproductive bimble about looking for early migrants. A male swooped into a small tree we were passing and sat quietly for a few minutes before continuing on its way.

A few year ticks for all the family from a week in the Lake District. Ring ouzel, raven and wheatear on the fells, osprey, swallow and sand martin lower down. A trip to Leighton Moss added marsh harrier, great egret, spoonbill, avocet, marsh tit, willow warbler and blackcap, some of which are rather hard to come by in a Scottish context!
Yesterday I led a trip to Ruddons Point and Daniel accompanied me. Highlights included summer plumage black-throated diver, red-necked and Slavonian grebes annd our first sandwich terns of the year. Moving on to Elie we had excellent views of the black-necked grebe, now in almost full summer plumage.

Rob

April 14th

We did a quick drop in on Burton Mere Wetlands yesterday morning. Year ticks in the form of Willow warbler, Blackcap, House Martin & Yellow Wagtail. The last were showing distantly from a jam packed Bunker Hide. Took us a while to get a position from which to scope, and even then views were distant & brief. Good job the birds were obvious & yellow; didn't manage to get any of the water Pipits, but to be honest, what with the crowds, we didn't give it as long as we could. Some Ruff beginning to come into decent plumage and half a dozen or so Med Gulls also on the main scrape, but no sign of any Little Ringed Plovers. Also saw a Brown Rat under the feeders, and Arch spotted a Bank Vole scurrying around in the leaf litter near Reception.

April 18th

A morning trip out, just me & Arch, to a sensitive site that I'm not going to identify. Didn't get our target bird, but picked up Little Ringed Plover & Mandarin for the year.

Stopped by Burton Mere Wetlands on the way home, and managed to find an uncharacteristically showy Cetti's Warbler, a recently arrived Garganey (clearly exhausted after a long migrate, hardly woke up at all), and some Reed Warblers battling over territory. Arch also got his first White Wagtails, not a tick but well received for all that, and another well spotted Bank Vole in the undergrowth.

April 23rd

Didn’t get out till after lunch today, and when we did we headed straight to Great Orme, parked up, and set off towards the sheep field. As soon as the limestone pavement came into view we could see a couple of birders, drawing a bead on something directly between us and them, so we skirted wide to join them and were rewarded with distant views of our target bird; Dotterel. Three of them, in fact, but only one, the female, was really out in the open, the two males were mostly hunkered down a bit off to the right. Like a complete doofus I’d managed to leave the scope in the car, but fortunately one of the birders present kindly let the boys have prolonged views through his while he made a phone call, so no harm done. A couple of Chough were showing well in the sheep field, and we picked up Wheatear, Stonechat & Meadow Pipit on the heath, but not much else before decamping to Conwy RSPB.

No sign at Conwy of yesterday’s Wood Sand, but in the end that hardly mattered. We had a most enjoyable, action packed little bimble round, entertained by fresh-in migrants, Whimbrel & Common Sandpiper from the hides, Whitethroats & Sedge Warblers round the trails, highlight being a Lesser Whitethroat sitting up high to sing, after we had tried to get views of several that had remained obstinately hidden. Spring feels properly underway now, and I feel a road trip coming on… Watch this space!

A mixed bag for us over the past week. Daniel and I had an abortive search for a blue-headed wagtail at a local site last Tuesday. At the weekend a tour of central Fife wetland sites on Saturday produced nothing new for the year (except for a house martin for me on the way home) but a pair of pintail was rather unusual. Daniel and I then went out again to the Fife Ness area later in the day. Highlight was a female-type black redstart which was a subspecies tick for him - having offended the listing police by seeing Eastern black redstart first! Other highlights included several wheatears, a white wagtail and a few corn buntings.
On Sunday 3 of us went and did my WeBS count (Andrew in teenager mode staying at home). Amazingly calm but a bit hazy. Not as good as the previous weekend had been but 3 slavonian grebes, a red-necked grebe and 4 whimbrel were notable, as was a perched young peregrine basking in the afternoon sun.

Trying to plan a few trips for the coming weekends...

Rob

April 25th: part I

An overnight drive delivered us to a dull and gloomy Loch of the Lowes before any useful light materialised, so we grabbed ourselves a quick in-car breakfast, installed ourselves in the hide, and waited. As the light increased and the scenery slowly became discernible, we managed to make out the head of one of the Ospreys poking over the side of the nest, and then, just before six, jackpot! The first of this trip’s three targets paddled its way round into the bay in front of us, along the shore, up into a creek and out of view; Beaver! By now we had company in the hide, including a regular who offered the opinion that another would probably be along soon, so we hung around, enjoyed watching the other Osprey arrive carrying a fish, and then, around half an hour after the first, a second Beaver followed the same course as the first, but this time with enough light for a few grainy, rubbish photos, with which I am stupidly pleased! A couple of Red Squirrels and a year tick Yellowhammer on the feeders and a Roe Deer across the road from the car park wrapped things up. We were on our way again by seven, pleased with our start.

April 25th: part II

Next up was a bit of a punt really. Friend of a friend had seen a couple of Capercaillies from a vehicle track up in Speyside while walking her dog one afternoon. It was a track used by cyclists as well as dog walkers, and it sounded like the Capers were often there, so we decided to break our onward journey there and chance our luck, with a decent possibility of Crested Tit to boot. Well, predictably, no Capercaillies, nor Cresties for that matter. Mainly it was lots and lots of Willow Warblers, a few Coal Tits and a couple of Crossbills. Back near the car though we were lucky enough to stumble across a couple of Green Hairstreaks, settling nicely on the ground in between territorial disputes where they furiously chased each other round in tight circles. I’ve never really pursued a Butterfly list, so this was a new species for me, for all that they’re not particularly rare. Back by the car we found a female Ring Ouzel in a roadside field before we continued our way northward.

April 25th: part III

And so to the second of the three targets around which this trip was constructed; White-billed Diver. I’d been keeping an eye on reports coming from the Moray coast from Burghead to Portsoy over the couple of weeks prior to coming, and it looked like there were a number of decent spots worth checking, with Burghead being the first we would encounter on the way up from Speyside, so we started our search there. Kittiwake & Gannet quickly landed on the year list, but twenty minutes of scouring the briny revealed nothing else of note, so I left the boys with the scope to have a go at scanning while I got the camping cooker on for a hot dog lunch. Ten further minutes of scanning after we’d eaten, still no sign, so we decided to try elsewhere, and drop back in to Burghead later if need be.

It was a forty some minute drive from Burghead to Cullen, and after the pleasure of driving up a reasonably clear and freely moving A9 we were faced with a procession of roundabouts, traffic lights and slow-moving traffic. Still, at least if we drew a blank at Cullen, Portsoy was only ten minutes further on. The recommended vantage point at Cullen, from the coast path up by the campsite, is quite a height, giving you an intimidating amount of sea to scan, but at least you don’t lose stuff so much in chop or swell. Took about ten minutes to locate an almost sum plum White-billed Diver, really far out though, and diving, so difficult to track. Managed to get Sam onto it, and then it dived again, and I couldn’t relocate it. A tense ten minutes and I found a different, much more wintery individual, which I succeeded in getting Arch onto. Phew! Views weren’t great though, so we decided to drop in on Portsoy anyway.

Here we enjoyed watching a couple of Rock Pipits on the beach, excellent views of Eider around the harbour, some Long-tailed Ducks further out, and the boys year ticked Razorbill on the sea. At the dolphin statue we found a birder who had seen a Banana-bill a little while since, but then lost it in the swell. A few minutes scanning and I picked it up, and then a second. Again it was a summery one and a wintery one, but neither at quite the extreme ends of the spectrum as the Cullen birds. Photographing very distant birds bobbing up and down on the sea is a nightmare, just trying to get the right patch of ocean in the view finder and carpet bombing it on continuous shoot. The attached is my best shot, the more winter plumaged specimen, which is at best consistent with, but I agree far from diagnostic of, White-billed Diver!

With no need now to revisit Burghead we headed straight for Nairn. Unfortunately the Eider flock was excruciatingly distant, over a kilometre away, with by now quite a lively wind creating a lot of chop. I only located the flock because a drake reared up and flapped his wings as I panned across, and even knowing where they were I struggled to make them out. Sandwich Terns were fishing off shore and there were a score or so nice sum plum Long-tailed Ducks on offer, but probably the best that Nairn had to offer was a nice expanse of sand for the kids to play on for a bit while I scanned. Eventually we called time and headed off to overnight in Inverness, where after a long day and a lot of driving I slept the sleep of the just; good preparation for more driving the following day, when we would be hoping to score the trip’s third and final target.

Come on, we need to know the third target, you tease

Absolutely.

Rob

Sorry folks, didn't mean for it to be quite such a cliffhanger! Back at work yesterday, with a quick turnaround and straight out to the movies, after which it was absolutely essential to catch up with Game of Thrones without distractions, so I haven't had a chance to write up! I'll just grab a drink and get on it. In the mean time, going back through my pics I have found possibly the worst photo of a summer plumage White-billed Diver ever!!

JWN Andrewes said:

Sorry folks, didn't mean for it to be quite such a cliffhanger! Back at work yesterday, with a quick turnaround and straight out to the movies, after which it was absolutely essential to catch up with Game of Thrones without distractions, so I haven't had a chance to write up! I'll just grab a drink and get on it. In the mean time, going back through my pics I have found possibly the worst photo of a summer plumage White-billed Diver ever!!

Click to expand...

Looks like a winner to me! :t:

John