Window to Wildlife

 We travelled with Kate to Venus Pool where we thrilled to find this rather lovely Curlew Sandpiper feeding on the mud. It was initially elusive, obscured by vegetation, but as both we and the bird repositioned ourselves it eventually showed very well. This was a juvenile bird, tinged with a subtle pink flush and pronounced supercilium in excellent light until the rain poured down!  Curlew Sandpiper Other highlights here included a couple of Common Sandpipers, which looked very diminutive when compared to the robust and longer-legged Curlew Sandpiper. This Common Snipe also posed obligingly directly in front of the hide. Snipe One bird many locals were also hoping to see was Turnstone, with a pair having been reported in recent days. These were not present today. It made me very aware of the geographical differences in bird populations - being on the coast I see Turnstones on our local estuary almost daily, but a Shropshire Dipper would be a stunner for me, as these do not occ...

 We finally made it to Gloucestershire, diverting from a family visit in Bicester, to catch up with the long-staying Long-tailed Shrike, a stray bird normally found in Asia. With reports on Birdguides that it had almost completed it's moult and would likely depart once its tail feathers were fully grown, it had been an anxious few days hoping it would not depart before we could get there. So it was some relief to discover it had been reported before we departed from Bicester in the morning.  It took around 40 minutes to drive to the car park, which was surprisingly busy with birders considering how long the bird has been there. It was a 5 minute walk to the hedgerows where the bird was located, and what a beauty it was. We had sustained, clear views as it moved around various perches in the hedgerows and swooped onto prey on the dry grassland before returning to its post. It had certainly been worth the drive! On arrival there were rumours of a possible Montagu's Harrier over ...

 We discovered last week that Sue had never been to Chantry Hill, so took a walk up there this morning, Initially it appeared fairly quiet, with a hint of an autumnal nip in the air perhaps reducing activity, and certainly the chill was a shock to the system for us after weeks of sweltering weather! As we approached the dewpond things began to improve, with a beautiful golden Yellowhammer highlighted by the morning sun,  glinting  at us from a berry laden bush. A flock of Linnets meandered across chirruping noisily. On the pond were a family of endearing duckings about a week old, and in a nearby bush a female type Kestrel perched on a leafy bush. Kestrel Passing some agricultural fields, Tim managed to morph a couple of lumps of rock in the stubble into Grey Partridge hunkered down. Overhaed a Red Kite drifted lazily across and a pair of Ravens crooked across the valley. Kestrels were everywhere, with at least six seen, seemingly hovering over every field we passed. Grey...

 We led a group of 23 Sdos members on an outing to Thorney Island today, including several for whom this was their first event. So it was a little disappointing after weeks of dry weather to start our walk in the rain! We set out along the easy side of the island, not lingering due to the weather. passing plenty of tempting elderberries and tasty blackberries, but no birds feeding in the wet conditions.Arriving at the Thorney Channel, we looked out over an expanse of mud, which I had hoped would be full of birds. It was not! We wandered along the track in dismal light, but gradually the rain eased and it began to brighten, and we began to find some birds. Redshanks fed on the mud close to the channel, with a number of Curlew, with their top-heavy bills a little closer to us. A Whimbrel was here too, noticeably smaller and with a shorter and less curved bill, and the red bills of several Oystercatchers stood out in the gloomy conditions. In the channel Little Egrets strutted and a G...

 At this time of year any downland walk offers the prospect of migrating birds passing through and pausing their journeys to feed up on the hedgerows, where berries are plentiful, or to search for insects amongst the fields. Late this afternoon along the Monarch’s Way SE of Beeding Hill, we observed a group of at least three very mobile Whinchats plus a number of smart Wheatears perched very visibly on fence lines alongside resident Stonechats and Linnets. There were few warblers seen, these possibly more active in the morning, when we were busy with visitors.  Brushing by the close scrub along the track, we were putting up clouds of butterflies, mostly Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers feeding on the bramble, but many Clouded Yellows patrolling the path were a delightful bonus. Whinchats

 We parked at Lancing Ring late afternoon and walked though the quarry, then wandered slowly along the track towards Cow Bottom. The hedgerows at the back of the paddocks were alive with birds, plenty of Goldfinches and Linnets, a few Whitethroats, Willow Warblers, and a Spotted Flycatcher perched on a branch, then repeatedly sallying acrobatically into the air in pursuit of prey. But the highlight here was a gorgeous male Redstart, posing on the fence-line, then dropping to the ground out of view, before returning to the fence or a low branch, with a splendid flash of brilliant colour. We continued across the field to the top of Cow Bottom, hoping for more migrants, but it was much quieter here. A Swift and chattering Swallows swept low across the fields. Beyond the gate we found three mewing Buzzards. I walked a little further and noted a Kestrel hovering overhead, then a red-trousered Hobby dashed past it, before disappearing over the fields. Retracing our steps we spent some mo...

 A brilliant find from Richard Phillips today led to a quick trip out to the field near the Steyning footbridge, where he had somehow spotted a Stone Curlew. When we arrived it was skulking under a thistle, gaining some shelter from the scorching heat. It occasionally moved out into the field a short distance, but was largely staying close to this favoured bush. We had reasonable scope views, although there was some heat haze making it difficult to get a really clear view. But a cracking local bird, and as Minsmere has been damaged by wildfires, making it unlikely we can visit that reserve to target them, this was a satisfying sighting, equalling my best ever annual tally.  Stone Curlew

 We departed Shropshire today, calling into Middleton Lakes RSPB reserve near Tamworth on our way home. We have not visited here before, but would do so again. The path initially passes through woodland, which was fairly quiet today, but we found Nuthatches in a tall oak tree, alerted by their call. Then Emilie spotted a Treecreeper in the same tree which she got her mum onto, but I didn’t manage to locate. It was great to see her confidence in her find, having had very recent views at Haughmond Hill and Gilfach nature reserve, and clearly describing its striped brown back and white belly. Continuing onto the wetlands, our target bird was a Wood Sandpiper, which duly revealed itself on a muddy bank, standing close to a Redshank and looking very diminutive in comparison. This was a lifer for Kate and Emilie, and they both had excellent views through my scope. Soon we found a Green Sandpiper too, enabling them to study the differences in plumage, with the Wood Sandpiper sporting a di...