Highlands continued....

30 April - Some excellent birds seen on the drive between Inverness and Achnashellach. 3 superb summer-plumaged Black-throated Divers (1) were on roadside lochs west of Achnasheen, together with a noisy Greenshank (3) and a couple of Common Sandpipers. 2 Slavonian Grebes (4) were on a loch near Strathpeffer, and an Osprey (2) perched by the A832 at Lochluichart. Coire Lair itself was fairly quiet for birds while walking but held a singing Ring Ouzel and a few Wheatears, and the pinewoods I found a singing Cuckoo, Crossbills, Redpolls and Siskins. In the evening, driving south, a flock of Golden Plover, and a Curlew, flew over the A9. BT Diver photo, copyright Gordon Langsbury. I took the Slav Grebe photo at the same site in 2010.

In the Highlands....

29 April - Fantastic sunny weather in Scotland, and several excellent birds seen in Glen Quoich and on a walk up Gairich. A Wood Warbler (4) was singing in the birchwoods alongside the road and showed very well. A Golden Eagle (3) appeared briefly over Gairich, mobbed by a Raven. Wheatears were fairly common, and on the walk down I flushed a male Red Grouse then, even better, a male Black Grouse (2,3) that perched obligingly on a rock before flying off. I took the Wood Warbler and the Red Grouse photos in Scotland last year. The Black Grouse shots are with the 200mm lens and greatly cropped.

Arctic Terns in CWP

28 April - at least 2 Arctic Terns with several Common Terns at pit 74 this evening. A mating pair of Little Ringed Plovers on the island at pit 301.

Little Gull still at CWP

27 April - GOod views of the 1st-summer Little Gull this evening (pic), still at pit 74 in CWP, feeding over the scrape. Also the Nightingale still singing there. Kent End held 2 Curlews, and the island on pit 301 an Oystercatcher and a pair of Common Terns.

Easter Monday - early morning Shorncote round

25 April - A sunny day again, and an early morning walk at Shorncote produced at least 5 LRPs (2), with 3 displaying, with a RP, 2 Oystercatchers (1) and 4+ Lapwings (3) - also 4+ Shelducks, Gadwall, and a Green Sandpiper. Warblers included Whitethroat (5), Lesser Whitethroat, many Reed and Sedge Warblers in the reedbed, Chiffchaffs and Reed Buntings (4). The Sand Martin colony has at least 25-30 birds present (6-7). 2 Roe Deer were in the scrub (8).
Pit 301 held another Oystercatcher on the island, together with 2 Common Terns, and at Round House Farm pit a Little Egret, a Green Sandpiper and another LRP were present. At pit 74 the Nightingale was still singing by the gate and another Little Egret was on the scrape. Kim Milsom had a Garganey and a Little Gull here early morning. Waterhay reedbed was a cacophany of Reed and Sedge Warblers.
A quick evening check on pit 74 was rewarding as The Little Gull was still present, a first-summer with the characteristic black upperwing V, small size and dainty flight - 3 Arctic Terns also present as well as 2 Common Terns.

Hobbies at Somerford Keynes

24 April - Hobbies are back early this year at the CWP, and 3 were over the traditional area at pits 57/41 at midday with another over pit 42. A Cuckoo and a Lesser Whitethroat singing along the Thames Path. A Hobby also over pit 74, with a Nightingale in song there by "Twitchers gate". The photos were taken into strong sunlight.

Lakeland part 2.....and Farmoor

23 April - A walk up Skiddaw in the morning was fairly quiet bird-wise in mist, Ravens and Skylarks being notable. Dodd Wood gave extremely distant views of the pair of Ospreys at their new nest site, apparently further away from the viewpoint. In the afternoon, en route home, 3 Black Terns (1) were at Farmoor reservoir, feeding over no 2 reservoir, and 6 mobile Yellow Wagtails (2-4) were around the causeway.

Lakeland and Leighton Moss

22 April - A walk in superb sunny weather up Helvellyn by Grizedale Tarn, then Swirral Edge and Catstycam. Birds included Pied Flycatchers and House Martins in Patterdale village; then a singing male Ring Ouzel, 11 Wheatears, Meadow Pipits and Ravens around the fells. A Swallow was over Helvellyn summit.
In the evening Leighton Moss (1-2) produced brief views of a male Marsh Harrier (3), a singing Grasshopper Warbler with Reed and Sedge Warblers, and 20+ Avocets on the pools with Black-tailed Godwits and Redshanks (10). Duck included Pochard (6), Shoveler (7), Wigeon, Gadwall (8), Shelduck (9) and Teal. The large Black-headed Gull colony was a hive of activity (4-5). All photos JM.

Spring continues

21 April - A quick look at Blakehill reserve, and a female Wheatear present, with six warbler species heard - Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff.
At pit 68d reedbed, a Cuckoo heard against a background of Reed and Sedge Warblers and several Reed Buntings (pic with new 7D....)

First Hobby of the Spring at CWP

20 April - A quick check on pit 74 this evening was well rewarded with a Hobby hawking over the scrape. Excellent scope views as it swept back and forth. Always exciting to see these superb birds back again. Also a Nightingale and a Cuckoo singing at Swillbrook prior to dusk.

Common Terns arrive

17 April - This evening the first Common Tern of the year was on pit 16 in the CWP. Garden Warbler and Whitethroat heard in the hedgerows in the park, Lapwings displaying, 3 LRPs in total seen, also a Little Egret.

Grasshopper Warblers....

16 April - A quick walk at Mouldon Hill before dark, and 4 Grasshopper Warblers singing along the canal and in scrub - 1 perched very obligingly on a branch and reeling on and off. Excellent views of a usually very skulking species. 7 Warbler species noted including 5 Sedge Warblers, the first Garden Warbler of the year, and a Whitethroat.

New Forest

16 April - A very successful morning in the New Forest. I arrived just after first light as the Black Stork had roosted at Ocknell Plain the previous evening, but there was no sign of the bird in the pines. An hour later, the bird was flushed by birders from a stream and flew into the valley, but it then obligingly appeared and circled round before gliding off to the south. The photos (1-2) are copyright Joe Cockram and are of the same bird taken a few days earlier. Also at Ocknell Plain - several Cuckoos singing, my first of the year, with 2 seen and a female calling. Several Redstarts (5) and a Tree Pipit were also singing, and a Woodlark (4) was seen and sang briefly. At Bolderwood I heard a Firecrest (6) singing but could not locate it high in the canopy. Several Stonechats were seen at various locations (7).Finally after quite a lot of searching I eventually found a Dartford Warbler (8), a male that was singing and was seen well perched up on the gorse.