Common Yellowthroat 18th-19th February

Well I was on Facebook, when my real good mates the Asbo started talking about a Common Yellowthroat, I thought what the hells one of them so Googled it and though WOW that's stunning, well the adults are but as no news was still forthcoming at this point other than Common Yellowthroat in Wales i wasnt to fussed and though hope its a hoax or gone. Its not often we get any American Warblers this time of year that are adults so I looked at a 1st Winter jobbie and even that looked stunning. I thought Bugger, that would be nice to see but too far for me theres no way.

So I texted Keith jokingly saying its his turn to drive, Gwent tomorrow, he said wheres that I said South Wales he said no way lol understandably. I wasn't going to go alone and never expected to go but I asked the wife and she said.......YES OK ...What!!!! Did you say yes. YUP woohoooo.

So Friday comes I had the day off and Rach had to do half day. News by now had broke. 1st Winter Male Common Yellowthroat Rhiwderin Nenwport. So we left by 12-30 but as I new it would take an age to get there and we wouldn't make it till after dark I was more relaxed and jammed in on a Single Hawfinch at Sizergh castle. A Sandwich and drink were in order too as we had missed dinner.

The Traffic all the way down was murder especially around Birmingham but by 7pm we were checking in to our Ibis Hotel, we had the dog and so I new this hotel would accept them free of Charge. After checking in we had a lovely carvery at Toby carvey across the road.

 Next morning I was out before first light Rachel dropped me off on site and went to do her own thing with the dog, I spent the next 4 hours in the pissing rain with some of me mates the Asbos waiting for this bird. The weather was bad rain and windy so the bird was a no show. My other plan was to nip down to Hampshire for a long staying Spanish Sparrow and Dark-eyed junco. If these weren't here I may not have traveled all this way for 1 bird. The roads were once again slow, bloody crappy slow middle lane road hoggers, these people need there cars taking off em, don't they no I'm on a twitch.

By the time we reached the Sparrow it was mid afternoon and the rain was still pissing down. I got to Calshot and got to see the Spanish Sparrow straight away as there were a couple of birders and the house owner already there. The down side was the bird was tucked into the hedge with its head firmly tucked into its wing for virtually the whole time. Even a bloke walking up to the hedge didn't move it... It did move a little at times. Disappointing really but a first for me all the same. Time was getting on and seeing as I needed to get on to see the Dark-eyed junco which was illusive at best on wet windy days apparently I needed to give this as much chance as possible. On arriving it hadn't been seen all day except once briefly visiting seed. This didn't bode well. A few people had now arrived and hard watching was needed. Eventually 1 fella spotted it on the furthest fallen tree but no-one else got on it.. Noooooo but at least its in the area. 10 min later a young fella walked up to a mound area a few yards further up and shouted he'd got it we all rushed onto the bank and sure enough there it was, in its full glory a cracking bird another lifer.... Unfortunately it was still peeing it down and the weather was getting me down I couldn't get any decent pics of anything.

A pair of Crossbill landed in the tree which was a nice surprise.

It was getting dark and I wanted another go at the sparrow but when we arrived it had already gone to roost. The original plan was to stop around Southampton for the night but seeing as id dipped the Yellowthroat  and it had turned up later when the sun had come out it  meant we had to head back to Cardiff and back to the same Ibis hotel. So a 2 hour drive back it was time to get some food and bed...

So come Sunday Rach was on strike and she wasn't getting up at the crack of dawn again so we didn't arrive at the Yellowthroat Site before 8am. Rach dropped me off again and I dashed up the hill as the bird was on show wohoooo it was a beauty of a day and a beauty of a bird What a superb Lifer.. .. I Watched this bird for some time as it dashed in and out of the hedge illusive at times and never stopped in the open long enough for decent Digiscoped shots so I had to come away happy with the shots I got. Met few more Facebook buddies and enjoyed the bird some more till rach picked me up at about 11am.

There had been a handful of records in the UK this being the 10th, the latest being Cornwall 2006 when a bird was found Dead.

We had a long journey home so headed of and got back just before 5 so I headed off Owling at Derwent forest where I had great views of 5 Short-eared Owls.

Great finish to a wet but successful weekend away down souff. (south)

Thanks Rach

Owling

The Site for the Owls is here. http://www.visitcumbria.com/wc/broughton-moor.htm.
Its really Hard to Count the Owls now but theres usually at least 5 in the air or sat in a tree or on a building .

European Whitefronted Geese

Well being out an about birding yesterday i made the mistake of neglecting the Main area of Soddy Gap. I found out that Tom had found 11 European Whitefronted geese on the field very close to the pond... buggerrr. Now it wasn't the end of the world as id had 2 for 3 weeks on the ponds before Christmas i think it was. The Boss rang me this morning saying jobs now off for this week so i rushed down to Soddy slipping and sliding along the way to find they were still here wohooo nice find Tom, although you missed a couple, there were now 13 and a Greylag. The weather was dull and drizzly so there were no colours or light to get any decent shots so make of these what you will.

On the main pond was a small open bit of water full of Wildfowl. The Long-tailed duck had returned, Goosanders, Mallards, Coots, Wigeon and 40 odd Teal. Snipe over head and a couple of BH Gulls.

Goldcrest and a few Great and Blue Tits in the woodland. The Geese were still there on my way back with a couple of Canada Geese joining them.  I thought about going to see the Owls but the weathers not good for Owls so carefully made my way home.

Iceland Gull and Owls again

Well once again the snow and Ice is preventing me from doing my work so i had another days birding.
I started by meeting Keith at Siddick ponds and then walking around Workington point but it was quiet all round. 14 Purple Sandpipers were on the end of the pier and Stumpy was still about.
I moved onto Parton to try to find the Juvenile Icleand Gull that had been about. No luck originally just an Adult Med Gull.

I was just about to leave when i saw the Iceland Gull fly in from the North circled the point then landed out of sight in the tanks of the Sewage works. As i walked around to get a view from higher ground everything was flushed by workers. I found the Iceland gull on the river outlet then on the sea. It eventually went back to the Sewage works.

Finished my day back at Derwent Forest where the Short-eared Owls were showing well. a Tawny Owl was calling and 2 Shorties and a Woodcock flew over my car on the way home. In total tonight probably 8 Shorties..

Cracking finish to the day.

Loch Ryan 5th Feb

Hadn't been out with Keith for a few weeks so today we decided to take a look at the Stranraer area. We weren't going to be disappointed. I needed Red Kite for the year and as i new Threave has them we headed here first hoping yesterdays Blue Winged teal was still on the River.. It Damn well wasn't! Red Kite was ticked though.
Keith needed Hen harrier for the year, i think i said naaaa we wont be going anywhere today for em but driving along the A75 Keith spotted something on a post so i turned the car around and low and behold only a bloody Male Hen Harrier, great views as it was mobbed by a Raven.
We then headed for Stranraer and the Cheese outlet at Innermessan, on arriving i noticed an Adult White Winger. An Adult Glauc was being reported from here but this wasn't a Glauc, to small and long winged it was an Adult Iceland Gull, a good start. So was this the Glauc that was being reported..

Adult Iceland Gull

The Scaup were showing nicely from here, there were hundreds..2 Great Northern Divers and a Black-throated were early bonus's.

Oh well try again later. We moved onto the Wig where we had great views of loads of different stuff and some year ticks too. An Adult Med Gull was with black headed gulls on the side of the road.
On the Sea were 25-30 Slavonion Grebes, half a dozen Long-tailed Ducks the adults were Stunning. Loads more Scaup and smaller numbers of Mergansers and Scoters.  Eiders and a few more divers were present.


Scaup



Red-breasted Merganser

Long-tailed Duck

Long-tailed Duck

Slavonion Grebe with Shag

Slavonion Grebe with Long-tailed Duck

A walk along the Wig finally produced a group of Pale Bellied Brents and a large flock of Twite.

A Merlin was a nice Bonus.

We finished here and moved back to Innermessan and saw the Adult Iceland Gull again. An Adult Med Gull was further up the beach. We chucked some bread out see what would come in and i immediately spotted a Yellow Legged gull although a bit of a confusing bird with pale yellow feet, possibly a bird from north of the breeding range apparently, a nice looking bird all the same. Found out this bird had been here a couple of winters now.

Adult Yellow Legged Gull

Then moved down to Ryan Bay where we thought the Iceland gull had gone but on arriving we were confused, now this bird looked shorter winged and larger necked, this was an Adult Glaucous gull had we made a mistake.. checking back on my pics we now no there were both Adult Iceland and Glaucous gull....So there were 2 adult White Wingers Brilliant.

Adult Glaucous

Now we had a great day so it was time to head home 8 years ticks ...

Glaucous Gull again.

Had a site visit today so finished at lunch time so headed straight for coast, loads of waders about between Maryport and Allonby. Grey Plover, Golden Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Knot, Ringed Plover, Turnstone and Sanderling. Checked through the few gulls present nothing. Then just as i was about to drive away the Glaucous Gull flew past. Soon after Nick turned up and we went to have a good look at it on the beach. Great Looking bird.

Met up with Keith to cover Soddy and Derwent Forest, the two Little Owl were on the same building at Derwent forest. We moved onto Soddy flushed a few Common Snipe and eventually a Jack Snipe. A few Teal on the small bit of open water as well as a handful of Wigeon, Mallard and Coot. A Heron flew out the Reeds.

Finished with Owling, a Barn Owl was giving Brief Views, 4 Shorties were distant and i had to leave a little bit earlier tonight so there would have been more. 2 Raven flew over the site too.

Little Owl Derwent Forest

Tried a different viewpoint looking for Little Owls tonight it was about half four and still nice and light and low and behold i found a Little Owl sat on a building, then eventually 2 Bingo!!!!
I new they were in this area as Keith had heard one last week then i heard and saw one with Keith and Maynal but in the dark a couple days later, now here's the evidence they are close by......



Then i moved back to the usual spot just in-case there were other people turning up, but no i was on me todd till Keith turned up later on.

Minimum of 4 Short-eared owls although they were all over the place so couldn't do a proper count.

1 Barn Owl and 2 Tawny Owl. 3 Woodcock.