Landguard Subalpine Warbler

A great days birding with Chris to Suffolk started with a trip to Landguard Nature Reserve were a Eastern Subalpine Warbler was taking refuge. It took us under two hours to drive to the reserve through both sun and rain. Luckily when we did arrive the rain had stopped and only left a large cloud over our heads. On our drive to the car park we passed a large flock of birders and we were sure this is where the warbler was. We parked the car and walked over to the place were we waited for a few seconds when the EASTERN SUBALPINE WARBLER came out of the bushes and showed it self for a few seconds and then flew off.

Subalpine Warbler in flight

At this Chris and I decided to walk around the reserve and wait for someone else to refind it because we still wanted to see Ring Ouzel and Redstart. On our walk around we walked past one person who told us that he had just seen it and so we scraped our mission and waited for the bird to come out. Sure enough it showed again and did so for a while. The bird was spectacular and came to close for half of the photographers who were having to run away from it.

Eastern Subalpine Warbler

After I took a few photos which could have been better we headed off around the reserve where we connected with; two Ringed Plovers, a few Wheatear, Turnstone and a flock of Linnets. Then it was off to the Rose-coloured Starling in Orford. We managed to see the ROSE-COLOURED STARLING after a short wait and then a second time a little later but it wasn't showing quite as well as Warler.

A terrible picture of the Rose-coloured Starling when comparing it to some pictures of the bird.

It was getting a bit late and we decided to stop off for one last bird on the way back home. When the arrived on the reserve we were unsure of the exact directions to take so we went round the way we thought would be right. When we got to the first view over the lake we stopped and immediately saw what looked like a RING-NECKED DUCK. We were unsure again so we headed over to a more open viewing place were we confirmed it.

Female Ring-necked Duck

All in all a very successful day.

All over staines

Today as the title says I went with my older brother Samuel to Staines. We started off the day by being dropped off next to Staines Moor where I was hoping to see Cuckoo and my brother Grasshopper Warbler. We arrived at the moor a little later than everyone else who had probably been there since the sun rose. It was a nice sunny day so no extraordinary amounts of clothes were needed so instead it was just with some gloves and a hat. When we got onto the moor we were met by a small group of birders who were hoping to hear or even see the Grasshopper Warbler but the had not seen or heard anything so we decided to not waste our time waiting for nothing and we made a small walk around the moor after looking from the board walk for some Cuckoo. On the way around Samuel found a HOBBY which was the first of the year for me and also him. At one point it made a nice flight and landed on a mud heap and showed well for photos. The bird was amazing and did not even budge after my camera almost fell on the floor (talk about bad field craft).

Hobby

After photographing it for a bit my brother found a Cuckoo which then started calling which made me alert and I look round to see my brother pointing towards a tree where I had my first ever CUCKOO.

Cuckoo first ever view

This bird had escaped me to many times and now I had eventually got one I felt as if Christmas had come early (but of course the bird wouldn't have been there if it was Christmas). Now I had got my target bird so I was a little more relaxed. We walked around for a bit longer and then headed back to the board walk were I saw 2 male Cuckoos flying one chasing the other this went on for a while and so I fetched my brother but as soon as he arrived they had gone. We stayed there waiting for them to come out again an sure enough they showed well one coming into a decently close tree.

Cuckoo

Find the Cuckoo

Then it was lunch time and straight after off to Staines Reservoir. On the walk we encountered many warblers including 3 LESSER WHITETHROATS first for the year. On the reservoir we saw in total 5 ARCTIC TERNS all showing well for scope views but through a camera you could barely see them.

Arctic Tern

Good comparison of size between Arctic Tern and Black-headed Gull

My brother also located a Black-tailed Godwit and just before leaving a Black-necked Grebe.

Stocker's Lake Red-crested Pochard

Just like everyone else I was attracted by the sun to go out side. There was no way for me to go twitch anything so I made a local trip to Stocker's Lake with my brother Samuel. We were hoping for something of what had been seen either the Pied Flycatcher, Wood Warbler or the Grasshopper Warbler. Unfortunately none were to be seen probably do to the large amounts of people. Luckily there was one thing though which was the 3 Red-crested Pochards which all showed well for me to take some pictures.

Red-crested Pochard

New Forest new species (Goshawk and Green-winged Teal)

Yesterday me and my brother both went with Chris and Paul to the New Forest our target specie was Goshawk. An hours drive took us down to a well known Goshawk raptor watch point. There we waited for a good half an hour luckily this time in the sun before we got our first glimpse of a very distant GOSHAWK. This was a great start and we had got our target bird quite quickly. But these views were not satisfactory so we stayed a little longer to see if we would get a few more. Sure enough a few minutes later we were on another this time a little closer but still distant Goshawk. After this they all began to start showing themselves and we had up to about 5+ birds! One pair came close enough for record shots which I was very happy to get seeing as how rare views like that were.

Red Kite

Goshawks

Before Leaving we made a little trip around the woods were we got Marsh Tit, Nuthatch, Bullfinch and Stonechat. Now it was off to the Green-winged Teal another lifer for me. It took us a short half an hour drive to get to Pennington Marshes where we headed straight over to the Fishtail Lagoon where it had last been seen. There we connected with Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Snipe, Redshank, Spotted Redshank (a year tick) and a few Teal. It took my brother only a few minutes before he had found us the GREEN-WINGED TEAL which was showing well for scope views but only was allowing record shots.

Green-winged Teal

Spoonbill

Spoonbill and a pair of Ruff were a nice way to end the day.

Staines Reservoir Long-tailed Duck

Well Germany was successful so a trip to Staines couldn't hurt. And it didn't I got my first ever LONG-TAILED DUCK, a Black-necked Grebe and a Little Ringed Plover. All in all a successful day.