Slimbridge revisited

29 Aug - too nice a day to stay in all day long, so an afternoon visit to WWT turned up trumps in the form of a smart Spotted Redshank on the South Lake, helpfully with a flock of its commoner congeners for comparison, with elegant slender longer bill, longer legs and darker upper parts. The bird initially flew over calling as I arrived at the entrance ramp! Also very good views of Black- tailed Godwits, including several nice chestnut birds. Autumn wader passage building nicely.

Water Park East

28 Aug - A walk out to pit 132 at Kempsford, slightly less accessible than some, but it can be good for waders on the islands. Four Little Ringed Plovers present today, but raptors were the unexpected highlight with 2 Hobbies and a Peregrine seen, along with the expected Red Kites and Buzzards. Yesterday evening (27th) a Great White Egret at Eysey (together with Green and Common Sandpipers) but no sign today when armed with the camera!

Wet Farmoor

26 Aug - A short visit to Farmoor in the wind and rain finally added the obliging juvenile Knot to my wader list, as usual here close for the camera despite the poor light - coming as close as a metre! Also Dunlin and Conmon Sandpiper in a quick look.

Shorncote and Blakehill

25 Aug - An excellent, fine late summer early morning at Shorncote, after many attempts I finally added Great White Egret to the patch list - not 1, but 2! Initially seen in flight and then 1 briefly on the waters edge. Distinctive slow wing beats and large span in flight, the bill obvious in the sun. Also 2 active Kingfishers, and calling Water Rails and Cetti's Warblers. Blakehill was also very productive with no less than 5 Whinchats and 7 Wheatears feeding from the fence line, and the usual Redstart in the hedge. An excellent local morning!

More waders......

24 Aug - there seems to be a highlight with each visit to Slimbridge at the moment, and this morning produced superb views of a Greenshank, initially on the Rushy and then from Robbie Garnett. Also 2 very cooperative Snipe looking wonderful in the early sun. There has also been a flyover Marsh Harrier around the grounds on recent visits.

WWT

20 Aug - A stop at WWT and finally the Wood Sandpiper cooperated by being close to Robbie Garnett hide on arrival - and in the sun. The usual array of passage waders also present.

Cairngorm Sun

18 Aug - What a contrast! A day of improving weather though very windy, with sun for the stunning pinewoods of Glen Derry and the heather-clad slopes. An 8.5h Munro walk yielded a dozen or so Red Grouse, a party of 4 Ptarmigan, a flyby male Merlin and 3 distant probable Golden Eagles. A Red Squirrel dashed across the road in Braemar.....

Dreich Deeside

17 Aug - An organised walk with NTS on Beinn a'Bhuird. A distant Hen Harrier seen, successful breeders on Mar Lodge estate this year, along with Peregrines and 3 pairs of Golden Eagles. Otherwise quiet especially up in the cloud above 900m.

Otters in Argyll.........

16 Aug - Courtesy of a gift voucher on leaving work, I had another chance for a morning with Philip Price of lochvisions.co.uk, the target being the elusive Otters in the area. A bright windy day with passing showers, and initially a good variety of migrating waders seen - also flocks of Kittiwakes and Gannets, with an associated Arctic Skua. After 3 hours, we spotted an Otter feeding on a large fish on the tideline, and we crawled across the rocks and seaweed to within 30m or so for great views. Subsequently we found the mother and well-grown cub fishing further round the bay, and were spellbound as they dived and fished gradually closer and closer until we could hardly dare breathe as the female clambered onto the rocks barely 10m away and crunched unconcernedly on a fish. An amazing experience, especially when it turned and looked straight at us. Special views of a special creature.

WWT again

14 Aug - A try for the Wood Sandpiper, but no sign. The usual variety of waders on the Rushy at fairly close range, including Green Sandpiper, Redshank, Ruff and a juv LRP, as well as Blackwit, Dunlin and Snipe. Always good to see the migrant shorebirds at close quarters. High tide from the Zeiss produced a flyby Bar-tailed Godwit, a flock of 80+ Curlews and a Peregrine, with a fly through Hobby chasing hirundines.

Blakehill morning........

11 Aug - a warm sunny early morning at Blakehill, and as I hoped the Redstarts very active and feeding in the sun. 2 moulting or immature males, showing well with patience. Also a Whinchat and the first Wheatear of the autumn. A rewarding couple of hours.....

Slimbridge once again........

10 Aug - An early morning visit, the autumn waders are continuing to pass through, with excellent views of feisty juvenile Black-tailed Godwits on the Rushy, with a supporting cast of Ruff, Redshank, Green Sand and Avocet. South Lake gave close views of a Ruff and several cryptic Snipe also present.

Scotland........

8 Aug - Not a walking day, so a couple of nature reserves visited. At Loch Garten, the Ospreys have again been unsuccessful this year, but good views of Crested Tits at the feeders, also a Siskin. The Loch itself held a family of Red-throated Divers, but the big bonus was a flyby by a White-tailed Eagle over the pines. A real bonus.......... Loch of Lowes in the afternoon was well worthwhile with the 2 juvenile Ospreys currently taking their first flights and learning to fish - an excellent time to visit.

Cairngorms

7 Aug - A 12h day on Cairn Toul and Angel's peak, 2 Ptarmigan families seen including fairly small chicks. A Snow Bunting seen in flight up on the plateau.

Loch Fleet

6 Aug - An early evening visit to this Loch on the Caithness coast. A surprise was an Osprey sitting out on the mudflats at low tide - good numbers of Curlews and Oystercatchers present, with 3 noisy Greenshanks flying around and feeding. Eiders loafing in good numbers (males in eclipse at this time of the year) and at least 2 more Ospreys fishing, possibly juveniles?

"Autumn" waders

4 Aug - Autumn starts early in the birding world with wader passage ....... another early morning at Slimbridge as it's such a good reserve for shorebirds....... A juvenile Wood Sandpiper and 2 Commons had joined the flock of Green Sandpipers on the Rushy, making a full suite of the regular Sandpiper species. Wood is a very elegant species, especially the fresh-plumaged juvenile, but it never came very close for photos - the usual Avocets were joined by some feisty Black-tailed Godwits and at least 5 Snipe. The 2 moulting adult Curlew Sandpipers were still on South Lake along with a good number of Ruff. I quickly checked Martin Smith hide to see if there was a Kingfisher on the perch in front of the hide....... And there was! On a melancholy note, the local Swifts seemed to have staged a mass departure, I've not seen any since the 2nd....... Another unwelcome sign of autumn, I hope the good summer has meant a successful breeding season for them.