Monday 28 August 2017

Pied Flycatcher at Wanstead.

A call from Brian See's Jimmy & I meet him & head to Landguard,where we spend a good couple of hours watching big flocks of Linnet & a few Greenfinch plus some Wheatear also some Lesser Whitethroat but we were hoping to get some migrants dropping in but it was a clear night & a very warm morning so we had no luck with that.
So not planning to be out long we head off home a bit disappointed with nothing to tick but half way home the pager says we should get ourselves over to Wanstead for a year tick with a Pied flycatcher in Motorcycle Wood.
We meet a couple of familiar faces when we arrive in Nick & John & it's John who gets us onto the Pied fly after an hour of looking, also seen a few Spotted fly.
So only one tick but a very nice morning that is now very warm indeed.

Friday 25 August 2017

Pec Sandpiper & Red-necked Phalarope at Abberton

A late decision to head off to Abberton for a couple of year ticks gets me out birding after a couple of weeks of not being able to do any.
It's only an hour's drive away & with no hold ups we are soon parked up & it's just a little walk to join a few birders who had the Pec & the Phalarope in view, they are a long way over the back of the water but we get fair scope views along with a Great-white Egret.
The Wood Sandpiper that people were calling turned out to be a Green Sandpiper.
I get talking to a lovely old couple & it was so nice to see people so happy with life & while sitting behind the viewing screen we see a grand display from the Red Arrows & a Spitfire followed after them to make it a very nice few hours on a sunny warm day.
We make a phone call to Brian who was at Minnsmere looking for a Wood Sandpiper to tell him that we were at Abberton & had the Pec & Phalarope in view & we would hang about if he was coming to get himself a couple of year ticks & he arrived after about an hour having ticked a Wood Sandpiper to make his trip worth while.
So nice to get out after missing out on a lifer  Caspian Tern  in Norfolk & a year tick  Long-billed Dowitcher at Oare that the boys picked up. No photos as the birds were to far away today even the giant lens had a bad day on that score.