Night Heron, Seeswood pool revisited, again

Monday 28th July 2014
Got a bit lucky this afternoon. Enjoyed a brief but rewarding 3rd visit to Seeswood pool. I was chatting to a fisherman when the Night Heron flew out of the Willows at the end of the pool to land in clear view opposite me on the far bank. It was lucky as the bird soon moved back to be partially obscured by a number of dead branches.

Night Heron, Seeswood pool, Warks.

Night Heron

Night Heron

Pacific Golden Plover - Middleton Lakes RSPB

26th July 2014
I was planning on another quiet day as my car was playing up and wouldn't be sorted till Tuesday. News that Geoff Williams had found an interesting Golden Plover at the Jubilee Wetlands, the central area of Middleton Lakes RSPB aroused some interest and I even checked my records to find although I'd seen Pacific and American GPs in the Greater Midlands region I hadnt seen either in the West Mids.  I also needed shaking out of my mid-summer lethargy. So it was worth risking the car as long as I kept the speed down. I decided to take the Telescope rather than the Camera. This turned out to be a mistake as the bird was showing well at a reasonable distance, well enough for my typical 'blog shots' anyway, and the heat haze wasnt as bad as I'd anticipated. It was good to see so many familiar faces at 'the twitch' enjoying good views of a rarely seen bird.

An appreciative Gallery

Apologies for the youngsters in the front

Pacific Golden Plover, Middleton Lakes RSPB

Pacific Golden Plover

Pacific Golden Plover

Pacific Golden Plover

Night Heron, Seeswood Pool - revisited

24th July 2014
A few more images of the Night Heron at Seeswood pool, Nuneaton

Night Heron, Seeswood pool, Nuneaton

Night Heron

Night Heron

Night Heron, Seeswood pool, Nuneaton

Tuesday 22nd July 2014

Since retirement I thought I'd rid myself of 'meetings' but today one caught up with me which I couldn't avoid, just as word came through that a Night Heron had been found up the road at Seeswood Pool, Nuneaton. I was consoled by the Knowledge that I had seen Night Heron in Warwickshire before and the fact the one found last year found close by at Atherstone had escaped from Twycross Zoo. As it happened the meeting in Leamington finished in plenty of time to get over to Seeswood by late afternoon. Having parked up I headed for the N.E. corner as directed but was surprised to see birders on the far bank looking in my direction, Ooops. I walked back very gingerly praying I didnt flush the bird. I didnt, but I had to walk right round the pool to view from the opposite bank and get some 'record'shots.

Night Heron, Seeswood pool, Nuneaton

Night Heron

Night Heron

Night Heron

Great White Egret, Middleton Lakes RSPB

18th July 2014
A few images of the Great White Egret at Fishers Mill/New Reed bed pit, Middleton Lakes RSPB

Great White Egret, Fisher's Mill, Middleton Lakes RSPB

Gt. white Egret, frequently harassed by Grey Herons.

Great white Egret

Reed warbler

Great white Egret

Week's Round-up

Mon 7th July - Sunday 13th July
A rather lazy week in Birding terms. I visited a few local sites but without any real conviction. The patch walk around Caldecote produced a family of Kestrels but little else with crops growing well the resident breeding species were keeping low and only Butterflies were visible in good numbers on the rough pasture.
A couple of visits to Alvecote pools produced juvenile Common Redstart, Sedge warbler, Common Whitethroat, Bullfinch and Reed Buntings in the hedges around Mill pool. While the highlight from 2 visits to Brandon Marsh Nature reserve were a pair of juvenile Water Rail, Hobby, Green Sandpiper, Little ringed and Ringed plovers.

Juvenile Whitethroat, Alvecote pools

Kingfisher, Brandon Marsh

Green Sandpiper, Brandon Marsh

Selected Species List - Ural Mts. Russia 2014

A selected list of the species seen (does not incl. species seen by other members of the group or 'common' species)
Honey Buzzard, Hazel Grouse, Great Snipe, Oriental Turtle Dove, Oriental Cuckoo, Olive backed Pipit,Citrine Wagtail, Wryneck, Bluethroat, Red flanked Bluetail, Siberian Rubythroat, Siberian Stonechat, Black throated Thrush, Lanceolated Warbler, Blyth's Reed Warbler, Icterine Warbler, Booted Warbler, Arctic Warbler, Greenish Warbler, Yellow browed Warbler, Siberian Tit, Long tailed Rosefinch, Pine Grosbeak, Two barred Crossbill, Little Bunting.

The Ural Mts. Russia. June 2014

Last day in the Mountains

After Klaus and Gabby had found the Black throated Accentor we made one last early morning attempt to locate the bird. Again we followed the stream bed on the initial steep climb through the forest up to the boulder fields and grassy areas with scattered trees. Klaus led us to a flatter, orchard like area where we listened intently. A couple of Dunnocks were heard but the Black throated Accentor was much more elusive. Eventually it did show briefly but only a couple of people managed to see it. We did see a male Pine Grosbeak which was some reward for our efforts.

Pine Grosbeak

So we set off back on our long journey back. It wasnt long though before we came to an abrupt halt at one of the bridges. It was being repaired. It looked as if we were going to be stuck for some time but with scant regard for 'elf and safety we were over in 15 minutes.

Bridge repairs

The rest of the journey was fairly uneventful apart from the odd tyre change as a result of an earlier puncture. After a welcome sleep in a proper bed at our hotel there was still time for some birding the following morning on the outskirts of Ekaterinburg before our flight back. Most of the group had another look at the area round the airport marshes in a forlorn attempt to find Azure Tit before moving on to another marshy woodland area to look for Lanceolated warbler. This time, Bingo, we all had great views of the Lancy to round off a largely very successful tour. OK the Mosquitoes and the Toilet arrangements and my feet were a pain, but you couldn't ask for a nicer group of people to endure a few 'inconveniences' with. Thanks go to Vaughan, Sveta and the rest of the group for their good humour throughout.

A day off

The yomps to the mountain tops over the previous two days, rewarding though they were, were now taking their toll. My wellies or my feet just weren't up to it. So I wimped out of the next day's expedition in favour of some low level birding at a slower pace. It was good not to have to worry where you were going to step next and actually look around at the wealth of wildlife; Butterflies, flowers and of course Birds.

Grey Wagtail, sharing the campsite with us.

The weather continued to be very good, we had had one brief but heavy shower the previous morning but generally we had enjoyed warm sunshine everyday. Certainly as Sveta, Andy and myself explored the tracks surrounding the camp the skies were almost cloudless. 

Brambling

Nutcracker

Willow Tit

Violet Copper

Cluster of Black veined Whites

Black veined White on Orchid.

Other birds seen on the walk included : Two barred Crossbill, Honey Buzzard, Hen Harrier, and Bullfinch.

The rest of the group returned with stories of mixed success.They had found White's Thrush but only Klaus and Gabby had seen the much searched for Black throated Accentor. It was decided to make an early start the next morning to return to the mountain and have another go for the mythical bird before taking the long trek back.