Strike

Well been on Birding Strike today so no birding done AT ALL. Just chores n biking..

Patch

Again too quiet this morning a few Song Thrush 6 Pinks and 3 Pinks flew over, patch tick! as was a Common Buzzard, and for once this Green Woodpecker sat still for me although still quite distant.

Out of Town

so started on the patch 6-45am slogged away but saw very little. checked Radar Lodge road again nothing until I found a Dark Bellied Brent Goose.
I also tried some local hedgerows, which id not done before. 6 Song Thrush was it the whole time.

 So I deserted the patch and headed for Lowestoft and Birdseye factory where I picked up a Firecrest as I drove past. Yes it had already been seen earlier in day but it was still nice to be able to pick up the call from the van. I did get out and have a good look at it. A Treecreeper joined it a little later on.
I then decided to head for Yarmouth Cemetary, when I arrived there were loads if birds about I thought there must be something really good here. Well a Yellow Browed Warbler was here but not now. I did see 2 more Firecrest. I then started chatting to young chap Jake who said Red Footed Falcon at Winterton Dunes so as he didn't have transport I took him to try go see this. On arriving rumour was the bird was probably a Hobby. We did make the trip worth while with 2 Lapland Buntings (lifer for Jake) and then he spotted a Short-Eared Owl come in off the Sea.
We then had a quick look for a local YBW no sign now so finished at Caister on Sea where I was able to get him on the Rose Coloured Starling.

 

Finished back on the patch, still quiet though

Local

Whoops just realised I haven't updated my blog in days, mind you I haven't seen a great deal really. My Birthday was on the 24 and as a birthday treat I managed to find a fly over Stone Curlew, like rocking horse shit around here apparently. Also 4 Ringed plover and the usual fly over Siskins, Redpolls, Meadow Pipits and Chiffchaffs. Its been pretty much the same the last few days ive been out morning and afternoons to slog around the patch finding just the common stuff with a bit of fly over migration. Today however I saw a few different birds such as Redwing, Song Thrush and Brambling although this morning I got on site to immediately hear a Yellow Browed Warbler... in song!!!!!! so I was very excited and confused at the same time you don't hear them in song in the Autumn. It was a bloody tape wasn't it, ringers were on site trying to catch one if one was about.
There wasn't and I watched them ring just Chiffys, Meadow Pipits, Blue tits and Wrens so still no YBW! Maybe tomorrow, but probably not. A Red Underwing Moth very striking in flight, was a highlight of the day. Oh yea and a nice Golden Plover
Come on Birdies!!!!!

Red Underwing Moth

Tonight a quick sea watch from the back garden here in Corton. 3 Red throated diver, Oyk and Juv Gannet distant

Black Redstart

I nipped out this evening to go and have a look for a reported Black Redstart from Kensington gardens area I managed to find the bird on buildings but only got a couple of shots off before being politely moved on for looking at a government building from a public Footpath, I was scaring the staff?? not that ugly am I... ok don't answer that. DO NOT ANSWER THAT. ;-) Miserable Sods.
I also spotted 4 Sandwich Tern and 4 Med Gulls.

Yesterdays Jackdaw just a bit of practice.

 

Corton Old Sewage Works and Local

So forgot to blog yesterday it was a bit of a slow start on the patch with a few Chiffchaffs only, the mist had rolled in. After the mist had cleared however there were a good number of House Martins coming in off the sea 150+ with some Swallows and Meadow Pipits. I then got a call of Rob to say a Yellow Browed Warbler had been found near the Lighthouse in crows nest park. So shot up there to help them re-find it. Eventually it was easy as it called continually for about 5 min. Lovely birds. After this I went for a run befor having lunch, how time flys. In the afternoon I coved the patch then headed up to Southwell with Danny to look for a Wryneck that had been about but with no luck.

So today on Patch and Links Hill and Ness point and Raiders road all on bike as Vans in for repares, few Robins new in and Wheatears at Ness Point and Links carpark with chiffys, Siskin and Redpoll everywhere else, very quiet.

More Phalaropes

Last night Rob picked me up and we headed for Burgh Castle to see what Waders were about, it was a fantastic evening to be out. Birds included 2 Curlew sandpiper, 13 Common Sandpiper 167 Dunlin, Little Egrets Bar and Black tailed Godwits, 2 Med Gulls and a few Marsh harriers.
We were hoping for a rare wader or two, maybe tonight ;-)

What a great mornings birding, I left the house at 7 this morning and immediately noticed a movement of Meadow Pipits, probably 3-4 hundred by time id finished birding. I walked the patch Corton Old Sewage Works but it was fairly quiet except for 5 Chiffchaffs. I decided I do a quick seawatch and immediatly spotted a Guillemot close in, quite rare round here then the unusual sight of a Little Grebe on the Sea. Things just got better and better though with a group of my first Dark Bellied Brents of the autumn and in total by the end about 18 passed.

Then it all kicked off I was watching a Sanderling close in going south and I picked up what I though was going to be another but looking closely the wing bars were narrow the the rump was plain, it was only a flaming Grey Phalarope BINGO... it sort of slowly drifted south looking like it would land on the water but it soon took off south. Soon after I picked up a dainty skua it came in from a long way so gave me enough time to get a proper id, a stonking Juv Long-tailed Skua.. After this it went a little quieter but more Brents a couple of Common Tern quiet a few Teal and Scoters and 2 Tufted Duck. Gannets and Red Throated divers were in good numbers too. Oh yeh and finished with a Porpoise.

Rob had found a Snow Bunting early on so I nipped to have a look at this beaut! then it was half hour out on bike trying to loose my puppy fat ;-)

 

 

 

Update

Tonight I coved the patch again. Best birds were Hobby and 7 Chiffchaff which I searched through carefully for something unusual but nowt. Porpoise Arctic Skua and 3 Sandwich Terns out at Sea.




Phalarope and Shrikes.

Well firstly here a final shot of Stumpy from Workington yesterday, I couldn't resist.

Stumpy the Med Gull at the back

Now today it was time to go home so I left at 7 and headed straight for Titchwell firstly as I like Pec Sands and here there were 2. Crackers but they didn't hang around, also at Titchwell 2 Little Stint and probably 75 Ruff.

Pec Sand's

 

 

Next I moved onto Cley for the Juv Wilsons Phalarope, been a couple a years since I've seen one I think. Again I watched this bird fly off a few mins after I arrived Doh!!

Wilsons Phalarope

Lastly after many hours in the Van I Arrive in Suffolk and Leiston for the best bird of the day, a Lesser Grey Shrike. This showed well through the scope but moved further away when I arrived still great birds and a great but long day.

Thank you EAST ANGLIA!!!!!

Leach's Petrel

Well I was due home to Suffolk today, so took the dogs for a run before leaving on my walk I took my bins and walked along the north promenade and whilst on the walk I spotted a cracking close Leach's Petrel flying north.
So after walking dogs I headed for Workington thinking id see many more from here. its a bit low for watching at Maryport but after about 3 hours I hadn't spotted another Petrel!!!!  I should have gone home instead.
Birds I did see were

Juv Pom

8 Sandwich Tern

6 Guillemot

3 Red-throated Diver

19 Common Scoter.

1 Tufted duck South

7 Bar-tailed Godwit and 5 Dunlin South.

Stumpy in car park and either her or another adult out to sea and in Harbour. Only saw 1 at any one time.

Many Gannets

3 Kittiwakes 

1 Wheatear on Beach

1 Rock Pipit.

 

Definatly going home tomorrow. I would have gone to Spurn today for the Great Snipe had a cat not killed it through the night.

East

Ive nipped back to Cumbria for a few days before starting my new Job in Norwich on Monday.
So I nipped out with Keith for the day heading East to Saltholme and Hartlepool. At Saltholme the best bird was this Garganey, in fact we found 2.

 

After wandering around the main spots at Saltholme we headed for Hartlepool and did a 4 hour sewatch but nothing spectacular, 2 Arctic Skua 30+ Little Gull, Common and Arctic Terns, Gannets and Common auks was the best we could do.

Majorca Year List for 2013 SEO

1 Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna  
2 Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope  
3 Gadwall Anas strepera  
4 Eurasian Teal Anas crecca  
5 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos  
6 Northern Pintail Anas acuta  
7 Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata  
8 Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris  
9 Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina  
10 Common Pochard Aythya ferina  
11 Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula  
12 Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa  
13 Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis  
14 Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea  
15 Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus  
16 Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo  
17 Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus  
18 Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax  
19 Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides  
20 Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis  
21 Little Egret Egretta garzetta  
22 Great Egret Egretta alba  
23 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea  
24 Purple Heron Ardea purpurea  
25 Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus  
26 Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus  
27 Red Kite Milvus milvus  
28 Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus  
29 Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus  
30 Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus  
31 Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus  
32 Osprey Pandion haliaetus  
33 Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus  
34 Eleonora's Falcon Falco eleonorae  
35 Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus  
36 Water Rail Rallus aquaticus  
37 Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus  
38 Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio  
39 Eurasian Coot Fulica atra  
40 Red-knobbed Coot Fulica cristata  
41 Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus  
42 Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta  
43 Eurasian Stone-curlew Burhinus oedicnemus  
44 Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius  
45 Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula  
46 Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus  
47 Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola  
48 Red Knot Calidris canutus  
49 Sanderling Calidris alba  
50 Little Stint Calidris minuta  
51 Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea  
52 Dunlin Calidris alpina  
53 Ruff Philomachus pugnax  
54 Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago  
55 Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos  
56 Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus  
57 Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus  
58 Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia  
59 Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola  
60 Common Redshank Tringa totanus  
61 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres  
62 Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus  
63 Audouin's Gull Larus audouinii  
64 Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus  
65 Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis  
66 Common Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus  
67 Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto  
68 Barn Owl Tyto alba  
69 European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus  
70 Common Swift Apus apus  
71 Pallid Swift Apus pallidus  
72 Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis  
73 European Bee-eater Merops apiaster  
74 Hoopoe Upupa epops  
75 Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla  
76 Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla  
77 Thekla Lark Galerida theklae  
78 Sand Martin Riparia riparia  
79 Eurasian Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne rupestris  
80 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica  
81 Common House Martin Delichon urbicum  
82 Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris  
83 Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis  
84 Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava  
85 Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos  
86 Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus  
87 Whinchat Saxicola rubetra  
88 European Stonechat Saxicola rubicola  
89 Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe  
90 Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius  
91 Common Blackbird Turdus merula  
92 Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti  
93 Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis  
94 Eurasian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus  
95 Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus  
96 Melodious Warbler Hippolais polyglotta  
97 Balearic Warbler Sylvia balearica  
98 Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala  
99 Garden Warbler Sylvia borin  
100 Eurasian Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla  
101 Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita  
102 Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus  
103 Common Firecrest Regulus ignicapilla  
104 Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata  
105 European Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca  
106 Coal Tit Parus ater  
107 Eurasian Blue Tit Parus caeruleus  
108 Great Tit Parus major  
109 Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator  
110 Northern Raven Corvus corax  
111 Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris  
112 House Sparrow Passer domesticus  
113 Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus  
114 Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs  
115 European Serin Serinus serinus  
116 European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris  
117 European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis  
118 Common Linnet Carduelis cannabina  
119 Red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra  
120 Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus  
121 Common Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus  

Majorca 4th to 11th September.

Wednesday 4th

Arrived in Palma late morning and after finally picking the car up from OK car hire we decided to take the mountain route post Sollar. Now it was mid day and very hot so birds were few and far between and I had to watch the windy narrow roads. I did pick up Spotted Flycatcher, Kestrel, Booted Eagle Crossbill and a few Pallid Swift. We checked into our hotel at Lago Park Playa du Muro then moved onto Depuradora at S'Albufera Marsh. Here birds were Green Sand, Juv Little Stint, Hoopoe, Redstart, Marsh Harrier, Common Starlings x25, (one of the few places in Majorca you find em),Stonechat, Whinchat, Black Winged Stilt and finally Gadwall.  

 

Black winged stilt

Spotted Flycatcher

Little Stint

 

Thursday 5th

Woke up early and observation from my balcony were 25 Ravens came out of a Roost, Spot fly, Sardinian Warbler, Zitter, Cettis Warbler, both Little and Cattle Egret and a few Pallid Swift.

Today it was touristy stuff by travelling the east coves looking at the lovely harbors and small bays such as Cala Dor and Cala Mallor etc but from the car and in the bays I managed to see Red Kite, Theckla Lark, Yellow Legged Gull, Sardinian Warbler, Cettis Warblers, Firecrest, Kestrel and Woodchat Shrike.
Finished back at Depuradora S'Albufera where the new stuff were Yellow Wagtail, 2 Woodchat Shrike, a Wood Sandpiper, 8 Whinchat, Mallard, Great Tit and more Pallid Swift.

Spotted flycatcher

Woodchat Shrike 

 

Whinchat

 

Theckla Lark

 Friday 6th

Today was sort of a birding day up at Formentor Lighthouse still found this an amazing place with double figure Eleonora's Falcon, 4 Balearic Warbler always hard to find, Pied Fly, Blue Rock Thrush, Yellow Wagtail, Willow Warbler, an amazing Melodious Warbler proves birds were moving  and Audouin's gull and Yellow Legged Gulls flew over.

 

Blue Rock Thrush

Melodious Warbler

Balearic Warbler

Pied Flycatcher

 

Back down the Valley, Firecrest showed well as did the Crossbill and our first Black Vulture. Crag Martin was a nice surprise.

Common Crossbill

 

We Stopped unexpectedly at the Boquar Valley, surprisingly a first for us with plenty of birdlife such as Serin 4 more Eleonora's,  3 Booted Eagle, Blue Rock Thrush and another Balearic Warbler.

 

 

 

Serin

 

Again finished at Depuradora for a night time watch hoping for Scops Owl but failing, did get Nightjar and Barn Owl, 60+ Cattle Egret and 15 Common Sand came to roost.

 Saturday 7th 

Started on my patch behind the Hotel but it was very disappointing and I only got eatern alive by Mosquitoes and saw no birds so I wont be bothering with that again.

Sightseeing/birding at Cubar Res another good spot I like, good birds such as 5 Black Vulture, 8 Griffon Vulture, 3 Tawny Pipit, 2 Short Toed Lark. 2 Showy Woodchat Shrike, a nice Peregrine, 2 Redstart, 3 Pied Fly, 2 Common Sand 2 surprise Garden Warbler, a couple more Booted Eagle and 4 Blackcap together again a sign of birds moving. Best bird of the day flew over but didn't sit for photos a male Cirl Bunting.

 

Common Kestrel

Tawny Pipit

Tawny Pipit 

 

Woodchat Shrike

 

We then did a tourist route down some amazing windy road to Sa Calobra. As it was such a bad road I couldn't do any birding and kept my eyes firmly fixed on the road.

Back home from the balcony Audouin's gull, Yellow Legged Gull, Kestrel, Mallard and Gadwall.

Sunday 8th

PROPER Birding today at S'Albufera, amazing amazing place best place on island first birds were the usual Night Herons, then nice views of a Little Bittern and Purple Heron.  A Moustache Warbler showed a few times and is usually a tough bird to connect with but the Egrets showed well as did the waders. Kentish Plover, Spotted Redshank, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper and Ruff showed really well. An Osprey showed well as it sat in a old tree and Red knobbled Coot were plentyful from the bridge, another Purple Heron flew past and a nice Great White Egret flew past distantly.

Juv Night Heron

Juv Curlew Sandpiper

Juv Kentish Plover

Purple Swamphen

Little Stint

Ruff

Ruff

Black Winged Stilt

Squacco Heron

Red Knobbled Coot

 

We moved onto Son Real for the afternoon where we were able to spot 4 Wryneck and yet another Balearic Warbler. Audouin's gull showed well from here too. Also a cracking looking Spider female Argiope lobata

Wryneck

Audouin's gull

 

female Argiope lobata

 

female Argiope lobata

 

Monday 9th.

Monday morning we started off walking around Alcudia tourist stuff but after this we nipped into S'Albufereta another  new reserve, small with not a great deal here but a few Swallowtail butterfly's.

 

 

 

Swallowtail Butterfly

 

On the main reserve the Great White Egret was showing distantly, not sure how to get close to this pool without traipsing through peoples fields but maybe that's what you do, we decided to scope from the road anyway.

We Moved onto Campanet Caves a lovely spot to have lunch with more Swallowtails and amazing I picked up the calls of distant Bee eaters whilst eating lunch then 30-40 flew over our heads showing really well but they never did sit.

Swallowtail

Bee Eater

After some more tourist stuff I nipped to Depuradora again for the night still hoping for Scops Owl but still nothing. Nightjar again and the usual Egrets and Stone Curlews calling. Usual Stuff here too.

Squacco

Hoopoe

Hoopoe

Stone Curlew

Cattle Egret

Little Ringed Plover

Kentish Plover

Woodchat Shrike

Night Heron

Curlew Sandpiper

Little egret

Cattle Egret

Tuesday 10th

Tourist stuff in the morning so I was able to nip back to S'Albufera which was brrrrrilliant again, my first bird walking down the track was a Great Reed Warbler, another Purple Heron flew over and then after that the usual but really good stuff. Extra good birds though were a single Glossy Ibis, I found this on the furthest part of the reserve and it was into the sun but I could still see it was a Glossy Ibis. On the walk back it was quite late now I spotted a Great White Egret drop into an area in front of the Bishop 2  hide so legged it back to that hide and on the way spotting a very confiding Juv Woodchat Shrike, so took a couple of shots and carried on. Hot and Sweaty I reached the hide and slowly opened the flap there was the Great White Egret showing really well brilliant.  Then I spotted my next quarry a Marbled Duck. Last bird of the day in the darkness of the path a really showy Nightingale, hopping around my feet. I had to keep moving away from it to try digiscope it, unsuccessfully though.

 

Little Stint

Purple Swamphen

Black winged Stilt

Cattle Egret

Little Egret

Osprey

 

Marble Duck

Spotted Redshank

Great White Egret

Nightingale

Wednesday 11th

Last day booo but as our flight wasn't till 9pm we had all day on the Island. So started back on Formentor Lighthouse. Willow Warblers were everywhere for a short while as were Pied Fly and a few Chiffchaff. Eleonora's put on a good show again and the Pallid Swift showed much better. The Balearic Warblers were still present as was the Blue Rock Thrush. 

Managed to do a bit of a Seawatch and spotted 6 Balearic Shearwaters to start then 30+ Scopoli’s Shearwaters and a Dolphin lifted its tail out the water and was probably feeding on the same stuff the Shearwaters were eating. I then spotted the bird of the day a Juv Greater Flamingo flew past the point how weird.

 

Dolphin and Scopoli's Shearwater

Scopoli's Shearwater

 

From here we moved RIGGGHT down south to Ses Salines where there were a good mixture of waders, Curlew Sand, loads Little Stint adult and juvs, Grey Plover, Avocet and 234 Greater Flamingo.

Greater Flamingo

 

Onto Cap De Salines where we had lunch and sat watching the Scopoli’s Shearwaters at much closer range as they followed the fishing boats, at the same time listening to more Bee eaters flying over. Travelling to the airport we stopped at some cliffs and watched another Eleonora's falcon then last bird of the day in Palma a Peregrine chasing the feral pigeons. All in all a bloody great holiday with a good mix of birding and tourist stuff, Just hope I can afford to go again next year. Remember to click pics to enlarge.

 

Finished on 121 species. Full List Here http://craigshawsbirdingblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/majorca-year-list-for-2013-seo.html