Day out to Minsmere

Dave , myself and a wildlife Trust lady, Julie headed over to Minsmere for the day on Sunday 6th May. It was an early start, getting to Dave's in Hartwell for 05:30am. One of the first birds of the day was a Cuckoo singing as I opened my front door in Syresham at around 5am!

After picking up Julie in Rushden we headed off. After a fair drive, there was one diversion on the way there. This was to catch up with a Long Billed Dowitcher at Livermore Lake, near to Bury St. Edmunds. As it turned out we went to the wrong area of the lake and found nothing that resembled muddy edges. The place was a shooting lake with plenty of cammo and rickerty looking walkways put up to shoot all those ducks! Eventually we found our way to the right place, towards the north end of the lake. This was better, another wet bit, but this time with muddy edges and other birders to match. Straight away we were put onto the bird, asleep of course! Eventually he awoke to reveal a stunning-looking Long Billed Dowitcher in summer plumage and also was a lifer for me. It was on our side of the lake too and showed well at times, when it wasn't hiding behind a bloody shooting hide! There was also a Common Sandpiper kicking around.

After having our fix we headed back to the car with the next stop being Minsmere, still a good hour away, but a great start to the day!

We arrived at Minsmere around 10am. The first target bird was a Wryneck that had been lurking around the North Bushes not too far from the visitor centre. There was plenty of people looking around for it. With currently no sign of the bird we headed for the hide overlooking the scrape. just as we did so, a shout went up that it had re-appeared. Sure enough, there it was a Wryneck right in the top of one of the bushes, frigging fantastic! Amazing looking things, looking just like a big lump of bark with eyes! For the next half hour or so it showed though not amazing well. The scrape hide failed to bring up anything too special however there were a few good birds. Several Little Terns were knocking about as well as just a handful of Avocets, a single summer plumaged Knot, several Turnstone, Barnacle Geese and insane number numbers of Black Headed Gulls! On returning to the North Bushes, the Wryneck was now showing incredibly well at the base of a gorse bush. It was at this point I managed to rattle off some half decent photos!

The day was going great with 2 lifers! A bit shameful I hadn't yet caught up with a Wryneck until this one, but the fact was I'd just simply been f***ing unlucky several times!
Next we went towards the beach and along to Dunwich Heath with Dartford Warbler a big target species as this was a bird I hadn't seen for years, my last one being At Aylesbeare Common, near Exeter. The NT wardens suggested we would do well to see one due to the dull and slightly windy weather, but we were keen to prove them wrong!


Not long into the heath, a Woodlark started singing and a short while later Dace picked up  a male Stonechat, a year tick for me. Soon after a Dartford Warbler started calling a short way away. Annoyingly Dave managed to see it but I didn't. It never showed after that, grrr!
But slightly further along the path one was singing and it wasn't long before I picked it up with the naked eye! It gave great views singing away. We loved along the path a little and gor even better views. Another one began singing nearby too, meaning we had probably at least 3 birds, great stuff!

After Dunwich, we headed back to Minsmere for some tasty lunch before heading out to the Bittern Hide and walk round the reserve. The reedbeds held at least 2 booming Bitterns, one very close to Bittern hide. This was the first time I'd actually heard one and gotta say it was pretty dam cool to hear...such an amazing sound! There were several Bearded Tits flitting around and 'pinging' as well as 1 or 2 squealing Water Rails, several fly by Marsh Harriers and some very loud Cetti's Warbler.

There was talk of Stone Curlews being present in fields by the approach road to the reserve so we headed there next. They apparently were close to a bridleway crossing the road and it wasn't long before we saw several birders kicking around and the said bridleway.
Straight away Dave spotted a handsome male Ring Ouzel bouncing round the edge of the field south of the bridleway showing really nicely. A further walk up the bridleway and the Stone Curlews were duly pointed out, although they were some distance away, lurking close to a couple of lone gorse bushes in the short-grassed, rabbit infested field...classic Stone Curlew habitat really! 2 or 3 Wheatears were on show, as was a gorgeous male Whinchat along the field's wire fencing.

We then headed for back for a sneaky cuppa at the visitor centre. After this I thought it was worth checking the NE corner of the car park as there had been a female Black Redstart in this general area. I didn't hold out much hope of seeing it, but suprisingly I latched onto it almost straight away, perched quivering her tail on a bit of wood was a female Black Redstart. Result! We watched her for a bit, however the bird was very flighty and in the end disappeared.
To finish off the day we headed back to the scrape which turned out to be a right old mission wading through the flooded path. We also had an insanely close encounter with a Cetti's Warbler, with it breaking into song virtually at Dave's feet before coming to investigate us no more than 6 feet away! We had fab views of Red Deer before heading back to Bittern hide for a while. Managed to see a fly by Kingfisher, as well as the occassional boom of a Bittern. A Brent Goose was on show in the distance with Barnacles close to the ruined abbey.

Finally we headed back to the scrubby area close to the works depot, quite close to the Car Park. Here we hoped to finally catch up with a singing Nightingale, something we'd failed to catch up with! Sure enough, a birder had found one and we listened to it singing intermitantly and even managed to see him =)
By this time is was 19:00 and it was time to head for home, with at least 3 hours of driving for Dave to endure on our behalf! A wicked days birding with 2 lifers...bonus!!

More stormy skies

The week 30/04 - 06/05 proved to be a great week for birding, turning up some great passage birds as well as an amazing 3 species of Egret! But it'll also be remembered for the further incredibly wet conditions with water levels at an all-time high and flooding common-place. Many of the fields surrounding Summer Leys held standing water and water levels were far higher than normal across the reserve. At Clifford Hill the banks had apparently broken and several of the sheep kept there appeared to have drowned. It was confirmed to be the wettest April on record! All a bit crazy!

A visit to Summer Leys after work on Monday 30th proved to be very worthwhile. Birds initially seen included 4 Black Tern flying around the main lake, a drake Garganey between the Screen Hide and the Feeding Station and a mobile Cuckoo close by, all year ticks. 5 Black Tailed Godwit were also present as well as 2 Ruff, one being a very handsome black male. Around 19:15 2 Grey Plover in rather scrappy summer plumage appeared along the far shore of the main lake. A male Ring Ouzel had been present for several days around the vegetation to the left of the screen hide, however despite a long search I failed to catch up with him. On a brighter note, scanning the fenceline bordering Pete Wilde's lake produced my first Whinchat for the site, a handsome looking male, as well as a total of 4 Wheatear and a male Yellow Wagtail.

To finish off the evening, in the fading light I discovered 10 Bar Tailed Godwit feeding vigourously on the bund viewed from both the double decker hide and the small car park hide. Was a great evenings birding, also featuring good numbers of Swift and Blackcap.

On Tuesday, news broke of a stunning adult Cattle Egret in fields around the Summer Leys reserve. Sadly I was busy until Thursday (03/05). I headed there straight after work. My initial search for the bird on floods close to Hardwater crssing drew a blank, with just a single Egyptian Goose showing on Hardwater Lake. The reserve itself had had several decent passage waders through that day and to my suprise 5 Curlew Sandpipers were on show on the far shore of the main lake showing distantly from the Screen Hide in the company of 5 Dunlin. This shoreline was about the only decent area left for waders with the increased water level hiding the majority of muddy edges and islands. Also present were a single Black Tern, 3 Bar Tailed & 1 Black Tailed Godwit between the screen hide and the feeding station.

I had to get a closer look at the Curlew Sands so I donned the wellies (essential at the moment!) and trudged through lots of standing water and along the old railway line. The birds showed brilliantly and thankfully I managed to rattle off some decent photos too. 3 of the 5 were looking stunning with their brick red underparts, presumably males. Im guessing the the other 2 dowdier birds were females.

Once I'd had my Curley Sand fix it was time to catch up with the Cattle Egret. The bird had been very mobile but could usually be found in the Hardwater Crossing general area. I walked to where the old railway meets the road and then followed the road towards Wollaston. A short way along on the right hand side was a gate with a for sale sign. This is where the Egret had been first seen. As I approached I was suprised to see an Egret no more than 20 feet away feeding in the grass. The problem was the bird saw me through the hedge. There was no traffic so I quickly set up the tripod and it indeed proved to be my 3rd Summer Leys Cattle Egret. This though was the best looker yet in full breeding plumage, was a stunner! I must have had around 10 seconds of view before the bird decided he wasn't too keen on my company and departed away to the other side of the ARC Pit. Lastly, my first Garden Warbler of 2012 was singing close to the main car park.


Saturday (06/05) I was keen to get to Summer Leys early to finally see this bonkers Ring Ouzel which had lingered for at least a week and should've been half way up a mountain by now! I was also keen to catch up with the Cattle Egret, plus the Great White Egret which had again been seen on Mill Lake.


On arrival there was a year tick almost straight away in the form of a Lesser Whitethroat singing in the lane hedgerow. Furthermore there was a male Wheatear in the first field to the right of the lane.
At first glance there was frustratingly no sign of the Ring Ouzel, but I was determined to sit it out! The vegetation to the left of the screen hide was quite thick so seeing it would be difficult. There was one obvious gap in the vegetation and whilst scanning around with my scope, suddenly there it was right in the middle of the gap, male Ring Ouzel! It disappeared for a while and while more birders came to find it too, it did eventually show on and off, having a feed  around the bases of the small scrubby bushes. The photo below is a shocker but shows I saw it!

There wasn't too much else about. I did see an adult Black Tern (apparently another around too) and a single brick red Bar Tailed Godwit close to the screen hide (apparently one of three about). 
After this there appeared to be very little else about the county so I decided to head to Rutland Water as a Savi's Warbler had been singing there for the last few days between Lagoons I & II. Despite several proglonged vigils there, I failed to catch up with the elusive little blighter! Didn't even see an Osprey! Birds of note there included at least 2 Arctic Terns, an adult Black Tern, adult Little Gull and 4 breeding Avocet on Lagoon IV.

I had to be back in Northampton by 2pm as I had an appointment at Natwest, however after I headed to Summer Leys/Earls Barton to attempt to catch up with the Egrets.
Despite an extensive search for the Cattle Egret, I failed to catch up with it, despite it apparently still being present. The problem is it was flippin mobile!
Finally I went round to the Mill Lake. It didn't take me long to catch up with the Great White Egret in the far NE corner of the lake. It flew around a bit and I even saw it on the near shore showing pretty dam close. After that I headed home with the weather changing from decent sunshine, to yet more bloody rain!!

Storks and shower dodging

So Sunday (29/04) I crept over the border into Oxfordshire for Sunday lunch at Em's Gran's near Woodstock. Em was working at 3 o'clock and that duly left me with a prime opportunity to latch onto some great birds that were, at present knocking around the Oxford area. There were 3 targets: a flock of 6 White Storks near Stanlake, several Black Necked Grebes at Farmoor Resevoir and finally a lingering Dotterel that had been lingering with several late Golden Plovers just west of Banbury.

The weather was shockingly miserable, with really heavy on and off showers. But with the potential of seeing some great birds, I didn't really give a monkeys what the weather did!!

First up were the Grebes. I arrived at Farmoor a little after 3 o'clock. All I knew is that they were close to the car park, on F2. With a flukey break between the showers, I walked up to the edge of the resevoir and to my utter amazement there were 5 small grebe shaped things no more than 15 feet from the edge. Immediately got my scope on them to reveal absolutely insane views of 5 Black Necked Grebe, all in immaculate summer plumage...absolutely fantastic.

I watched the birds for around 45 minutes, taking lots of pics. From the news I'd been getting, the Storks at Standlake had been 'pinned down' by the weather, however with the sun now out I was concerned they would scarper so it was time to head over to see them.

I parked up by the Thames at Newbridge and slipped the wellies on. This turned out to be a bloody shrewd move as all along the river it was rather moist shall we say! The Storks were supposed to be in a field on the north side of the river. A few hundred yards along, I was was suprised to find a Barn Owl landing on a post on the other side of the river. at around 16:30. It sat there a short while before flying off along the hedgerow running away from the river.

I walked all the way down following the river to the west side of the Standlake Nature Reserve a good old walk, with constant rain! I came across a couple of birders also looking for the Storks. They said the birds had apparently flown SW although may well have been still in the area. I soldiered on along the river to some further flooded fields in the hope they'd be loafing around still. Sadly there was no sign, just plenty of Swans and Geese, as well as a calling Yellow Wagtail. The sun had come out by then, however a huge weather front moved in pretty sharpish as I began to head back to the car. Suddenly an owl was blown across in front of me by the wind. Managed to latch onto to it and to my suprise it was a Short Eared Owl! It disappeared as quickly as it appeared and was blown away to the west. 
Literally a minute later I couldn't believe my luck, all 6 White Storks appeared from the SW and crusied in front of me along the river towards the fields they had been previously, god dam get in!!!! I hot footed it back along the river, spanking it in the mud on the way, leaving the whole right-hand side of my jeans covered in mud haha! but I didn't care as I was just so keen to see the Storks on the deck. Eventually I got to the field and got great views of all six birds feeding in the field just the other side of the river. They were a UK tick for me and I was well chuffed!

I enjoyed the birds for a while before trudging my way back back through the floods to the car. It was a bit after 6 o'clock, but the light was good and there was plenty of time to scoot up to Banbury and catch up with Dotterel that had been lurking just west of the town.

I arrived by Balscote Quarry Nature Reserve just after 7. The field next to the reserve was where the Dotterel had been. Straight away I spotted a Whimbrel feeding by a flooded area in the NE corner of the field as well as a couple of Wheatear.

Eventually I picked up a small group of smart looking Golden Plover towards the back of the field. Initially there was no sign of the Dotterel, however a minute or so later, the far right-hand Plover ducked it's head to reveal the head of the Dotterel. Both it and the 15 or so Golden Plover were very sleepy, however the Dotterel did get up and move further left to reveal itself in full with it currently moulting into summer plumage (far right hand of pic below). Soon after another birder found a Whinchat which was a real bonus, my first spring male and what a stunner. It showed well in the same area as the Whimbrel, by the pool in the NE corner. In total there were 3 Wheatear, as well as a Little Ringed Plover and 1-2 male Yellow Wagtails. On top of all that, there were several Tree Sparrows showing in the adjacent hedgerow. What a great field!!

By 19:45 the light was starting to deteriorate and I was getting pretty dam cold so it was time to call it a day and head for home. What an awesome afternoons birding though, seeing 6 White Stork, amazing views of 5 Black Necked Grebes, Dotterel, male Whinchat, Barn and Short Eared Owls...fantastic!