American Golden Plover.

We had some spare time, so we arranged to meet up at 6am and head to Old Hall Farm, where an American golden Plover had shown up.   

As the reserve is not open until 9am, we head to Abberton, which is very nearby, to spend the waiting time.

The trees there were full of nesting Spoonbills, Little Egrets, Herons, and Cattle Egrets.

Two Great White Egrets fly overhead and land nearby.  I needed a Cattle Egret for a year tick.

It's a warm, clear morning, and it's really nice to be here with the boys. We popped round to the other causeway, but there's not a lot about.

Off now to find the Plover. It's before nine o'clock when we arrive, and the entrance gate is open, just a short drive to park, and then about a mile walk till we see the steps up to the sea wall.

We walk along the wall till we see the breach area where the Plover had been reported as being seen earlier. It only takes Jimmy a few minutes to find the target bird. 

A smart-looking bird, although at a distance, we get great scope views, for a good year tick.

I pick up another year tick when we spot two Little ringed Plovers. This is my first visit here that I can remember, really nice with birds on both sides of the sea wall.

Also seen Spotted Redshank, Bar-tailed and Black-tailed Godwits, Avocets, 2 Whimbrels, 2 Ruff, Oystercatchers, Snipe, and a good helping of Terns. 

Brian needs to be home by lunchtime, so after a nice morning where we meet Steve G on one of his tours, it's off home. 

                                                                    

Abbberton Spoonbills

Great white Egret & Heron

Cattle Egret

Cattle Egret

Bar-tailed Godwit

just about the AGP

 

Ross's Gull at Thurrock. ( Lifer )

A call from Brian tells us a Ross's Gull has been reported at Thameside Nature Park Thurrock. 

Brian was heading to his son's house, but diverted to get himself a year tick.

Jimmy and I debated for a while, " Shall we go or not? 

Jimmy only needed it like Brian for a year tick, I, however, had not seen one, so the pull of another lifer for me is too great, so we set out hoping the Gull would stay around for a while.

A drive of around 40 minutes sees us park up on the road by the park's car park.

A walk of around a mile along a stone and mud track that felt like two miles, around a couple of bends, and to great relief, we see a group of 50 or more birders, and they soon get us on the Ross's Gull, it is only a few yards away from the bank to give great views and me my third lifer of the year.

On the way back to the car after spending some time watching the Gull, we picked up a year tick with Nightingale.  

Over the last five days, I've had Tawny Pipit, Hoopoe, Ring Ouzel, Ross's Gull, Garden Warbler, and Nightingale. not too shabby for me at the moment.  

                                                                

                                                                

A few of the birders watching the Ross's Gull 

Ross's Gull

 

Hoopoe and then Ring Ouzel.

An afternoon trip to look for a Hoopoe that was reported at Hunsdon in Hertfordshire.  

We arrive at the place that the pin took us to, just a small bit of road off the main road, enough for four cars to park. It's a work yard with lorries loading up and workmen driving out after finishing work. 

Now we have no clue where to head to find the Hoopoe, so we walk about looking for any sign of a lawn that the target might be on.

We get lucky when a birder walks back from seeing it and sends us on the right course. 

Don't think we would have found the way on our own; it was up the road, looking for a not very well-signed public right-of-way path. When we found it, it was a 200-yard walk down to an open field with a large house over the back. The two fellows already here tell us that we have to stay on the edge and not walk on his ground, that he said the field was.

On the plus side, they have the Hoopoe in the scope, it's right over the back by the fellow's house and in front of a row of dark bushes, so we were never going to get any good photos and never tried, but the scope views were very good to give us another nice year tick, and always good to see these great-looking birds.

The next day, I was just sitting in the garden watching the birds, of course, when I remembered a Ring Ouzel had been seen at Rainham. 

Jimmy says, " Why are we waiting? Let's go see it. Brian is over the KGV reservoir, so he had to abort that and meet us over there. It's only 30 minutes on a good day if after the morning rush to get there. We beat Brian there and started scanning without any luck. I thought a few more people would have been looking for it; the report said it had been seen down by the metal gate halfway along the Thames path to the reserve.

Brian and the two Daves arrive, and a few more to help look for the Ouzel, three people here needed it for a lifer, and after about an hour, the bird flies out of a nearby bush and heads over the path we are on. It stays hidden in a large bush for a fair while. Marko arrived on his bike just in time to see the Ouzel fly out and back over the other side again, so only a couple of flight views, but it's a year tick, and with the long trips out, few and far between at the moment it keeps the score moving along.

 

Tawny Pipit at Landguard. ( Lifer )

Jimmy got news of a Tawny Pipit that had been found at Landguard 

A call to see if Brian was free finds him birding at Rainham Marsh. 

He wants to go for it, so we decide to meet up along the A12 to save him coming back to pick us up. 

We meet up and arrive at Felixstowe at 11.15 and pay for two hours of parking. 

There are about ten other birders when we get to the roped-off area by the beach. 

Raphael tells us that the Pipit had been seen on and off over the last half hour in the foliage on the brow of the ridge.

We don't have to wait long before we all have another lifer. Brian had dipped this Tawny Pipit a couple of times, so well, sweet for him to get that one out the way.

The bird gave good scope views as it walked about on top of the ridge before it was spooked by a Ringed Plover that sent it flying over our heads and landing in open ground to give us an even better view of the bird. Only one tick for the day, but well pleased with another lifer.

                                      

                                                 

                                                  

The Tawny Pipit