Red-footed Falcon

29 May - excellent views of the 1st-summer male Red-footed Falcon at Wilstone reservoir, just over an hour's drive away - feeding low over the reedbed in the cloudy conditions. Smaller and more slender than the accompanying Hobbies, with more slate-grey upperparts, barred underwings, red bill and legs and eye-ring. Photo, copyright Dave Bilcock.

New Forest

28 May - Good views of a male Honey Buzzard displaying over the New Forest - distinctive floppy flight and flat profile, pale underparts and barred underwings with dark carpal patch (top), at one stage mobbed by a Peregrine! - then excellent views of a pair of Dartford Warblers near the car park (male, photo JM).

Spoonbill at Slimbridge

27 May - I finally saw a Spoonbill this year, the bird that has been at Slimbridge for several days. Fairly distant from the Zeiss hide but I managed a record shot.

Scotland - continued....Otter on Skye !

24-26 May - Primarily a walking trip, but some interesting birds seen - Ptarmigan seen on Ben Lawers and Glen Shiel ridge, 3 singing Ring Ouzels heard, and Cuckoos widespread. Scanning of roadside lochs produced both Red- and Black-throated Divers. The highlight was a mammal - a fantastic Otter seen catching fish and clambering on the seaweed-covered rocks at Kyleakin slipway. See also Ythan estuary entry on 25 May.
Photos - Flow Country, Speyside and Findhorn valley - Ptarmigan (2) and Dotterel (2) and Red Grouse Cairngorms, Slavonian Grebe and Wood Warbler in the Highlands, Otter at Kyleakin, Skye, and Red Deer at Forsinard.

Ythan Estuary

25 May - no sign of the reported Broad-billed Sandpiper, but a good selection of birds with a northern feel - wildfowl including 3 late Pink-footed Geese, Eiders, Pintail and Wigeon; passage waders including Whimbrels and Bar-tailed Godwits, one in full summer plumage; Sandwich Terns and a fishing Osprey.

Temminck's Stints at CWP

23 May - Two Temminck's Stints seen at pit 74 CWP, typical creeping behaviour, yellow legs, small size, chestnut-brown upperparts. A good selection of passage waders present included 3 Greenshanks, Redshank, 20+ Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper and Dunlin.

Scotland 19 - 22 May 2010

22 May - a successful 3 days in Scotland courtesy of Mark Finn, with warm, humid, mostly dry weather. Highlights included Black- and Red-throated Divers and Slavonian Grebes, all in summer plumage - Hen Harrier and Golden Plovers in the Flow Country - Ospreys, Crested Tits and Wood Warblers around Speyside and Strathconon - and excellent point-blank views of Dotterel, Ptarmigan and Red Grouse in the Cairngorms. I missed a Capercaillie as I was looking the other way!
For photos - see post Scotland continued, 24-26 May.

Lakenheath, the Brecks - and a Bluethroat

18 May - a spring visit to Lakenheath and the Brecks in perfect weather. 3 Stone Curlews were seen well at Weeting Heath. Early morning at Lakenheath was atmospheric (2nd pic) and very productive with a male Golden Oriole singing and seen in flight, Bitterns booming and in flight over the reedbeds, 6-8 Marsh Harriers (4th pic), a Barn Owl, a singing Nightingale, a male Bearded Tit, and an amazing 35+ Hobbies (3rd pic). Nearby, Tree Pipit and Woodlark were at Cranswick Heath. Last but not at all least, the male Bluethroat at Welney (top) was seen after an hour's wait (photo, copyright Ray Roche).

Great Reed Warbler

15 May - a detour to Ilkeston en route home from the Lake District produced good views of the singing Great Reed Warbler (photo) that has taken up residence in the small reedbed at Straw's Bridge NR. The song was typically loud and harsh.
Other birds seen in northern England included 2 Peregrines over Great Gable, quite a few Wheatears, and 2 male Black Grouse at Langdon Beck, together with Curlews and Lapwings.

Wader pics

14 May - these photos of one of the Temminck's Stints (upper) and the Wood Sandpiper (lower) at Coleshill were taken by, copyright of, Bob Duckhouse. Rather quiet again locally the last couple of days, Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers still at CWP pit 74 this afternoon, with a Dunlin.

Temminck's Stints....

12 May - an evening visit to Coleshill pit and excellent views of 3 dumpy Temminck's Stints, in summer plumage with scalloped upperparts and yellow legs - typical creeping behaviour. Also present, a Wood Sandpiper.

Montagu's Harriers.....

11/12 May - A pair of Montagu's Harriers seen very well at a site near the Ridgeway where they have previously bred. Fantastic views of the male displaying then of the pair flying together - the male later seen carrying food. A privilege to watch such beautiful and rare birds. Record shot with 400mm lens.

Hobby at CWP.....

10 May - this excellent picture of one of the CWP Hobbies today was taken (copyright) by Richard Cawsey.

Otmoor (and CWP)

10 May - an afternoon visit to Otmoor, and up to 15 Hobbies (upper photos) hawked over the reedbed. Also seen - 3 Red Kites, up to 10 Buzzards. 6 Ringed Plovers and 2 Dunlin were on the floods. A Grasshopper Warbler reeled by the track just before the 1st screen, and there was a constant chatter of warblers from the reedbed. A couple of Cuckoos called distantly. The Lapwing colony at Otmoor is now very sizeable (lower photo).
Later, 4 Hobbies were feeding low over pit 57 at CWP mid-afternoon, also 2 singing Garden Warblers here.

CWP continued......

8 May - a couple more brief looks at pit 74 CWP, in the very unseasonably cold weather, have revealed a few waders - passage Greenshank and Ringed Plover with the resident LRPs - and the 1st-summer and 2nd-summer Med Gulls are still hanging around the Black-headed Gull colony. Otherwise more like March then May.....

Gropper

5 May - This excellent photo of the Grasshopper Warbler at Otmoor was taken by Pete Barker.

Pit 74 again

5 May - a look at CWP pit 74 produced a Greenshank, a Redshank and a Little Ringed Plover.

Nightingales

4 May - an evening visit to Swillbrook and a Nightingale was singing right by the entrance, along with a Cetti's Warbler and a Whitethroat. A Barn Owl and a Little Owl both seen at Waterhay en route home.

Spring birding

4 May - I've been out and about locally a couple of times since returning from the Western Pacific Odyssey (see www.jmspacificjourney.blogspot.com). First stop was Upavon for a trip of 14 Dotterel (top, photo copyright Rob Turner), presumably held up by the northerly winds. Then CWP, for views of Little Ringed Plover, Whimbrel (lower, photo copyright Mike Trew) and Hobby. Hirundines and Swifts are now present in good numbers. Finally, this morning, early morning at Otmoor was excellent, with reeling Grasshopper Warbler, 4 Cuckoos, purring Turtle Dove, drumming Snipe, Curlew, Redshank, Hobby and Marsh Harrier. UK year list now 157.