Since my last post I was booked onto 2 pelagics in Cornwall. The 12+ hours scillonian pelagic was cancelled due to a lack of people and the St Ives pelagic was cancelled due to a storm. Disappointed but decided to spent a few days on the Scilly Isles next year and do a couple of pelagics from there. apart from that, haven't done much birding as went to France for a wedding, then had the in-laws over from Germany. Did see a couple of black kites and 2 black redstarts but that was about it.
Oxfordshire has been quiet the last few months so the appearance of a spotted crake at Radley gravel pits was noteworthy. They are sometimes found in Southern England at this time of year but are notorious for hiding away in dense undergrowth. I often read of birders waiting all day for a briefest of glimpses of the bird. However, I was pleased to note that the Radley Crake was showing well for alot of the time.
Got to the correct pit (Small ash pit G) around 8.00 am and was surprised to be the only person. Had to wait about 10 minutes for it to emerge from the undergrowth during which I was entertained by 2 Greenshanks, 4 Snipe, 2 Green sandpipers and a Green woodpecker. For the following hour I watched the Crake feeding on the mud to the East of the pit. The light was poor and it was quite far away, but the bird was in the open for long periods of time.
On the way back, I turned my ankle on the stoney path running alongside the pit whilst looking at a Green Woodpecker flying over. Painful but managed to hobble back to the car.
I have now seen Spotted Crake, Little Crake (Slimbridge), Baillon's Crake (Teinhoven Plassen, Holland) but not a corncrake.
Oxfordshire has been quiet the last few months so the appearance of a spotted crake at Radley gravel pits was noteworthy. They are sometimes found in Southern England at this time of year but are notorious for hiding away in dense undergrowth. I often read of birders waiting all day for a briefest of glimpses of the bird. However, I was pleased to note that the Radley Crake was showing well for alot of the time.
Got to the correct pit (Small ash pit G) around 8.00 am and was surprised to be the only person. Had to wait about 10 minutes for it to emerge from the undergrowth during which I was entertained by 2 Greenshanks, 4 Snipe, 2 Green sandpipers and a Green woodpecker. For the following hour I watched the Crake feeding on the mud to the East of the pit. The light was poor and it was quite far away, but the bird was in the open for long periods of time.
On the way back, I turned my ankle on the stoney path running alongside the pit whilst looking at a Green Woodpecker flying over. Painful but managed to hobble back to the car.
I have now seen Spotted Crake, Little Crake (Slimbridge), Baillon's Crake (Teinhoven Plassen, Holland) but not a corncrake.
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