Spoonbills, Osprey and Turtle Dove

Date: 02-03/10/2017

Location: Slimbridge-Northwick Wharf

Weather: 
Cloudy & Sunshine but turning colder.

Species Highlights 
Spoonbill, Osprey, Turtle Dove.

Observation: 
02/10/2017 
Headed up to Slimbridge for a bit of Spoonbill action and we were not disappointed as on arriving 2 Spoonbill juvenile were right in front the Rushy hide, sleeping but occasionally popping there heads up, having a stretch then back to sleep.

While they slept interesting to watch the Black Headed gulls practicing diving in around 3 inches of water. Also on Rushy a Curlew Sandpiper but a bit distant.

Another Stretch.

Not quite a stretch together but both awake!

We left Spoonies to it and headed off around reserve to see what else was about 5 Snipe from the Hogarth hide, could locate Med gulls also on lake.

After doing the rounds came back to Rushy just in time it seemed as one, then the other Spoonbill took to the skies. I would have been happy with this shot...but

But this one's a bit better i think, in all its glory!

After the Spoonbills left, we think down to the estuary this cool looking leucistic Greylag came in.

A Red Kite was spotted and most of the birds on Tack piece rose to the skies including this 2 Common Cranes, always good to see.

A quick kiss from the Teal's and Monday was over.

03/10/2017  Chatting to a fellow birder at Slimbridge and he told me about a Osprey showing well. so day off decided to go take a look. £6:70 Severn bridge toll and 30 mins later pulled up saw bird looking splendid on tree but unfortunately that was it, it flew not to be seen by me again. Now what ? 

RSPB Newport wetlands not far away so headed there.Not much going on there, good for coffee and dog walkers but that was all, should have went to Goldcliff, next time.

Thought on way home i'd pop in to Northwick Wharf and Pilling Wetlands, tide was out but Curlew, Oystercatchers and plenty of Black Tailed Godwits were showing, distantly.

Bad picture but a group of Starling being flanked by a Peregrine. I watched the Peregrine chase a Snipe from reeds, he was not successful.

Wheatear, Pied Wagtail and larger groups of Meadow Pipits were buzzing around in front sea wall.

Around 6/7 other birders were scoping around looking for something, I'd forgotten that 2 days ago a Turtle Dove had been found, i'd also not checked my Twitter to see what was about. After chatting to other birders Alan and Martyn Not good at names, nothing was seen and people started to drift off, then I spotted  a bird which i was 80% sure was a Turtle dove fly from hedge row, on mentioning it to them it flew from where i seen it land to almost in front of us !! 

Bonus !

It seemed very content to just sit and watch us at around 15 ft away!

I'd only ever seen them in UK at Otmoor, Oxford plus Mallorca and Portugal so to see one so well was excellent.

The sun came out too making its plumage look stunning.

More birders arrived after a few tweets went out and the bird came even closer to us.

It would feed for a few minutes then sit and wait.

After 150 pictures i decided to leave everyone else to it, and walked the short distance back to van feeling very happy on having a excellent day.

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Purple Emperors @ Fermyn Woods then Turtle Doves @ Otmoor.

Date: 18/07/2016

Location: Fermyn - Otmoor - Farmoor Res

Weather: Blue Skies 16 Degrees at 7am Rising to 31 Degrees!

Other Species: 

Fermyn Woods ( Northants)
Silver Washed Fritillary, Ringlets, White Admiral, Purple Hairstreak, Meadow Brown, Small White, Large White, Red Admiral, Large Skipper, Small Skipper, Gatekeeper, Purple Emperor, Comma - 13 Species
Otmoor : 
Reed Warbler, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Turtle Dove, Red Kite - Of Note. 
Farmoor Reservoir: 
House Martin, Pied Wagtail, Starling, Common Tern, Cormorant - Of Note. 

Observation: 
On my Butterfly Quest the Purple Emperor was still on my hit list for 2016 and after a failed attempt at Bentley Woods I could hear Fermyn calling! I know its 2hr 50mins away from Bath but seemed the best option. Fermyn Woods in Northants seemed to be all over Twitter with some cracking shots showing up, so after a bit of persuading Lauren (daughter) decided to come with as long as a few birds were also included in the day so plan was Fermyn then Otmoor near Oxford for a look for Turtle Doves.

On arriving at Fermyn, parking roadside near the Gliding Club was plentiful (NN14 3JD). Once out the Van the temperature was heating up and a few other people were looking for the Purple Emperor.. Wonders! Plenty of Silver Washed Fritillaries about saw around 10 plus White Admirals x3. All the other woodland and common species also but apart from a fleeting fly by no Purple Emperors on the ground, continued along the glide heading for Souther Wood, people were saying for sure here. So upon taking the right fork once in wood I missed the first almost standing on it!

First one Lauren's as she saw it first!

Once we saw one they seem to dropping down from the tree tops all along the path.

Plenty of closed wing shots, but no open wing shots try as we may.

We used no baits and no secrets chants! Maybe that's why no open wing shots? Temperature was very warm now around 28 Degrees - 29 Degrees. Lots of people around some groups of people all standing around his majesty but we were lucky as got a few all to ourselves. Finally seeing about 7.

Here's A Short Video of Purple Emperor: Video Links YOUTUBE

After many high fives! We headed down to Otmoor for the Turtle Dove as the RSPB have been doing some good work to help this endangered bird.
1 1/2 hours later we arrived temperature on way down was now 31 Degrees at one point! We entered the small car park and headed on to reserve, on walking up main path almost immediately could here the Turtle Doves making their distinctive purring sound but couldn't see them. Saw a distant Marsh Harrier quartering over reeds then saw Turtle Dove fly past and towards car park! We decided to carry on for hide, a long path and very warm but not much from hides. So headed back to look again for Doves.

Lauren managed a flight shot, this is Turtle Dove flying back towards car park!

But our patience paid off as one of Turtle Doves came back to Oak Tree, into sun but pretty decent shots.

Heard 2 Turtle Doves while there one alongside reserve path and other was on MOD land other side of car-park.

Time now about 4:30pm so instead of getting stuck in traffic decided to stop at Farmoor Reservoir. Great move as these little fellas were buzzing about all over lakes!

The House Martins were collecting Lichen from lake side they must have 'lichened' it!!

Even a couple a little one's, this one looks a bit sad!

Also on lakes were these Common Terns screaming overhead, adults collecting fish and youngsters chasing after!

Looked so cool!

To end, Lauren's shot, all in all a great day a Purple Emperor ticked! Turtle Doves ticked (although we've seen in Portugal a UK tick always good) 

Also blue skies and summer finally here! 

                                                                                  

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Algarve - Portugal - Part Three

Date: 18th May - 24th May 2016

Location: Albufeira - Algarve (Portugal)

Weather: Blue Skies, Light Wind, 26-32 Degrees

Other Species: Crested Lark, Turtle Dove, Barn Swallow, Cattle Egret, Pallid Swift, Little Egret, Azure-Winged Magpie, Spotless Starling, Sardinian Warbler, Hoopoe, Zitting Cisticola, Serin, Corn Bunting, White Stork, Little Owl, Bee-Eater - Of Note

Observation: We visited what we thought was Vilamoura, it wasn't until we got back to the hotel that we were miles from the reserve, due to poor signage! Proves how lucky we are in the UK with signs and RSPB etc. We walked up a dirt track which ran in line with the beach, first tick of the day was this Turtle Dove, who was just out the car-park calling, it didn't let us get many shots before he flew to the woodland opposite and started calling again.

Walking around the "reserve" there was a abundance of Turtle Doves, we seen 5+ but there were more calling within the woodlands along the track.

There were also plenty of Crested Lark here, buzzing around the meadows and fences.

We had a quick break at the middle car-park where there were plenty of Hirundines catching the flies, we thought this was just a Swift, but when editing it looks more like a Pallid Swift, unless anyone says any different?

This Spotless Starling put on his wing dance for us whilst he sung for his supper!

On our return, 11 Cattle Egrets and a single Little Egret landed with the resident sheep and lambs, and gave us some close range shots of them in their habitat.

It seems a walk in the Algarve isn't complete without spotting a singing Serin high in the trees or a fly-past Azure-Winged Magpie.

This Azure-Winged Magpie stopped for some shots in the sun.

A "shopping" day trip to Portimao, we couldn't find the shops we were stopped by these, nesting White Storks. At first we only thought it was the one nest, but they had taken up residency on every chimney and crane around the town. Amazing sight!

We had a great time in Algarve, with some superb new species seen, including the target species of Turtle Dove and Bee-Eater's ! 10 new ticks under our belts.
Where to go next?

 

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