There was quite a variety and some looked a little skinny to me. I hope they weren't starving?
The main aim of this blog is to allow me to share my wildlife and adventure photographs with like minded individuals. As well as birding and wildlife photography, I also enjoy mountain walking especially in winter, so expect some ramblings.
Thursday, 31 May 2018
Sanderling
After finding a couple of Sanderling at Brascote Pits on Friday/Saturday I enjoyed about 18 of them on the beach at Titchwell in splendid sunshine.
There was quite a variety and some looked a little skinny to me. I hope they weren't starving?
There was quite a variety and some looked a little skinny to me. I hope they weren't starving?
Wednesday, 30 May 2018
Sanderlings at Brascote Pits
I have seen a few Sanderlings in the SW Leics area over the years and most of them occurred during bad weather. The weather was very bad on Friday and I had booked the day off work to enjoy a long Bank Holiday weekend. A trip to Brascote Pits in the morning resulted in just one thing - me getting wet.
Later in the afternoon I made another visit and this time I was pleased to see five Ringed Plovers and a splendid little Sanderling. The following morning there was two Sanderlings there and a couple of summer plumaged Grey Plover circled the 'moonscape pool' before carrying on their way north.
Photography was very difficult in the wet murky conditions, but I did get a record shot of one of the Sanderlings.
Later in the afternoon I made another visit and this time I was pleased to see five Ringed Plovers and a splendid little Sanderling. The following morning there was two Sanderlings there and a couple of summer plumaged Grey Plover circled the 'moonscape pool' before carrying on their way north.
Photography was very difficult in the wet murky conditions, but I did get a record shot of one of the Sanderlings.
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| Sanderling and Ringed Plovers at Brascote Pits |
Saturday, 12 May 2018
Iceland Gull
I was most surprised to spot an Iceland Gull today. The previous latest spring record for Leicestershire & Rutland was May 2nd 1999 - an adult at Rutland Water seen by Andy Forryan.
Steve Nichols had stopped by for a quick chat and just as he was about to leave when I spotted this little beauty.
It was a dainty bird with distinctly pale coverts. It appears very similar to the one last seen on April 25th, The coverts are paler, but there is a mark under the eye that is also visible on the photos I took in April, so it must be the long staying bird. Where has it been hiding, as it hasn't been seen in the Draycote Water roost since the end of April?
Steve Nichols had stopped by for a quick chat and just as he was about to leave when I spotted this little beauty.
It was a dainty bird with distinctly pale coverts. It appears very similar to the one last seen on April 25th, The coverts are paler, but there is a mark under the eye that is also visible on the photos I took in April, so it must be the long staying bird. Where has it been hiding, as it hasn't been seen in the Draycote Water roost since the end of April?
Saturday, 28 April 2018
Garganey
I soon gave up at Shawell this morning, as there was no tipping, the gulls were mobile and the weather was awful.
I decided to head off towards home and have a quick look at Brascote Pits. Despite the weather some warblers were singing including a very loud Lesser Whitethroat. I noticed a tern over the 'Mars Landscape Pool'. As I got closer I could see it was a Common Tern. There wasn't much else on the pool, so I retraced my steps back towards the footpath. As I neared the footpath I decided to swing right along the western side of the 'Beach Pool'. Something made me look back towards the 'Mars Landscape Pool' and I was surprised to see a drake Garganey in the centre of the pool. Fortunately it stayed until Adey Baker and Colin Green arrived and it was still there when we left the site.
This is only the third record, involving five birds, for the SW Leics area:
I decided to head off towards home and have a quick look at Brascote Pits. Despite the weather some warblers were singing including a very loud Lesser Whitethroat. I noticed a tern over the 'Mars Landscape Pool'. As I got closer I could see it was a Common Tern. There wasn't much else on the pool, so I retraced my steps back towards the footpath. As I neared the footpath I decided to swing right along the western side of the 'Beach Pool'. Something made me look back towards the 'Mars Landscape Pool' and I was surprised to see a drake Garganey in the centre of the pool. Fortunately it stayed until Adey Baker and Colin Green arrived and it was still there when we left the site.
This is only the third record, involving five birds, for the SW Leics area:
1976: two at Huncote Sandpits on October 9th (GAD).
2015: a pair at Brascote Pits on April 14th (AP et al).
2018: drake at Brascote Pits on April 28th (CDB, ABa, CSG et al). |
| Drake Garganey, Brascote Pits, April 28th 2018 |
Monday, 23 April 2018
Catch Up.
I've had a few good few days since my last post: highlights being the arrival of many spring migrants including a singing Grasshopper Warbler near Huncote. This species is very scarce in my local area, especially for me as I can hardly hear them anymore. Adey first heard it and we both saw it briefly.
The Caspian Gull 'Larry' reappeared at Stoney Cove for a couple of days, which was a surprise.
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| First-Summer Caspian Gull, Stoney Cove, April 2018 |
The regular juvenile Iceland Gull was still at Shawell on Saturday, which extended the latest date by a bit more. Hopefully it will stay a bit longer.
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| Juvenile Iceland Gull, Shawell Sandpit, April 21st 2018 |
Finally a colour-ringed Caspian Gull from Germany was also present in the sandpit - X935.
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| First-Summer Caspian Gull - X935 - Shawell Sandpit, April 21st |
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