Tuesday 10th May

Finnished work early to day after I was droped of in Towcester went for a walk couple of birds you would expect to see Cuckoo and Kingfisher plus some common species on the way back from work was talking about whast you might expect to see in the area and the chap who gave mwe a lift said there had been red kite seen in the area well it was a supprise when I had one fly over head while I was walking along the water meadows I then had a look around the church yard and yet another supprise sitting on top of a grave stone a nice male Pied Flycatcher so a nice evening walk

Update

Friday 29th April

Late start today so decided to do a little shopping then on to Climping beach as they have sorted the car park out do not mind parking here now but be warned if you park in the road do not think it is out of the way so no one will know wrong they do book you for it after a coffee we went for a walk along the road behind the dunes towards the golf course lots of Whitethroats and we had 3 Lesser Whitethroats all new birds for the year other birds seen included Blackbird, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Pheasant, Magpie, Buzzard, Black Headed Gull, Gold Crest, Then we had a look around the small wood by the car park birds seen included Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Green Woodpecker plus most common species

Saturday 30th April

Today decided we would start by going to a site in West Sussex to see if we could see Dartford Warbler on route we had Black Tern on the pits at Chichester alongside the A27 also had House Martin then on to the site for the warbler as I was not sure how they had coped with the winter plus the fact it was a bit windy we did not see any but did have a Crossbill fly over the car park, We then decided to head for Pulbourough RSPB reserve on the way across we were passing a National trust reserve when I spotted a raptor so we stopped at the car park and walked through the trees to see if we could rer-locate it after a short time I found it on a thermal and it turned out to be a female Goshawk, we also had a look around the common again for Dartford Warbler but still no luck, Then it was of to Pullbourough where we had lunch then did the walk around the reserve where we had Nightingale, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Willow warbler, Chiffchaff, we had a look of Jupp’s View where we had Little Ringed Plover, Egypton Goose, Buzzard, Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Little Egret, Redshank then on to the hanger more of the same here we then continued on round as we passed through the gates leading to the Winnpenny Hide there were more Nightingales singing and we also had a Spotted Flycatcher other birds seen Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Great/Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, House Sparrow, Green Woodpecker, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Rook, Magpie, Mistle Thrush, We also had Marsh Tit in the car park area so ended a very pleasant days birding

Sunday 1st May

First stop today was Selsey Bill did just over a hours sea watch sopme nice close Gannets Pom Skua, Artic Skua, Common Tern, Sandwich Tern, other wise very quite we then had a walk around part of Pagham Harbour from the church car park around by the several through the fields and back to the car park most of the common birds you would expect to see after lunch which we had in the church yard we then took a look at the Ferry pool birds seen included Avocet, Whimbrel, Little Ringed Plover, Greenshank and I had a Wood Sandpiper fly in again plenty of common species, We then drove round to mill lane on route we had a Cuckoo then stopped at Halsey Farm where we had a short walk and found Turtle Dove

Short Update

Not done much Birding or Nature watching due to heavey work load but this weekend will be getting out and about so will post reports

Dungeness 02 April 2011

Set of from home at a quarter to nine me mate picked me up and we set of for Dungeness in Kent as normal we stopped of for breakfast as we left the little chef the police had blocked the road of due to a accident so we had to go the long way round to Dungeness on route round we had Tree Sparrow & Willow Warbler, Then on to the old lighthouse as a Ring Ouzel had been seen there on arrival no sign of the bird so we had a wander across the shingle towards the obbs then Bob said I will go and get the car and left me near the moat area around the obbs not a lot going on but did have Wheatear and Stonechat then Bob phoned me to say the Ring Ouzel had been seen again so I made my way back to the old lighthouse on arriving was told the bird had flown into the garden by the lighthouse me and a few others made our way round to the other side to get a better view of the garden then after a short time the Male Ring Ouzel sat out in the open on a bush and gave good views we also had a Black redstart some one pointed to the sky above us where there was a Peregrine, We then decided to have a look at the sea where we had a Common Tern, Sandwich Tern, Gannets, Common Scoter, Brent Geese, Kittiwake, a selection of Gulls including Little Gull, Med Gull, Divers flying Red Throated & Black throated we had the pair of Ravens sitting on the beach, Our next stop was the RSPB reserve here we had Yellow Wagtail we then went to the car park at the ARC pits to see if we could see Sedge Warbler but no luck so it was back to the reserve where we had been told that there was sedge warbler near the hooker watch point on the way round some one told us that they had heard Sedge Warbler behind Christmas Dell hide so we headed for there on the way we had Swallow, Bob had a wander along the path I sat on the bench when Bob returned we heard the Sedge behind me which we located on the walk back to the car over the Deng Marsh we had a Hobby, Then it was of to have a look at the far end of the ARC pits for Little Ringed Plover but no luck

Other birds seen or heard today included Cormorant, Marsh harrier, (On Route Kestrel, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk) Cetti’s Warbler, Mallard, Shovler, Gadwall, Blue Tit, Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Chaffinch, House Sparrow, Reed Bunting, Linnet

12th & 13th March

Spent the weekend at Pagham Harbour on Saturday just picking up some of the common birds also had the Hen Harrier flying along the north wall birds in the harbour included Ringed Plover, Redshank, Little Egret, Grey Plover, Black Tailed Godwit, and a Spotted Rerdshank behind the church at church norton I had a Chiffchaff

On Sunday started at Chichester Pits for the Little Gull then on to Selsey Bill for a Sea Watch very quite but did manage to see Common Scoter, Velvet Scoter and a early Sand Martin in of the sea so slowly getting back into british birding

Sunbury Waxwings

Here are a few pictures of the Sunbury Waxwings not the best but it was raining at the time

White Tailed Eagle

Was thinking of going to Norfolk for the Northern Harrier but had a few things to sort out at home so decided to day to go and see if we could see the White Tailed Eagle in Hampshire set of at 10-30 well the next 3 hours and that is what it took to get there the M3 was closed between junction 3 and 4 so we where diverted on arrival it started raining so we decided a drink in the pub sounded a good idea (no I am back in the UK at 3-60 a pint) once the rain had stopped by 14-00 so of we set we stopped at the spot it was reported yesterday with no luck a local told us it had been seen further up the road at 11-00 so we went to have a look but again the rain started and no sign of the bird so i decided we would return to the spot we had started at we where then told that it was behind the barn down the lane but as it is a private road so no access but after a while I had the bird flying along the back of the buildings then Carol says here it is and yes the White Tailed Eagle flew over our heads it took a hour and half so in the end well worth it also had a few Bramblings

Back to British birding

Yesterday 13th February
I went birding with my mate we decided to go east to try and escape from the rain we headed for Dungeness our first stop was the RSPB reserve as this was my first full days birding this year in the UK most birds would be new for the year list and there were a few target birds to see we had a look from the information centre where we had Gadwall, Cormorant, Herring Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Common Gull, Coot, Mallard, then we decided to do the walk around the reserve to see if we could find any of the target birds as we set off I had Pied Wagtail we then stopped in the first hide were we added Great Black Backed Gull, Then we had a look at Christmas dell hide on the way I had Little Egret as we approached the hide we the 2 Ravens that a present in the area (these are my first in Kent) we did have a look for the Firecrest but with no luck as it was quite windy we had a look in the hide just to get out of the wind for a while where we had Teal, Pochard, Shovler, Great Crested Grebe our next stop was the Denge Marsh Hide where there had been reported a Black Necked Grebe and a Red Necked Grebe we found both and had good views as it was now starting to rain but only a drizzle we headed back to the car on the way we had Little Grebe, Canada Goose, Greylag Goose, Reed Bunting, Blackbird, Our next stop was the ARC pits we drove along the road and had a look from the car where we picked up Goldeneye, Black Headed Gull, Moorhen, and on the end of the bushes in the middle we had a Chiffchaff, We then had a look at the long Pit again for Firecrest butr as the rain was a bit heavy now still no luck then we drove to the car park on the ARC pits and walked to the hide where we had Smew, Grey Heron, and more of the same ducks we had seen earlier we did have a walk around the Willow Trail as a Firecrest had been seen there this morning but the wind and the rain made it difficult to see any small birds so no sign of Firecrest today, Our next stop was for another of the target birds Glaucous Gull we knew it was somewhere on the beach near the boats so we stop along the road when we spotted some large gulls coming in but these turned out to be more of what we had already gull wise so we continued along the road until we found another large flock of gulls but still no luck as we were scanning along the shingle beach we could see that the Gannets where very close in so we thought this would be a good sign to do a sea watch later the Bob says there it is flying along the beach so another target bird seen, It was now time for a coffee and a pasty to keep out the cold after we headed for the beach and tried to get some shelter from the wind which was blowing straight at us we could now see why the Gannets where so close as were some of the other birds which included Kittiwake, Guillemot, Razorbill, Red Throated Diver, then Bob called diver flying left when we got a good view we could see it was a Black Throated Diver another good bird to see as we where both at each end of the hide it was difficult to hear one and other I then found a Slavoion Grebe which Bob did not get on but he had already seen Slav grebe in the end the wind drove us back to the car as it was difficult to keep the scope still, So we next had a look at Great stone beach but the tide was to far out to see much did have Oystercatcher, Our next stop was for another of the target birds Purple Sandpiper that Bob had seen last year at Hythe we tried one spot with no luck so we then drove further along the coast to where there were some more rocks and after a short time we found 2 birds now as the rain was setting in and it was getting dark we set of for home so not a bad days birding back in the UK total species seen today was 62

Picturtes

Been asked how I am getting some of my pictures will explain later but hope you are enjoying them I am hoping to go back to Goa next January for a month not many new birds but just good birding hope i have it now sussed so should be a good trip

Wednesday 26th January

Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary

Well another early start pick up at 05-45 for my third trip to this sanctuary had 2 target birds for today as we arrived we saw some other birders some I had seen earlier in the week at Apora Woods not sure what it is with birders and guides out here no one seems to want to tell anyone anything so we started at the same spot as before and after a short time Rayman says Heart Spotted Woodpecker we had good views but just too far to get a picture so one of the target birds seen while at this spot other new birds for me where Spangled Drongo, Flame Throated Bulbul, other birds seen here included Asian Fairy Bluebird, Black Rumped Flameback, Indian Golden Oriole, Black Hooded Oriole, Black Napped Oriole, Long Tailed Shrike, Red Whiskered Bulbul, Changeable Hawk Eagle , Ashy Drongo, White Cheeked Barbet, we then moved on to another spot that we had not stopped at before we had just got out of the car and Ruth said theres a female Malabar Trogan which we got on we then had a male but they were very flighty and after a short time we lost sight of them second target bird seen but as always who knows what you might see so we continued birding well at this spot more new birds Vernal Hanging-parrot was the next then while Rayman went looking for the Trogan myself and Ruth had Verditer Flycatcher yes another new bird then as we started to get back in the car another new bird appeared Malabar Woodshrike so turning in to another great days birding we then continued on to the picnic area near the zoo hoping to see the Blue Eared Kingfisher but no Luck after a short break for a drink and some food we then started back on the way Rayman says we will take a look around the temple which is on the way here we had Ashy Woodswallow ,Indian Black Robin 2 more new birds so ending another great days birding now I have seen most of the birds here next time I come I know it will be some good birding I am planning on coming back to Goa early next year
My Bird List Stands at 242 so still a few more to see