Red Kites and an Osprey!

28 Mar - Cool and windy, but a good raptor day - while looking at 2 Red Kites over the A4 just east of Hungerford at lunchtime (12.50pm) I saw a raptor with very pale underparts and stiff wings passing over going N - it didn't look right for a Buzzard - a quick u-turn and bins out - an Osprey! watched for several minutes circling going slowly N into the wind (photo from France last summer), with 1 of the Red Kites in attendance. Also another Red Kite earlier (in Wilts) from the B4192 at Axford.

One Swallow does not make a summer.....

27 Mar - a walk around Keynes Park at CWP yesterday (Fri 27th) produced a lone Swallow flying north into the strong NW wind. 2 Little Ringed Plovers were on territory, Redshank, Green Sandpiper and Little Egret also seen, as were a small group of late Fieldfares. A Blackcap was singing by the gateway at pit 13 at South Cerney.

Little Gull at Farmoor

22 Mar - a shot of one the adult winter Little Gulls I saw at Farmoor on 20 Mar, courtesy of the Farmoor Birding website.

CWP and Great Grey Shrike....

21 Mar - a quick morning look around the CWP produced 2 Little Egrets on pit 95, and 2 more on Kent End Quarry. The Oystercatcher and the Black-tailed Godwit had both departed, but the 2 Curlews were still at pit 82. Cetti's warblers and a Water Rail were heard in the reedbed at pit 68.
The Great Grey Shrike was again showing well at Cirencester, in the setaside by the A419 opposite Tesco's (photo).

CWP waders - then Little Gulls and a Dartford Warbler

20 Mar - a successful trip to Keynes Park, with a good selection of waders present - 3 Little Ringed Plovers (upper) - my earliest ever date - and 2 Ringed Plovers (middle, photo copyright Sue Tranter), both species displaying. Also 2 Green Sandpipers, 2 Redshanks and a Snipe, 2 Little Egrets and a Kingfisher, and 7 Sand Martins flew over. The Black-tailed Godwit was still at Kent End Quarry, together with a Redshank. A detour to Farmoor in the afternoon produced at least 6 Little Gulls in typical dainty flight (lower, copyright Farmoor Birding) and a stop at Greenham Common gave brief views of a Dartford Warbler, but no sign of Woodlarks.

Med Gull at CWP!

15 March - 46 today! A quick look around the Water Park produced 4 Oystercatchers in total at 3 different pits - 82 (2 birds), 12 and KEQ - 3 Curlews were also feeding behind pit 82. After yesterday's success at Port Meadow, I checked through the BH Gulls gathered for pre-roost and found a superb 2nd-summer Med Gull on pit 12 - photo, copyright Richard Tyler - a full hood with a few white flecks, and a small amount of black in the wingtip. The jet black head and thicker red bill really stood out on scanning.
A Chiffchaff singing at pit 95 (and a Mistle Thrush over) and a Yellowhammer singing at KEQ, no LRPs yet although one has been seen.

Slimbridge, and a Med Gull at Port Meadow

14 Mar - a morning visit to Slimbridge, 3 Kingfishers very active around the nest hole from the new Kingfisher hide (upper photo). No sign of the Med Gull on South Lake but 2 noisy pairs of Oystercatchers (middle) and a couple of Little Egrets seen - also 20 Black-tailed Godwits in total including some going into summer plumage. Chiffchaffs singing here and at Frampton, where the Long-eared Owl was showing well at its roost. Glos year list up to 114.
In the afternoon, a quick trip to Port Meadow failed to find the Avocet seen in the morning, but 4 Sand Martins were present and an adult summer Med Gull (lower) was with the Black-headed Gull flock - very distinctive with more extensive jet black hood and grey primaries. Excellent! Also there, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Pintail and Shelduck.

CWP odds and ends

12/13 Mar - a few waders in evidence in CWP, the start of wader passage? on 12th a Curlew was on Kent End Quarry, and on 13th a Redshank and a Snipe were present - also on 13th, 2 Oystercatchers were flying and calling over pit 74. Otherwise quiet, with no sign of the Cattle Egret seen earlier in the week at Kent End.

The Great Grey Shrike at Ciren.....

10 Mar - a superb picture of the Great Grey Shrike at Cirencester, taken by Graham Cox.

Stoke Common Meadows

7 Mar - an afternoon walk around the marshy area of the meadows, 2 Jack Snipe flushed (pic) amongst 32+ Common Snipe - smaller, low flight, silent, shorter bill and buffish stripes seen on one bird. Also a Peregrine over, presumably the Blakehill bird. Also seen - 2 Buzzards, GS Woodpecker, 10 Fieldfares, 20 Redwings, a male Reed Bunting, and 2 pairs Bullfinches.

Brent Goose at Slimbridge, and a Wiltshire Cattle Egret at Seend

5 Mar - a quick afternoon drive down the A361 gave views of the Cattle Egret at Seend, only my second ever in Wilts (upper photo, copyright Graham Cox). Some buffish breeding season tones are visible.
6 Mar - no sign of the Iceland Gull or Bean Geese at Slimbridge, but the dark-bellied Brent Goose (lower pic) still present - possibly the same individual as last year? Glos year list up to 112.

Kent End Quarry

1 March - a quick look at Kent End Quarry, CWP, yesterday revealed that the water level is much higher, so there will not be nearly so much wader habitat for LRP etc this year. I saw my first Green Sandpiper of the season, also 4 Snipe, a Little Grebe and a Shelduck. 25 Golden Plover flew over heading W. Reed Buntings are back on territory.