Birding with Jenx

Have not been birding for a while, partly due to lack of anything interesting around Oxfordshire and saving for a new bathroom. One notable exception was dipping the white tailed plover at Slimbridge. Got to the Holden hide at 6.45am, waited for 2 hours then had to leave, only to find out that it had turned up 15 minutes after I had left. This weekend, Jenx was visiting and 2 things are certain. He will want to go birding and have an Indian meal. On Saturday, we went local spending a few hours at Farmoor. This time of year can be quiet at Farmoor before migration proper begins but we found 3 common tern (2 Juveniles and 1 adult), single Dunlin, 2 Common Sandpipers, Peregrine Falcon.

Crounching Dunlin at Farmoor

Obliging juvenile Common Tern

On sunday, we drove down to Titchfield Haven near Southampton. Highlights included a large number of Common Terns, a single avocet, lots of Common Sandpipers, 2 Green Sandpipers, 2 Snipe, a Water Rail and a Med Gull.

Distant photo of a Green Sandpiper, taken using the unorthodox combination of my Scope and FZ18 panasonic.

Gwent Marmora's warbler and Iberian Chiffchaff

The temptation of two mega lifers in Gwent, an Iberian Chiffchaff and a Marmora's warbler was too much so I left Wantage on Friday evening with a plan to spend the night at my mums in Cardiff then make an early start. Upon leaving Wantage a barn owl was sat in the middle of the road only flying when I drove quite close to it (Initially I thought that somebody had left an ornament in the road). Just after joining the M4, a hobby flew across in front of me ; a good start to the trip.
On Saturday morning, I arrived at the Blorenge, a region of hilly moorland, at about 5.30am and there was already a large group of birders present. As I approached the car park, I saw (and heard) the warbler in gorse at the side of the road. Marmora's warblers are usually found in Sardinia, Corsica and a small region of the Italian mainland. However, a small population does migrate from the Northern coast of Africa. Very rarely a vagrant bird will turn up in the UK ; only 5 have been confirmed to date. In contrast, the similar Balearic warbler is resident on the Balearic Islands (now excluding Menorca) and so would be highly unlikely to end up here.
The warbler was circling the car park, singing on top of gorse bushes and especially liked prominent Holly and Hawthorn bushes. At 6.30, I drove to Chepstow to pick up Jenx and returned to the Blorenge. By now, the numbers of birders had swelled to well over a hundred. The bird was still showing well but has stopped circling the car park possibly because a long line of birders was cutting a swathe through it's territory. Other birds of interest were several whinchats and tree pipits, and 3 cuckoos.

Next stop was Cadeira beeches in Wentwood. The Iberian Chiffchaff was easy to find about 100 yards south of the Car Park. We actually heard its distinctive song well before seeing it. This species is usually seen in Iberia and northwest Africa and until 2007 had only been confirmed 11 times (BTO birdfacts).

Got back to Wantage in time to see the Wales rugby match v the Springboks. I hope they win - I am still reeling from Cardiff City's playoff defeat to Blackpool.

Marmora's warbler at Blorenge, South Wales

Marmora's warbler : UK lifer 267
Iberian Chiffchaff : UK lifer 268

Red footed Falcon, Wilstone Reservoir, Herts

Two Red-footed falcons, a 1st summer and an adult were found a few days ago but only the youngster seemed to stay for the bank holiday Monday. When I arrived at about 6.45 am it was sleeping in a hawthorn tree in the middle of a field adjacent to the reservoir (cemetery corner). It soon flew to an exposed branch, where it was hassled by a crow and then flew to the North East.

Whilst in Holland, I found a juvenile Red-foot in my local patch, Teinhoven Plassen, but this is a UK lifer for me. These birds winter in southern africa and migrate to their breeding grounds in Eastern Europe, but several birds (usually 1st summers) turn up in the UK.

1st Summer male Red footed Falcon at Wilstone Reservoir

Red footed Falcon: UK lifer 266

Non-birding holiday in South Devon

Spent the last week holidaying in Devon with Mrs Sull so birding opportunities were limited. However, managed to negotiate a walk around Yarner Wood RSPB reserve. Our cottage was close to Aylesbeare common so also paid this site several visits.

Aylesbeare common
Managed by the RSPB, this is an area of lowland heath consisting of bracken and gorse and an ideal habitat for nightjars and Dartford warblers. On my first visit, I bumped into a fellow Oxfordshire birder, Jeremy, who I had previously met twitching the Spotted sandpiper in Hampshire. Within a few minutes we had noted a hobby, cuckoo, single dartford warbler and yellowhammer. The churring of several nightjars began as darkness approached, followed by great views of birds hovering and darting about (reminiscent of a very large hummingbird), wing clapping, and making their frog-like call. By the time we left, we had seen at least 6 individuals and heard more. Subsequent visits were made at various times of the day for the Dartford's but the best was at dusk, when several birds were singing including a couple showing well at the top of gorse bushes.

Yarner Wood
Mixed woodland on the slopes of Dartmoor with well marked trails and a large number of nest boxes. Pied Flycatchers were numerous, and with a bit of searching found 2 Redstarts. Wood Warblers were common and vocal, although only managed a fleeting glimpse of one. Unfortunately, did not hear or see any lesser spotted woodpeckers.

Male Pied flycatcher at Yarner wood

During a walk along the Jurassic coast watched the impressive site of a Peregrine falcon attempting to take a pigeon out at sea. Close-up views of sanderlings in summer plumage and rock pipits at Lyme Regis were enjoyed whilst fossil hunting. I took photos of two individual rock pipits that show variation within the species.

Rock pipit showing black legs

Rock pipit showing unusually light legs

Confiding sanderling on Lyme Regis fossil beach

Temminck's stint at Farmoor Reservoir

Some excitement down at Farmoor with the appearance of a Temminck's stint on the causeway. The bird was quite flighty, occasionally giving off its shrill call and associating with 3 dunlin and 2 sanderling. Despite seeing two a couple of days ago, thought I would go and see it because 1. might get a better photo than at Frampton and 2. one day I might have a respectable Oxfordshire list. The two sanderlings were approachable and I managed to get an okay photo in the diminishing light. Never seen a Temmincks before, then 3 in one week.

Temminck's stint at Farmoor reservoir (slightly better than the Frampton shot)

Sanderling on the causeway at Farmoor

Oriental pratincole and Temminck's stints

The Lincs oriental pratinicole had been at Frampton Marsh RSPB for a good few days and was now joined by temminck's stints. So feeling adventurous, I set my alarm for 3.45 am to get to Frampton by 6.30. Usually when I plan such an early start, I go straight back to sleep but this time was alert and eager to get going. On the way, several muntjac deer were seen on the roadside just outside Northampton. When I got to the Marsh, I decided to make a bee-line for the East hide where a birder was already leaving having not seen the pratincole. Had to wait for about 15 minutes before I found it sticking its head out of some grass on one of the islands. For the next couple of hours, it would periodically fly about in front of the hide before resting on the islands. I managed to follow it with the video facility on my FZ18 camera after a few failed attempts.

I then turned my attention to the stints. Checked every wader I could see - dunlin, snipe, godwits, avocet, lapwing, sanderling, ringed, little ringed and grey plover, oystercatcher, curlew sandpiper, ruff, redshank, knot, but no Temmincks. I had a feeling that it may be over the other side out of sight, so I walked towards the 360 hide and was proved right: not one but two stints were in full view. Standing next to a ringed plover you could clearly see their diminutive size.

Had an Eccles cake and a cup of coffee in the visitor centre and thought about stopping off at Welney WWT to see the bluethroat but decided against it and left for home.

video of oriental pratincole in flight. Little gulls
can also be seen in this clip

Oriental pratincole and little gull

Pratincole in flight showing white rump

Female ruff provided a momentary distraction from the pratincole

Record shot of the two Temminck's stints

Oriental pratincole : UK lifer 264
Temminck's stint : Uk lifer 265

One good tern deserves another

My mother in law is over from Germany this weekend and my wife arranged to take her to Exbury gardens in the New Forest. Didn't want to impinge upon their mother daughter bonding so thought I would drop them off, then spend a couple of hours on Brownsea Island. Brownsea is a great place to visit but the reason for my eagerness was the roseate tern reported during the previous week. after landing on the island took a brisk walk down to the reserve. Nearly come unstuck as the Dorset wildlife trust charge 2 pound for entry but I only had 1 pound on me. Kindly the wardens took pity and let me in half price.

Once in the hide, I started checking out all the terns for the roseates but all were either sandwich or commons. I hoped that they were fishing in Poole Harbour and would soon return and after about 45 minuted my wish was granted as I located them on a nearby island. They had sneaked in whilst I was scanning the periphery of the lagoon. Worth the wait however, with great views of two birds each showing the characteristic large bill and pinkish chest. Yet another memorable birding moment. Caught the boat back, found that I had a parking ticket but didn't care, I had seen roseate terns.

Roseate tern with a second bottom right of shot

Sandwich terns frolicking with disinterested gull

Common terns on Brownsea lagoon

Roseate tern : Uk lifer 263