Tick and run

Phil, Martin Bevan and myself took a jaunt down to the south coast on Sunday, the big draw being the adult Ross's Gull hanging around the Weymouth area. A quick stop at Radipole, just after 7am,  brought little joy so it was over to Lodmoor. After parking up and making our way over to the scrapes we soon found groups of loafing gulls. After quickly checking through the first group and finding nothing of interest we quickly moved on to the second group. Almost the first bird I looked at was the Ross's Gull and quickly got the other two onto it. Not long after I phoned it into the bird services around a dozen birders had appeared and enjoyed great looks at this diminutive high Arctic specices before if took off and headed out to sea.
On the walk back to the car we met a couple of birders who on asking if it was still showing were disappointed to learn it had flown as both had dipped it several times the day before. One had traveled back to Essex the previous evening - some 200mls each way. We hope he caught up with the Gull later that day as we are all to familiar with the journey home after a long distance dip.
Next up was the long-staying Stilt Sandpiper, currently residing at Stanpit Marsh just outside Bournemouth. By 9:30 we were on site and working through the waders feeding at the waters edge. Whether it was something to do with the rugby the day before but my birding finding radar cut through the flock like Huw Jones thru the English defence and quickly located the Sandpiper. Moving closer we enjoyed much better views that our first, some years back in Gloucestershire.
Where next? a quick conference saw us head to Morden Bog to look for what was fast becoming a bogey bird for us these days - a Great Grey Shrike. Some 10 minutes after parking up, I spot the Shrike and although we never got close it was nice to nail the species this winter.
Our luck had to change at some point, and it did as we visited Arne for raptors and Dartford Warb's. Whether it was down to the cold wind, or just second half fatigue, the warbers didn't show and the only raptor was a Kestrel by the car park. A couple of Spoonbills provided some compensation but initially fleeting views of a few Sika Deer followed by a closer encounter with several does, some with last years fawns, were the highlight.
Rather strangely, we had managed to park legally at several places in Dorset without incurring any parking charges, probably a first for all of us!
We then started the long trip home, with plans to stop off at Marshfield for Corn Bunting and Partridge. As we were bypassing Bath, we were suddenly confronted with a toll gate. Phil's Satnav hadn't mentioned anything about a toll road. Fortunately it was just 80p and we were quickly on our way again. It looked like this was a toll bridge that had been in existence for a long time, possibly hundereds of years.
Arriving at Marshfield, we were hardly out of the car when I found the first pair of Red-legged Partridge and these were quickly followed by the first of over 100 Corn Buntings. Yellowhammer took a lot more work than last year at this site but one was eventually found.
All that was left was the traditional dip of the Short-eared Owls at Awst and we duly complied.

Dorset last Sunday

The two Martin's and myself had planned to go to the Forest of Dean to try and not dip Great Grey Shrike again this year and have a good search for Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.

However in the early hours of Sunday morning we were on the road to Dorset, the lure of the Ross's Gull being too much for us. We arrived at Weymouth just after first light and went straight to Radipole. There were some gulls there but nothing of note so we went over to Lodmoor. We parked at the far end of the reserve and had a nice walk in freezing conditions (I had five layers of clothes on) over to the scrapes. We could see a nice group of gulls as we approached but unfortunately they took off and came down further on. On reaching these Mr Bell quickly found the Ross's and we were treated to some great views of our third Ross's Gull. We phoned the news in and within minutes there were birders everywhere. The bird flew around a few times, landed closer but then flew off about 15 minutes later.

We decided to walk back where close to the entrance we met another birder who asked us if the bird was still there. We gave him the bad news and he told us he had dipped the bird yesterday and had drove back again today from Essex, 400 miles round trip each day!!. We sincerely hope that he picked the bird up at Radipole later on that day.

Plan B was to go to Standpit Marsh to try for the Stilt Sandpiper. This was another 40 miles away but well worth the effort as not long after we got there Mr Bell found the bird and our second British Stilt Sandpiper was in the bag. Mr Bell and myself had not been to this site before but we were well impressed.

There was a Great Grey Shrike on the way back at Morden Bog so we thought we would try for that. Parking was a big issue here. I was waiting for someone to pull out of a space on the side of the road but someone drove up and went straight in the space. I was not amused at all but had to drive a few hundred yards up the road where luckily we managed to get in a small space near a gate. This proved fortuitous has we only went a couple of hundred yards into the reserve through the gate and Mr Bell yet again found the Shrike straight away. Big relief has this was unusually for us turning into a bogey bird.

Next on the list was Arne which was only a few miles away, another new reserve for Mr Bell and myself. Dartford Warbler was the target here but our luck changed and none were seen, probably due to the strong wind. We did however pick up Sika Deer a new species for me.

We decided to split the journey home up by going to Marshfield in Gloucestershire to look for some farmland birds. This proved to be a good idea has we picked up Corn Bunting, Yellowhammers and Red-Legged Partridges.

From there it was to Aust for our usual dip of the Short Eared Owls on our way home.

Mr Bevan and myself had 5 year ticks and Mr Bell six so a very good day all round.

I wasn't expecting that...

Taking advantage of the dry weather and got my first Heronry count in for the year. Could only confirm 5 occupied nests, but at least 4 possible nests also seen. 5 is about normal for my first visit, so not worried yet - It gets easier once the eggs hatch and young are after food. The walk up was enlivened by the discovery of a Willow Tit, possibly 2, feeding with the tit flock.

Yesterday, I managed to get my best ever photo of the distinctive harvestman, Megabunus diadema.

Around Porthcawl.

Martin Bevan and myself spent a few hours around the Porthcawl area this morning.

First port of call was a walk down to Sker which initially seemed disppointing as the tide was very high and there were not many rocks showing. However a short walk east turned up 2 Ringed Plovers, 2 Purple Sandpipers, 26 Curlew also Oystercatchers and Turnstones.

Next we drove over to Porthcawl and in particular the rocks near the Victoria Avenue junction. This was particulary good as we found 10 more Purple Sandpipers and 7 Med. Gulls two in summer plumage.

Pant Norton was next on the list where we hoped to get Yellowhammers. A walk to the top produced nothing but on the walk back near the bottom we struck lucky when 5 flew in.
A good day's birding, Martin picking up 4 year ticks and I had 5 bringing me up to 141.

Shapwick

I'm getting like Mike with these late postings and photos.

Ring Necked Duck and Green Winged Teal from 4 February.

Llwydcoed.

Paid a brief visit to the SSSI, at Llwydcoed on Sunday, just to check on the Willow Gloves fungus. As I was walking along the feeder, through the wet Alder wood, I came across two Willow Tits, foraging through the hedgerow at the northern edge. That wood has plenty of standing dead trees, but also live trees with rot pockets in them, so looks ideal for breeding, I'd say. I was just glad to get Willow Tit for the year.

Abernant

I found this Common Lizard, at first I thought it was chilled but on looking closer I noticed it had no eyes and it was dead. As I turned it over I found this amazing colour, I have never seen one so bright.

I had a couple of hours spare this afternoon so I nipped up to Abernant to have a look for Mark's Short Eared Owl and shall we say the weather was very changeable. I had snow  and sunshine and a biting wind. It was nice to see my second lot of Crystal Brain Fungus of the day, at first I thought it was snow. Bird wise it was quiet and apart from 61 Ravens and about 30 Starling and a small number of Herring Gulls there was no sign of any Owls and probably the best sighting was a Red Fox .

Possdible SE

I was up doing my Raven count this morning and while I was sitting there, being snowed on in the dark, I heard the same call several times, coming from the Blaen-nant bog. At the time I wasn't sure what it was, but thought it sounded like an owl of some sort. I've just listened to recordings of male SE on the web and though it didn't sound 100% like them,  it was close enough for me to suspect that was what I heard. Martin Bevan has had SE there before and I saw one while doing a count a couple of years ago, so it is possible that one is back there.
Whatever it was, it was more interesting than the raven count, which at 53, was the third lowest February count: not much compensation for getting covered in snow, which then froze.

Valleys Birding

After having a Willow Tit in my garden for a couple weeks at the end of last year I was thinking it was in the bag for 2018. Boy was I wrong, on boxing day it disappeared and around the same time a male Sparrowhawk moved into my garden, three Goldfinch and a Chaffinch later I started to think he had eaten my Willow Tit. But when I was walking my dog on Thursday I heard a little snatch of  a song below my garden and then a male Willow Tit flew up on to a ash tree and sang for a couple of minutes, it was like music to ears and always great to get it for the year list.
Next up I was working in Abercwmboi today and I heard a Herring Gull alarming so I looked up to see two flocks of Jackdaws all starting to punch up and with that a Goshawk came flying out of nowhere.  It looked like one of last years birds, a male and it does not matter how many times I see them it makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck and great to see when in work.