Mull

Anglesey

Today was to be the hottest day of the year so far, virtually no wind and a gorgeous blue sky. A trip to Anglesey with Jim was planned, with a stop at World's End to look for Black Grouse on the way.

A drive across the moors found several males, quite distant but good views in the scopes and a lifer for me! We then located what was obviously an area they favoured with nine males together. More were spotted nearby making a total of about nineteen.

Continuing to Fedw Fawr on Anglesey, two Black Guillemots were seen and all the expected species at South Stack. Although the rocks looked remarkedly empty in areas that I've seen crammed with nesting birds in previous years. Only two Puffin seen, here's the one of them...





After lunch and a cooling Calippo we headed to Cemlyn Bay. Not long after we arrived, a Red-breasted Merganser landed on the water near the car park...





A Bar-tailed Godwit, several more Merganser and Oystercatchers were about and numerous Ringed Plover and Dunlin on the shore, this being the only one coming close enough...









Of course the Terns were the main attraction, 800 Sandwich apparently with many Common and quite a few Arctic. We spent a while photographing them as they flew back in from the sea, these are a few of my favourites...

























It was now getting late so time to press on to Gronant to see the Little Tern colony. About 300 birds present, another lifer for me. I didn't attempt any pics as they weren't really close enough, but this lovely Ringed Plover kept my camera busy.













A smashing end to the day.

Catching up

I've been doing a bit of local birding lately, going to areas I've never been before, seeing what's about and trying to get some pics. Yellowhammer are very common all around the area and always nice to photograph.





A pile of soil in a treeless area makes a useful song perch














Such beautiful birds.

That is until they decide to do this to themselves...









Several Wheatear, a group of twenty Corn Bunting and many Linnet around too, only the latter coming close enough so far.










Hopefully more pics to come soon.

Wood Lane

Today I decided to head north to see the Barwit at Wood Lane and Hobbys on Whixall. Couldn't resist a quick look at Chelmarsh first though to see if there had been an influx of waders! Well you never know

Or maybe I do... an LRP had the scrape to himself. A Cuckoo was also calling and soon located on a bush nearby. Despite having heard many this year, this was the first I'd actually seen! After being mobbed by a Crow it flew to the big tree allowing me to at least get a record shot.





Arriving at Wood Lane there was no sign of the Barwit, so after a quick look to see if anything was on the Meres, I returned and began a long wait in the hide. Hardly any birds were close enough to photograph so the couple that were were very welcome...











These I took to show Laura who's always loved Great-crested Grebes!








Then at around 1.30pm I heard a wader. Not knowing many calls, I expected to see the Barwit appear, but what flew across the pool had a curved bill... Whimbrel?? It landed almost out of sight on the far island so a quick walk to the other hide was called for and yep it was!





Excuse the pic, it was a bit too distant. This is only the second I've ever seen (the first being a few weeks ago) so that brightened up the day nicely!

The weather however was very dull and showery so I decided to give Whixall a miss. Gave up on it Barwit when it was nearly 5pm only to hear later that it was there again that evening!

HOOPOE!!!!!

I had a free day today and Jim, on his week off, offered to take me to see the Hoopoe at Clayhanger Marsh in Staffs where he'd had good views the previous day. If I had a 'must see' birds list, this would probably have been at the top! I didn't go to see the one in Much Wenlock in 2005 and have regretted it many times since. I knew about it but found the idea of travelling to see a bird (even 8 miles!) all a bit strange back then!

On arrival we were told what you don't really want to hear 'it had been showing well but flew out of sight half an hour ago'. Oh well, at least we knew it was still around, so waited patiently in the hope it would return to its favoured area. Trying to spot a singing Grasshopper Warbler helped pass the time!

After a while we decided to walk around the area and soon heard it had been seen up the other end... and there it was. I couldn't believe how small it looked! I'd been expecting something Woodpigeon size! We had the most fantastic close up views, though it was often so close we had to 'freeze' and couldn't move to take pics! So this one taken from a distance is as good as they get from me.





I have memories though and this is one I shan't forget for a while!

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It came back!

I'd only been in the hide for 15 mins and was just about to start noting things in the book, when a young boy asked his Dad 'Is that a Buzzard?' I glanced skyward and saw it was the Osprey! I didn't even have the camera out the bag, but I needn't have rushed - it stayed around for 25 minutes. During this time it dived twice, both unsuccessful.

Shame it was mainly over the north end of the pool and everytime it hovered it was facing away. Nevertheless, wonderful to see it again and at least there was a bit of blue sky this time...









Apparently it returned again in the evening but took five attempts before it caught its dinner!

Osprey fishing!

Today I had hoped to be at VP for first light to look out for the Osprey catching breakfast. Unfortunately not going to bed till almost 3.00am rather wrecked that plan!! So I was still driving over when I heard news just after 8.00 that it had arrived! Drat! On arrival I found I'd also missed a Black tailed Godwit and some Yellow Wagtails. Not a great start!

However, the Osprey had apparently got mobbed by gulls and hadn't had chance to fish, so maybe it would return soon? A spell in hide was called for.

After a while (and with a Black Redstart to see elsewhere) we decided it was time to move on. We had literally just left the hide when, what should appear over the pool...








It spent five minutes circling right in front of the hide, by far the best views I've ever had of an Osprey! Then it spotted something and plunged in... the ducks look alittle surprised!





Soon it emerged with a small Roach.




Shook off some water...



And away...



Any previous views I've had of Ospreys have always been distant and I'd never seen one hunting before, so this was a fantastic few minutes! Couldn't have hoped for better or longer views. Really hope this bird sticks around for a while, would be great to see it again.

So with the day suddenly looking up, it was off to Titterstone Clee. After a bit of searching and waiting, the Black Redstart appeared on the fence of the first compound! Shame it was too distant for pics but really nice to see anyway.

Finally on the Bridges where a male Pied Flycatcher was singing just a few metres along the path from the car! Another was seen by the far bridge along with a male Common Redstart and two Dippers, brilliant! No pics from there today, but hopefully one day soon.

An incredibly pale Buzzard was over the woods too, its underneath was really bright white and I wondered what on earth I was looking at for a second or two! See Jim's blog for pics as mine aren't worth posting.

A Yellow Wagtail at VP in the evening rounded off a very nice day!

Gone a bit quiet on here!

An update at last, albeit a brief one! I'm afraid I've hardly had the camera out the bag recently and I never feel like posting anything unless I've got pics. Been busy with others things too, but I have made it out a few times...

Chiffchaffs seem to be everywhere, smashing male Redstarts seen at Nedge Hill and VP, Pinkfoot still at Cranmere, four Ring Ouzels amongst snow showers on the Clee, Corn Buntings near Crudgington, Goosanders at Bridgnorth, Turkeys on guard at Bridges and Peacocks roaming the roads at Colemere...







Hope to get the camera back in action with some slightly less exotic birds soon. In the meantime, meet a new friend of mine... Jake







He pulls like mad and won't travel in the car so I've had lots of local walks, being dragged along, with not much chance of seeing anything! He's a lot of fun but sadly only on his hols with us. So back to birds and I'm off up the Titterstone soon...

Great Grey Shrike

Today I had planned on spending the morning at Titterstone Clee in the hope of an early Ouzel, then maybe Bury Ditches later. News of a Great Grey Shrike near Hopesay changed that. I decided I may stand a better chance of seeing this bird, than the elusive little so and so at Whixall!

Bit of a sad start, driving through Aston Eyre, there were lots of white feathers about and a body in the road - I assumed it was a Barn Owl. On stopping I saw it was actually a female Mandarin Duck! Then a male 'fell' down the sloping verge and into the road! It was in a panic to get away and was obviously injured or at least stunned as it couldn't fly and kept falling over. I thought I might try and catch it, but he had other ideas and disappeared through a hedge.

On to Hopesay and after a quick chat to the postman, I found the church! The walk up to the hill fort was longer than I'd imagined and I was relieved I hadn't taken my scope as the camera stuff was more than enough to carry. Yellowhammer, Raven, Red Kites and numerous Buzzard were seen on the way up.



So there I was, near the top, just me and a Marsh Tit, when someone suddenly shouts 'Get off my land!' Somewhat shocked(!!) I turned to see someone the other side of a hedge. It seemed like forever (but was actually only a few seconds!) before he started laughing and said 'It's Andy'...... phew!! Seems he and Paul had arrived sometime after me and taken a shorter but much steeper route up!

At the top we started checking the tree tops and it wasn't long before it appeared.





It showed really well and after a while we were joined by Paul and Dawn - see Paul's blog for a rather funny account of how much he enjoyed the walk up this nice little hill! ;-) Perhaps that shorter steeper route wasn't such a good idea!

Not close enough for good pics but great views and really good to see one, my first for two years.











After a while I headed off for the Titterstone. Quite a few cars and people about including the police keeping an eye on the place and some kids on quad bikes fleeing the scene. I had a look around all the usual areas but didn't see anything other than about 14 Wheatear, Meadow Pipits and 2 Raven above.

Stopping at Chelmarsh on the way past (ages since I've been!) - nice to see the scrape area drained and all the new mud looks great for waders. Just 2 Oystercatcher today though and a few Teal. A quick stop at Cranmere too where the Pink footed Goose was still present, this time on the pool as the farmer and her Collie were doing their daily 'walk around the fields scaring away the geese' excercise!

Three more new birds for the year came in the Telford area including a very smart drake Ring necked Duck! Only the second RND I've seen and the first drake. I won't bother posting the record shots!