Young Birder (1 Viewer)

[midlands birder]

Lifers in capital

131) WHIMBREL
132) SANDERLING
133) Gannet
134) RAZORBILL
135) GUILLIMOT
136) Stonechat
137) PUFFIN
138) Wheatear
139) FULMAR
140) Kittiwake
141) LITTLE OWL
142) CHOUGH
143) SHAG
144) MANX SHEARWATER
145) Rock pipit

Dipped on dipper and short eared owl but overall great birding

Well done on so many lifers, i too was in wales for the last week, based in Manabier, I tried to get onto skomer too, but we were turned away, for the 2nd year running.
I was also lucky enough to see 3 Whimbrel coming in off the sea on 31/05, at my favorite birding place: Stackpole Head, and i was also lucky enough to see a small flock of waders ( 2 Turnstone, Sanderling, Ringed plover and 11 Dunlin on the estury at Lawrenny ( one of my favorite estury spots)) on the 1/06, after seeing a cracking male White Wag in the carpark at carew while checking out the tidal Pool there.

SEO was also one of my target birds is we got over to Skomer, but i did see one on the mainland a few years ago..

Did you see anything of the Kite movement??
MB

 

[shrikebirder]

Lifers in capital

131) WHIMBREL
132) SANDERLING
133) Gannet
134) RAZORBILL
135) GUILLIMOT
136) Stonechat
137) PUFFIN
138) Wheatear
139) FULMAR
140) Kittiwake
141) LITTLE OWL
142) CHOUGH
143) SHAG
144) MANX SHEARWATER
145) Rock pipit

Dipped on dipper and short eared owl but overall great birding

I, too, have just come back from Pembrokeshire- great place for birding...
Got a few year ticks too- yet to update the list though- plus a long overdue lifer in the form of Pied Flycatcher.
Did you stay overnight on Skomer? If not you're very lucky to have seen the shearwaters, but great birds anyhow
Also, whereabouts were the sanderling and Whimbrel? Got both these species at Newport when I was there, very close views o
Its unusual to see the little owl and not the SEO, its usually the other way around, although the females may be sitting round about now so that could be something to do with it...
Anyway, very glad you enjoyed Pembrokeshire!

 

[shrikebirder]

Well done on so many lifers, i too was in wales for the last week, based in Manabier, I tried to get onto skomer too, but we were turned away, for the 2nd year running.
I was also lucky enough to see 3 Whimbrel coming in off the sea on 31/05, at my favorite birding place: Stackpole Head, and i was also lucky enough to see a small flock of waders ( 2 Turnstone, Sanderling, Ringed plover and 11 Dunlin on the estury at Lawrenny ( one of my favorite estury spots)) on the 1/06, after seeing a cracking male White Wag in the carpark at carew while checking out the tidal Pool there.

SEO was also one of my target birds is we got over to Skomer, but i did see one on the mainland a few years ago..

Did you see anything of the Kite movement??
MB

A regular Pembs birder too, I take it? Unlucky about Skomer- a great place to go, but doesn't have too many species that can't be found elsewhere...
I'd love to know where this undisclosed Tystie site is- unless its the one I've been gone to countless times, all fruitlessly!
Lawrenny's good too- unfortunately didn't have time to go down there this time, as its a reasonably long trip from the North of the county where we stay.
I think the kite movement was mainly in the North of the county -( Ramsey, St. Davids ect.) and if they were based in Marloes it might not have been the best position to see it from, althpough I'm sure some of them drift down there, just not in the same numbers.

 

[birding maniac]

Skye has so far produced some brilliant birds. I think I'm on about 218. My list is on my computer, but that is still broken, should be back on Monday so I can check and add up. The outer hebridies added two new lifers for me as well, Corncrake and Leach's Storm Petrel. The second gave amazing views along side the Cal Mac between the two islands. Also storm petrels fed around the boat, lots of auks, shearwaters, multiple bonxies, mergansers and gannets flew around the boat

 

[birding maniac]

About 220 now- Surf Scoter at Blackhall Rocks. My 3rd lifer in as many days. Stunning bird, showing well amongst Common Scoter not too far off. Crimson dene produced multiple Little terns on the beach, which gave amazing views. I was at Saltholme in the early afternoon, as when I was in Aberdeenshire the diopter on my bins went and I've been birding with 1 eye since, so they sent them off to be fixed. Did some birding around there between 1 and 3, sadly no new yearticks but saw black headed gull chicks, oystercatcher chicks and common terns.

 

[Nature__lover]

saltholme today

79 pintail (a first for me!)
80 house martin
81 ringed plover

 

[midlands birder]

A regular Pembs birder too, I take it? Unlucky about Skomer- a great place to go, but doesn't have too many species that can't be found elsewhere...
I'd love to know where this undisclosed Tystie site is- unless its the one I've been gone to countless times, all fruitlessly!
Lawrenny's good too- unfortunately didn't have time to go down there this time, as its a reasonably long trip from the North of the county where we stay.
I think the kite movement was mainly in the North of the county -( Ramsey, St. Davids ect.) and if they were based in Marloes it might not have been the best position to see it from, althpough I'm sure some of them drift down there, just not in the same numbers.

Yes, i am a regular Pembs birder in the witson week every year, being going since i was a kid
I wasnt too gutted about skomer tbh, cause i knew i could see most of the species elsewhere.
The Tystie site is quite a well known site (for both breeding and wintering birds) so i would belive it is the same site, will PM you it later, but it was really elusive, we watched it from the shore by the car park through the scope, then decided to walk up the track into the middle of the harbor to a small buliding, but from here we failed to locate it, we presumed it had flew out to sea.
Yeah i like lawrenny, i always stop half waydown the road to the sailing club as there is a viewpoint over the mud, and this is the spot i see the birds, Little egret practically guarenteed here.

The Kite movement wasnt noticed in the south where i was staying either, but i was in north Pembs on thursday ( st davids, Strumble etc) and failed to see any, saw about 30 on way back to worcs tho :t:
MB

 

[shrikebirder]

Yes, i am a regular Pembs birder in the witson week every year, being going since i was a kid
I wasnt too gutted about skomer tbh, cause i knew i could see most of the species elsewhere.
The Tystie site is quite a well known site (for both breeding and wintering birds) so i would belive it is the same site, will PM you it later, but it was really elusive, we watched it from the shore by the car park through the scope, then decided to walk up the track into the middle of the harbor to a small buliding, but from here we failed to locate it, we presumed it had flew out to sea.
Yeah i like lawrenny, i always stop half waydown the road to the sailing club as there is a viewpoint over the mud, and this is the spot i see the birds, Little egret practically guarenteed here.

The Kite movement wasnt noticed in the south where i was staying either, but i was in north Pembs on thursday ( st davids, Strumble etc) and failed to see any, saw about 30 on way back to worcs tho :t:
MB

Nice to know there are others birding Pembokeshire!

 

[Silverwolf]

Jumped up to 415 with waterbirds at Werribee (including a very tame Sea-eagle sitting 3 metres away) and with Swift Parrot and Scaly-breasted Lorikeet at Royal Park.

400-Whistling Kite
401-Zebra Finch
402-Musk Duck
403-Australian Shelduck
404-Australasian Shoveler
405-Red-kneed Dotterel
406-Red-necked Stint
407-Red-capped Plover
408-White-bellied Sea-eagle
409-Spotless Crake
410-Lewin's Rail (not seen)
412-Yellow-billed Spoonbill
413-Double-banded Plover
414-Scaly-breasted
415-Swift Parrot

I know I'm missing some, but these are just off memory.

 

[Joshua-B]

415!!! Is that just this year? If so, you must have been on a very good trip somewhere up north! :eek!: Good to see another Aussie on here o

 

[midlands birder]

sorry year list on 161, re-tally, Missed Cuckoo + Golden Plover off
MB

 

[Joseph N]

184 - Wood Warbler (x1 at Cragendarroch)
185 - Ring Ouzel (x1 male on A939 to Speyside, x1 male Findhorn Valley)
186 - Black-throated Diver (x2 sumplum birds at Lochindorb)
187 - Spotted Flycatcher
188 - Slavonian Grebe (7+ summer plumaged birds, Loch Ruthven)
189 - Red Grouse
190 - Ptarmigan (a pair at Cairngorm Plateau)
191 - American Wigeon (x1 drake at Loch of Strathbeg, lifer)

Just returned from a three day trip up to Speyside. Overall it was successful and thoroughly enjoyable, even though I missed out on Capercaillie (when will I ever see one!) and Black Grouse amongst others. Saturday saw me getting stunning views of a Wood Warbler at a site in Aberdeenshire early in the morning, then on the road to Speyside a male Ring Ouzel was heard and briefly seen, as was another in Findhorn Valley. Both Black-throated Diver and Slavonian Grebe were nice to see in summer plumage on their breeding grounds at Lochindorb and Loch Ruthven respectively. Sunday saw me failing for Caper at Abernethy Forest very early in the morning. Later I climbed up Cairngorm, where despite the sheer lack of birdlife, I was rewarded with unbelievable views of a pair of Ptarmigan near the plateau as they walked 7ft away from me and proceeded to sit at a similar distance from me for around half an hour! Unfortunately I did not have my camera on me as I had left it in the car for weight purposes - I seriously regret that now! Loch Malachie proved unsucessful for Crested Tit, as did Rothiemurchus this morning for any of the scarcer Crossbills. Other birds of note in Speyside included several Spotted Flycatchers , several Redstarts (including a pair at Loch Garten) , two Woodcock at Tulloch Moor, several Cuckoos and Tree Pipits , and 15+ Crossbills at Abernethy.

On the way back to Aberdeen we dropped off at Strathbeg to see if we could see the American Wigeon that's been there in the last few days. Fantastic and prolonged views of this bird were had from the Visitor Centre as it swam around, my first of this smart duck in Britain. Below are some photos of the Wood Warbler, American Wigeon and Slav Grebe. Overall, it was a very good trip and well worth it.

Joseph

 

[birding maniac]

White Throated Robin. Wow!
Brilliant little bird, showing well at Hartlepool Headland earlier today. Stunning bird, an amazing lifer and undoubtably bird of the year for me.
319th Brit bird and 221 for the year!!

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

226 - WHITE-THROATED ROBIN - Hartlepool Headland, Durham
227 - Red-backed Shrike - Seaton Carew, Durham
228 - Lesser Whitethroat - Waldridge Fell, Durham

Took me ages to catch up with LW this year. Though think this was my one and only chance at a fairly local White-throated Robin. What a stunning bird. First ever mainland bird available and first twitchable (to my knowledge). All the "top listers" there today. All managed to connect to my knowledge aswell.

Pictures and video of the White-throated Robin on my blog see here: http://andrewkinghorn.blogspot.com/2011/06/white-throated-robin-pics-video.html

 

[birding maniac]

226 - WHITE-THROATED ROBIN - Hartlepool Headland, Durham
227 - Red-backed Shrike - Seaton Carew, Durham
228 - Lesser Whitethroat - Waldridge Fell, Durham

Took me ages to catch up with LW this year. Though think this was my one and only chance at a fairly local White-throated Robin. What a stunning bird. First ever mainland bird available and first twitchable (to my knowledge). All the "top listers" there today. All managed to connect to my knowledge aswell.

Pictures and video of the White-throated Robin on my blog see here: http://andrewkinghorn.blogspot.com/2011/06/white-throated-robin-pics-video.html

Glad you got down there. A brilliant bird, very local to me glad you got the others. Where abouts is the shrike at seaton? I might head down later in the week?

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

Glad you got down there. A brilliant bird, very local to me glad you got the others. Where abouts is the shrike at seaton? I might head down later in the week?

Shrike hasn't been reported today sadly so I am guessing that means its probably gone. If it hasn't and news emerges that its still present its 400meters south of the sewage works building in Seaton Carew.

 

[simmojunior]

I cannot match the White Throated Robin and will not going all the way to Hartlepool, especially as I have exams coming up, but I did get a year tick today in the rather uninspiring form of a Lesser Whitethroat (166 now). If only the robin had waited until October, when hopefully I will be at Durham.

 

[timmyjones]

I love being a tart which means that 3 lifers on Monday and 1 year tick

200. WHITE THROATED ROBIN
201. Manx Shearwater
202. Red-backed Shrike
203. Spoonbill

 

[Nature__lover]

no year ticks or anything, but just saw a buzzard circling high above the garden. yet more wildlife around my garden!

 

[birding maniac]

ANother first for me yesterday, but sadly not a lifer or year tick, but a garden-
A pair of LINNETs were sat on the fence of the garden. I know they breed on the edges of the estate, and i suppose it is possible as we are only 200m from farmland but brilliant none the less.