tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314721152024-03-05T19:39:34.230+00:00Dave's Birding BlogBirding from Rishton, Lancashire and elsewhere in the north of England. Some foreign trips as well.Dave Bickertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00734571723511231628noreply@blogger.comBlogger390125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31472115.post-54248405475595400172020-05-01T15:00:00.000+01:002020-05-01T15:02:44.178+01:00Garden list improving and some terrible photos<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What's that line in the sky next to the supermoon of 7 April?<br />
Moth trap lighting up the Ivy-clad Alders whilst listening for migrating sea-ducks.</td></tr>
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So five+ weeks into lock-down of sorts in the UK and I've got to say the majority are observing the rules around here with very few cars on the road (initially) and hardly a vapour trail in the sky. The weather has certainly helped for those lucky enough to have a garden to enjoy and for those that queue patiently to get their turn to enter the supermarket.<br />
Like most birders, I've been chomping at the bit to get out and see what spring passage turns up (the M6 Junction 31 bridge-dwelling Osprey was certainly a temptation that I successfully resisted) but instead having to be satisfied with waiting to see what it brings me and, to be honest, it's been rather pleasing.<br />
The garden list during this lock-down period certainly started off well though Siskin and Redwing didn't trouble the scorers. Early April brought us the wonder of noc-mig observations - listening for night-calling birds as they moved through the area on passage. This turned out to be as social an activity birders could get as WhatsApp! and FB groups shared messages of flocks of Common Scoters making their way from the Irish Sea to Scandinavia via the direct route. The lack of cars on the nearby M65 meant I could hear them! Add to them, over-flying Coot (they are on the canal in the centre of Rishton but not up here) and a Water Rail and a couple of calls which I just can't place.<br />
Sunday 5th April was a bit of a mega day, sat for the most part in the conservatory reading, I glanced up at just the right moments it seemed - Red Kite and Sand Martin after lunch and then Raven and a long-awaited Iceland Gull (the juvenile that had been around all winter I presume) was strikingly obvious in the cloud of gulls over Whinney Hill Tip about 2km away through my scope.<br />
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This was followed a couple of days later with my first few migrants. Blackcap, Swallow and Willow Warbler of which I managed to trap one - a first for the garden.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Willow Warbler</td></tr>
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The house list currently stands on 65 since 23rd March with a rather respectable total list of 119 in the 30 years we've lived here. But a bit of a walk does you good so a walk around Dean Clough Reservoir on the 17th got us Grasshopper Warbler and lots of Willow Warblers and the five mile route taking the canal path from Rishton to Oswaldtwistle/Church on the 19th rewarded us with a fly-over male Ring Ouzel - cue second rubbish image.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Ring Ouzel atop a tree - honestly!</td></tr>
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In the meantime I've been writing my sections of the 2019 Lancashire Bird Report and unsurprisingly finished them in record time, so to celebrate, we took a walk on the north side of Rishton. It was cooler and a lot cloudier than of late as we took the path along the old railway line listening to numerous Blackcaps and the odd Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler. Skylarks sang near the canal - not too common a sound these days in this area - and up Cut Lane to the Reservoir where we had a Whimbrel and two Arctic Terns - wonderful! Add to that, Little Ringed Plovers, Common Sandpipers, Redshanks and Oystercatchers on the strip of 'edge' that has been created as the canal needed topping up due to the lack of precipitation, it's about as good as my local patch can get! Cue another rubbish hand-held phone/binocular video.<br />
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Arctic Terns Rishton Reservoir</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption">Male Orange Tip</td></tr>
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The very sunny days have been wonderful for our PV installations with March and April both exceeding the previous best monthly totals in the ten years they've been up. The cool, clear nights with an easterly breeze have meant that mothing has been very poor though Powdered Quakers have had a good season. Bees and Hoverflies have been good but not too many species in the garden - more winter/spring flowering shrubs have been purchase and will be planted out in suitable spots for the coming years.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Powdered Quaker</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">A hoverfly - Melanostoma scalare - female</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not a wasp, a nomada bee - kleptoparasite of Andrena (mining) bees</td></tr>
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So we're now in May already with by report-writing done, it's time to practice some new skills on dissecting moths, something that needs to be done to get specific confirmation in a lot of cases. Couple that with the new garden CES ringing scheme (as we're not allowed to go anywhere ringing of course), it should keep me busy whilst my better half continues to work with her schools, helping them through the situation and preparing them for the day they have to fully re-open (few schools are closed and have indeed been open throughout the Easter period) and try and socially distance snotty five-year-olds - it'll be akin to herding cats, never going to happen!</div>
Dave Bickertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00734571723511231628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31472115.post-47444101959655713432020-04-08T11:57:00.000+01:002020-04-08T12:06:54.792+01:00Enjoying the gardenWell this wasn’t what any of us were expecting at the start of the year. In January I’d set off with all good intentions of getting my retirement blog going on a regular basis - started off pretty well, leisurely dropping in on places and birds when I wanted, constantly disappointed about the lack of birds at Rishton Reservoir (apart from the Grebes of course) and getting up to date with all those things I was putting off (moth dissection course in Liverpool for example).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caspian Gull</td></tr>
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There was a trip to Florida in March to look forward to and in the meantime a couple of local trips to Redcar Tarn at Keighley that were very rewarding and enjoyable seeing close up bona-fida Caspian Gulls in a relatively pleasant setting and couple that with a flock of Waxwings that have bee very scarce this winter. A return trip to Musselburgh to dip the White-winged Scoter once again saw me spending many enjoyable hours scanning the Firth of Forth’s sea duck. The long-staying Black-throated Thrush drew me across to Grimsby and high tides at Marshside brought great views of Hen Harrier, Merlin and a host of waders and wildfowl.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtEe4sHb2tZ4AB5_3G44n_xlpbbB-LaMSa14dhJ4-hQgyzWaM7TWDCOkwZwEidTjkOmQf7t9DILtXEv-Vy-MZahF75AKvdmH4cQk9pC7bYqquWTXuvXvYwGWihZcz7QYD3XdnS/s1600/6U2A0563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtEe4sHb2tZ4AB5_3G44n_xlpbbB-LaMSa14dhJ4-hQgyzWaM7TWDCOkwZwEidTjkOmQf7t9DILtXEv-Vy-MZahF75AKvdmH4cQk9pC7bYqquWTXuvXvYwGWihZcz7QYD3XdnS/s320/6U2A0563.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black-throated Thrush</td></tr>
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Then as the news of the spread of Covid-19 became ever more fraught, I knew that the holiday was, for the second consecutive year, going to have to be postponed and all plans put on hold.<br />
So we’re fortunate to have a lovely garden with views - potential that I’m so glad Bernie spotted 30+ years ago - and time to spend in it. Incessant wind and rain during February didn’t help much and there was a distinct lack of finches this winter. This has extended into spring and on the few non-windy days when I’ve been able to get a net up, hardly anything has been coming down.<br />
Moth nights have also been in short supply but an early effort in January got me a much-wanted Spring Usher and more recently, the long-awaited Oak Beauty.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spring Usher</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oak Beauty</td></tr>
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So birding from the garden it will be for the foreseeable as I sit here watching the multitude of House Sparrows demolish the fat balls and Starlings gather nest material. Very few migrants here yet - just Chiffchaff really. A few distant Sand Martins and a single brief Blackcap is not helping the mood but the weather is improving so the bees and hoverflies should add variety to garden wildlife observations!Dave Bickertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00734571723511231628noreply@blogger.com064 Petre Cres, Rishton, Blackburn BB1 4RB, UK53.764295714940346 -2.410833218916483853.763122714940344 -2.4133547189164837 53.765468714940347 -2.408311718916484tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31472115.post-16454250820011685252020-01-21T11:57:00.002+00:002020-01-21T11:57:37.814+00:00Bumper January birdingWell this retirement malarkey takes some getting used to - being able to go off for the day any time you want (within reason) is helping the year-list no end. Last year we had a brief sojourn in Cyprus (seeing Wallcreeper and Finsch’s Wheatear) and I visited my old friend John Gilligan in Musselburgh, enjoying the birds of the East Lothian coast for a couple of blustery days. Helping compile the Cheshire Bird Report for 2017 was another new challenge but it was published before the end of the year with 2018 in prep, not to mention the 2019 Lancashire Bird Report data coming in now. Christmas was busy with family fun & frolics and footy matches but once January came around, it was time to get out and enjoy the remarkable number of good birds that were/are present.<br />
Lancashire has been blessed with some good winter birds this year, the mild weather encouraging several long-staying birds - the Long-billed Dowitcher at Marshside is a bit of a show-off as, rather surprisingly, is the Purple Heron at Eagland Hill. Add to those the Ring-necked Duck at Pine Lake and the usual winter fare of wildfowl and waders in abundance, January birding has been excellent.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long-billed Dowitcher, Marshside</td></tr>
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Even over the Pennines there are plenty of great birds and a trip with John Wright to see the Eastern Yellow Wagtail near Newcastle and Lesser Yellowlegs at Nosterfield was very successful.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxKQQwQ30sAnBsGSSvL9WNCZZyRWS-9vPGotJXHG7KMaspRTvVPHoDaC6ds9h52WSPulkI1fZY6FjfKl1QGbdq_PMF_D1Y6iTaSx2kX_5C9VC-ICGxVQyFrUmizvCHK_swK60C/s1600/6U2A9427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxKQQwQ30sAnBsGSSvL9WNCZZyRWS-9vPGotJXHG7KMaspRTvVPHoDaC6ds9h52WSPulkI1fZY6FjfKl1QGbdq_PMF_D1Y6iTaSx2kX_5C9VC-ICGxVQyFrUmizvCHK_swK60C/s400/6U2A9427.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Prestwick Carr</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Yesterday I decided to take myself off to South Yorkshire And the run of good scarce birds continued without hitch! First port of call was the Rough-legged Buzzard at Stainforth. It was sat in a tree visible from the road as I arrived but after 30 seconds of a scope filling view, it flew off! It’s a beautiful bird! From there it was only ten minutes to a couple of Cranes in a field near Thorne Moors and then onto Hatfield Moors where a Great Grey Shrike gave distant views.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FWsVl8HxycPK_AauiffctiseagDLcE2jy10Npr_Epg9udNNIJX3uxi8N3tMccgOsdm0lpboL7iT2iD88mK6XeAYItXxQ4e3VetzdSpx656g7zWiXJKelEf8bF0b_JgrJDVvT/s1600/IMG_5579.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1209" data-original-width="1486" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FWsVl8HxycPK_AauiffctiseagDLcE2jy10Npr_Epg9udNNIJX3uxi8N3tMccgOsdm0lpboL7iT2iD88mK6XeAYItXxQ4e3VetzdSpx656g7zWiXJKelEf8bF0b_JgrJDVvT/s320/IMG_5579.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Cranes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
From there it was off to Wakefield and Angler’s Country Park/Wintersett Reservoir which had load of birds including the sough-after Ferruginous Duck and a Long-tailed Duck. What was most pleasing was seeing Yellowhammers there - a species we see so little of now in Lancashire. Now back to some local birding.Dave Bickertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00734571723511231628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31472115.post-35744200643933354482019-11-04T18:44:00.000+00:002019-11-04T18:44:13.597+00:00Israel Sept-Oct 2019 Part 3 - Tel Aviv area<h3>
Wednesday 2nd October</h3>
Today we were heading back north to the Tel Aviv area via the Dead Sea and Jerusalem so we had a shot at a few birds we'd missed. We set off at 5am so that we could get to Hazeva around dawn. Our previous instructions for the Pharaoh Eagle Owl site had been slightly out by a couple of kilometres so as we approached a far more promising area two birds flew out of what turned out to be the roosting tree site even though we were at some distance. Goodness knows where they went but a local search couldn't find them so we departed knowing that our next stop would be very hot even though it was only early morning.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPX2YXBdPqP0nMvJ5sYF8W7sZ1lyZg8SYyX61tBU7GnBmsOZgMn_UCHU2T6tysh0IGF43Ppw7xgLNtr9NC7kalGwwe2YFH0TvgDkR4hh0F-nm46HUiI1bux7pzQ5j3oucRyb8_/s1600/Pharoah+eagle-owl_Israel_02-10-19_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPX2YXBdPqP0nMvJ5sYF8W7sZ1lyZg8SYyX61tBU7GnBmsOZgMn_UCHU2T6tysh0IGF43Ppw7xgLNtr9NC7kalGwwe2YFH0TvgDkR4hh0F-nm46HUiI1bux7pzQ5j3oucRyb8_/s320/Pharoah+eagle-owl_Israel_02-10-19_05.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Pharaoh Eagle Owl (MkB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Ashalim Reservoir just south of the Magnesium plant at the south end of the Dead Sea look absolutely splendid. We got a bit nearer than the last time and finally recorded Dead Sea Sparrow as well as a brief view of Clamarous Reed Warbler (which was singing). The usual waterbirds were all present but it was already 32 degrees and the sun was bouncing off the white ground making it feel like we were in an oven.<br />
We moved on to Mitspe Shalem where there was a visitor centre for the cosmetics factory and a pool for birds to drink. As we arrived a guy came up and showed us to the bird watching area. The pool was small and marshalled by a Spotted Flycatcher. We saw several Warblers in the small patch including Eastern Bonelli's, Sedge, Reed, Willow and Blackcap. However, no Striolated Buntings were here nor in another site a few km to the south.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsoC9khRwE9YCGjI-GcnA6gdnrqTRr6fbT6H-aejpBqo5ngL6QdAYBoFN3r95RSetygYw0XdyuTIw9EYtEiGoJXt7ek-3ad8_pMehgsDaa9p4OOIasPHeIqoPtJC3YU9oksjJF/s1600/eastern+Bonelli%2527s+warbler_Israe_02-10-19_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1046" data-original-width="1572" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsoC9khRwE9YCGjI-GcnA6gdnrqTRr6fbT6H-aejpBqo5ngL6QdAYBoFN3r95RSetygYw0XdyuTIw9EYtEiGoJXt7ek-3ad8_pMehgsDaa9p4OOIasPHeIqoPtJC3YU9oksjJF/s320/eastern+Bonelli%2527s+warbler_Israe_02-10-19_02.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler (MkB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
By mid afternoon we were back en-route to our hotel for the night at Tal Shahar. We got there around 3:45 and eventually got access to our room. We headed out to a couple of local reservoirs, Hulda and Tal Shachar - both were excellent with several Black-winged Kites in the area as well as Kestrels, Harriers, migrants such as Red-throated Pipits and quite a few waders including a Golden Plover.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4_3E25a_0mbp3M6BkQ9dlub5wseggPFYl0xFqZSEdsPI5SPTp6HRqhDDK9jUB_b431qT5K81CfaD4AZga3Vf5NqVximfirih09oZFp8rhPeE1rX0IC9m7MNWpuqu5y3o5gIBF/s1600/6U2A8640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1168" data-original-width="1600" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4_3E25a_0mbp3M6BkQ9dlub5wseggPFYl0xFqZSEdsPI5SPTp6HRqhDDK9jUB_b431qT5K81CfaD4AZga3Vf5NqVximfirih09oZFp8rhPeE1rX0IC9m7MNWpuqu5y3o5gIBF/s320/6U2A8640.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Black-winged Kite (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3>
Thursday 3rd October</h3>
Our final day started off at Ben Shemen Forest near the airport, a site which had had 1400 Lesser Spotted Eagles the previous day. We soon saw Jays and Sardinian Warblers as well as Syrian Woodpeckers and a Hobby. By 8am, the first few Lesser Spotted Eagles were in the air, leaving their overnight roost site and continuing their southward migration. What followed in the next hour was rather spectacular with 300+ Lesser Spotted, several Short-toed and the odd Booted and Steppe Eagle as well as Honey Buzzard, Eurasian and Levant Sparrowhawks, Hobby & Red-footed Falcon.<br />
The local birders were delighted with our presence - 'the first tourists to visit' allegedly. Well we had a good time and they handily suggested a few other sites we might try before we had to get to the airport.<br />
The first was at Shoham Forest Park next to a quarry area at 32°00'47.4"N 34°59'04.0"E where we found a single Long-billed Pipit along with Blue Rock Thrushes and Great Grey Shrikes. This was a great piece of habitat along a drivable road.<br />
Next we set off an hour or so north to the fish ponds at Ma'agan Michael. Stopping at the ponds at 32°34'37.0"N 34°55'37.1"E we had large numbers of Glossy Ibis, Great White Pelicans, Pygmy Cormorant, Temminck's Stint, Storks, Kingfishers of three species galore and lots more besides. Armenian gulls were common here. Eventually we made our way to the ponds a little further south and enjoyed more of the same but the beach there had lots of gulls and waders including the odd Turnstone, Sanderling, Grey Plover, Knot and Bar-tailed Godwit amongst the hordes of Ringed & Kentish Plovers, Dunlin and Little Stints whilst a male Citrine Wagtail made a brief appearance.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJiXWdNntOMpo3XNVXGgfBmQeBDVuD0F5GSJ21FEa1NKz8lwvMyobPzBrDYiiHN1UwNF815u9ko1X7GoondY0yjGX655h5cIjzudRcvypqlmmFEgnMWloaRvvo1Q7drYEG_tD/s1600/6U2A8791.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJiXWdNntOMpo3XNVXGgfBmQeBDVuD0F5GSJ21FEa1NKz8lwvMyobPzBrDYiiHN1UwNF815u9ko1X7GoondY0yjGX655h5cIjzudRcvypqlmmFEgnMWloaRvvo1Q7drYEG_tD/s320/6U2A8791.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Great White Pelican (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="1600" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwWNQmZlAXAXtpGCTwUVJCLQCDtntmwvzKpb2lte5rkazsm19wAIohg-d8Gc7Tki1Xfw1QQeZKUMV2VzXSefeoha6eUTUJXxUtz8GsCmNO_sze5gMBU1uoRzPA6ILvQwQe3Ik_/s320/6U2A8852.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Armenian Gulls (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwWNQmZlAXAXtpGCTwUVJCLQCDtntmwvzKpb2lte5rkazsm19wAIohg-d8Gc7Tki1Xfw1QQeZKUMV2VzXSefeoha6eUTUJXxUtz8GsCmNO_sze5gMBU1uoRzPA6ILvQwQe3Ik_/s1600/6U2A8852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJqCq-9PkO06gh3A5wXIWPoTuXNQJ_ZYkKPerPoMa37DnWxxgVpuZK-4gkZaudKO7S8IFlEuE_5oIZKBJCq5IT1qFvRDbGZI3jU9aDgkGb_gUNzRMMlQvdgGIfbngPMMfVlHv/s1600/6U2A8858.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJqCq-9PkO06gh3A5wXIWPoTuXNQJ_ZYkKPerPoMa37DnWxxgVpuZK-4gkZaudKO7S8IFlEuE_5oIZKBJCq5IT1qFvRDbGZI3jU9aDgkGb_gUNzRMMlQvdgGIfbngPMMfVlHv/s320/6U2A8858.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Pied Kingfisher (DB)</span></td></tr>
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Eventually it was time to depart but at 3pm, we found the entrance gate closed (the tracks are private but we'd been told if the gate was open, it's fine to drive around) - fortunately, a local woman who'd been at the beach shack also had the same fate and she called the number and we were eventually let out. Not sure what we'd have done without her help!<br />
So that concluded our 10 day trip to southern Israel with 196 species recorded and 24 lifers for me (Mark even got 7 lifers).<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Dave Bickertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00734571723511231628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31472115.post-85278954095228106642019-11-04T18:37:00.000+00:002019-11-04T18:37:18.327+00:00Israel Sept-Oct 2019 Part 2 - Eilat<h3>
Saturday 28th September</h3>
Most places would be closed today so it was the day we decided to travel down to Eilat and call in at desert sites en-route (as the military wouldn’t be active).<br />
We passed through Mitzpe Ramon and the ‘crater’ - a rather spectacular geological formation - and stopped to bird the expanse of stony desert at HaMeishar Plains. Here we found Bar-tailed Desert Lark and Temminck’s Larks as well as Hooded Wheatear, Short-toed Larks, Barbary Falcon, a few sandgrouse and a herd of Onagers.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrYpjlnergy90Q3JRIy3hyktRwHWzrbCXOnikP2hcBtXNhEODjWiFuFXAzw-CdKkSSKdGrTvThoUPFMgA-zlKs0xlOTqHgxYL6V_m4mPRn0iTwr0ApDfPdanWlkIkgnnxOSykb/s1600/6U2A7571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrYpjlnergy90Q3JRIy3hyktRwHWzrbCXOnikP2hcBtXNhEODjWiFuFXAzw-CdKkSSKdGrTvThoUPFMgA-zlKs0xlOTqHgxYL6V_m4mPRn0iTwr0ApDfPdanWlkIkgnnxOSykb/s320/6U2A7571.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Onagers (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We doubled back to a drinking pool at Yeleq Cistern where we had around 20 Sinai Rosefinches as well as the usual Blackstarts, Desert Larks and Mourning Wheatears.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia4wgeAfiPfEOmUni9OW8JYUk16H5S6XxB5TCN72-su2HJqdXkCKKe9rWwZqt-reEhxF0KrTCVLxqMnEqzt82VzJbPKwHiw1kYjbS9B2jcy2WArZEgfnNNY_j-AU3GeLMX-DCa/s1600/bar-tailed+desert+lark_Israel_28-09-19_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="646" data-original-width="971" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia4wgeAfiPfEOmUni9OW8JYUk16H5S6XxB5TCN72-su2HJqdXkCKKe9rWwZqt-reEhxF0KrTCVLxqMnEqzt82VzJbPKwHiw1kYjbS9B2jcy2WArZEgfnNNY_j-AU3GeLMX-DCa/s320/bar-tailed+desert+lark_Israel_28-09-19_03.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Bar-tailed Desert Lark (MkB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRrW4ZU_j6JkqqXtFNKGrzLHNpeWHQR5KB1xV2m1Eyf_G8lMctTzkFThUMe85UNy_hyw6doTEwCDF8yeW2QTh2vmVzfmmcmPXnj87dVRg6RF_VmVy8Gg4FlWQYi6y0rfDp5O9F/s1600/Sinai+rosefinch_Israel_28-09-19_06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRrW4ZU_j6JkqqXtFNKGrzLHNpeWHQR5KB1xV2m1Eyf_G8lMctTzkFThUMe85UNy_hyw6doTEwCDF8yeW2QTh2vmVzfmmcmPXnj87dVRg6RF_VmVy8Gg4FlWQYi6y0rfDp5O9F/s320/Sinai+rosefinch_Israel_28-09-19_06.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Sinai Rosefinch (MkB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn4QKI4Cup0ExR3V2bHTrUSHMOw1-0mkOxpnKEKzAcgHHML1uUyOx6gAmt8tiP76EYeHTP-kdRXpbl3FVQKy1WGdGoZRCiNHhp7Cqj_l9tcdE7BdHBUcZmfDqjV2fNFbMtcx2_/s1600/streaked+scrub+warbler_Israel_28-09-19_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="964" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn4QKI4Cup0ExR3V2bHTrUSHMOw1-0mkOxpnKEKzAcgHHML1uUyOx6gAmt8tiP76EYeHTP-kdRXpbl3FVQKy1WGdGoZRCiNHhp7Cqj_l9tcdE7BdHBUcZmfDqjV2fNFbMtcx2_/s320/streaked+scrub+warbler_Israel_28-09-19_02.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Streaked Scrub Warbler (MkB)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On to Eilat and we first stopped at a wildlife park near Samar where the Black Bush Robins were but was told that it wasn’t open for visitors. Allegedly you could see where they hopped around from the car park but you needed to be there in the morning. So we continued onto the Km 20 Flamingo Pools where we had lots of birds. 100’s of Little Stints with large numbers of Black-winged Stilts, Ringed & Kentish Plovers, Red-necked Phalarope, sandpipers of all sorts as well as 300+ Greater Flamingos and 20 Slender-billed Gulls. What a place, made all the more special with stonking views of Hoopoe Larks on the eastern edge.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaZechNT94wCFJKzhgbpcEuQhXq_3zKmAkdnXjwn8VXccwEvoDV6c_-eRWv22BiaGEzh2z4bfhC5eqxVn4qcLMj0Vil3KFItJ4beFYeM8KZACZHJzCdCVLelVx5vBp4dcI09Jl/s1600/6U2A7930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaZechNT94wCFJKzhgbpcEuQhXq_3zKmAkdnXjwn8VXccwEvoDV6c_-eRWv22BiaGEzh2z4bfhC5eqxVn4qcLMj0Vil3KFItJ4beFYeM8KZACZHJzCdCVLelVx5vBp4dcI09Jl/s320/6U2A7930.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Hoopoe Lark (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We then went to find our apartment which took some time but eventually successful after which we headed back out to the Km19 Sewage Pool where Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse should come to drink at dusk. We got our first White Storks of the trip and the reed-fringed pool held lots of herons including Squacco and an African Swamphen but though we waited patiently until it was virtually pitch-black, there were no sandgrouse. So it was back to Eilat and an Irish bar that was open where we could watch the footie!<br />
<br />
<h3>
Sunday 29th September</h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOxf5fY6oxtBEAR2TYtFHfeK5LeSxZV1tAS9eG6xDBDUbFf_8a89_TugfsOB9ekFKJy3-Rk6CxtWPr_XcrCI4Z2qyxmjahsjGsPO5Ru8gQzEZPFQZebLlIK_NT6AwORDq2MHCB/s1600/6U2A8121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="1600" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOxf5fY6oxtBEAR2TYtFHfeK5LeSxZV1tAS9eG6xDBDUbFf_8a89_TugfsOB9ekFKJy3-Rk6CxtWPr_XcrCI4Z2qyxmjahsjGsPO5Ru8gQzEZPFQZebLlIK_NT6AwORDq2MHCB/s320/6U2A8121.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">White-cheeked Tern (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We started the day at North Beach, Eilat where, after ticking off House Crow and Striated Heron for the trip we had good views of White-cheeked Terns and more distant views of White-eyed Gulls making their way to Jordan offshore.<br />
From here it was onto the Birdwatching Centre which was undergoing a lot of reconstruction work - it had a good selection of waders but few land migrants (Wryneck, Redstart, Spotted Flycatcher, Tree Pipit, Red-backed Shrike) as was to be the case the rest of the trip. We did manage to see a Crested (Oriental) Honey Buzzard as it made its way across the reserve as well as a flock of around 20 Levant Sparrowhawks. A flock of Indian Silverbills were seen here and later in the day along the back road to the Flamingo Pools which had much the same fare as the previous day - we continued to scratch our heads regards the identification of the juvenile gulls there and at the Km19 pool.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUbj4ALDUE3ssibHtduHoAm-NQHISToPAsViWFgQ6U0xWQiIg6UrRexbQ68Ob0Ykd3OV_ODhU-JfBpScTjf0ELjaTe2CuSIkUZJcedvUhrEf4uEFAWWVXR72lP-GqBdgbgSXw1/s1600/6U2A8180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1123" data-original-width="1600" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUbj4ALDUE3ssibHtduHoAm-NQHISToPAsViWFgQ6U0xWQiIg6UrRexbQ68Ob0Ykd3OV_ODhU-JfBpScTjf0ELjaTe2CuSIkUZJcedvUhrEf4uEFAWWVXR72lP-GqBdgbgSXw1/s320/6U2A8180.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Levant Sparrowhawk (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXgy6j26jMjcCdWC3w84k8qivfIT9klOiDc85eBVVPHL0vv8o4qY6y-6Z_csshAG_9GWxM83RGvMvNNN66L0asnnPxLWfCDHEYAnTYu1HVfbWxNR6WbQeGXiMa6xqpuL7fvyn_/s1600/6U2A8184.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXgy6j26jMjcCdWC3w84k8qivfIT9klOiDc85eBVVPHL0vv8o4qY6y-6Z_csshAG_9GWxM83RGvMvNNN66L0asnnPxLWfCDHEYAnTYu1HVfbWxNR6WbQeGXiMa6xqpuL7fvyn_/s320/6U2A8184.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Blackstart (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj13twlUKab9LEuAdfmfgF52-f8dAVh32O6cs9iAK2ccqK-JPRI6jY-LK661_jQbyeGW_K3DThrIBsFtOnHCDbWPmAtEylM0_37_tOoHFgFpcEuYRGB1ZAd81YHnHrfxBh4ZnBz/s1600/6U2A8225.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1165" data-original-width="1600" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj13twlUKab9LEuAdfmfgF52-f8dAVh32O6cs9iAK2ccqK-JPRI6jY-LK661_jQbyeGW_K3DThrIBsFtOnHCDbWPmAtEylM0_37_tOoHFgFpcEuYRGB1ZAd81YHnHrfxBh4ZnBz/s320/6U2A8225.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />Oriental Honey Buzzard (DB)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMR-QriJxpU_Z1RYovmtDdg7IDUa-XgIWYbhJQZUHxrKSG0WRsKXptk8dusR072ua4FAdxZSfJeb9mwHGtgeidYCznF739XUNC08_gTq4wLWhx5aK5g5ZVeblyUDmkk0H-pAxN/s1600/6U2A8242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMR-QriJxpU_Z1RYovmtDdg7IDUa-XgIWYbhJQZUHxrKSG0WRsKXptk8dusR072ua4FAdxZSfJeb9mwHGtgeidYCznF739XUNC08_gTq4wLWhx5aK5g5ZVeblyUDmkk0H-pAxN/s320/6U2A8242.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Spotted Flycatcher (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It was very hot so we had an extended break in the afternoon which did us all the world of good, before heading back out to Km19 to dip the sandgrouse once again.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Monday 30th September</h3>
We set off early back north to our first port of call, Samar kibbutz. Fortunately, despite it being the New Year, the gates were open and we wandered around the orchard in search of Black Bush Robins. Eventually, one popped into view and quickly disappeared in the direction of the main housing area. Red-throated Pipits called overhead.<br />
We headed back towards the football pitch where we got some excellent, prolonged views of these recent colonists.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaoV-jUH19VFTY6mqctQh4JzSSQYSI86PBHU0K-WQOwExtYtSYAFBvXPIELjMQFuwTlwFydN13gmXclBV-gUn2sfS-N9pXLI5YReoRaryAszRqJN0t5RY2hLAlzEkGXvSPpL5N/s1600/6U2A8388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaoV-jUH19VFTY6mqctQh4JzSSQYSI86PBHU0K-WQOwExtYtSYAFBvXPIELjMQFuwTlwFydN13gmXclBV-gUn2sfS-N9pXLI5YReoRaryAszRqJN0t5RY2hLAlzEkGXvSPpL5N/s320/6U2A8388.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Black Bush Robin (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We then set off for the circular fields of Yotvata where we came across a large flock of short-toed Larks, several Red-throated Pipits in amongst a large flock of Yellow Wagtails, several Wheatears and Whinchats, a flock of Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters but no coursers which had been there a few days previously.<br />
After lunch at the Yotvata "Theme Park" (as nothing would be open in Eilat), we headed back via the Flamingo Pools where the wader numbers had reduced a little but we did find the White-throated Bee-eater that hadn't been seen for a couple of weeks, so ended up with a 4 Bee-eater species day. The evening trip to Km19 was aborted straight away as there were locals fishing the inlet so we went back to the Birdwatching Centre where we'd been told that if we stand on the bank above, the Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse flew through at dusk and at 18:49, three did just that, flying fast and low over the bank, over the field and into Jordan. Five minutes later, a Nightjar flew right past us!<br />
<br />
<h3>
Tuesday 1st October</h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib2iA-WtS_GnNBSRKu9AgplvhEysSInKdc4peGpugAj4aSuIr5n2ip2oGcJ9CJfkaA0Es2wnYN67g3xMoXRyUxQplXSo8RtH_f00ql9f0Marx-xIkYet9ZnerEj6FnQdVb5MsZ/s1600/6U2A8507.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib2iA-WtS_GnNBSRKu9AgplvhEysSInKdc4peGpugAj4aSuIr5n2ip2oGcJ9CJfkaA0Es2wnYN67g3xMoXRyUxQplXSo8RtH_f00ql9f0Marx-xIkYet9ZnerEj6FnQdVb5MsZ/s320/6U2A8507.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Masked Shrike (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We spent the morning at the Birdwatching Centre where we were able to examine Savi's and Eastern Olivaceous Warblers in the hand - I think it's unlikely I'll get the chance in the UK! There were several Red-backed and Masked Shrikes around as well as the odd Tree Pipit and Spotted Flycatcher. We also got a splendid Wryneck in one of the bushes, two Oriental Honey Buzzards and a passing juvenile Montagu's Harrier (third of the trip) right over our heads.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQnbUwHGfpjOjz97yENBGRPjy4lvwWYUTX1Qi9jfKixKLP0aVM0dnEtASQ2XETZb1UeNS_iM2cmsGWNaE-NNUrI21NgDRdo7pTeGHtJUq3u_fZfMdWWKvWz3BaSvCBjjEUfKI/s1600/6U2A8458.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1193" data-original-width="1600" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQnbUwHGfpjOjz97yENBGRPjy4lvwWYUTX1Qi9jfKixKLP0aVM0dnEtASQ2XETZb1UeNS_iM2cmsGWNaE-NNUrI21NgDRdo7pTeGHtJUq3u_fZfMdWWKvWz3BaSvCBjjEUfKI/s320/6U2A8458.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Wryneck (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxB9lzStmLxmdQ9aLMge4xZdKuu_bF6IfCYix5EthmG8SNXFnu_rFQ-_RQ0PceZArm0H2WPxkjUBUlpHOfoYBmkgPYhzoilg_n3YZqY2OfDTrKfGLkUmxjOkguNaoAPFVnPlFi/s1600/6U2A8540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1054" data-original-width="1600" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxB9lzStmLxmdQ9aLMge4xZdKuu_bF6IfCYix5EthmG8SNXFnu_rFQ-_RQ0PceZArm0H2WPxkjUBUlpHOfoYBmkgPYhzoilg_n3YZqY2OfDTrKfGLkUmxjOkguNaoAPFVnPlFi/s320/6U2A8540.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Montagu’s Harrier (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwcIHYhyzAZIjFOorNHe6yWQ1dm4mLsNSuF_feVv9USb3hZlyCmhN0NoxyydNJwsEdP3twsemXJo5DM19EckkUi-yP8sqp5e5Yce2kqcv25SOfFskos1lV2hbn3CKmmBaBxef8/s1600/6U2A8574.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwcIHYhyzAZIjFOorNHe6yWQ1dm4mLsNSuF_feVv9USb3hZlyCmhN0NoxyydNJwsEdP3twsemXJo5DM19EckkUi-yP8sqp5e5Yce2kqcv25SOfFskos1lV2hbn3CKmmBaBxef8/s320/6U2A8574.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Eastern Olivaceous Warblers (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
From there it was off to the Eilat Mountains for a very hot three-hour vigil for passing raptors. We did see a few birds, 5 Steppe Buzzards, 2 Short-toed Eagles, 4 Booted Eagles and 3 Steppe Eagles as well as several Marsh Harriers and a few other bits and bobs.<br />
The late evening trip to the Flamingo Pools and Km19 didn't bring anything new and the sandgrouse didn't appear again (we stayed until 19:20 when it was very dark!).<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Dave Bickertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00734571723511231628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31472115.post-62491649142031087852019-11-04T18:25:00.000+00:002019-11-04T18:25:06.771+00:00Israel Sept-Oct 2019 Part 1 - Negev<br />
<h2 style="margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Israel 2019</b></h2>
<h4>
A summary of a birding trip from 24 Sept – 3 Oct 2019<br />Dave Bickerton, Mark Breaks, Margaret Breaks.</h4>
<h3>
<o:p></o:p></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">A year of hospital appointments, surgery and the like have meant I've been rather tardy at keeping my blog up-to-date. However, retirement has arrived and so my first trip was to Israel with Mark & Margaret Breaks for an out-of-season visit.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQj4hyphenhyphenTR1B1mqxFW-R-C4yPZ-QT29ngSa3aJgvlU7DKhRu2hXq8paepxwSn-gUw2kdP0Ik82ZS72P4OjwM9v2CLQtpv7XGEK4Z8kPHJJGoEKIpOl1Ix9HciJrdUEhIlgWKcMM/s1600/6U2A6857.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1133" data-original-width="1600" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQj4hyphenhyphenTR1B1mqxFW-R-C4yPZ-QT29ngSa3aJgvlU7DKhRu2hXq8paepxwSn-gUw2kdP0Ik82ZS72P4OjwM9v2CLQtpv7XGEK4Z8kPHJJGoEKIpOl1Ix9HciJrdUEhIlgWKcMM/s320/6U2A6857.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Little Green Bee-eater (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">T</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">he
fir</span>st plan for a post retirement birding trip was to Fair Isle - everything was
booked and then the observatory burnt down! So an alternative was sought and
Mark suggested Israel. I’d never been to that area so was keen on that but a
little concerned about the heat at that time of year - it turned out to be just
as hot as we thought but we made the best of early mornings and late afternoon
when a welcome breeze would typically pick up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So
plans were made for Mark, Margaret and I to travel to southern Israel in late
September, flying EasyJet from Manchester to Tel Aviv, hiring a car from Budget
and spending five nights in Dimona, four in Eilat and one near Tel Aviv. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Dimona?
Why there??”, was the oft asked question. Well we thought it would be centrally
located for the sites we planned to visit in the northern part of the Negev and
indeed it turned out to work quite well though the immigration officer and
others beside would look extremely puzzled that anyone would want to stay
there. (There were precious few places to stay in the area and English wasn’t
widely spoken or written as in the more cosmopolitan and touristy areas.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Accommodation-wise,
all the self-catering apartments were clean and moderately comfortable though
the first (Hadass Desert Inn, Dimona) was spoilt by the noisiest waste water
system I’ve ever encountered! The second (City Apartments, Eilat) was difficult
to find and the third in Tal Shahar was vacant - the proprietors had got the
wrong day for our arrival but fortunately a very kind neighbour helped out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Refuelling
the car was fun as all the pump instructions were in Hebrew so help was always
sought - paying by card took a deposit and the unused balance credited a few
days later. Food was also a challenge around Dimona as very few restaurants but
we managed. Portion sizes were on the large side!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now
to the birds and sites. Mark had received several recommendations from Yoav
Perlman who was meant to take us for some nocturnal birds but he was called
away to the USA so Meidad Goren took his place that one evening. A trip report
by Steve Arlow was also very useful along with the maps which were remarkably
accurate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<h3 style="margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></h3>
<h3 style="margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Tuesday 24th September</span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We
had arrived at our hotel in Dimona around 11pm but we were up at 5:30 to head
off south-west to </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">Yeroham Lake</b><span style="font-family: inherit;">, just 15 minutes away. This turned out to
be a very pleasant spot and one we’d return to on some evenings.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEgnbIeLQHiQ-Ab2C_9e5ACJQzVlo9yePYL6udpsHMhII-yEMLmGk4t_maOKy8m9O38uZcqGpC8zHCsJz5brCHSa3gtfKFX1SpItj-NeGMHm2CcJZc2X_M25ATEveG21Ia_2-5/s1600/6U2A6590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEgnbIeLQHiQ-Ab2C_9e5ACJQzVlo9yePYL6udpsHMhII-yEMLmGk4t_maOKy8m9O38uZcqGpC8zHCsJz5brCHSa3gtfKFX1SpItj-NeGMHm2CcJZc2X_M25ATEveG21Ia_2-5/s320/6U2A6590.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Arabian Babbler (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We
soon started picking up birds such as Syrian Woodpecker, Crested Lark, Arabian
Babbler, various herons, ducks and waders as well as an African Swamphen.
Common birds included the ubiquitous Spur-winged Lapwing, Graceful Prinia,
White-spectacled Bulbul, Tristram’s Starling, Palestine Sunbird, Masked Shrike
and Spanish Sparrow. Laughing and Collared Doves were encountered everywhere we
went. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:226.5pt;height:160.5pt'>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinzOKJ-Mw0p9caqy5BUEIoiFlQsP8ET6_U3yNeqXQah4M5TsX5gBGH5PMzSVwoRWCIyVjWYJU_wp0Xfwv07Os-OjldzESKkmL2m1z8xfhWFUzUPLLKJNb4MFJtPUs1mNh_GtrA/s1600/6U2A6610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1016" data-original-width="1424" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinzOKJ-Mw0p9caqy5BUEIoiFlQsP8ET6_U3yNeqXQah4M5TsX5gBGH5PMzSVwoRWCIyVjWYJU_wp0Xfwv07Os-OjldzESKkmL2m1z8xfhWFUzUPLLKJNb4MFJtPUs1mNh_GtrA/s320/6U2A6610.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Syrian Woodpecker</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">After
an hour here we moved on to <b>Revivim</b> where there was a pool that
sandgrouse visit to drink. This was another good site though we had to watch
from a vantage point. There were plenty of waders here and not before too long,
sandgrouse (Back-bellied and Spotted) began to appear, circling around before
alighting next to the water at the far end of the pool for a brief moment and
then moving off. We probably had up to 100 Spotted and 20 Black-bellied in the
hour that we were there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhMm0Y6DAqPi-P9HJuTs7wiY0Nk1uTtrDuK7N5-hpp13WySQARG00Mjw0nWabpECaIERjWMBSKrDvW6PV3seH2jEfdDsA5ceKxu3NP4xx_vhX3f4IoKWmGSdPLAJzLnVU8wMu/s1600/6U2A6687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhMm0Y6DAqPi-P9HJuTs7wiY0Nk1uTtrDuK7N5-hpp13WySQARG00Mjw0nWabpECaIERjWMBSKrDvW6PV3seH2jEfdDsA5ceKxu3NP4xx_vhX3f4IoKWmGSdPLAJzLnVU8wMu/s320/6U2A6687.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Spotted Sandgrouse (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">From
here, were continued on to <b>HaBsor</b>, a reservoir and river/wadi area which
would probably have been better if we’d got there earlier as with many sites.
Even so we had plenty of good birds with a large flock of Black Kites (the only
one we really had all trip), Short-toed Eagle, Osprey, Egyptian Vulture, Levant
Sparrowhawk and Steppe Buzzard representing the raptors, Black Storks, European
and Little Green Bee-eaters, White-throated Kingfisher, Hoopoe, Red-backed and
Great Grey Shrikes, Chukar, Isabelline & Mourning Wheatears and a family of
Stone Curlews. Various waders were seen on the pools with Little Stints common
alongside small numbers of Marsh, Wood and Green Sandpipers, Spotted Redshank
and Greenshank.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvW6OOVKwD9KLK_-vSkg0si2LexWIBb_z0Cpk71jd306WdXq-tjvuPaxM0Cx3Q7AeCA29GepyKF3cgoh18gZ7UyeiihW_F0-YSolv-J0lHHXC4BhDMMFD-OGw9Bi4L0lUmg84Y/s1600/6U2A6755.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvW6OOVKwD9KLK_-vSkg0si2LexWIBb_z0Cpk71jd306WdXq-tjvuPaxM0Cx3Q7AeCA29GepyKF3cgoh18gZ7UyeiihW_F0-YSolv-J0lHHXC4BhDMMFD-OGw9Bi4L0lUmg84Y/s320/6U2A6755.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Hoopoe (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqO08aA09g6aSH6M-R86_78OpWoiI8D2RGGRjw0SIgmsY7PsQd0MtBz4hswLYefrWvrbPaPQH7YXXtP6hVfEQTM-5iVsncvQrujLfdWGfK-mjYMbUvyU4lPGY8rjVY1uAUgAq/s1600/6U2A6813.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqO08aA09g6aSH6M-R86_78OpWoiI8D2RGGRjw0SIgmsY7PsQd0MtBz4hswLYefrWvrbPaPQH7YXXtP6hVfEQTM-5iVsncvQrujLfdWGfK-mjYMbUvyU4lPGY8rjVY1uAUgAq/s320/6U2A6813.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Stone Curlew (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin: 6pt 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Once
we’d driven the length of a very bumpy track along the west side of the ‘river’,
we headed towards <b>Be’er Sheva</b> to try and find the park lake where some
marsh terns had been seen. This turned out to be a building site with the lake
on the far side. Sure enough, there were Black, White-winged Black and
Whiskered Terns there along with Kingfishers and Yellow Wagtails.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgITnbX8du5qDOMFu2PsskaB82WvLXm97lhvKYJ3x7rK31cabFQqglxoVWyFMGapU3f3YSRZ99RAPpYYk8YhLM2-o0PiuGtF7T9MpKvRGGN8kZbJCdUuXc4UnY5NcxqMELlXBsF/s1600/white-winged+black+tern_Israel_24-09-19_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="1344" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgITnbX8du5qDOMFu2PsskaB82WvLXm97lhvKYJ3x7rK31cabFQqglxoVWyFMGapU3f3YSRZ99RAPpYYk8YhLM2-o0PiuGtF7T9MpKvRGGN8kZbJCdUuXc4UnY5NcxqMELlXBsF/s320/white-winged+black+tern_Israel_24-09-19_02.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">White-winged Black Tern (MkB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="930" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM0KGahLCZUTZUGIEj57-VlfAsXliahUEonT0BsZqGsOT28bRaD3PIb0UKTJbF91yjLBS4UBmevLrJYg2RVLmGIuvcgVg7pTJMT99AuUIyTqdJo-bRmouZygR-YBVkpnUy62X3/s320/whiskered+tern_Israel_24-09-19_01.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Whiskered Tern (MkB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM0KGahLCZUTZUGIEj57-VlfAsXliahUEonT0BsZqGsOT28bRaD3PIb0UKTJbF91yjLBS4UBmevLrJYg2RVLmGIuvcgVg7pTJMT99AuUIyTqdJo-bRmouZygR-YBVkpnUy62X3/s1600/whiskered+tern_Israel_24-09-19_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM0KGahLCZUTZUGIEj57-VlfAsXliahUEonT0BsZqGsOT28bRaD3PIb0UKTJbF91yjLBS4UBmevLrJYg2RVLmGIuvcgVg7pTJMT99AuUIyTqdJo-bRmouZygR-YBVkpnUy62X3/s1600/whiskered+tern_Israel_24-09-19_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></div>
<div style="margin: 6pt 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It
was nearly 3pm and rather hot so we headed back to Dimona for a siesta and then
back out to Yeroham that evening where we had a flock of 16 Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters,
60+ European Bee-eaters, Blackstart, lots of Yellow Wagtails and Sparrows as
well as hirundines and herons all coming into roost.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 6pt 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Wednesday 25th September</span></h3>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Today
we were to meet Meidad around 5pm for Sooty Falcons and night birds so we spent
the morning a little way past Yeroham at <b>Sde Boker</b>. Starting in the
south-western fields, we came across a large group of Short-toed Larks, a Tawny
Pipit and a few sandgrouse overhead (1 Back-bellied and 7 Spotted). Isabelline
Wheatears were common and we had a few migrants such as Whinchat, Wood
Sandpiper, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg89H0SJsHqguB9fOzDnwjLGcnkhm5_lPLfhZhNfGVoIhh6-sYOTVHVUsJLmb09fm9RlfFrJ0PFFZLEAlR9y9Fj9lszGjopzZfVxiAy1ITO-jQvOUlumSyT_9d5rwS10_WkfmGo/s1600/6U2A6911.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1135" data-original-width="1600" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg89H0SJsHqguB9fOzDnwjLGcnkhm5_lPLfhZhNfGVoIhh6-sYOTVHVUsJLmb09fm9RlfFrJ0PFFZLEAlR9y9Fj9lszGjopzZfVxiAy1ITO-jQvOUlumSyT_9d5rwS10_WkfmGo/s320/6U2A6911.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Griffon Vultures (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We
moved onto the <b>Ben-Gurion Memorial Park</b> area where we had more common
migrants such as Spotted Flycatcher, Redstart and Blackcap with Griffon
Vultures overhead. We tried a few other places in the area but there was not a
great deal out of the ordinary so we went back to Dimona for something to eat
and some rest before we headed out to the Dead Sea and <b>Lot Reservoir</b> at
Neve Sohar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhle0qy4VLdgRqkvgnnyGgoUjqUK9X-sU_ZrUvqZIIbdYmlbH4A3Y1gEg73PwyFOvVFHFd1X7zXi3Xg53rNiXnR55eizEO3FwGc3_b0rjuUGYAaBrHJBxSt4ShNeAaFGGDa4RhG/s1600/IMG_E5215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="964" data-original-width="1600" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhle0qy4VLdgRqkvgnnyGgoUjqUK9X-sU_ZrUvqZIIbdYmlbH4A3Y1gEg73PwyFOvVFHFd1X7zXi3Xg53rNiXnR55eizEO3FwGc3_b0rjuUGYAaBrHJBxSt4ShNeAaFGGDa4RhG/s320/IMG_E5215.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Only another 400m down to get to the Dead Sea (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh05FmTYHVMrGRwiUSJ3uTtqidyBD0aUw9EHaKnzFCsoQeBevIt5kk-fOich0FqBAVMm36jyVqLhSoihAcNR3SGM9U46I87CbhgPLEqiK8L0DK4Zlqy2ooYNor-Ausn9B5ADv5r/s1600/IMG_5217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh05FmTYHVMrGRwiUSJ3uTtqidyBD0aUw9EHaKnzFCsoQeBevIt5kk-fOich0FqBAVMm36jyVqLhSoihAcNR3SGM9U46I87CbhgPLEqiK8L0DK4Zlqy2ooYNor-Ausn9B5ADv5r/s320/IMG_5217.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The Dead Sea Magnesium plant in the background with its associated salt pans (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We
met Meidad bang on 5pm and planned our evening. It appeared that we couldn’t go
for any owls as they’re all protected now and therefore unvisitable. That left
us with potential Sooty Falcons coming to take hirundines at a nearby roost
(they breed in the area but it’s like finding a needle in a haystack) and then
Nubian Nightjar. Whilst waiting we chalked up White-crowned Black Wheatear and
as dusk descended, Mark noted a falcon on a distant pylon. This turned out to
be a Sooty and was joined two more birds over the marsh hunting dragonflies
before dropping low at dark to chase hirundines. Once it had gone dark, we set
off for an area at the south of the Dead Sea for the nightjar but after five
hours of searching we had to give up. Probably the wrong time of year.</span><br />
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdFo8YINcY8ravi6HXzV3x6rRmcfPhW1y-0QS4uZpsiinsms3OSC1bDZrvod-vk9he3FY-iGZabYDm9F8n2otnSMgYP0x6AaXgQRrRcKm2ybz0jN6cMSxgspatdCZvOxaRKtAr/s1600/golden+spiny+mouse_Israel_25-09-19_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdFo8YINcY8ravi6HXzV3x6rRmcfPhW1y-0QS4uZpsiinsms3OSC1bDZrvod-vk9he3FY-iGZabYDm9F8n2otnSMgYP0x6AaXgQRrRcKm2ybz0jN6cMSxgspatdCZvOxaRKtAr/s320/golden+spiny+mouse_Israel_25-09-19_02.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Golden Spiny Mouse (MkB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Thursday 26th September</span></h3>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It
was an early start to get to <b>Shezaf NR, Hazeva</b> about an hour’s drive
from Dimona where we’d hoped to get Pharaoh Eagle Owl. We had a nice Namaqua
Dove and Golden Oriole on the way as well as our first Desert Larks. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZnjdgQx-CNVO410-5AJGtXfBo7eWx6dfSqnwW2OB-fCQTtgkAeQy2YEdYR9eYJeVYsV3XcbarX_7LoB8HEI7UGe31p4nEs4AtAQDKCffsGtY9-lXKAi-GMRKIcy5bQ6PXNVRq/s1600/namaqua+dove_Israel_26-09-19_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZnjdgQx-CNVO410-5AJGtXfBo7eWx6dfSqnwW2OB-fCQTtgkAeQy2YEdYR9eYJeVYsV3XcbarX_7LoB8HEI7UGe31p4nEs4AtAQDKCffsGtY9-lXKAi-GMRKIcy5bQ6PXNVRq/s320/namaqua+dove_Israel_26-09-19_01.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Namaqua Dove (MkB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin: 6pt 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We
search the wadi area about a mile to the south of the kibbutz - there were
plenty of Little Green Bee-eaters and Arabian Babblers (subject of a
long-running local study where the birds were fed and ringed). Lesser
Whitethroat, Streaked Scrub Warbler, Black-eared Wheatear, Sand Partridge and a
few migrants were seen and finally we came across a couple of Arabian Warblers
which performed rather well alongside an Eastern Orphean Warbler!</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkt9_hKlbfygBrdXjTq7RkDSvRSQyBY66rZFWrNBTdFLRoddHY_p63uHIRLWj5QenQHCYN_5bgxAGC-chSx5WwOlGnIAhHhvsK0t8B8zN7rvttVvwJ3CrcBRrUN1PcUFDFxgHL/s1600/6U2A6999.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1081" data-original-width="1600" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkt9_hKlbfygBrdXjTq7RkDSvRSQyBY66rZFWrNBTdFLRoddHY_p63uHIRLWj5QenQHCYN_5bgxAGC-chSx5WwOlGnIAhHhvsK0t8B8zN7rvttVvwJ3CrcBRrUN1PcUFDFxgHL/s320/6U2A6999.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Arabian Warblers (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin: 6pt 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It
was a hot walk back to the car but we then headed back north to <b><span style="color: #222222;">Ashalim Reservoir</span></b> near the Magnesium plant on the Dead
Sea - lots of birds in there but not very accessible. From there we headed to <b>Masada</b>
(we didn’t go up to the fort) where we had lots of Fan-tailed Ravens and a
juvenile Steppe Eagle.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9JqNUt0it8xGiXVgkSsCDVUOFsXauJ3c-AGw0XF2k34gAVMUTnUvBJBr4w6eBe2fOMOHpNRbjg0UPtfJNhSM15andOJ551GttK-iXK4GaQAysn9xotdGJS0iCtvL6QMWojcQw/s1600/6U2A7098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9JqNUt0it8xGiXVgkSsCDVUOFsXauJ3c-AGw0XF2k34gAVMUTnUvBJBr4w6eBe2fOMOHpNRbjg0UPtfJNhSM15andOJ551GttK-iXK4GaQAysn9xotdGJS0iCtvL6QMWojcQw/s320/6U2A7098.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Fan-tailed Ravens (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin: 6pt 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">After
an afternoon break we hit <b>Yeroham Lake</b> again where we got 4 Alpine
Swifts and a Red-breasted Flycatcher.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 6pt 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Friday 27th September<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Today
we headed to <b>Ezuz</b> near the Egyptian border to spend some time in the
photographic hide there. On the way we stopped at the railway carriages that
overlooked the MacQueen’s Bustard site in hope rather than expectation as we’d
been told that the birds had moved to their post-breeding locations on a
military site near Be’er Sheva. We got a nice Desert Little Owl nearby as well
as a Short-toed Eagle but pretty soon, Mark had a bustard in his scope! We
ended up with four birds in total.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZLEBG-7EkrRjYFce-J6QsyHbUzuezO5_WUbKH7f0V7b198DVRUP45oADlPloBwJ4KlaEctv5xfKWTmAZjZz6bwbrYVxxQ2zQ15XJdd0CVVtsvDr536Qdnv68taebImBhVD1mH/s1600/6U2A7132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZLEBG-7EkrRjYFce-J6QsyHbUzuezO5_WUbKH7f0V7b198DVRUP45oADlPloBwJ4KlaEctv5xfKWTmAZjZz6bwbrYVxxQ2zQ15XJdd0CVVtsvDr536Qdnv68taebImBhVD1mH/s320/6U2A7132.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Desert Little Owl (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2aMG5sBhw-Q7vLW3LVn08DbKO39FrP3__QvJ9l8RmUVLMhMM7vZoSqB-rjcKazoBhYOesmDFiN0cIW9Z4S8sXboa9f6MybxSA4IaLUp5dfvr6EveZbAVRxuHE-HFsVA1kwkm/s1600/Maqueen%2527s+bustard_Israel_27-09-19_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2aMG5sBhw-Q7vLW3LVn08DbKO39FrP3__QvJ9l8RmUVLMhMM7vZoSqB-rjcKazoBhYOesmDFiN0cIW9Z4S8sXboa9f6MybxSA4IaLUp5dfvr6EveZbAVRxuHE-HFsVA1kwkm/s320/Maqueen%2527s+bustard_Israel_27-09-19_01.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Maqueen’s Bustard (MkB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin: 6pt 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">A
few minutes south to Ezuz and we met with Celia who runs the hide - there was
no problem with us using it as ‘no birders come this time of year!’. For NIS150
each we could use it all day but 8 - 11 was sufficient as we got great views of
Crowned Sandgrouse, Sand Partridge, Desert & Crested Larks, Corn Buntings
(our only buntings of the trip) and Dorcas Gazelle.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt; text-align: center;">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLKOPpa6Dy4hyi9Wv9CBm7324qk6yp0SLlh9IF15PXdffXYAz3wmcHDkdv7H6UEf86NdQ6U0fMhrTnZQnvo1uqcw3Ro_O_5HRKLevsgIXsGg32Qi6WvAYRsYSzyV0Ubl-xwTML/s1600/6U2A7195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLKOPpa6Dy4hyi9Wv9CBm7324qk6yp0SLlh9IF15PXdffXYAz3wmcHDkdv7H6UEf86NdQ6U0fMhrTnZQnvo1uqcw3Ro_O_5HRKLevsgIXsGg32Qi6WvAYRsYSzyV0Ubl-xwTML/s320/6U2A7195.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Crowned Sandgrouse (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuihwqCxDYhsYsdQrECrG5SoJuEeje89qRgJGdbVWzkizpXTFHzIuP5jqkEbKaI3wHHc82oATSxFOZQH7cTc8pJcxYsFhQp4Zfqx3lj_N6itZcxStEz815W5Sdq6yzZFLJnLZO/s1600/6U2A7265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuihwqCxDYhsYsdQrECrG5SoJuEeje89qRgJGdbVWzkizpXTFHzIuP5jqkEbKaI3wHHc82oATSxFOZQH7cTc8pJcxYsFhQp4Zfqx3lj_N6itZcxStEz815W5Sdq6yzZFLJnLZO/s320/6U2A7265.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Dorcas Gazelle (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhojqS3PwzceHN2nGUGnXgXrJ15FnPCe63fGsMMzhJXL3TAg9xXMTZSY2JGGt3wehfDageMFpGm1FCG6W6ryWbJVTCv_wcV7X6U023HvMXMgiSvXh5KdQepYxuO7SROd7Zlags4/s1600/6U2A7308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhojqS3PwzceHN2nGUGnXgXrJ15FnPCe63fGsMMzhJXL3TAg9xXMTZSY2JGGt3wehfDageMFpGm1FCG6W6ryWbJVTCv_wcV7X6U023HvMXMgiSvXh5KdQepYxuO7SROd7Zlags4/s320/6U2A7308.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Corn Buntings (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3qiVG5hbYOIee7qbEfrrV9Rejxuxk6Alj3v2s1p2HadpxFzHH1wmF51V4JkJNb2W9LcIS_8gGFpM4qrUJrVZu_FwhC48eQqV4pDOOP-GEWw1bCGLa3xOICBW1BPwfJcFzwXyA/s1600/6U2A7388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3qiVG5hbYOIee7qbEfrrV9Rejxuxk6Alj3v2s1p2HadpxFzHH1wmF51V4JkJNb2W9LcIS_8gGFpM4qrUJrVZu_FwhC48eQqV4pDOOP-GEWw1bCGLa3xOICBW1BPwfJcFzwXyA/s320/6U2A7388.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Crested Lark (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1We7GoAE4-uXZwzCfXQzFHn7Fm5c5IQ8qm9f3EqFI9meZQQGOA_YOyRayBlWuwCKppiyw2pdCe-Q4o-FVilh8eVUVZ8g91ihOvhOxniw4ZyAG4dBXYsfACP1tpg4bt4Iha1a/s1600/6U2A7489.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1We7GoAE4-uXZwzCfXQzFHn7Fm5c5IQ8qm9f3EqFI9meZQQGOA_YOyRayBlWuwCKppiyw2pdCe-Q4o-FVilh8eVUVZ8g91ihOvhOxniw4ZyAG4dBXYsfACP1tpg4bt4Iha1a/s320/6U2A7489.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Desert Lark (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqt3Jd-fTdw5wq3DTBPBrHxxWXiqpTI3kH02iZStzPbqN-xpEpC5c3ZQS0ZwztreIBukfv_zQY5LnUk00mgOp_G8meFKZBXX03xv__jDWpRg3nejHG8HHIg3yvJmpTYIKqpuD/s1600/6U2A7524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqt3Jd-fTdw5wq3DTBPBrHxxWXiqpTI3kH02iZStzPbqN-xpEpC5c3ZQS0ZwztreIBukfv_zQY5LnUk00mgOp_G8meFKZBXX03xv__jDWpRg3nejHG8HHIg3yvJmpTYIKqpuD/s320/6U2A7524.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Sand Partridge (DB)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />After
our customary siesta, we birded <b>Sde Boker</b> again but nothing special was
seen though we enjoyed cracking views of an adult Egyptian Vulture and all the
many Nubian Ibex.</span></div>
<br />Dave Bickertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00734571723511231628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31472115.post-40614059196565457922018-12-03T09:12:00.001+00:002018-12-03T09:12:29.519+00:00Goa 13-26 Nov 2018It was a late decision but we needed a holiday having not been on a break all year so we plumped for Goa in November when the weather should be fine and birds plentiful. Once we’d booked our quiet hotels, I started getting the field guides to the area, read some trip reports and sketched out what we might do. The plan was roughly to spend the first week relaxing with a couple of excursions and then do some more serious birding with a guide in the second week. It didn’t quite turn out that way but we made the best of it, especially as the weather was particularly hot and humid (hottest October and November for over 50 years). The heat seriously hampered us as beyond 11 or even earlier, it was too hot for birds and us! Even the late afternoon was hot and birds difficult.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7XFxrr5xPVmdZgH7pFU6edgY8rC8bp5ZPCjR3-WYh4OH5E1-4Ys2ZhGwR1W5agUjIQkcHbLieiXSMjEXugfF8cEA-mwwoSZBUkpHzNb8LEmC1amhr5-6Y6pIMpCCIvcTa1dqg/s1600/6U2A0016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="990" data-original-width="1600" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7XFxrr5xPVmdZgH7pFU6edgY8rC8bp5ZPCjR3-WYh4OH5E1-4Ys2ZhGwR1W5agUjIQkcHbLieiXSMjEXugfF8cEA-mwwoSZBUkpHzNb8LEmC1amhr5-6Y6pIMpCCIvcTa1dqg/s400/6U2A0016.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green Bee-eater</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Tue 13 Nov:<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Candolim, Sonesta Inns</b><br />
We arrived from Manchester two hours late, getting to our hotel, Sonesta Inns in Candolim, at 4am. After a brief sleep we got a bit of breakfast and explored the grounds between the hotel and beach. Considering we were seriously boggle-eyed, we were delighted to get Green Bee-eaters immediately together with other common birds such as White-fronted Kingfisher, Black Drongo, Tailorbird and Purple-rumped Sunbird. A pool of water underneath some bushes was being fed by a pipe and proved to be a magnet for birds with a Dark-fronted Babbler being completely unexpected. House Crows were ubiquitous of course as were the calls of Green Warblers but seeing the latter was amazingly difficult here as they kept to the tops of the tall trees. Unfamiliar sounds echoed around the trees surrounding the hotel but I soon got to know the Koel, Coucal, Jungle Myna and Indian Magpie Robin as well as the repetitive call of the Coppersmith Barbet.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjsSqlNrU2t4dqvXlbUnJZMvmDWVEt28x8uGnNpqpYktg-gCrD6ZRdyrshyfo2N5QcvPTbW8NY42cmxNFT53uAB5y2U28wtOf5Gp-uKTNIlE2sLw7MzFjSUJwG-9eTlmoSN9EV/s1600/6U2A9976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1483" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjsSqlNrU2t4dqvXlbUnJZMvmDWVEt28x8uGnNpqpYktg-gCrD6ZRdyrshyfo2N5QcvPTbW8NY42cmxNFT53uAB5y2U28wtOf5Gp-uKTNIlE2sLw7MzFjSUJwG-9eTlmoSN9EV/s320/6U2A9976.JPG" width="296" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White-throated Kingfisher</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The relatively quiet beach was reached through the hotel grounds between shacks. Nothing landed on it but there was plenty of action offshore with Dolphins showing nicely along with lots of Black and Brahminy Kites, Brown-headed Gulls and Gull-billed Terns.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTRS3puRO2CmxnotOSqmyHT9TrSsjSBWTh9vWl4Ro9P5mK_31QpsKLiufO1NDRfY_SAiMVdfz5z_L6uOffTUTcK4xf7Asy4yoNlB_w0IXX2nD2-QB3h9Q4H8I9uugNVvsM3VF_/s1600/IMG_4169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="726" data-original-width="1600" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTRS3puRO2CmxnotOSqmyHT9TrSsjSBWTh9vWl4Ro9P5mK_31QpsKLiufO1NDRfY_SAiMVdfz5z_L6uOffTUTcK4xf7Asy4yoNlB_w0IXX2nD2-QB3h9Q4H8I9uugNVvsM3VF_/s320/IMG_4169.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fishing fleet at dawn from Candolim Beach</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The afternoon was hot so we crashed out, eventually re-appearing around 3pm to saunter a little further afield but it getting much further than a beach-shack where we had a beer and some food - a Paddyfield Warbler and Ashy Prinia paid a visit to the adjacent bushes as we ate. A large flock of Little Swifts appeared over head with hirundines late in the afternoon.<br />
27 species were recorded that first day and we’d only been out for a few hours in the local environs.<br />
<br />
<b>Wed 14 Nov:<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Candolim, Sonesta Inns</b><br />
We spent the second day further acclimatising and relaxing around the hotel. We checked sea early morning and as well as adding Slender-billed and Heuglin’s Gull to the list, I had an Arctic Skua chasing Brown-headed Gulls before it continued it’s journey south. The drinking pool in the grounds was dry and remained so for the rest of our stay unfortunately.<br />
In the afternoon, we ventured out onto the main road and tried to find Saligao Zor (being the nearest site in the Gosney guide to our hotel) but to no avail! Taxi drivers were ubiquitous and yet all clueless as to where this would be. We found out later that it wasn’t all that good, a rather ‘smelly’ place being a dump.<br />
<br />
<b>Thu 15 Nov:<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Pilerne Lake</b><br />
I did the now customary check of the sea and grounds again early morning adding Clamorous Reed Warbler and Ashy Drongo in the hotel grounds before breakfast and then took taxi to Pilerne Lake where we added lots of new birds. Most obvious was a couple of Oriental Darters having a bit of a scrap as well as Little Cormorant, Bronze-winged Jacanas and Red-wattled Lapwings. We got brief fly by views of Stork-billed Kingfisher as well as great views of Eurasian Kingfisher, Asian Koels and Nilgiri Flowerpecker. A Peacock emerged briefly on the far bank as did a Crested Serpent Eagle. Swifts and Swales of various species darted around and Kites and Egrets passed overhead. A nice calm introduction to some of the commoner birds of Goa before chillin’ the rest of the day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzDcbiiZvGDc2IM0g1zheduNg6C0ihKDZtsXlOnI3HD1_O0nDlZbwV1jetZLO6MSyJ9rVoRpx8n2NhSVLjv66kejh7kaSxB7ktSi7eyc5BX1KfT2kZIgR1xOnWvOFHH89fUD6i/s1600/IMG_4166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzDcbiiZvGDc2IM0g1zheduNg6C0ihKDZtsXlOnI3HD1_O0nDlZbwV1jetZLO6MSyJ9rVoRpx8n2NhSVLjv66kejh7kaSxB7ktSi7eyc5BX1KfT2kZIgR1xOnWvOFHH89fUD6i/s320/IMG_4166.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pilerne Lake</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgExavgS1Ci38kYKkRZP5YtNyJHqoJyUHypAbNzwaOH2so2eZCve9ltrBlxM_EXVu0D-uyiClgB2lVAjeJyDXt1fVJ-4jkJTl32thwRUFRO4qV8Gyo-G4Vh2U-ZWIsoPOiqX8o0/s1600/6U2A9868.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1043" data-original-width="1600" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgExavgS1Ci38kYKkRZP5YtNyJHqoJyUHypAbNzwaOH2so2eZCve9ltrBlxM_EXVu0D-uyiClgB2lVAjeJyDXt1fVJ-4jkJTl32thwRUFRO4qV8Gyo-G4Vh2U-ZWIsoPOiqX8o0/s320/6U2A9868.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oriental Darter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMl-N7WS67fx3meKtY9475ypQSBKuZEviC1COnOpmTafMysga7i8ub74dRT09vWtqOpwZHPdmfvES8WpV4qM0IMwCrGoVHIq75jZcK30D1s4FJoFqha8VEJPPB8oaG6ROHcWLr/s1600/6U2A9878.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1292" data-original-width="1600" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMl-N7WS67fx3meKtY9475ypQSBKuZEviC1COnOpmTafMysga7i8ub74dRT09vWtqOpwZHPdmfvES8WpV4qM0IMwCrGoVHIq75jZcK30D1s4FJoFqha8VEJPPB8oaG6ROHcWLr/s320/6U2A9878.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Asian Koel</td></tr>
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<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQut7t9hyX2flkti3XyYoljhTplxbemt0p7ZYCoS4iDDZhpAm2-C66TsqjV6JjAVoV58_10qnullaJIkzrZdhfOcVwMeSWJdpAGZ0WHvb2g65GbwXgnLDspyQPcGBUA5EI3Kog/s1600/6U2A9911.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="1600" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQut7t9hyX2flkti3XyYoljhTplxbemt0p7ZYCoS4iDDZhpAm2-C66TsqjV6JjAVoV58_10qnullaJIkzrZdhfOcVwMeSWJdpAGZ0WHvb2g65GbwXgnLDspyQPcGBUA5EI3Kog/s320/6U2A9911.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female Asian Koel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFZPOUFga-5op2oJi6E7LuQl1i5dBgFdEl5rrTlYfpRMwnJBU66iUvqpQzh8Nc0eWXrZTaJ8P-MkS2z1G2IFUF2cAd7pHS06lbETRKQC09V9qSrKRTaql7FZnaWmNX-4KFoj2i/s1600/6U2A9940.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1094" data-original-width="1600" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFZPOUFga-5op2oJi6E7LuQl1i5dBgFdEl5rrTlYfpRMwnJBU66iUvqpQzh8Nc0eWXrZTaJ8P-MkS2z1G2IFUF2cAd7pHS06lbETRKQC09V9qSrKRTaql7FZnaWmNX-4KFoj2i/s320/6U2A9940.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nilgiri Flowerpecker</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv0cMGWc1GERExUkve2C0sxXjTfTbUhTM3lDD48vaezjnsIgfvc-gzCzA5vSEvMfh1DznW2_3Nqx2eiyW0URD-mkawsWr_CB_JyqoHQazsCNG4oa46MJfd-V_SizRCAy4Vq-xu/s1600/IMG_4165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="1600" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv0cMGWc1GERExUkve2C0sxXjTfTbUhTM3lDD48vaezjnsIgfvc-gzCzA5vSEvMfh1DznW2_3Nqx2eiyW0URD-mkawsWr_CB_JyqoHQazsCNG4oa46MJfd-V_SizRCAy4Vq-xu/s320/IMG_4165.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bronze-winged Jacana</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Fri 16 Nov:<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Nerul Bridge and Fort Aguada</b><br />
I checked beach early morning then we took a taxi trip to Fort Aguada followed by Nerul Bridge as the tide receded to find some local birds. Fort Aguada was impressive but boy was it getting hot! Western Reef Heron en route was a nice find and the exposed mud below Nerul Bridge held a few waders, mainly Redshanks and Common Sandpipers though I got a brief view of a Black-necked Ibis.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhagJLUOJI0_ZRhm0h9NPwc7aH2OsCxc7lwGWVpqwy4AIyiGex2Vxu9FkIBpBfL2iSDgpkjy_BrJxa-qnp9ZLvXDoVt6VgP1_ZvnewQwhguWa1x4icJmeNFoHmup-NJzLiOgzwX/s1600/6U2A0048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1429" data-original-width="1600" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhagJLUOJI0_ZRhm0h9NPwc7aH2OsCxc7lwGWVpqwy4AIyiGex2Vxu9FkIBpBfL2iSDgpkjy_BrJxa-qnp9ZLvXDoVt6VgP1_ZvnewQwhguWa1x4icJmeNFoHmup-NJzLiOgzwX/s320/6U2A0048.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long-tailed Shrike</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Our trip total stood at just 66 species at this point but a birding week was coming up (or so we thought!).<br />
<br />
<b>Sat 17 Nov:<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Socorro & Paithona Bridge</b><br />
I had pre-arranged a birding morning with Rahul Alvares pre-breakfast into some forest around 30 minutes drive east of where we were towards the Socorro plateau. This was our real first taste of birding somewhere a bit more peaceful with loads of good habitat, though dogs were a bit of a nuisance. Soon we were hearing all sorts of goodies - Bernie picked up a Rufous Woodpecker and a little later a Yellow-fronted Woodpecker. Sunbirds were showing well with Crimson-backed and Vigor’s Sunbirds showing particularly well. A Nilgiri Woodpigeon sat right in front of Rahul and Bernie - most uncharacteristic and a few Emerald Doves whizzed by. We caught up with Blue-tailed Bee-eaters and Indian Robin on the plateau and a Shikra perched obligingly in a tree that contained Small Minivets and Common Ioras.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW9aNx4wVw-qc7PLc2h_06ihsm3yDipr0aRLijxRL-HmHp7YiUFrG8g_X3I8m0jsfpY1lQFaRNljKyE6kDQeU35g5VpVhQCPEQLKVcsCJaEXqYb_BCSdJjpOQtxJhOZhkZAE59/s1600/6U2A0139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1412" data-original-width="1600" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW9aNx4wVw-qc7PLc2h_06ihsm3yDipr0aRLijxRL-HmHp7YiUFrG8g_X3I8m0jsfpY1lQFaRNljKyE6kDQeU35g5VpVhQCPEQLKVcsCJaEXqYb_BCSdJjpOQtxJhOZhkZAE59/s320/6U2A0139.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indian Pond Heron</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
From there we checked the open woodland around the (very nice) houses a little lower down - birds weren’t being particularly forthcoming as the temperature rose but we got a nice Grey-fronted Green Pigeon that I managed to mimic quite well. A Red-necked Falcon speared its way across the valley.<br />
We set off back via Paithona Stream where there is a pool with Openbill Stork and Pied Kingfishers amongst other things. Here we also got more egrets and raptors with a couple of Oriental Honey Buzzards and a couple of Indian Spotted Eagles. There was one that got away though as I had an all-too-brief view of a small heron diving into cover - probably Cinnamon Bittern but it never re-appeared. I pick up a falcon heading straight to the pool and it landed on the roadside wall after having taking what looked like a quick bathe. It was a juvenile Hobby and a lifer for Rahul!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4tm75VpxLWXSAdrMNszvU0gPo7s4NmKlFeqwlyq9odNbsKG3j4-AMAnjqzYyU3G8Zw2Ujwr2Z_VU-jQm-cFITZD-RqYaW-fH1i9GBCxWPpu3mF2YR7ImnsY93JTfxMb5tz9b/s1600/6U2A0187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1237" data-original-width="1600" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4tm75VpxLWXSAdrMNszvU0gPo7s4NmKlFeqwlyq9odNbsKG3j4-AMAnjqzYyU3G8Zw2Ujwr2Z_VU-jQm-cFITZD-RqYaW-fH1i9GBCxWPpu3mF2YR7ImnsY93JTfxMb5tz9b/s320/6U2A0187.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Asian Openbill</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnCH9Fnj1BwHwt9oTs_BrGx6_JYXJx_-rRL8bB-bF3pU7myc4UpzrIyUzYLXOO4tjhI3grfO_J9poXjYtJvYaQyswolNFEvegpknpTCeOTOipa1KOchVvhS1YjFiwBiDXZe54/s1600/6U2A0214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1029" data-original-width="1600" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnCH9Fnj1BwHwt9oTs_BrGx6_JYXJx_-rRL8bB-bF3pU7myc4UpzrIyUzYLXOO4tjhI3grfO_J9poXjYtJvYaQyswolNFEvegpknpTCeOTOipa1KOchVvhS1YjFiwBiDXZe54/s320/6U2A0214.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jungle Mynas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-9ih8PYj8DxR6bTUPi23vdiFBgwNAIkVztmzw5T8izNkZ1WKq4wHpJyLcg21f0cqeD6IbgisoHNexurf1kFLcFhN1KTc-iMyHroyFrUxDVI-nzuN8Vx5Rolr9ah0-r4xpJcrR/s1600/6U2A0219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1519" data-original-width="1600" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-9ih8PYj8DxR6bTUPi23vdiFBgwNAIkVztmzw5T8izNkZ1WKq4wHpJyLcg21f0cqeD6IbgisoHNexurf1kFLcFhN1KTc-iMyHroyFrUxDVI-nzuN8Vx5Rolr9ah0-r4xpJcrR/s320/6U2A0219.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wire-tailed Swallow</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZttx6lyjAcmJhiz39ffr4G89W17OnpAi3WB-rpm8daYjTG2uDg9iSoBSNtt1tdvij3p0xM5e6TB0nbG4FLRTJV2prvXIOSHf4ym2IVVbSp0KNe0palbcc9QSDMavW3sG5JFxa/s1600/6U2A0268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1119" data-original-width="1600" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZttx6lyjAcmJhiz39ffr4G89W17OnpAi3WB-rpm8daYjTG2uDg9iSoBSNtt1tdvij3p0xM5e6TB0nbG4FLRTJV2prvXIOSHf4ym2IVVbSp0KNe0palbcc9QSDMavW3sG5JFxa/s320/6U2A0268.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indian Spotted Eagle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimeVqhjQNZncDG7XNL-PNjOQFy2y-9HXXiJKLRKuPOwGThr64l0p-SO5VKRdMKBY0mpGh-WGY0BM7E8sF4dThxapDmQ_MmgA3y9PlW-w6Wn2FdroAoE0Kgt0Z4rRzV4LUUIMYq/s1600/6U2A0313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1158" data-original-width="1600" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimeVqhjQNZncDG7XNL-PNjOQFy2y-9HXXiJKLRKuPOwGThr64l0p-SO5VKRdMKBY0mpGh-WGY0BM7E8sF4dThxapDmQ_MmgA3y9PlW-w6Wn2FdroAoE0Kgt0Z4rRzV4LUUIMYq/s320/6U2A0313.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juvenile Eurasian Hobby</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The afternoon was spent relaxing once again but Rahul had suggested that we visit Batim Lake so we arranged a taxi to pick us up early the following morning for a trip there.<br />
<br />
<b>Sun 18 Nov:<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Batim Lake</b><br />
Our taxi driver Umesh turned up on-time to Batim Lake via some salt pans as per Gosney’s guide. The drive through the fish-market and onto the new highway construction site was interesting but soon we were free from the traffic and found the salt pans that were covered in birds. The pool on the east side of the road was filled with egrets, cormorants and herons whilst the salt-pans on the west side were teeming with waders - mostly Redshank but good numbers of Common, Marsh and Wood Sandpipers, Greenshank, Black-winged Stilts and a single Temminck’s Stint.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOWWaHrRBdQKG5gb1169ryoMsxo4ckCHP7pliIDv9u9UkkcH_2Nvp90uBg8qqy5sLXJNbFOB9vgWq1q6OIF6Xkt-pa73aTZoA47P6rxHUAhBQEY2n12TBmJu4E-mKXyaHv4m6w/s1600/IMG_4203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="748" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOWWaHrRBdQKG5gb1169ryoMsxo4ckCHP7pliIDv9u9UkkcH_2Nvp90uBg8qqy5sLXJNbFOB9vgWq1q6OIF6Xkt-pa73aTZoA47P6rxHUAhBQEY2n12TBmJu4E-mKXyaHv4m6w/s320/IMG_4203.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salt-pans north of Batim Lake</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The road south passed over marshy fields that were replete with White-throated Kingfishers, Indian Rollers, Bushchats, Long-tailed Shrikes and the like.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbGWrmlKv8fDYlMAP_XFwNXKH2XBZ9O900nQdoUHYHK8739T2AFq64yCTIoTArf0hvkjQpymSUQBX6c3aD2WRrtiMvpkU7fu5z70zcU7VdAnO9vWwfw_UYz-wHVvXAx8k8VSC9/s1600/6U2A0334.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1146" data-original-width="1600" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbGWrmlKv8fDYlMAP_XFwNXKH2XBZ9O900nQdoUHYHK8739T2AFq64yCTIoTArf0hvkjQpymSUQBX6c3aD2WRrtiMvpkU7fu5z70zcU7VdAnO9vWwfw_UYz-wHVvXAx8k8VSC9/s320/6U2A0334.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pheasant-tailed Jacana</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We reached Batim Lake and started viewing from the north side where the little open water there was was covered in Lesser Whistling Ducks along with a few Pygmy Cotton Geese. Viewing later from the causeway (dodging the quarry trucks) we had lots more good birds including Pheasant-tailed Jacanas.<br />
<br />
<b>Mon 19 Nov:<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Socorro & Paithona Bridge, Nilaya Hermitage</b><br />
Umesh took us again towards the Socorro area where we picked up lots of birds - the morning was cloudy and a little cooler. Bar-winged Flycatcher Shrikes showed well as did Black-hooded Oriole, White-cheeked Barbet, Black-rumped Flameback, Grey-headed Bulbul and a wonderful Greater Racket-tailed Drongo that perched up on overhead wires as we were driving down the road.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip6k9xqFu4NwRItVhVTHOYX8MH9g1oJywkbFOODdgU76pw0PxuKlpHBJmAFe9EtClNP65AvDotnC7HI3QQSvid_EvpI7TRvWM6LoQgeTMc0cZkMiPGGInuxFYwAAU9QDDmsXZ4/s1600/6U2A0370.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip6k9xqFu4NwRItVhVTHOYX8MH9g1oJywkbFOODdgU76pw0PxuKlpHBJmAFe9EtClNP65AvDotnC7HI3QQSvid_EvpI7TRvWM6LoQgeTMc0cZkMiPGGInuxFYwAAU9QDDmsXZ4/s320/6U2A0370.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peacocks with Egrets, Ibis and Kites in the trees</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigyDI4_3avygcClnN7pr0LrUVMLZaRJ3szjaptAkCFmTG3SdFgMJDg8_JWk9YbjQFwtnGg_8eriKBc_RXhueqjoTm3-muYNZ9xBJpeZ8wDR2uWd7yz1P8CvlUDII06NTVZG_Oa/s1600/6U2A0519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1083" data-original-width="1600" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigyDI4_3avygcClnN7pr0LrUVMLZaRJ3szjaptAkCFmTG3SdFgMJDg8_JWk9YbjQFwtnGg_8eriKBc_RXhueqjoTm3-muYNZ9xBJpeZ8wDR2uWd7yz1P8CvlUDII06NTVZG_Oa/s320/6U2A0519.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Booted Eagle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVGrAYk9HaullfnYZmkw4ACKTUiRWC86RN40XgKGz5-IEyFFC7rfx4C-y41coA_hI1AFmEcEiVqmaJ8NgKa68t3xh9FWXHWOJrilNTCzfjQuONGJwtHwg-w5_FE9662o_1VhNb/s1600/6U2A0388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1290" data-original-width="1600" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVGrAYk9HaullfnYZmkw4ACKTUiRWC86RN40XgKGz5-IEyFFC7rfx4C-y41coA_hI1AFmEcEiVqmaJ8NgKa68t3xh9FWXHWOJrilNTCzfjQuONGJwtHwg-w5_FE9662o_1VhNb/s320/6U2A0388.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plum-headed Parakeets</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdbVI2ZctiSK-ZhpuuPAooAzwU_ReFncBFMWepE17iLCkgRsC94s3LJubNgtj1wQT-2xzyb6E3WcfN1mIJEjl2lNW2-XY-3R3YqYwbJQvwS9uz1iHNIebhbYNi9meR9_NMoiyZ/s1600/6U2A0410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1015" data-original-width="1600" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdbVI2ZctiSK-ZhpuuPAooAzwU_ReFncBFMWepE17iLCkgRsC94s3LJubNgtj1wQT-2xzyb6E3WcfN1mIJEjl2lNW2-XY-3R3YqYwbJQvwS9uz1iHNIebhbYNi9meR9_NMoiyZ/s320/6U2A0410.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crimson-backed Sunbird</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGrGdwfCvI2STLXaUdyFrWq4_hI2OjyZFp7Qa9EMFhmyIqcaoY-f-jfieMONV2MtqjRJDYumVaDN6STFzYAt_ZmBy0RF8-ptVZCx_fCrCmhKsMdSq27EAIrXvhIwSrOONWqA3C/s1600/6U2A0038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1103" data-original-width="1600" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGrGdwfCvI2STLXaUdyFrWq4_hI2OjyZFp7Qa9EMFhmyIqcaoY-f-jfieMONV2MtqjRJDYumVaDN6STFzYAt_ZmBy0RF8-ptVZCx_fCrCmhKsMdSq27EAIrXvhIwSrOONWqA3C/s320/6U2A0038.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purple-rumped Sunbird</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Later that morning we had arranged to change hotels to Nilaya Hermitage above Arpora. This was meant to be a relaxing peaceful place and quite up-market for us. The location was lovely and the rooms spectacular. The birds were good too with the trees adjacent to the entrance road providing some really good birds. We could view the top of a flowering tree from the pool-side terrace and got all five species of Sunbird there. The vista across to Baga was superb and we picked up Booted, Short-toed and White-bellied Sea Eagles in amongst the hordes of kites. There was a BUT.. Bernie has a phobia about frogs or anything else in her space so when I discovered a couple in the shower and then four lizards coming out of the air-conditioning unit in our bedroom, something had to give. We were moved to another room that was ‘sealed’ and slept there that night. Also, we were the only guests!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1C8VlykRqOUUemDaMDHi5TH119mga6S8q1YN2pXT4nLMt_roUUmbWmLmnZAZ0hZiHwnVGOcawrzBqZ6tJnciZbYC4q8sLXZp0YO_VtzBglVglZQqLm99ZNm5QbcaY4u9Alt1p/s1600/IMG_4236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1C8VlykRqOUUemDaMDHi5TH119mga6S8q1YN2pXT4nLMt_roUUmbWmLmnZAZ0hZiHwnVGOcawrzBqZ6tJnciZbYC4q8sLXZp0YO_VtzBglVglZQqLm99ZNm5QbcaY4u9Alt1p/s320/IMG_4236.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from above Arpora towards Baga & Baga Hill</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Our trip list was now at 132.<br />
<br />
<b>Tue 20 Nov:<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Nilaya Hermitage</b><br />
We didn’t sleep well. The AC in the room kept cutting out and in the morning I found yet more visitors. That was the last straw (coupled with the fact that there was a building site next door and it wasn’t the place of tranquility it was made out to be).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg43YiH99p8tdPp_b-VfJ4jT5iQKxRmYxfZYIn3-o4IWxGaDVjIG3J5kh-WXnCyfuA1Nj3vMVY3yEX65HMtY4GN4yxtSS1h9sxXes3gaINpT-D6WfyMvR_rsyWLkPZGOvdzRGQg/s1600/6U2A0418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1110" data-original-width="1600" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg43YiH99p8tdPp_b-VfJ4jT5iQKxRmYxfZYIn3-o4IWxGaDVjIG3J5kh-WXnCyfuA1Nj3vMVY3yEX65HMtY4GN4yxtSS1h9sxXes3gaINpT-D6WfyMvR_rsyWLkPZGOvdzRGQg/s320/6U2A0418.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indian Oriole</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Whilst we waited for a return to our original hotel to be sanctioned, we birded the area and got some great birds such as Puff-throated Babbler, White-spotted Fantail, Red Spurfowl, Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Grey-bellied Cuckoo and a bit of a mega, Blue-bearded Bee-eater.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4xqLVjAkHpiYZFl4a9GRfHWGun_KSNxtqdDmF-6zUCgZQ6qk4G68w1UnKjw9DlNMMLQxql69GvSVARRSoOmdmJOUVZSxhgdATPmign-MO9xi6zdhPr_ZTA_VBs5d5V9elFR4p/s1600/6U2A0438.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1463" data-original-width="1600" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4xqLVjAkHpiYZFl4a9GRfHWGun_KSNxtqdDmF-6zUCgZQ6qk4G68w1UnKjw9DlNMMLQxql69GvSVARRSoOmdmJOUVZSxhgdATPmign-MO9xi6zdhPr_ZTA_VBs5d5V9elFR4p/s320/6U2A0438.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ashy Drongo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6djGZH9rAzhj5WAZsaxDbCs5erDhGS2i62v2-sOCJr6EqvrtvD0bOmyDcJUwoCMHvH7ukp2q0s0lGYpc-uo-ci7bDlAuguNc2rav6lHS-kiOUqngZVJX4vGKQjQz-p2ObOtC_/s1600/6U2A0506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1408" data-original-width="1600" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6djGZH9rAzhj5WAZsaxDbCs5erDhGS2i62v2-sOCJr6EqvrtvD0bOmyDcJUwoCMHvH7ukp2q0s0lGYpc-uo-ci7bDlAuguNc2rav6lHS-kiOUqngZVJX4vGKQjQz-p2ObOtC_/s320/6U2A0506.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue-bearded Bee-eater</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We eventually got the nod to return. We did have a driver/guide booked for the next week, or so we thought - Santosh, as mentioned in Gosney’s book, had agreed to drive us around but though I tried several methods of contacting him, he never replied though I know he saw the WhatsApp messages. So I contacted Umesh who drove us the rest of the week (and we taught him a few birds and birding sites).<br />
<br />
<b>Wed 21 Nov:<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>MorjimBeach, Siolim</b><br />
Umesh picked us up at 8 after an early breakfast to meet high tide at Morjim beach around 9. We found the access point and headed out through the pines onto the beach where we were immediately greeted by a large mixed flock of Kentish, Lesser Sand- and a few Greater Sand-Plovers. Gulls and terns were passing into the mouth of the river but rather than roosting on the sandbank, headed for another sandbank in the middle of the river and some distance away - there were lots of gulls on there as well as three Oystercatchers! Little Terns fished close by and we had both Greater and Lesser Crested Tern fly past. Twenty Black-throated Munias hung around for a while and a single Baya Weaver and Yellow Wagtail dropped in briefly.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwFXzBf9lEXS5KJx80G02Pm6z3IrEcp4KIwT35uNrRVY3hQ4jkjJMBlgTBpwNdW4pjrS5PgPw9NmTBSMps0WcFU26V4cL_pdvaFC4iFxCNqBNKPQ32opeShWYAolVO9vglQasO/s1600/6U2A0539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="964" data-original-width="1600" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwFXzBf9lEXS5KJx80G02Pm6z3IrEcp4KIwT35uNrRVY3hQ4jkjJMBlgTBpwNdW4pjrS5PgPw9NmTBSMps0WcFU26V4cL_pdvaFC4iFxCNqBNKPQ32opeShWYAolVO9vglQasO/s320/6U2A0539.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sandplovers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We then made our way to Siolim en route back to the hotel but the area was completely overgrown and though there were probably loads of birds there, we couldn’t see much save for the Spotted Eagles!<br />
<br />
<b>Thu 22 Nov:<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Carambolim Lake</b><br />
We had a pre-breakfast start for Carambolim Lake which initially looked good when we got there but was pretty much devoid of birds apart from Jacanas, Gallinules and a few Lesser Whistling Ducks. The area to the south of the lake was much more productive but difficult to view as you were looking into the sun.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWKDRBahC08f46p8HdZd4qzNgOKimJ0vfqM3R4p6w5vYHAnlGAcGbgopGnumvh6SBnfpdZ_r4n_doIUxv7mWl3bJyDjwNSmoTMmbN2QIqQbsVsXSExOvEFiXn-ywV62mEvzm2/s1600/IMG_7792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="878" data-original-width="1600" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWKDRBahC08f46p8HdZd4qzNgOKimJ0vfqM3R4p6w5vYHAnlGAcGbgopGnumvh6SBnfpdZ_r4n_doIUxv7mWl3bJyDjwNSmoTMmbN2QIqQbsVsXSExOvEFiXn-ywV62mEvzm2/s320/IMG_7792.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carambolim</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSs3Ym3P73lX2vT2HxLHeQiRpEa2xVpKoq5yOdXr-p-uixzdYnH6ZckaMFctVl_OPA9Kdq-T3XFG_aRCrg75IZ49RFRtPoIs4r1SwC_70udYO4bxRW2DkILXG9DK-DrUDFQolk/s1600/IMG_4259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSs3Ym3P73lX2vT2HxLHeQiRpEa2xVpKoq5yOdXr-p-uixzdYnH6ZckaMFctVl_OPA9Kdq-T3XFG_aRCrg75IZ49RFRtPoIs4r1SwC_70udYO4bxRW2DkILXG9DK-DrUDFQolk/s320/IMG_4259.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lesser Adjutant</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Despite this, there were quite a few waders, ibis and ducks that were all Eurasian Teal. We made our way towards Carambolim Wood stopping by the open fields where Bernie picked up a Lesser Adjutant Stork. The wood held Spotted Owlets but we couldn’t find the Brown Hawk Owls. Still, it was a very enjoyable morning’s birding so we then headed off to nearby Old Goa for some sightseeing - the festival of St Francis Xavier was about to begin so there were lots of people and stalls being prepared. We also took a ferry ride to Divar Island, something we’d revisit unexpectedly the following day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Cws-jTn7e9cUjAqIaGTtk31w_s6zlAmNnyfQrWj7w0pcAGmm0BLMn4NRMzlmR0uqAFCNrGktzjO0JaPvNg6kts-YhPndSCHv1fz7CpnpURC3VTuwM1P2yACkycr3WTTstiin/s1600/IMG_7824.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="937" data-original-width="1600" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Cws-jTn7e9cUjAqIaGTtk31w_s6zlAmNnyfQrWj7w0pcAGmm0BLMn4NRMzlmR0uqAFCNrGktzjO0JaPvNg6kts-YhPndSCHv1fz7CpnpURC3VTuwM1P2yACkycr3WTTstiin/s320/IMG_7824.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Goa</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><br />Fri 23 Nov:<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Mayem Lake, Divar Island, Carambolim</b><br />
Another early start to Mayem Lake today but when we arrive an hour later we found the path described in Gosney’s now gated and though we pleaded with security, they wouldn’t let anyone in. So we headed up the road and found a quiet area up the hill with some nice habitat and birded that area - we got Orange-headed Thrush, Jungle Babblers and Blue-faced Malkoha amongst other stuff. We continued up the hill and eventually got to the plateau where there was a bare football field - and birds; we could see Malabar Larks from the road as well as Hoopoe and pipits.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1JgsiDJLEaAMGZpr_zKuvBjah8zvR1pH4OrpZ7RnbX0vsN_cqWRrx0wKnwgbmqyUIvnBFkTQ-_w3DkoxdERoELo9XfX7IGRxMnf7tgH_AR04aSfjb86Bshgp0cd3YflFujiv/s1600/6U2A0716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="663" data-original-width="1600" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1JgsiDJLEaAMGZpr_zKuvBjah8zvR1pH4OrpZ7RnbX0vsN_cqWRrx0wKnwgbmqyUIvnBFkTQ-_w3DkoxdERoELo9XfX7IGRxMnf7tgH_AR04aSfjb86Bshgp0cd3YflFujiv/s320/6U2A0716.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Malabar Lark and Hoopoe</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiprsTxm7gU8XSri2ozKvhZdoRnfwrAoJa1dAg_WZ0XxQ9Xd3vbkbtebxJAjlehu3R-HCMkF_5IbN4Dm2o0XXwGd6UMTo5MH5T5sGXwRIOGz2GVgRDc9qiiFvdS1E5DWEn99sUx/s1600/6U2A0721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1289" data-original-width="1600" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiprsTxm7gU8XSri2ozKvhZdoRnfwrAoJa1dAg_WZ0XxQ9Xd3vbkbtebxJAjlehu3R-HCMkF_5IbN4Dm2o0XXwGd6UMTo5MH5T5sGXwRIOGz2GVgRDc9qiiFvdS1E5DWEn99sUx/s320/6U2A0721.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Richard's Pipit</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxwVQdu4YaqvCV276fegyLAtEMQQvE8bhX5MDdC8gOsARWS_B9jl7CN2EBb1D5GG6T559fP2zZrTLlgIFaiO2NjANrEcY7KFRTo42ISLBKwsUMZ640ILkQu_KRof7kSxY3w5ro/s1600/6U2A0728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1236" data-original-width="1600" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxwVQdu4YaqvCV276fegyLAtEMQQvE8bhX5MDdC8gOsARWS_B9jl7CN2EBb1D5GG6T559fP2zZrTLlgIFaiO2NjANrEcY7KFRTo42ISLBKwsUMZ640ILkQu_KRof7kSxY3w5ro/s320/6U2A0728.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indian Roller</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5zKEXIjpPZJjYWvO9A7mUlXGLANMkQmZQil8pYTFpldzY5NvTJHTw6hhj1K9rV1N_q6nLEBu-INjP0256O0rfEii2li5vpONFeu_AcZ_rDObjiv1ulZ70vYBE5qh7j-MvBf59/s1600/6U2A0739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1046" data-original-width="1600" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5zKEXIjpPZJjYWvO9A7mUlXGLANMkQmZQil8pYTFpldzY5NvTJHTw6hhj1K9rV1N_q6nLEBu-INjP0256O0rfEii2li5vpONFeu_AcZ_rDObjiv1ulZ70vYBE5qh7j-MvBf59/s320/6U2A0739.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oriental Skylark</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We eventually tracked down Oriental Skylark, Richard’s, Blyth’s, Paddyfield and Tree Pipits as well as Common Woodshrike and missed a few other things!!!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8bE2GvszrJ_qKeA0MJFpLO8kwx0Ac14LOa4ji2P940uQEtju0K2rmtm3D9AduFYzYVbdgVb05J5ToUacQ53SOb_Rcq4WJ8nlkOv-HhVYx2CQsDwpqN95uB0KXp_xsYdpUuKJ3/s1600/6U2A0660.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1116" data-original-width="1600" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8bE2GvszrJ_qKeA0MJFpLO8kwx0Ac14LOa4ji2P940uQEtju0K2rmtm3D9AduFYzYVbdgVb05J5ToUacQ53SOb_Rcq4WJ8nlkOv-HhVYx2CQsDwpqN95uB0KXp_xsYdpUuKJ3/s320/6U2A0660.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red-wattled Lapwing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
We continued along this road where we reached the ferry to Divar Island where, once over the other side, we found a nice quiet area that was full of birds - all common stuff to us now but really enjoyable birding. Lots of Bee-eaters, Rollers, Shrikes, Larks, Chats and Harriers (Marsh and Pallid). We continued over the island and the next ferry to Old Goa and onto Carambolim again where we had Thick-billed Flowerpecker and the Brown Hawk Owls.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnptC79MNXf414bd0FCC8pl-iiRROVOu8w5czgliqvtMO3mNd09tseNH9gFHUnNJEgSew6bi-_9pEstJMGPlp4ciEcQqFj46A6t3yp_wGKEtoih3kdGMhVx5lNAWRbwYmHwz9/s1600/6U2A0756.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1567" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnptC79MNXf414bd0FCC8pl-iiRROVOu8w5czgliqvtMO3mNd09tseNH9gFHUnNJEgSew6bi-_9pEstJMGPlp4ciEcQqFj46A6t3yp_wGKEtoih3kdGMhVx5lNAWRbwYmHwz9/s320/6U2A0756.JPG" width="313" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spotted Owlet</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicz_4s5991jI1LrzMtW7FLDnwqIn0F1D2QNXo69rwCnwO-h9hlvUbe4mlOrlRWc3_eZenqr4XVOZctcp1vUgxBy0IGr-lyDO5oouC70C2oWlMr3hsnOFCIq-2jtEhFDVTYA78y/s1600/6U2A0788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1522" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicz_4s5991jI1LrzMtW7FLDnwqIn0F1D2QNXo69rwCnwO-h9hlvUbe4mlOrlRWc3_eZenqr4XVOZctcp1vUgxBy0IGr-lyDO5oouC70C2oWlMr3hsnOFCIq-2jtEhFDVTYA78y/s320/6U2A0788.JPG" width="304" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brown Hawk Owl</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Sat 24 Nov:<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Arpora</b><br />
We had a quiet day today with a post-breakfast sortie around Arpora and then Baga fields. We connected with Alexandrine Parakeet as well as great views of Stork-billed Kingfisher, flocks of Yellow Wagtails, Brown Shrike, Common Myna, Brahminy Starling and a host of commoner stuff.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDqStpB_mazDJLpN4ADkpxOCbToIsll9fQYHx4BqQYp1DZC31gNDHBS0l-DqUqAmeKmSzeIGL9JkbS6YITaacsFjnb5pUG42_qNGqYFyLlf1AerSyARYAGqC1TIpaB3hlzdqgC/s1600/6U2A0791.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1165" data-original-width="1600" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDqStpB_mazDJLpN4ADkpxOCbToIsll9fQYHx4BqQYp1DZC31gNDHBS0l-DqUqAmeKmSzeIGL9JkbS6YITaacsFjnb5pUG42_qNGqYFyLlf1AerSyARYAGqC1TIpaB3hlzdqgC/s320/6U2A0791.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stork-billed Kingfisher</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Sun 25 Nov:<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Bondla</b><br />
We started early as it would take around 90 minutes to get to Bondla. We arrived just a little after sunrise but maybe half an hour too late. There was a SunBird tour here led as it happened by my old friend Paul Holt. We got talking and they helped us get a few birds straight away. Coppersmith and Brown-headed Barbets as well as Vernal Hanging Parrots utilised a prominent bare tree. Paul tried to coax out an Indian Pitta for us but although we were within feet of it (and they’d seen it on a previous visit a couple of days prior, it wasn’t for showing. Malabar Starling was another good one along with Asian Fairy Bluebird and Verditer Flycatcher. I didn’ want to take too much advantage so we headed up the road as they went another direction. We got some wonderful views of Flame-throated Bulbul, Black-headed Cuckoo-shrike, Crested Treeswift, Golden-fronted Leafbirds and Indian Cuckoo.<br />
We headed back to the group where another tour (Heatherlea) had arrived. Just as we got to them a couple of Heart-spotted Woodpeckers flew across our paths. There were other birds new for us in this area but it was hotting up considerably by now and birds were getting a little more shy. So we headed deeper into Bondla, up the hill to where the reservoir is (complete with introduced crocodiles to dissuade folk from having a dip! Here, we saw White-rumpled Sharma, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater and heard all sorts of other stuff. Brief, untickable views of Western-crowned Warbler and White-faced Buzzard were had but we did get good views of Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker. Down near the zoo, we used the rather pungent toilets and stocked up on water, ticking of Blue-capped Rock Thrush in the process before heading back via a spot where Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher had been glimpsed earlier in the day. No sign of that but a brief view of a Malabar Blue Whistling Thrush was good.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJ_seq5nkRcqBxbCDLobic8QRTnL3DbjzZk1Gze5sAt2JtAEL37B-qKwJScQ3dLUi7R8n_nAR8vgiZx3avskpvGatdok_G4BdwEvWFcKHRt2TcesgxrUXj3QG5c4U8eLbeMLb/s1600/6U2A0814.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1288" data-original-width="1600" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJ_seq5nkRcqBxbCDLobic8QRTnL3DbjzZk1Gze5sAt2JtAEL37B-qKwJScQ3dLUi7R8n_nAR8vgiZx3avskpvGatdok_G4BdwEvWFcKHRt2TcesgxrUXj3QG5c4U8eLbeMLb/s320/6U2A0814.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White-rumped Sharma</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWvTlUxBh4vF20pUlMIwhYZ5N1wkH3iEcUBt4iR1ff5ZQBwu6XK42xEvA1Svexors2_TluDqtiwJXcG2v930pNOehszxRc4V0mjPCLmjCpX-IjNEDjhZPZVAwAGpQupvsL_A_/s1600/6U2A0818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1235" data-original-width="1600" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWvTlUxBh4vF20pUlMIwhYZ5N1wkH3iEcUBt4iR1ff5ZQBwu6XK42xEvA1Svexors2_TluDqtiwJXcG2v930pNOehszxRc4V0mjPCLmjCpX-IjNEDjhZPZVAwAGpQupvsL_A_/s320/6U2A0818.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Then it was off for a spot of lunch at one of the spice farms in the Ponda area. The one we were told about had a lake which you could watch whilst having lunch. After our tour of the plantation, there was a nice meal and we sat down with the Heatherlea group for Blue-eared Kingfisher and, eventually, Malabar Pied Hornbill. If we’d had time, we’d have done Bondla again and perhaps stayed a couple of days in the area; most trips go to Backwoods Camp for a few nights but due to Bernie’s phobia we thought it best not overnight there!<br />
<br />
<b>Mon 26 Nov:<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Zuari River Trip, Pilerne & Beira Mar</b><br />
Our final day saw us up early to get the 7:30am trip up the Zuari River. We’d pre-booked with Dr Varsha (+91 94224 40040) a couple of days earlier and this was our opportunity to get another two kingfishers on the list. To Bernie’s delight, we managed that with good views of Black-capped and Collared along with plenty of Common, White-throated and Stork-billed.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5CAwIE0_MWEp0iliauDkKi-WhHwM1sEPRDDXCdu8QvpVZueUlCxASNzCBJ9yjITWEcvrGtPd-P1HWLy-TPdtsU7KRzrEPj8meib7wu6G5AaZygc3GqcbUAsNcDzrCFxlatX4q/s1600/6U2A0835.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1383" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5CAwIE0_MWEp0iliauDkKi-WhHwM1sEPRDDXCdu8QvpVZueUlCxASNzCBJ9yjITWEcvrGtPd-P1HWLy-TPdtsU7KRzrEPj8meib7wu6G5AaZygc3GqcbUAsNcDzrCFxlatX4q/s320/6U2A0835.JPG" width="276" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Western Reef Heron</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkRi-tq4RQxMAEHJpwHTaznlsCHEoS8aSReI_9QRu2AhH_Jw7-vO04PCEmhQi4vw4zLi32E6SF-KW-P8Bj1Jc1N-HhG3KcRY2a2jKro93KVN0fKGQ-xDX0ZGHld0WZGTJ1gD-d/s1600/6U2A0853.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1228" data-original-width="1600" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkRi-tq4RQxMAEHJpwHTaznlsCHEoS8aSReI_9QRu2AhH_Jw7-vO04PCEmhQi4vw4zLi32E6SF-KW-P8Bj1Jc1N-HhG3KcRY2a2jKro93KVN0fKGQ-xDX0ZGHld0WZGTJ1gD-d/s320/6U2A0853.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Striated Heron</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnJTBTTVjw9-rJkyUyAemH0zekHc0fDb7AdZGxshcWxD1b4mD2Gk_yDEZGOZJ1WjDZqy6aa-JSRv11bHG02jkAdTVd8XaqxUv6mPdhX15da-FH3jkAbf8atluQR_K64olSPkwj/s1600/6U2A0869.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1240" data-original-width="1600" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnJTBTTVjw9-rJkyUyAemH0zekHc0fDb7AdZGxshcWxD1b4mD2Gk_yDEZGOZJ1WjDZqy6aa-JSRv11bHG02jkAdTVd8XaqxUv6mPdhX15da-FH3jkAbf8atluQR_K64olSPkwj/s320/6U2A0869.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brahminy Kite</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwe4SDzS-uDYFtbB_KFo1reMT0rhJ0hyViJKE7vRk97bmGLNZURTRSk_X8IPbDqkNzf7HiPwRNrwU4AFS_S1a0fvO7Dq6TQmOyLfGkFiLuUEKlwP54rIbyWpldbvoWEzLP3MEd/s1600/6U2A0898.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1158" data-original-width="1600" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwe4SDzS-uDYFtbB_KFo1reMT0rhJ0hyViJKE7vRk97bmGLNZURTRSk_X8IPbDqkNzf7HiPwRNrwU4AFS_S1a0fvO7Dq6TQmOyLfGkFiLuUEKlwP54rIbyWpldbvoWEzLP3MEd/s320/6U2A0898.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woolly-necked Stork</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCnx6AFLO8au5YjBeWt7RbxKjgAM63qjpqiKDczIngff0LVcdrtQaiyLKa0a-iCtiBdYWgNISH6ux2dpF7YXxakWT5HwgEBfhwe0tZRfEJKt6MGrAHECmrguqiCHF-9GrTUFq/s1600/6U2A0954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1295" data-original-width="1514" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCnx6AFLO8au5YjBeWt7RbxKjgAM63qjpqiKDczIngff0LVcdrtQaiyLKa0a-iCtiBdYWgNISH6ux2dpF7YXxakWT5HwgEBfhwe0tZRfEJKt6MGrAHECmrguqiCHF-9GrTUFq/s320/6U2A0954.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Collared Kingfisher</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP4sNiWigVbDGGrvHOnQACiVgt5RHPhMZzcuacuLT7hlCwpbTz7U65bRTrMasZvVCK9Qh_kDoTiGXehxzRy_hm3He4QnfHh4W3xW1YpHr6mVi5EmaD9LwXizcVeyePM9Fomb-N/s1600/6U2A0976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1450" data-original-width="1600" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP4sNiWigVbDGGrvHOnQACiVgt5RHPhMZzcuacuLT7hlCwpbTz7U65bRTrMasZvVCK9Qh_kDoTiGXehxzRy_hm3He4QnfHh4W3xW1YpHr6mVi5EmaD9LwXizcVeyePM9Fomb-N/s320/6U2A0976.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shikra</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijHVjU6zJ_eT_0NGkOuOdnBgykSwJvwI10ixV7jbal14Cyk8gBcQdjTfa2RRGfZw0-iQVwDAFDVvlydeflBE5U-Q0oNDIdhc38eNS7lzEYQLFIxBqr3Ppew9ygJ8qd1aV-inFQ/s1600/IMG_E8058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1054" data-original-width="1600" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijHVjU6zJ_eT_0NGkOuOdnBgykSwJvwI10ixV7jbal14Cyk8gBcQdjTfa2RRGfZw0-iQVwDAFDVvlydeflBE5U-Q0oNDIdhc38eNS7lzEYQLFIxBqr3Ppew9ygJ8qd1aV-inFQ/s320/IMG_E8058.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zuari River</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We also saw Crocodiles here as well as plenty of egrets and kites but not much else on the mud-banks as the tide rose.<br />
Later that afternoon we visited Pilerne Lake once again, bumping into a Heart-spotted Woodpecker flying along the roadside just before we got there. There wasn’t too much here so we decided to try the Beira Mar for sundown. Here we had a lovely hour sipping beers and sharing our birds with the locals who were amazed at digiscoping. There’s no water to be seen, all overgrown but we did have a lovey female/juvenile Amur Falcon and Bernie found the last bird of the trip, another Spotted Owlet.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCSQOQdUuqxFr9yy91y3TJsX5Mdh_LQmg2eooJ-ZwpA5bsRZOxxY60tdld2B-FCkaicBmua_uIOaD-o6z1BMYvNuJmbPT4xrKp1K0HlCZw3Crqn8aus73hSRLYzVHj3LK_ZZsd/s1600/IMG_4323.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1561" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCSQOQdUuqxFr9yy91y3TJsX5Mdh_LQmg2eooJ-ZwpA5bsRZOxxY60tdld2B-FCkaicBmua_uIOaD-o6z1BMYvNuJmbPT4xrKp1K0HlCZw3Crqn8aus73hSRLYzVHj3LK_ZZsd/s320/IMG_4323.JPG" width="312" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amur Falcon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Our flight back to Manchester left 3:20 am the following morning having seen 206 species with three more heard only during our stay. Not a bad return for number of birds per hour spent in the field. Certainly would go back again but hopefully at a cooler time!<br />
<br />
<b><u>Trip list & days seen</u></b><br />
<br />
<div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 359px;">
<colgroup><col style="mso-width-alt: 8521; mso-width-source: userset; width: 175pt;" width="233"></col>
<col style="mso-width-alt: 4608; mso-width-source: userset; width: 95pt;" width="126"></col>
</colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 175pt;" width="233">Lesser Whistling
Duck</td>
<td align="right" style="width: 95pt;" width="126">7</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Cotton Pygmy Goose</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Northern Shoveler</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Eurasian Teal</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Red Spurfowl</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Grey Junglefowl</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Indian Peafowl</td>
<td align="right">6</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Little Grebe</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Asian Openbill</td>
<td align="right">5</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Woolly-necked Stork</td>
<td align="right">5</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Lesser Adjutant</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Black-headed Ibis</td>
<td align="right">9</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Glossy Ibis</td>
<td align="right">5</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Black-crowned Night Heron</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Striated Heron</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Indian Pond Heron</td>
<td align="right">Daily</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Eastern Cattle Egret</td>
<td align="right">Daily</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Grey Heron</td>
<td align="right">8</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Purple Heron</td>
<td align="right">7</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Great Egret</td>
<td align="right">7</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Intermediate Egret</td>
<td align="right">6</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Little Egret</td>
<td align="right">8</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Western Reef Heron</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Little Cormorant</td>
<td align="right">9</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Indian Cormorant</td>
<td align="right">4</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Oriental Darter</td>
<td align="right">6</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Western Osprey</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Crested Honey Buzzard</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Crested Serpent Eagle</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Short-toed Snake Eagle</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Indian Spotted Eagle</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Greater Spotted Eagle</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Booted Eagle</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Shikra</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Besra</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Western Marsh Harrier</td>
<td align="right">8</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Pallid Harrier</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Black Kite</td>
<td align="right">Daily</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Brahminy Kite</td>
<td align="right">Daily</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">White-bellied Sea Eagle</td>
<td align="right">4</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">White-breasted Waterhen</td>
<td align="right">4</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Grey-headed Swamphen</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Common Moorhen</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Eurasian Coot</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Eurasian Oystercatcher</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Black-winged Stilt</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Red-wattled Lapwing</td>
<td align="right">8</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Pacific Golden Plover</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Little Ringed Plover</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Kentish Plover</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Lesser Sand Plover</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Greater Sand Plover</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Pheasant-tailed Jacana</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Bronze-winged Jacana</td>
<td align="right">5</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Eurasian Curlew</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Ruff</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Temminck's Stint</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Dunlin</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Common Snipe</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Common Sandpiper</td>
<td align="right">7</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Green Sandpiper</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Common Redshank</td>
<td align="right">5</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Marsh Sandpiper</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Wood Sandpiper</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Spotted Redshank</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Common Greenshank</td>
<td align="right">5</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Slender-billed Gull</td>
<td align="right">4</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Brown-headed Gull</td>
<td align="right">Daily</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Lesser Black-backed Gull (Heuglin's)</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Gull-billed Tern</td>
<td align="right">9</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Greater Crested Tern</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Lesser Crested Tern</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Little Tern</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">River Tern</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Parasitic Jaeger</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Rock Dove</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Nilgiri Wood Pigeon</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Spotted Dove</td>
<td align="right">7</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Common Emerald Dove</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Grey-fronted Green Pigeon</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Greater Coucal (Southern)</td>
<td align="right">6</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Blue-faced Malkoha</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Asian Koel</td>
<td align="right">Daily</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Grey-bellied Cuckoo</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Indian Cuckoo</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Common Cuckoo</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Spotted Owlet</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Brown Hawk-owl</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Crested Treeswift</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Asian Palm Swift</td>
<td align="right">5</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Little Swift</td>
<td align="right">Daily</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Indian Roller</td>
<td align="right">6</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Stork-billed Kingfisher</td>
<td align="right">5</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">White-throated Kingfisher</td>
<td align="right">Daily</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Black-capped Kingfisher</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Collared Kingfisher</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Blue-eared Kingfisher</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Common Kingfisher</td>
<td align="right">Daily</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Pied Kingfisher</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Blue-bearded Bee-eater</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Green Bee-eater</td>
<td align="right">Daily</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Blue-tailed Bee-eater</td>
<td align="right">6</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Chestnut-headed Bee-eater</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Eurasian Hoopoe</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Malabar Pied Hornbill</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Brown-headed Barbet</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">White-cheeked Barbet</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Coppersmith Barbet</td>
<td align="right">Heard daily, seen 3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Heart-spotted Woodpecker</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Yellow-crowned Woodpecker</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Black-rumped Flameback</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Rufous Woodpecker</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Red-necked Falcon</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Amur Falcon</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Eurasian Hobby</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Peregrine Falcon</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Plum-headed Parakeet</td>
<td align="right">5</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Alexandrine Parakeet</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Rose-ringed Parakeet</td>
<td align="right">8</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Vernal Hanging Parrot</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Indian Pitta</td>
<td align="right">Heard only 1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Common Woodshrike</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Common Iora</td>
<td align="right">4</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Black-headed Cuckooshrike</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Small Minivet</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Brown Shrike</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Long-tailed Shrike</td>
<td align="right">10</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Indian Golden Oriole</td>
<td align="right">7</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Black-hooded Oriole</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Black Drongo</td>
<td align="right">8</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Ashy Drongo</td>
<td align="right">6</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">White-bellied Drongo</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Bronzed Drongo</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Greater Racket-tailed Drongo</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">White-spotted Fantail</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Black-naped Monarch</td>
<td align="right">Heard only 1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Indian Paradise Flycatcher</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Rufous Treepie</td>
<td align="right">4</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">House Crow</td>
<td align="right">Daily</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Indian Jungle Crow</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Oriental Skylark</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Malabar Lark</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Grey-headed Bulbul</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Flame-throated Bulbul</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Red-whiskered Bulbul</td>
<td align="right">4</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Red-vented Bulbul</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">White-browed Bulbul</td>
<td align="right">6</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Barn Swallow</td>
<td align="right">4</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Wire-tailed Swallow</td>
<td align="right">10</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Common House Martin</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Red-rumped Swallow</td>
<td align="right">10</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Streak-throated Swallow</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Common Chiffchaff</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Green Warbler</td>
<td align="right">7</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Greenish Warbler</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Western Crowned Warbler</td>
<td align="right">Heard only 1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Clamorous Reed Warbler</td>
<td align="right">4</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Paddyfield Warbler</td>
<td align="right">5</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Blyth's Reed Warbler</td>
<td align="right">8</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Sykes's Warbler</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Ashy Prinia</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Plain Prinia</td>
<td align="right">4</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Common Tailorbird</td>
<td align="right">8</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Dark-fronted Babbler</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Brown-cheeked Fulvetta</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Puff-throated Babbler</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Jungle Babbler</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Asian Fairy-bluebird</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Jungle Myna</td>
<td align="right">Daily</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Common Myna</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Chestnut-tailed Starling</td>
<td align="right">4</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">White-headed Starling</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Brahminy Starling</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Rosy Starling</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Orange-headed Thrush</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Indian Blackbird</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Indian Robin</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Oriental Magpie-robin</td>
<td align="right">Daily</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">White-rumped Shama</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Tickell's Blue Flycatcher</td>
<td align="right">4</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Verditer Flycatcher</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Malabar Whistling Thrush</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Blue-capped Rock Thrush</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Siberian Stonechat</td>
<td align="right">6</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Pied Bush Chat</td>
<td align="right">6</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Golden-fronted Leafbird</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Thick-billed Flowerpecker</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Nilgiri Flowerpecker</td>
<td align="right">4</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Purple-rumped Sunbird</td>
<td align="right">Daily</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Crimson-backed Sunbird</td>
<td align="right">6</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Purple Sunbird</td>
<td align="right">7</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Loten's Sunbird</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Vigors's Sunbird</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">House Sparrow</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Yellow-throated Sparrow</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Baya Weaver</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">White-rumped Munia</td>
<td align="right">4</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Scaly-breasted Munia</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Black-throated Munia</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Western Yellow Wagtail</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Citrine Wagtail</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Grey Wagtail</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">White-browed Wagtail</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Richard's Pipit</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Paddyfield Pipit</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Blyth's Pipit</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Tree Pipit</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Dave Bickertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00734571723511231628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31472115.post-83953630935593462452018-09-03T17:19:00.001+01:002018-09-03T17:19:22.045+01:00The hottest summer on recordThe news today confirmed what we all knew already in that the summer has been the hottest overall in England on record. It’s certainly ben a very sunny one with my PV installation hitting record figures through May and June though late July and August have been a little more ‘normal’. This weather has my garden plants in at right tizzy. Many have done well but a lot of the ‘early autumn’ flowers are already starting to go over which may not be good for the insects.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWYuMw6ywiaK4rSykLl22ejpiLo5v-C64L4flJmRWYrYEzJBvN2vTBkYqjWg1m4YhZxwFFVxpchze-n89kvjmO3Bx-lrGo7QLfybRUQ24TdGEDaLVuY07ppBsNw1lCgC72rORP/s1600/IMG_3028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWYuMw6ywiaK4rSykLl22ejpiLo5v-C64L4flJmRWYrYEzJBvN2vTBkYqjWg1m4YhZxwFFVxpchze-n89kvjmO3Bx-lrGo7QLfybRUQ24TdGEDaLVuY07ppBsNw1lCgC72rORP/s320/IMG_3028.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female Ghost Moth</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Moth records have certainly been a but topsy-turvy - generally a poor summer but I’ve had a couple of really odd records of salt marsh species which have turned up in my garden trap - how bizarre! Butterflies have been good in the garden with a Painted Lady rather regular.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLF818f4YVgPHWhsdfiS-__Fwow3hceyQdU1coF54YTTP9ZVkexJ09Rch7TBiAUj27sydEurPu1QdvcbYEHEgGrPavUvkvpdXK4ZZwTC9czA-AmB2fWyKL2sSm_3vrlIfZRneo/s1600/6U2A6967.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLF818f4YVgPHWhsdfiS-__Fwow3hceyQdU1coF54YTTP9ZVkexJ09Rch7TBiAUj27sydEurPu1QdvcbYEHEgGrPavUvkvpdXK4ZZwTC9czA-AmB2fWyKL2sSm_3vrlIfZRneo/s320/6U2A6967.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Painted Lady</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I've also tried my hand at hoverfly identification - a minefield but something to pass fine summer days once the moth trap is empty and no birds around.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1QVk2Z_iqhFRRBs5fD2Z7qeLtgyVg5guuw-XT7wfC9mSWb2Q-Z-kEFs9IkeW5sPLLo26fOTlvQZHhpjpImRl6IyA4FfMj8lud7wbLCKxjkJ68HYggEOQI92O09FmqR9k3nbua/s1600/6U2A6614.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1092" data-original-width="1600" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1QVk2Z_iqhFRRBs5fD2Z7qeLtgyVg5guuw-XT7wfC9mSWb2Q-Z-kEFs9IkeW5sPLLo26fOTlvQZHhpjpImRl6IyA4FfMj8lud7wbLCKxjkJ68HYggEOQI92O09FmqR9k3nbua/s320/6U2A6614.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eristalis pertinax</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Local birding has been a little frustrating of late but, nevertheless, I’ve seen some good birds on Rishton Reservoir which, once again, has dropped very low due to a leak in the canal somewhere along our section. This has revealed some lovely mud but had unintended consequences on the pair of Great Crested Grebes that nested on the small res. They produced two young but as the water level dropped, the patch of after available to them diminished and eventually the parents left the youngsters to it. Amazingly one of them managed to find the culvert under the railway track and swam to safety. The other must have perished.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJfcwf2WK-6qy_osqswUH4hHPJMTI02IYgCGUFgbcCBXqebj2FBte9FlY0m71VCYnnya_7Nw0XuH1G4B2OGZZmw2NOyz6MiI1Gfu0SmXD76gZkugd-pxfEx_QgDJC4dxFpZ0o/s1600/IMG_3241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJfcwf2WK-6qy_osqswUH4hHPJMTI02IYgCGUFgbcCBXqebj2FBte9FlY0m71VCYnnya_7Nw0XuH1G4B2OGZZmw2NOyz6MiI1Gfu0SmXD76gZkugd-pxfEx_QgDJC4dxFpZ0o/s320/IMG_3241.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juvenile Avocet</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The mud on the west back attracted in a few waders but nothing like as many as last year. A juvenile Avocet was most unexpected though perhaps a long overdue visitor considering their range expansion. There’s been very few hirundines around this year but a good number of gulls have been loafing on the waters edge. A couple of weeks ago there were at least 500 LBBG’s and in amongst them was what I think must have been a juvenile Caspian Gull but it was missing one feature that would have clinched it.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_q3m0MJFHHzHX0jk2acTPrCRIhnurPi9O1bsT7cNESI89s33REYnN3F6lRCTbxZ2lLIkulfJeSt0nFcqVLxNTySXaT0H3tKbvkREKycnRXxUIOQ-eWvkb09HP7aubg2DvPdL/s1600/IMG_3674.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_q3m0MJFHHzHX0jk2acTPrCRIhnurPi9O1bsT7cNESI89s33REYnN3F6lRCTbxZ2lLIkulfJeSt0nFcqVLxNTySXaT0H3tKbvkREKycnRXxUIOQ-eWvkb09HP7aubg2DvPdL/s320/IMG_3674.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Possible juvenile Caspian Gull</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The same day a juvenile Kittiwake dropped in and in the preceding week I’d had up to two little Egrets! So imagine my surprise this-morning when I got down there in heavy drizzle to see a Great White Egret wading through the water. Unfortunately it didn’t hang around but I managed a few images to record the event.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzzsUuNPL8wdhlWyfXv9jd7ZpCAprrBN7JsE-LNJaS9CX_K4b9Wvf-PdV95BuPwvc1Ur7-NeHHihETUB5x3_qWl70tnFxCNgMvmmL5FMZOV0vDWHTNshgavjQufelZZNBHIZWD/s1600/IMG_3721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzzsUuNPL8wdhlWyfXv9jd7ZpCAprrBN7JsE-LNJaS9CX_K4b9Wvf-PdV95BuPwvc1Ur7-NeHHihETUB5x3_qWl70tnFxCNgMvmmL5FMZOV0vDWHTNshgavjQufelZZNBHIZWD/s320/IMG_3721.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Great White Egret - Rishton Reservoir<br /></td></tr>
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Dave Bickertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00734571723511231628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31472115.post-61215666525987380052018-05-20T20:19:00.001+01:002018-05-21T10:33:54.331+01:00Bulgaria May 2018, part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After a good breakfast and a local meander down the lane where I had Whinchat, Woodchat and Stonechat as well as the regular goodies, we packed some butties for lunch and headed for the Burgas wetlands. First port of call was just off the main road overlooking the shallow Burgas Lake that was covered in birds. Great rafts of Great White Pelicans with a few Dalmatians dotted in amongst them gorged themselves in one corner of the lake along with gulls and terns. Pygmy Cormorants were in amongst the Greater Cormorants and Great Crested Grebes fringed the lakeside. There were A few ducks, notably Garganey and Pochard and raptors overhead.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1pIKcdWsQQfIJPuhzHg7NsuPSGTpgLdu9CYtmbxRat71PJ2k6Li68cMqkejMCN84JmaD7KAKqma28GnO4CSS5KWmeH3PGgjQIC8WsTFcm0byNS14wZq6Mn3BYub15GWhTuHPu/s1600/6U2A5165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1097" data-original-width="1600" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1pIKcdWsQQfIJPuhzHg7NsuPSGTpgLdu9CYtmbxRat71PJ2k6Li68cMqkejMCN84JmaD7KAKqma28GnO4CSS5KWmeH3PGgjQIC8WsTFcm0byNS14wZq6Mn3BYub15GWhTuHPu/s320/6U2A5165.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great White Pelican</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrJQs6WhlZWFlKjJ8HXfbFn0Rl7dORcZ0BcqfOElxFKshXdF34QOrG7JwWys_bZYnBbNHJwtqTZllL_C6OHDX6AvRsFPONc0o-cxXKsqJCHDRwsUIvUMeu02aqR6LBN16hMth/s1600/6U2A5046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="1600" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrJQs6WhlZWFlKjJ8HXfbFn0Rl7dORcZ0BcqfOElxFKshXdF34QOrG7JwWys_bZYnBbNHJwtqTZllL_C6OHDX6AvRsFPONc0o-cxXKsqJCHDRwsUIvUMeu02aqR6LBN16hMth/s320/6U2A5046.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dalmatian Pelican</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9mKBeezEeM4uMV4paVJaSKctgpOVdvwxLeXELhr8yN7H5NA7Ape6z7BzBy6ZKTrmuwQ8U58R-LdF9rUh8JSd5wp8L9h_t66CNWWYjxIzJeFKV9_JqQd4X8l0Kq-gcBldgTI-m/s1600/6U2A5136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1148" data-original-width="1600" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9mKBeezEeM4uMV4paVJaSKctgpOVdvwxLeXELhr8yN7H5NA7Ape6z7BzBy6ZKTrmuwQ8U58R-LdF9rUh8JSd5wp8L9h_t66CNWWYjxIzJeFKV9_JqQd4X8l0Kq-gcBldgTI-m/s320/6U2A5136.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pygmy Cormorant</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1jWYN5aBXx6RL-1Z-rMKMguf8HkIxxFs3XfXxGIJ4fSKaCWccvbTVnoZE07pMzCBDcrDUbrxt0c45G53hCjt7HOmfWmNRRWE2Zj12d2crsf9JcXK4LsgbR37B9t4VCHG1qhK1/s1600/6U2A5103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1361" data-original-width="1600" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1jWYN5aBXx6RL-1Z-rMKMguf8HkIxxFs3XfXxGIJ4fSKaCWccvbTVnoZE07pMzCBDcrDUbrxt0c45G53hCjt7HOmfWmNRRWE2Zj12d2crsf9JcXK4LsgbR37B9t4VCHG1qhK1/s320/6U2A5103.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flight of Great White Pelicans</td></tr>
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After an hour or so, the Pelicans started to move off and so we did too to a lake on the south side of Burgas where we had great views of Squacco Heron and trip firsts such as Glossy Ibis, Gull-billed Tern and Great Reed Warbler.<br />
At the salt pans back in Burgas there were lots of waders but all a little distant. Curlew Sandpipers and Little Stints made up the bulk of the migrants with Terns and Avocets abundant. A couple of Slender-billed Gulls were here too.<br />
Then it was a little further north for lunch whilst enjoying reed-bed birds such as Penduline Tits though access to the main reed beds was not possible and it was very warm!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6s8VwP5Iq-tfyshnQXU_4dkXKxOmpBc6nEjw9aEhcWzrpWVi6mi7HNJ29Hf_PfOzuTCbhWmIFQTxoZIgm4SKmCkbq9gKCYlXEojUSONMRyqaoDod_p304F7hX7nyf5ZphyphenhyphennZ/s1600/6U2A5316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1188" data-original-width="1600" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6s8VwP5Iq-tfyshnQXU_4dkXKxOmpBc6nEjw9aEhcWzrpWVi6mi7HNJ29Hf_PfOzuTCbhWmIFQTxoZIgm4SKmCkbq9gKCYlXEojUSONMRyqaoDod_p304F7hX7nyf5ZphyphenhyphennZ/s320/6U2A5316.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cuckoo</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj453oknPkSBpO6xYJB0VX1Y8uE1PQcpNVBMdS4up72rbjjzvp9i6rAkjNxuJvDrNzEMtNpXqIniuwhymaCZdXbsMmlKI-7W7vJDq1fqlvYyHbmwDKUJpnsXHRlx5Dv-cGjgQlD/s1600/6U2A5383.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="1600" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj453oknPkSBpO6xYJB0VX1Y8uE1PQcpNVBMdS4up72rbjjzvp9i6rAkjNxuJvDrNzEMtNpXqIniuwhymaCZdXbsMmlKI-7W7vJDq1fqlvYyHbmwDKUJpnsXHRlx5Dv-cGjgQlD/s320/6U2A5383.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crested Lark</td></tr>
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The afternoon was spent a the reservoir near Poroy where we enjoyed around 25 Whiskered Terns feeding along with Ruddy Sheduck, Wood Sandpipers, Black-winged Stilts, White-tailed Eagle and all three ‘regular’ woodpeckers in the nearby woodland.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5O-16nzAszf_9HgDZl3JGF7DML44KzjuCGpUTu39mNvd5HQjeSoJttm2CW8ShdaAfuoIqRivKcD3DprwJG1qmYCSH3iQA4M18rYHVmyHShGZ21K0UVI2z-2L6a2KzF6-aQlHr/s1600/6U2A5455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1581" data-original-width="1600" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5O-16nzAszf_9HgDZl3JGF7DML44KzjuCGpUTu39mNvd5HQjeSoJttm2CW8ShdaAfuoIqRivKcD3DprwJG1qmYCSH3iQA4M18rYHVmyHShGZ21K0UVI2z-2L6a2KzF6-aQlHr/s320/6U2A5455.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whiskered Tern</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix4ENLUd9EtO5SRRgpxncrKGhxLpd4gCLD4ctr8EPDPNlI2Db2uMp5EDH-Quqi6hq8o9BqJtXPEMW8oGzWSGRqEETSB7U1DUlZpifsmbbMoOHiRI3Um8PDwb433Rh8af55WkcW/s1600/6U2A5481.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1173" data-original-width="1600" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix4ENLUd9EtO5SRRgpxncrKGhxLpd4gCLD4ctr8EPDPNlI2Db2uMp5EDH-Quqi6hq8o9BqJtXPEMW8oGzWSGRqEETSB7U1DUlZpifsmbbMoOHiRI3Um8PDwb433Rh8af55WkcW/s320/6U2A5481.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whiskered Tern</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1aAiv_epURLzSnpAcwY8yNF6yYeuqOtWNTxuVVsDlxTLxpfj8nsB912ol1zmm_1QAte99oOJbaVwmi5LNm_U5HK6o4QLCR1nB5volLbt7Oa1jodJPZcV6Oifll5-04Opsz_F-/s1600/6U2A5579.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1600" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1aAiv_epURLzSnpAcwY8yNF6yYeuqOtWNTxuVVsDlxTLxpfj8nsB912ol1zmm_1QAte99oOJbaVwmi5LNm_U5HK6o4QLCR1nB5volLbt7Oa1jodJPZcV6Oifll5-04Opsz_F-/s320/6U2A5579.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruddy Shelduck</td></tr>
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A final look at the marshes on the way back gave us a few more waders and a host of Little Gulls and then it was back to Burgas to our Hotel for the night. After dinner, we took a stroll round the block to hear, and eventually see, a Scop’s Owl.<br />
We headed north on Thursday through the eastern Balkan Mountains with stops at several places en-route to Varna where we picked up Eastern Bonellli’s Warbler, Semi-collared Flycatcher, Barred Warbler, Wood Warbler, four Woodpeckers plus Wryneck as well as Hoopoes and Bee-eaters galore. The Flycatchers were around a nest-box scheme where around 40/200 boxes were occupied. We had excellent prolonged views of males singing (some trying to find a mate, others defending the territory they had).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh46OQbXXe7D7N0Fkx_IUmv4TUbjwvONYoaeDLbRqfe5ELbqJzBUtu2U7bNn_Ro9WTfsZoO80FFOYc_NiVG3CHCb-bxG-Zyr24BV-bDvLRVf_yp3WI7w7A7mH9ZuXUsIvXiZcPK/s1600/6U2A5719.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1039" data-original-width="1575" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh46OQbXXe7D7N0Fkx_IUmv4TUbjwvONYoaeDLbRqfe5ELbqJzBUtu2U7bNn_Ro9WTfsZoO80FFOYc_NiVG3CHCb-bxG-Zyr24BV-bDvLRVf_yp3WI7w7A7mH9ZuXUsIvXiZcPK/s320/6U2A5719.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eastern Bonelli's Warbler</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihE8a2UHP1VJc02-eO4hsjg9-pXfWyL7mN-WgES6sgEVww5Ict6NI7M-JMhuRqHNPr1tv4ZrLjTz1C2YEBLrEHUJCZfLno-SNXxe1NbOLu2hNWMjhnBJ39ASEREL3gJMtPLrmt/s1600/6U2A5822.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1494" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihE8a2UHP1VJc02-eO4hsjg9-pXfWyL7mN-WgES6sgEVww5Ict6NI7M-JMhuRqHNPr1tv4ZrLjTz1C2YEBLrEHUJCZfLno-SNXxe1NbOLu2hNWMjhnBJ39ASEREL3gJMtPLrmt/s320/6U2A5822.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cirl Bunting</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQX-nNSDPCg-_tcxBT7STguSvg8HQ1r7PqHi2T79JPmqfPOvydbZduWgu2ggH4VUicUWstmOrCX6MwefIpihVyZMGuuSvV3ErcErH3HumXExmOr3pKSrsCWdhFt4Lw9tlUuVnl/s1600/6U2A5775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1495" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQX-nNSDPCg-_tcxBT7STguSvg8HQ1r7PqHi2T79JPmqfPOvydbZduWgu2ggH4VUicUWstmOrCX6MwefIpihVyZMGuuSvV3ErcErH3HumXExmOr3pKSrsCWdhFt4Lw9tlUuVnl/s320/6U2A5775.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Syrian Woodpecker</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKopsvJYWMxPgCPeqevdpfGeP3j8Clmd2g8TT8gfwGdQ4YRXF9rEZ2gFBHpi9c6pRTo1TiGlX7axhSYzgo7cVs_I2CZteHBdh_n1yiFSmOPIEuxbRZWSAejXmPoGvQJhIweSnY/s1600/6U2A5900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKopsvJYWMxPgCPeqevdpfGeP3j8Clmd2g8TT8gfwGdQ4YRXF9rEZ2gFBHpi9c6pRTo1TiGlX7axhSYzgo7cVs_I2CZteHBdh_n1yiFSmOPIEuxbRZWSAejXmPoGvQJhIweSnY/s640/6U2A5900.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Semi-collared Flycatcher in habitat</td></tr>
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After Ice-creams in Varna we headed for Cape Kaliakra to get some more special birds. The place was alive with Pied Wheatears and birds on the sea included the Mediterranean subspecies of Shag, around 700 Yelkouan Shearwaters, a few Black-necked Grebes and Black-throated Divers and an Arctic Skua chasing terns for good measure. We also got Alpine Swifts here.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrlSzkDKb6dDlcejIyWNMlkdIA4st3FzU4u3F_flJK7cuc6FCNiUU2uk5r1-uEDFJ0IIrXhWdvOAap4jL09Du1Q3lkq5mzqgtCdKvkUP7EcV_jvEFmWQjinzfcMSZWFu-HIdWZ/s1600/6U2A5929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1233" data-original-width="1600" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrlSzkDKb6dDlcejIyWNMlkdIA4st3FzU4u3F_flJK7cuc6FCNiUU2uk5r1-uEDFJ0IIrXhWdvOAap4jL09Du1Q3lkq5mzqgtCdKvkUP7EcV_jvEFmWQjinzfcMSZWFu-HIdWZ/s320/6U2A5929.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pied Wheatear</td></tr>
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Our hotel for the night was just south of Lake Durankulak and so early the following morning we headed to the area passing innumerable Red-backed Shrikes on the way. There had been a thunderstorm overnight and suspected that this was a ‘fall’ of migrants. As we arrived, a White-tailed Eagle arose from its roost. The reed bed was alive with bird song - the loud grating song of Great Reed Warblers filled the air and soon the cacophony was joined by a reeling Savi’s Warbler. Ferruginous Ducks were in the pools and Lesser Grey Shrikes in the surrounding vegetation. The omnipresent Orioles gave us some splendid views before Mark found a pair of Paddyfield Warblers which we enjoyed. Montague’s and Marsh Harriers quartered the reedbeds.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6e8VjGptkaakm4rJgGPFfFhQDRIkO-ynBYuMNHeARUZc2LVqT4ZqYErnDSzJ4hsGQ2B39O2Rkb8Gpho-TGyFlr-obLyh5aBWOO9FN9PpsZcy8rD1DLsyghDZiD9bWK8YtImc5/s1600/IMG_E2803.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1508" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6e8VjGptkaakm4rJgGPFfFhQDRIkO-ynBYuMNHeARUZc2LVqT4ZqYErnDSzJ4hsGQ2B39O2Rkb8Gpho-TGyFlr-obLyh5aBWOO9FN9PpsZcy8rD1DLsyghDZiD9bWK8YtImc5/s200/IMG_E2803.JPG" width="188" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paddyfield Warbler</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFKSam_cVQ9NL5oUwaFr7drm_AG14vDv9vGGngPqNyibdS54TAS-l_vJdRLW4k7tnM3Z8xWDkd9OyBGG5339V54LYmE7ZIPI6ijzIn0VGnHHRb_slcpRpZi1ZSdLi59U4Q3iuZ/s1600/6U2A6099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFKSam_cVQ9NL5oUwaFr7drm_AG14vDv9vGGngPqNyibdS54TAS-l_vJdRLW4k7tnM3Z8xWDkd9OyBGG5339V54LYmE7ZIPI6ijzIn0VGnHHRb_slcpRpZi1ZSdLi59U4Q3iuZ/s320/6U2A6099.JPG" width="271" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Reed Warbler</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTkBfsDSIOMN_s1tvIPqWmhdhYPUaIVlh307tvuDr1gJ_pqD6_HvLSihHStU-n3Apm2iup7dw6BzspJ7OMafizbNOxKJQWgIGbBIMI-TnnvPI9kK0ERVrdmtKtcyvvzF3tpQlJ/s1600/6U2A6242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTkBfsDSIOMN_s1tvIPqWmhdhYPUaIVlh307tvuDr1gJ_pqD6_HvLSihHStU-n3Apm2iup7dw6BzspJ7OMafizbNOxKJQWgIGbBIMI-TnnvPI9kK0ERVrdmtKtcyvvzF3tpQlJ/s320/6U2A6242.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red-backed Shrike</td></tr>
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With all the target birds in the bag as it were, we headed back for breakfast and check-out before heading to Kavarna where we had great views of singing Marsh Warblers despite the nearby traffic and road-works.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44F5-nSGn7R1LE9vpsZQpDKXTEBcvSFdW2vC0_cN6-Peno6t42c476tSyBvN2gMoS3hwv0cHBXCdQJrUou8ERRfo6b-QfxmswmfOQBf76Zqy9MOJ9vCzgIJVEBy0rZW79OhYZ/s1600/6U2A6277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1051" data-original-width="1600" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44F5-nSGn7R1LE9vpsZQpDKXTEBcvSFdW2vC0_cN6-Peno6t42c476tSyBvN2gMoS3hwv0cHBXCdQJrUou8ERRfo6b-QfxmswmfOQBf76Zqy9MOJ9vCzgIJVEBy0rZW79OhYZ/s320/6U2A6277.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Calandra Lark</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-i86_qzNyyv0WILsuRk4dZe9RMHd4h2xl_ZP8Nsxb5ND5a_-oWlNaGe5fAmIFQZ2trVb3cxbpPCdk8QI4krK88w2IJoQh8DZIJFksYZzlEVbgT_519P59kRybDdCBGQT8nRh/s1600/Marsh+Warbler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1012" data-original-width="1434" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-i86_qzNyyv0WILsuRk4dZe9RMHd4h2xl_ZP8Nsxb5ND5a_-oWlNaGe5fAmIFQZ2trVb3cxbpPCdk8QI4krK88w2IJoQh8DZIJFksYZzlEVbgT_519P59kRybDdCBGQT8nRh/s320/Marsh+Warbler.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marsh Warbler</td></tr>
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Then it was off to do some steppe birding - yet more Red-backed Shrikes - we estimated 2-300 along a 5km stretch of track - as well as our first Calandra and Short-toed Larks. Alpine Swifts buzzed overhead and we eventually found a Long-legged Buzzard with better views of a second bird later in the day. We even jammed in on a second male Levant Sparrowhawk as it was mobbed by corvids.<br />
Finally, we finished off at a couple of Bee-eater colonies as a relaxing conclusion to our four days in Bulgaria before having our final dinner together and then getting dropped off at the airport.<br />
All-in-all, a splendid trip with 166 species recorded and 12 new for myself. I’d heartily recommend Neophron Tours and Bulgaria as a destination for some great wildlife. And I’ve not even mentioned the flowers and Butterflies we saw!!!Dave Bickertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00734571723511231628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31472115.post-59259852212780425642018-05-20T20:04:00.001+01:002018-05-21T10:29:59.061+01:00Eastern Bulgaria May 2018 Part 1I can’t believe it’s six months since my last blog entry. I suppose the travelling we’ve been doing has been with family and football so not all that many birds to write about; well apart from the Snowy Owls at Montrose in Chicago at Christmas, the divers off the coast of Cornwall in February and a visit to Ham Wall en route. OK so I’ve done a bit of birding but spring has been slow this year no more exemplified by the lack of moths in the moth trap.<br />
Oh, and I’ve produced a book on the Pug Moths of the north-west of England (not authored by me I must add!) which has done rather well I’m glad to say.<br />
There have been some excellent local birds recently - Marshside has had a bit of a purple patch recently with Glossy Ibis, Spoonbill, Snow Goose, Temminck’s Stint and a host of migrants. Rishton Reservoir on the other hand has been very quiet apart from the Glaucous Gull that was semi-regular in January. The leak in the dam wall seems to have been fixed and the water levels have remained high - good for the grebes hopefully!<br />
Anyway, the football season is over (and we’re promoted :)), most migrants are in now and breeding is in full swing and bird-report writing needs to start. But before all that was a mini-trip to Bulgaria organised at the turn of the year with John Wright, Steve Flynn, Bill Aspin and Mark and Margaret Breaks.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuvMiBavscZx0FziTjyOF2pY6c2aj1k4J96dSgN5eVTH0GjfweJuayaQcdq6ov9d7foLAFIbD8GBfTwriZGyJE2qs5ksIRZiuwg_vtJxmWmO9A-_XY0miqUDpFxhaAJulB5jbL/s1600/IMG_2696.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuvMiBavscZx0FziTjyOF2pY6c2aj1k4J96dSgN5eVTH0GjfweJuayaQcdq6ov9d7foLAFIbD8GBfTwriZGyJE2qs5ksIRZiuwg_vtJxmWmO9A-_XY0miqUDpFxhaAJulB5jbL/s320/IMG_2696.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The team photographing a Herman's Tortoise</td></tr>
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The flights from Manchester to Burgas were rather restricting - the 11pm flight actually left at 1am on Tuesday 15th May so around 7am we were met by Dimiter Georgiev, our guide and driver for four days of full on birdin’.<br />
Starting off a little late wasn’t too much of a problem as we sped past the enticing Burgas wetlands (that was to be saved for tomorrow) towards the eastern Strandzha woodlands. The area was a mixture of oak woodlands and pastoral farming with all the associated fauna and flora. Birds were everywhere and in good numbers, probably because invertebrate life was also abundant - I can’t remember when the windscreen on my car at home was caked in insect road-kill, but our transport was.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUWoRwz9bqMWWGsh1rBqMoHlq03IsfPDFzP4_V7RZUZBonb0ElCdogcgtIqdg3s3txc-UQuvJWhDT_6iFBQTDMYlK7KZKEN_EFs8Cz376CzthdAEMZki9XwlrOhdJULUb09EVt/s1600/6U2A6232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUWoRwz9bqMWWGsh1rBqMoHlq03IsfPDFzP4_V7RZUZBonb0ElCdogcgtIqdg3s3txc-UQuvJWhDT_6iFBQTDMYlK7KZKEN_EFs8Cz376CzthdAEMZki9XwlrOhdJULUb09EVt/s320/6U2A6232.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ubiquitous Corn Bunting</td></tr>
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We searched a prime patch of woodland - and after a quiet start, we started to rack up the birds. As well as commoner birds, we got good views of Short-toed Treecreeper, Ortolan, Masked Shrike and Olive-tree Warbler as well as several raptors: Short-toed and Lesser Spotted Eagle, Honey Buzzards and Hobby. Sombre Tits were being rather difficult but we did get some good, if brief, views. In the background we could hear Golden Orioles and Nightingales wherever we went and in the more open areas, Corn Buntings and Red-backed Shrikes were incredibly common. Dimiter said that there were one million pairs of the latter in Bulgaria - I can honestly believe that in the country the size of England but an eighth of the population.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyt2B0xOIT7OmIPDEj-QiDafaApSfR0rL-42y7s3FlqnULOFE0JVg5gQSum3geshZdztE11MIQO4NYVT6i4dUk88lrphPla2OpkpHfOfssGudlP_QQ3f3Lhnc3z2TnPhmriJgu/s1600/6U2A4959.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="1600" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyt2B0xOIT7OmIPDEj-QiDafaApSfR0rL-42y7s3FlqnULOFE0JVg5gQSum3geshZdztE11MIQO4NYVT6i4dUk88lrphPla2OpkpHfOfssGudlP_QQ3f3Lhnc3z2TnPhmriJgu/s320/6U2A4959.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fritillary - lots of several species seen thoughout</td></tr>
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Everywhere we went, the adornment of Spring flowers and the associated Lepidoptera added another dimension to our enjoyment of the country. The next stop was a more open area as we neared the Sakar Hills, having seen Booed Eagle and Black and White Storks on the way. Here we had a marvellous Eastern Imperial Eagle, displaying Isabelline Wheatear, Black-headed Buntings (all over the place), Black-headed Wagtails, Tawny Pipit and Syrian Woodpecker.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXho4geLMSwq0-W97cAMcun7ujD2GTK5KheGcIEkFnSof3lWmOSz-8n18BS_3aKAtVv62yLpC2mw4HASV3JIorfj-FrWbuNX8SjLAb2IkR-NFc0I_KJcCirDjKbltow8oRlBRS/s1600/IMG_2698.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXho4geLMSwq0-W97cAMcun7ujD2GTK5KheGcIEkFnSof3lWmOSz-8n18BS_3aKAtVv62yLpC2mw4HASV3JIorfj-FrWbuNX8SjLAb2IkR-NFc0I_KJcCirDjKbltow8oRlBRS/s320/IMG_2698.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Imperial Eagle here</td></tr>
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Lunch was spent semi-outdoors with nesting swallows as company before we birded other areas for Masked Shrike (as well as Woodchat) and a rather splendid Eastern Orphean Warbler. We headed for an area near the Greek/Turkish border where one of the special target birds, Levant Sparrowhawk showed well along with Rollers, Bee-eaters, Orioles, Lesser Grey Shrike, Rosy Starlings and other really excellent birds.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfQuliY2zQtqN9mkmTrIip4BIHd76DLUUTjjzQ082JURtl5apQCVdA89Iv7eGs9RhKo2dcXWDUNJ-fZFqT0vRTJdocU0M8tUftBhKXez7yLLNt4du71_uLSXydofa2OceR0tZn/s1600/6U2A4992.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1237" data-original-width="1600" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfQuliY2zQtqN9mkmTrIip4BIHd76DLUUTjjzQ082JURtl5apQCVdA89Iv7eGs9RhKo2dcXWDUNJ-fZFqT0vRTJdocU0M8tUftBhKXez7yLLNt4du71_uLSXydofa2OceR0tZn/s320/6U2A4992.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roller</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSq1srDFCNexrCXFwlLJUtEa84S81FEkCjHPi5eOush5mWkr1lNNUXjQqM7zGPpk-0-KuKsNRyQhmQ9IOe4vCU3pzyjHvdz7RRvCXmPOScYqY6hf-s2HPOA7yQ9kl9M1iANlFH/s1600/6U2A4995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSq1srDFCNexrCXFwlLJUtEa84S81FEkCjHPi5eOush5mWkr1lNNUXjQqM7zGPpk-0-KuKsNRyQhmQ9IOe4vCU3pzyjHvdz7RRvCXmPOScYqY6hf-s2HPOA7yQ9kl9M1iANlFH/s320/6U2A4995.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spot the Rosy Starling</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin9xvSTpxz_KhBVmTxf7PRPOr-pGvHawq7FS8MQEv6yD4SeoL3PEQ7XjIvzTgINK3baIHX2fDdcsj63jLHC1kX6PjIxMnmWisf0FqckZG292jyfmSp9ZA7Wye1ipP8LtPDejzw/s1600/6U2A4970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin9xvSTpxz_KhBVmTxf7PRPOr-pGvHawq7FS8MQEv6yD4SeoL3PEQ7XjIvzTgINK3baIHX2fDdcsj63jLHC1kX6PjIxMnmWisf0FqckZG292jyfmSp9ZA7Wye1ipP8LtPDejzw/s320/6U2A4970.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black-headed Bunting</td></tr>
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Our rural retreat for the night was the nicest place we stayed at and we were the only guests. The food was good and the rooms comfortable. Add that to having Lesser Spotted Eagle and Montague’s Harrier from the surrounding roads and the hedgerows supporting more Orioles, Nightingales, Buntings and Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, what’s not to like!<br />
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Dave Bickertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00734571723511231628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31472115.post-22375251987645699512017-11-02T21:40:00.001+00:002017-11-02T21:41:47.071+00:00A bit of late autumn birding around TorontoWe're spending a few days with Bernie's sister Jo in Toronto to celebrate a special birthday but the opportunity to get a little birding in at a time of year that I've not yet experienced over here was far to tempting. Bernie and I visited High Park on Tuesday where we had a nice flock of Slate-coloured Juncos and a single American Tree Sparrow as well as residents such as Downy Woodpecker and White-breasted Nuthatch.<br />
High park is famous for its "Hawk Hill" raptor watch-point - we were expecting to see people there but no-one was there at first. The wind had shifted westerly which brought we had a few Red-tailed Hawks (along with the residents) and quite a few Turkey Vultures passing (total of 45 in 90 minutes). A couple of Cooper's Hawks showed well and then I picked up a large raptor low over the trees which wasn't a TV - immature Golden Eagle!<br />
A wander back along Grenadier Pond gave us several Wood Duck, Pied-billed Grebe, Hooded Mergansers and an interesting exhibition of synchronised feeding by 20+ Shovelers.<br />
<br />
Today, I met up with Owen Yates for some birding along the 'coast' east of Toronto. We started at Thickson Woods at dawn where we heard a Great Horned Owl but try as we might, we couldn't find one in the pines. There were plenty of Golden-crowned Kinglets as well as the ubiquitous Black-capped Chickadees on the edges of the woods.<br />
Next was a quick visit to a farm field to twitch a Cattle Egret - we found two! Funny to think that these are still very rare here but increasing, just like at home. The area was full of Greater Canada Goose flocks and a few Cackling Geese were in amongst them.<br />
We visited Cranberry Marsh next, one of my favourite places. Lots of ducks and herons on the water including American Wigeon, Pintail, Green-winged Teal, 12 Great Blue Herons and three Great Egrets. On the lake, a HUGE flock of mergansers were feeding - easily in excess of a thousand birds, mostly Red-breasted but a hundred or so Common (Goosander). There were also Bufflehead, Surf and Black Scoter and Bonaparte's Gulls.<br />
Back on the paths, we got 'attacked' by Chickadees coming for food and some unexpected Red-winged Blackbirds.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Song Sparrow</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjah0KaT8OfT16EPHaKIKQ0LaPGAP3uy8HTiAjfFPLFIu9TuxajLML2fcFN1GpDedXhOF4rB-FFmb9y7AK46qkF68Tbtvy0yl_QRoSprCOhaqYP7_9zQQF80wt4GZUVD4tMjk4V/s1600/6U2A3721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjah0KaT8OfT16EPHaKIKQ0LaPGAP3uy8HTiAjfFPLFIu9TuxajLML2fcFN1GpDedXhOF4rB-FFmb9y7AK46qkF68Tbtvy0yl_QRoSprCOhaqYP7_9zQQF80wt4GZUVD4tMjk4V/s320/6U2A3721.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red-winged Blackbird</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNt5CVu8YQTyZ8_h4JlXRhDG8_GQNwKx8XTnEiznJ1-YbSorOMTBMTH-G2PI8U3DYNliI9PKojyLjZRCS0QfCmDqvnVLfgAMSfTL9l-HAc3aneATM1_-HBvMsUuNnxRG7pmQNn/s1600/6U2A3729.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNt5CVu8YQTyZ8_h4JlXRhDG8_GQNwKx8XTnEiznJ1-YbSorOMTBMTH-G2PI8U3DYNliI9PKojyLjZRCS0QfCmDqvnVLfgAMSfTL9l-HAc3aneATM1_-HBvMsUuNnxRG7pmQNn/s320/6U2A3729.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mourning Dove - one several very approachable birds</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCmPfIs-XplDpuHIHJQ77fffFR5YA79XOEHSuHi6L1E2WygB80_r-gQHs34GgC_a8YwteR1QhlKseb8V8NeeCoZDVW6RA0w0i6medNxPzXy60kKxfzs9mgc_JISa0_cUMtxAT/s1600/6U2A3735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCmPfIs-XplDpuHIHJQ77fffFR5YA79XOEHSuHi6L1E2WygB80_r-gQHs34GgC_a8YwteR1QhlKseb8V8NeeCoZDVW6RA0w0i6medNxPzXy60kKxfzs9mgc_JISa0_cUMtxAT/s320/6U2A3735.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Egrets</td></tr>
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Next was to Whitby Harbour (Great Black-backed Gull) and then finally to Frenchman's Bay, a place I've not visited before. Quickly got a lifer with three White-winged Scoter flying past along with several Buffleheads and Long-tailed Ducks. There were also a few Great Northern Divers (Common Loon) and more mergansers. Not a bad morning's birding considering the rain and drizzle and a good deal of birding chat.Dave Bickertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00734571723511231628noreply@blogger.com0Toronto, ON, Canada43.653226 -79.38318429999998243.2856095 -80.028631299999986 44.020842499999993 -78.737737299999978tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31472115.post-58425330773268217382017-10-22T11:08:00.001+01:002017-10-22T11:08:52.147+01:00Reflections on Autumn 2017Last autumn was certainly one for the history books in terms of volume of eastern waifs turning up on our shores following a sustained run of easterlies from the depths of Russia. This year has been totally different with a really wet summer and autumn and a succession of low-pressure systems (and ex-hurricanes) battering the west coast.<br />
The effect on birds was most noticible in September when we had our first decent autumn gale for a few years - Leach's Petrels were seen all along the Lancashire coastline and a day out at Ainsdale and Formby enabled me to see ten of these along with a whole host of other sea-birds including Grey Pahalrope, Pomarine Skua, Gannets and Manx Shearwaters.<br />
The biggest surprise was from this weekend when a Manxie was pick up exhausted from the banks of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal in the middle of Rishton - 25 miles from seawater as the crow flies - goodness know how many as the shearwater flies. I collected it and kept it overnight, feeding it sprats before it was taken to Ainsdale to be release at night on the low tide. Then storm 'Brian' has hit - though it seemed healthy and not too underweight, its chances must be slim! :(<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3tPy2IzV0HIB91ccxsSNPGcc5fUPRQ-iatkoOz4rmBEGbtx721SuCLN-whIKVJGBZ4HLLJBYDOSAXQ8MNivrr-zizo5b3nUn2BRGHF1Xg-uo7eUJDj2gOFtDmLRe_pg5S0xMT/s1600/IMG_1684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3tPy2IzV0HIB91ccxsSNPGcc5fUPRQ-iatkoOz4rmBEGbtx721SuCLN-whIKVJGBZ4HLLJBYDOSAXQ8MNivrr-zizo5b3nUn2BRGHF1Xg-uo7eUJDj2gOFtDmLRe_pg5S0xMT/s320/IMG_1684.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Manx Shearwater, Rishton</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_4KDnZVAJ96rpCgnOmNubN1Tu0kPGY2a3c6GTBhla3nbYObcZbFCgNA_HNvo1jQ2oYw2bUHccEex2U2qdW2vCHF4LxzfTP2yLiTMAjIgn5-MPPGjBxYaPFNrPSWTXPug00upx/s1600/IMG_1682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_4KDnZVAJ96rpCgnOmNubN1Tu0kPGY2a3c6GTBhla3nbYObcZbFCgNA_HNvo1jQ2oYw2bUHccEex2U2qdW2vCHF4LxzfTP2yLiTMAjIgn5-MPPGjBxYaPFNrPSWTXPug00upx/s320/IMG_1682.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Manx Shearwater having checked it's weight.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyZAmL6QkX1vH03hG2C_EtfsnSXRm8jchEbwJif-nQpWcoVplZFgulBK_AtfH8iTu_W1hcrpIEv5l5-H98hO5ueALdXT7TZJH-Me-yTtOLWJSpJwW14E6Y2FnNh-SjRZZ3tOlq/s1600/6U2A3384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyZAmL6QkX1vH03hG2C_EtfsnSXRm8jchEbwJif-nQpWcoVplZFgulBK_AtfH8iTu_W1hcrpIEv5l5-H98hO5ueALdXT7TZJH-Me-yTtOLWJSpJwW14E6Y2FnNh-SjRZZ3tOlq/s320/6U2A3384.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leach's Petrel over the beach at Ainsdale</td></tr>
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I've done a couple of east-coast jaunts - one to Hartleppol turned into a long seawatch where we had all four species of Skua, distant Sooty Shearwater and Sabine's Gull and a host of birds passing offshore but very little in the form of passerines around the area. A couple of weeks ago I decided to have a couple of days in the Spurn area - it started OK with Rose-coloured Starling and Red-breasted Flycatcher, but the lack of numbers of commoner migrants was puzzling and a bit disappointing. However the news of a Scops Owl in Sunderland had me giving up on east Yorkshire and heading north for three hours. It was worth it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOd6LdZYQLleyNqD1XWtoX7nbhFf7K2k0Qom6ko4fmD8Y1F6z6qnwFTP4WD24c9Gd40rSC-BfAMHunD2CVGzBAKkV-CtsZDSk114n2MdWGmj5KfPLNhkX9qKptAq42XpuTFIXS/s1600/IMG_1477.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOd6LdZYQLleyNqD1XWtoX7nbhFf7K2k0Qom6ko4fmD8Y1F6z6qnwFTP4WD24c9Gd40rSC-BfAMHunD2CVGzBAKkV-CtsZDSk114n2MdWGmj5KfPLNhkX9qKptAq42XpuTFIXS/s320/IMG_1477.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juvennile Rose-coloured Starling with Starings, Easington</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHJn7kbhkyN6-EKoJY1MyF1vKw_2k22-Tf-I4zBzQxAcaiw917IPYHqp5k6bqiQ6k9qA6fiJu-CP_k-kIJVFVUFs31XOxB1F4jPiPMJwHiVdOqGgDmEUqycuu00iL3k1K90S0a/s1600/IMG_1585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHJn7kbhkyN6-EKoJY1MyF1vKw_2k22-Tf-I4zBzQxAcaiw917IPYHqp5k6bqiQ6k9qA6fiJu-CP_k-kIJVFVUFs31XOxB1F4jPiPMJwHiVdOqGgDmEUqycuu00iL3k1K90S0a/s320/IMG_1585.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scops Owl, Ryehope</td></tr>
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The following day at Hartlepool I had ten Yellow-browed Warblers but just a few other commoner migrants in the form of Redstart, Garden Warbler, Pied and Spotted Flycatchers. It certainly looks like the YBW's have discovered and alternative migration/wintering route - for now.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmgMH8fHzRlhCic6UYpx-DNztzChwIIjuPvwxBRGJcnbvPhykRITleMhI9x3VxOq8JlMQ7_eEO_LbZeLPansNUIJjxH9WKe4iw5jiYfvl8yxm3yNQT6O9nAgfCNIdskhAM6OAR/s1600/6U2A3407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmgMH8fHzRlhCic6UYpx-DNztzChwIIjuPvwxBRGJcnbvPhykRITleMhI9x3VxOq8JlMQ7_eEO_LbZeLPansNUIJjxH9WKe4iw5jiYfvl8yxm3yNQT6O9nAgfCNIdskhAM6OAR/s320/6U2A3407.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow-browed Warbler, Borough Hall, Hartlepool</td></tr>
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The winds would normally have put a dampener on mothing and ringing but there have been some interludes that I've taken full advantage of. I've had large numbers of Gold and Greenfinches through in the last couple of months with good numbers trapped and ringed.<br />
I had the pleasure of joining a ringing team at Hightown a few weeks ago where we processed over 1100 Knot, leg-flagging 500 of them as part of a study on their migration and wintering haunts. It was hard work and I felt the effect the following days!!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJkzF2dPFj0FAlnBj25DR3tark5aiMsyMBsIfo_Zgcefw1rMCmcwc8mvVlutz-lv1oSDm8yl77FFwMIY3hxUChtK-FuTCzy9geMhXW0ItxnO5eoKHnWuViH0kWv1fZiPW0_1Xk/s1600/IMG_1449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJkzF2dPFj0FAlnBj25DR3tark5aiMsyMBsIfo_Zgcefw1rMCmcwc8mvVlutz-lv1oSDm8yl77FFwMIY3hxUChtK-FuTCzy9geMhXW0ItxnO5eoKHnWuViH0kWv1fZiPW0_1Xk/s320/IMG_1449.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juvenile Knot</td></tr>
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Moths have been steady and happy to get a Merveille Du Jour last weekend. Now getting the typical autumn species - Mottled Umbers, Red-line Quakers, Feathered Thorn, Red-green Carpets and November Moths. Another warm mass of air is due later this week so may get something then after which we're off to Toronto for a week.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPbKw5HInJk3CMvEu2WQLIQgFUmj3eGcl9Rmlma_KRjqzCzHz4MRxahfwVfmyNANbgJRWY-2iArndPwnpSDCU0reTWPdS3c3ab2OAM4yeA6tV8P2rrUWcRPGMjG12pQ-GgPA1/s1600/IMG_E1645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1399" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPbKw5HInJk3CMvEu2WQLIQgFUmj3eGcl9Rmlma_KRjqzCzHz4MRxahfwVfmyNANbgJRWY-2iArndPwnpSDCU0reTWPdS3c3ab2OAM4yeA6tV8P2rrUWcRPGMjG12pQ-GgPA1/s200/IMG_E1645.JPG" width="174" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Merveille-du-jour</td></tr>
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<br />Dave Bickertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00734571723511231628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31472115.post-1238333844083663472017-08-12T20:07:00.001+01:002017-08-12T20:13:34.025+01:00Rishton mud finally deliversAs can be seen from the image, the water level at Rishton Reservoir has been rather low for some time despite the recent rain. Not sure if this is because of another leak in the canal/reservoir bank but it went down dramatically during the spring and has remained low causing the Great Crested Grebes to leave. Even the local fishermen had given up and that's when birds started to turn up and remain on the "West Bank".<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPlfcPvngnU16PsHt0UrAAieuWCRK6DcaCyXl6SxNXK38tKtimMxiWkEbqMUP6N64q4s_BzsLDloGd57TsSbra_jQI-hcaJ6lf9MtnHrF9ud-ZgBviuaoTSOKVis-FawWj92vA/s1600/IMG_1080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPlfcPvngnU16PsHt0UrAAieuWCRK6DcaCyXl6SxNXK38tKtimMxiWkEbqMUP6N64q4s_BzsLDloGd57TsSbra_jQI-hcaJ6lf9MtnHrF9ud-ZgBviuaoTSOKVis-FawWj92vA/s320/IMG_1080.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rishton Res from a couple of weeks ago - lots of sand/mud/rocks</td></tr>
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There has been a steady trickle of birds through - good numbers of Black-headed Gulls with the odd Mediterranean Gull in there. Oystercatchers have been regular with up to 4 as well as Common Sandpipers with up to 7. Redshank and Little Ringed Plovers have also put in appearances along with a single Black-tailed Godwit a couple of weeks ago.<br />
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Yesterday, we were looking after our godson, Isaac, and I thought it we'd nip down t'res and the play area for a while. Of course the first call was the reservoir side and I immediately picked up a small wader in the far corner - it had me puzzled as it certainly wasn't any of the usual suspects. It was low down and cavorting around wagtails which were a similar size so I thought of a stint but it seemed a bit to big for that. I got a bad phonescoped image and sent it to Bill Aspin just in case I was just looking at an odd Dunlin. But it had pale legs. I put the news on the local WhatsApp group to see if anyone was around and fortunately Tony Disley was. Ten minutes later, he arrived as did the murk - the clouds had been threatening for some time! Meanwhile fortunately for me, Isaac was very happily playing up and down and jabbering away.</div>
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Tony was also a bit bemused so made his way down the muddy side of the reservoir to get a closer view - soon he phoned me - it's a Purple Sandpiper! Of course it was - the clues were there but the location and time of year as well as the perceived size were all throwing me off course.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-0gFtkwDM6B4gf_tNhwxo2aqP7Bm096cs2S3_m0awoBTb6eduMzaSTu4Dx0WqHT_XE9NMGWaVTh5DYHhxEpkLQEKNn8VNM1B2souxdKcaJ17O6HpxTh5k1028TzM2hCLJgPS/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-08-11+at+16.50.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-0gFtkwDM6B4gf_tNhwxo2aqP7Bm096cs2S3_m0awoBTb6eduMzaSTu4Dx0WqHT_XE9NMGWaVTh5DYHhxEpkLQEKNn8VNM1B2souxdKcaJ17O6HpxTh5k1028TzM2hCLJgPS/s400/Screen+Shot+2017-08-11+at+16.50.11.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purple Sandpiper with freshwater mussel shell courtesy of Tony Disley</td></tr>
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The news was disseminated and folk quickly turned up to see a first for East Lancashire and certainly something I wasn't expecting. A couple of Green Sandpipers came into the same bay for a while.</div>
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It was still present this-morning along with four Ringed Plover, two Dunlin, 95 Lapwings, a Black-tailed Godwit, two Oycs and a Common Sandpiper. A veritable feast of waders!</div>
Dave Bickertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00734571723511231628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31472115.post-26264645719576285222017-07-23T19:56:00.002+01:002017-07-24T09:40:26.254+01:00Topsy-turvy weather seriously hampering Mothing!June and July have been rather busy on the publishing front. First of all, I spent a lot of time compiling the Micro-moth Field Tips book for Ben Smart and got it printed and published on time (not my day job!) and then it was onto completing my sections of the Lancashire Bird Report for 2016. Fortunately, both have gone well - the micro book has been widely lauded (and is available through NHBS), the Bird Report is in the editing phase so now I've started on the "Non-avian Vertebrate Fauna of Lancashire". I think I need to retire to get all these things done!<br />
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Summer is clearly the time for the largest volume of moths in the year but the weather is fine one day and tipping it down/cold the next. If you've followed the Open golf just lately, you'll see what I mean as that's only a few miles from me.<br />
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However I've had some goodies but mainly moorland species that have paid me a visit (so they must have traveled at least a couple of miles as the moth flies). A rather bedragled Marbled White Spot and today's pristine Scarce Silver Y have been highlights for me.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiex7qzw0NhrnRjMWoBljit7dRCJC8zgW0rKjJALjf053lXuaZ2umYpUctMfI5SsoSxTXADffnjNHDbgd_k2X2Tc8zhMnDOvRaOmw9XQIMCmT3f9-h_JgSZPSrG4s-AlGZR5AkL/s1600/6U2A3218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1020" data-original-width="1600" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiex7qzw0NhrnRjMWoBljit7dRCJC8zgW0rKjJALjf053lXuaZ2umYpUctMfI5SsoSxTXADffnjNHDbgd_k2X2Tc8zhMnDOvRaOmw9XQIMCmT3f9-h_JgSZPSrG4s-AlGZR5AkL/s400/6U2A3218.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scarce Silver Y</td></tr>
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Birding has been interesting as it's been the turn of the terns. An Elegant Tern on the south coast in June gave Bernie and I an ideal excuse for a weekend away around Chichester. A splendid bird which remained distant but we got good views. There was a supporting cast of Red-footed Falcon, Woodlark, Goshawk, Dartford Warbler and several Red Kites in the South Downs and New Forest. Then it was a Caspian Tern that turned up at the unlikeliest spot - a reservoir on the moors - but then departed to be picked up again at Leighton Moss. That was a Lancashire first for me!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjikDVGmzG3CvHnbHQJDU7-nlBDmcHlYPjtueTXqHJWHW599SwC6_UtDtnlaSIFJK8tDqg1M9WirZoFYn6jjyEdOS40EysbhwogS_titvv4Lj9Na3oH654VRNOYc5rWvo-MHYm4/s1600/IMG_0854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjikDVGmzG3CvHnbHQJDU7-nlBDmcHlYPjtueTXqHJWHW599SwC6_UtDtnlaSIFJK8tDqg1M9WirZoFYn6jjyEdOS40EysbhwogS_titvv4Lj9Na3oH654VRNOYc5rWvo-MHYm4/s320/IMG_0854.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elegant Tern - Pagham Harbour</td></tr>
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We've also managed to squeeze in a trip to see our son in Munich and angst over several wedding cakes in the making! All in all non-stop in the Bickerton household but so glad I'm working four days a week. I need that time!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS8NksbPt6f1QxF4Hf_xnx43s-l_Vr2rn_sd5kud5NY4WNCSFAXcGZSXVMpoIjL-fBz4i0CRGGt83ktqKPWvJaxE-d1-1N0qiKn4hQ5Ef3NhmW3O2kuHx90bHA1FzRzFM_Rx1J/s1600/6U2A3191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1192" data-original-width="1600" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS8NksbPt6f1QxF4Hf_xnx43s-l_Vr2rn_sd5kud5NY4WNCSFAXcGZSXVMpoIjL-fBz4i0CRGGt83ktqKPWvJaxE-d1-1N0qiKn4hQ5Ef3NhmW3O2kuHx90bHA1FzRzFM_Rx1J/s320/6U2A3191.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dark Sword Grass, a migrant moth</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Donacaula forficella, a moth of the reeds (some on the nearby canal)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvbBunszl_0p0Hxk2e37jrgkZbgJrybkx5Mfapfs2WCUKID9vJN365kTBs2xwhVBG4VXMrnssCBeley_u0Gt3jnogpJ4KAwsauCOvRiBbDGomDTGX6Og7Uv_ywRe9sXyNOwlZg/s1600/IMG_0999.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1144" data-original-width="1600" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvbBunszl_0p0Hxk2e37jrgkZbgJrybkx5Mfapfs2WCUKID9vJN365kTBs2xwhVBG4VXMrnssCBeley_u0Gt3jnogpJ4KAwsauCOvRiBbDGomDTGX6Og7Uv_ywRe9sXyNOwlZg/s320/IMG_0999.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ingrailed Clay and not a Small Square Spot - hmmm. Some debate on these and Fen Square Spot into the mix.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marbled White Spot</td></tr>
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<br />Dave Bickertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00734571723511231628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31472115.post-68968331575043102182017-05-31T22:15:00.000+01:002017-05-31T22:15:18.716+01:00A break on the Ayrshire coastIt's been a while but we're back in Girvan helping with the gardening and enjoying the mixed weather! The first nights were warm and so I put the moth trap out in our very coastal location...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUOS1fLTrTH96ohqczTXfvXxu01YhUbw3FtT1LJYc8saqSusdN_hzgiBkp6NMdzwOkNBkUphvIm5DhwQW7F08woZEYwhlofdFG-gBAu1VE30KNBFAgP87GW1wJuRz5pj-vIZc3/s1600/IMG_0662.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUOS1fLTrTH96ohqczTXfvXxu01YhUbw3FtT1LJYc8saqSusdN_hzgiBkp6NMdzwOkNBkUphvIm5DhwQW7F08woZEYwhlofdFG-gBAu1VE30KNBFAgP87GW1wJuRz5pj-vIZc3/s400/IMG_0662.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Ailsa Craig from the living room window! Kintyre peninsula in the background.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT12IKe_9MuiednfXcmwJFZzBtrvHQ6ieNA1c-1GOh5fjc-dXLaSiOBa05GTpcMLinNpdU5wbGEU2VHLjsyWMS-K4jrvu7kd1EbYG-RjnM02sRSZpHBP74UeGsJGjiWIDbEvKg/s1600/IMG_0676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="1600" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT12IKe_9MuiednfXcmwJFZzBtrvHQ6ieNA1c-1GOh5fjc-dXLaSiOBa05GTpcMLinNpdU5wbGEU2VHLjsyWMS-K4jrvu7kd1EbYG-RjnM02sRSZpHBP74UeGsJGjiWIDbEvKg/s320/IMG_0676.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shark</td></tr>
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I was delighted to get two new species for me - Shark and Tawny Shears in a catch of 30+. It seems that no-one has really recorded moths in this area so all records will be useful. the following morning I got a Marbled Coronet. We'll see what tomorrow brings!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwqPCZqXjY8nFtMw9Kf8PDcUbWfn0q7iFcZ7EAq1CBivFLFgxOr-0jqV0yw35gDGQHgoQmtVZzmX6pXnSdQUMZoROvPKwgcOWVChu-iHgc3ioHDOz9twBCxp7JdPtbnuIbyjCt/s1600/IMG_0677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1553" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwqPCZqXjY8nFtMw9Kf8PDcUbWfn0q7iFcZ7EAq1CBivFLFgxOr-0jqV0yw35gDGQHgoQmtVZzmX6pXnSdQUMZoROvPKwgcOWVChu-iHgc3ioHDOz9twBCxp7JdPtbnuIbyjCt/s320/IMG_0677.JPG" width="310" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tawny Shears</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHKuyKA6QxGt2170tcEyF4jqyrUKm6DNlW1KfmNCyClIB-4zX2hR77LoIO0Ly3wMFf42QtZKnPKEN7sQjuRYUIFFiNAutPWa6_eh1dplA3poN0JNWQt7P7isue7l6U9gprn0X/s1600/IMG_0681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1388" data-original-width="1225" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHKuyKA6QxGt2170tcEyF4jqyrUKm6DNlW1KfmNCyClIB-4zX2hR77LoIO0Ly3wMFf42QtZKnPKEN7sQjuRYUIFFiNAutPWa6_eh1dplA3poN0JNWQt7P7isue7l6U9gprn0X/s320/IMG_0681.JPG" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marbled Coronet</td></tr>
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Today we did a little walk along the beach at Maidens and up towards Culzean Castle. A reasonably sized flock of waders contained 50 or so Dunlin and 30 Ringed Plovers. I'd had a couple of juvenile Ringed Plovers on the beach at Girvan - clearly local breeders - but were this flock still moving through to higher latitudes?<br />
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The fields next to the beach had several Yellowhammers singing, a song I rarely hear back in Lancashire. A few Gannets fished offshore but there were few seabirds on view. We had planned to go out to Ailsa Craig however the boat was full so something we'll do next time. A couple of Black Guillemots were very active at Girvan harbour but just a single female Eider there - most of these ducks will be forming large moulting flocks at various places along the coast one of which we could see whilst driving between Girvan and Turnberry.<br />
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Anyway, the trap is out again tonight though is is rather breezy. Currently it's 10:15pm and still light!<br />
<br />Dave Bickertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00734571723511231628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31472115.post-22908677750570387902017-05-06T17:32:00.000+01:002017-05-06T17:33:33.222+01:00Pallid Harrier? Give me a singing Wood Warbler any day!Well it is a little tongue in cheek. Last weekend's unexpected delight was a fantastic male Pallid Harrier which had taken up residence on the Bowland Fells where there should really have been a few Hen Harriers. Sadly none of the latter but the Pallid gave us some superb views and aerial displays together with several Ring Ouzels. It's really got to be one of the most exquisite visual spectacles I've seen in the avian world.<br />
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A run of very strong easterly winds for over a week now has halted a lot of migration though the onset did bring in a few Black Terns. Only now are we starting to see a few Swifts and House Martins in the village. There have been several good birds on the coast and so I paid Marshside a visit yesterday and jammed in on a very obliging Wood Sandpiper as well as a Ruddy Shelduck and a very orange-breasted Swallow.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHihfZMF1ZN6hJBA01X0RDba-Dqg__2-dqSnsbAqeV1P8BoR-EilKVXreVDUsz32J6FIOaaoptkACLQk6PRgg6STGdhD3EMJXL6L_gLQBANweOfjUNzccJH05EyY3xW4qTUOTv/s1600/IMG_0519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHihfZMF1ZN6hJBA01X0RDba-Dqg__2-dqSnsbAqeV1P8BoR-EilKVXreVDUsz32J6FIOaaoptkACLQk6PRgg6STGdhD3EMJXL6L_gLQBANweOfjUNzccJH05EyY3xW4qTUOTv/s400/IMG_0519.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swallow</td></tr>
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These birds together with my first singing Reed Warblers of the year together with a singing Lesser Whitethroat and passage of a few Swifts kept me occupied for a couple of hours. Unfortunately, the recent Spoonbills weren't playing ball and neither was a local Dotterel.<br />
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This-morning, Bernie and I headed to Moor Piece where a Wood Warbler had taken up residence. In the time-honoured fashion I wound my windows down and we could hear the sweet trilling before we'd slowed to pull in to the lay-by. It's got to be one of may favourite songs if not <i>the</i> favourite. (Woodlark a close second though I don't hear either of them all that regularly!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia70NVRvD-ndto4Q72XSJ-PGJQkYKTiW86FfnrrH-pMJXPD0AbM1jCFrsxHQqrfatAqKBC6eE8ke5vBNXKohyJKGuvC-jh5TMvYw9fsle8HpWiIof_W1uQBDtgeBSduG3niEZ1/s1600/IMG_0544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia70NVRvD-ndto4Q72XSJ-PGJQkYKTiW86FfnrrH-pMJXPD0AbM1jCFrsxHQqrfatAqKBC6eE8ke5vBNXKohyJKGuvC-jh5TMvYw9fsle8HpWiIof_W1uQBDtgeBSduG3niEZ1/s400/IMG_0544.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moor Piece Wood Warbler habitat</td></tr>
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There was a wonderful selection of song to compliment the Wood Warbler - Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Treecreeper and Pied Flycatchers all singing away. Siskins and a lone Redpoll called over head too. Blackcaps were very much in evidence. Indeed, last week there were lots a Brockholes Quarry joined by the first arrivals of Garden Warblers providing those who like a challenge the opportunity to distinguish them.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Blackcap from the garden</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pine Beauty</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goldenrod Pug</td></tr>
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The cold winds have really put paid to much mothing so far this year. Easterlies also hampered ringing activities but I've managed to ring and control several Redpolls. Birds initially ringed in Kent, the Midlands and Greater Manchester have ended up in my garden and a Siskin I ringed last year was taken by a cat in Highland - I hate cats! I've also had lots of returning birds so it's nice to know I'm on the map as far as Redpolls are concerned.<br />
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<br />Dave Bickertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00734571723511231628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31472115.post-87510294411877586852017-04-19T20:15:00.000+01:002017-04-19T20:21:54.480+01:00Good Friday farewell to Hong Kong with some excellent birdsHaving enjoyed a few days sightseeing and birding around Hong Kong, it was to 'work' for me and the preparation for the Hong Kong 7's tournament followed by a trip to a factory in Dongguan, China. I've got to say that our preparation for the event must have been good as everything went as planned and Bernie and I got some splendid views of Red-billed Blue Magpies from the back of the Stadium as well as a fleeting glimpse of a Blue Whistling Thrush as it dived for cover. We also managed to watch quite a bit of Rugby 7's too! :)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Box seats weren't too bad ;)</td></tr>
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Bernie had headed back to England whilst I was in China but upon my return to HK, I had a day before my flight so arranged with Matt for another day's birding. I hadn't done any forest birding at all before - just had headed for Mai Po - so the promise of Tai Po Kau's established forest was an instant draw.</div>
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Matthew kindly collected me from my hotel in Kowloon - the roads were quiet on a holiday morning as we made good time to the foot of the valley. I should have realised that this was going to be a bit of a steepish walk up along the road to where the forest tracks start. Immediately we were hit with the song of birds - Great Barbets were calling in the distance (but didn't see them) and the ubiquitous Japenses White-eyes were buzzing along with Silver-eared Mesias. I didn't have my camera so I'll refer to Matthew's blog for the pics! (http://matthewkwanbirding.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/three-days-of-excellent-birding.html)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He's got a bigger lens than me - and a steady hand. Matthew photographing Eagles.</td></tr>
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As we wandered along, more and more calls came from the forest and the tall trees around us - we eventually got some excellent views of several species including Chestnut-winged Cuckoo, the dazzling Hainan Blue Flycatcher and the equally impressive Orange-headed Thrush. We had excellent views of Crested Serpent Eagles as well as a Mountain Tailorbird and Plain Flowerpecker - the latter being the rarest and dullest of the three flowerpeckers that I hadn't seen. Huet's Fulvetta, Fork-tailed Sunbird, Blue-winged Minla, Chesnut capped Babbler, Scimitar-billed Babbler (belter of a bird!) and Chestnut Bulbul all made their way onto the day-list. We also heard Yellow-cheeked Tit, Pygmy Wren Babble and Black-throated Laughing Thrush. It was just wonderful and I could have stayed a lot longer but we had other places to be.</div>
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I'd got another permit booked for Mai Po and as the tide was relatively early, there was no chance of me seeing it come in over Deep Bay so we made our way to the scrape hides where we were met with a wonderful sight of hundreds of Black-tailed Godwit in amongst which were several Asian Dowitchers.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the main scrape hide - birds continue left and right and well into the distance.</td></tr>
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What can you say - the sight of so many wader species all relatively close at hand being occasionally spooked by a Peregrine and an Eastern Marsh Harrier as well as Black Kites was wonderful. Loads of Greenshanks, Marsh Sandpipers and Curlews with the odd Far-eastern Curlew, Nordmann's Greenshank, Terek Sandpipers, Mongolian Plovers and a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper. Not to mention the Great Knots in their beautiful breeding plumage.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Knot in amongst the Black-tailed Godwits</td></tr>
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We moved around to another vantage point to get closer to a few birds - an Intermediate Egret posed nicely as well as more obliging waders.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Intermediate Egret</td></tr>
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It's not just size that separates Far-eastern Curlew from Eurasion as the latter can be just as big and long-billed. Look at the spots on the vent feathering - Eurasian are clean white.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLFuLH7p_ANgvhm-qsLYLzSG3U5KhY4HQKRrn703eOofkPuqzRfApihOlXblIHUBbKDpsJtQSJMEf6YahZM0TgzjMgrYxEOYFfOh304HqmwHZpwGVqxkQeAzorb1Ce6aqWlVAs/s1600/IMG_0390.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLFuLH7p_ANgvhm-qsLYLzSG3U5KhY4HQKRrn703eOofkPuqzRfApihOlXblIHUBbKDpsJtQSJMEf6YahZM0TgzjMgrYxEOYFfOh304HqmwHZpwGVqxkQeAzorb1Ce6aqWlVAs/s400/IMG_0390.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Far-eastern Curlew</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nordmann's Greenshank</td></tr>
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Then we heard the call of a Large Hawk Cuckoo. It was something we'd heard on several occasions and it sounded relatively near. I was sure it would be visible and my mimicry was perfect! We searched for ages from the raised viewpoint of the hide but didn't see anything - then I looked a little farther away and saw an interesting blob in a tree a few undred yards away. I got the scope on it an - et voila! Matthew had never photographed one so he managed to sneak up to the tree a little later to add that missing piece to his collection.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Large Hawk Cuckoo (Iphone7 through Swarowski ATX95)</td></tr>
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It seemed I wasn't the only one who didn't see these birds even though they're big and common as a procession of locals had a gander through the scope.<br />
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It was nearly time to head to the airport so we made our way back past several Dusky Warblers.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dusky Warbler</td></tr>
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Our last stop was the "Magic Roundabout". Now I'm an aficionado of the "Magic Hedge" in Chicago but this? Essentially, it was the only bit of greenery and trees in the Airport complex - an area 'discovered' by a birder who took his breaks from working at the airport and found several good birds here. Matthew parked up and we made our way past the massed ranks of taxis into a becalmed area - Long-tailed Shrike, Hair-crested Drongo, White Wagtail, Olive-backed Pipit and an overflying flock of Oriental Pratincoles was a nice end to my sojourn to Hong Kong.<br />
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I hope to be back again in the not-too-distant future, whether with work or on a long-haul to somewhere else but there are certainly good birds to be had with a little planning. If anyone is looking for a guide, then I'm sure Matthew would be happy to help; his expeditions are taking him all over SE Asia and I'm sure that guiding will be one of the many strings to his bow. Add Hoiling's passion for moths and how could you go wrong?<br />
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Now it's back to a UK spring and masses of Redpolls and Chaffinches in the garden. The Blackbirds are singing (not quite ".... in the dead of night") - birdsong I recognise again :)</div>
Dave Bickertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00734571723511231628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31472115.post-7915902887770042792017-04-17T09:13:00.000+01:002017-04-17T11:04:47.765+01:00Po Toi IslandOn our continued desire to explore off the tourist beaten track, we took an early morning ferry from Aberdeen to Po Toi, a migration hot-spot for Hong Kong in the company of Matthew again and his girlfriend Hoi Ling.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Daurian Redstart</td></tr>
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The ferry across was generally uneventful apart from a fly-past Red-necked Phalarope. The ferry was very busy as it was a public holiday ("Tomb-sweeping") and the day was fine - not ideal for migrants.<br />
Indeed much as we tried, there weren't many birds to be seen but we did see a few goodies - Crested Goshawk, Besra, Grey-headed Buzzard, Daurian Redstart, Pacific Swift and the main rarity, a Brambling!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKapKwd_7wg_gHltkFRR3JJnJa7io3zmU6FlZ_t_0ePqrUSutddBu7iSTmyULaAlOwm5kg6ZABd9HNY2bno6Bi6xhSM5sl8ycGDzfcZRZpUwsFCkzcPfS4_vQcULW-y2xA6Zsj/s1600/IMG_0139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKapKwd_7wg_gHltkFRR3JJnJa7io3zmU6FlZ_t_0ePqrUSutddBu7iSTmyULaAlOwm5kg6ZABd9HNY2bno6Bi6xhSM5sl8ycGDzfcZRZpUwsFCkzcPfS4_vQcULW-y2xA6Zsj/s400/IMG_0139.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brambling twitch</td></tr>
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Dave Bickertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00734571723511231628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31472115.post-83534201129708698272017-04-17T09:08:00.000+01:002017-04-17T09:08:23.650+01:00Return to Mai PoFollowing on from last July's trip to China, I had a follow-up trip planned for April combining it with the Hong Kong Rigby 7's tournament for which my company, Kukri, do all the merchandising. Of course, such a trip gives me the opportunity to do some birding in unfamiliar surroundings with unfamiliar (and some more recognisable) birds. So I decided to go a little earlier with my wife, Bernie, to explore the area.<br />
<br />
The first couple of days were spent acclimatising and doing some of the touristy bits, enjoying the Star Ferry and some of the parks amongst the stunning skyline. Bernie was surprised about how hilly and verdant the territory was. Common birds in the parks were the ever present Chinese and Red-whiskered Bulbuls alongside Oriental Magpie Robin, Crested Mynas, Black-collared Starlings and Masked Laughing Thrushes. We got some decent view eventually of Red-billed Blue Magpies at the HK Stadium but the bird that we came across all over the place was Yellow-browed Warbler - calling everywhere!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7RXZSdSN5xW2qGTE-YONNHqbwwojyUjCz6kKxCzCdOiv2hEPuRpjh6xzW_fQ-dADgdqk_E0GWQXm5bgFuJSP0IuJXnGFuAHa4A8TWhF649AhKr9NMkjxyjm9XrL5L4yg6yJgE/s1600/OMR.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7RXZSdSN5xW2qGTE-YONNHqbwwojyUjCz6kKxCzCdOiv2hEPuRpjh6xzW_fQ-dADgdqk_E0GWQXm5bgFuJSP0IuJXnGFuAHa4A8TWhF649AhKr9NMkjxyjm9XrL5L4yg6yJgE/s400/OMR.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oriental Magpie Robin</td></tr>
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I had organised permits for Mai Po on Monday 3rd April and we arranged to meet up with Matthew Kwan (unfortunately his dad couldn't make it). Thankfully, though it was warm, the weather was nowhere near as hot and humid as last July but certainly warm enough.<br />
<br />
Stejneger's Stonechats and a White-breasted Kingfisher along the access road was a nice start whilst the car park held the usual Azure-winged Magpies, Bulbuls and several YBWs calling. We collected our permits and entered the reserve almost immediately coming across a Black-faced Bunting and Long-tailed Shrikes. Plain and Yellow-bellied Prinias were very ugh in evidence everywhere we went.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHLwd8b5rh8NkP8wwz1hLo4bLWEtbP_wsUOQrRdbEBpA3YcHvJDZMSWd24LyULL4g3O3GdYaMojDI4NWSoiDCIitkHpwL6X8O9MDkLUvT1kDJGBtHJzkqMS21V5GXNod_wVEEA/s1600/ChinesePondHeron.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHLwd8b5rh8NkP8wwz1hLo4bLWEtbP_wsUOQrRdbEBpA3YcHvJDZMSWd24LyULL4g3O3GdYaMojDI4NWSoiDCIitkHpwL6X8O9MDkLUvT1kDJGBtHJzkqMS21V5GXNod_wVEEA/s400/ChinesePondHeron.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Chinese Pond Heron</td></tr>
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The pools had many Egrets and Herons and a few sandpipers (Common & Green). We made our way through to the main scrapes where there were good numbers of waders. A few Oriental Pratincoles dropped in but the numbers of Greensanks and Marsh Sandpipers were amazing. In amongst them were Spotted Redshanks and Wood Sandpipers as well as large number of Avocets and Black-tailed Godwits.<br />
<br />
We worked our way to the security fence area, passing lots of Dusky Warblers checking in the undergrowth. We also came across an Olive-backed Pipit bring back memories of last autumn at Spurn.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRLLa5tUTaQh_dIdynBYLVC6iyad9IBJE1whqWMSvGrLac0axoxjFPY12q_4lWQG0pxhs2ZwqoYQLSeu_JgBwhWwJdI8U9kFZaID8plZ_iKNDs-cQgs6ZubXe1TT98HSjHY6A3/s1600/deepbay0.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRLLa5tUTaQh_dIdynBYLVC6iyad9IBJE1whqWMSvGrLac0axoxjFPY12q_4lWQG0pxhs2ZwqoYQLSeu_JgBwhWwJdI8U9kFZaID8plZ_iKNDs-cQgs6ZubXe1TT98HSjHY6A3/s640/deepbay0.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Deep Bay looking towards Shenzen, China</td></tr>
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One area I hadn't visited last time was Deep Bay as the tide wasn't right. This day it should have been so we passed through the fence and made our way over the floating boardwalk through the mangroves out to the hides. As we got to the farthest one, we soon realised we should have been there about 30 minutes earlier as the extent of mud was getting very limited. We still had good views of Terek Sandpipers and the Black-faced Spoonbills as well as several species of Gull - Hueglin's, Vega, Mongolian and Black-tailed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOa5yW7fPa_sxiuG3uLwHY7pgdA6o_5GIxkayACRNLiEH2G_z43j1l56EIUgqd1vL7azh9C5j8o0yYMFptxYo6BN-yLWpoJc0K1h4DS4ADNsxtY7JMf3uiX5neZNcYL0m5PK3_/s1600/deepbay1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOa5yW7fPa_sxiuG3uLwHY7pgdA6o_5GIxkayACRNLiEH2G_z43j1l56EIUgqd1vL7azh9C5j8o0yYMFptxYo6BN-yLWpoJc0K1h4DS4ADNsxtY7JMf3uiX5neZNcYL0m5PK3_/s400/deepbay1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black-faced Spoonbills, Caspian Terns, Mongolian Gulls, etc</td></tr>
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As the water flooded the area, we made our way out of that hide and back to the one at the head of the bay but again the water had reached there and most birds had moved away. Still we got an immature Saunders Gull and some great views of the waders.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO6MoNnlIjcq7kyC5aglbgbAaWU94LdAUIX084x-uWywqrO48fYqpZFh55kzjMKMkp-PBeUcyQr8ryUnXCfmqTjyBTRXa9ZltSqND1P8NFY2gFK7NLjW8ylk2ShRyfo6Yyfcf3/s1600/vega.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO6MoNnlIjcq7kyC5aglbgbAaWU94LdAUIX084x-uWywqrO48fYqpZFh55kzjMKMkp-PBeUcyQr8ryUnXCfmqTjyBTRXa9ZltSqND1P8NFY2gFK7NLjW8ylk2ShRyfo6Yyfcf3/s400/vega.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">A very large 2cy Vega Gull with Heuglin's in foreground</td></tr>
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So back to the scrape and an amazing site greeted us with hundreds of Black-tailed Godwits and Avocets covering the water. We also had more Greenshanks and in amongst them some Nordmann's Greenshank - quite difficult to tell apart but eventually I got my eye in on their jizz; lower in the water and rather pot-bellied as well as the curvier bill. There were also many Great Knot, Red-necked Stints, Broad-billed Sandpipers and Greater Sand Plovers. We also had Far-eastern Curlews in amongst the more numerous Eurasian Curlews as well as the odd Grey Plover and Pacific Golden Plover.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijy9Suw2kpsf8a8pMUU3Qth9I1AapuwxdVtJnJaBWeyhwaOfqI9-W_yLmpZ6soFHD4uMyTf9a8BQlCKAT-2vCi7DRdffyjTEXat8fPOVJk0o2WgWsE1rKAp3txMNssEegVrAgg/s1600/bfs1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijy9Suw2kpsf8a8pMUU3Qth9I1AapuwxdVtJnJaBWeyhwaOfqI9-W_yLmpZ6soFHD4uMyTf9a8BQlCKAT-2vCi7DRdffyjTEXat8fPOVJk0o2WgWsE1rKAp3txMNssEegVrAgg/s400/bfs1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black-faced Spoonbills</td></tr>
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Through the day we recorded 105 species with that huge variety of shorebirds. A splendid day all round.<br />
<br />Dave Bickertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00734571723511231628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31472115.post-36128394050090431642016-12-29T21:04:00.001+00:002016-12-29T21:08:20.687+00:00December Thrushes bring 2016 to a stupendous finale2016 has got to go down in the birding annals as one of the best years ever. A scintillating autumn with perpetual easterlies brought hundreds if not thousands of waifs from east of the Urals. My previous post was drooling over the run of birds on the east coast - finally, the west and middle England got in on the act.<br />
On 5th November, as I was tidying up the garden, I heard my first Waxwing of the autumn flying overhead - the unmistakable trilling call was to become even more familiar over the coming weeks as small flocks started to infiltrate this side of the Pennines with double figures in Blackburn and recently large counts in several places around East Lancashire.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg-hsm53PQTy7yQmbxg9oHVJRisXdqcAVen0nIHIiI_iCxrJJb5CM3DjRpY-yMbcrcdiUYaxYqxwHbFh6AKsBDd4nV5JExBTqX5jRXZpzgKssftahjc2TAoJslNcwlyI1lKYdr/s1600/6U2A1937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg-hsm53PQTy7yQmbxg9oHVJRisXdqcAVen0nIHIiI_iCxrJJb5CM3DjRpY-yMbcrcdiUYaxYqxwHbFh6AKsBDd4nV5JExBTqX5jRXZpzgKssftahjc2TAoJslNcwlyI1lKYdr/s400/6U2A1937.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waxwings in Blackburn 27 Nov</td></tr>
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On 20 November, I went to see this little beauty - a Desert Wheatear on St Annes beach - my third along this stretch of the coast and a fitting end to the autumn, or so we thought<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXE9SrdMNgBelBri-7vwpM0AG8zTpMll_vg5js3Qo69eF7kd3Fb_CYMJjBqssfwpK7IgNk1FMXBOOdehISYEXUwFonl1yllDAUTPXJHqTknwRnB0RHk34ue_IvhDqb_1CmuNcB/s1600/DesertW1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXE9SrdMNgBelBri-7vwpM0AG8zTpMll_vg5js3Qo69eF7kd3Fb_CYMJjBqssfwpK7IgNk1FMXBOOdehISYEXUwFonl1yllDAUTPXJHqTknwRnB0RHk34ue_IvhDqb_1CmuNcB/s320/DesertW1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Desert Wheatear, St Annes, Nov 2016</td></tr>
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But there was more. News broke in mid December of a Dusky Thrush in Derbyshire and after much nervous anticipation, we decided to put the Christmas Shopping on hold to see this bird and though it gave us the run-around we did get some excellent if distant views. The bird is still there!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzjwjH63i83hiLfcdEZlNYfGraohQYos81RzTT8jHeC4EZTT5iCrW28EU74HjTSBrdWM4EUCO4sBC4MGZWUjjOMqZ0zppinTcFPz-6N5ps9U3g9gatqn6ygWMBZAMlpjzLnwUc/s1600/IMG_5961.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzjwjH63i83hiLfcdEZlNYfGraohQYos81RzTT8jHeC4EZTT5iCrW28EU74HjTSBrdWM4EUCO4sBC4MGZWUjjOMqZ0zppinTcFPz-6N5ps9U3g9gatqn6ygWMBZAMlpjzLnwUc/s320/IMG_5961.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT-fs5gL44Kd7q_cIkE9sv-A-_2NjeFkvgykV4gp8jCunGwPxsyzH4d4c32pvTdXQu1j6pDNkp7UA8kNyjSaMSAKis4tfrRdxlv7BOpUhCFc5c72LVKszqvggnTNxgtrtoXrg2/s1600/IMG_5973.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT-fs5gL44Kd7q_cIkE9sv-A-_2NjeFkvgykV4gp8jCunGwPxsyzH4d4c32pvTdXQu1j6pDNkp7UA8kNyjSaMSAKis4tfrRdxlv7BOpUhCFc5c72LVKszqvggnTNxgtrtoXrg2/s320/IMG_5973.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First-winter female Dusky Thrush, Beeley, Derbyshire 10 Dec 2016</td></tr>
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Then there was the Masked Wagtail, an eastern race of White Wagtail and first for the UK, that turned up in Pembrokeshire - such a smart bird was well worth the effort.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjzwLBgO4ZWPAu9-mndvDT05AKcf8SNFR6W-kg5UuQNnZXj6yDOjKW64M4jWPqKim2hB5KawjvTF0dyLMFzxh3lHks0xnsGRZJ-v4q4fEWWxh91u3lu0AcDrw2fAuVgHWzyD22/s1600/6U2A2078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjzwLBgO4ZWPAu9-mndvDT05AKcf8SNFR6W-kg5UuQNnZXj6yDOjKW64M4jWPqKim2hB5KawjvTF0dyLMFzxh3lHks0xnsGRZJ-v4q4fEWWxh91u3lu0AcDrw2fAuVgHWzyD22/s320/6U2A2078.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Masked Wagtail, Camrose, Pembrokeshire 11 Dec 2016</td></tr>
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Ringing in my garden produced an early Brambling and several Redpolls but no meallies - yet.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy2u4MraoT99kl0VtjKcxAEN2Ne2IIvJKcN1j3_YSKNZkTKDFwmAYE6bStnLT5BHfRx6YbPPyXES37F5h6EJvG24bfUm7JBkEwhxwdJYoUIIJUS1dwdf8kWeAUKKYUGIquahQO/s1600/IMG_6027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy2u4MraoT99kl0VtjKcxAEN2Ne2IIvJKcN1j3_YSKNZkTKDFwmAYE6bStnLT5BHfRx6YbPPyXES37F5h6EJvG24bfUm7JBkEwhxwdJYoUIIJUS1dwdf8kWeAUKKYUGIquahQO/s320/IMG_6027.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brambling</td></tr>
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So that was that? No, the news of a Blue Rock Thrush in Gloucestershire got us going again - a bird I missed when in Spain earlier in the year! Like the Wagtail and indeed the Dusky Thrush, it was hopping around the houses in a small semi-rural estate having been identified from images on social media.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-NUVe8X9GdFCElwCcSBIfEYRC-o_P5XVGzSBrDtBzsv64cMf8yyzpQl-Devg576oIjuDGnTNiaAStnNCsKS0lv0J4PqUVZ-hnZgduBXjCnCBMCxsoFIsirQeiNFiIeOJVyD5q/s1600/brt0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-NUVe8X9GdFCElwCcSBIfEYRC-o_P5XVGzSBrDtBzsv64cMf8yyzpQl-Devg576oIjuDGnTNiaAStnNCsKS0lv0J4PqUVZ-hnZgduBXjCnCBMCxsoFIsirQeiNFiIeOJVyD5q/s320/brt0.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue Rock Thrush, Stow on the Wold, 29 Dec 2016</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMrayrUEM4bUaP-IGmylhD-zi6iY5t1Dzc5Ru1ec4jsdAgdZoY_eQQZssShyphenhyphen6jxVFm_K71oskAtHmGVbdcsnvUGjuJBPqzEJG-ALAGF5Sxjvwkqmmzb1UYaEdo3MdgpOFQk-sW/s1600/brt00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMrayrUEM4bUaP-IGmylhD-zi6iY5t1Dzc5Ru1ec4jsdAgdZoY_eQQZssShyphenhyphen6jxVFm_K71oskAtHmGVbdcsnvUGjuJBPqzEJG-ALAGF5Sxjvwkqmmzb1UYaEdo3MdgpOFQk-sW/s320/brt00.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
And to cap the trip off, a female Black-throated Thrush showed itself fairly well at St Asaph having also been in the area for a couple of weeks. Thrushes galore and seven new birds for me in Britain this year - five of them lifers. I had none in 2015.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Penduline Tit (2) 24 Jan, Gloucester.</li>
<li>Pallid Harrier 18 Feb, Norfolk</li>
<li>Purple Swamphen, 5 Aug, Minsmere</li>
<li>Black-browed Albatross, 5 Oct, Bempton</li>
<li>Siberian Accentor, 14 Oct, Easington</li>
<li>Dusky Thrush, 10 Dec, Beeley</li>
<li>Blue Rock Thrush 29 Dec, Stow on the Wold.</li>
</ul>
<br />
A truly amazing birding year. I need my football team to have one next year! :/Dave Bickertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00734571723511231628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31472115.post-55211612418903135782016-10-16T11:55:00.003+01:002016-10-16T11:55:30.746+01:00East Yorkshire birding at its bestNormally I have one or maybe two trips to the east coast in the autumn, especially if south-easterly winds are blowing. These past two weeks, a high pressure system has sat over northern Scandinavia and drawn winds from central Russia across northern Europe and across the North sea; at this time of year, these winds influence the migration of thousands of birds. Normally a light south-easterly is all that we require but we've had really strong easterlies for several days. So I, like many others, looked to do some birding on the east coast with the hope of bumping into one or two scarce and rare birds.<br />
I have a few favoured spots but even a died-in-the-wool Lancastrian like me has to admit that East Yorkshire is the best place to be in these conditions so last Wednesday John Wright and I decided we'd have a days birding around Flamborough Head. The news of Britain's third Eastern-crowned Warbler at Bempton late on Tuesday certainly gave us a target to start with having seen the first a few years ago near South Shields.<br />
<u><br /></u>
<u>Wednesday 5th October</u><br />
We arrived at the Bempton car park around 8am and soon had some reasonable views of the Eastern-crowned along with Yellow-browed Warblers and a host of Goldcrests and Song Thrushes. It was all set up to be a good day when news of an Albatross seen off Filey 10 miles north set the pulses racing. The assmbled throng of around 60 birders legged it to the cliff-top observation viewpoints. Within five minutes I clasped eyes on it and with an expletive, got everyone else onto it. Unbelievable - a Black-browed Albatross making its way slowly along the coast - finally caught up with this species, one that I first dipped on forty - sheesh, forty! - years ago.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhePwdCaJGyE3yQnt7kNf6hoi_I-G0tZ3QHDajqFfrZs0xQQvVHbRJdpriCnWJDn7UV9LvtQejReoGTEsUYbgmdbkTpHOExRE-xtaelwzgjs39csDK0HaA0N9RFHrKbPukH-2KC/s1600/BBA2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhePwdCaJGyE3yQnt7kNf6hoi_I-G0tZ3QHDajqFfrZs0xQQvVHbRJdpriCnWJDn7UV9LvtQejReoGTEsUYbgmdbkTpHOExRE-xtaelwzgjs39csDK0HaA0N9RFHrKbPukH-2KC/s400/BBA2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Immature Black-browed Albatross</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2hf8Xkg65CLyEWjfNx_41kHqIhQnAwekECwoB0Rb8cpO0wozPWx4Bj8pcEDRrFij5oIsmTC9Va9DGzHAhxEA6DF-pmxzm3oV3H1lFMHRusuBhR2xMVe_X00fXuuTlS4TC6ap/s1600/BBA4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2hf8Xkg65CLyEWjfNx_41kHqIhQnAwekECwoB0Rb8cpO0wozPWx4Bj8pcEDRrFij5oIsmTC9Va9DGzHAhxEA6DF-pmxzm3oV3H1lFMHRusuBhR2xMVe_X00fXuuTlS4TC6ap/s400/BBA4.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Immature Black-browed Albatross</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtQFDIw7KMQNnEulKtcpc0dOhyVBmRQsCh1dNnf89G5-Hyal_gSFQtH5ts2iiA3I32AG5u2tN6txtr3fzK8GBd1KVh3dvC26Ktk0bzXO19I4dYcQvmu6Qbqi9ORxnHteK56BTK/s1600/6U2A0811.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtQFDIw7KMQNnEulKtcpc0dOhyVBmRQsCh1dNnf89G5-Hyal_gSFQtH5ts2iiA3I32AG5u2tN6txtr3fzK8GBd1KVh3dvC26Ktk0bzXO19I4dYcQvmu6Qbqi9ORxnHteK56BTK/s400/6U2A0811.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Immature Black-browed Albatross</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Once the bird had passed, we continued searching the hedgerows for any more waifs - several YBWs and a Spotted Flycatcher in amongst the Goldcrests, Chiffchaffs and Redwings which seemed to be arriving all the time.<br />
<br />
We moved on to Flamborough Head picking up Redstart, a few Wheatears and a lone Tundra Bean Goose but most everything else was being kept down by the wind. Returning to Bempton, we got brief views of a phyllosc that was purported to be a Greenish but later identified as an Arctic Warbler. Some final views of the ECW and we headed back after a great day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK5KuiM3TExcqNhDHw3pczOY3rju2lYFVuuHaxb4tWzWytTdHGsQ-hfVY5jKR8cF1vsRfehvUqWTjRb-qrzhVqIGtbj-WaAUCSPCzQ2phxcV9x1Br1x6UiqTbeaAjJ6lyyc_7p/s1600/CC2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK5KuiM3TExcqNhDHw3pczOY3rju2lYFVuuHaxb4tWzWytTdHGsQ-hfVY5jKR8cF1vsRfehvUqWTjRb-qrzhVqIGtbj-WaAUCSPCzQ2phxcV9x1Br1x6UiqTbeaAjJ6lyyc_7p/s320/CC2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chiffchaff</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicy5ZvmyEG5muOfTFsMDP4OgZghqhiTxP4XrjgVfiTwbp5D8eoq3re6M7bC9ILhLgeasFnQEkYc5RQoK9AS9jdXjLrX4AHb3qWkr91gcEV07HuAgj9waT5QjyjLaricsvmJ44Q/s1600/CC1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicy5ZvmyEG5muOfTFsMDP4OgZghqhiTxP4XrjgVfiTwbp5D8eoq3re6M7bC9ILhLgeasFnQEkYc5RQoK9AS9jdXjLrX4AHb3qWkr91gcEV07HuAgj9waT5QjyjLaricsvmJ44Q/s320/CC1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chiffchaff</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<u>Sat/Sun 8/9th October</u><br />
I returned to Spurn with Bernie for the weekend as the winds continued to come from the east. We started at Easington by the old Bus Station where some nice birds had been reported. There were at least three YBWs as well as lots of Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests. We also had a Red-brested Flycatcher there that was very elusive at times. We meandered down towards the cemetery south of the village where more goodies had been seen. There were hundreds of Redwings and Song Thrushes in the fields. Flocks of Bramblings and Chaffinches mingled with the resident Tree Sparrows - there were birds everywhere and the most ubiquitous were Robins.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEvfkzSatxcc6oUDFLPFTnwmTyjyv3Q5nHTMpZOyY6Wyh0m030LoegvoDKjqM3oKcvOQaq52ir-qO6RNB3U5edDCO9UpBLf3g6tw_XDbQPwOO1E5TZ1mqCwwf90dcyKmw7xmL3/s1600/6U2A0935.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEvfkzSatxcc6oUDFLPFTnwmTyjyv3Q5nHTMpZOyY6Wyh0m030LoegvoDKjqM3oKcvOQaq52ir-qO6RNB3U5edDCO9UpBLf3g6tw_XDbQPwOO1E5TZ1mqCwwf90dcyKmw7xmL3/s400/6U2A0935.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goldcrest</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The news of an Olive-backed Pipit at the Gas Terminal decided the next place we'd visit but unfortunately there was no sign. We headed for Kilnsea, parked at the Blue Bell and went for lunch - I wish they'd been a bit quicker with the bacon butty because as we left we bumped into Graham Jones and Gavin Thomas who informed us that the Rustic Bunting was showing in Church Field. We arrived at the gate just as a many were leaving - just flown off - grrrrrr. Ah well, there were more YBWs to enjoy and Goldcrests to search through.<br />
<br />
After wandering around the 'Triangle' picking up several shorebirds, Woodcock, Black Redstart, Jack Snipe and the like, we made our way to Sammy's Point but soon after we arrived, news that the OBP was back at the Gas Terminal came out. What an obliging bird in the dimming evening light!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjPmIEFk9aV-CTSQJfs87j2yXco-gJTdDCKvSh9jpuWoYsOg8mo99W41txWd2_j2T3M_P7cCk0ejYGkBs_YlvVtf-u3Cf3QPIvCNUFN-I9aOYKhvFmsXcsYVA_hnMocnMONWk1/s1600/6U2A0929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjPmIEFk9aV-CTSQJfs87j2yXco-gJTdDCKvSh9jpuWoYsOg8mo99W41txWd2_j2T3M_P7cCk0ejYGkBs_YlvVtf-u3Cf3QPIvCNUFN-I9aOYKhvFmsXcsYVA_hnMocnMONWk1/s400/6U2A0929.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Olive-backed Pipit</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
What was even better was it staying to the following day when I could get an image in better light....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcjRa1xBCcL-XcfftPa6C4_lgIKEW4itMAPeQGE87_FsPFZRMDsEjNKv45KNyyPqb40f8LdH-Tim_WKNgJJH8sHt2WLqiqVI5ejWALV7Tsapk5Hnjj_dvCiLRJfNl7Dbr602Nh/s1600/6U2A0962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcjRa1xBCcL-XcfftPa6C4_lgIKEW4itMAPeQGE87_FsPFZRMDsEjNKv45KNyyPqb40f8LdH-Tim_WKNgJJH8sHt2WLqiqVI5ejWALV7Tsapk5Hnjj_dvCiLRJfNl7Dbr602Nh/s400/6U2A0962.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Olive-backed Pipit</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Sunday brought us lots more birds - the buntings still eluded us though (both Rustic and Little). Great Grey Shrike at Sammy's was a long way off! A couple of male Ring Ouzels gave great views alongside Wheatears and more Redstarts.<br />
<br />
Pallas' Warbler is a special bird, so one behind the White Horse was a very welcome addition to the day's birds. Though elusive at times it showed very well (when I didn't have my camera of course!)<br />
<br />
Then it was back to the cemetery where another Red-breasted Flycatcher was posing.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcJjhyP7QYrg5szXoAOqaLKM6xbV9hl5SpKFQ3fsX6nXJ2494Cczb88yI4EcqImYRPEHCpiaNu41nvo4wrufn9Tn7LTZ1hQI5G8ooZkohWeZDegf8m3ZGI-G6sZrgxMNqq_ZMO/s1600/6U2A0975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcJjhyP7QYrg5szXoAOqaLKM6xbV9hl5SpKFQ3fsX6nXJ2494Cczb88yI4EcqImYRPEHCpiaNu41nvo4wrufn9Tn7LTZ1hQI5G8ooZkohWeZDegf8m3ZGI-G6sZrgxMNqq_ZMO/s400/6U2A0975.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red-breasted Flycatcher.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Three great birding days on the east coast in the space of five days, yet there was more to come....<br />
<br />
On the Sunday, news broke of a Siberian Accentor on Shetland - there were several goodies up there the following days but there surely had to be a mega on the mainland. Friends who were staying at Flamborough for the week were having an amazing time with some great birds but on Thursday afternoon, all hell broke loose. A Siberian Accentor at Eastington (not 50 yards from where the OBP had been!)<br />
<br />
A hastily arranged day off was arranged and John and I headed east once again.<br />
<br />
<u>Friday 14th October </u><br />
We fully expected a large number of birders in the area - must have been a few hundred in the vicinity with parking all along the road into Easington. Such was the rarity and event, the invasion of birders caught the news headlines.<br />
<br />
The bird was very confiding, hopping around the moss-laden tarmac of the old school yard nonchalantly tossing leaves aside to pick up tiny morsels underneath. Everyone was well behaved I'm glad to say.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTzvZWW3gkDhZEdta_EO4xga20v-mz8id-Qqg9a9GxKH5U5_hmuMGYOjOpzqhv4rNS-Ryh-eBpOaUuhialbRG2V8OWqlbEyLsK2RouLMQeLuPqi5lk7U3c-LoMLIy6Nf9BLTtj/s1600/sibacc0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTzvZWW3gkDhZEdta_EO4xga20v-mz8id-Qqg9a9GxKH5U5_hmuMGYOjOpzqhv4rNS-Ryh-eBpOaUuhialbRG2V8OWqlbEyLsK2RouLMQeLuPqi5lk7U3c-LoMLIy6Nf9BLTtj/s400/sibacc0.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Siberian Accentor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixhkZLs4hlAlZVKT0wExg4G9nspSEjaniG7VpRZVLnYY1BxUV1Cd_S1vD-mj1U0y9sBmMEQz_2q0nnujTA-W2D4xJzEg_UXbyANnMzqcZ398STRhBUVciE3fd-kDBHbxJYa1r2/s1600/SIbAcc1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixhkZLs4hlAlZVKT0wExg4G9nspSEjaniG7VpRZVLnYY1BxUV1Cd_S1vD-mj1U0y9sBmMEQz_2q0nnujTA-W2D4xJzEg_UXbyANnMzqcZ398STRhBUVciE3fd-kDBHbxJYa1r2/s400/SIbAcc1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Siberian Accentor</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
With the target bird safely under our belts, we then headed out to do some proper birding to see what we could find. We headed to the Blue Bell car park where we managed to find a spot and as we got kitted up, a Shore Lark landed nearby. This bird eventually stayed all day in the same spot allowing everyone a great view.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQUvm_4yKlKA7VGRmQYjU9XauYW1CHRIFAzv-eMx2TLNt_sTmlvzNQrScecCsX9lCiMzZKC1UdqpAy3rgdYOVrrDWqrP_guyliv5SFiSktK3hCPwFPcWsEKEcIUFHliYWKbpzy/s1600/6U2A1244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQUvm_4yKlKA7VGRmQYjU9XauYW1CHRIFAzv-eMx2TLNt_sTmlvzNQrScecCsX9lCiMzZKC1UdqpAy3rgdYOVrrDWqrP_guyliv5SFiSktK3hCPwFPcWsEKEcIUFHliYWKbpzy/s400/6U2A1244.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shore Lark</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBQRfzHEsmIfHNDa7DLKr87ud3d7YLEOfhScJOnVO1PJAMZwZelVNPay-0Xtr3vQ0N8saM3JSJkl5gA2McSAab-zHWH7yhqdJTtpe0Q4gNjQb80Bcptdx5H897OcdTzdnciypk/s1600/6U2A1266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBQRfzHEsmIfHNDa7DLKr87ud3d7YLEOfhScJOnVO1PJAMZwZelVNPay-0Xtr3vQ0N8saM3JSJkl5gA2McSAab-zHWH7yhqdJTtpe0Q4gNjQb80Bcptdx5H897OcdTzdnciypk/s400/6U2A1266.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shore Lark</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There were birds absolutely everywhere - many more Fieldfares than the previous weekend and a few flocks of Redpolls (judging by the size and call, probably Meallies) moving south. There were Bramblings and Siskins overhead too. Next though was the news of a Dusky Warbler trapped in Church Field which was subsequently shown off to around a hundred birders.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6QRYneTadMt_Ed9GvcbvLjn9TyPF-LTTEcZl9OdAErY-pJ4SbNz3TTbu9lfmDr6gE_RECET7SgyI1NAC7h2PukHL6hJML0yS7B3GumeQ6tKdvXdhz-wNSTwme9fWN0n0eqftK/s1600/6U2A1277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6QRYneTadMt_Ed9GvcbvLjn9TyPF-LTTEcZl9OdAErY-pJ4SbNz3TTbu9lfmDr6gE_RECET7SgyI1NAC7h2PukHL6hJML0yS7B3GumeQ6tKdvXdhz-wNSTwme9fWN0n0eqftK/s320/6U2A1277.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dusky Warbler</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There weren't many YBWs around though we heard one or two and then got to grips with a cople of Firecrests. As we made out wat around Cliff Farm, a flock of around 65 Russian White-fronted Geese flew over the humber and circled once before heading off. We saw Woodcock too. There had been an OBP near the Blue Bell and a Pallas' Warbler in the Crown and Anchor Car Park so we headed back there but I soon decided to wander down to the canal scrape area and search for something else. I eventually met up with John again who'd seen the Pallas' and we went for a gander at an immobile Jack Snipe on the scrape. Next were the triangle bushes - I went one side and John the other - plenty of Goldcrests and a few Chiffchaffs and As I got to the Canal Bank I wondered where JW was - I then saw him waving to get my attention - a minute later we were enjoying good views of a very obliging Dusky Warbler 'tchack'ing away.<br />
<br />
We eventually left the to the crowd that had gathered and went to complete the triangle but hadn't gone far when we noticed nine Bean Geese on the saltmarsh edge. One had a very yellow bill but as it was a similar size to the rest we assumed all to be Tundra Beans.<br />
<br />
After a deserved cuppa, we had a last look at the Shore Lark and then back to the Accentor where there were now only around 30 birders. It gave great views but the light was rather poor. So having sated our appetite for views of this bird, we checked the Goldcrests around and found another Firecrest. And then the one that got away - I pick up a flycatcher silhouette on the back edge of the trees but lost it as it flicked up into the canopy. We searched for quite a while but could only find more crests, a Blackcap and Chiffchaffs. Ah well. We headed to the chippy in Patrington and gleefully scoffed a celebratory fish supper!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-eMJ7KAwfPKTaEVdHVUHUYeNUBaQB8URRb85XFyJ5CjENTxz0PaflaqqB_HNRcxBhJxDi44jMPLdOi6ipkHXK2pfoFB31aF8L7hb6aGwJldAXbNO7GiSu4qHzONsUgbI6Ugyh/s1600/6U2A1792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-eMJ7KAwfPKTaEVdHVUHUYeNUBaQB8URRb85XFyJ5CjENTxz0PaflaqqB_HNRcxBhJxDi44jMPLdOi6ipkHXK2pfoFB31aF8L7hb6aGwJldAXbNO7GiSu4qHzONsUgbI6Ugyh/s640/6U2A1792.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Siberian Accentor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
What a week and to be present on 4 out of nine days on the east coast in that weather was fantastic - migrants all over the place and one of the best birding periods I've had.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmXRtZ03HkMpI_Ft1uRi6SnQa2I2XGbTW9ak2PaTXo207h7nFCC-yd91wHycNFattpp0Oxfl6ZuoIYT5OiOmsAQRwl49Xc2U-wlbC_raZk2fT32t7x82xjAxmF1rXIJoxi_A-/s1600/6U2A1291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmXRtZ03HkMpI_Ft1uRi6SnQa2I2XGbTW9ak2PaTXo207h7nFCC-yd91wHycNFattpp0Oxfl6ZuoIYT5OiOmsAQRwl49Xc2U-wlbC_raZk2fT32t7x82xjAxmF1rXIJoxi_A-/s640/6U2A1291.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dark-bellied Brent Geese</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />Dave Bickertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00734571723511231628noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31472115.post-40562943741383776962016-07-24T18:36:00.002+01:002016-07-24T18:36:54.488+01:00Tai Mo Shan with Matt<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
Sunday morning and I
set off to dump my bags at Kowloon Station in order that I could spend the rest
of the day unencumbered by them. I had planned to meet Matthew and his father
around 12:30 and sure enough, bang on time they were at the front door of the
hotel. We started to get to know each other on the trip out to Tai Mo Shan,
HK's highest point but one that was shrouded in cloud so we weren't all that
confident of what we'd be able to do. I had to be at the Airport in four hours
so we decided to go for it and as we reached the car park, it was clear that it
wasn't as bad as feared. It was certainly a little cooler up here and there
were lots of hikers, joggers and walkers. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYo5P3SKrO11SzNFE4ZhakL9PkznO-cbKLKmE2qBzAgx1DIe7WMJo84PQjeXAxYZm7SOC0naBJtzK55BJrb23ii12nowC56YMrm9DeTI2cE1VnVOyYvwOJbvP5K5ycl-IYSKQ/s1600/IMG_5505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYo5P3SKrO11SzNFE4ZhakL9PkznO-cbKLKmE2qBzAgx1DIe7WMJo84PQjeXAxYZm7SOC0naBJtzK55BJrb23ii12nowC56YMrm9DeTI2cE1VnVOyYvwOJbvP5K5ycl-IYSKQ/s320/IMG_5505.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
Matt immediately picked up on
Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler a that was singing in a nearby bush which
eventually gave itself up. Brown-flanked Bush Warblers were singing all the way
up with a few tantalising views of a rather dull-looking bird.</div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Birding in the
afternoon is never all that productive. Add that to it being hot, mid July and
in heavily vegetated areas, birding was going to be challenging and indeed we
heard a lot more than we saw - Lesser Shortwing for example had a lovely loud
song but is your typical skulker.</span><br />
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPA_XA-bilswPUY7S3wrLpLJMyhQrcD7Hj_yNkCelEyoRwhEI1WL0HegneItLbu3gE0wcU0scbP6pk2D5tGAQLOU_TWGqm_68YM8FH6kl0rdRLQPzGrrVc9uWF2jmnwF8wwJLa/s1600/IMG_5502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPA_XA-bilswPUY7S3wrLpLJMyhQrcD7Hj_yNkCelEyoRwhEI1WL0HegneItLbu3gE0wcU0scbP6pk2D5tGAQLOU_TWGqm_68YM8FH6kl0rdRLQPzGrrVc9uWF2jmnwF8wwJLa/s320/IMG_5502.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
We reached the
'birding area' - an area of upland grassland with disused buildings and fences.
Almost immediately we heard a Chinese Grassbird close by - Matt's target bird.
However, like most things, it skulked away and never gave a view of what is a
very difficult species to get. A few Richard's Pipits called overhead - weird
but a few do remain to breed.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
Matt's dad suddenly
picked up a call of a Chinese Francolin - something that we talked about on the
way up in that it was a morning bird. We crept forward slowly and then there it
was, sat on a rock calling its head off. We spent the next ten minutes appreciating
it and gradually getting nearer to such an extent that it was the Kwan's
closest encounter ever!</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ARKPn-IK1wdNdfSxmHEA34VCNba0KDJ84pxhyphenhyphenSah3phhyAtd-LB6i_ETAoKIqhUNKdjPi1HtE4POTDHlL0OlPlMVZYCz2z4s77l6eZuGEpRZeOxX7GkXlhkgacRVBilD9TS0/s1600/_01A9356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ARKPn-IK1wdNdfSxmHEA34VCNba0KDJ84pxhyphenhyphenSah3phhyAtd-LB6i_ETAoKIqhUNKdjPi1HtE4POTDHlL0OlPlMVZYCz2z4s77l6eZuGEpRZeOxX7GkXlhkgacRVBilD9TS0/s640/_01A9356.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chinese Francolin (Courtesy of Matt)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
We then searched in
vain for more Grassbirds and heard some Vineous Parrotbills. I picked up
another skulking warbler in a nearby bush that turned out to be a juvenile
Russet Bush Warbler - another very good find. A showy Long-tailed Shrike
completed the list as the Chinese Hwamai and Mountain Tailorbirds were just not
for showing!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZaD0gzMJI56ineheKt6cKN5eVNlpndydhllWQ16aYhhyxEqHOrWgm4no-wOltdOEnTEC386Boijgnr1OUJp6IQ5beBI3AkMRxzpLA0EVaVtF8GjCq3OxSfjvmYcj-4xgnPE5t/s1600/_01A9403.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZaD0gzMJI56ineheKt6cKN5eVNlpndydhllWQ16aYhhyxEqHOrWgm4no-wOltdOEnTEC386Boijgnr1OUJp6IQ5beBI3AkMRxzpLA0EVaVtF8GjCq3OxSfjvmYcj-4xgnPE5t/s400/_01A9403.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Russet Bush Warbler (Matt)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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We did plan a brief
stop somewhere else but traffic was stopped so we headed to the airport where we said our goodbyes with great thanks for a splendid afternoon searching out
birds in unfamiliar surroundings. Must do it again sometime!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBYxjPIDSPF_QNcl7J5m9AhMJ3IkbOGQ4tD4SKR5uzJOQrA0lb-v-kPIquFzGKfDsdFF4KXcRvGJbjc7hrrHmwyg_TV-dHvxAxKr0w5mP_bATtzNw-BeFn-YbUqgcJOlqcaTtk/s1600/IMG_7968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBYxjPIDSPF_QNcl7J5m9AhMJ3IkbOGQ4tD4SKR5uzJOQrA0lb-v-kPIquFzGKfDsdFF4KXcRvGJbjc7hrrHmwyg_TV-dHvxAxKr0w5mP_bATtzNw-BeFn-YbUqgcJOlqcaTtk/s320/IMG_7968.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Dave Bickertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00734571723511231628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31472115.post-50246414254936611832016-07-24T18:23:00.002+01:002016-07-24T18:23:48.810+01:00Hong Kong Birding - Mai Po<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Much to my shame
I've not kept up with my blog posts for a considerable time. </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">However, a recent
opportunity with work to visit our supplier in China gave me the opportunity to
do some birding in Hong Kong. I started searching for information on birding
sites and things I'd likely see in July (typically the worst month for birding)
and came across Matt Kwan's blog (</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">http://matthewkwanbirding.blogspot.co.uk)</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">. I contacted Matt on the off-chance that he
could point me in the right direction and before I knew it he was suggesting an
afternoon's birding! Great! More of that later.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF2yiMFnvXEa8fHb5Xz0saO_6scRaurZrfg66oRwbXcJBbvbG9RVbsTtr3ZgltCPfgkg7ZYgrfSEoFLNn_oX3Zqgs9Cv55pJmaTP99IaKuxYxy8ps4cZnGFos9REyStDOZJaBG/s1600/IMG_5452.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF2yiMFnvXEa8fHb5Xz0saO_6scRaurZrfg66oRwbXcJBbvbG9RVbsTtr3ZgltCPfgkg7ZYgrfSEoFLNn_oX3Zqgs9Cv55pJmaTP99IaKuxYxy8ps4cZnGFos9REyStDOZJaBG/s320/IMG_5452.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
I had already made
enquiries about Mai Po, a place I'd read about and wanted to visit at sometime.
There was a lot of confusing information out there talking about annual
permits, scientific study etc but I eventually found the WWF site where you
could book a place on a tour. Unfortunately, there were none in English on the
day I had to visit but I also found the link to apply for a solo overseas visitor
permit (numbers are strictly limited!). I filled out the forms and scanned the relevant documents and sent it
off but hadn't heard anything for a week. Fortunately my ringing trainer,
Richard du Feu knew someone there through his wader ringing exploits and
emailing her certainly helped - they hadn't got my original application for
some reason - slightly worrying.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsCJYqi7jbFjKeyDSlO7fz_rPEzXb5lfgeJVQRMBZ4FMqZ3O8OHAIOhtF151iAxF8GUSKxjWq1aBHLlaedXPUcSHs9Oj_zG0G4CncoJY5sOf_mincQabCfeSbsu9aeQWH2CAfm/s1600/IMG_5449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsCJYqi7jbFjKeyDSlO7fz_rPEzXb5lfgeJVQRMBZ4FMqZ3O8OHAIOhtF151iAxF8GUSKxjWq1aBHLlaedXPUcSHs9Oj_zG0G4CncoJY5sOf_mincQabCfeSbsu9aeQWH2CAfm/s400/IMG_5449.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Across one of the Fish ponds towards Shenzen, China</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
So after a week in
China, I arrived back in Hong Kong and the following day took a train to Yuen
Long and a taxi from there to Mai Po visitor centre where my permit was
waiting. It was very hot and humid so I knew that birding was going to be
difficult but I was there so I was going to make the most of it. The tides were
wrong for the Deep Bay Area so I contented myself with a walk around the main
part of the reserve which is like Leighton Moss on steroids.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdl8E3nui0lsLNvf0SMfxhVwFGg_KNQxIoA4-aGITCmBDlGg7QK9TNY1C2OIerYNrODti5zNHg71hndZG3Yl0nNuwXCYvWbtbtxe5BC3jB7XyLHvy8RW-e0WIWX_FAr8KPSVda/s1600/IMG_5455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdl8E3nui0lsLNvf0SMfxhVwFGg_KNQxIoA4-aGITCmBDlGg7QK9TNY1C2OIerYNrODti5zNHg71hndZG3Yl0nNuwXCYvWbtbtxe5BC3jB7XyLHvy8RW-e0WIWX_FAr8KPSVda/s320/IMG_5455.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fortunately the paths had shelter from the sun!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
I got my permit
stamped at the warden's nicely air-conditioned chubby-hole and set out on the
paved path around the reserve. Azure-winged Magpies were rather showy as was a
Long-tailed Shrike with a juvenile. Amazingly there were NO nuisance insects
but plenty of butterflies and dragonflies.</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
Chinese Pond Herons,
Little Egrets and Great Egrets were very much in evidence wherever I went. To
complete the herons, there were a couple of Intermediate Egrets alongside
Eastern Cattle Egrets, Striated Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Grey Heron
and Yellow Bittern.</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
Black-collared
Starlings are very sizeable compared to the starlings I'm used to - they're
common around HK. White-shouldered Starlings were also evident. I didn't see
many small things other than Plain Prinia and Japenese White-eye but medium
sized birds were quite vocal if not all that easy to see. Asian Koel and
Greater Coucal showed reasonably well and there were a couple of flocks of
Masked Laughing-thrush making one hell of a racket!</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6pMLlG8pz2TP3ydr0sQ0KypMRIbnkQL36Cl_-0AtVE-ZmVheEuwo5e3z0DeenOr5hQpoYpC5H293KpFHUx_tS2EwejSfWTx9ZNUc9WsuYogTnz5fH0b2nVAaOY1JKSKYcnkU-/s1600/IMG_5457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6pMLlG8pz2TP3ydr0sQ0KypMRIbnkQL36Cl_-0AtVE-ZmVheEuwo5e3z0DeenOr5hQpoYpC5H293KpFHUx_tS2EwejSfWTx9ZNUc9WsuYogTnz5fH0b2nVAaOY1JKSKYcnkU-/s400/IMG_5457.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from one of the hides</td></tr>
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<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
The first channel I
came to held a few waders on the muddy fringes of the mangroves - Green and
Common Sandpiper, Spotted and Common Redshank. There was also White-breasted
Waterhen darting back into cover. Further along I took the paths to the hides
which were oven-like I've got to say but in milder times would be spectacular.
Nothing much was on show other than the interesting looking local race of White
Wagtail but then a bird flew across my line of sight - Grey-headed Lapwing that
shouldn't have been here at this time of year.</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
Thankfully, the
paths were lined with trees that provided ample shade from the sun and there
was a breeze that was difficult to find but when I did, I remained there for
five minutes to try and cool down.</div>
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Meandering down
towards the border fence, the main open water area had plenty of Herons and a
flock of Avocets but the bird I really hoped but didn't expect to see was sat
in front of the furthest hide - in fact two non-breeding Black-faced
Spoonbills; a bird of extreme rarity! Marvellous!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRNfDyQtymlQ1FpxxYpLsOQkp4H3p5QfhIK5GpWdYvXfWHaEyPR0aaLbYMgQnI72JIrDBpoAOxS3clYhNqDrLZ3eLKxixZLWhuMmfrqPTIM0PVFKGfnxfQB-CbHHlBxZ5QHs4v/s1600/IMG_5482.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRNfDyQtymlQ1FpxxYpLsOQkp4H3p5QfhIK5GpWdYvXfWHaEyPR0aaLbYMgQnI72JIrDBpoAOxS3clYhNqDrLZ3eLKxixZLWhuMmfrqPTIM0PVFKGfnxfQB-CbHHlBxZ5QHs4v/s400/IMG_5482.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black-faced Spoonbills</td></tr>
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After some lunch I
continued back to the visitor centre picking up White-breasted and Eurasian
Kingfishers along the way together with Black Drongo and Crested Mynahs.</div>
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I only met one other
person on the whole of the walk - I must come back at a sensible time of year! A total of 45 species of which many were lifers of course. <span style="font-size: 11pt;">The centre ordered
me a taxi and the return trip to my hotel in Kowloon was simple. I finished off
the day with a trip on the Star Ferry across to HK Island for dinner.</span></div>
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Dave Bickertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00734571723511231628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31472115.post-19791057458181974632014-04-20T15:44:00.001+01:002014-04-20T15:44:41.958+01:00Easter Easterlies put paid to ringing activitiesThe wind has been stubbornly remaining in the east for much of April and that is not the best direction for mist-netting in my garden. The 'dip' is quite sheltered from even quite strong westerlies but even a hint of a breeze from the east isn't good. So I've had to make do when I can and though I've had a steady trickle of unringed Chaffinches and Goldfinches in the garden, I've only managed to trap a few but enough to know that they're not hanging around.<br />
<br />
One of my Redpolls was controlled at Heysham this-morning which is rather nice having ringed and retrapped it twice here between Feb and just over a week ago on April 10th.<br />
<br />
Otherwise it's been mothing time with one notable record of a Waved Umber - very scarce in Lancashire, recorded at only a handful of sites before.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj79vAKGoBaIcIGfuz7r5JMm4OQjLuBXjt7gfp3OzsaACnhkA-7yclZdz8CGsj6TLTIddHatSGBlsbcA4NZhSu0eJ8bGHZeeex1BXIbywPbIr7a8worvt3EjncYPoqFPAIugtMT/s1600/IMG_0199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj79vAKGoBaIcIGfuz7r5JMm4OQjLuBXjt7gfp3OzsaACnhkA-7yclZdz8CGsj6TLTIddHatSGBlsbcA4NZhSu0eJ8bGHZeeex1BXIbywPbIr7a8worvt3EjncYPoqFPAIugtMT/s1600/IMG_0199.jpg" height="400" width="388" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waved Umber</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
That and a couple of micros were new for the 10km square and good records for the upcoming Moth Atlas. Otherwise it's been the usual stuff - Common/Small/Powdered/Twin-spotted Quakers, Hebrew Characters and Clouded Drabs.<br />
<br />
on Friday we had to drop my sister-in-law off at Manchester Airport so had a good excuse to meander back via Dovestone Reservoir above Mossley where a Two-barred Crossbill had been seen. We eventually found the right car-park and heard a few Siskins overhead. After about 10 minutes I heard a Crossbill call and found 'the' bird - a rather handsome first-year male - sitting on top of a larch where it stayed for around 15 minutes singing and feeding. Splendid - I didn't have my camera with me of course.<br />
<br />
Yesterday, I had a walk up Langden Valley with my son, Peter, and had a couple of singing male Ring Ouzels, Stonechat, Peregrine and several Willow Warblers and Common Sandpipers. No sign of any Harriers though, nor Wheatears surprisingly. After that it was up to Stocks where Mark had found a Green-winged Teal (the North American cousin of our Teal). We got there, just, as my clutch started to fail. We saw the bird as well as some cracking male Siskins, a couple of Red-breasted Mergansers and 12 Pinkfeet (rather odd) before I headed back to see if we could get the car back home (which we did somehow!).<br />
<br />
Today, there have been plenty of birds in the garden - more Siskins and Redpolls overhead - whilst a pair of Jays has taken up residence in the clough at the back of the house. Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest and Treecreeper have all been singing. At the Reservoir, a pair of Little Ringed Plovers have got territory and a couple of Common Sandpipiers are present too. Plenty of Swallows and Sand Martins there today along with my first House Martin of the year. Another week and we'll hopefully have a lot more migrants making landfall.Dave Bickertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00734571723511231628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31472115.post-67563574909821499742014-03-26T20:15:00.000+00:002014-03-26T20:15:07.565+00:00Redpoll ConundrumFinch migration is well under way and so I've been trying to do as much ringing in the garden as time and weather allow. The wind has been a constant problem with mist-netting this winter - that and the very mild temperatures has meant that the birds have been able to find plenty of natural food and therefore less reliant on the feeders that attract them in.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFLUsxTSWjzrmJckFMRE7Abzs9PGT_ytVvIoib7wbDf5XMdgoy5KScPnidfucAVoKW5TP1eQM8QREXXWkkVn5kqxgtO7TcIynOrA7RtIW0Bp7MD0QDqeSxn05fq2f232uXU7Pg/s1600/028Lesser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFLUsxTSWjzrmJckFMRE7Abzs9PGT_ytVvIoib7wbDf5XMdgoy5KScPnidfucAVoKW5TP1eQM8QREXXWkkVn5kqxgtO7TcIynOrA7RtIW0Bp7MD0QDqeSxn05fq2f232uXU7Pg/s1600/028Lesser.jpg" height="400" width="330" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adult female Lesser Redpoll</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Last week I had a chance on Wednesday morning and so I put a single 9 meter net up 'down the dip' and was rewarded with a host of new birds - first of all there were good numbers of Siskins moving through, so nine in the net on the first round was very fine! Then there were the Redpolls - many new expected Lessers but one Common (Meally) Redpoll that was clearly grey and larger than the rest of the Redpoll cohort but not by a long way. And then there were the Goldfinches and Bullfinches (19 different individuals trapped so far this winter). All in all, very satisfying but just a prelude to the weekend's highlights.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikRLxv1nccPkn1Llx_LHouBHJG5jAxjFp-KScKG8wX4QeFmC_h3WMELG9mUBwNCTYoFA3vi9KRgzrAB-_0SrPM7K_7_HMlcXcPiEivw16I8DPxr8RWa8jGLefMzMDA38-XoYup/s1600/IMG_1366.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikRLxv1nccPkn1Llx_LHouBHJG5jAxjFp-KScKG8wX4QeFmC_h3WMELG9mUBwNCTYoFA3vi9KRgzrAB-_0SrPM7K_7_HMlcXcPiEivw16I8DPxr8RWa8jGLefMzMDA38-XoYup/s1600/IMG_1366.jpg" height="400" width="351" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Siskin</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBzY45dAPXCoR-pHH145MBdD6uABwNlY8O-tTJFEeaQPtUnbYA9CQgk0-5S0MbBGs_rsO-9cGygiSLIIAN40zpVSAyEbHVPbrREQLJ4fFROYnn_lSHO7ikK6ZfUHInoQRD-uhw/s1600/Common+Redpoll+1-1+IMG_1390.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBzY45dAPXCoR-pHH145MBdD6uABwNlY8O-tTJFEeaQPtUnbYA9CQgk0-5S0MbBGs_rsO-9cGygiSLIIAN40zpVSAyEbHVPbrREQLJ4fFROYnn_lSHO7ikK6ZfUHInoQRD-uhw/s1600/Common+Redpoll+1-1+IMG_1390.jpg" height="400" width="365" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first Common Redpoll - Just short of 13g, 74 wing, 56 Tail</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMyTb8cnH2ux4wpRmi6oJx3VV6jlZx6AjNWMPDElSE4ndaQBjENvpz919XRqt6QeMSbVEIjYcCR1JknS9Ums5sxBW48sRkLrrSeXQkBefT_e0hGMo9vlTcLH1bUCR-7zAf4NtA/s1600/Common+Redpoll+1-2+IMG_1389.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMyTb8cnH2ux4wpRmi6oJx3VV6jlZx6AjNWMPDElSE4ndaQBjENvpz919XRqt6QeMSbVEIjYcCR1JknS9Ums5sxBW48sRkLrrSeXQkBefT_e0hGMo9vlTcLH1bUCR-7zAf4NtA/s1600/Common+Redpoll+1-2+IMG_1389.jpg" height="400" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first Common Redpoll</td></tr>
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I decided to do the same thing on Saturday morning with showers forecast in the afternoon and a footy match to go to, it seemed to be a good opportunity. There weren't as many birds but the first one was another Common Redpoll - a much larger bird with bulging fat reserves, these continental cousins of the Lessers are quite scarce on this side of the country and their identification not all that straight-forward. However this bird was large and grey and fitted the bill perfectly.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhd5p-Nc9zG3w1qyVl-kNclSOyCKShpbWwbZ4DzhA7YIR7Rb047Jatbl3TWwlGRUvNI4i1WewXeBHbF3rz3Zi-BTI_3xlTNdROc0XfB9PPVxBy5d2x9rCUfUIQKYSJjySbZRcS/s1600/Common+Redpoll+2-2+IMG_1417.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhd5p-Nc9zG3w1qyVl-kNclSOyCKShpbWwbZ4DzhA7YIR7Rb047Jatbl3TWwlGRUvNI4i1WewXeBHbF3rz3Zi-BTI_3xlTNdROc0XfB9PPVxBy5d2x9rCUfUIQKYSJjySbZRcS/s1600/Common+Redpoll+2-2+IMG_1417.jpg" height="400" width="390" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2nd Common Redpoll<br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;">75.0 wing, 14.7g (Retrapped sunday 14.0 fat 3) tail 58 and fat 4</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8VfEBoVPri4_o31tN7zlBuGdEYBUwH_l5dj1O8vd67MgKRIiUJTxjnp7AnGUeoLvfXtDEp5Vj2LfVACj_LHC34XB0bAUrmplNrDeDZQzyLF-Fm466iHSfYrJSoLiQKKI3dY-f/s1600/Common+Redpoll+3-1+IMG_1424.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8VfEBoVPri4_o31tN7zlBuGdEYBUwH_l5dj1O8vd67MgKRIiUJTxjnp7AnGUeoLvfXtDEp5Vj2LfVACj_LHC34XB0bAUrmplNrDeDZQzyLF-Fm466iHSfYrJSoLiQKKI3dY-f/s1600/Common+Redpoll+3-1+IMG_1424.jpg" height="350" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2nd Common Redpoll</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: start;">I managed to get a steady stream of birds in the morning but then the rain started and so I went to put the net away - there was one bird in it, another Common Redpoll but this time even bigger and paler. I took photos of it as I had with the others, and then released it. It was only the next day that the penny dropped that it might have been something even rarer!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPyQnhoK9HgkrOQjk1TL5pwC0K66ZDuUQNYSaUVKJqNFxxx6-VEoHByzd3HwQ3YiHlEGoxMuPdPV3oLfIE7TJ1Vu6a7WH2WT-BnO01enWJQkA1FAoZTFZvdcOPd9rgu84-hF_N/s1600/Common+Redpoll+3-2+IMG_1425.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPyQnhoK9HgkrOQjk1TL5pwC0K66ZDuUQNYSaUVKJqNFxxx6-VEoHByzd3HwQ3YiHlEGoxMuPdPV3oLfIE7TJ1Vu6a7WH2WT-BnO01enWJQkA1FAoZTFZvdcOPd9rgu84-hF_N/s1600/Common+Redpoll+3-2+IMG_1425.jpg" height="400" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3rd Common Redpoll<br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;">77.0 wing 13.9g Tail 59 FAT 3</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5K7NhQj2mzjDszUVHG1KQ-Irskp1obGUJk0Hfi-_H-x_07Ob0OrtnUNfblPG1lZUuu9LqGzaQPth09qz8lLObJqPPeglflvZXvhvC88-wXPbaeNUD4hr4iXsw3cFgdPXNac3/s1600/Common+Redpolll+2-3+IMG_1405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5K7NhQj2mzjDszUVHG1KQ-Irskp1obGUJk0Hfi-_H-x_07Ob0OrtnUNfblPG1lZUuu9LqGzaQPth09qz8lLObJqPPeglflvZXvhvC88-wXPbaeNUD4hr4iXsw3cFgdPXNac3/s1600/Common+Redpolll+2-3+IMG_1405.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3rd Common Redpoll</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHybLq2HiFnzRR3II3hI99DFO4Ww0PgiTRqWjfhkQi6PqPtC3zNcOLcsWIyKbI2MSzrVXhUmZTlsCL1ejKSje13Bv4hJCgXUUArkl8JOY1DOL5nvSHK557D6P_MCKjVe3CDhTb/s1600/Common+Redpoll+3-3+IMG_1428.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHybLq2HiFnzRR3II3hI99DFO4Ww0PgiTRqWjfhkQi6PqPtC3zNcOLcsWIyKbI2MSzrVXhUmZTlsCL1ejKSje13Bv4hJCgXUUArkl8JOY1DOL5nvSHK557D6P_MCKjVe3CDhTb/s1600/Common+Redpoll+3-3+IMG_1428.jpg" height="380" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3rd Common Redpoll (islandica? Coues's Arctic?)</td></tr>
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Sunday was spent with mum in Southport but Mark had called to ask if he could come round and look for the Mealies. I left the key to the shed in a safe place for him and left it at that. Around lunchtime he texted that there were two Mealies still so I said to put the nets up and I'd see him in the afternoon.<br />
<br />
To cut a long story short, we retrapped Mealy No. 2 and got field views of No. 3 looking distinctly paler than it did in the hand! It's got a white rump! An the Bill is looking more pointed and less hefty than the others.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmzOuBYAr3xJZuedfFfMk4rRonvycc99KDgeAhbyxlysKNbLfC6sBorMxDBqC_m8QTVxKH4mspsw4i5iUj3z_nTkngto0sTK9XKCtC5wohZXnIUeV1wC1YfjZZp2BLm_9sSfmb/s1600/get-attachment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmzOuBYAr3xJZuedfFfMk4rRonvycc99KDgeAhbyxlysKNbLfC6sBorMxDBqC_m8QTVxKH4mspsw4i5iUj3z_nTkngto0sTK9XKCtC5wohZXnIUeV1wC1YfjZZp2BLm_9sSfmb/s1600/get-attachment.jpg" height="320" width="270" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marks image of the pale 3rd Common Redpoll</td></tr>
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We've now got the books out and sent images to a few people - Coues's Arctic was considered a possibility but it is very large for that species (though not out of range) and the rump is streaked faintly. We're leaning towards Pale Icelandic Redpoll as the nearest fit.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I was out again for a couple of hours this morning and the first bird was another Common Redpoll.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0z3gCflkU5FlFE57qOOpnnudP2JRWJV4lYHR_81kRdrXkeftwtz0stjGYRoqA3lfWXtV6a6pbk6Kyfj393xjF1Eo7Co-9nZZ7SmIJZZpBtMKnhwEQmkDZDR9_ghEJMEWqxMv5/s1600/015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0z3gCflkU5FlFE57qOOpnnudP2JRWJV4lYHR_81kRdrXkeftwtz0stjGYRoqA3lfWXtV6a6pbk6Kyfj393xjF1Eo7Co-9nZZ7SmIJZZpBtMKnhwEQmkDZDR9_ghEJMEWqxMv5/s1600/015.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fourth Common Redpoll<br />Wing 74, Tail 56, Fat 4 weight 16g!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-8Ybcw5necmZ0YK3UxtiexveFC11dM39pkjCEalj_ByflvwkNElKBsEkb9Rz4xJgPv5Wv12pE0aJNFwp0z8WHVHG1-gAbdDkeXutNqeoIDja-NDCjXMG8HSupaQZDj8QHGx6/s1600/IMG_1383LEsser.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-8Ybcw5necmZ0YK3UxtiexveFC11dM39pkjCEalj_ByflvwkNElKBsEkb9Rz4xJgPv5Wv12pE0aJNFwp0z8WHVHG1-gAbdDkeXutNqeoIDja-NDCjXMG8HSupaQZDj8QHGx6/s1600/IMG_1383LEsser.JPG" height="400" width="306" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lesser Redpoll</td></tr>
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<br />Dave Bickertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00734571723511231628noreply@blogger.com0