Wildwings Thailand - 9-18 Feb 2008

9-18 Feb - a fantastic week in Thailand courtesy of Wildwings, firstly in the north around the saltpans - Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Great Knot, "White-faced Plover", Malaysian Plover, Black-faced Spoonbill, Long-toed Stint and Siberian Rubythroat; and secondly, Khao nor Khu Chi forest in the south; Gurney's and Banded Pittas, Siberian Blue Robin, Gould's and Javan Frogmouths, Great eared Nightjar, Wallace's Hawk-eagle, Oriental Bay Owl and White-crowned Hornbill. Finally, 12 Nordmann's Greenshanks at Krabi. 66 new species altogether. See photos above;

Spoon-billed Sandpiper
Nordmann's Greenshank
"White-faced" Plover
Malaysian Plover
Black-faced Spoonbill
Marsh Sandpiper
Long-toed Stint

Great Rissington - raptors

23 Feb - a late afternoon visit to the Oxon/Glos border N of Burford gave good views of a Short-eared Owl on the Glos side of the boundary (photos, copyright G Cox and Richard Tyler), and a ringtail Hen Harrier (lower)flying through was a real bonus.

CWP odds and ends

7 Feb - CWP pit 29 held a drake and 2 redhead Smew, as well as 3 Scaup (2 drakes) and a pair of Goosander. In the late evening, the Great White Egret flew in to roost on pit 17 at 1703h, joining 15 Little Egrets already roosting on the island on the waterski pit. GWE is pictured on pit 95 where it is found during the day.

Smew

3 February - a quick morning check of the Somerford Keynes part of CWP revealed a redhead Smew on pit 41, with a notable count of 27 Pintail including 15 drakes. Goosander in the area totalled 14, and there were 5 Red-crested Pochard on pit 44.

Severn and Blakehill

2 February - a morning visit to Sharpness proved successful at the second attempt, giving good views of the Black Redstart in calm sunny conditions. Moving on to Slimbridge, the Temminck's Stint was the only wader present on the pool in front of the Holden Tower (lower, photo copyright Graham Bullivant). Bewick's Swans were giving very close views on the Rushy Pen (middle). Crickley Hill on the way home revealed c120 Bramblings under the beech trees near the car park, but surprisingly wary amongst the leaf litter (upper). Finally, late afternoon at Blakehill produced a pair of Peregrines flying over, and a distant perched female Merlin (top, photo copyright Steve Burch).