tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74869770091931475962024-03-05T02:49:57.727-08:00Local Birding for Local PeopleRichard Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13906638029090606852noreply@blogger.comBlogger376125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486977009193147596.post-7676807394352019532013-07-28T11:37:00.000-07:002013-07-28T11:37:09.307-07:00Never, ever, write off JulyThe main reason for not doing much blogging this year was because, year-on-year, I found that I was ending up typing the same stuff that I did the year before, and the year before that, etc. But looking through my notes over the last few weeks, there's quite a bit to write about actually.<br />
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Always plenty of after-work daylight in July of course, and eventually the pollen goes away. This one's a been a bit hot though. But after last summer, that shouldn't be a reason to complain.<br />
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The juicy stuff's on the way. But going back to the July 7th, this smart(ish) male Ruff was found at Uttoxeter Quarry. Still with quite a lot of it's summer plumage intact. But one disadvantage of a hot, sunny day is that it's difficult to see anything in the camera when digiscoping.<br />
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A Garganey was found by Andy at Croxden Quarry a few days later, on the 10th. Unfortunately I was indisposed that evening, but it was still present the following day.<br />
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The white tail was a bit of an oddity, must just be slight genetic mutation going on. The weekend of the 13th/14th produced some good waders at Blithfield. Including a Wood Sandpiper, Greenshank and also these four drake Common Scoters.<br />
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Then onto the madness of the last few days. When looking at the pager on Wednesday evening, "Caspian Tern in Cheshire, Acre Nook Sand Quarry". That's nice, I thought, and thought no more of it, apart from let's look for it around home the next evening! So when I was on my way to Uttoxeter Quarry that evening, there was a call from Andy. "Shall we go for this Caspian Tern? It's back in Cheshire!". In a way it was a bit of a blow, but after 20 years since seeing my last one in Britain (Willington in 1993), what the heck, let's go.<br />
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Acre Nook Sand Quarry is situated near Chelford in East Cheshire, about halfway between Knutsford and Macclesfield. On arrival at 9:20pm, it was starting to get rather dark, but the Tern was visible enough. A very nice relaxing way to end a day, a little trip into Cheshire. But the thoughts of "where's it been all day?" started going through my mind.<br />
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The next morning, whilst on a short break from doing some work and a little flick through that font of all birding knowledge on the web, Bird Forum! Someone on the rare bird thread had mentioned that the Caspian Tern flew into Acre Nook from the south-east last night. It then set me thinking "has this bird been getting to Tittesworth or Rudyard?". <br />
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So a couple of hours later, when the news broke that the Caspian Tern was indeed at Rudyard, it wasn't an entire surprise. But it did make the Friday afternoon at work so much more nerve-wrecking! What was a pleasant Thursday evening in Cheshire turned into a Friday evening that was much more serious, with a home-county tick at stake. So come 5:30pm it was out of the office door on the dot, and raced up from Stafford, via Meir, Weston Coyney, Wetley Rocks, Cheddleton and Leek. By the way, it wasn't a race up because that route is riddled with speed cameras. It felt like an eternity to get to.<br />
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Just prior to arriving at Rudyard Lake, I drove past the familiar face of Mr Lee G.R. Evans parked up on the roadside, chatting on his phone. No careless whispers there then! Thankfully some other familiar faces of Steve Edwards, Heather Forbes and Ian Burgess were on hand to point out the Caspian Tern to me, pheee-ewwww! And later on this was reciprocated with Steve "The Snapper" Richards.<br />
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Steve and I watched the bird fly around the reservoir, catch a fish and then flew north. If that returns to Acre Nook, then this could easily return the next day. And it certainly did, both roost at Acre Nook and return to Rudyard. So a bit of time was spent with the Caspian Tern the following morning (27th). Got to make the most of it while it's here! And did the pictures improve with the sun now behind me? No, not really.<br />
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What a fantastic bird so close to home. But what's at Uttoxeter Quarry? Well on arrival there were 2 Black-tailed Godwits and this juvenile Med Gull.<br />
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Look carefully reader, and you'll see this bird has a white plastic ring on it's left leg. Usually whenever a gull has a darvic ring on, they're always too far away to read them. But I could read this one. The details have been submitted onto the Euring website, and looking through the ringing schemes I think this bird originated from either Belgium or Holland.<br />
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As for today. Unfortunately the overnight rain meant that Uttoxeter Quarry has momentarily lost it's wader shoreline. But Blithfield had a good selection of birds, which included these two Knot and adult Med Gull in Blithe Bay. <br />
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Nothing to see in July? Pull the other one!Richard Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13906638029090606852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486977009193147596.post-79131759169616425002013-07-08T14:49:00.001-07:002013-07-08T15:35:02.751-07:00Come on you Whites!Oooh hello! I'm still here you know. One day, there'll be some birds appearing on this blog.<br />
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However, my dear old thing, there's something far more important starting this week. It's The Ashes! And after that, by jiminy, it's another Ashes series in Australia this winter. After all the exictement of the 2005, 2009 and "that last one in Australia" seriesies (basically, whenever we win!), no wonder I couldn't be bothered to see that 2005 Sooty Tern on Anglesey. I think that's a little confession coming through. There was a little bit of Ashes Fever!<br />
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And just to commemorate. Here's a little ditty by my favourite band, The Duckworth Lewis Method!<br />
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Richard Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13906638029090606852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486977009193147596.post-83755074681198024302013-06-18T12:25:00.001-07:002013-06-18T17:13:38.160-07:00Catch up time, and an aboomination!I really had intended to do a bit more blogging over the last month or so. But for a variety of reasons, such as a change of car, change of phone, shaking off a cold, I haven't had the time or inclincation. <br />
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And I also intended to finish off the Cape May tale, but during the last couple of days of the trip my notes kind of went to pot, mainly due to a heavy cold developing. Bit of a struggle to keep going, but keep going I did. Thankfully, <a href="http://eyeofochruros.blogspot.co.uk/">Kay</a> finished the tale off in fine style. Particularly that Waterthrush, yabbadabbadoo. But should anyone be interesting in going and how do it, just get in touch.<br />
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Some highlights since getting back then. The weekend of 18th and 19th of May (blimey, was it really a month ago?) was productive. After heading over to Derby sort out a new car on the 18th, a check of Blithfield revealed a Whooper Swan in Mickledale Bay. Seems odd mentioning Whoopers in the middle of June, mind you it was pretty odd in the middle of May too.<br />
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The majority of the 19th was a struggle to see anything, on a calm sunny day. Very little was seen at both Branston GP's and Uttoxeter Quarry. But when just finishing at the quarry, the pager mentioned 2 Common Cranes at Blithfield, at the very end of Blithe Bay. Gosh, lets give it a go.<br />
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In the end it turned out to be a rather frantic experience. Taking the car down Blithe Bay is always a slow affair, particularly when I was in the old car and sold it the previous day! And then realising that the Cranes had taken off when parked up, oh no they've gone. But after a few minutes of scanning the skies, there they were, thank goodness for that! There was even time to run back to car, and get the camera for a couple of shots.<br />
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It was at this point, to my horror, that Eric "Sam" Clare still hadn't seen them. To grip him off from 50 yards would've been unthinkable. So another run was done, and we both observed them gradually rising in the sky until out of sight.<br />
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With the exception of Belvide's Spotted Sandpiper on Sunday 26th, the other highlights from the Bank Holiday weekend came on Monday 27th. A bit of a breeze had built up, and a Sanderling at Uttoxeter Quarry gave me a bit of hope. Moving onto Blithfield, three more Sanderling were along the causeway.<br />
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Then setting the scope up and scanning the reservoir between the causeway and Beech Tree point to count the Terns. Hang on, the bill on that one is the wrong colour, it's yellow! Hey hey, it's a Little Tern!<br />
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And ever since then, other than a Black Tern at Uttoxeter Quarry on the 29th May, it's been pretty quiet around home. Over the last week there's been a couple of drives into Derbyshire, in particular for the Marsh Warbler at Carsington Water on June 10th, and a rather elusive but very vocal Golden Oriole at Padley Gorge last Saturday (15th).<br />
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As for Sunday, with hindsight I suppose I should've gone for the Pacific Swift in Suffolk. But I really wanted to see the Greenish Warbler, at Turton Golf Club, just north of Bolton in Lancashire, and a bit put-off by news of the access for the Saturday. So that's what I did, and is perfectly scopable from across the fairway. <br />
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But on arrival I was told that a maximum of three people at a time could cross the fairway for a closer look, as long as no golfers were around. I don't know if that happens every day, maybe I got lucky. But when crossing the fairway, the views of the singing Greenish Warbler really were incredible. It also helped for getting a better idea of where the bird was getting to when you're back across.<br />
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Well done to all those who saw the Pacific Swift by the way, but please, please, please. There appears to be a growing number of twitchers using the word "Boom" when getting a tick. Nothing beats the thrill of a tick of course, but really, it's a truly awful use of the English language. An abomination (or an aboomination if you wish) and it has to stop! Otherwise, I may have to hang up my binoculars *.<br />
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<em>* actually, I might not do that bit!</em>Richard Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13906638029090606852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486977009193147596.post-75510569209140401262013-06-02T12:56:00.001-07:002013-06-02T12:56:14.033-07:00Cape May, The Sequel. Part 33 and a third.So where was I? Oh yes, Cape May. Where men are men, and the moths are scared!<br />
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The 13th May started again at the Belleplain State Forest, to see if we could catch up with some of the birds we missed a few days ago, and also to explore the forest for ourselves. An excellent start was had with this splendid White-breasted Nuthatch.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsy-pr1jDNpnfEsnbeXcypfFTLpApGd2A4KD2YN1WlehkAGLgl2oSsa1qOFJbF-r6Bry9TnndljDfsoMDGTT-oJT-jM0CAGorw2UTXEb6IndvyFdImzZJ4x_6NU3bvpQowAYHqwzB42wY/s1600/200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsy-pr1jDNpnfEsnbeXcypfFTLpApGd2A4KD2YN1WlehkAGLgl2oSsa1qOFJbF-r6Bry9TnndljDfsoMDGTT-oJT-jM0CAGorw2UTXEb6IndvyFdImzZJ4x_6NU3bvpQowAYHqwzB42wY/s320/200.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White-breasted Nuthatch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Another Magnolia Warbler was seen, plus Eastern Wood-Pewees, Scarlet Tanager, Pine Warbler, Eastern Kingbird, Blue-grey Gnatcatcher. Spending more time by the damp woodland at the Sunset Road bridge, a skulking Hooded Warbler was heard again but not seen. Then after a time, a bird was seen to land on the road. Only a stonking male Prothonotary Warbler! After a hop about on the road, the bird spent a number of minutes in the overhanging branches of a tree, giving absolutely wonderful views.<br />
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Following that success, the remaining time at Belleplain revealed Summer Tanager, Eastern Bluebirds, Red-tailed Hawk, an Eastern Phoebe, American Goldfinch and 2 Wood Thrushes.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQIdqB347-2lqzlIpRC5AG7eumLCOT71lbYfhk10MFJG_fx2dBce1E6VzC3OR1xcTgCnnNpnzQUPBDg8lh_5SobmeLUIRJE9s2Rl2efx4IE0At8lcOKij49-DSzcN6uBmFXfV1I-wUpAA/s1600/208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQIdqB347-2lqzlIpRC5AG7eumLCOT71lbYfhk10MFJG_fx2dBce1E6VzC3OR1xcTgCnnNpnzQUPBDg8lh_5SobmeLUIRJE9s2Rl2efx4IE0At8lcOKij49-DSzcN6uBmFXfV1I-wUpAA/s320/208.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">American Goldfinch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRHFsfxaqi2z45luFudai4L5dO1PZZJ00b6Em51B2BU7bWWEcWFpjejbvrETNzgNqXMcxamVWiptKjgcPhmlgaLvw_d-U8Hq0Ig1BRJNDVQ5NE2m7BQQMgd5ryUOC4uTg79p7-C6qu960/s1600/cape-233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRHFsfxaqi2z45luFudai4L5dO1PZZJ00b6Em51B2BU7bWWEcWFpjejbvrETNzgNqXMcxamVWiptKjgcPhmlgaLvw_d-U8Hq0Ig1BRJNDVQ5NE2m7BQQMgd5ryUOC4uTg79p7-C6qu960/s320/cape-233.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eastern Wood-Pewee, image courtesy of Kay</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqZ0NDq6BNQVwurI04O2gyeI0VxeMAHg0dVE6dkEWGoI7Y9jLMZWne4IxM_UPTwWxMUWLQGdpMdZy1FabyiYYnUXSlLJ4UAotv5EUSApBa3DaHvJ486dEIGedDYPuPgeP9ZAnSJePrRoU/s1600/209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqZ0NDq6BNQVwurI04O2gyeI0VxeMAHg0dVE6dkEWGoI7Y9jLMZWne4IxM_UPTwWxMUWLQGdpMdZy1FabyiYYnUXSlLJ4UAotv5EUSApBa3DaHvJ486dEIGedDYPuPgeP9ZAnSJePrRoU/s320/209.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wood Thrush</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The rest of the day was spent at the Cape May Point State Park. It could've been very easy just to sit at the Hawkwatch platform and slowly nod off to sleep, so some walking was done to make sure that didn't happen. One each of American Coot and Ruddy Duck were new for the trip, it would've been easy to overlook them before now. <br />
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Plenty of Cliff Swallows were around too, hawking insects from the lagoons. Someone had also claimed a Cave Swallow here, which is like a paler version of Cliff Swallow and really should be in Mexico. But alas, as hard as we tried to pick it out, all we could see were Cliff Swallows. Never mind, and not something I was expecting to get.<br />
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The next day, the 14th May, took us back to Higbee Beach for a morning walk. We had our first Hairy Woodpecker here, plus 3 Great Crested Flycatchers, female Summer Tanager, Black-throated Green Warbler and a cracking male American Redstart. Over the course of our time spent in woodland, we had noticed these web things in trees and bushes.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjq9huoBg9DGqWKcMJ5XtpT6_tC-cciFbc-IOem_86WpvMQ-d5DFWutwsDtUvMp_WazyKO_kGAhvcX0eAK4qZxuga8GlGiBN7rZvzjGb6bL7NqRxRSrSYD5r97j38ztxm3v1WCHoAh_U0/s1600/234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjq9huoBg9DGqWKcMJ5XtpT6_tC-cciFbc-IOem_86WpvMQ-d5DFWutwsDtUvMp_WazyKO_kGAhvcX0eAK4qZxuga8GlGiBN7rZvzjGb6bL7NqRxRSrSYD5r97j38ztxm3v1WCHoAh_U0/s320/234.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I had assumed they were spiders webs of some kind, and thought nothing of them. But after talking to an American birder, they are in fact caterpillar cases of the Gypsy Moth. Which would explain why this morning in particular, they were proving attractive to hungry birds. A natural bird table for Blue-grey Gnatcatchers, but particularly for a Baltimore Oriole and a Rose-breasted Grosbeak.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja4K4vgSNcLUzYCyvOVmJuYIDMjetNuLI6XqIGAn82BkLmgSGJ9oNSPxRjWMyqLcF2mLK334fvKDbGNcpS5NmNmqwdj0GpN6if7muOiMv-P9j7BnKCa-ggDwAN2FhAZEUVZjMMXRX-KAk/s1600/233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja4K4vgSNcLUzYCyvOVmJuYIDMjetNuLI6XqIGAn82BkLmgSGJ9oNSPxRjWMyqLcF2mLK334fvKDbGNcpS5NmNmqwdj0GpN6if7muOiMv-P9j7BnKCa-ggDwAN2FhAZEUVZjMMXRX-KAk/s320/233.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baltimore Oriole</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvvC2xY5o_doaxt048r587cxklPNPPFtALSrfdCwzPW6l5c0BnBFm858TT3wOYvkOgLesVw5U_0EmnCWelz2AZ0IckmrUbFsia4_yjnkcBwUz8JY-LyKKQpE0EZzh_GzKRHAz__z3O_E/s1600/245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvvC2xY5o_doaxt048r587cxklPNPPFtALSrfdCwzPW6l5c0BnBFm858TT3wOYvkOgLesVw5U_0EmnCWelz2AZ0IckmrUbFsia4_yjnkcBwUz8JY-LyKKQpE0EZzh_GzKRHAz__z3O_E/s320/245.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rose-breasted Grosbeak</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Another check of the state park had 3 American Wigeon this time, plus an excellent selection of soaring raptors which included a Broad-winged Hawk in amongst the Red-tailed Hawks, a single Bald Eagle, Turkey and Black Vultures.<br />
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An afternoon walk around the Rea Farm produced an American Kestrel which was new for the trip, also a female Prothonotary Warbler, a sight never to be tired of. I also did my good deed of the day here. Whilst taking a walk through some damp woodland, along a disused railway line, we found a Terrapin flat on it's back and unable to move. The reptile must've thought it was one of those Ninja Turtles, so when climbing over the metal railway line it would've flipped itself over, before it could have chance to say "Cowabunga!".<br />
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Now, in nature you're not supposed to interfere. But you couldn't help feeling sorry for this little chap, it could've been stuck there for hours. So I flipped the little fella back up again, and we made sure it carried on it's way after successfully climbing over the other side of the old railway line.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcDznYanqsphhrzCSsRIUvK4v01i698sLkO5Bzf_Cvo_WduyNlRFyteQHEJNgZnmrPtAf6rBdbA7DQ89QZtCTkkVkrz620nlM684gjWNXSw9gDCeqnEbxrtKFe08fKTxrxw2L1icEptdI/s1600/cape-206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcDznYanqsphhrzCSsRIUvK4v01i698sLkO5Bzf_Cvo_WduyNlRFyteQHEJNgZnmrPtAf6rBdbA7DQ89QZtCTkkVkrz620nlM684gjWNXSw9gDCeqnEbxrtKFe08fKTxrxw2L1icEptdI/s320/cape-206.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Crested Flycatcher at the Rea Farm, image courtesy of Kay</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitoFuFqE7od9StcpOJvsH-PFAqn44-hr_1edL2ne832bphL8U1LwgDNwNXoEzl_VoCN1dmADY0xAV-78ZOH2D94Sn0ekRZUZXL_MWOaVMVRASnqunw8asyCv2B496HBXJtYQljAigpVVE/s1600/184.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitoFuFqE7od9StcpOJvsH-PFAqn44-hr_1edL2ne832bphL8U1LwgDNwNXoEzl_VoCN1dmADY0xAV-78ZOH2D94Sn0ekRZUZXL_MWOaVMVRASnqunw8asyCv2B496HBXJtYQljAigpVVE/s320/184.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brown-headed Cowbirds at the Rea Farm</td></tr>
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During the course of the day, we decided that we really ought to try somewhere at dusk, for the possibility of Owls or Nightjars, that kind of thing. So following dinner, we took a 10 minute drive over to the Cape May Refuge, along the Kimbles Beach road, where we saw the White-crowned Sparrow previously. The songbird trail here had a good mixture of mature and new trees, so it looked a likely spot. <br />
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As darkness descended, something flew across out of the corner of my eye. I thought it was the size of an Owl to begin with. Thankfully the bird flew back towards us and we could tell it was a Nightjar of some kind. After a process of elimination, the clucking sound it made plus no white on the wings, meant that it was a Chuck-Will's Widow!<br />
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Much larger than our European Nightjar, and slightly larger than a Common Nighthawk. When it was almost pitch dark the bird landed on the ground in front of us, and you could make out it's huge head in proportion to it's body. Great stuff, a brilliant way to finish a day.<br />
Richard Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13906638029090606852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486977009193147596.post-79860724890807138922013-05-24T13:54:00.002-07:002013-05-24T15:11:20.958-07:00Cape May, The Sequel. Part 2 and a half.When studying the guided walks and tours back home, I was glad to see there was a Higbee Beach walk on Friday 10th. I tried this area of Cape May Point a few times last year, but couldn't really get the hang of it for one reason or another. Either the size of the place and getting lost, or the heat. So this was one walk I felt we really had to attend. To increase the height of excitement, the overnight winds changed to a useful south-westerly, to bring some migrants in from up the coast and across Delaware Bay.<br />
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And on arrival at the Higbee Beach parking lot (sorry, car park!), my goodness me, the whole morning was a complete birdfest, you just didn't know where to start looking and when to move onto the next bird. Straight away out of the car, there's a Chestnut-sided Warbler, and I missed a Ruby-crowned Kinglet while paying the guides. <br />
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Just from the car park migrant birds kept appearing in the trees. Scarlet Tanagers, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Black-and-White Warblers, Black-throated Green Warblers, Northern Parulas, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Baltimore Oriole, a Yellow-throated Vireo and the jewel in the crown, a superb male Blackburnian Warbler!<br />
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Walking was taken at a snail's pace, it had to be because the birds just kept on coming. Blue-headed Vireos, 2 Red-headed Woodpeckers flew over, 2 Orchard Orioles and a Yellow-breasted Chat holding territory.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh86u7URBZi9LBDlARSaQjpUipVXATCe9RfUweyXGbJ0IasAFXavQl7stzaMyicf7jKLr8X3CWvol7paM9KuHvW2nJ64gT1dRTz7kT6RDRQNfPYMOV0VQ-jigDBOwb_Iv8c8tlBt2Li-Vk/s1600/224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh86u7URBZi9LBDlARSaQjpUipVXATCe9RfUweyXGbJ0IasAFXavQl7stzaMyicf7jKLr8X3CWvol7paM9KuHvW2nJ64gT1dRTz7kT6RDRQNfPYMOV0VQ-jigDBOwb_Iv8c8tlBt2Li-Vk/s320/224.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow-breasted Chat</td></tr>
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When entering a patch of woodland the fun just continued, with at least 2 Black-throated Blue Warblers, a Magnolia Warbler, female American Redstart, Red-eyed Vireos (with their song "I'm up in the tree, look at me, look at me!") and Great Crested Flycatcher. And not to be outdone, this Northern Cardinal put on a splendid show.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6W6Mz0IfV1COnlF1Ay1UAJxwgzyNbBRzB0oW3jEgE8nqiqBNP-5on9taYWVdCI4cuvJv39ySY-DSjnv_6eIij_46qC_jT-oFmMQuIkOPvCNfpLu13E7MeTEVWI6fa-XReFIFJYJ88NA/s1600/062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6W6Mz0IfV1COnlF1Ay1UAJxwgzyNbBRzB0oW3jEgE8nqiqBNP-5on9taYWVdCI4cuvJv39ySY-DSjnv_6eIij_46qC_jT-oFmMQuIkOPvCNfpLu13E7MeTEVWI6fa-XReFIFJYJ88NA/s320/062.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Northern Cardinal</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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In fact, I think the only bird we dipped on the walk was a Veery, which would've been veery veery nice to see! But nonetheless, that was one of the greatest birding experiences I've had bar none. High fives all round!<br />
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The migrants kept on coming at the state park later on, where this time we did find a Veery (which indeed was veery, veery nice!), and crippling views of Magnolia and Black-and-White Warblers. Also present was a single Royal Tern.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFboqTFXLkmCLMwlnXlSTixEHwReE_LDJMBevjEodeZZE7Wt-otiVIwFbt53dP75_MR5HjWiVAxvJeedE9nFPzrDgFtrfuyBBwEFWF0VkvTQlh7uPatPWCAPLdmjgpx7n4t2Oj9g0AW5U/s1600/074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFboqTFXLkmCLMwlnXlSTixEHwReE_LDJMBevjEodeZZE7Wt-otiVIwFbt53dP75_MR5HjWiVAxvJeedE9nFPzrDgFtrfuyBBwEFWF0VkvTQlh7uPatPWCAPLdmjgpx7n4t2Oj9g0AW5U/s320/074.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Magnolia Warbler</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuU_rSDStxKkOS7D5_n4yX6qY6k3S5pJapMDlG_ZXy_JvTMg16rszMeZI6zlUlKMACD0d3R_HhmwiIBVojvmqC25jETDI4_1kDwUkOKqpuFZ5bqWFPrNKxbfFQVWXsoDG_PnWoQ88YEfs/s1600/cape-065.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuU_rSDStxKkOS7D5_n4yX6qY6k3S5pJapMDlG_ZXy_JvTMg16rszMeZI6zlUlKMACD0d3R_HhmwiIBVojvmqC25jETDI4_1kDwUkOKqpuFZ5bqWFPrNKxbfFQVWXsoDG_PnWoQ88YEfs/s320/cape-065.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black-and-White Warbler, image courtesy of Kay</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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After a short afternoon break to escape the heat of the day, the remainder of the afternoon was spent exploring the Delaware Bay beaches. Fewer waders around than when I was here last year, obviously more Horseshoe Crabs had laid their eggs by then. But over at Reeds Beach plenty of gulls were feeding away on the Horseshoe Crab eggs that had already been laid and washed up.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOqntwgD7foov26omKtIFKExOOpjRzFKuy7kHs5QDkdzX1mG3nSnLxHNrmCHPKQ_qE2JKxpxp5EQfjxEOdsULh-13BLsYNrxJ5zcUTeLVKCYIVPxJOFTWua2m-fRaldHjzToAwK3N8MiU/s1600/076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOqntwgD7foov26omKtIFKExOOpjRzFKuy7kHs5QDkdzX1mG3nSnLxHNrmCHPKQ_qE2JKxpxp5EQfjxEOdsULh-13BLsYNrxJ5zcUTeLVKCYIVPxJOFTWua2m-fRaldHjzToAwK3N8MiU/s320/076.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laughing Gulls</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQuVY7vHlocW05P_humuAJ5SzBcPIFpGj5yVEO5jos3-OxN990SABrGECARZTIf_gGXMPRTjJ18K_DOJIyGPGfNoj2c9-tdFGAwbKL0fmU7Jj4_AHhuqGIcBYifINw2ChrYZaz5kBuagU/s1600/081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQuVY7vHlocW05P_humuAJ5SzBcPIFpGj5yVEO5jos3-OxN990SABrGECARZTIf_gGXMPRTjJ18K_DOJIyGPGfNoj2c9-tdFGAwbKL0fmU7Jj4_AHhuqGIcBYifINw2ChrYZaz5kBuagU/s320/081.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">American Herring Gull</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYytvt6sIrQLiXSVCcCvbEleCCkL2hLAUoPcQ8h1YBJ1XJTcQk7oRTHV6fwNgXvrz6Nsjx2rLsUF7pbijqYxiao48UsXyivKwLIM4KK8QakQjash_Xm67CbSyA94Le6mPO2Rgzc-lY0WY/s1600/083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYytvt6sIrQLiXSVCcCvbEleCCkL2hLAUoPcQ8h1YBJ1XJTcQk7oRTHV6fwNgXvrz6Nsjx2rLsUF7pbijqYxiao48UsXyivKwLIM4KK8QakQjash_Xm67CbSyA94Le6mPO2Rgzc-lY0WY/s320/083.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Willet</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The day ended with a White-crowned Sparrow, which turned out to be quite a late winter migrant.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoRU7mHGZPZ6ZOJ0rDuMr0EzqaOBYxcfVypYB7FAEAq5LfwZMbEVdnB2_rD7W2uP5h1rc_DQgcrkDB-cCbN9zV8jkILsY5-XZbcfIQt6SgZJG9e4i9lDsP8zwANop0fc8apkkTJ4mZ-60/s1600/084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoRU7mHGZPZ6ZOJ0rDuMr0EzqaOBYxcfVypYB7FAEAq5LfwZMbEVdnB2_rD7W2uP5h1rc_DQgcrkDB-cCbN9zV8jkILsY5-XZbcfIQt6SgZJG9e4i9lDsP8zwANop0fc8apkkTJ4mZ-60/s320/084.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White-crowned Sparrow</td></tr>
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There aren't too many reliable spots for Prothonotary Warbler in the Cape May area. Belleplain Forest is one, and the other is known as the Beanery, which is where I saw one last time. So the Rea Farm, as it's also known, was the starting point for the Saturday 11th. Unfortunately the weather had turned decidedly wet and windy this morning. <br />
<br />
Alas there was no sign of a Pro-tho, probably because of the weather conditions, but we did pick up a few birds such as some Savannah Sparrows, Downy Woodpecker, Indigo Bunting, Green Heron, Blue Grosbeak and warblers which included Yellow, Magnolia, Black-and-White and Northern Parula. A subsequent look around Higbee Beach revealed far fewer birds than the previous morning, talk about getting the timing right. But we did manage good views of Great Crested Flycatchers, a personal grip-back of Ruby-crowned Kinglet and more Scarlet Tanagers.<br />
<br />
During the Higbee Beach walk, one of the guides recommended a walk around Cox Hall Creek, but I couldn't work out where it was. None of my books mentioned it. But asking at the Northwood Centre, it turns out it's also known as Villas. So the site hass been renamed, just like the RSPB do I suppose.<br />
<br />
So now knowing where to go, with the name Cox Hall Creek we were expecting more saltmarshes and lagoons. But how wrong we were! In fact, this site used to be a golf course and is now a managed nature reserve, with a wonderful mixture of woodland, grassland and ponds. Birding highlights were cracking Chestnut-sided and Blackpoll Warblers, plenty of Eastern Bluebirds, Cedar Waxwings, a Wilson's Snipe, a flyover Northern Flicker, a Great Blue Heron stealthily fishing away and incredible views of a Blue Grosbeak. A brilliant afternoon walk, at a new site for me which was a complete and utter surprise.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-TmWhCHY5fgzQCOhMvwX5nN7jUXP6SZ7-z4aVpx8B_1qavO6ztGovuGSGa_V5wGKsDFLyBa5pGauB1HtnUWNMRouvaQ5Gg-5K8-qapiS4mz5j7C8p3YoxcwnHCqv7-USP8Ab2U0yUntI/s1600/107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-TmWhCHY5fgzQCOhMvwX5nN7jUXP6SZ7-z4aVpx8B_1qavO6ztGovuGSGa_V5wGKsDFLyBa5pGauB1HtnUWNMRouvaQ5Gg-5K8-qapiS4mz5j7C8p3YoxcwnHCqv7-USP8Ab2U0yUntI/s320/107.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Blue Heron</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilsPO8qJDrRGNLQq3MWNotI1DOQZiXD6r0kkQFjM0NgZSgQFSkpDdP3m5HtXIGoW9FMHHxLx-cjl4sRFtn-DbzdurB9vQ_Nu8tUs4_2iQbwKm_Gf59euGhjjdW889y7kpoRrg-pQMAHug/s1600/101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilsPO8qJDrRGNLQq3MWNotI1DOQZiXD6r0kkQFjM0NgZSgQFSkpDdP3m5HtXIGoW9FMHHxLx-cjl4sRFtn-DbzdurB9vQ_Nu8tUs4_2iQbwKm_Gf59euGhjjdW889y7kpoRrg-pQMAHug/s320/101.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue Grosbeak</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One of the un-missable highlights of a trip to Cape May is a boat trip, exploring the saltmarshes and creeks, on The Osprey. So that was the plan for Sunday 12th. Prior to this however, a cracking male American Redstart was seen at Higbee Beach. As for the boat trip, once again it was brilliant. I suppose the main difference doing this trip this time, a bit earlier, were the numbers of Brent Geese and Hudsonian Whimbrels. But also present were plenty of Great Northern Divers, nesting Ospreys of course, a perched Red-tailed Hawk picked out by Kay, a few roosting Black-crowned Night Herons and a magnificent Yellow-crowned Night Heron! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA4o7eAAQvxKNDJxPbOkJaWRG0Wo9atXYfTIrJfq7OGf82nvT7P2XXiUAqHQpwOO-pWWbFg7O_5nHre0LXT93pRihcwxLT7OsvRBlFcbt0sEcP6FNB6ss7KAdpK7n-VNUw0Muvsq_masI/s1600/127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA4o7eAAQvxKNDJxPbOkJaWRG0Wo9atXYfTIrJfq7OGf82nvT7P2XXiUAqHQpwOO-pWWbFg7O_5nHre0LXT93pRihcwxLT7OsvRBlFcbt0sEcP6FNB6ss7KAdpK7n-VNUw0Muvsq_masI/s320/127.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coming soon to Tad Bay!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2wwNVCzihpkof3QdZSg0XIE0spE5RnqYy8Cpy88vm6xQBQLCEWHVq-qGwVe9kp1AsvjvlOaEHlaU3FYaKQwYSmewNWWapznW9NrxcPNX4FTkar-eB5RtxllwkjVdSv96XgfrWVftr2tk/s1600/123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2wwNVCzihpkof3QdZSg0XIE0spE5RnqYy8Cpy88vm6xQBQLCEWHVq-qGwVe9kp1AsvjvlOaEHlaU3FYaKQwYSmewNWWapznW9NrxcPNX4FTkar-eB5RtxllwkjVdSv96XgfrWVftr2tk/s320/123.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Double-crested Cormorants</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Qo2k7Sfpg7_dQkKZcleqA0h9ICqYV-h6KUOG9oViPROZFi93esUKWd9HnSIDUVhPm9EFl2am5tBobtO8AdSVdDF866LdKEOgLvF4Crc1gAWfZOFjMAs09F0g6OgfCpRcnuS4RbskJZ0/s1600/129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Qo2k7Sfpg7_dQkKZcleqA0h9ICqYV-h6KUOG9oViPROZFi93esUKWd9HnSIDUVhPm9EFl2am5tBobtO8AdSVdDF866LdKEOgLvF4Crc1gAWfZOFjMAs09F0g6OgfCpRcnuS4RbskJZ0/s320/129.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red-tailed Hawk</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMm7k3KQIc9jugLPO_9rVQkPoi2MYHXyNNYUl4iDDApdB0olXPg1pIl24JGzAz6z7Evwrj_B6kUNONCfdvkwEvPehoKgmUH5KfA_3pChPT_efmf2PIqHGRgS2TZBRcRAqy1rJ3ukWDxSA/s1600/133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMm7k3KQIc9jugLPO_9rVQkPoi2MYHXyNNYUl4iDDApdB0olXPg1pIl24JGzAz6z7Evwrj_B6kUNONCfdvkwEvPehoKgmUH5KfA_3pChPT_efmf2PIqHGRgS2TZBRcRAqy1rJ3ukWDxSA/s320/133.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hudsonian Whimbrel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTU9RFBgnvNlgJzmIJoqCamVfoICzX0qFbYAg6ms99kOn5NZ1l5Fcn2JuQrSW1CF1d3ky5C1MqS1Ofvr2Hs2V507u1E2BZlSOo-Ro2N1s-Qd-6xoU1USjzbah2A7WBbny-SrRSQAfFv9c/s1600/146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTU9RFBgnvNlgJzmIJoqCamVfoICzX0qFbYAg6ms99kOn5NZ1l5Fcn2JuQrSW1CF1d3ky5C1MqS1Ofvr2Hs2V507u1E2BZlSOo-Ro2N1s-Qd-6xoU1USjzbah2A7WBbny-SrRSQAfFv9c/s320/146.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brants!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2xJTw7fd0TeLb4GEP-lD5Vv_aniSXTjyX3fDQwbcXr1VVlZUP9zwnQfAw-owfLQs7C1rT4cBj4jwd6hAEGj4kG6fXZkCpJ6j4Ro90_RfhgsMbqpJ0wvKBmuu0dmRLrpQgrvpL67bhpYY/s1600/172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2xJTw7fd0TeLb4GEP-lD5Vv_aniSXTjyX3fDQwbcXr1VVlZUP9zwnQfAw-owfLQs7C1rT4cBj4jwd6hAEGj4kG6fXZkCpJ6j4Ro90_RfhgsMbqpJ0wvKBmuu0dmRLrpQgrvpL67bhpYY/s320/172.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Swivel-eyed Loon. Sorry America, that won't make any sense to you whatsoever!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMnhJlBi57djB648FzMiH_NPY-Fg70blxj_WIUgl9kB6Gq-nUQ46yfkCeC9f1vMUHRAtV_4fe5byZLNTvaWGsASWmqPLKC1qPrBTTNT4fUHWi1fd4N3twqVnTF2SElHPQcRGgDBk4O5CA/s1600/162.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMnhJlBi57djB648FzMiH_NPY-Fg70blxj_WIUgl9kB6Gq-nUQ46yfkCeC9f1vMUHRAtV_4fe5byZLNTvaWGsASWmqPLKC1qPrBTTNT4fUHWi1fd4N3twqVnTF2SElHPQcRGgDBk4O5CA/s320/162.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And time to foam at the mouth, Yellow-crowned Night Heron!!!</td></tr>
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Also present was a Scoter sp., which the guides seemed to dismiss a little. Probably because it was a dull, dark duck and not a snazzy, summer plumaged Great Northern Diver. Thankfully I took a distant photo of it, just presumed a Surf Scoter and thought nothing of it. Well you wouldn't, considering all the other great birds on offer. But looking at the picture later on, you know, this is a White-winged Scoter! The scarcest of the three Scoters in Cape May.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIbfnDKey5pm8kwoSC8lAET09Y5frUniYbuQDxk3t4p70bGOqIPIT6MQyEeagksa6Cy-e_kZkJFpzvSyG9PNUoe3rVMJG5NL3KYhn3uvHSfwszAhCkUKoqsYstup_v_Cz6yNO3SZPABzg/s1600/128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIbfnDKey5pm8kwoSC8lAET09Y5frUniYbuQDxk3t4p70bGOqIPIT6MQyEeagksa6Cy-e_kZkJFpzvSyG9PNUoe3rVMJG5NL3KYhn3uvHSfwszAhCkUKoqsYstup_v_Cz6yNO3SZPABzg/s320/128.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White-winged Scoter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Lots of boating goes on at Cape May. Whilst on the boat trip, I couldn't help but notice some of the names of the boats, and for a short while this took priority over birding. Some personal highlights were as follows:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdl5gymcCREvieVVgouhgf48qvcJ9-Y3ZJB5wddK5wlMsxfzvDJwAQ0VIS4l02leJWAE65eaC2exyjnRYFM3Wm8-_GqTYvQDDKEcsFlNdKmsWpyaydnu7R0InAltfYDt9tlhYUcB-MNLU/s1600/173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdl5gymcCREvieVVgouhgf48qvcJ9-Y3ZJB5wddK5wlMsxfzvDJwAQ0VIS4l02leJWAE65eaC2exyjnRYFM3Wm8-_GqTYvQDDKEcsFlNdKmsWpyaydnu7R0InAltfYDt9tlhYUcB-MNLU/s320/173.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carry on Boating! Barbara Windsor's boat?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApgJi6NTzM0Jq8BtFdFgyLy1wiIRULzpAAe-qloHkQhw5YR1iidY_b_bsHy1Rni8m4WbiU5EGwZyHAtbgd0kbmGgUvitv32XxhX2cFFmiGfw02o38c2IZewmWpxLzFaFINSkvz3E4T8w/s1600/174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApgJi6NTzM0Jq8BtFdFgyLy1wiIRULzpAAe-qloHkQhw5YR1iidY_b_bsHy1Rni8m4WbiU5EGwZyHAtbgd0kbmGgUvitv32XxhX2cFFmiGfw02o38c2IZewmWpxLzFaFINSkvz3E4T8w/s320/174.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes I still don't understand what "The Whole 9 Yards" means?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHvTlVk5ZLlh52G_nk9C4rjwdhtOUbXsh7qblT-zuSrEFT0JBlQVaR0eZx-svTz8A3nG8X2HJomEUFVkXmXPQULdSjVUMviSrIGDY6ZIQdaoj53Dfmh6BOMGB-RvDDFssDIHDFbIEB7g4/s1600/154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHvTlVk5ZLlh52G_nk9C4rjwdhtOUbXsh7qblT-zuSrEFT0JBlQVaR0eZx-svTz8A3nG8X2HJomEUFVkXmXPQULdSjVUMviSrIGDY6ZIQdaoj53Dfmh6BOMGB-RvDDFssDIHDFbIEB7g4/s320/154.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now this one I can understand. A chap's escapism, just like a beloved allotment over here</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZC7HP9nXZJsVGU7POLXozhyPRPT2P6RA1UyvtjmTeq7uQCAgGeDtCdBBa2Y_D7KEwfTMNw_JQNEhOdhNwR38yzD9lX_p0UL0WszbZq9fvxIm1zTcEqeqwKh0c01F5EmTnXttvIDjXBo/s1600/158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZC7HP9nXZJsVGU7POLXozhyPRPT2P6RA1UyvtjmTeq7uQCAgGeDtCdBBa2Y_D7KEwfTMNw_JQNEhOdhNwR38yzD9lX_p0UL0WszbZq9fvxIm1zTcEqeqwKh0c01F5EmTnXttvIDjXBo/s320/158.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But I shudder to think what happens on this boat!!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Richard Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13906638029090606852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486977009193147596.post-77600592972326117342013-05-20T11:27:00.000-07:002013-05-20T11:31:00.290-07:00Cape May, The Sequel. Part 1A year ago, I undertook a birding trip to Cape May in New Jersey. Despite it being a really enjoyable trip, visiting at the end of May it felt like it was a little bit too late for the spring passage. It had gone past it's peak.<br />
<br />
Following that trip, fast forward a few months to October, and a few evening drinks in the Scillonian Club with that Black Redstart fancier, <a href="http://eyeofochruros.blogspot.co.uk/">Ochruros</a>. After getting somewhat annoyed by overhearing certain birders moaning that there's nothing to see on the Scillies and no yanks (despite there being Blackpoll Warbler, Solitary Sandpiper, Ring-necked Duck and American Golden Plover present on the islands), a random response from me, a bit like Father Jack, was something along these lines:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtTQVEM5PP8ctb7CxESl5OErpQ7v6mX95eIrNpD1RElsINkPtYjBLQEDOSFL3x6fdDgtzkaHRRB-1HDp3UQxLEIXjQXz3Hv71RapQlIz35o3gfwl5iZwnh-_-vtui8OnIS6Hh7rkxROe4/s1600/jack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtTQVEM5PP8ctb7CxESl5OErpQ7v6mX95eIrNpD1RElsINkPtYjBLQEDOSFL3x6fdDgtzkaHRRB-1HDp3UQxLEIXjQXz3Hv71RapQlIz35o3gfwl5iZwnh-_-vtui8OnIS6Hh7rkxROe4/s1600/jack.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You want Yanks? Let's go to Cape May next spring! Drink!</td></tr>
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So that's what we did, with all the arrangements done in March and on Tuesday 7th May off we went.<br />
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Birding commenced with a morning spent at the Cape May Point State Park on the 8th. Highlights included 2 smart Palm Warblers, a mysterious pair of Vireos that we eventually realised were Blue-headed Vireos, an all too brief Ovenbird, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Yellow Warblers, a single Cliff Swallow, Savannah Sparrow and an excellent all-round selection of birds that one would expect to see.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlArZkZl-7L-HCG71sHN1OOzem5oIa4YFSHzqBG2zYxtCNa28Sr-yAtCY1bFd0ChvooQuTKGBsqigcG6XvYFC1Tcn-mQJ1iMci-Ut1oEksYSDkGS4WHk5AVME1izdCMd9x3ByaQ_sxg0U/s1600/cape-029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlArZkZl-7L-HCG71sHN1OOzem5oIa4YFSHzqBG2zYxtCNa28Sr-yAtCY1bFd0ChvooQuTKGBsqigcG6XvYFC1Tcn-mQJ1iMci-Ut1oEksYSDkGS4WHk5AVME1izdCMd9x3ByaQ_sxg0U/s320/cape-029.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purple Martin, image courtesy of Kay</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkR7ErEWKw7sIP8ABsoCS8NOfofOOpNOoHrtMQ7zZFqDRfRMWXK7cz4qlTi2PKiNEy83bQ4SZI7t2GRZ7DWRbcJo8qwOo8FvmbrOqjXjKdC6GZiwg5lc2E7M6C9owsstphgo0KZBPJOwA/s1600/042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkR7ErEWKw7sIP8ABsoCS8NOfofOOpNOoHrtMQ7zZFqDRfRMWXK7cz4qlTi2PKiNEy83bQ4SZI7t2GRZ7DWRbcJo8qwOo8FvmbrOqjXjKdC6GZiwg5lc2E7M6C9owsstphgo0KZBPJOwA/s320/042.JPG" width="311" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tree Swallow</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnvCIfBzBLfj_rxXC3r3PaB516OapDQLmbxwaWuxfU2zWJdqx9cd4OIJ1lilrGxYWiLy05sK_1cRtdYvXImi9XE7S1K-V01v3DRUA7OGfPNWrztDNvNzfNrctjlVcA_kBfgZXUdzGaaS4/s1600/cape-271.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnvCIfBzBLfj_rxXC3r3PaB516OapDQLmbxwaWuxfU2zWJdqx9cd4OIJ1lilrGxYWiLy05sK_1cRtdYvXImi9XE7S1K-V01v3DRUA7OGfPNWrztDNvNzfNrctjlVcA_kBfgZXUdzGaaS4/s320/cape-271.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Northern Mockingbird, image courtesy of Kay</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjClU_ZUdIV8VxfweRMRh8APy6_MBA9qmwL9Tu6UBrove3J8qti_R05V_M5lukn2zjPdg2_ruKWNY-L33urHYenGGiQtjcRGZU-D2WAPeV99VycpN43shzC0zYKb3704VkDuzMqBr74Maw/s1600/219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjClU_ZUdIV8VxfweRMRh8APy6_MBA9qmwL9Tu6UBrove3J8qti_R05V_M5lukn2zjPdg2_ruKWNY-L33urHYenGGiQtjcRGZU-D2WAPeV99VycpN43shzC0zYKb3704VkDuzMqBr74Maw/s320/219.JPG" width="318" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eastern Kingbird</td></tr>
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Following a lunch of American pancakes, it was over to the Cape May meadows refuge. Water levels were rather high, but it didn't stop this Tricoloured Heron from searching for fish.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Ucs-QTr-faZHozKZrN_gh-XWejlaQ0Lyw4OH3rDMOyd3fsERKAP89gGAeuIO38jYJJMRLscvSOs1Jfn9gRI6w1dqqWH4QkHDnDjW7iaXchDSWRqIhlbB-RtRdB4R9NKcFS1C6n3dy40/s1600/019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Ucs-QTr-faZHozKZrN_gh-XWejlaQ0Lyw4OH3rDMOyd3fsERKAP89gGAeuIO38jYJJMRLscvSOs1Jfn9gRI6w1dqqWH4QkHDnDjW7iaXchDSWRqIhlbB-RtRdB4R9NKcFS1C6n3dy40/s320/019.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tricoloured Heron</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Northwood Centre (not Center!) is the main place for getting bird gen in the area, there are sightings sheets that can people can fill in. Looking through these sheets, a Western Grebe had recently been seen out at sea from Cape May point, so this was the next port of call. After spending some time scanning the sea and finding 44 Black Scoter, the bird eventually swam into view and un-Grebe like, spent no time diving at all!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfwlTJmWO2nxfg7LtdcXf5eKVC4dQtcmHJQ5t-lcdBtSNlLYSpC_Hbbjay-zdJbUwN6YOpBRsC0ey__IeDO4gqltGMonyHUKNi-xwJt7krtfqnRGFMJydECSZKWRHsTcNVyp_hsRLknLM/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfwlTJmWO2nxfg7LtdcXf5eKVC4dQtcmHJQ5t-lcdBtSNlLYSpC_Hbbjay-zdJbUwN6YOpBRsC0ey__IeDO4gqltGMonyHUKNi-xwJt7krtfqnRGFMJydECSZKWRHsTcNVyp_hsRLknLM/s320/020.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Western Grebe, not easy in the waves!</td></tr>
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Not realising it at the time, but this is quite a mega for New Jersey, with only about 20 previous records for the state. Finishing the day off round the saltmarshes of Nummy Island (also the site of my tick incident last year!), highlights included a lucky view of a Clapper Rail, a pair of Black Duck, a few Hudsonian Whimbrel, Brants (or Pale-bellied Brent Geese to you and me!), 2 Common Loons (Great Northern Divers, don't start me off on that one!) and this Boat-tailed Grackle.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg46dwVZKG3g4RkUbTDO0EhG6H_S_17YwCFTdzKFHhqGLL6Gg0X_3kebMl1Rv92NMtqHM1StLiOW2ororpJkD05E5fZfvo9hwO2IjBXgRyTcnN96dh3T6VWQUeNJFfXUL-RnADCV_u5vB8/s1600/051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg46dwVZKG3g4RkUbTDO0EhG6H_S_17YwCFTdzKFHhqGLL6Gg0X_3kebMl1Rv92NMtqHM1StLiOW2ororpJkD05E5fZfvo9hwO2IjBXgRyTcnN96dh3T6VWQUeNJFfXUL-RnADCV_u5vB8/s320/051.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boat-tailed Grackle</td></tr>
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The following day (9th) started further to the north, at the Belleplain State Forest, where we joined up with a guided tour. As I mentioned last year, lots of organised trips are on offer in Cape May. No need to pre-book, just turn up. And at Belleplain in particular, the guides know the best spots across a large area.<br />
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A cracking start began in the car park with good views of Black-throated Blue Warbler, Ruby-throated Hummingbird and Scarlet Tanager. Also Acadian Flycatcher, with it's call apparently sounding like "Pizza", couldn't recognise it personally. Add in Great Crested Flycatcher, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Worm-eating Warbler, Red-eyed Vireo, Summer Tanager, Eastern Bluebird, Eastern Meadowlark, singing Hooded Warbler but not seen. The tour finished with excellent views of Prairie Warbler and a smashing Blue-winged Warbler, something I didn't really expect to see.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjANqPfMFLxnFwHDiglfxOIR_Q4QYyfup_R0neXdZK9mrL4rJ4olxuXjI6OHtmbv5-utINdx-Qwu6-t5UulTBk1vINBLYz2Q39WOUFY8JrIIORvtnxentBuFH-DzZO4WsuTeu6T6ieN_wA/s1600/053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjANqPfMFLxnFwHDiglfxOIR_Q4QYyfup_R0neXdZK9mrL4rJ4olxuXjI6OHtmbv5-utINdx-Qwu6-t5UulTBk1vINBLYz2Q39WOUFY8JrIIORvtnxentBuFH-DzZO4WsuTeu6T6ieN_wA/s320/053.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prairie Warbler</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The rest of the day was spent in the saltmarshes to the west of Belleplain, at East Point, Heislerville and Thompsons Beach. East Point revealed some of the American waders like Willet, Semipalmated and Least Sandpipers, Short-billed Dowitchers, a few Bonaparte's Gulls and a Fish Crow, it's call separating it from American Crow.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidwHW9yrYgx1-27v-xj8YeJr3HM-nnVx67G-N5Ldy67fs55wRmykKqiEaYmjQ9H8R_56ODmC9eTf4bpoAaO_jYwxa8G8XqP_CPqyKY5npRODfFclXvHzpA-hmS9dqflYRIHISRrqwhYe0/s1600/022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidwHW9yrYgx1-27v-xj8YeJr3HM-nnVx67G-N5Ldy67fs55wRmykKqiEaYmjQ9H8R_56ODmC9eTf4bpoAaO_jYwxa8G8XqP_CPqyKY5npRODfFclXvHzpA-hmS9dqflYRIHISRrqwhYe0/s320/022.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Willet</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicFkA6Ijp9y5mHtHcA35W0w0zupVWo9Xb1Tm4dO8aqEC1heCLNQA2KHC6FHt_VasmqOkZ4wah87YVTBQ4HziCKFXvu5PeCAeBEVq1ZrPQxc58Y4Khw82igKsroXYRiLAvzPEZnlw8ga0w/s1600/055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicFkA6Ijp9y5mHtHcA35W0w0zupVWo9Xb1Tm4dO8aqEC1heCLNQA2KHC6FHt_VasmqOkZ4wah87YVTBQ4HziCKFXvu5PeCAeBEVq1ZrPQxc58Y4Khw82igKsroXYRiLAvzPEZnlw8ga0w/s320/055.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonaparte's Gulls</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15hl4-nGRXywSHjvIYUrU40B2Sphc6VcfA5kesvxQsh02q8tzvNhgIBox-_eG7afxsEUWr65WpngS66w64enksliotfaTqhQanVKl9UxAA_bTP_VBeL3qqVrKXpyj6VsHX-ISeI1hfmc/s1600/057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15hl4-nGRXywSHjvIYUrU40B2Sphc6VcfA5kesvxQsh02q8tzvNhgIBox-_eG7afxsEUWr65WpngS66w64enksliotfaTqhQanVKl9UxAA_bTP_VBeL3qqVrKXpyj6VsHX-ISeI1hfmc/s320/057.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fish Crow</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Over at the Heislerville refuge, the mixed Cormorant and Heron colony was in full swing, the first Orchard Oriole of the trip was seen, as were 40 Black Skimmers.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS2vgd-hBbsT6zW3nlSvx0LqlOc-5V46ZnMTRCN1Rs1WzTXJByBA6W9KI1JlW8E_m6KA13GRPhrB1Qswm-h8QsyW4iSqPvSXSoCVlDkGvQKHLO4X4q6vEH0MxIEchaBqE4Xpu6_kI7FLQ/s1600/027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS2vgd-hBbsT6zW3nlSvx0LqlOc-5V46ZnMTRCN1Rs1WzTXJByBA6W9KI1JlW8E_m6KA13GRPhrB1Qswm-h8QsyW4iSqPvSXSoCVlDkGvQKHLO4X4q6vEH0MxIEchaBqE4Xpu6_kI7FLQ/s320/027.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black Skimmer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Finishing the day at Thompson's Beach and Jake's Landing, birds at these sites included at least five different Clapper Rails, a Bald Eagle being mobbed by Osprey, Seaside Sparrow, Northern Harrier and Marsh Wren. Although when finding somewhere to wine and dine for the evening, a look in a Stone Harbour Golf Club looked a bit too posh for my liking, but there was a Cattle Egret feeding on the lawn, so well worth going.Richard Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13906638029090606852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486977009193147596.post-44234972449978790702013-04-22T12:56:00.001-07:002013-04-26T16:37:56.240-07:00Springing into ActionI've been meaning to type out some carefully-written prowse for about the last week, but just not had chance until now.<br />
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So what's happened over the last few weekends? Well, on Sunday 7th April I had arranged to meet a chap from Walsall to receive a collection of West Midland Bird Club annual reports, dating back to 1974. It was advertised in the last bulletin, and I thought if they're free then I'll have them. They will be treasured and well looked after.<br />
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And where better to perform this exchange than at the causeway of Blithfield Reservoir? Especially as a Sandwich Tern was flying around the deep end at the time. The bird landed on one of the floats just north of the causeway for a brief moment, which allowed for this picture of the highest quality! Er, not really.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCbhrhzLGmVGn-PWK2ofDZSvG_A8eK1QAUEKx40dyTmg3cSqxs4czDrs_zlAD9SgBfu5F-AP4xH3UAYyUnzTFrEaugp5XKdFEqHvJIeAcqaGCyH0D7AgCJBc10UwBwJk6rDIi-9baOvRE/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCbhrhzLGmVGn-PWK2ofDZSvG_A8eK1QAUEKx40dyTmg3cSqxs4czDrs_zlAD9SgBfu5F-AP4xH3UAYyUnzTFrEaugp5XKdFEqHvJIeAcqaGCyH0D7AgCJBc10UwBwJk6rDIi-9baOvRE/s320/004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Also at nearby Blithbury, a Whooper Swan in amongst the Mutes. And with the Sandwich Tern, a classic case of a seasonal crossover.<br />
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By the time of the following weekend, plenty of spring migrants were around, with Sand Martins in particular delayed for several weeks. So it was great to see good numbers of those and Swallows, plus a single House Martin at Uttoxeter Quarry. Also the first few Yellow Wagtails back, the males looking flourescently bright!<br />
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And onto the weekend just gone. A gloriously sunny Saturday meant some woodland exploring to begin with. The results of which included a Tree Pipit at Croxden Quarry, Pied Flycatcher and Redstart at Dimmingsdale, and plenty of Willow Warblers and Blackcaps back in. Next it was to Berry Hill Fields, which revealed the two Ring Ouzels and this male Whinchat, with the bright lights of Bentilee in the background!<br />
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Finishing Saturday off at Uttoxeter Quarry, one of Andy's Whinchats was still present. To prove that spring has been a bit of an odd one so far, with Sand Martins being weeks late. Paradoxically, the quarry also had the first Lesser Whitethroat of the year and this Whimbrel still, both of which have arrived a bit early I think.<br />
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Finishing off with Sunday. Starting off at the quarry there didn't appear to be much change, although a Sedge Warbler was new in, no sign of the Whimbrel. It was at this point when leaving that those birding stalwarts of the Potteries, Mick Hurst and John Booth, arrived. So it was onto Blithfield, where all the Terns from the causeway looked like Arctics to me. Especially this one.<br />
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Eventually a wader was spotted towards the Watery Lane end of the causeway. It was the Knot which was present the previous afternoon. That's lucky, might even be able to get a decent picture of it with the Panasonic camera. No digscoping here!<br />
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Whilst walking back to the Admaston end of the causeway, John and Mick had arrived and informed me of a Greenshank at the quarry. Doh, I missed that but I'm glad they told me. Before heading back was a quick check of Branston Gravel Pits. Which, alas, was a bit quiet, the sandy pit in particular is rather full of water at the moment, it's not going to attract too many waders like that.<br />
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Uttoxeter Quarry on the other hand currently has plenty of shoreline, although not much of it is that muddy. But enough for the Greenshank to stick around on the way home. When it comes to taking pictures, and digiscoping in particular, I think I have a new catchphrase. "Distance makes the difference!" (similar to "Catches win Matches"), because this is awful, but at least you can make out it is a Greenshank.<br />
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<br />Richard Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13906638029090606852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486977009193147596.post-36691811947240537302013-04-11T16:03:00.000-07:002013-05-01T13:52:00.892-07:00Big MagOh by the way, there'll be some birds on here soon. When the weather finally warms up a bit.....<br />
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What? Maggie Thatcher gone? Well, my first thought onto hearing the news was "do we get day off work?" Well, no we don't. Well I could've sworn we did, thanks to either Tony Blair or Gordon Brown, of all people! But alas it's not to be, and we could've all had a day off work to do as we wish, not necessarily to watch the funeral on the telly. Or do a day's work, it would've been up to you.<br />
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I have always made this nonsense completely unpolitical as possible, and very deliberately so. So, if you're a Conservative supporter then this is for you:<br />
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But if you're a "red under the bed" or a Lib Dem like Nick "Norman" Clegg then this might to take your fancy, despite John Peel playing the mandolin, "Wake up Maggie" maybe a little bit out of order:<br />
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I suppose the abiding memory of the 1980's is of Spitting Image. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPzzgE34YQY">This link says it all really</a><br />
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And there is this one:<br />
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Richard Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13906638029090606852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486977009193147596.post-18768017689828704752013-03-23T12:20:00.000-07:002013-03-25T14:55:29.993-07:002013, the story so far...I am still here. It just felt that at the end of 2012, after five years of blogging and pretty much non-stop, the time was right for a bit of a break. But not a birding break, certainly not. Isn't winter a drag? I'm just glad that we're now back into spring, and enjoying the lovely spring-like weather! Ah.<br />
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Just a couple of miles from home. Look a little closer however, and those drifts look more serious.<br />
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So being confined to home today, it looks like a good opportunity for a catch-up on what I've seen so far in 2013. Which included a couple of January gull roost visits to Chasewater, on New Years Day and on the 13th. Iceland (adult), Glaucous (2nd winter pictured below) and Caspian Gulls were all seen over the course of both visits.<br />
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Saturday 5th January was spent watching the mighty Brewers at Leicester City. But before the game I paid a visit to Swithland Reservoir, and a look at the two female Velvet Scoters that were present at the time, at the dam end.<br />
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The weekend of the 12th and 13th January was quite productive. The major highlight was the reappearance of Uttoxeter Quarry's overwintering Common Sandpiper, which hadn't been seen since the beginning of December. The pink legs and long tail projection still meant that it wasn't a Spotted Sand! Alas, the bird was never seen subsequently, following the first major snowfall a few days later.<br />
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Other highlights that weekend included an adult Med Gull at Blithfield, and the appearance of a Red-necked Grebe at Belvide on the 13th, along with other year ticks like Jack Snipe, Brambling and Little Owl.<br />
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February began with an adult Whooper Swan and a Jack Snipe at Uttoxeter Quarry on the 2nd. Then Sunday 3rd February was an enjoyable day out in Derbyshire. It all started with a Hawfinch at Cromford, then a Great Grey Shrike on a misty Beeley Moor. Next was a visit to Ogston Reservoir, whilst enjoying the Red-necked Grebe here there was also an encounter with master story-teller, <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Journal-Year-Life-Badge-Birder/dp/1780910061/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1364061876&sr=8-1">Mr George Brian!</a><br />
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Onto Carsington Water was next, where one Great Northern Diver was visible. Finishing off with some wild swans at Twyford, between Willington and Swarkestone. 5 Whoopers and a family party of 7 Bewick's finished off an excellent day.<br />
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As for March so far. The main highlight at the beginning of the month were flocks of Waxwings making their way back north. A flock of 35 birds in Hilderstone on the 3rd, then this flock of 18 in Cheadle on the 9th.<br />
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I was very kindly invited to a little twitch mission to the Somerset levels on Sunday 10th March with Martyn and Kay, plenty of birds to see and in a wonderful place to go birding. The main highlight being the Pied-billed Grebe at Ham Wall RSPB reserve, which showed well albeit briefly. Also intruiging was the bird's call, which Martyn thought was a Crane and I thought was a speeded-up Donkey!<br />
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Other birds on offer were drake Ring-necked and Ferruginous Ducks, NINE Great White Egrets at Shapwick Heath on the other side of the Ashcott Corner car park and the first Sand Martin of the year. And all to the backdrop of Marsh Harriers, booming Bitterns and cettying Cetti's Warblers. A fantastic area which I can highly recommend. Also good to see fellow blogger and Burtonian, <a href="http://karenwoolley.blogspot.co.uk/">Karen Woolley.</a><br />
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The return journey involved a stop at Aust Warth, next to the first Severn Bridge. Eventually the rather bizarre sight of two Twite appeared out of nowhere, circled around and landed in a Blackthorn bush for a short time, then took off. They were Twite alright, but I can't ever recall seeing Twite in trees and bushes, only on the ground. They are finches after all, so why not?<br />
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And so to last weekend. A usual Saturday morning spent at Uttoxeter Quarry yielded a decent selection of birds but nothing out of the ordinary, or any summer migrants. What on earth can I do now? The RBA pager had the answer, "1st winter drake Lesser Scaup at Ogston Reservoir". Hallelujah, praise the lord, that'll do, I'm off.<br />
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And surely enough, the Lesser Scaup was still present and showing well in Chapel Bay, with Tufteds and Pochards.<br />
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It turns out that this was Derbyshire's first Lesser Scaup, and only stayed for the one day on the 16th. Finally, on Sunday 17th March, some time exploring the Trent valley gravel pits revealed 2 Ringed Plovers at Branston GP's, and with the last look, 2 Little Ringed Plovers in the flooded field opposite the entrance to the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas. Wonderful!<br />
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So despite all the snow that's currently around, the first few summer migrants are battling their way back. Good luck to them.Richard Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13906638029090606852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486977009193147596.post-55502996353929061322012-12-30T07:24:00.000-08:002012-12-30T14:28:53.523-08:00The end of 2012Well, christmas festivities are done and dusted once again. The following few days mainly involved a piece of the dreaded DIY. No getting away from this one, as the bannister fell off the staircase wall, suppose I'll have to stop sliding down it from now on.<br />
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The fix involved drilling new holes into the wall and new screws to attach the bannister back on, whilst being ingeniously propped up by lots of books on the stairs! Wow it worked, usually my DIY adventures end up like this.<br />
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But as there was a bit of daylight left on Friday afternoon, there was time for a quick look round Brookleys Lake. Sadly, a small oil spill has appeared. It would be easy for any flood water to pick up a patch of oil and for it to make it's way into the lake, but it looked like more than a small patch. Lets hope it doesn't do too much damage, particularly to any fish in there. As can be seen a boom has been put up at the lake's mouth where water flows in.<br />
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Perhaps it's just as well there wasn't very many duck around at all, with 12 Mandarin, 4 Goosander and a drake Gadwall of note.<br />
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Saturday involved an afternoon at Blithfield. A few Goldeneye dotted all around the reservoir, an absolute stack of Teal in Tad Bay, could easily have been 600, no green-winger though. The gull roost in Tad held up to seven different Yellow-legged Gulls.<br />
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And as for today, it's just been Uttoxeter Quarry. Which contained 179 Wigeon, 10 each of Goosander and Pochard, 1 Goldeneye. Unfortunately for 2013 listing purposes, no sign of the Pink-footed Geese in the Greylag flock and no sign of the Common Sandpiper for a few weeks now, presumed drowned! No I definitely hope not.<br />
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And that's it for 2012, a memorable year for many different reasons. But can 2013 have less rain please?Richard Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13906638029090606852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486977009193147596.post-35205660226504885392012-12-24T09:08:00.001-08:002012-12-24T09:08:17.114-08:00On this special night..................He's on the way you know, as long as you've been good all year! No, I don't mean Bob Dylan. Happy Christmas reader!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/a8qE6WQmNus" width="560"></iframe><br />Richard Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13906638029090606852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486977009193147596.post-36905179803582870432012-12-16T11:49:00.000-08:002012-12-16T11:49:15.307-08:00Caspian Gull, this time in technicolour!<em>He's not got another Caspian Gull has he? Oh, I think he has. </em>Stick with it though reader, it's not a dot in the dark this time.<br />
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Even though birding time is at a premium at this time of year, restricted to weekends and approaching the shortest day. It really is a case of not knowing what to do with yourself, things are pretty quiet, and not until January will the same birds become a year tick again.<br />
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But the weekend began with a usual check of Uttoxeter Quarry. With Andy already around, 3 Pink-footed Geese were with the Greylag flock. Two of those birds are definitely new in, and plenty of duck around. But the undoubted highlight was the sight of a small, dark falcon going full pelt, a female Merlin! Shortly after losing the bird, a flock of Starlings and Lapwings in the next field scattered themselves and took to the air. After that little triumph it wasn't going to get any better, so time to move on. <br />
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The next port of call was Silverdale Country Park, where recent goodies have included a juvenile Iceland Gull and two different Caspian Gulls. On first sight of The Void, plenty of gulls were still on the ice, but by the time of getting to the water's edge and setting the scope up, the vast majority of them took off, typical. Thankfully however, the first-winter Caspian Gull remained, and that was the bird I wanted to see, never seen a first-winter before.<br />
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A really distinctive gull, especially at this distance. And what a massive hooter!<br />
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Richard Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13906638029090606852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486977009193147596.post-29562367765016599762012-12-10T12:43:00.001-08:002012-12-10T12:43:24.586-08:00Gulls in MonochromeOnly out on the Sunday this weekend just gone. Saturday was a complete write-off, due to waiting for a chimney man. After Jackdaws nested up there this year, I'm after one of those mesh things to put on the chimney pot. Sorry Jackdaws, but I don't want to end up with loads of smoke in the house.<br />
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Despite being told someone would appear and waiting around home all day, no-one turned up. That's someone else added to the list when the revolution comes, it's getting a rather long list. Anyway, hopefully there'll be better luck trying someone else, onto Sunday's birding. <br />
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Duck numbers are building up a bit at Uttoxeter Quarry, with 26 Goosander, 63 Teal, 30 Wigeon, 81 Tufteds and 3 Pochard. Also two Willow Tits around, and a third GBB Gull over the last few weeks.<br />
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With the wind picking up in the afternoon, it was over to Tad Bay at Blithfield and wait for the gulls to come piling in to roost. Which they did, Tad Bay being more sheltered than the deep end. The adult Caspian Gull was eventually found, and eventually came nearer to the hide. However, it was getting darker:<br />
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...and darker...<br />
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...and darker!<br />
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Must admit though, I didn't realise it was getting quite so dark. Is there a problem with the camera? Everything's in black and white!<br />
Richard Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13906638029090606852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486977009193147596.post-2653151975529859102012-11-28T13:28:00.000-08:002012-11-29T15:22:37.167-08:00November in a NutshellRumours of my demise are premature!<br />
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So what's gone on then? Well, a bit of post-Scilly blues, how on earth does this blog top that? But mainly it's been the state of the laptop that I bought earlier this year. A couple of days after finishing the Scillies blogging it completely packed in, probably had enough of me writing nonsense and piffle.<br />
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It should've been fixed and returned last week, but when turning up at PC World: <em> "We're extremely sorry, there's been a mix up. A Miss Powell dropped a computer off at the same time, which got sent away and yours is still here!" </em>Talk about exasperating, to quote Victor Meldrew:<br />
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So I've not been best pleased, but I'm informed that it's on the way back in a couple of days time. In the meantime, thankfully I kept hold of "old laptop", but the dear old thing is powered by a hamster in a wheel these days, and is prone to crashing. In fact, it's already crashed once whilst getting this far, so I'd better get a move on.<br />
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Throughout November, checking at weekends of course at this time of year, the best bird around Uttoxeter Quarry (but not today by the look of things) has been an extremely late Common Sandpiper, looking set to overwinter.<br />
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Just hope it can survive. Every time this bird has pink legs and the tail stretches beyond the primaries, so it's still not a Spotted Sand.<br />
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Back in Burton for the evening of Sunday 11th November, but before that the afternoon was spent on the banks of the mighty River Trent, taking a butchers at a Great White Egret.<br />
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From what I could tell, those viewing this bird from Clay Mills were getting rather distant views. I knew that you could get to the riverbank from other side, at Newton Solney in South Derbyshire. Luckily, much better views could also be gained from this side of the river too. The Egret happily feeding in the ditches of the field by the river, and also walking around, sticking it's leg out like John Cleese's ministry of silly walks.<br />
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Around this time, the national invasion of Waxwings had reached this neck of the woods. But personally they weren't easy to catch up with to start with, the first seen being a flock of seven in Cheadle. Additionally, a White-rumped Sand had been discovered at Drayton Bassett during the Tuesday of the week. Oh no, would it stay until the weekend?<br />
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Thankfully it did, and two visits were made, just to the south of Tamworth, on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th.<br />
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En route back to Drayton Bassett, I got a little distracted just before reaching the A50 at Uttoxeter. This was due to a fine flock of Waxwings!<br />
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At least 16 birds, perched in trees just by the roadside, next to JCB's world parts centre (not world darts centre, if only!). It was discovered they were feeding on Yew berries, which I've never seen Waxwings feed on before. When eventually back at Drayton Bassett, a nice little bonus to the White-rumped Sand was the discovery of a Long-tailed Duck. Or if any Americans are reading this, that's Oldsquaw to you (what's one of those?).<br />
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Finally, catching up on last weekend. On the Saturday, unfortunately the Snow Buntings up on the moors, around the Mermaid Pool, had disappeared. Into the afternoon, surprisingly Uttoxeter Quarry hadn't yet flooded, the Common Sand still around, along with 10 Goosanders. In addition to the Waxwing invasion, the midlands has been getting a mini-invasion of Great Northern Divers of late. Not sure whether I'd be needed for some DIY help on Sunday, there was enough time for a look at the Blithfield Diver by the dam. The bird showed really well between the angling club and the dam's valve tower.<br />
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Very wisely, my DIY skills weren't required for the Sunday, so I went birding instead. By this time Uttoxeter Quarry was flooded out. The path through Cotton Mill farm and over the River Tean was accessible, but not knowing how much higher the river may get put me off crossing, don't fancy getting swept away and drowned!<br />
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So most of Sunday 25th was at Blithfield. The Diver was still around the deep end, but now further in the middle because of sailing boats. Two female Scaup were discovered in Tad Bay, and about an hour before dusk, along with Martyn, Kay and the Proud Potter, two adult Yellow-legged Gulls and a pretty good candidate for an adult Caspian Gull appeared in the Tad Bay pre-roost, before eventually flying off towards the causeway.<br />
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So that was birding in November, and rather good it was too. Just want my laptop back.Richard Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13906638029090606852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486977009193147596.post-45635697266304026702012-11-02T13:55:00.001-07:002012-11-02T13:55:47.391-07:00The 2012 Scilly Season. Part 4, All the fun of Blackpoll.There's not much left to mention on this year's Scilly trip reader. With only one full day left, a calm, sunny day was forecast for Thursday 18th October. The Blackpoll Warbler was still being seen on Bryher too, so a whole week after seeing the bird in flight, it had to be a return to Bryher for better views, hopefully. But the main thing to do is to just enjoy your last full day on Scilly for this time.<br />
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There was just enough time before catching the boat, for a walk to the dump clump where a Red-breasted Flycatcher was showing well, and a Snow Bunting on Porthmellon beach too. After about an hour and a half on Bryher, the Blackpoll Warbler was re-discovered just to the south of Veronica Farm. Oh oh, where am I? Stuck on a path by Samson Hill, Scilly-ticking the Hooded Crow! Somehow I got back to the coast path rather quickly, and may have involved a bit of tresspass round a field and over a gate, but I did walk along the edge.<br />
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The Blackpoll Warbler showed absolutely brilliantly, probably the best it had shown all week, with it's full set of colours on show. The dark wings with two white bars, yellow underneath and bright orange legs! There's plenty of photos of the Blackpoll Warbler around the internet that do this bird justice. It was one of those times when messing about with photography was unneccesary, just enjoy a fantastic bird.<br />
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Other birds seen on Byrrr that day included another 2 Coal Tits, a female Merlin and a selection of waders including Redshank, Greenshank and one each of Knot and Bar-tailed Godwit.<br />
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Due to the pager mishap the previous week, Friday 19th October had to be spend on St. Marys, to eventually find Dick Filby who had my new replacement pager ready. All sorted, and a big thank you was given. Not only for the pager, but for all the hard work he puts in there every October. Not sure what would happen, with regard to bird news and arranging extra boats, without him.<br />
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During the day, the main highlight again was excellent views of the Red-breasted Flycatcher in the dump clump.<br />
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But with a heavy heart, aching limbs and sore feet, it was time once again to board the Scillonian ferry back to Penzance. But even on the ferry that wasn't quite the end of it. A pod of about 50 Common Dolphins were spotted. But best of all when approaching Lands End, 3 Balearic Shearwaters flew south, in front of the ship! And with them, a long overdue British tick.<br />
Richard Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13906638029090606852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486977009193147596.post-86773637792981419112012-10-30T14:11:00.000-07:002012-10-30T14:15:12.828-07:00The 2012 Scilly Season. Part 3, The Road to Mandellii?A tough few day's birding then ensued. On St. Marys for Sunday 14th October, a brief Serin on the Garrison didn't stick, and was subsequently seen on Gugh. The following search of the Garrison did produce 2 Crossbills and a Great Spotted Woodpecker though, all flying over.<br />
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By the time of reaching Porth Minnick there was no sign of either the Little Bunting or Wryneck. So a return to the Garrison at the end of the day did reveal a Ring Ouzel, showing really well. But in reality, it was a bit of a salvage operation for the day.<br />
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Monday 15th October was a day of impending heavy rain forecast for the afternoon, and another day spend on St. Marys. A morning walk through the Holy Vale, Borough Farm and Pelistry Bay didn't produce very much. The main highlight of the day was the discovery of a Short-toed Lark, with Meadow Pipits in the horse paddocks of Carn Friars.<br />
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With the lark seen well, the rain did start to pour down heavily now. Taking some shelter in the ISBG hide at Lower Moors for a while, a Jack Snipe showed really well, bobbing away as only a Jack Snipe does!<br />
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Over the course of the day, a Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler had been found in the Dump Clump. The wet weather made looking in a rather dark Dump Clump impossible. One for another day hopefully. No boats went to St. Martins either today, and with no birders staying on the island, what's there to be found tomorrow, was the thought.<br />
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So Tuesday 16th October was to be a return to St. Martins, despite the Hume's Yellow-browed. It sounded like there was a bit of contention surrounding this bird anyway, so that put my mind at rest for going off-island. It so very nearly paid off too, as an Olive-backed Pipit was found around Little Arthur Farm. The trouble was the boat I was on docked in at Lower Town, so had half an island to walk through to get there.<br />
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The OBP didn't settle at all, first flushed by a Merlin, then dog walkers. On finally catching up with the group on the bird and setting the scope up, by the Higher Town cricket pitch, the bird took off west and over the hill by the Higher Town quay. Aaargh, agonisingly close. From the bird that I saw take off it could've been anything really, and Olive-backed Pipit is too good a bird to tick than with a view like that.<br />
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The rest of the time was spent scrutinising the fields along the coast path back to Lower Town, but no sign of the OBP and not much else either. So the idea of heading to St. Martins was right, but execution wasn't quite there. Back on St. Marys the sight of three Ring-necked Ducks taking off out of Porthloo cheered me up no end.<br />
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The Ring-necked Ducks must've been blown in ahead of a big depression out in the Atlantic, heading in for the evening and next day. Indeed next morning, Wednesday 17th, the overnight rain had passed but it was very windy:<br />
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Thankfully the dump clump is quite sheltered, suppose I'd better head over to look for the Hume's Yellow-browed. At the Scillonian club log the previous evening, people were happy with this bird being a Hume's rather than a bog-standard Yellow-browed, call is king. It was also suggested that this could be a race of Hume's called <em>Mandellii</em>, which spend the winter in south-east Asia and do appear more boldly-marked than your normal Hume's. All completely new to me, and absolutely fascinating.<br />
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Whilst watching birds hopping through the sallows, there was definitely one Yellow-browed type that was duller underneath, compared to another obvious Yellow-browed. No point comparing the wing bars because they'll show up on this bird anyway. I think that's safe enough to tick as Hume's. Meanwhile, the Ring-necked Ducks had eventually settled at Porth Hellick pool, not surprisingly having a well-earned rest.<br />
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A slow walk through Holy Vale to Porthloo was next, via the Strudelhaus. Upon reaching a nice comfy rock to sit on at Porthloo beach, most of the time was spent counting Oystercatchers, Curlews and Wheatears. A few gulls passed overhead, and one of them was a second-winter Med Gull. "Ooh, I could radio that out" I thought, especially as the bird was heading towards Hugh Town. So the details were spouted out on Radio Filby. <em>"Channel 1, Channel 1. A second-winter Med Gull flew south over Porthloo beach, heading towards Hugh Town. Over"</em>. The details were then duly relayed. <br />
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About 10 minutes later a rather panic-stricken looking birder approached me, demanding details of the Med Gull, in a manner reminiscent as if I was something scraped from the bottom of his shoe. Shortly afterwards, this charmless chap then spoke on the radio <em>"Apparently, the Med Gull flew over Porthloo towards Hugh Town</em>". Eh, what do you mean apparently? I already said that, and saw it with my own eyes! <br />
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Be careful what you say on the radios, because an argument could've easily started, had I wanted to. But perhaps he didn't catch everything that I said. About a minute later, the radio mentioned that the Med Gull was re-found on the other side of Hugh Town, at Porthcressa. Ha, vindicated, that showed him.<br />
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The 17th ended off with a seawatch from Penninis Head, but only six distant auks flew past.Richard Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13906638029090606852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486977009193147596.post-3232717848012998152012-10-24T13:19:00.000-07:002012-10-24T13:31:10.157-07:00The 2012 Scilly Season. Part 2, Samson without DelilahThe evening of Wednesday 10th October was spent in the Scillonian club, supping Tribute and contemplating the plan for tomorrow, after a less than successful start. A boat trip on Joe Pender's vessel, the Sapphire, was going ahead for the next morning. Not a full-blown pelagic, but a tour of the outlying smaller, and uninhabited, islands and islets, with a landing on one of them if possible. And of course, if a mega is found during the day then everyone aboard is on hand to move straight away. All that for £12, so why not give it a try?<br />
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So Thursday 11th October began by boarding the Sapphire, heading towards Annet and the Western Rocks to begin with. Hmm, what's that little dinghy for, that's trailing behind the Sapphire? I don't know, won't worry about that.............<br />
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But anyway, two female Common Scoters and a Marsh Harrier were around Annet, then moving to the Western Rocks revealed many Grey Seals:<br />
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Also some fast-growing seal pups:<br />
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Four Purple Sandpipers were also found within a Turnstone flock on the rock known as Mellegdan. The name of which should not be confused with a Melodious Warbler!!!<br />
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After that, it was over to land on Samson and explore this island, the largest uninhabited island in the archipelago, for a couple of hours. It was at this point when I realised what the little dinghy was for, oh oh. Samson doesn't have a concrete quay in order for boats dock in, so what you have to do is to climb down off the Sapphire and sit yourself on the rubber edge of the dinghy. The boatman will then take you as close as he can to the shore. Which in this case, was to wade in a least a foot of water and onto the beach.<br />
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However, be very careful when disembarking from the dinghy, because I took a stumble and my right leg was soaked nearly up to my waist! More serious once on the beach however, was the discovery of two objects missing from my coat pocket. Thankfully, my mobile phone landed in the dinghy, but my RBA pager was not so lucky. Oh crap, crap, crappity crap, that's gone in the sea! <br />
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Why oh why did I not put them in my rucksack? I don't know, I just didn't. Oh well, can't do anything about that now. Despite Dick Filby also on this trip, no point disturbing him about it until the evening. This is Samson:<br />
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The increasingly windy conditions were a great help in drying my trousers, but there weren't huge numbers of birds on Samson. Thankfully though, there is one single Tamarisk bush on the island, and this contained a Wryneck. But eventually time was up, and it was time to get back on the Sapphire, via the dinghy.<br />
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Next on the agenda was to check for wader roosts on Tresco and the eastern isles, with the Spoonbill also showing well on Green Island:<br />
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It was at this point where news was breaking of a Blackpoll Warbler on Bryher. This meant a complete change of plan, Bryher it was. On reaching the southern edge of Veronica Farm, all that I saw of the bird was it taking off out of a Pittosporum bush and into a pine tree. Seeing the bird through the bins, two white bars on dark wings were obvious. Checking the Sibley field guide later, that's exactly what Blackpoll Warbler has. <br />
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So although happy that was the bird, the view itself was pretty unsatisfactory. But, it was more than those who took the 3pm boat from St. Marys. So for now, I suppose it will have to do. The Sapphire left Bryher at 6:15pm, so starting the day at 9:30am, that £12 for day was excellent value. All that was left to be done was to find Dick Filby in the Scillonian club that evening, to explain the pager mishap, just like turning up at the headmaster's office! He was really good about it actually. A replacement pager was on it's way, and a loan pager with Scilly news to keep going for now.<br />
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Instead of returning to Bryher the next morning, Friday 12th October, the day started off on St. Marys, teaming up with <a href="http://eyeofochruros.blogspot.co.uk/">Kay</a>, on her first ever Scillies visit. Starting off on the Garrison until the American Golden Plover was rediscovered in Porth Hellick bay, and excellent views of a female Merlin perched in a pine tree along Carn Friars Lane. En route to Porth Hellick, reaching Salakee Farm, the radio kicked into life once again, "Solitary Sandpiper on Bryher". Whoa!!! Right, enough time to enjoy the American Golden Plover for a while, then back into Hugh Town for the 2pm boat to Bryher!<br />
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When you return from your holidays, people always ask what you did. Well me, on my holidays I looked at a pile of manure!<br />
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Look closely however, and this is where the Solitary Sand was discovered, giving crippling views. Not only was it Solitary, the bird was on it's own as well!<br />
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Three Coal Tits were also seen on Bryher today, part of an unprecedented influx into Scilly, originating from Ireland. You could tell they were Irish because of the yellow flush to their cheeks, and they were waving their shillelaghs!<br />
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It was also discovered that a birder, known to many as Higgo, found a likely-looking Blyth's Reed Warbler on Bryher that afternoon, just prior to the return boat back to St. Marys. After last year's little triumph with Blyth's Reed, I didn't feel the need to rush back to Bryher the next day, Saturday 13th. So instead of following the masses, I took a boat to St. Martins instead, to try and find my own birds.<br />
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Over the course of the day on St. Martins, I managed to find my own Irish Coal Tit and had it all to myself, as well as two Yellow-browed Warblers, a Common Whitethroat, a Peregrine with prey and a flock of 24 Sanderling. Later that day, news from Bryher had mixed results. Although the Solitary Sand showed well all day, there was no sign of the Blyth's Reed Warbler and only a few people had a single view of the Blackpoll Warbler.<br />
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Tea was had in the Bishop and Wolf for the evening, and a very nice piece of steak it was too. But hang on, what's that music they're playing in the background? You're kidding!!!!<br />
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You ain't seen nothing yet, that's a bit cruel isn't it? All those Blackpoll dippers that'd been on Bryher all day, kick them while they're down! Also, check Bachman Turner Overdrive's initials (BTO), now that is spooky.Richard Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13906638029090606852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486977009193147596.post-56975267439326783102012-10-22T12:40:00.001-07:002012-10-22T12:53:49.259-07:00The 2012 Scilly Season. Part 1, Gripped and Dipped.So, it's Scillies time again. Which all began on Sunday 8th October with the drive down to Cornwall. Birding in Kernow was a little quiet. A scan of the Hayle Estuary revealed both Black and Bar-tailed Godwits, a Ruff, 2 Med Gulls and 10 Little Egrets.<br />
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As there was nothing around that really took my fancy to twitch (the Red-rumped Swallows had long left Marazion Marsh), and with a south-easterly wind picking up, I thought I'd try Porthgwarra for a seawatch. This is Porthgwarra reader.<br />
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The one slight snag in the plan was I had no change for the pay and display machine. The strengthening wind would've made seawatching difficult anyway, so an alternative plan was hatched. At the beginning of the lane to Porthgwarra is a track towards Bosistow Farm, the southern end of the Nanjizal Valley.<br />
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A walk to the farm and back produced a few Goldcrests but otherwise quiet. The pager then mentioned 3 Glossy Ibises and a Hooded Crow just up the road, to the east of Sennen. The spot was surprisingly difficult to find without an OS map, but eventually one of the Glossy's and the Hooded Crow were seen in a field next to Trevear Farm. First Hooded Crow I've seen in England too.<br />
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The next morning, Monday 8th October, the fog lifted from Penzance harbour, but still shrouded St. Michael's Mount, creating an atmospheric scene as the Scillonian ferry departed.<br />
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Unfortunately foggy conditions occurred during most of the crossing. The fog lingered when even reaching St. Mary's, but not as high as the telegraph tower.<br />
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Realising how foggy it was, it made my mind up to go straight to St. Agnes for the afternoon, to try for the Grey-cheeked Thrush. Even though I felt seeing the Thrush would be unlikely, it seemed like a better bet to try for this than looking for the Buff-bellied Pipit in the fog. Not surprisingly, after spending a couple of hours looking at a dry stone wall, no sign of the thrush. So a great big dip there, and St. Agnes deserves better then staring into one small field, but it was the right thing to do.<br />
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The following morning, on the 9th, started with a pre-breakfast walk to Penninis Head, as the Buff-bellied Pipit had been roosting here the previous few evenings. Well, it didn't look like it was here at first light, so it was back for breakfast and back to Penninis again. The mist was coming and going a bit, but at least the Dotterel was still around, just north of the lighthouse.<br />
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As was the Richard's Pipit further inland, along King Edward's Road. At one point the bird showed brilliantly, perched on the top of a hedge. Just in time for one digiscoped photo.<br />
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Whilst walking along the Penninis Farm trail, the radio system kicked into life, "Buff-bellied Pipit on the airfield, seen from the windsock". Here we go, the first manic walk of the trip! However, by the time of getting to up to the windsock, the Buff-bellied Pipit had gone behind a ridge and out of sight. After a few hours of searching through the Meadow Pipits and Wheatears on the airfield, there was no sign. The American Golden Plover was around however, and for the day formed an odd-couple pairing with a Curlew Sandpiper.<br />
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Other birds of note seen on St Mary's on the 9th included Redstart and Whinchat on Penninis, a single European Golden Plover and a female Merlin dashing around the airfield, 2 Dunlin and 9 Greenshank in Porth Hellick bay. So in all it wasn't a bad day's birding, but the Pipit dip didn't make it feel that way.<br />
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Birding highlights on the 10th, still on St. Marys, included a flyover Tree Pipit over Porthloo, heading towards the golf course, but no sign of the bird on the golf course itself (neither was the Buff-bellied!). Also a Jack Snipe at Lower Moors, juvenile Rose-coloured Starling at Porth Hellick, singles each of Sanderling and Whimbrel in Old Town and Porth Hellick Bays respectively. Also the rather odd sight of a Northern Wheatear with a completely black back and red throat. The bird must've been attacked by a Sparrowhawk or similar, and took evasive action by diving into a muddy puddle.<br />
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So after dipping Grey-cheeked Thrush and Buff-bellied Pipit, and too late for the Sykes's Warbler on Tresco over the weekend, not a great start. It's not going to be like this for the next week or so, is it?Richard Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13906638029090606852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486977009193147596.post-63749850407733260462012-09-30T08:19:00.001-07:002012-09-30T08:19:22.272-07:00The weekend before the Pittosporum battleWell, what on earth do I say this time? It's the last day of September, and with the exception of a great morning on the moors last Sunday, on the whole birding locally this month can be summed up with this facial expression.<br />
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Thanks to the Olympics opening ceremony for that. I really hoped that this weekend's windier conditions might've brought something in, but it hasn't been the case. Uttoxeter Quarry had a bit of a build-up of duck yesterday, which included 3 Pintail, 37 Wigeon, 74 Teal, 5 Shoveler and 2 Goosander. Singles of Dunlin and Golden Plover, 6 Snipe, 3 Curlew, 2 Green Sands and 74 Lapwings completed the set of waders. Also present was a site year-tick, in the form of 3 Jays.<br />
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Next was Aqualate Mere to have a look at the Black-necked Grebe. One matter that I hadn't accounted for was the boardwalk to the hide being completely flooded. Usually the paths at Aqualate are very good, no need for wellies. Well, being too lazy to turn back for them, there was only one thing for it, and get my feet wet.<br />
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The water only got to about ankle-deep, and once in the hide the wind was whipping up the waves across the mere.<br />
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After much searching the Black-necked Grebe was eventually found about half-way out. The combination of frequent diving and bobbing in the waves didn't make it easy to locate. But it was there, and that's the first Black-necked Grebe I've seen this year. A Black Tern was also flying around the mere. Just got to get my feet wet through the boardwalk again, and a squelchy walk back to the car!<br />
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Looking at the map I had forgotten that Belvide is fairly near to Aqualate. Not wanting to put up with Stafford traffic again a look around Belvide was next, in the Scott and Chappell hides. But apart from a couple of Goldeneye, nothing really out of the ordinary. Looking through the log book in the Scott hide however, the report of two Sandwich Terns here in the week, turning out to be erroneous, all became clear!<br />
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And as for today, it's just been Blithfield. A single Common Tern off the causeway, 28 Wigeon in Tad Bay and that's as good as it got. A good sign to pack it in for today. <br />
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And that's it from local birding for a while. A week of work to get through, then next weekend I'll be doing my packing, sorting out matching pairs of socks (you can never pack too many!), and make my way down to Penzance once again, supping pints of Tribute, Proper Job or Doom Bar in The Dolphin next Sunday evening.<br />
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Then onto the Scillies for eleven nights, the annual October battle between birder and Pittosporum bushes. Pittosporum is horribly dense stuff, but I'm getting excited about it all now. Last year really was an incredible time, if it's only half as good this time I'll be pleased.<br />
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Recent rarity highlights on Scilly have included Buff-bellied Pipit and Ortolan Bunting, both of which would go down very well with me. Whether they'll stick until the 8th remains to be seen of course. But then again, I thought the same about that Waterthrush last year. <br />
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And just to get myself even more excited, here's something I found on Youtube. Bring it on!<br />
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Richard Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13906638029090606852noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486977009193147596.post-80745354802845788512012-09-23T10:18:00.001-07:002012-09-23T10:18:31.942-07:00A long weekendCurrently in the middle of a long weekend, with a couple of days off work. Can't see Monday being a birding day though, due to waiting around for a little man to get a job done at home. <br />
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Friday was though, the drizzly morning looked quite hopeful for bringing something down. A morning at Uttoxeter Quarry was quite productive for some waders, I suppose in the context of this autumn it was pretty good. Highlights included 2 Golden Plover, 10 Snipe, 2 Curlew, 2 Ringed Plovers, a Dunlin and still a Common Sandpiper clinging on.<br />
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Branston GP's was a little disappointing though, with only a Ruff, 5 Curlew and a Green Sandpiper. Perhaps I'm expecting too much though, I don't know. Onto Saturday, a gloriously sunny day. Starting off at Croxden Quarry, large numbers of Swallows, plus a few Meadow Pipits, could be seen making their way south. This Jay showed well, pity the camera lens was a little steamed up, but never mind.<br />
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Uttoxeter Quarry didn't have much change, so quite a bit of time was spend studying the Common Sandpiper. It's getting quite late for them now, and as autumn progresses I suppose thoughts would be turning towards Spotted Sandpiper, which of course happened at Tittesworth a few years ago. So why is it a Common Sand, and not a Spotted Sand?<br />
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There was the barred effect on the wing coverts but it didn't stand out that much, plus a white supercilium. This bird also has pink legs, so definitely a Common Sand. Sometimes it's good to just remind yourself these things and refresh the old grey matter.<br />
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Following a tip-off on Saturday evening, of roosting Hen Harriers up on the North Staffs Moors, it was a pleasant surprise to wake up to a dry Sunday morning. A drive around the moors, the male Hen Harrier was caught up with at Swallow Moss, and what a magnificent sight it was too! In fact, it was great to see a Hen Harrier up there in good light conditions. Usually, and particularly back in the day when Hen Harriers regularly roosted at Swallow Moss during the winter, they would appear when it was nearly dark.<br />
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Other birds seen up t'moors included 10 Snipe flying around Swallow Moss, around 300 Pink-footed Geese flying north-west (either making the most of the easterly wind from Norfolk to Lancashire, or aborting a flight to Norfolk and turning round?), and this Whinchat at Knotbury.<br />
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Richard Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13906638029090606852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486977009193147596.post-35438844963540798992012-09-18T13:09:00.000-07:002012-09-18T13:09:15.689-07:00Eating my WordsOh oh, did I really say twitching the Short-billed Dowitcher is a pointless exercise? I wouldn't say I was fickle, but, welcome to Lodmoor! Would you like salt and vinegar with those words?<br />
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A 4:10am start from home on Sunday, picking up a couple of waifs and strays along the way towards Weymouth. And surprisingly awake throughout the day actually, the early night worked wonders!<br />
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Parking up at Lodmoor at about 8:40, six Pale-bellied Brent Geese flew west over the car park. Walking down to the west scrape, the Short-billed Dowitcher showed well straight away, busily feeding. Hurrah and phew.<br />
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After a short while the bird became a bit more mobile. Having a fly around and landing on other parts of the reserve, and out of sight for a while. Other birds seen around Lodmoor included a 2nd-winter Med Gull with it's pale tip to the end of the bill (a useful identification feature for 2nd winters I find, especially at a bit of a distance when the head pattern and black on the primaries can confuse with Black-headed Gull), a Sandwich Tern, Little Egret, and a few each of Common Sand and Black-tailed Godwit.<br />
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While the Dowitcher had gone missing, the pager was mentioning a few Balearic Shearwaters passing from Portland Bill. As views of the Dowitcher weren't going to get much better than we already had, it was over to Portland Bill for a bit of a seawatch. Pity that someone had put a whacking great big lighthouse in the way!<br />
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No silly, from the other side of the lighthouse were some very comfortable rocks to sit on. Unfortunately not a great deal was passing out at sea, apart from Common Scoters and Gannets, and the odd distant auk sp. There was also a Wheatear at the end of the bill, and the rather poignant sight of Swallows heading out to sea, heading for Africa, but they'll be back next year! There were also a couple of people snorkelling just offshore. I wish Joe Public would stop calling them divers, because I was looking for Red-throated or Great Northern!<br />
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Whilst making the start of the long journey home and getting back onto the M5 at Taunton, time calculations were made to see how long it would take to get to the site of a White-rumped Sandpiper. This was just north of Bridgwater, by the Parrett Estuary, at Steart. How it's pronounced is anyone's guess. "Start", "Stirt" or "Steeart"???<br />
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But anyway, it would be daft not to try, if only for a short time, while passing. The car park and footpath to the sea wall was found, as was the White-rumped Sand in what you would imagine could be a very impressive area for birding. The Parrett Estuary proved reminiscent to places around The Wash I thought. And another bit of Somerset that I've been impressed with this year.<br />
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A very smart juvenile Curlew Sandpiper was also present, and for a time accompanied the White-rumped Sand!<br />
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One each of Ringed Plover and Little Ringed Plover were also on the flood. And with that, a successful end to a successful day. Just the fun and games of the M5 traffic through Bristol and Birmingham to endure!Richard Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13906638029090606852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486977009193147596.post-59733543882067572012-09-09T09:56:00.001-07:002012-09-09T09:56:18.542-07:00Umming and Army!As a fine, wise old birder once said (or was it George Michael?), a lot of umming and aah'ing has been done this week. To go to Weymouth or not? But in the end, after seeing so many Short-billed Dowitchers at Cape May a few months ago, some as close at this one:<br />
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Would the views at Lodmoor be any better? Sometimes, birding abroad makes long-distance twitching here a bit of a pointless exercise. Mind you, I could change my mind! But not at the moment.<br />
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It also gave the resolve to try even harder around home and make the most of yesterday, despite the settled weather and high water levels. The whole morning was spent at Uttoxeter Quarry, although quite a bit of that was for waiting for the fog to lift. Once it did, it revealed the Greenshank that's been present for nearly a month. Tricky conditions to digiscope it, but you can tell what it is.<br />
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Just the one Common Sand left now, but six Snipe were in. Also around were a singles each of Green Sand and Ringed Plover, one Spotted Flycatcher, a Kingfisher and the Egyptian Goose family. A bit of time was spent at Blithfield, nice to see this Wheatear near the causeway, but pretty quiet otherwise.<br />
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With the news of a Baillon's Crake breaking through at Rainham Marshes in dear old London town, thoughts turned to Doxey Marshes, just to see how the water levels are looking here. Following a walk around, which revealed 3 Snipe and a Kingfisher. There could easily be crakes lurking in the marshes here, but unfortunately and perhaps not surprising, all of the flashes have no muddy edges to them, to entice a crake out into the open. Indeed, the path to the Water Pipit scrape is still inaccessible without wellies.<br />
Richard Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13906638029090606852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486977009193147596.post-69557389088749325582012-09-02T12:41:00.001-07:002012-09-02T12:41:47.394-07:00A new raptor watchpointOnly been out today over this weekend. Starting the birding off at Uttoxeter Quarry, the place contained a Dunlin, 4 Common and 2 Green Sands, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 4 Goosander, 2 Shoveler, 15 Teal and a Kingfisher. Also present were the family party of Egyptian Geese. Five fast-growing goslings here as was a separate adult bird to this pair.<br />
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But to tell the truth, when you're digiscoping Egyptian Geese, that's a sign that it's all a bit quiet. So it was time to move to a new raptor watchpoint site! Move over Welbeck, Haldon and Wykeham, it's called,er, Blithfield Reservoir.<br />
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But not all birds of prey to begin with though. From the causeway were 6 Black Terns, 9 Common Terns and singles each of Common Sand and Redshank.<br />
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During the course of the afternoon from the raptor watchpoint, er, I mean Tad Bay. Wildfowl included an early-returning Goldeneye and 7 Wigeon, also a Snipe and an adult Great Black-backed Gull. Eventually the juvenile Marsh Harrier flew over from Stansley Wood and landed in the willows opposite the hide. The brown blob in the tree really is the Marsh Harrier, honest! Oh eck, it's like the Purple Heron at Ogston all over again.<br />
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Eventually the Harrier took off and quartered the land behind Tad Bay. If that wasn't enough, about 90 minutes later the Osprey appeared, flying through the bay and heading for the causeway. That's the first time I've had a Blithers Marsh Harrier/Osprey double. <br />
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Add to all this a friendly Peregrine, Buzzards and Kestrels of course to complete the raptors, 2 Yellow-legged Gulls and 2 Little Egrets at the deep end, ended an enjoyable day.<br />
Richard Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13906638029090606852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486977009193147596.post-22979482934309242802012-08-30T14:40:00.001-07:002012-08-30T14:43:27.670-07:00What's that in the sky?I've avoided non-birding posts for a while, but time to make an exception. Mainly because of this object in the sky.<br />
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Taken from Powell Towers this evening. Next time you see it, give it a wink for Neil Armstrong! The moon affects so much of the nature on our planet, whether it's the state of the tides or the navigation of bird migration. <br />
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Personally, birding gives me a sense of adventure, especially when exploring other countries. But that can be nothing like the Apollo 11 mission to the moon that Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins undertook in July 1969. And it'll never be forgotten.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zPwMdZOlPo8" width="420"></iframe>Richard Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13906638029090606852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7486977009193147596.post-87974486134113702782012-08-27T09:04:00.001-07:002012-08-27T09:04:35.651-07:00The Cheadle ChatlineWell, it's another Bank Holiday Monday, but it's not been quite as wet as the forecast made it to be, for once. Must admit I'm ready to say good riddance to this summer, bring on the autumn. Ever since Easter Monday when it threw down all day it's been so wet, pretty much all reservoirs and gravel pits are still full of water. Very disheartening for trying to find some passage waders, but I suppose you just have to concentrate on other birds instead.<br />
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Saturday's birding began at Uttoxeter Quarry, which had a few waders despite rising water levels again. The Greenshank and one LRP were still around, 5 Ringed Plovers were new in, plus 8 Common and 4 Green Sands. Add to this a female Pintail, a Redstart, a Yellow Wagtail and 3 Common Terns, it was a decent selection if nothing out of the ordinary.<br />
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Onto the Blithfield causeway, and a first scan immediately revealed an old friend from last week, the Marsh Harrier! Which soared over the Duckley Plantation then headed north-west, round the corner of Tad Bay, then briefly seen in Blithe Bay. Also seen from the Tad Bay hide were a Hobby, 2 Pochard and 2 Wigeon. So with these and the Pintail, the first few winter duck starting to arrive.<br />
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Whilst at Blithers a text from Mad Malc was received, to say there's a Whinchat on the Cheadle Chatline. Don't worry, the Cheadle Chatline is not one of those 0898 numbers, that kind of chatline doesn't even bear thinking about. It's not even the birding equivalent of the Samaritans. It's just a very long piece of fence wire and rough ground in a farmer's field on the northern outskirts of Cheadle, and is proving to be quite a reliable spot for passage Whinchats.<br />
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Eventually two Whinchats had been seen, but by the time I got there I managed to find one bird, perched on a bale of hay.<br />
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Zoom in a bit.<br />
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A year ago, a visit to Swineholes Wood up on Ipstones Edge, proved productive with good flocks of tits, warblers, Redstarts and Spotted Flycatchers. So that's where Sunday's birding began, but what a contrast this time. Just a single Spotted Flycatcher and 6 Willow Warblers were found in amongst a few Blue Tits and Coal Tits, surely another sign of the wet summer having a detremental effect on passerine numbers.<br />
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After that disappointment, at least Branston Gravel Pits should have some waders. This proved to be the case with a Ruff, 18 Black-tailed Godwits, 15 Green Sands, 2 Common Sands, 2 Dunlin, one Ringed Plover and 15 Curlew present.Richard Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13906638029090606852noreply@blogger.com0