Garden birding....

...can be awesome.

After a quite remarkably unproductive morning of revision for my AS levels, a 'quick' break outside revealed this fantastic bird migrating over the garden:

Honey-buzzard, Hilfield, 31/5/14

An Honey-buzzard! Amazingly it is my second sighting of this rare species from the garden, following on from one last July. What a fantastic bird! It is presumably on its way to breeding grounds further north in the country- I was very lucky indeed to find it!

Tawny Owls have been calling madly from the woods, there are certainly a number of pairs nesting there. I will upload a sound recording as and when I can work out how to!

I also saw a Hobby chasing Swallows low over the garden this afternoon, but on the 26th rather aggravatingly was unable to identify a Stork species that flew over- I am all but certain that it was a Black Stork, but I had no binoculars- a dark silhouette of a Stork was as far as my identification could go.

Meanwhile, Britain's third Short-toed Eagle was found today at Morden Bog. I may have to get down there tomorrow.... Sadly I have rather a large amount of revision to do before then!

Somerset levels 25th May

We spent this morning on the Somerset Levels, visiting Shapwick Heath and Ham Wall RSPB. It is also a fantastic place to be on a spring or summer morning and this morning certainly did not disappoint. 

Starting at Meare Heath lagoon, Shapwick, we quickly found the resplendent Black-winged Stilt that had been first seen there two days previously. This was my first of this superb species in Britain, and one which always brings some joy when it is seen, with absurdly long red legs supporting its delicate black-and-white body. Though it is still classified as a rarity in Britain, it seems inevitable that this bird of warmer temperatures will soon extend its breeding range in Britain- a pair tried to nest in Somerset two years ago, but sadly flooding thwarted its attempts to raise young. A large number have been found in Britain already this Spring. It certainly would be a welcome addition to our avifauna!

Black-winged Stilt, Shapwick Heath

 Among the other birds on the lagoon were approximately 30 Black-tailed Godwits, several Lapwings, Gadwall, Shovellers and Pochard. Large numbers of Swifts and hirundines were hawking above the water, three Marsh Harriers passed and two Hobbys were seen. Reed and Sedge Warblers were singing from the reeds, in addition to Whitethroats, Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps. To add to the Mediterranean feel created by the Stilt's presence, two Great White Egrets flew past. This species is rare nationally, but remarkably virtually at Shapwick and Ham Wall. It recently bred for the first time in Britain, at Shapwick, and it seems certain that it will follow in the footsteps of its close relative the Little Egret in colonising this country.

We then headed to Ham Wall. Warblers were again singing in abundance, with Swifts and hirundines filling the skies. An extraordinary number of Hobbies, one of my favourite birds, were seen- approximately 15 in all around the reserve, along with more Marsh Harriers. Several Cuckoos were calling. We found another three Great White Egrets flying past, as well as our first Little Egret of the day. Very few birds were on the water in front of the two viewing platforms- just a small number of the more regular waterfowl and no waders. It had never taken me so long to find a Bittern while on the Somerset Levels, but eventually one of this magnificent species flew overhead. Another two passed over not long later. This species has recovered remarkably in recent years to become really rather common here.

The Levels is an extraordinary place for birds- to have Bitterns, Great White Egrets, Hobbies, Cuckoos and Marsh Harriers all virtually guaranteed, along with a great deal of other species, really is unique in Britain.

Great White Egret, Ham Wall 

We made a minor detour to Chew Valley Lake on the way home to search for a reported Great Reed Warbler. It was horrifically windy and as a result the bird remained hidden at the bottom of the reeds. Some consolation was found with a huge number of Swifts and hirundines and three Hobbies hawking above the lake.

Hobby, Hilfield

I didn't manage to photograph any of today's Hobbies (they are way too fast!), but here's one that passed over Hilfield last week. Such a fantastic bird.

Hoopoe at Corscombe

A Hoopoe just seven miles from home was far too tempting to be missed, so we headed to Corscombe straight after school today.

The Hoopoe really is one of my favourite birds. Not only is it absolutely magnificent, but it is a bird that evokes fantastic memories of holidays in lovely places, as well as being complete and utterly unique- there is nothing (in Europe at least) that looks even similar to it.

It has been frequenting a 'natural burial site' near the village for the past few days. Having never visited a natural burial site, I wasn't really sure as to what to expect. It turned out that it was perfect Hoopoe habitat, with a mixture of small patches of forest, large meadows and shortly-mowed grass path in an incredibly wild and untouched area. And loads of unmarked graves. It had a really chilling atmosphere- thinking about the large number of corpses hiding buried around where we walked. I wouldn't like to be there at night.

Corscombe Natural Burial Ground. A really beautiful place, but rather spooky. Much nicer than a graveyard though....

We found the Hoopoe almost immediately, on a small patch of grass in the car park. What a stunning bird. Sadly, it didn't hang around for long, as it flew high off possibly to one of the nearby meadows, but we couldn't re-find it.

 

Hoopoe, Corscombe, 9/5/14

What a great bird. And really close to home in a stunningly beautiful place. Nice.

Portland strikes again!

There are some times as a birder that one has to give up everything to go and see a bird. Or several birds as the case may be. 

I was settling down to a solid day of revising for my AS levels, when one of those fantastic moments occurred. It really is one of the greatest things about this wonderful hobby.

The birds in question were Pomarine Skuas, one of the species I have wanted to see all my life. Though regular off Portland each May, I have never been able to see them- either we have been on holiday, or my lack of a telescope has rendered my search for them inevitably futile.

It seemed that today would have to be the day I finally saw this magnificent Arctic-breeder, which spends its winters in the world's southern oceans and graces Britain's waters in Spring and Autumn on its journey.

A large number had been reported passing Southern British coastal sites in the morning, so we hurried down to Chesil Cove. After half an hour, a flock of eight passed very distantly, but views were hardly satisfactory. Then, sometime three magnificent Pomarines bearing their resplendent 'spoon' tails (a feature only present in breeding plumage individuals) headed towards us. Soon seven more appeared and they were then joined by another twenty individuals. To make things even better, they then proceeded to land on the water directly in front of us, offering truly breath-taking views through my telescope. My attempt at photographing them was somewhat thwarted by being unable to find them through my minuscule camera lens. My tactic was to take photographs of random areas of sea approximately where they were. This was the result:

Pomarine Skuas, Chesil Cove, 5/5/14

Several Swallows, Fulmars, Gannets and 'Commic' Terns also passed, along with my first Arctic Skua at Portland.

Very much rushed for time, we decided to make a short (very short- approximately 100 metres) detour to Portland Castle, whose garden a male Wood Warbler had been frequenting for the morning.

Wood Warbler, Portland Castle, 5/5/14

I found it almost immediately, showing extremely well and calling regularly. This stunningly-bright Phylloscopus was a new for me in Britain (I have previously seen one in Italy), my second new warbler species at the Castle in the last week! It was certainly a nice bonus....

Sadly, we ran out of time to look for a Black-winged Stilt that was found earlier in the morning, but having seen so many of this beautiful species before, I could cope. Just.

As we headed home, we had a wonderful surprise as an Osprey swooped very low over us just two miles from Hilfield! We enjoyed superb views of it as it headed north-east. This really highlighted how birding can bring fantastic excitement and joy no matter where you are in the world. What a fantastic hobby it is.