News archive
May 2006
Saturday, 20 May 2006
RSPB Minsmere coach trip report
Highlights:
Many Avocets, one Roseate Tern, good views of Little Gulls, Bearded Tits, Cuckoos, Hobbies and Marsh Harriers. A Water Vole was seen in the pond, in the old car park area. Late in the afternoon, the cafe became a popular venue for tea and cakes!
93 Species seen:
Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Bittern, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Greylag Geese, Canada Geese, Barnacle Geese, Shelduck, Gadwall, Mallard, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Marsh Harrier, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Kestrel, Hobby, Pheasant, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Avocet, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Lapwing, Knot, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Common Sandpiper, Turnstone, Mediterranean Gull, Little Gull, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Kittiwake, Sandwich Tern, Roseate Tern, Common Tern, Little Tern, Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Turtle Dove, Cuckoo, Swift, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Skylark, Sand Martin, Swallow, House Martin, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Nightingale, Redstart, Stonechat, Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Cetti's Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Dartford Warbler, Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Bearded Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Marsh Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Treecreeper, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet and Reed Bunting.
Other wildlife:
Squirrel, Rabbit, Muntjac deer, Water Vole.
Butterflies:
Red Admiral, Green Veined White, Painted Lady, Speckled Wood, Small Copper and Orange Tip Butterflies.
Dragonflies:
Hairy Dragonfly and Broad Bodied Chaser. Large Red, Blue Tailed, Common Blue and Azure Damselflies.
Tuesday, 9 May 2006
Evening Badger Watch
This was our first evening using the new hide, it was perfect. Some Muntjac were seen, one, a male, came right up to the full length window of the hide. Three young Badgers were seen, and they were joined by an older Badger, it was very interesting to see them together.
Our thanks to Ruth Martin, who organised and led this event.
Sunday, 7 May 2006
In Search of Nightingales at Fishers Green - report
Highlights:
The star birds were two Turnstones, which landed on the cleared islands above the weir, also a Common Sandpiper actually on the weir.
Nightingales were heard singing along the grid road, and around the `island'. Only a few were lucky enough to glimpse one, despite our best efforts.
We had good views of Garden Warblers, Common and Lesser Whitethroats, we saw all 8 warblers. Everyone managed to see 2 Cuckoos and a Kingfisher through the telescope.
2 Hobbies were seen hunting over 70 acres lake.
No of Species seen: 51
Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Greylag and Canada Geese, Shelduck, Gadwall, Mallard, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Hobby, Pheasant, Moorhen, Coot, Lapwing, Common Sandpiper, Turnstone, Black Headed Gull, Common Tern, Woodpigeon, Cuckoo, Swift, Kingfisher, Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Nightingale, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Sedge, Reed, Garden and Willow Warblers, Common and Lesser Whitethroats, Blackcap, Chiff Chaff, Long Tailed, Blue and Great Tits, Jay, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Reed Bunting.
Unusual Sightings:
Green Woodpecker on pylon, pair of Gadwall sitting on tarmac road near sub station and a Pheasant in a tree - he had spotted the fox!
Mammals:
Fox and Water Vole.
Butterflies:
Orange Tip, Red Admiral, Green Veined White, Peacock
Our thanks to Terry Smith who led this walk.
Saturday, 6 May 2006
Bulgaria Trip Report
The group was led by group member Phil Blatcher and Lyubo Profirov, a very knowledgeable and experienced Bulgarian birdwatcher and biologist. We also had the services of Alex, our coach driver who seemed unfazed by many of the small tracks down which we travelled and Mytko, our organiser and logistics guide.
Trip Highlights:
Butterfly filled meadows and Corn Buntings along every roadside
Red-footed Falcons and Rollers 'grounded' by the rain
Great Spotted Cuckoo
Lunch with Russi and his BTO Breeding Bird Survey
Trip Lowlights:
A lone Corncrake calling in the middle of a building site, previously a meadow
A concrete lorry flushing out its tank down a crocus covered mountain meadow
A detailed report of this very successful 9 day trip, on which over 200 sp. were seen is available in the trip report folder at our group meetings.