Nightjar and Woodcock in the Forest of Dean

24 June - an evening visit to Boy's Grave in the Forest of Dean, some cloud, no wind, quite warm. At 9.50pm a roding Woodcock appeared, then at 9.55pm a pair of Nightjars flew close by, the male wing-clapping with white wing patches conspicuous in the gloom. Churring started and continued intermittently until I left. Another churring male on the other side of the rosd was audible from the car park. Glos 08 year list is up to 167.

Corncrake....in Berks

20 June - late evening visit to Hurst in Berks, and the male Corncrake that has been present for approx 2 weeks called briefly, distantly then closer, from the set-aside field. Not seen! Also a Little Owl calling, and a Barn Owl hunting at dusk.

Otmoor

14 June - a brief early afternoon visit, Grasshopper Warbler singing continuously by the car park, one Turtle Dove heard along the bridleway, also Cetti's Warbler and Water Rail heard. A Little Egret flew over and up to 11 Hobbies were hawking over the reedbed.

American Herring Gull at Chew

12 June - the probable American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) seen at Herriott's Pool, Chew Valley Lake, early afternoon. Very large, heavy-chested, long hooked bill, deeper voice and the right primary pattern on P7-P10 apparently...a very good candidate. Extremely aggressive to all the other large gulls in the area.

Nightjars and Woodcocks at Snelsmore, and a Quail at Hawling

6 June - a late evening visit to Snelsmore Common near Newbury, in cool, fine weather, and excellent flight views of a pair of Nightjars displaying, white wing patches prominent, and then the male churring from a dead tree. Also a couple of Woodcock roding overhead.
10 June - an evening visit to the set-aside fields at Hawling in fine weather, and I heard a Quail calling briefly at 8.40pm. A Glos tick! and number 165 for the Glos year list. Also a Hobby over the A417 at Duntisbourne on the way home.

Red-footed Falcon along the Thames

2 June - a poor view in evening rain of the immature male Red-footed Falcon at Kempsford by the River Thames. The photo (copyright, Richard Tyler) was taken earlier in the day, I saw a silhouette towards dusk.....

Outer Hebrides

28-31 May 2008 - a brief trip to the Western Isles, the weather still holding. First, the RBA Sula Sgeir overnight trip - lots of seabirds seen, including Bonxies, Arctic Skuas and all 4 auks, but no Black-browed Albatross...
then the ferry over to Lochmaddy, North Uist, and a day of beautiful sun on the lochs and beaches. Large numbers of breeding waders in the fields and especially on the coast in the Balranald area - Redshanks everywhere (pic), also Lapwings, Oystercatchers, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, and drumming Snipe. A pair of Hen Harriers, a Short-eared Owl and, amazingly, 2 perched adult Golden Eagles, were along the interior road. I heard at least 6 Corncrakes (photo) at Balranald in the evening but couldn't see any of them.
Finally, both Red- and Black-throated Divers seen on various mainland roadside lochs, and a group of 5 Great Northern Divers in summer plumage were at the E end of Broadford Bay on Skye.