Blogs

I've seen many Wheatears during my walks in the Scottish countryside and there I was looking at a small dark coloured bird with a white rump......but I wasn't in Scotland, or even on land, I was on a ship crossing the North Sea, about half way between Norway and Northern England...and it was...

A few images from my recent stay at the Lighthouse on The Mull of Kintyre

Fingers crossed, the Elmley/RSPB website saga could soon be rectified. It seems that the mobile phone connection we use for our computer system at Kingshill Farm has been routing requests to access the website to a different address & so the operation "times out" before the mistake is realised...

It's a scorcher of a day at Vane Farm. The heat certainly seems to have brought in the visitors - both feathered and otherwise. Out and about on the reserve today we have an impressive sight, as a flock of over 500 curlew feeding on the mud in front of the 2nd hide. Ringed plover and dunlin have...

Time for another of my rather infrequent updates, as I STILL can't access the RSPB website from Elmley. We're still trying to fix the problem, but it's a slow process. Highlight of the month so far was the discovery of a grey phalarope on the Flood reservoir on Saturday night. It was still...

A quick update on recent sightings at Dove Stone. On one of our regular guided walks yesterday, this time up to Chew Reservoir, there were sightings of quite a few Meadow pippits, Wheatear, Sparrowhawk and House martins all seen from the Chew path. Up on the tops there were Red grouse and although we...

Taken 8/9/11

High winds and plenty of rain means autumn is well and truly here – so much for an Indian summer! But despite the drab weather, there’s still plenty of colour to see up on the reserve if you look close enough. There have been plenty of sightings of wheatear in the past couple of weeks...

Another 2 weeks has passed & still no joy in getting onto the RSPB website at Elmley - a real conundrum. I have been sent another possible fix that I will try when I return to Kingshill Farm, but I'm currently at Northward Hill, hence the chance for a further up-date about what's hip &...

We're half way through August already - madness! Alongside a re-emergence of Wheatear we've had plentiful displays from Harbour Porpoise and even a Common Dolphin was spotted from Ellin's Tower today. It can be quite difficult to distinguish between porpoise and dolphins; what we often...

Those of you who have a tendency for noticing subtle things may well have already spotted a few strange blokes wandering around near to our developing reed-bed. However, there is no need to worry as these contractors are putting together our "Marsh Covert" hide. This hide will form part...

Hello All, A few photos from last week at Elmley . Young Shelduck amazingly staying cleanish! Snipe A record shot of 25+ Egrets Drake Mallard in eclipse plumage front one a domestic escape(thanks Aiki) Wheatear Kestrel Shots After this dive the...

Around and about at Dove Stone recently have been sightings of Fox moth caterpillars on the path up from Chew Brook. The caterpillars have been in their early instar where they are yet to moult, which they'll do when basically they've grown too large for their skin. This could be the first...

21st April 2011 near Cow Green reservoir, Teesdale, Co.Durham

mpiekp Lovely whit@ss :) Wheatears are fantastic to have around. Yes! They are! We're lucky to have a thriving population of wheatears here in north Pembrokeshire, where they live among the rocks that make up a long breakwater near me..

Hello All, We had a lot of fun watching this fellow who had a lucky escape. I am glad to say the Wheatear jumped when it had to. Have fun RR

Grasshopper Warbler reeling in last year's spot (though this morning it was reeling from just outside the main reserve. To make up for this, a second Grasshopper Warbler was reeling by the path to the Reedbed Hide. The Sedge Warblers are making a racket by the boardwalk; they have favourite perches...

Male Wheater seen on the Conwy River Bank adjacent to RSPB Conwy

After a winter of lovely sights - bearded tits, bittern, lesser and mealy redpolls etc., spring has definitely sprung. We've had some lovely visits in recent days (mostly mornings). Among the recent late March and early April highlights: Passage migrants: Wheatear (almost daily, visible from...

The reserve seems full of birds this morning. Many willow warblers, chiffchaffs and blackcaps singing. There are redstarts and wheatear here also. New arrivals include garden warbler and two ospreys on the estuary.

I visited the reserve in the afternoon on Sunday 3rd April and I was rewarded with some spring treats. The marshes were doing what they're intended for - attracting waders. Several lapwings were displaying and there was a pair of curlew - one bird crying its evocative 'curleee' call and another...

Taken at Arne during September, on a beautiful sunny day this finished my holiday off perfectly!

There were 2 females present,with the male,but they did all move on.However,we do still have a resident female.such lovely colours in their plumage.

This Male Wheatear,was wearing 3 rings on one leg,and 2 on the other leg,On checking with the BTO it transpired that this bird was ringed as a nestling on Fair Isle in June,2007.He was just on a stop over,the next day there was no sign of him.

5th May

It was hard to believe that such a small, delicate bird would soon be flying out over Land's End and across the sea. No wonder it didn't seem in a hurry.