Thursday 9 July 2015

Great view of Quail in Cambridge.

After waiting for a nice sunny day Jimmy & I make the decision to go to Orwell Cambs for the Quail instead of going to Pirton in Herts, the plan all week was to head to Pirton so we would be near enough to pick up the Montagu's Harrier on the way.
After seeing on twitter that Lee had spent all afternoon looking for the bird with no luck we think we will have a better change of picking up a sighting of Quail at Orwell, as it turns out it's a good choice
as we see at least three maybe four with two really good flight views as well.
We travel the 50 odd miles & arrive on Meadowcroft way just before 6 am, with the car parked it's a short walk between the houses & we walk over a small bridge & head up towards the next bridge, we are now waiting to hear any Quail call to give our self a chance to see them.
We have the place to our self for the first hour & get to hear at least two calling & then we have the first flight sighting as the bird flies right over our heads & drops down & starts to call, then we hear another one  & start to search for a better view.
We have to wait for while but a bird is seen just sitting on the edge of of a small open space & we can watch it as it starts to call, this is the best sighting that we have ever had, so with no news of the Montagu's it proved to be a great decision to come here.
Nice to see Dave Aiken turn up, we have not meet up with him for some time now so very nice & even better he also gets a great view of one when it drops into a channel just behind us, really pleased for him as he has come a long way down from Yorkshire.
Many Yellowhammer,Corn bunting, Linnet,plus Whitethroat seen while here. Not quick enough to get photo of the Quail so had to make do with the Whitethroat just to get some use out of the camera.
Whitethroat



Thursday 2 July 2015

Bad dip on the Icterine warbler

Had all week to go to Kent for a lifer, so it's our own fault that Jimmy & myself are on the road by 5 am & on arrival at Reculver at 6. 30 to be meet by a couple of birders that we see from time to time & they tell us they have been on site since 5 am & the bird has not been seen or heard.
Over the next 3 hours we get to hear no sound of the Icterine warbler, one fellow that joined us later saw what might have been the target bird but never got onto it quick enough to give a good ID.
So as not to waste the trip we have a look around for any Moths or Butterflies or anything else to photograph. So the ups & downs of birding do we go or not, how far to we want to travel & being able to smile when we get it wrong like today, must say it beats working any day & it was still a really nice day by the sea.
Nice Orchid from an earlier trip at Acres down Hampshire


Six spot Burnet

Marbled White Butterfly
Young Robin