Warbler Invasion!

After hearing that one, possibly two Cetti's Warblers had been reported that morning, I decided to pop down and see it I could locate this Little Marlow rarity.  Despite the species breeding at other locations in the county (and surrounding counties), it has remained virtually absent from Little Marlow GP.  However I did manage to catch up with one in September 2015.

So I walked right around the lake, concentrating on where the Cetti's might be but no sign. However the place was heaving with a good variety of Warblers.  Top of the list was Blackcap with at least 20 seen around the lake but this could have been many more, especially as very few females were seen. Three Sedge Warblers, three Reed Warblers, three Willow Warblers, several Chiffchaffs, a Common Whitethroat and one, possibly 2 Lesser Whitethroats. 

Blackcaps - They were everywhere!

Reed Warbler - Three were heard singing and all were difficult to see. 

This was the best photo I could get.  This bird seemed to be imitating Blackcap and Sedge Warbler songs at times.

Lesser Whitethroat - Singing in trees rather than a thick hedge.  However still fairly high.

Lesser Whitethroat- The first one I have managed to photograph

Supporting cast

Song Thrush - Great birds and I could not resist digiscoping this bird

in one of the taller tress as it sang it's lovely song.

Dunlin - Arrived the previous day

Great Crested Grebes - Courtship Dancing

Tern Rafts - A few birds showing an interest. Little Egrets in the background. 

Part of the Heronery - Starting to look a bit of a mess!

Grey Herons - Ready to leave the nest on one of the west islands.

College Lake Visit

By was of a change and to try and catch up with the Short-eared Owl that had been seen over several days hunting nearby and over the marsh.  Unfortunately the Owl did not appear and has presumably moved north to it's breeding range.

Quite a few resident breeding species were present including Redshank, Oystercatcher, Little Ringed Plover, Shelduck, Common Tern, Black-headed Gulls and a variety of Warblers, the best of which was 2-3 Lesser Whitethroats that were singing along the hedgerow to the south of the main lake.

Photography was not that easy with most breeding species a fair way off and most of the passerines hiding away.  However the following two species did venture slightly closer.

Shelduck - One of a pair.

Redshank - One of at least four that were present.

Colour Ringed Lesser Black-backed Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull - "8AW2"

Pictured on the sand spit, this individual was ringed in Guernsey (details of when awaited) and has subsequently been seen on several occasions at Little Marlow both in April 2015 and 2016

Lynford Arboretum

We decided to visit Lynford Arboretum on the way home in the hope that there might be one of my favourite birds, a Hawfinch, still around.  It is a lot of years since they bred within 1/2 a mile of my house!  Unfortunately I could not locate any and according to Birdguides, none have been seen there since 5th April.

However there were a few birds offering photographic opportunities.

Marsh Tit - Not exactly a common bird in Bucks and has certainly declined.  However in Norfolk there seemed to be plenty and we even had them in the garden of our B&B, but I was unable to pin one down for a photo.  So I took the opportunity and took a number of photos of this very active Tit.

Great Tit

Coal Tit - Also at the same feeding spot.

Holkham NR

This was more of a walk along the beach in a freezing cold wind after a very wet morning.  The afternoon was lovely and sunny.  On the way back I stopped off in one of the hides to see what was around.  Certainly plenty of birds to see in terms of wildfowl and waders. Most were fairly distant and as I did not have my scope with me, I just used my Panasonic with telephoto lens.

Marsh Harrier - There were several around, this one carrying material for a nest.

Little Egret - This one was conveniently perched fairly close to the path.

Blakeney

After a morning looking at binoculars at Cley Spy, with persistent rain the whole time, the afternoon gradually brightened up a bit and I decided to try and find the long staying Lapland Buntings at Blakeney Freshwater Marsh.  Mike Collard kindly gave me directions over the phone and sure enough, two birds were still present. In checking Birdguides I see that Lapland Buntings have been present in the same area since just before Christmas, with over 10 being reported at times.  I presume most have now left to their breeding sites much further north.

Avocets - Good numbers present. 

This pair were fairly close to the path, while others were rather distant.

Lapland Bunting - This male is not yet in breeding plumage but on the way there.

It was feeding fairly close to the female.

Lapland Bunting - This female had a problem with it's right leg as can be seen in the photo below.  The long hind claw seemed to be caught up in the undertail coverts.  It did not stop the bird from feeding but may explain why the pair are still at Blakeney.

There were plenty of other birds to be seen including a good number of Black-tailed Godwits, Curlews, Redshanks, Oystercatchers and at least one Turnstone.  A Marsh Harrier was hunting further out over the sea wall.

Sculthorpe Area

We stayed in a nice B&B in Sculthorpe, right next to an old mill, which is now a nice pub and restaurant.  Just down the road is Sculthorpe Moor Nature Reserve, which is run by the Hawk and Owl Trust.  This is a very nice reserve with new hides and boardwalks.

Sculthorpe Mill from the B&B garden

Barn Owl - Seen from the grounds of our B&B across the river.  Clearly a fair way off but still great to see.  The garden also had Marsh Tits visiting and Water Voles, although we did not manage to see any here.

Sculthorpe Moor NR

We saw several Marsh Harriers, a Sparrowhawk and plenty of passerines.  One of the most pleasing sightings was however a Water Vole, but too far away to photograph.

Bullfinch - A pair visited one of the feeding stations close to one of the excellent hides.

Common Buzzard - Several were soaring in the area.

On-route to Norfolk - Stone Curlews

Our route to North Norfolk took us close to the Stone Curlew site at Weeting Heath.  I had not visited the site for quite a few years, so I decided to pop in.  It was a very unsettled day with torrential hail storm just before we arrived, so I did not want to venture too far from shelter anyway.

I visited both of the hides that are either side of the visitor centre.  In the first hide I immediately saw three Stone Curlews, albeit a bit distant.  They have not settled down to breed yet and were wandering around a fair bit.  Also here were two Common Buzzards, lots of Rabbits and a Stoat, which was apparently after the Rabbits.  The Stoat was very active and disappeared down several holes but I never saw it catch anything.

I then went to the second hide where the warden had suggested that I would not see much.  However two Stone Curlew were taking an interest in a newly ploughed area in front of the hide.  Apparently this was the first time the birds had been seen on the area since the ploughing, so the wardens was very pleased.

Stone Curlews - From the right hide.

Always a bit distant, so not the sharpest set of photos.

Stone Curlew on the ploughed area (from left hide)

The ploughed area.  Two Stone Curlews in this photo (I think!).

Common Buzzard - Two were ever present on the ground.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - Burnham Beeches

I decided to have a second go at seeing the Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers at Burnham Beeches, after a previous session did not give good views.  So Mike Mike Collard and myself arrived at 7:30am to find two birders already having seen one of the birds.  A hopeful start!   Andrew Noel had already seen one in trees close to the path and Chris King was also on watch along one of the tracks.  Andrew had to leave  shortly after this so Chris, Mike and I spent a very successful 2-3 hours wandering around the area and we had numerous sightings of one or more females (we think it was more than one).  The bird/s wandered over a wide area usually flying high in the trees and then perching and calling or drumming.  They were often difficult to see.

We were fortunate at one point that one perched in the top of a tree for over five minutes allowing it to be photographed and videoed.    Link to video.  The video starts off a bit shaky, as I was steadying the camera with my hand but becomes steady after I line up the tripod.

Burnham Beeches - A mixture of trees including Silver Birch above and Beech and Oak below.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - Initially it was drumming on a tree close
to a crossroads in the paths, but fairly well hidden.

We then found what may have been the same female drumming and perhaps feeding
also, on this branch high in the trees.  It stayed here for at least five minutes.

Presumably it had found something to eat!

Unfortunately we never saw a male Lesser Spot, so a good reason to return sometime!

We decided to explore the area around the Moat. and immediately saw a pair of Mandarins.

Mandarin Duck

There were a good selection of other birds in the wood including Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Jay, Nuthatch and three species of Tits.