American Bittern.....

31 Oct - I managed to travel with a friend to attempt to see the American Bittern that has been at Trewey in Cornwall for almost a week. There has been a lot of controversy about "harrassment" of the bird, which has mainly been seen in flight around the pools and adjacent moorland - not surprising, as the pool it was feeding on when the farmer discovered it is fairly close to the road - I doubt if it would feed there in front of the 100+ people there when I was present.
The bird has previously flown out from the pool in the mornings, but when it hadn't been seen after 2hrs of daylight one person walked along the back of the pool and the American Bittern took off (it had obviously been feeding out of view)- we then had good views of it circling in flight until it landed in some pines. Distinctive, slightly smaller than a Bittern with heavily striped breast area. This is an extremely rare bird in Britain, the last one being back in 1991. Technically the bird was flushed....but I have long wanted to see one in the UK and was very pleased to see it....and it was not chased any further while I was there.

South Coast and CWP again

24 Oct - A visit to the South coast allowed a quick look at the birds - a total of 21 Little Egrets in Langstone harbour, with waders including Grey Plover, Black-tailed Godwits, Dunlin, Ringed Plovers, Turnstone and Redshank - and 6 Avocets (top photo, JM Exe estuary) at Farlington in the high tide roost. A late Osprey, presumably a juvenile, sat on a post, and 5 Black-necked Grebes and 3 Common Scoter were on the Oyster beds with Great Crested Grebes. 2-3 noisy Bearded Tits were at the Farlington reedbeds. Brent Geese have arrived on good numbers. 2 late Swallows flew along the coast. I was not able to see the Red-flanked Bluetail at Hayling as it had gone!
Late afternoon, the Short-eared Owl was over the rough fields at Shorncote in the Glos section of CWP and gave good views hunting in the low sunlight, before displaying high over the area, mobbed by a Crow. Hopefully it will stay for the winter. Photos 2-4, JM. Also today, a Barn Owl early morning, along the roadside on the outskirts of Cricklade.

CWP

23 Oct - An afternoon walk in the Ashton Keynes area, and rather quiet. A Little Egret flew over the Waterhay car park, and a Cetti's Warbler and a Kingfisher were heard at pit 59. Wigeon seem to have arrived in reasonable numbers, about 90 were on pit 82.

American Waders

15 Oct - A trip to the south coast to see the Solitary Sandpiper at Black Hole Marsh, Seaton - on what turned out to be the last day of its stay. Surprisingly distinctive, much more slender than a Green Sandpiper with prominent eye ring, chestnut crown and long primary projection. 2 Green Sandpipers were also present for a useful comparison, along with a Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Redshank and Ruff. I've only previously had distant views of one Solitary Sandpiper in the UK, on the Isles of Scilly in 2000. Lower two photos, JM.
En route I called at Port Meadow (top, JM), on the outskirts of Oxford, and had views of the Lesser Yellowlegs - only the fourth record for Oxfordshire. An elegant wader, slender with long yellow legs, fine bill, and grey/brown upperparts and pale underparts. Also at Port Meadow, a Redshank, a Ruff, a Little Stint, Golden Plovers and Lapwings. Yellowlegs photo, copyright Adam Hartley.

China - Beidaihe and Happy Island 20-25 Sept 2010 (2)

20 - 25 Sept - Photos continued; 1 and 3 - Great Wall at Mutianyu, with (2) Hobbies seen over the Wall; 4 - Bird's Nest Olympic Stadium, Beijing; 5 - Happy Island, showing the varied habitat for migrants; marshes, grassland, scrub and low woodland ; 6-8 - Oriental Honey Buzzards, part of the afternoon passage on 22 Sept; 9-10 male Pied Harrier (good numbers of this fantastic raptor seen on 22 and 23 Sept) 11 - male Eastern Marsh Harrier; 12 - juv Pied Harrier; 13 female Eastern Marsh Harrier; 14 - 15 ringtail Hen Harrier; 16 - male and 17 - female Amur Falcon, seen daily in small numbers; 18 - Osprey; 19 - Dapu river, visited on 21 Sept; 20 - Greenshank; 21 - Pacific Golden Plover; 22 - Grey Plover, all 3 at the Dapu river.
Many thanks to Jesper Hornskov for organising and leading the very successful trip.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

6 Oct - A study day on the South coast allowed me to visit Arlington Reservoir near Brighton en route home, and I had good views of the juvenile Buff-breasted Sandpiper that had been present for a few days - small size, scaly upperparts, fairly uniform buff colouration with bright yellow legs. Also present - an Avocet, a Black-tailed Godwit, and a small flock of Dunlin and Ringed Plover. A Barn Owl flew from a nestbox near the car park at 6pm. Photo, copyright Matt Eade.

Slimbridge

2 Oct - No sign of the Buff-breasted Sandpiper on a late morning visit, but a good selection of waders present - including Bar-tailed Godwit, Knot, Greenshank, Spotted Redshank, Ruff and Grey Plover. 5 species of raptor seen including a Peregrine and a late Hobby over the reedbed.