Richard Smith - Birdwatching Days Out: 2011

Thursday, 8 December 2011

Hyde Park, London, 6/12/2011

I took an hour walk around the Serpentine, Hyde Park to look for a 2nd winter Ring-billed Gull, there had been two recently reported sightings.

The sky was white cloud, slightly overcast, good for photographing gulls !

No sign of Ring-billed Gull, all the regular birders had not seen one either !

The Tawny Owl was showing well
Coal Tits feeding out of the hand
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Grey Wagtail,
Common Gulls, 20 +

Tawny Owl

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Black-headed Gull, adult w

Common Gull, 1st w

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Common Gull, 1st w

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Common Gull, adult w

Coal Tit

Monday, 5 December 2011

North Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire, 3rd and 4th December, 2011

This outing is to try and see a species of bird, the Willow Tit, that all three of us had never seen before.

M.S., Kevin and I set off at 05.00 hours to arrive at Potteric Carr, North Lincolnshire around 08.30 hours.

Bright sunny day, blue sky, prospects good.

In the hedgerows

Redwing
Blackbird
Goldfinch
Chaffinch
Robin

on the feeders

Willow Tit
Great Tit
Coal Tit
Blue Tit
Great Spotted Woodpecker

The sun was bright and straight into our face, birds very fast, not clever for photography ! but I tried

Willow Tit

Coal Tit

Blue Tit

Great Spotted Woodpecker

11.00 hours, set of for Bempton RSPB Reserve, East Yorkshire arriving about 12.30 hours.

Here it is bright sky but a very strong cold wind

We had come here to look for a Desert Wheatear that had been reported here for the last 10 days.

We followed directions given to us by helpful RSPB staff and within a few minutes joined about 10 other persons looking. Easily found and as it was being pointed out to me, it flew away, way off out of site into the distance. I was not pleased ! I had a wander along the clifftop, then returning to the place where the Desert Wheatear had been seen most. A Kestrel was hunting along the cliff giving a photo opportunity

Kestrel

Nobody here now. Yes the Wheatear returned, to be very close to me, posing on different perches, giving 30 minutes of 'better and better' excellency !

Desert Wheatear, male

Also seen at Bempton was

Sparrowhawk

Rock Pipits

Meadow Pipits

Tree Sparrows, 30 +

Tree Sparrow

Day over, bed for the night and an evening meal in Bridlington.

Day 2, Sunday

We started the day of by travelling 20 miles up coast to Scarborough arriving at the harbour before day break. The weather was bright, no wind, but the forecast was not good.

In the harbour we saw

Great Black-backed Gulls,

Black-headed Gulls

Lesser black-backed Gulls

Herring Gulls

Kittiwake, 1

Turnstones

At 9.00 hours we moved on, the target was to find Red Grouse ! A 'new bird' for Kevin and M.S.

Heading towards the Yorkshire Dales we stopped of briefly at Forge Valley, where we saw

Coal Tits, maybe 20 +, many,

Marsh Tit, 4 +

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Nuthatch

Chaffinch

Dunnock

further up the valley

Bullfinch, 6

Siskin

Common Crossbill, 1 male

Goldfinch

Mistle Thrush, 2

House Sparrow

Mallard

Wigeon

Moorhen

Bullfinch, he would not show himself !

Out of the valley, up through the forest, past the sheep and now we were up by the heather,

Red Grouse

We found the first one immediately, followed by many, 30 +, males and females, some very close, calling, very vocal in flight.

Stonechat, m

Whooper Swan, 6 flew over calling

Red Grouse, m

Red Grouse, f

The weather was deteriorating fast, low cloud, light rain, then turning to sleet.

14.30 hours, mission complete, no more to be gained, headlights on, turned for home and indoors for 21.00 hours.

Lots of year ticks for all

2 new birds for me

3 new birds for Kevin

2 new birds M.S.

I say it every trip, but surly this was 'special', to say the least !

Sunday, 25 September 2011

Algarve, Portugal, Sunday 18th September, 2011

Day 8. Our Final Day.

It was decided to give the Alentejo Region a second look, it was so good first time !

Again we explored an area between Mertola and Castro Verde, taking the 122 northwards, turning onto the 123, taking all roads, lanes and tracks to every village on the left hand side off this road.

We turned onto the 123 some 15 minutes after daybreak, first lay by on the right, found us back in the 'raptor' area

first sighting is a big eagle, is it Golden or Spanish Imperial ?

then further sightings of

Booted Eagle, 1
Griffin Vulture
Kestrel, lots
Common Buzzard

Golden or Spanish Imperial Eagle ?

then the big eagle again, photo, later identified by Georg, thanks

Spanish Imperial Eagle, 3rd or 4th year

Spanish Imperial Eagle, 3rd or 4th year

Tawny Pipit
Raven, 2

The same tracks and roads were covered as our day 4 trip.
We stopped again in Castro Verde for refreshment, not so grand this time, the bus terminus cafe
Noted from this cafe was a view of a building with about 10 large paintings, poster style, of local 'Steppe' birds on its wall. Top quality, really did look good.

Back on the grassland area, 16.30 hours, M.S. sees a Sandgrouse !
Scanning the hill, we see 12 Sandgrouse then we see there is 20

Black-bellied Sandgrouse, 20
Tawny Pipit
Crested Lark
Northern Wheatear

Thekla Lark

Northern Wheatear

Black-bellied Sandgrouse

Something different today,

18.00 hours, WE STOP, we put all our gear away, cameras, binoculars, the lot.   FINISH. Packed in the middle of the grasslands of Alentejo !

M.S. drives to Faro Airport. Return car hire. Baggage booked in. Coffee and a Roll x 3 = 30 Euros. That was more expensive than the 'top class' restaurant we found in Castro Verde, where the patron treated us like kings, with best large steak and salad and at least 10 cups of strong coffee for M.S. and myself and a gallon of water for Kevin = 25 Euros

22.40 hours flight departs to Gatwick, train, taxi, home in South London at 03.30 hours.

Big Thank you's to

M.S. for all your driving, (1500 miles + and a bit of 'off-roading' !).
M.S. (eyes) and Kevin (ears) for all the 'mentoring', (i need their help, big time !)
Mr. Frederico Morais and wife, thank you for your company on the two Pelagics.

Mr. Georg Schreier, thanks Georg for organizing the Pelagics, also your total enthusiasm which contributed so much to the huge sucsess that we had visiting Portugal
http://algarvebirds.blogspot.com/
http://www.birdwatching-algarve.com/

Alberto and Daniel, skipper and crew, marine biologists.
ECOCEANUS
http://www.ecoceanus.com/a-ecoceanus-observa-aves-marinhas/

Summary of the week

Day 1.                32 species seen, 7 new species for me to add to my European list.

Day 2.                34 species seen, 6 new species for me to add to my European list.

Day 3.                28 species seen, 8 new species for me to add to my European list.

Day 4.                 9 species seen, 7 new species for me to add to my European list.

Day 5.                11 species seen, 2 new species for me to add to my European list.

Day 6.                 2 species seen, 0 new species for me to add to my European list.

Day 7.               10 species seen, 4 new species for me to add to my European list.

Day 8.                1 species seen, 1 new species for me to add to my European list.

Total birds seen by me in Portugal = 127 SPECIES

35 new bird species new to my European List.

100* / 100* for the ALGARVE, PORTUGAL

Saturday, 24 September 2011

Algarve, Portugal, Saturday 17th September, 2011

Day 7.

The plan is to start the day with a visit inland to Mochique, Foia, the highest peak in the Algarve, fortunately you can drive to the top !
Then to finish the day, back at Quinto de Lago.

Dawn sees us at the Serra de Mochique, half way up to Foia, we stop to explore lanes and tracks looking for 'Crested Tit' !

Blue sky as usual, another hot day coming

Robin, (first one !)
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Jay
Azure-winged Magpie
Grey Wagtail, heard

We move on to the top, Foia,

Dartford Warbler, 4 +
Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush
Willow Warbler
Wren
Stonechat
Northern Wheatear
** Rock Bunting **, another star bird

Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush

Rock Bunting

Rock Bunting

Lots of people arrive, it is a tourist place so we descend to stop halfway down and have early lunch.
Quick lunch, move a bit and stop at the next lay bye to wander down a track that leads through mixed Cork Oak and Pine trees with scrub around.

10 minutes and Kevin 'hears a Crested Tit', a bit of waiting and watching, then we see

Crested Tit, 2 'a big first for me'
Nuthatch

Crested Tit

Crested Tit

It was obvious that we would only get record photos, the Crested Tit stayed high in dense trees, but a 'top tick'.

So we moved on.

After leaving Monchique, we took a detour to the Odelouca Valley, not much seen, not close, we kept moving onto Quinto de Lago again for the last couple of hours of the day. We now know the short cuts and the easy ways !

by and on the golf course

Waxbill, 6 +
Hoopoe
Crested Lark
Weaver, 4

Waxbill

Hoopoe

The reed bed and scrub had all the usual

Sunset brings close to another day !

Day 1.                32 species seen, 7 new species for me to add to my European list.

Day 2.                34 species seen, 6 new species for me to add to my European list.

Day 3.                28 species seen, 8 new species for me to add to my European list.

Day 4.                 9 species seen, 7 new species for me to add to my European list.

Day 5.                11 species seen, 2 new species for me to add to my European list.

Day 6. 2 species seen, 0 new species for me to add to my European list.

Day 7. 10 species seen, 4 new species for me to add to my European list.

Algarve, Portugal, Friday 16th September, 2011

Day 6.

Portimao. The 7/8 hour Pelagic. The big day for Petrels up close, we hope !
and to finish the day off, a visit to Salgados Lagoons.

Dawn brings a blue sky and no wind, perfect conditions.

07.30 hours, we meet up with Georg, our guide who has planned this event.
http://algarvebirds.blogspot.com/
http://www.birdwatching-algarve.com/

Also we meet up with Frederico and his lady who we met on the last pelagic.
Also in the company will be another photographer.

This Pelagic is on board a catamaran, we will go out for some 10 miles + , passing working trawlers, then 'chumming' to attract Petrels.

We meet with Alberto and Daniel, skipper and crew, marine biologists.
ECOCEANUS
http://www.ecoceanus.com/en/a-ecoceanus-observa-aves-marinhas/

Set out to sea by outboard engine, no wind for sailing, more calm sea, hopefully for better photography !

Catamaran, excellent ! luxury !
This is what I have come for 'Petrels'

Soon out of Portimao we start seeing birds

Two flocks, first c100 Petrels, second c70 Petrels, distant

Cory's Shearwater, close
Gannet
Great Shearwater
Balearic Shearwater
Great Skua, 1

Wilson's Storm-petrels, several, never close
European Storm-petrels, several, never close

Sandwich Tern, 2
Common Tern, 1

Cory's Shearwater

Corys Shearwater

Gannet

Great Shearwater

Great Shearwater

Georg, brilliant, detail information on everything.
Crew, excellent, a constant source of information.

10.34 hours, about 12 miles out,
285 / 300 metres depth of water, (1000 feet approx)
Sea temperature 18.1 * C
Air Temperature 27* C (and getting hotter)
Clear blue sky, easy calm.

Daniel starts 'chumming'

Alberto brings round 'Tea and sandwiches', this is luxury, bird watching at its best !

Wilson's Storm-petrel

Great Shearwater

Great Shearwater

The Petrels fly in, feeding distant at first, then, closer and closer to our catamaran, the photo 'chase' is on.

This is the hard bit, trying to get it right, moving boat, moving sea, flying bird the size of a house martin and just as fast !