Shatterford, New Forest

Yesterday, I finished work at 7, and Dan was waiting at my drive, to quickly pop along to the New Forest. On arrival the 1st Summer Red-footed Falcon was sat on a low branch along side a Hobby. Decent silhouette comparisons were made, before it decided to fly over the road.

Following it across, it was re-located on another sparse pine, at closer range, where it hawked a little, then settling down again to munch on its prize. It then went and landed above some birders head, where he didn't even realised it was there, until he turnt around and the bird flew out. Flying on a big circle over our heads, and then attempting to land in the same place. Got the impression the bird wanted to roost there.

I was quite proud of myself if i do say so myself, i rather like the silhouetted shot against the sunset :D, and the picture below of the Red-footed Falcon shows abit of the orange on the breast. (c) Ashley Howe

So we left it, well alone. Besides we were being eaten alive!

Lodmoor RSPB

(18/05/08) Frustration hit me hard this morning. Another Sunday shift at the Post Office, and the pager going spaz the second i walked through the automatic doors. Little Bittern, Thrush Nightingale, Eastern Oliveacous Warbler, and Red-rumped Swallow all close together. I finished work at 14:00, argued with the family a little, and wa son the road by 15:00.

Arriving mid-afternoon, starting at Lodmoor, catching up with a few mates, for the low down. The Little Bittern hadn't been seen for a while now. While sifting through the plentiful Hirundines (well they were all House Martins), we couldn't pick out a Red-rumper. But a shout put us in the direction of the Little Bittern which shortly after appeared on top of the reeds before flying down river. This was my second within the space of a year. Unfortunately this female wasn't a shad eon the male last year at Titchwell.

You now me, nothing but photos of the highest quality of course!! But yeah, you get the picture - its a female Little Bittern (not a male as reported). (c) Ashley Howe

My Dad left me, and i had arranged to get a lift home with David, who wanted to leave early. Unfortunately we managed to miss the Nightingale and EO Warbler. Bit of a bitch to say the least!

Westleton Heath

Well this was quite an amusing trip! (10/05/08) The pager started to spaz just i was coming into Hedge End after completely a frustrating day at work. Spectacled Warbler in Suffolk. Quickly getting on the phone to Ant and Dan and within 30 minutes, was well on our way up the M3 heading in a North-Easterly direction. Time was against us considerably, but had a feeling if we didn't see the bird tonight, then we probably wouldnt see it the next morning. Nothing of late seemed to be sticking aorund long enough to twitch successfully.

Well...unfortunately we arrived just abit too late, around 21:00 where it was a little too dark to say the least. Oh well time to hit the pubs, rayyy!! As we decided to kip the night in the car, just in case, our theory was it would rude not to.

After a few, pints/smirnoffs we were pretty much....ummm....pissed. At least it made sleeping in the car abit more comfortable. Early morning soon came around, and we moved back up to the heath. A Nightingale was singing, like it was last night, a few Dartfords were knocking about. But nothing really to get us excited. Someone claimed hearing it, but nothing came of it.

The only thing that tempted my camera out the rucksack, sorry guys, i know i should ahve taken pics of the pissheads!!(c) Ashley Howe

By 07:30 we were on the road home, i got a bollocking as i had work that morning...oops...and hadn't arranged no-one to cover me..haha

Lytham

Uh oh...today was abit of a downer, having woken up well before the crack of dawn to catch a train up to Liverpool, to meet Mr. Menzie himself at c09:30. We headed off to Neumann's Flash where the 2 Black-winged Stilts were on show, the male feeding, and the female sat on the nest.

The male of the pair feeding.(c) Ashley Howe

The RSPB were on site, setting up a perimeter fence around the flash...wow they really are discrete about these things, and just about disturbed everything else. Leaving the Stilts in peace, we headed North to Lytham.

Sadly after hours of searching along a wide stretch of beach, we couldnt find the Ross's Gull....aaaargh, i was pretty cheesed off about this one, as it had been there for yonks, and the one day i decide to come up, its pissed off!!

A few days later it, popped again. SHIT!! and i was incredibly tempted to give it another go....till it was found dead, sod it!

Radipole & Lodmoor RSPB, and Portland Bill

Finally...a tad of luck. Wasn't really expacting much this morning, just happening to be doing a day trip down in the Weymouth area, but when entering the area, a Whiskered Tern came up onto the pager at Radipole, i was rather pleased. This was my second now, and always a pleasure to see, just like the first.

You know what they say about big feet ;-). (c) Ashley Howe

It fed around the Buddleia Loop for a while, coming close at times, but frustratingly hard to photograph and to keep up withit bobbing about all over the place. It then departed down to the visitor centre, where it sat on a perch, at the back. This allowed me to have a few record shots of it. A Cuckoo passed through, and was one of my first spring migrants of the year, since i had come home from America.

Unfortunately these were the best i could muster up, no doubt others got better. (c) Ashley Howe

Round to Lodmoor RSPB, there was no sign of the Spoonbill, but thee was a drake Garganey being rather elusive at times. Over looking Weymouth Bay, 2 Roseate Terns were picked out at range either side of me: one by the stone Weymouth Pier and another along the white cliffs. A Great Northern Diver was also on the sea.

What is it about Radipole and Lodmoor, that make Cetti's Warblers show so well? (c) Ashley Howe

Another scan of Lodmoor revealed the Spoonbill...well just its head above some bushes.

Once having asked a few locals, and then found the place, I was watching a Hoopoe on the Rugby pitch. Not the most obliging of birds, compared to some of the others i have seen in the past, but its one of those birds i like to see annually in Britain.

Has to be up with some of the best of my previous Hoopoe shots, but a record all the same Take a peak here and here. (c) Ashley Howe

Up on Portland things, quietened down a little, with no sign of the Blue-headed Wagtail in the top fields, or the Mealy Redpoll which was typically elusive as expected. Hirundines were plentiful, but my efforts to turn one into a Red-rumper were fruitless.

Testwood Lakes

I left early from work to meet Dan at my house, light was exactly in our favour, and the Whooper Swans had been reported for some time now. Whooper Swans are a mega hampshire bird, and was the first time i had heard of one in the county since I had been birding. The 5 Whoopers showed well if not at range, one of which seemed secluded from the rest of the group for what ever reasons. And the local Mutes weren't too happy about their presence.

See how the right hand Whooper appears to become secluded from the rest of the group. Quality hampshire bird(s). (c) Ashley Howe

Further inspection of the area, and Dan spotted a Little Ringed Plover, my first of the year, showing quite nicely infront of us. Not a bad last minute trip out this evening.

New Forest and Blashford HWT

A day in the New Forest was appropriate for today, starting off with rather nicely with 2 Goshawk at one of those "hush, hush" locations, though i expect every man and his dog know where they are these days! But still im saying nuttin!!

Next off to Eyeworth Pond, where there were plenty of Mandarins about, 50:50 ratio to male and female. And if memory serves me correctly there were 12 birds present. (See this is the problem not keeping a blog up-to-date, you tend to forget some info).

As far as introduced birds come, these have to be one of the best, there was a decent number of them on the Pond today. (c) Ashley Howe

A few brief stops to look for Great Grey Shrike at a few various sites, drew blanks, so we went off to the Ibsley/Blashford area. Well there wasn't really anything significant to report...apart from a good looking 'bird' with a tidy round rump working in the visitor centre. The Woodland Hide however, was the most productive, with a nice selection of Finches.

Just some of the Finches infront of the Woodland Hide this afternoon, coming to the feeders. Obivously Lesser Redpoll, top and Brambling, below. (c) Ashley Howe

Having left the hide, we almost immediately bumped into a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, which showed surprisingly well, at a close range. However it was one of those birds which i couldnt focus my camera on through all the branches infront of it.

This Pheasant cleaned up the mess, the Finches left behind on the deck. (c) Ashley Howe

Pembrokeshire, Lisvane Reservoir & Burrow Gurney

It was a fairly early start this morning to arrive at Marloes Mere by around mid-morning to strong winds. No hurry or anything! Black Duck - and a female at that with it head under its wing, not exactly the most amusing of birds to watch. There wasn't alot of time spent watching it and we soon decided to depart to the East.

This Black Duck appears to have paired up with a Drake Mallard, don't let the sun confuse you! It was actually terrible weather. (c) Ashley Howe

Haverfordwest was our next stop, where again we were successful, the wintering Rose-coloured Starling was elusive at first but soon came out to play. The male continued to sing at close range, not in the most convenient of places behind a caravan in private gardens, with dogs barking throughout. Needed to good old boot if you ask me!!

Whatta Corker!! Singing in the hedge in someones back garden, i wouldnt mind that on garden list. (c) Ashley Howe

Again moving further East, we stopped at Lisvane Reservoir, where we didn't expect to locate the Spotted Sandpiper. Where it hadn't been reported there for a good few days now. We gave it ago all the same. Things were looking doubtful where the bird could literally be anywhere on the fenced off reservoir Llanishen. After completing a whole circuit of both reserviors, i managed to find it, near enough beneath my feet, feeding on the bank. The bird, by this time was beginning to come into summer plumage with a few spots appearing around its arse.

Not the easiest of birds to photograph, never keeping still for any length of time. But you can see the spotting around the bum, before it decided to run across infront of me (bottom). (c) Ashley Howe

Further East, again and i was hoping the Franklin's Gull would make another appearance around Keynsham. Sadly it didn't, but a drake Lesser Scaup had been found at Burrow Gurney, it would have been rude not to have a look as it was on the route home. And before long was watching the bird, if not at abit of range in the centre of the reservoir.

This drake Lesser Scaup was amongst a group of Tufted Duck, presumably an individual that has also been visiting Chew and Blagdon Lakes. (c) Ashley Howe

Undisclosed Site - Hampshire

3 Jack Snipes were flushed from an undisclosed site with an organised flush alongside Dan Houghton and Simon Ingram. A Peregrine was another good sight record which passed overhead.

Broadsands & Northam Burrows

Yesterday was spent entirely in Devon, though the pager wasn't as active as we had hoped with news concerning birds like the King Eider and Surf Scoter.

However got to Broadsands, fairly early on with a summer plumaged Black-necked Grebe in the Bay. Soon followed with a count of 10 plus Cirl Buntings feeding on seed in the second car park. We watched the birds for a good while, till they dwindled down to none and had moved off to somewhere else. Reed Bunting and Chaffinch fed amongst but Dunnocks were everywhere!



After we ended up in Dartmoor half-heartedly looking around for a Yellow-browed Warbler and Firecrest. News was still very slow and it wasn't till about 11:30 when the 1st winter drake King Eider was reported. As nothing much else was happening we went for it.

On arrival things weren't looking particuarly healthy, no sign from anybody since the time it was first reported, searches along both rivers had drawn blank. Although the Cirl Buntings in the morning were lovely, we were hardly enjoying the day. Till the bird finding beast, most of you might know him best as Dan, picked it up way out on the sea from Appledore.

Going round to The Skern, it was confirmed, showing so much closer at the river mouth, in considerably dull weather. This was the last thing we saw before heading home again.