Arundel Wetland

Spent some time today at the Wildfowl and Wetlands at Arundel they are doing some work on the main lake but this did not stop us from seeing and hearing a good variety of birds and mammals Birds seen or heard Sedge Warbler, a nice Reed Warbler sitting in view for a while Carol spotted a Water Vole cross the small pool at the begining of the Loop walk Cetti's Warbler we heard 3 saw one briefly Just as we where at the end of the Loop walk we had 3 Common Buzzards and a Perigrine over head we also had Sand Martin, Swallow , Swift, plenty of Black Headed Gulls, Herring Gull, Common Gull, Lapwing with young, great and Blue Tits after we had finnished here it was of to the Black Rabbit for a very nice Lunch by the river

Scotland 2013

Sorry but work has taken over so far this year I have done a few trips out with my mate

The following report is a trip to Scotland in seach of the Beaver


Day 1

Weather,   Clear and overcast

We started at 8 this morning trains on time a short walk from Glasgow central station to pick up the car we should have know the sat nav was not going to be much good took forever to get out of Glasgow then we had a nice scenic drive we stopped to buy food and drink for the week all went well until we where about 10 miles from the cottage the sat nav took us to a rundown barn miles from our base for the week, after stopping and speaking to a couple of people we got put back on the right track even then we managed to pass the cottage but on the return along the road we found it a hour and a half after we should have been there, we then had a meal and a couple of drinks then it was ready for bed  so will be having a nice relaxing quite day tomorrow.

Day 2

Weather,  Showers in the morning then turned out fine

Today we started by going into Oban on route we had had a Osprey being mobbed by a Common Buzzard we booked our day trip to Mull for Tuesday we then returned to the cottage for lunch, after looking at the os map that is in the cottage I found that we are on the edge of the Moine Mhor National Nature Reserve, after lunch it was of to one of the Beaver sites we did the full walk around the loch plenty of evident of them but no sightings, as we where cutting through the middle of the Moine Mhor reserve back to the cottage carol spotted a bird of prey flying along the side of the road this turned out to be a Female Merlin so a nice end to the day

 

Day 3

Weather, Drizzle to start then clearing and turning in to a fine afternoon

Today we decided to keep it local saying that there was still a lot of driving first we headed for Crian the weather was drizzle for the morning so did not see a lot after this we took a drive along a road that we had not done before in the hope of looking for Otter but with no luck we then had a look at a small loch that we had been told about this was for beaver again plenty of evident of the beaver but again no sighting, we then had a look at another small loch here we found a Wood Warbler, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch, We then had a look at the info at  Moine Mhor Nature Reserve for later in the week, then back to the cottage for our evening meal, I then went for a evening stroll where I found Barn Owl and Tawny Owl so ending another great day.

Day 4

Mull

Weather,  Showers to start turning out fine with rain late afternoon

We set of at ¼ to 8 this morning heading for Oban to catch the ferry to Mull, We had a nice breakfast on board, on arriving on Mull we headed for Salen on route we stopped at a site I know for White Tailed Eagle after a short time I found one above the trees we had good views, Then on to Salen stopping at the toilets (not that many on the island) we had a look here for Otter but no luck, Then on to a site i Know for Golden Eagle we arrived and set up after a short time I found a Eagle sitting on the top of a ridge just as i was about to tell Carol she said what is that large bird it had just taken off we watched it, it fly a short distance then it landed after about 20 minutes I relocated it where it sat until we left we then took the drive to a site for another White Tailed Eagle on route we had Rock Pipit , Wheatear, Raven, Hooded Crow, Oystercatcher, Red Breasted Merganser, Eider, we were using a single track road and came across a car coming the other way and they would not budge we had to reverse downhill for about 60 yards ( some people do not know how to drive on single track roads) we finally got to the spot for the W T E and good views of a bird on the nest, We then continued on round the road looking for Otter still no luck but we did have Great Northern Diver, Whimbrel, Twite,  Lesser Black Backed Gull, Then it was a drive back through Glen Moir here we where looking for Short Eared Owl but with no luck, just after leaving the glen we pulled in to let a lorry pass and we found a pair of hen Harriers ( now a first for me no not seeing Hen Harriers but a pair of displaying Hen Harriers) we then headed for Crainure to use the toilets, We then drove back a short distance looking for Otter again no luck so we then had a look at another spot for Otter still no luck so back to the ferry for the trip back to Oban we arrived back at the cottage at about ¼ to 7 so ending a great day on Mull.

Day 5

Weather  Drizzle on our early morning trip then sunny and fine for the rest of the day with a light wind

We decided last night to have a early start to see if we could see Beaver, We started at 5 o’clock and headed for the Beaver sight on arriving we walked to where we knew the beavers might be by the dam that they have built on the walk in we had a Badger cross the path in front of us, We spent some time looking for the Beaver but with no Luck, We had a Great Spotted  Woodpecker Drumming, a Cuckoo Calling and a selection of woodland birds singing, Then back to the cottage

After a short sleep and Breakfast we decided to keep it local today and to see some different spots that we had not done so far, We headed for Lochgriphead ( this is the nearest town to shop and for petrol), so then a look at the map I noticed a waterfall marked so we thought we would have a look well we found the spot but no waterfall so then we found a nice spot by a babbling burn for lunch, I then said why don’t we have a look along the road that we had taken last Saturday when we got lost, We drove into the village at the end of the road and stopped for a coffee here we noticed a sign for a nature reserve so we headed for the parking place after reading the leaflet we decided to do one of the walks which took us down to the shore where we spent some time looking for Otter no luck we then continued on the walk which took us 2 and a half hours to complete not quite what it said in the leaflet but very pleasant, After this it was back to the cottage for our evening meal and a few drinks

Day 6

Bit of sightseeing today

Weather  Fine and Sunny with the odd shower

Day 7

Weather  fine and sunny with some light showers

Bit of a local day today we started by going down a road we had not been on before in the hope of a Otter but no luck then we tried another road we had not been down this time looking for Golden Eagle again no luck then we decided to have a look at the small loch for Beaver after this it was back to the main site for Beaver no luck at either of the sites so back to the cottage  

Day 8

Heading for home with some more sightseeing

Catch Up

Not much in the way of Birding or Wldlife Watching over the past 3 month this is due to working weekends hopeing to be getting back into some more come the new year so will wait and see what the work situation is like will be putting together some photos I have taken over the past year not sure when

Crake and Dowitcher

Friday 21^st September Rainham Marsh

Got the train to Purfleet then the walk to Rainham Marsh arrived at one o’clock walk to the hide then after 2 and ½ hours the bird showed Ballion’s Crake so well pleased but sadly no pictures the bird was very quick as it moved along the edge of the reeds and out of sight I did wait another ½ hour but it did not show again just as I was leaving my mate text me going for the Short Billed Dowircher tomorrow do you want to come well I had planned on going by train so the answer was yes

Saturday 22^nd September RSPB Lodmoor

We set of at 6 – 30 breakfast on way arrived at 9-15 walked along the path to where some birders were watching the Short Billed Dowitcher after watching it for a short time set up the camera and run off a lot of shots here is one of them

Cornwall

Days 3 to 5

 

Day 3

Penzance / Marazion / St Ives

Today decided to get the day bus ticket and head for Maraxion Marsh to see if I could see the Spotted Crake that has been around for a while arrived at about ¼ past 11 and stayed at the spot till 2 o’clock no sign of the crake birds seen included Common buzzard, Water Rail, Sedge Warbler, Swallow, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Cormorant, Wigeon, Canada Geese plus a selection of Gulls I was in two minds whether to come today as I was told there was ringing going on early morning if there was it had finished when I got there but no one else was seeing the crake after yet another pasty and coffee at the cafe by the bus stop I then got the bus back to Penzance on arriving at the bus station the open top bus that does the sightseeing tour was there so I thought I might as well take that back to St Ives 2 and half hours through some nice scenery just after we left Pendeen I had 2 Choughs flying along the cliff tops plus more Swallows after a look at the time table I realised that It would drop me of outside my B&B so ending a long and enjoyable day

Day 4

St Ives / Lelant Saltings

Bit of a lay in today did not go out till 10 walked into St Ives along the road as it had been raining over night and was told the coast past would be very muddy in places was told would take 30 to 40 minutes to walk into town well 20 minutes later I was there then the short walk out to the head, on arriving there were a couple of birders already set up I asked what had been seen so far this morning about a hour before I got the they had a Long Tailed Skua, Grey Phalorpe through so I set up the scope and the first bird I was put on was a Bonxie (Great Skua) we had more Sooty Shearwaters, a few Baleric Shearwaters and of course Manx Shearwater the count on manx was about 10,000 a hour going through they just kept coming I was there for just over two hours just as the birds got a bit quite someone spotted a pod of 9 Harbour Porpoises this was followed by 3 Basking Sharks of witch one came in close, after this we then spotted 2 Sunfish ended up with 4 Bonxies other birds included lots of Gannets, Sandwich Tern, Mediterranean Gull, Kittiwake, Fulmar, I then went off for a pub Lunch then got the train to the Lelant Saltings by now the tide was coming in so I spent some time till all the waders had been pushed of the mud by the tide Birds included Wigeon, Grey Heron, Little Egret, selection of gulls Black Tailed Godwit, Curlew, Whimbrel, Dunlin, Oystercatcher, As the tide got higher I found the best vantage point was from the station platform at least I could sit down then realised that I would have to wait over a hour for the next train to Carbis Bay so got the next one to St Ives and came back so another good days birding and nature watching

Day 5
After breakfast had a walk along the cliffs at Carbis Bay then back to catch my coach  so ending a week in Cornwall

Cornwall

Day Two

Halye Estuary (Pec or not to Pec)

After another full English breakfast decided to have a look at the Hayle Estuary today after a look at the pager I got the train to Hayle on arriving I headed straight for copperhouse creek where there had been seen a Pectoral Sandpiper for the past four days arrived at 10 30 no sign of the Pec so set up the scope and waited spent the next 2 and a half hours scanning the end of the creek with no luck (the bird was reported at 10 to 12 from the spot I was standing at no idea who put it out or see it ) some of the birds seen included Knot, Curlew Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Curlew , Whimbrel, Black Tailed Godwit, a selection of Gulls but no Pec at 1 o’clock walk along the north side of the creek and had a coffee only new wader for the day was oystercatcher then headed back to the east end but still no luck< Hear I got talking to another birder who said he was going to have a look near the Levant salting I said that it was to far to walk so I would stay where I was he then said he would give me a lift so of we set to the spot that one of the local birders said was the best place to park on arriving we crossed the road to the bridge and I set up my scope then a birder who was already there said he just had a sandpiper drop in and could I have a look through the scope and it was on the edge of some foliage and was not that easy to see we were all debating on what it could be it then came in to the open and  you could see that it was in fact the bird I had just spent the past 4 plus hours looking for yes at last the Pec Sandpiper so well worth the wait did get some useful information on how to work the Estuary for future reference so ended a very good days birding  

Cornwall

Day one

Carbis bay / St Ives

After a trying journey yesterday bit of a lay in today after a first class breakfast full English I set of for St Ives Head I headed for Carbis beach then took the coast path to St Ives on the walk down to the beach I had 2 Ravens fly over head the walk to the head took a hour and a half I arrived at 10 30 this is the start of a 4 and a half hour sea watch the first bird I saw was a Whimbrel at first not a lot doing but it normally take about half hour to get you eye in then things started moving a bit, plenty of Gannets and Manx Shearwaters after a short time had Balearic Shearwater and one Bonxie at 12 30 it was time for a short break for Coffee (think that is what they called it) and a Cornish Pasty then back to the sea watch at about 13 30 there was a lot of birds moving through this is when I had my lifer GREAT SHEARWATER had about 20 Manx go through and this bird was behind them the bigger sixe put me onto it then had great views as it went by this was followed by some Sooty Shearwaters and a Sabin’s Gull with plenty more Gannets and Manx Shearwaters then at about 2 15 it went quite again I was then talking to another birder when we had a Little Gull flying around the bay, then when I was packing up to leave at 3 o’clock I found a Basking Shark so ended a good sea watch, I then got the train back to Carbis Bay where I had seen the Shark and spent another hour Sea Watching more Gannets Manx Shearwaters and now I found the 2 Basking Sharks that had been seen earlier today so ended a good days sea watching. Will see what the weather is doing tomorrow before I decided where to go still some good birds to see

I am still here

Hi All
I am still about due to the fact I have been working for the past 3 months this included most weekends I have not done much birding or nature watching I am now on 2 weeks Holiday so will be posting what I am up to this week I am spending it  at my Caravan then Next week I am off to Cornwall for a week so hoping for some good sea watching

Photos from Mull

                                      White Tailed Eagle

                                     Golden Eagle

                                     Short Eared Owl

                                      Raven

                                      Puffin

                                      Great Northern Diver

                                     Whimbrel

                                      Black Guillemot

                                       Corncrake

                                     Corncrake

Rest of The Mull Trip

1^st May

Had a boat trip booked for today to visit the Treshnish Isles took the bus from  Craignure to Tobermory then onto the boat we were told we would be picking up on the main land then off we set to the Island of Lunga on route I had Gannet, Manx Shearwater, Storm Petrel, Black Guillemot, Guillemot, Razorbill,  Great Backed Gull, After we landed on Lunga we made our way to the top of the cliffs here we had Puffin, Fulmar, Shag, more guillemots and Razorbill, Great Skua, Raven, Herring Gull, Wheatear, Meadow Pipit, We had 2 hours on the island and the time just flew by so it was back on the boat then we headed for Staffa and a look at fingal’s cave where we had ½ hour then back on the boat for the return to Tobermory but has we had to drop off on the main land first we did not get back till five past four meaning which means I had missed the last bus back after miss reading the time table I had a walk in a small wood by the car park where I found Redstart, Chaffinch, Great Tit Blue Tit, and at the top of the burn I had a Dipper so After realising my mistake I then got a taxi back to Craignure so ending a long day but a very good one
2^nd May

Today I had booked another of the wild life trips the route was much the same as Mondays trip but just as good we did look but no otter today, As I was walking to the meet point some shouted Eagle which I found it was a White Tailed Sea Eagle and had very good views and managed to get a picture of it at the meet point they had been watching 2 WT Eagles so we started of our first stop was for WT Eagles but has we had already had good views we moved on birds on the loch included Red Breasted Merganser, Eider, Common Gull, Great Northern Diver, Black Guillemot, and along the shore where Oystercatcher, Common Sandpiper, Meadow Pipit, Starling, We then stopped at Salern for a toilet break but the toilets where closed so after a short stop at the pub for the toilets we then set off for Knock where we stopped for lunch just as we started lunch the call went up Golden Eagle which we watched and had good in flight views it then landed and started plucking at something it had on the ground and stayed there for the rest of our lunch break we then continued on round the loch birds seen included Lapwing, Raven, Linnet, Meadow pipit, Wheatear, Eider, Great Northern Diver, and a Whimbrel (hopefully some good pictures) we did stop at a spot for more White Tailed Eagles and had the pair, We then moved on to Glen More here we had Short Eared Owl we did stop when the call went up maybe a Harrier but we could not relocate it so it was then back to Craignure to end a very pleasant and enjoyable day

3^rd May

Today decided I would try for the Corncrake on Iona so caught the bus at 08-35 to Fionnphort then the ferry to Iona walked towards the abby and stopped at the organic gardens at the Columbia Hotel I had been told this was where to look I heard 2 Corncrakes calling but no sign so decided that I would take the walk to the north shore birds seen along the walk included Rook, Hooded Crow, Meadow Pipit, Wheatear, Herring Gull, Great Black Backed Gull, Starling on the return route much the same so now decided to have a look at the organic garden again this time the gardener said we could come in set our self up he told us where a Corncrake had been showing well all morning and after half a hour it put in a appearance and what an appearance (got some good pictures) did not expect them thought I would be lucky just to see one in the end I heard five of which I saw two, I then decided to have my lunch in the hotel very nice it was Corncrake calling outside the window, After lunch which was very nice I then returned to the garden and took some more pictures as it was still showing well the gardener said another 4 days and you will not see it as the grass and reeds will be to high so well pleased then back on the ferry to Mull and a hour wait for the bus where I took the time to update what I had been doing over the past few days made sure I did not miss this bus as it was the last for the day then back to Craignure for 5 o’clock a nice beer shower then off for a meal then went for a walk hoping for Otter but no luck

4^th May

Decided to leave the Island on the ¼ to 11 boat today the weather was not as good as the week had been so thought might do a seal trip from Oban not a lot from the boat and when I arrived in Oban the tide was out so no boat trips for today as i was booked on the 18-15 coach to Glasgow what to do with the day, as I could see some Black Guillemots out in the harbour decided on a walk along the shore north of Oban did manage to get some picture of the guillemots but a bit distance I walked for just over a hour then started on the return as I came back the Guillemots where a lot nearer so got some more pictures these where a lot better, Then lunch in Oban after I had a look north of Oban took a walk up to Pulpit Hill some good views from here as it was quite steep decided to come down via the road not as bad as the footpath up, Then time for a coffee and some  time for shopping, I had decided to have my evening meal before I got on the coach this done I then had a short time to wait for the coach to Glasgow and then another short break before the coach to London arriving back at 07-00 Monday morning so ending a great trip to Scotland