Simon Knight obtained this excellent image of the Rodden Hive HOOPOE - my 218th species of the year.SATURDAY 20 MARCH
Back down south now the change in temperature was remarkable. It reached 12.5 degrees C today, but with SW winds, constant drizzle fell for much of the day. It was time to catch up with some of the spring migrants that had been appearing whilst I was in Scotland. It was also an opportunity to have yet another go at the Ibises after Andrew Holden's success.......
WILSTONE RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTFORDSHIRE)
With SAND MARTINS being at Wilstone all week, I was very pleased to see 17 flying overhead of the Drayton Bank early morning - my first of the year (217).
A total of 25 Eurasian Wigeon remained, as well as 5 Common Goldeneye, whilst 2 RED KITES drifted south over Startop's End Reservoir.
BLOWS DOWNS (BEDFORDSHIRE)
I failed in my quest to track down the 3 Northern Wheatears that Lol Carman had earlier seen on the Paddock Slope. A Common Chiffchaff was singing - my first this year in Beds -a charm of 28 Goldfinches was feeding and up to 8 Meadow Pipits were in active parachuting display.
LANGTON HERRING (DORSET)
At around midday, I decided to drive down to the South Coast, and visited Langton Herring on The Fleet. I arrived at 1445 hours, just as Joe Dobinson and his partner Sharon and Darren Ward were departing, and following their excellent directions quickly latched on to the migrant EURASIAN HOOPOE that had been present since Wednesday. The bird was frequenting a Kale field 250 yards west of the Coastguard Cottages and could be easily seen from the coastal footpath. It was favouring the tracks in the kale and after flying along on three occasions, settled down and fed on grubs at just 40 yards range. It was a brilliant bird and very entertaining to watch and was fabulously photographed by Simon Wright (see above). Hoopoe is always a tricky bird to connect with each year so I was more than pleased with my decision to twitch it - species 218 this year.
HAM WALL RSPB, SHAPWICK HEATH NNR (SOMERSET)
Unlike on previous visits when I ventured out west along the South Drain towards Noah's Lake, this time I followed my good friend Andy Holden's advice and walked east - 600 metres in fact to the Ham Walls Observation platform. I was later joined by the reserve warden and partner and whilst waiting from 1702 hours, GREEN SANDPIPER, 6 SAND MARTINS and 2 Common Chiffchaffs were noted. There was also two booming EURASIAN BITTERNS and a cacophony of loud CETTI'S WARBLERS and squealing Water Rails.
At 1735 hours, all 3 first-winter GLOSSY IBISES appeared from the east, flying high perhaps 300 yards north of the drain. As they progressed west, they flew closer towards the Watchpoint, and about 90 seconds later flew directly overhead affording all three of us excellent views of these almost prehistoric, weird-shaped birds. The flight was typically fast and in close formation and at 1738 hours (three minutes after I first located them), they disappeared high to the NNW. After three visits, I had finally connected - relief and exultation ! (species 219).
CHEW VALLEY LAKE (AVON)
Fighting across the Mendips in intermittent thick fog, I finally reached Chew (Herriott's Bridge) with 15 minutes of light to spare. Sadly, this was not enough time to locate the drake Ferruginous Duck and as the light faded away to nothing, the throng of Tufted Duck and Northern Pochard only yielded a single female Ruddy Duck. Herriott's Pool also held good numbers of Common Shelduck and a few Shovelers, whilst CETTI'S WARBLERS became very vocal at dusk.
Back down south now the change in temperature was remarkable. It reached 12.5 degrees C today, but with SW winds, constant drizzle fell for much of the day. It was time to catch up with some of the spring migrants that had been appearing whilst I was in Scotland. It was also an opportunity to have yet another go at the Ibises after Andrew Holden's success.......
WILSTONE RESERVOIR, TRING (HERTFORDSHIRE)
With SAND MARTINS being at Wilstone all week, I was very pleased to see 17 flying overhead of the Drayton Bank early morning - my first of the year (217).
A total of 25 Eurasian Wigeon remained, as well as 5 Common Goldeneye, whilst 2 RED KITES drifted south over Startop's End Reservoir.
BLOWS DOWNS (BEDFORDSHIRE)
I failed in my quest to track down the 3 Northern Wheatears that Lol Carman had earlier seen on the Paddock Slope. A Common Chiffchaff was singing - my first this year in Beds -a charm of 28 Goldfinches was feeding and up to 8 Meadow Pipits were in active parachuting display.
LANGTON HERRING (DORSET)
At around midday, I decided to drive down to the South Coast, and visited Langton Herring on The Fleet. I arrived at 1445 hours, just as Joe Dobinson and his partner Sharon and Darren Ward were departing, and following their excellent directions quickly latched on to the migrant EURASIAN HOOPOE that had been present since Wednesday. The bird was frequenting a Kale field 250 yards west of the Coastguard Cottages and could be easily seen from the coastal footpath. It was favouring the tracks in the kale and after flying along on three occasions, settled down and fed on grubs at just 40 yards range. It was a brilliant bird and very entertaining to watch and was fabulously photographed by Simon Wright (see above). Hoopoe is always a tricky bird to connect with each year so I was more than pleased with my decision to twitch it - species 218 this year.
HAM WALL RSPB, SHAPWICK HEATH NNR (SOMERSET)
Unlike on previous visits when I ventured out west along the South Drain towards Noah's Lake, this time I followed my good friend Andy Holden's advice and walked east - 600 metres in fact to the Ham Walls Observation platform. I was later joined by the reserve warden and partner and whilst waiting from 1702 hours, GREEN SANDPIPER, 6 SAND MARTINS and 2 Common Chiffchaffs were noted. There was also two booming EURASIAN BITTERNS and a cacophony of loud CETTI'S WARBLERS and squealing Water Rails.
At 1735 hours, all 3 first-winter GLOSSY IBISES appeared from the east, flying high perhaps 300 yards north of the drain. As they progressed west, they flew closer towards the Watchpoint, and about 90 seconds later flew directly overhead affording all three of us excellent views of these almost prehistoric, weird-shaped birds. The flight was typically fast and in close formation and at 1738 hours (three minutes after I first located them), they disappeared high to the NNW. After three visits, I had finally connected - relief and exultation ! (species 219).
CHEW VALLEY LAKE (AVON)
Fighting across the Mendips in intermittent thick fog, I finally reached Chew (Herriott's Bridge) with 15 minutes of light to spare. Sadly, this was not enough time to locate the drake Ferruginous Duck and as the light faded away to nothing, the throng of Tufted Duck and Northern Pochard only yielded a single female Ruddy Duck. Herriott's Pool also held good numbers of Common Shelduck and a few Shovelers, whilst CETTI'S WARBLERS became very vocal at dusk.
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