Hebden Ghyll

Family business took me back to North Leeds. I dragged D#1 and D#2 up Hebden Ghyll. I had hoped to get as far as the mine spoil heaps on the top, as occasionally there are Twite up there, but D#2 had other ideas. so we stopped by the lower mine workings.

No specialities, but 4 Oystercatchers, a few Lapwings, a Golden Plover, Grey Wagtail, and juvenile Wheatears and a juv Stonechat. Swifts, Meadow Pipits, and Willow Warblers were plentiful.

I guess its obvious, but up in the dales, in a narrow valley with no competing sounds, birds like Mipits, Dunnocks and Blackbirds have songs that ring out and echo round the surroundings.

Back home sat in my Mum's porch we had a pair of Red Kites over the garden. Regular, apparently.

Caption Competition

took D#3 and D#4 to Linton Zoo today. Here's a picture of a charming family of South American Tapirs.



Entries welcome for what the young one on the right is saying.

Marsh Warbler

There's been a Marsh Warbler at Amwell, showing really well. I went over late this afternoon with a firm 5:30 deadline. On arrival a small group was standing idly chatting, and sure enough it hadn't been seen or heard for over an hour.

We all know how this is going to end. But No!! With just 5 minutes to go, there's some wobbling in the thistle bushes, and there it is, out in the open, looking like Marsh Warblers do in the photos, and then its off in the bush with a burst of song weirdness. And I'm heading for home with a lifer.

Is it churlish to complain about that other places get exotic waders and terns, but the Lee Valley's speciality is dull brown Warblers?

Thames birds

My current work is near the Thames, between London Bridge and Tower Bridge. For the most parts the only birds on the Thames are Feral Pigeons, Cormorants, Coots, LBB Gulls and Herring Gulls. Occasionally other birds appear, such as Grey Wagtail, and Mallards and Canada Goose flying up the river. Last week there was a distant falcon I am pretty sure was a Peregrine, and yesterday a pair of Terns, probably Common Terns, belted high up the river.

We get BHG's too. Normally passing by on their way somewhere. We haven't had any for a while until this week when a couple have been around. Post breeding presumably.

Double Dutch

there's a pair of Baillon's Crake's nesting in the Netherlands. I came across a link to a site with some excellent pictures and this text.

"Al de hele week wordt een paartje Kleinst Waterhoen gezien in De Groene Jonker, Hogenveen, Zuid-Holland. Dit zeldzame ralletje dat zich normaal gesproken niet laat zien pakt het hier anders aan. Voor de ogen van vele vogelaars gaat het gewoon zijn gang. Echt een aanrader."

so I did the obvious and put it through BabelFish ...

"All the complete week a paartje smallest moorhen is seen in the green nobleman, Hogenveen, Zuid-Holland. This rare ralletje that spoken normally does not leave itself see it catches to this differently. For the eyes of a lot of bird arse ordinary its pace goes. Really a must."

so that's sorted ...

On the beach

with D#1 on Weymouth beach on Monday night. Lots of Herring Gulls in various plumages.






finally D#4 shooing the tide back.

Inner Marina

When the River Wey exits Radipole reserve it passes through the Boating Lake, then encounters a sluice system at Westham Bridge before exiting into the saline environment of the inner harbour. There's a footbridge just on the marina side of the bridge which provides a view of the sluice and the inner marina.

The footbridge has been adopted by a Common Tern. It sits on the handrail looking for tiny fish, and when it sees one dives down to catch it. It allows approaches of down to 5 feet - too close to focus.





The inner marina is also home to a shoal of about 100 mullet of some description.




The Common Terns have taken up residence on one of the boats - second on the right I think, judging from the white stains!

May whitsun bank holiday

A few days in Weymouth. On the trip down on Sunday there was a Red Kite where the M3 and the A303 split. Then down in the centre of Weymouth a Hobby appeared over some flats.

An evening walk round Radipole had 3 Common Sandpipers, lots of Reed Warblers, a Bearded Tit whizzed past and as the sun set the Hooded Merganser swam past. There were 2 BHG's there as well; they are common enough in the fields round the Poole area, presumably on a day trip from the harbour colony, but they are scarce up this end of Dorset until mid July.

Elsewhere it was quiet; nothing at Rodden Hive on Monday apart from lots of Painted Ladies - but unless you've been living in a cave you know about them. Portland was a wash-out if you're a local, but if you come from a land-locked county like myself then lots of Gannets, Manx Shearwater, Kittiwakes, Fulmars, Guillemots, Razorbills, whizzing past in gale winds was quite a sight.