Ssh..Secret UK Lifer

The pictures below won't mean much to your average person..just a small blurry brown job.





Birders may appreciate 'the Gropper', though. I ran back to the spot where I'd heard one reeling yesterday adjacent to the canal in Appley Bridge. I heard the reel straight away, but the notoriously elusive bird led me a merry dance for quite a while. It took about an hour of nettle stings and trench foot before I picked this skulker out in a little bit of shrub only ten yards away.

There were plenty of other birds to keep me occupied. A couple of Sedge Warbler parents were taking food to a nest, and there were recently fledged Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers and Whitethroats. It's big words, but this could be one of the best Warbler spots in Lancashire.

Parbold latest

Various bits and pieces from Lancashire the last few days:
- Gropper reeling by the canal at Appley Bridge yesterday. May have a bash for him this afternoon.
- Singing Reed Buntings, Yellowhammers and Reed Warblers along the canal between Parbold and Newburgh.
- Juvenile Chiffchaff on the patio at Brandreth Drive and a few Bullfinches through.
- Singing Lesser Whitethroat in Dalton junction at the roundabout on Beacon Lane.

Snake-sharma

The last week or so has seen me leave the New Forest with a touch of sadness. No more Wheatears and Woodlarks on the drive to work. No more Redstarts and Nightjars on my evening runs.

I carried out my last piece of Atlas work, a 2-hour TTV around Bramshaw Wood on Thursday on a fittingly beautiful morning. There were a number of highlights - the pick being a juvenile Redstart and a Bullfinch feeding young.

I also lead a small group around Blashford Lakes HWT last week. We found the usual Woodland birds, rafts full of Common Tern chicks and this obliging Grass Snake below the hide.

Old Haunts Revisited

I was back in York today, so took the chance to revisit some of the spots I used to bird when I was at Uni here. Ran in the farmland around Fulford Golf Club, Heslington Tillmire and Langwith Stray and found some classic farmland birds.

A hot afternoon, but still plenty of singing birds. Male Yellowhammers singing from seemingly every hedgerow, and also the odd Corn Bunting and Reed Bunting. There's also plenty of good scrubland either side ofthe A63 - excellent habitat for warblers. Sure enough I heard Blackcaps, Whitethroats, Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers.

Some Stock Doves dotted around the fields made a pleasant change from the ubiquitous Woodpigeons and it was pleasant to find some breeding Lapwings.

Fire-eater

A big brucey bonus came today in the form of a singing Firecrest above North Lane in Franchises Wood. I was on one of my normal routes and was stopped in my tracks by a high pitched song coming from the canopy. Not the first time I'd heard them this year, it was the first time I'd seen one, though. The bird was pretty low down and singing regularly as it flitted from tree to tree.

Also of note were 40 Roe Deer in a field along North Lane and reports of a Muntjac down in Bramshaw.

Birding and Familying

Up in Huntingdon visiting family today, and when an afternoon walk around Wicken Fen was proposed, we were quick to jump at the opportunity. We were only on the National Trust reserve for about an hour, but still managed to catch up with some Fenland specialities.

Reed Warblers, Sedge Warblers, Blackcaps and Cetti's Warblers sung on the Naturetrail from the visitor centre. Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler and Whitethroats were also quickly added to the list. As the reserve opened up, we found a family party of Stonechats and then a quick trio of raptors - Marsh Harrier, Hobby and Kestrel.

There was also the distant call of a Yaffle. A harsh laugh. This bird was obviously seething with rage.

The best was still to come. Walking back towards the visitor centre, a dove flapped up from the canopy. I only got a glimpse,but it was enough for me to shout 'its not a turtle is it?'. Fortunately, Mark got it in the binos to confirm the i.d. A few seconds later, the classic purr started up, sealing the deal.

This was followed by a very controversial shout - a small bird dashed from the reedbase into some nearby scrub. I caught sight of what I thought was a rounded tail and streaked back as it entered the scrub....Grasshopper Warbler?? Chance. Not enough to confirm, though.

June News

Not much birding in the last week due to various work commitments from the Hiley boys. Bit of news from Hiley snr in Swiss Alps, though, seeing Alpine Chough and Marmot yesterday. Maybe some pictures to follow?

Dad took this one in the garden last month - not your typical garden bird!



In other news, I've been planning my summer jaunt - hoping to do a France tour taking in a week in Corsica in July. Potential highlights include: Corsican Nuthatch, Citril Finch, Corsican Finch, Marmora's, Little Bustard, Bonelli's Warbler.
Will certainly be keeping the blog updated.

Morning at Acres Down

Xander back off to France today, so snuck in a morning trip to Acres Down with him. It's well known as a raptor watchpoint, and it didn't disappoint. As well as the raptorial specialities we picked up Tree Pipits, Redstarts, Marsh Tit and Hawfinch.

The Bill

As a bit of a change from the New Forest scenery, the three brothers trekked down the coast to spend a day birding and wildlifing at Portland Bill.

We were up pre-breakfast for a spot of seawatching and were rewarded with plenty of Manx Shearwaters and Gannets dashing back and forth. There's also a small seabird colony on the West Cliffs of the Bill and we had soon picked out breeding Guillemots, Razorbills, Fulmars, Kittiwakes and Shags.

After a big fry up, it was back out to the cliffs for more seabirds, including a Puffin on the water, and 30 Common Scoter past before Mark picked up the highlight of the day - a Spoonbill bombing out to sea right over our heads. A huge brucey bonus if ever there was one.

Other than that things were a bit quiet on the migrant front and after a few hours bashing the bill, we headed to Weymouth's RSPB reserves of Radipole Lake and Lodmoor. Straight away at Radipole, some lovely views of Cetti's and Reed Warblers and also a Great Grebe trying to neck a huge Rudd. The reserves provided some interesting urban birding but not too many other birds to write home about.

More Pics will follow.