Waders at pit 306

31 Aug - A late afternoon visit to pit 306, and the Great White Egret still present on the reededge with 2 Little Egrets. Waders included 5 Ruff, 2 Greenshank, 2 Green and a Common Sandpiper and 3 Little Ringed Plovers, together with 49 Lapwing.

Farmoor wader spectacle

30 Aug - An impressive selection of migrant waders at Farmoor today after the recent showery weather. The highlight was amazingly close views of 2 superb juvenile Curlew Sandpipers (3-9), with scaly upper parts, buffish breast markings and of course long decurved bills. Up to 20 Dunlin (12-14) present for comparison. Also seen - a confiding Black-tailed Godwit (10-11), 3 Redshank and a Common Sandpiper. Passerines included a passage Whinchat (15) and all 3 Wagtail species, with 1 each of Grey and Yellow. A Hobby and a Red Kite soared over the A 420 near Shrivenham. Photos JM.

A late Swift

29 Aug - as I headed out to mow the lawn this evening, a late Swift appeared in the gloom overhead, circled a few times, then headed SW. The local swifts disappeared on 7 Aug, so presumably a migrant going through.

Marsh Sandpiper at Frampton!

28 Aug - The first Marsh Sandpiper for Gloucestershire conveniently coincided with my half day, and I had good but distant 'scope views of the bird on the flashes at Splatt Bridge, Frampton, as it fed with 8 Greenshank and 8 Ruff. It was very distinctive, long-legged and slender with a delicate straight bill. Too distant for any photos by me unfortunately, record shot (4), and copyright, by Paul Masters. I've now seen this rare wader in both Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire........

Autumn wader passage at CWP

24 Aug - Autumn wader passage is well under way at Cotswold Water Park, and pit 132 in the eastern section has some promising habitat.....this afternoon there was 1 each of the following present.....Greenshank (2), Redshank (3), Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, and juvenile Little Ringed Plover (4). Also - 103 Lapwing, an adult and a juvenile Common Tern, and 2 Little Egrets. At nearby pit 306, the Great White Egret (5-7) was feeding along the reed edge alongside 2 more Little Egrets.

Holy Island

22-23 Aug - We stayed a night on Holy Island as part of our trip to Durham, and the extensive mudflats here hold huge numbers of birds, in addition to which Terns from the nearby colonies on the Farnes, and passage seabirds, can also be seen. Waders on the flats included large numbers of Golden, and a single Grey, Plover; Curlews and Bar-tailed Godwits; Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Redshank, and 2 Greenshanks (5,6). Moulting flocks of Eider were offshore, together with a party of (presumably moulting) Goosander. Offshore seabirds included good numbers of passing Gannets, Fulmars, and a single dark phase Arctic Skua harassing the terns - Sandwich, Common and Arctic Terns, still surprisingly numerous and active, included good numbers of juveniles. Photos JM.

The Isle of Wight Bee-eaters - now 9 strong!

19 Aug - These superb photos from Niton, IoW, show adult Bee-eaters(1,2), adults with food for 2 juveniles(3), and a juvenile in close up(4) showing its shorter tail and greener upperparts. Have 2 pairs bred?? there are now 5 juveniles with the 4 adults....the photos are from the NT Wydcombe website. Well done to all involved, lets just hope they return next year......

A garden first......

18 Aug - I think this is the first Song Thrush I've ever seen feeding on my lawn in 9 years! A juvenile.....good to see that they must have bred successfully locally.....

Stone Curlews on the Plain........

16 Aug - A guided walk at the Winterbourne Downs RSPB reserve on Salisbury Plain, and good, though distant, scope views of an adult and a juvenile Stone Curlew - very poor photos, due to distance and heat haze - amazing camouflage when crouching in furrows. The image below shows what they really look like......

SW Seabirds......

15 Aug - A day trip on the Scillonian at short notice and bargain price, in view of all the seabirds seen the last few days as a result of ex-hurricane Bertha swinging by, and some good sightings, the most notable being 2 distant Cory's Shearwaters soaring lazily into the breeze. Hundreds of Manx Shearwaters were moving (4,5), as well as the usual Gannets (2), Fulmars (3), Herring and Lesser-black Backed Gulls (6,7) and 2 brief views of Storm Petrel, and an Arctic Skua were other notable sightings. my Great Shearwater in UK waters will have to wait for another year.....see below......