5th April:
A quick look at Dagenham Chase produced a pair of displaying
Little Ringed Plovers while a quick look at the barges at Rainham provided me
with a late Water Pipit and one of the breeding Stonechats.
8th April:
Panic Time! A Caspian Tern had spent all of yesterday at
Lackford Lakes – amazingly their fourth record in six years and so this became
the first port of call for Pete and I and as usual it was not present. A quick
look around gave us just aa pair of Little Ringed Plovers so we headed up to
Weeting Heath via Foxhole Heath where only two pair of Common and no
Stone-Curlews were found. We had no such trouble at Weeting with three seen
easily on the other side of the road. Green Woodpeckers were vocal and a
surprise female Merlin whizzed through.
Mayday Farm next and as there was no one else around the
wildlife was a little more obliging than usual. Golden Pheasants were croaking
in the Moonberry understorey and a pair of exquisite Muntjac fed amongst the
newly planted deciduous trees. Whilst watching these three doe Red Deer stepped
silently across the path – wonderful.
A little further up we found the Woodlarks singing opposite
the huge wood chip pile and got good views as they sang both in flight and
from a stump. Suddenly everything went quiet except for the alarm calls of Blue
and Coal Tits. I looked up to see a pair of Sparrowhawks spiralling around but
they too looked uneasy and the reason soon became obvious as a male Goshawk
glided out of the tree tops about 100 feet away and started to climb. The female appeared soon after a little
further away and once both birds were out of sight the Woodlarks restarted and
were joined by Skylarks and many singing Finches. A third Sparrowhawk tussled
with a Kestrel over the tree line and a Chiffchaff sang. The walk back produced no additional birds
but there were now 14 glowing Brimstones on the wing.
We made our way back to Lackford where nothing had changed
and I spent the afternoon chatting to Paul Whiteman about butterflies amongst
other things and managed to see a pair of Goshawk and Sparrowhawks over the
Kings Forest. A pair of Ringed Plovers had joined the LRPs on the scrape and
Kingfishers dazzled but the best was a pink flushed full sum plum Little Gull.
We stayed quite late and then came home via Pete’s daughters
– what a mad house! [Eds: sorry Pete!] and once home I got a call from Ken to
say that a Stone Curlew had flown through The Chase! As it was a nice evening
Dad and I went for a walk and at last managed to see the Short-eared Owl as it
sat disguised by a plastic bag! Twelve Sand Martins were my first Chase birds
of the year.
9th April:
A late morning dash with Stuart Lambert to Pulborough did
not give a Night Heron so we pushed on to Lychett Bay on the north side of
Poole Harbour. We thought we had found the right spot for the Purple Heron but
no one else was around but thankfully it eventually strolled into view across a
boggy field and into a sedge filled ditch. A smart immature – probably a first
summer with a huge bill and very sinuous neck.
Purple Heron
A Spotted Redshank was calling and three Buzzard circled
over the adjacent wood and four Roe Deer were feeding in the fields too.
We then moved around to Studland where the Hoopoe had
disappeared but we did get a pair of spritely Dartford Warblers and Green
Woodpeckers. Brent Geese, Wigeon, Pintail and many Waders and Gulls fed
out on the marsh and Sandwich Tern and Willow Warbler found their way onto the
year list before heading for home.
10th April:
Two lunchtime phonecalls (from Stu and Paul W) had me
jumping into EMU and dashing in a legal manner [Eds: EMU was an old K reg
Morris Marina so…] back up the M11 to Lackford. Fortunately the bane of last summer decided
to stay and allow me to enjoy it. The Caspian Tern felt a bit bigger than a Common Gull and
not Herring Gull sized as I had been led to believe but it was very majestic in
flight with slow leisurely beats before epic plunge dives.
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| Caspian Tern - bill too small! #378 |
A Green Sandpiper, a few Redshanks and a couple of Sand
Martins made it a pleasant afternoon out and at 5.15pm it flew off once again
and so I retraced my steps with a smile.
11th April:
I headed north again today with Pete
to see the immature Crane at Welches Dam.
Fortunately it was still there but at long range and in bad haze and was
my first away from the Broads. A nice party of Tree Sparrows were more
watchable and a male Yellow wagtail added a touch of spring. Pintail were still
present and some Ruff were feeding close to the hide where Toads were busily
croaking.
The Caspian Tern was back at Lackford and so we headed that
way and naturally it stayed put given the effort I put in yesterday. And so as
we watched the Tern we were also treated to over 50 summer plumaged Little
Gulls passing through in the five hours we were there. Amongst these beauties
was my first Common Terns of the year. The same waders were still present and
there were Willow Warblers and Blackcaps in song. There were plenty of butterflies and a fine
Grass Snake and two obliging Water Voles.
Little Gulls
12th April:
A quick pop over to The Chase to look for Mick’s male
Redstart was successful and I found a female too by Crowfoot marsh. These were
my first spring records for the site. A few Willow Warblers and Blackcaps were
in song but there was no sign of Mick’s Egyptian Goose or Dunlin – both excellent local birds.
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| Redstart |
17th April:
Frensham Little Pond was the first stop for Pete and I and
the male Little Bunting was found immediately singing just beyond the car park.
It was bit like a mixture of Bunting, Dunnock and Whitethroat to my ear. Three
male Woodlarks sang around us and amongst the many finches were 12 Bramblings,
Siskins and a male Greenfinch with creamy white wings.
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| Little Bunting |
After the rain left off we went for a walk up to the Kings
Ridge seeing Green Woodpeckers, Blackcaps and a Water Rail (!) en route. Once
there the Dartford Warblers were conspicuously singing as were Stonechats and a
single Tree Pipit. One of the Dartfords was displaying not unlike a Sedge
Warbler. When we got back the Bunting was becoming difficult so we headed north
to Cleygate Common where Ring Ouzels had been seen the day before. After a spot
of lunch we wandered over this bleak firing range and found four Ouzels
although only a female showed well. Woodlarks and Tree Pipits were singing all
around and four male Wheatears were all exceptionally bright. Two Crossbills flew
over and Siskins were ever present and as we walked back we discovered to
Adders in the heather only moments after telling Pete to watch where he put his
feet.
18th April:
A typically early start saw us myself Stu and Aubrey at
Exminster at about 8am and fortunately the Hoopoe was found upon our arrival.
Really good views were ad as it fed alongside the railway line crossing Bowling
Green Marsh. It was being pushed by two photographers [Eds: see it is not a new
thing] and kept raising its crest as they approached.
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| Hoopoe |
A few Swallows were twittering about before we moved off to
Prawle Point with a Cetti’s Warbler fest at Slapton Ley on the way. I got out
and walked the last half mile to the car park locating three singing male Cirl Buntings on the way down. Once on the
coast proper we found another three pairs. Tree Pipits, Swallows and Linnets
were on the move while the sea produced four more year ticks in as many minutes
with Guillemot, Puffin, Razorbill and Manx Shearwater as well as Gannets,
Fulmars, Kittiwakes and a single Whimbrel.
A little further west to the River Plym for a prospective
look through the gulls as there had been two Bonaparte’s Gulls here much
earlier in the winter. Stewart stayed in the car and Aubrey and I went and
scanned the river banks but we found nothing until the return walk when a 1st
winter Ring-billed Gull made a couple of fly-bys and then I had tantalising
views of what I thought was an adult Bony. For once, I actually managed to
refind it and glean all the requisite details.
What a delightful little gull.
Stewart was non-plussed and never even got out of the car.
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| Bonaparte’s Gull |
Aylesbere Common was out last stop and on the way home and
at least five Dartford Warblers were discovered and shoed very well with the
Stonechats. A Cuckoo was a welcome addition.
The journey home was enlivened but many Buzzards, a couple
of House Martins and Turtle Doves and some every loud Led Zep! The trip pushed my year list over the 200
mark at last!
19th April:
A trip to Connaught Water was dominated by a woodland full
of Blackcaps, Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs and various Tits while the lake
itself was quiet with only a surprise Sedge Warbler in song. After a cup of
coffee and a couple of bits of toast [Eds: no idea where the toast came from as
I do not remember Pete having a toaster in the car!] Pete and I headed over to
Amwell where there were quite a few mixed hirundines hawking around. Both
Little and Common Ringed Plovers were displaying as were several pairs of
Redshanks. A surprise year tick was a very territorial Egyptian Goose [Eds:
still a very scarce locals bird then]. On to RSPB Rye Meads for lunch and
Cetti’s Warblers and both were quickly acquired. Our final stop was Hall Marsh were breeding
Blackcaps and Willow Warblers lined the walk down to the scrape where both
Ringed Plovers, Lapwings and Redshanks were all breeding and a single Snipe,
Teal, Shoveler and a Grey Wagtail were all also seen.
20th April:
A day in Norfolk with Pete and after the Fulmars (and an
Eider) at Hunstanton we soon arrived at RSPB Titchwell. Bearded Tit joined the
year list almost immediately and a summer plumaged Black-necked Grebe was a
great find and one I was not expecting.
There were very few waders but closer inspection of the Black-headed
Gulls proved worthwhile with a pair of newly arrived adult Meds and three sum
plum Little Gulls which were hawking delicately over the scrape.
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| Black-necked Grebe |
There were still a few Brents around and a pair of Pintail
dabbled in the shallows while two pair of Red-breasted Mergansers were also on
the fresh marsh.
The Marsh Harriers were very active with two males and a
female seen and one of the males even perched up for quite a while and afforded
excellent views. A couple of Sedge Warblers were scratching away and White and
Pied Wagtails were seen from the path while the car park was full of expected
warbler song. On to Cley where we spent the next hour waiting for food in
Coastguards! Shocking!
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| Marsh Harrier |
During this time Pete and Ted [Ed: I can remember his
glasses being about an inch thick!] decided to head for home leaving me to make
my way to my parents caravan hopefully at the top of Old Womans Lane in Cley!
I met Paul W after my long awaited beans on toast and we
circumnavigated the whole reserve picking up Sandwich Terns, two Spotted
Redshanks, 53 Avocets, 113 Black-tailed Godwits, Little Ringed Plover and
Common Sandpiper on the pools and Tree Pipit, alba and Yellow Wagtails and a
couple of Sedge Warblers around the edges before Paul kindly dropped me off at
the van.
21st April:
A day visiting the local market towns
was briefly enlivened by a short walk along the River Bure. A Cuckoo was
calling and there were several pairs of all three feral geese and a few
Swallows twittered overhead. Later I the evening we went down to Cley and heard
at least four Grasshopper Warblers reeling and one showed exceptionally
well. I imagined that I could hear the
crunchy footsteps of Bitterns in the reedbeds.
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| Grasshopper Warbler |
22nd April:
I persuaded Dad to go to Bacton on the morning to look for
Dotterel. Fortunately all five were still in the huge rolling furrowed field. There were plenty of birds heading north
including Linnets, hirundines, Meadow Pipits, ten Tree Pipits and seven close
Shorelarks that were an unexpected bonus.
 |
| Dotterel |
Later on as we headed back past Salthouse we stopped to
watch 12 Whimbrel in the fields. Paul was there too and told me of a pair of
Garganey at The Quags so I hitched a lift.
We were in luck and actually found two pair and the two males even
engaged in some display! A Greenshank was also on the pools and a Short-eared
Owl hunted the fields.
Just as we were leaving, Mark Golley turned up and we
stopped to tell him of the ducks which was fortuitous as a Crane flew through
at that point and although we were close it was into the light and we could not
age it.
Back at Dotterela gathering of six Ring Ouzels were
to seen feeding I the sheep field by the church on the company of Song and
Mistle Thrushes, Blackbirds and a solitary Redwing. I headed ‘home’ for sinner
before another late evening Gropper session down at Cley and hundreds of newly
arrived hirundines circled in the gloom.
23rd April:
There was no sign of the Ouzels this morning as we packed up
and headed for home although the Garganey were seen again at Kelling and the
Whimbrel flock was now up to 25.
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| Garganey |
25th April:
A really good few hours over The Chase over two visits
produced a Cuckoo, my third Redstart of the spring, my first Wheatear and a
year tick (the first of tree that day!) in the form of a bubbling Garden
Warbler. But the second, evening, visit was more hurried as Mick had found a
male Pied Flycatcher by the Slack. Amazingly it was still there and I had it to
myself as this dapper bird flitted around the Sallows. Two male Lesser
Whitethroats were also new in and Blackcaps had jumped to 13 males while there
were now 60 House Martin, 20 Sand Martin and six Swallows.
Pied Flycatcher
26th April:
An afternoon visit to Abberton Reservoir work out some bird race details proved
pretty good despite the awful weather with Black Terns, Nightingales, the first
Swifts and a smart drake Garganey right next to the causeway.
27th April:
An eventful morning attempting to see the Pied Billed Grebe
at Radley GP in Oxfordshire. My car first
broke down outside James H’s and then again at Waltham Abbey as we came off the
M25! Fortunately Peter G reappeared after passing us on the M25 and stayed with
us until Dad arrived to sort the car out. We then transferred to Pete’s Citroen
and on we went. Much to our relief it was still there and paddling around in
the rain looked very dejected. Suddenly the heavens opened and we ran for cover
but when it abated there was no sign of the Grebe at all and despite searching
all we could find were a Cuckoo, a Cetti’s Warbler and my first Whitethroat of
the year.
With that we headed for home via a non-existent Hoopoe on
Christmas Common which is where they have been secretly releasing the Red
Kites.
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| Pied Billed Grebe - David Rimes - #379 |
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