Dungeness with Jono

As usual, we started early and left the pub at 04.15. No Dave this time as he had to stay at home and be a good boy!

Neither of us had slept very well so a large coffee at services was the only stop before arriving at a sunny Dungeness.

Seawatching was great if you are a Gannet fan as there were loads flying though. The Patch had the usual array of gulls and terns with good views of Kittiwake.

Next stop was the Desert and Long Pits which always look like they will throw up a rarity but sadly do not seem to (at least not to us!). A Marsh Harrier and a few Whitethroats were the only highlights although unusually we saw a flying Greater Spotted Woodpecker - a first here.

On to RSPB and frankly, this was not much busier bird wise but a beautiful Grey Plover gave excellent views and I took the opportunity to take a few photos of some of the more common birds.

Last port of call in Dungeness was ARC pit which had given us some decent waders in the past and did so again this time.
Highlights were a Greenshank and Little Stint.

On the water there was the usual array of ducks but Garganey made a welcome addition to our total for the day.

Finally it was off to Rye Harbour NR and by this time rain was threatening. Last time saw a lot of breeding Gulls and Terns but there were only a few left including a young Common Tern precariously swimming!

A pair of Little Grebe swam close enough for photos and we added Avocets to the wader list.

As always we had an excellent day out and totalled 71 species - not bad for a quiet day!!

Quick Sprint to Weeting Heath!

After a quick look at the weather Jono had invited me to join him for a quick visit to Weeting Heath to see the Stone Curlews.

As I was working and knew I would be busy we left at 4.30am so as to get back before 9am.

When we arrived and got out of the car we immediately saw close range views of a Treecreeper. It caught us both by surprise and neither of us were ready with our cameras so sadly no photos.

We did hear them again but did not see them.

Chiffchaffs were singing along with numerous Goldcrest which were elusive flitting quickly from one tree to the next.

We made our way to the East Hide but apart from a lot of Rooks and a Pheasant,  we could not locate a Stone Curlew and made our way to the West Hide.

Dunnocks, Blackbird,Robin, Great Tit, Coal Tit and Chaffinch along with a family of Blue Tits kept us company before we entered the hide.

I caught a good view of our quary but by the time I had tried to point Jono in the right direction it had disappeared over the brow of the hill. All was not lost and shortly after Jono spotted one sitting in the grass.

Frustratingly, the bird was a fair way out. Good enough for a spot but not for photos. A couple of record shots was all I managed.

We did have a stroll around the nearby woods but nothing special was to be found though we got lovely views of a Roe Deer and her fawn.

Back at the desk by 8.30 so a lovely start to a day!

Stupendous Suffolk!

Yesterday the Hairy Birders struck lucky with one of the best days bird watching we ever had!

A day trip to Minsmere was arranged with a 4.15am start from Green Tye.

An uneventful but speedy journey got us to Minsmere by 6am and we started our walk through the reserve. It was a bit chilly, windy and overcast with mist across the sea.

We walked to the lagoons and there was hundreds of Black Headed Gulls with the odd Med Gull and two Little Gulls amonsgt the norm. Similar amounts of Common Tern were also evident but supplemented by a pair of Little Terns and a super Black Tern which circled over us for a short while.

Waders were thin on the ground at this point with a large number of Avocets, a few Oystercatchers and a lone Bar Tailed Godwit.

There was a good selection of Ducks and Geese but only Barnacles and a pair of Pintail being slightly noteworthy.

Due to the mist, sea watching was a waste of time so we strolled to the Sluice which had the normal Swallows in attendance.

We wandered along about half way to Sizewell but apart from Chaffinches, Goldfinches and Whitethroats there did not seem to be much in the gorse bushes and scrub.

However, views across the Scrape some way away gave us a beautiful summer plumage Grey Plover but it was too far away and windy for photos.

We did notice another birder sitting high on the bank looking across the Scrape and ponds beyond but thought nothing ot it until we bumped into him at another hide overlooking the lagoons. We had spotted a Greenshank and Black Tailed Godwit to add to the list when he asked whether we had seen the pair of Glossy Ibis that were way back in the grass behind the ponds beyond the Scrape. We legged it back and got up high and low and behold there they were - a long way away but great for us. Our first lifer of the day!

Back on the Reserve we took the decision to walk the long way round to the Bittern Hide, Island Mere hide and eventually Canopy Hide.

We came across an obliging dragonfly (sorry Jono not sure what it is!).

The Bittern Hide did not give us much though the March Harriers were displaying well.

The Island Mere Hide was newly built and very impressive but gave nothing more so we walked via the heathland to the Canopy Hide.

An obliging Speckled Wood was a pretty diversion and we continued our walk to the large area of Alders and Rhodedendron bushes.

I then caught a glimpse of a pair of small Tits and my heart jumped a beat. Flitting about were two Marsh Tits. It was impossible to get photos and even when we located one, it was well hidden in the trees. A record shot of the bottom half of the bird is all I have but this bird had eluded me for years so I was well choughed and, of course, the second lifer of the day!

The Canopy Hide was fruitless so we left Minsmere.

I had been reading a blog about under visited Westleton Heath and so we made the short journey and parked. By now the sun was fierce and there was a fair wind blowing too making photos a problem.

However, within a minute or two of searching we saw a pair of Dartford Warblers - the third lifer of the day! We watched for ages and I got a couple of record shots but nothing crystal clear due to the wind.

In all our excitement we were really not paying much attention to anything else when Dave decided to turn around and look across the gorse and heather in the opposite direction. An urgent call to me and he pointed out our fourth lifer of the day - a Woodlark. We watched and saw a few but they were skittish and the only time one landed and I got a photo, the wind was so vigorous it was just too blurry to see!

The area held Linnets and a number of Stonechat including a family with juveniles.

By this time we were beside ourselves. Graeme would have been proud of our hysterical behaviour!

Anything else today would have been almost too much so apart from a quick look round Walberswick which did not give us anything else, we finished our day.

We had a total of 76 species which was respectable in itself but four lifers in a day will be hard to better!

Work trip to Crete

Once again I found myself looking round some lovely hotels in Crete knowing that I would have very little time for bird watching.

However, a bit of research before I went meant that I would stand a chance of getting a lifer or two if I was lucky.

I arrived at my first hotel at 3pm on Wednesday 16th May and after sorting out clothes etc I worked out that I had about an hour before I needed to meet anyone so I quickly nipped out with my binos.

I had hoped to get Armenian Gull which is not uncommon here and saw one within a few minutes. I had great views of the diagnostic dark band round the bill.

Next was another lifer in Italian Sparrow which is really just a House Sparrow with a much whiter face and brown head.

Nothing more bird wise but I did see my first ever Scarce Swallowtail butterfly but sadly it was difficult to photograph.

That was about it for wandering about for the next two days as work took over.

However, my last day was all mine and as my flight was not until later that evening I was able to plan nearly a whole day. It was Shanks Pony so after breakfast went for a walk into the hills to circumnavigate the coast.

There was a surprising lack of bird variety in the three hours I walked through the hills though there were loads of Blackbirds and Great Tits and Sardinian Warblers were everywhere.

Other birds included a Booted Eagle being hounded by a pair of Ravens and a Tawny Pipit who had an amazing habit of moving anytime I put the camera to my eye!

Another lifer for me was Red Rumped Swallows which I saw frequently throughout the day along with Swifts, Barn Swallows, House Martins and Crag Martins.

As I neared civilisation I saw my first ever Serin which was sitting on a fence ideally posed but it flew off just as I had it in view.

Other butterflies included a Southern Grayling, Short Tailed Blue and Common Blue.

Walking through the local town of Elounda I headed to the Venetian Salt Pans which would give me my only real chance of a wader or too. Frankly this was looking particularly disappointing with just a Little Egret to show. However, as I moved round a Squacco Heron took off in front of me. Panning the mud with my bins I could not see a thing and then caught a small movement out of the corner of my eye

Not more than 20 feet away I spotted a Little Stint which allowed my to get a couple of photos and great views.

Finally, apart from a Hooded Crow the only other notable bird was a Crested Lark which settled on a wall and looked somewhat bedraggled.

Although I would not say that this was my best trip I certainly gained some lifers and was paid to go there so it cannot be all that bad!
Dave and I are going to get a day out soon I hope though I will not be allowed to mention butterflies or any other insects for that matter!