Lesser Yellowlegs....and Sanderlings

30 May - A detour to Uttoxeter quarry from the M5 gave good views of a superb breeding plumage Lesser Yellowlegs (photos 1-2, copyright Richard Powell), a very elegant bird to see. Also there - a Sanderling (3), a few Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers and a flyover Hobby. Pit 301 in CWP after the rain produced 6 Sanderlings ( several in summer plumage ) and 5 Dunlin, 2 RP and 2 LRPs.

Upton RN Phal photos

These excellent photos of the bird at Upton Warren have been posted on Birdforum. There were 2 the next day !

Red-necked Phalarope at Upton Warren

29 May - An early evening visit to the Flashes and good scope views of a migrant female Red-necked Phalarope (distant record shot,1), brightly marked in breeding plumage. Also seen - a total of 16 Avocets, adults and both well grown and downy young (2-5), 3 Little Ringed Plovers (8) and a Ringed Plover (6-7). Photos JM.

CWP this evening

27 May - A quick detour through the Water Park this evening - 2 Dunlin and 2 Little Ringed Plovers on pit 301, and a Hobby (photo) feeding on insects with c120 Swifts over pit 74. A Cuckoo still singing, along with Sedge Warbler, Garden Warbler and Blackcap.

Snelsmore Common

25 May - A dusk visit after a trip to Newbury, a fine evening with little wind, and first 2 Woodcocks seen roding from just after sunset - then, at 9.35pm, in semi-darkness, 2 Nightjars (pic) started churring, 1 distant and 1 close perched on a dead tree and seen well in silhouette, and also seen in flight.

A good raptor day

24 May - A day of annual leave and sunny but windy conditions. After an hour or so waiting in the New Forest, I had absolutely amazing views of a Honey Buzzard (1-3) that circled up and came across fairly low in front of me - an adult male with pale, lightly barred underparts and grey head - classic profile with flat silhouette and elastic wingbeats. My best ever view of this elusive species in the UK. While waiting, I also noticed a Woodlark (4) that was carrying food presumably to a nest nearby and was very obliging. A singing Redstart was also present, Crossbills called, and a Peregrine flew over, along with a Sparrowhawk, and 6-8 Common Buzzards were in the area.
En route home I checked pit 95 at CWP and 3 Hobbies (5-6) were hawking for insects with up to 100 Swifts. All photos JM.
Raptors seen today - Honey Buzzard, Common Buzzard, Red Kite, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Peregrine, Hobby.
For butterflies also seen today, including Marsh Fritillary, see www.ukbflies.blogspot.com.

Aerial shots

22 May - some attempts at aerial photography this evening - House Martin, Swallow, and Swift over the garden. Taken on ISO 640 at 1/1250 or 1/1600 sec.

Slimbridge

21 May - A brief morning visit, and fairly quiet, although good views of the drake Garganey (photo, copyright Mark Coller) from Zeiss hide, also a Yellow Wagtail here. Lapwings and Oystercatchers already with chicks. No sign of the Greenshank or any other passage waders.

Shorncote.....

20 May - A visit to the local Shorncote patch, fairly quiet, 4 LRPs (1) present, presumably 2 pairs as 2 displaying birds. Lapwings also breeding. 2 pairs Shelduck (3) have bred, a pair with a single duckling. Great Crested Grebes (2) also seen. Reed Buntings, Reed and Sedge Warblers singing. A good view of a Red Fox crossing the track (4). All photos JM.

Hobby at CWP

16 May - A Hobby was over pit 74 at CWP this evening on my way home from work, along with at least 50 Swifts, in overcast and cool conditions. No sign of the Bar-tailed Godwit on a quick check but 2 Arctic Terns with 2 Common Terns.

Speyside

14 May - A brief morning birdwatch before travelling home - firstly no sign of the White-billed Diver reported recently at Burghead, in rough sea conditions, but 20+ Common Scoter seen, also Guillemot, Kittiwake and Gannet. At Lochindorb a Black-throated Diver present and a Golden Plover displaying on the moorland. Goldeneyes and several Common Sandpipers seen on the lochs around Aviemore, but no Slavonian Grebes found. Finally the female Osprey (2) incubating on the famous nest at Loch Garten RSPB reserve. A Red Kite and a Sparrowhawk over the A96 near Inverness. I took the photo (1) of Loch Morlich in 2005.

Loch Fleet

13 May - An evening visit to Loch Fleet, north of Inverness, in calm sunshine, and excellent views of some speciality birds - on the pool by the A9, 7 migrant Greenshanks (2) seen with 5 Redshanks and at least 6 Common Sandpipers - on the south shore of the Loch 50+ Bar-tailed Godwits( 3) and 15+ Knot (4) present. 2 Sandwich Terns seen, also 30+ Eider (5,6 JM) and a few Red-breasted Mergansers. Teal and Pintail also seen. A really scenic spot with the backdrop of the mountains of Sutherland.

Orkney

12-13 May - An overnight trip by Flybe turboprop (1) to Orkney, after my walking trip to the Cairngorms, and very worthwhile. Orkney mainland is a mixture of farmland, moorland and lochs (7-8), with the sea never far away (9). Weather bright/sunny with a strong SW wind on the 13th.
The prehistory is a prominent feature of tourism on the islands, including the Ring of Brodgar (5), the Stones of Stenness (6), and Skara Brae (18).
Highlights in terms of wildlife included 3 male Hen Harriers (20-21) with excellent views from the hide at Cottasgarth (19) and 4 Short-eared Owls (22); 3 Red-throated Divers, and a total of 13 Great Northern Divers offshore; Great (12) and Arctic Skuas, Arctic Terns (24-25), and, above all, the sight and sound of waders everywhere including Curlew (4), Redshank (2), Oystercatcher (3), drumming Snipe and Lapwing; thousands of Guillemots (11), Razorbills (15) and Puffins at Marwick Head (10) with Fulmars (13) and Kittiwakes (14) in the air (and Black Guillemots in Scapa Flow). Passerines are fairly few in number but included Rock Pipit (16) and Wheatear (17). A very unspoilt place.