Dipped Song Sparrow so had a great day at Bempton Cliffs

Brian phoned late Tuesday morning. Do we want to head up to Thornwick for a lifer Song Sparrow? Jimmy and I are in two minds, and Brian is unsure, so we decided to wait until the next morning.  

We set out at 4am and arrive at Bempton around 8am There is no report of the Sparrow,  we 

Decided to visit the cliffs in the hope that the Song Sparrow would be refound, and we are only minutes away if that happens.

As soon as we are parked up, we spot many Tree sparrows, and as we walk down to the sea, a Barn Owl gives a good display.

Once we overlook the cliffs, hundreds of seabirds are flying around and nesting on the cliffs: Puffins, Razorbills, Guillemots, Fulmars, Kittiwakes, and the wonderful Gannets.

We spend a few hours watching the fantastic spectacle this place offers, all the time watching for news of the lifer up the road, sad to say, looks like the bird had flown over night, so a bad dip, and next time, drop everything if possible and go there and then. 

We leave Bempton around lunchtime and head back down the A1 and stop off at Welbeck.

A few birders were already there, and we spent 2 hours looking for a Honey Buzzard without any showing. One of the fellows had been here since 9am and was still there when we left at 4 PM without seeing one. While here we do get to tick a Quail in the field opposite.

A little detour to Rutland gets us Osprey at Manton Bay, 2 adults with 2 chicks in the nest.

                                                                     

                                                                        

                                                                  

Puffin

   

                                                                      

Razobill

                                                                       

                                                                           

Treesparrow

                                                                      

Fulmar

                                                                

Gannet

White winged black Tern. Fen Drayton.

We hear of a White winged black Tern at Fen Drayton in Cambridge, Brian is free, and I have a few hours before picking up two of my grandchildren, 

So we meet up and head up to Cambridge on the M11; it's an hour's drive, so not a long trip.

We park and meet up with a local birder, who walks with us to Drayton Lake, where the bird had been spotted. 

As we arrive, we are told the bird had flown to the other lake, so off we go to find it, but as we head over there, we get about halfway when we are told it had flown back to the first lake.

Back at the lake, we get to see the Tern within minutes. It flies up and down the lake, and we get great views, but it never comes close to the bank.

We spent some time watching the  Tern before heading off to look for the reported Turtle Dove

But it never showed, and I don't think it was found on the day. Only one tick for the day, but a nice little trip with the time we had.

                                                                  

                                                       

 The White winged Black Tern, as near as it got to us.

Spotted Sandpiper and Great Reed Warbler, Cambridgeshire.

A surprise call from Brian asking if we wanted to head to Cambridgeshire for the Spotted Sandpiper, the surprise was that he had already been and seen the Sandpiper.  Both Jimmy and I were free, so we met up and set off to Grafham Water. As we get near, it comes out as not having been seen, so we head instead to RSPB Ouse Fen to try to get me a tick that the boys had already seen.  

With the car parked, we walk a short way down a grass track to Cranes Fen, and as we near the end of the track, we hear the Great-Reed Warbler calling long and loud, and then we get some really good sightings of it. 

I also get a tick when a single Crane flies along the tree line over the reeds and lands out of sight.

Next, we see a lot of Hobbies and we pick out a single Red-footed Falcon amongst them for another year tick.

We see that the Spotted Sandpiper has been seen again. So off we go to Grafham Water and park at Plummer car park.

Just a short walk and we spot the bird in a sheltered corner of the reservoir and get a cracking view of the first one with spots on. We have seen a couple of them, but only first-year birds with no spots. What a cracking-looking bird. 

                                                             

                                                             

The Spotted Sandpiper.

                                                                  

                                                                         

The Great Reed Warbler.

                                                                   

Minsmere, KGV res, and trip to Cambridge.

A short trip over the KGV reservoir with the boys gets me three year ticks. We walk up the ramp, and as soon as we scan the reservoir, we find seven Black Terns flying over the water. We are only on them briefly before they fly up high and away from view, and never come back while we are here.   

As we walk around, I get a tick when we spot 3 Common Sandpipers, and a Lesser Whitethroat gives me tick number 3.  On the walk round, we meet up with Stewart and Harry, always nice to see them.

Next up, we plan a trip to Minsmere in Suffolk. 

On the way into the car park, we stop by a gate where we have seen Stone Curlews before and get lucky when we have a good view of one in the scope, not needed for a tick, but always good to spot such a funny-looking bird.

We head up to the east hide, along the smart boardwalk that saves us having to walk along the sand, so much easier on the old legs.

In the hide, we soon see Kittiwake and Sandwich Tern for a couple of ticks. Bartail and Blacktail Godwits in nice colour, along with Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers, show well.

A birder upstairs calls out that he has a Wood Sandpiper in view, so we shoot up there and all three of us tick it, along with a Little Gull.

Brian finds a pair of Garganey once again. We don't need them for a tick, but people in the hide did, so good for them. 

As we walk around the reserve a single Spoonbill flies over and we hear Bearded Tits.

When we enter the Bittern hide, we are put on a single Bittern just coming into view, and it 

walks right out into the open to give the packed hide good, long views of it. 

While in the hide, I get my first Hobby of the year on top of a bush.

A quick run up to Dunich gets Jimmy and me a tick when we follow a local up the track to see 2 Dartford Warblers. A good day's birding, and I end up with 6-year ticks.

                                                            

Bittern

 

Baikal Teal at Wilstone reservoir.

A female Baikal Teal was reported on Wilstone reservoir. We get the call from Brian, Are we going, and within 15 minutes, we are on the way to the M25 for a 45-minute trip to see the duck.  

On arrival, we find the small car park full. Brian decides to sit and wait for a space. Jimmy and I set off to find the duck, and we climbed the steps and saw a small group up by the top corner, so we headed up to them, and they had the Baikal Teal.

It's a scope job as the target is over the far side of the reservoir.

Brian soon joins us, and we all have another year tick.

While here we also tick House Martin and Swift. 

                                                    

The Baikal Teal, just a record shot.

                                     

                                                   

                                                   

  

 

Lakenheath, Cavenham, KGV res, Fisher's Green.

We fancy a trip to Lakenheath to get the year list moving, only 70 miles from home, we are parked up and walking the track before 7am. 

Heading down to Joist fen overlooking Washland pool, we spot Godwit, Little Egret, Great Egret, Garganey, Heron, and Bittern booming along the track, also Lapwing, Redshank, and a few Snipe. A single Swallow gives me another tick.

We walk down the track behind the hide to search the fields for Cranes, but no sign of them.

After a sit down on the bench to recover from the walk, it's back up the bottom track where we find Reed Warbler, which turns out to be the first of the year here.

A little bit disappointing not to see the Cranes, and we had hoped to see or hear our first Cuckoo of the year.

Only a short trip now to Cavenham, where, after an hour looking, Jimmy found a single 

Stone-Curlew, and we all got on that for a year, tick.

While scanning, we get our first Wheatear and again only one. Not needed for a tick, but great view of a couple of Woodlark. Never went anywhere else, just headed home, but a really nice morning with the boys.

Jimmy and Brian had been over the KGV reservoir and got 5 ticks, so I don't want to miss out and head over the next day. 

The first tick is Sandmartin, with many flying around. After a bit of a search, Arctic Tern and Common Tern are found. No sign of the Common Sandpiper or Yellow Wagtail that the boys had seen the day before, but 3 ticks is better than none, and my own fault for not going with them. 

Brian paid a visit to Fishers Green and got a couple of ticks in Garden Warbler and got a few singing Nightingales, which prompted Jimmy and me to head over the next day.

We arrived early and found the gate down to the farm car park open, which was a bonus.

For the first hour, we hear nothing, so we take a walk and soon find a Garden Warbler, which is a year tick for both of us. 

A walk back along the path towards the Bittern hide, and we get to hear our first Nightingale of the year, and as we walk, we get a few bursts of song, but never see any; it's a shame, but will be back, and I'm sure they will show. 

So, a nice few days getting out in nice weather and adding a few ticks.

 

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Little Owl at the flats.

I had a few hours spare on Wednesday before a visit from my youngest son. So I called Brian to see if he fancied a quick trip over Wanstead Flats to see if we could find one of the Little Owls that are over there for a year tick.

Brian is free so we meet up and it's only 15 minutes before we are walking the flats after getting the car parked, it's off to search.

We spent a little time in the first copse without any luck, as we walked to the next one we met Marko, he had just seen a pair and steered us in the right direction.

Knowing we have the right tree helps and after 10 minutes Jimmy spots one of the Owls and we are all getting a great view of it.

With only a limited time we never got to see the pair, which was a shame.

But a tick is a tick and nice to get out if only for a short time.

                                                               

The Little Owl