Back on the moors on Monday and similar birding to Saturday, Osprey aside, and with a Redstart singing from a wooded valley. Mountain Hare now in 'sum-plum'.
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Thursday, 12 May 2022
Early May Bank Holiday 2022 - Regal Birding
Back on the moors on Monday and similar birding to Saturday, Osprey aside, and with a Redstart singing from a wooded valley. Mountain Hare now in 'sum-plum'.
Wednesday, 4 May 2022
Summary - Cyprus March/April 2022 - Charadrius carlsbergensis
Nice to spend a week birding in Cyprus at the end of March (26th) into April (2nd), first trip abroad since the start of the pandemic. Focussed on the Paphos area and Cape Drepanum in the west and a bit of birding in the south centre and south east at Akrotiri and Larnaca/Cape Greco respectively.
A brief summary for the moment, 120 species seen without too much chasing around, concentrating on seeing day to day changes at several sites. Arrived as the weather had become more Spring like and started to kick off bird migration, I got the impression it was behind schedule. This was apparent as I did not connect with any Flycatchers or Shrikes throughout and only saw Cyprus Wheatears at the end of the week. Weather, dry throughout and mild to warm at the end as the winds switched from a northerly or western bias to a more southerly one. In other words one or two fleeces became should I wear one?
Paphos Area
Slow birding on the Headland but a nice variety of species seen, birding inside and outside the archaeological complex equally as rewarding. Always good to study the 'Flava' Wagtails along the perimeter fence, most Black-headed or Black-headed x, but several smart Grey-headed and Blue-headed examples picked out. Red-throated Pipits starting to get their summer garb and Northern and Isabelline Wheatears seemed ever present. Always a diverse collection of species at this site, be it a flock of Purple Herons overhead, an adult Mediterranean Gull loafing on what appeased to be a bird-less sea, to Hoopoes flushing from dirt tracks and a Short-eared Owl arriving 'in off'. A humble Tree Sparrow with its gregarious 'domestic' cousins was unusual, a bit of a rare, glad I got a second look!
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Red-throated Pipit |
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Tree and House Sparrows |
A few miles east of Paphos checking Mandria's Lark Corner and vicinity added to the trip list, no two visits were the same, a candidate Siberian? Stonechat got my attention, always welcome guidance on id. A few miles inland Asprokremmos Dam was lacking in flycatchers but not in its beauty, and a few miles more, Anarita Park hosted a fine Finsch's Wheatear at the start of the period.
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Finsch's Wheatear |
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Siberian Stonechat? |
Akrotiri
One visit made, slow for passerine migration at the church, but made up for with a Short-toed Eagle hunting the area that held a fly by Pallid Harrier. Akrotiri Marsh was impressive, more variety and numbers of species at the Lower Hide than the Tower Hide, including the obligatory Spur-winged Plovers, Heron/Egret bonanza with all 3 Egrets present, Bittern, Purple Heron, Spoonbill and Glossy Ibis noted.
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Purple Heron |
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Short-toed Eagle |
Larnaca/Cape Greco
More birding done at the latter, but the star of the show at the former.
Cape Greco birdy on 2 visits made only, the penultimate evening and most of the last day. Highlights included fly over (European) Bee-eaters, 'at last they finally arrived' Cyprus Wheatears, Spectacled, Cyprus and Rüppell's Warblers and an in off Pallid Harrier. Tawny Pipits, Short-toed Larks, Wryneck and Nightingale noted, but did the Laughing Dove arrive in off or one of the rapidly increasing local birds having a wander?
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Cyprus Wheatear |
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Caspian Plover |
A nice trip and with thanks to birders who helped me both online and in the field, sorry not to catch up with you all, a full trip report to follow.
Saturday, 23 April 2022
Easter Birding 2022
Back home at Easter and the moorlands coming alive. Buzzards patrolled the ridges and nearby tree clad reservoirs, some had more trees than others following felling last year. Merlin are back, a Short-eared Owl tangled with a Buzzard at distance, more likely a wanderer than summer resident, and Ring Ouzels were back on territory and in song, although Stonechats tried to out sing them. More returning summer visitors included Swallows to upland farm buildings and Willow Warblers that turned up the volume as the week progressed from the valley bottom, but a returning Pied Flycatcher at one location was focussed on getting its bearings as it remained silent. Redstarts appeared to have declined in recent years so a singing male "whirring" from a Beck was nice to note, and a Tree Pipit "buzzed" by one morning, will it stay to nest, or is this species to be just seen on passage, only time will tell if it hasn't done so already. Roding Woodcock noted at dusk.
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Ring Ouzel |
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Woodcock |
Mountain Hares showed their varied Spring collection, snow boots still in fashion.
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Mountain Hares |
Elsewhere, Old Moor RSPB looked impressive with a booming Bittern barely audible over the din of Black-headed Gulls that went silent when Marsh Harriers took flight. Buzzards were up high and Sparrowhawks displayed.
Sunday, 6 February 2022
Capital Birding - January 2022
Sunday, 23 January 2022
A Belter of a Kingfisher, a Scoter with attitude and a scarce Sentinel
Sunday, 12 December 2021
Caspian Gull 3 - 1 Arctic Warbler (subject to Birding VAR)
Wednesday, 6 October 2021
September 2021 Birding - boring, boring September, not a chance!
September 2021 described by some as poor for birding in terms of migration, specifically for rarities and scarcities from the East. Is this a blip, is it due to the timing of the weather patterns, or should we now be expecting double digit Yellow-browed Warbler sightings per East Coast site at this time of the year? Only time will tell. I can't grumble, I enjoyed the birding on offer.
First up the Isle of Wight White-tailed Eagle (G318) held on in the Peak District at the beginning of the month before heading off. Have a look at the Eagle's wanderings and of the work of the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation. Perhaps the onset of Grouse shooting persuaded it to seek pastures new. Nearby a Hobby or two lingered early on only before their journey south. Also on the moorlands a Peregrine annoyed Buzzards later in the month, as did Ravens. An Osprey moved slowly south over Ewden Heights late on a warm afternoon (21st). This was a nice surprise given the date, the distinctive flight profile as it carved a path across the sky was indelible. Ring Ouzel lingered in a clough, Stonechats kept watch from the tops of the heather and when the wind came from the West this would lead to Meadow Pipits moving through into the wind. A noticeable westerly movement of Chaffinches (26th), but perhaps too early for a "dweeze" of its northern cousin. Siskins started to gather but where were the Crossbills? A movement of Pink-footed Geese concentrated over 3 days (24th - 26th) with skeins heading towards Norfolk or Lancashire noted and mirrored to a degree elsewhere. Whilst watching one of the skeins a flock of hirundines flew through the field of view, summer hanging on.A visit to Spurn before a set of heavy showers added a variety of species to the September trip list (19th). Waders on the Humber shore were impressive in terms of number and variety of type and plumage, where a party of 7 pale-bellied Brent Geese had taken up temporary residence by Kilnsea Triangle. A group of the usual wintering dark-bellied Brent Geese flew past nearby Sammy's Point where an impressive sight of 7 Short-eared Owls performed aerobatics. Teal were on the move offshore past Kilnsea alongside other wildfowl, terns and gulls. On the way back a stop off at Blacktoft Sands RSPB on this still evening, now the showery front had passed, produced the male Bluethroat feeding at the back of the pool from Marshland Hide, the White-tailed Plover on a pool closer to the reception centre. Finally, a Great White Egret showed near to Little Egrets from Singleton Hide where the eclipse plumaged Wigeon glowed in the late evening sunlight. All were showing clearly now the rain had gone. About 200 Barnacle Geese in flight towards the Humber/Alkborough, evidence in part of the ever growing GB feral population.