Munroing.......a few birds

27-28 May - settled weather in the Highlands, for a day near Loch Quoich, and day on Ben Lui. Birds seen included, on 27th - Wood Warblers and Tree Pipit singing in the woods near Loch Quoich - then on the hill, Snipe on territory, good views of a singing Ring Ouzel, Ptarmigan heard, then a Grasshopper singing at dusk in the Luib hotel car park! On 28th, another Ring Ouzel and more Ptarmigan were heard, Crossbills calling in the woods, and a Dipper and later Grey Wagtail on a small stream below the mountain. Common Sandpipers and Oystercatchers in several places along the rivers.

Red-footed Falcon on the patch !

22 May - I finally had the chance at lunchtime to catch up with the female Red-footed Falcon that's been around pit 68 for several days - it gave me a bit of a runaround, but after a heavy shower brought down the insect-feeding birds, including the Hobbies it is associating with, I had a close view of the bird over pit 68a, at close quarters then climbing higher to feed - a subtly different shape to Hobby, more Kestrel-like, with narrower wings and a slightly longer tail - but a similar aerial insect-eating behaviour. At close quarters the paler/ginger plumage with dark eye mask is distinctive, but surprisingly hard to see in silhouette. I've seen 2 previous Redfoots at CWP, but quite a few years ago. Also seen, Common Tern at close quarters, Sparrowhawk, several Buzzards, and singing Cuckoo and Nightingale.

Brief Farmoor.....

21 May - The rain today dropped a few waders into Farmoor causeway, and I got there in time to see 3 Sanderling moulting into summer plumage - very smart - unfortunately I missed the Turnstones, and the remaining Sanderlings flew off about half an hour after I arrived./....also close views of Swifts and hirundines, together with a few Common Terns.

Salisbury Plain.....

20 May - A visit to Salisbury Plain resulted in excellent scope views of a pair of Stone Curlews, together with Lapwings. Also 3 pairs of Stonechats, a singing Whinchat, and a calling Grey Partridge.

Avocet at the scrape.......

16 May - A quick stop at pit 74 gave good views of the Avocet on the scrape, also a male Ruff just developing the neck feathering. Plenty of Common Terns around but I couldn't see any definite Arctics. Cuckoo and Nightingale heard again. Also 2 Whimbrel on the scrape. My 4th Avocet record at CWP ( 2 self-found) not the great local rarity it once was, probably because of the breeding population now established at Slimbridge.

Hobbyfest.......

15 May - No less than a minimum of 17 Hobbies feeding over lakes 57/42 early afternoon, generally fairly high but also coming lower at times........also good numbers of Common Terns from the colony on pit 58, a singing Cuckoo, and a flyover Oystercatcher. A beautiful sunny, but fairly cool, day.

Barcelona........just

13 May - my 2.5 days in Catalonia became 1 day, and an early return home, due to Carles becoming ill. However, we had a productive day in breezy conditions. Early morning in the coastal woods produced obliging Golden Orioles, Hoopoe, Flyover Bee-Eaters and Iberian Green Woodpecker, with a supporting cast of Crested Tit, Hoopoe and Serin. A morning visit to the hides at Llobregat was good for photography in morning light - Black-winged Stilt and Collared Pratincole but few other waders due to the high water levels, though Ruff, Redshank, RP and LRP were present. 2 Whiskered Terns were feeding along with a good collection of Herons - Purple, Squacco and Great White, alongside the more numerous Grey Herons and Little Egrets. Great Reed Warblers sang from the reeds, and the breezy conditions resulted in some low-flying Alpine Swifts. The first of 5 (!) Hobbies for the day cruised over. Garraf plateau was very scenic, and late morning here produced Black-eared Wheatear, an obliging Subalpine Warbler, Woodchat Shrike, and both Tawny and Tree Pipits, also a singing male Ortolan Bunting. The coastal cliffs nearby held several pairs of Blue Rock Thrush, and singles of Crag Martin and Red-rumped Swallow completed the full set of hirundines for the day. Finally, a return to Llobregat gave several Little Bittern views both perched and in flight, and flyby Purple Herons. In the evening shower clouds over the city produced a large feeding flock of Swifts.......at least 6 Alpines, distinctively large and powerful amongst a larger number of Common Swifts. Around 90 species logged, before planned Pyrenees day curtailed by Carles becoming ill. Still worth the trip for the photo opportunities at Llobregat hides, always excellent.

Raining Birds.........

10 May - Very showery today after the warm spell, and a check on pit 74 this eve on the way home revealed an adult Little Gull and 2 Black Terns had dropped in with the rain, also a Sanderling on the scrape. 2 possible Arctic Terns but not confirmed with poor views. Worth the small detour.....

Otmoor pre-work

9 May - A couple of hours at Otmoor in bright, warm weather. Cuckoo and Turtle Dove heard from the car park! Warblers everywhere, especially Reed and Sedge - Grasshopper not heard though, probably better at dawn or dusk. A Marsh Harrier drifted over the reedbed, and Snipe, Redshank and Curlew all displaying. Turtle Dove seen really well perched in the oaks, and Cuckoo seen in flight, also female heard calling. Too early in the day for Hobbies but Red Kite, Buzzard and Kestrel all seen. Common Terns nesting on the rafts and breeding duck include Shoveler and Pochard. A nice pre-work jaunt.

Black Tern Spectacular........

8 May - A mobile flock of 13 Black Terns at pit 74, feeding as a tight flock and alternately resting on the scrape. Not unexpected in the warm SEly winds, but always very nice to see. Also 4 Whimbrel on the scrape, with Ringed Plovers and Dunlin. Over pit 57, 2 Hobbies, fairly distant.

Curlew Sand at CWP

7 May - an unexpected bonus thanks to Nigel Pleass, views of a Curlew Sandpiper moulting into summer plumage on the scrape, alongside Dunlin, Ringed Plover, LRPs and a Redshank. Also nice views of a singing Cuckoo, and the large Sand Martin colony on 74a.

An early May spectacular...........

5 May -

Hobby, Garganey, Whimbrel at CWP.........

May 2 - A quick check on pit 74 in the morning revealed the drake Garganey still present, 4 Dunlin on the ridge, and a Hobby did a close flyby. In the evening, Blakehill plateau in the evening held a single fairly wary Whimbrel that flew off N calling before sunset.

Blakehill Whinchats

1 May - Fairly quiet early morning, but good views of 2 male Whinchats along the fence line, smart in the morning sun.