Scilly photos

Manx Shearwater - Isles of Scilly

Manx Shearwater

Puffin

Monday 31st May 2010

Just a couple of images that my wife Jan and Gill her sister took when they found themselves in the middle of a flock of Manx Shearwaters last week. I dread to think the shots they would have had with a proper camera.

Rip - off

Recently fledged Coal tit in the garden

Sunday 30th May 2010

Had a very pleasant afternoon at a Charity Cricket match at Nether Whitacre and popped into the Horse and Jockey at Bentley on the way back to support their Beer Festival. Very disappointed, indeed had the sort of experience that puts you off such events. I had a half of some very average brew I'd never heard, of no problem there but the liquid came well below the mark and when I asked for a top up I was refused. Couldn't even manage a splash for good customer relations, that plus being over charged really left me feeling cheated. Needless to say I wont be going to the Horse and Jockey again.

With the addition of Black necked Grebe and Sanderling at Draycote and Honey Buzzard at Shustoke this week the unofficial total number of species in Wawickshire in 2010 = 178.

Possible Quail near Shustoke

Saturday 29th May 2010


With a few good birds turning up Nationally at last and with heavy rain forecast I visited sites at the Southern end of the Tame valley this morning in the hope something might have turned up. As far as I could see nothing had. I did have one moment though. Driving towards Coleshill half way between the Griffon Inn and the cottages before Shustoke a small partridge type bird flew low across the road in front of me. I cant imagine a young Partridge flying like that so there is the possibility it may have been a Quail. The size, bulk and whirring wings looked good. It might be worth regular Shustoke Res. birders listening out around the fields to the South of the Reservoir.

Farne Islands? Fishers Mill

Thursday 27th May 2010

On the way back from a day out with my Dad we were approaching the TV Masts near Four Oaks when a Raptor appeared low over the wheat fields. Luckily there was a handy pull in so it was possible to watch the bird, clearly an adult female Marsh Harrier, at close range. It was mobbed by a Kestrel and gained height before moving off towards Tamworth. I should add the paging service made a complete cock-up of my message as Meriden was never mentioned so Ive no idea where that came from.
After leaving Sutton I stopped off at Middleton for a quick look round Fisher's Mill pool. My first job was to explain to a couple of blokes that it (the pool) was part of a Nature reserve and that they should refrain from throwing stones to encourage their dog to forage about in the reeds. Thankfully they moved on without any fuss.
As I scanned the pool from the bench I was aware that a particularly noisey Black headed Gull was showing an unusual interest in me. It got lower and lower, dive bombing like an Arctic tern on the Farne islands. I was nowhere near any potential nesting sight so why it took such a dislike to me I dont know. It should have directed its attentions to a marauding Jay which was taking eggs from Reed warbler nests. The Kamakazi gull made sure I was off the premises, following me over the Canal bridge and along the path until I was in the wood. Just past the farm another predator, a Sparrowhawk flew low, mobbed by Swallows from the farm, but hanging on to the unfortunate Blue tit it had caught. The Sparrowhawk chicks would be fed but the Blue tit chicks would go hungry.

Ryton Woods,Warwickshire

Wood White, Ryton Woods

Green Hairstreak

Common Blue

Grizzled Skipper

Dingy Skipper

Wednesday 26th May 2010

Visited Ryton Woods managed by the Warwickshire Wildlfe Trust and the adjacent Ryton Woods meadows, a Butterfly Conservation project. The main aim was to see a Wood White which have always eluded me in the past. I was fortunate to meet up with Mo and Terry Southgate, we eventually found a single Wood white and many other species of Butterfly on the fringes of the meadow area.

The plan was to then visit Brandon Marsh after a cup of tea at Morrisons. Half way through my cuppa I got a call from Mick Doughty about a pair of summer plummaged Black necked Grebes at Draycote Water. On arrival Draycote was strangely quiet, no birders and very few people around at all. I walked to the valve tower- no sign of the Grebes. I walked back and on to Toft, again no sign of the Black necked Grebes. Apart from the regular birds I only saw a couple of Yellow Wagtails and about 50 Common Swift. I'd got a bit of exercise which is always a good thing but it was frustrating not knowing where the birds had been seen. Its good that people take the trouble to put out information on interesting birds but at a place like Draycote with no vehicular access the information needs to be a bit more specific than just Draycote Water. Ok birds fly around but a location would give you a starting point and save a lot of shoe leather. On the drive home I saw another Hobby hawking over the junction of Nutts Lane and the A5.

Just imagine

Waved Umber, Garden

Scalloped Hazel, Garden

Pale Tussock

Lime Hawk moth

Clouded Silver

Funny old day really. Never really got into me birding. Had an extended walk from Caldecote to Hartshill. Didnt see much on route with Kingfisher, Yellow wagtail and Linnet being the most noteworthy birds. At one point my imagination took over when a Mini bus apparently full of women drove into a field ahead of me followed by an estate car. There were no roads or even tracks as the vehicles disappeared ahead of me and were lost to view behind bushes and trees. What were they up to in the middle of nowhere? I caught a glimpse of the group again, at first I thought they might be planning some sort of Amateur film making session. I was minding my own business you understand but I did notice through the binoculars that one or two people were carrying bits of important looking bits of paper and a certain amount of pointing was going on. I was intrigued in a casual sort of way. Was whatever they were doing worth wrecking the suspensions on 2 vehicles for? Then it dawned on me - they might be local government officials looking at proposals for new rights of way in the area. That would account for the large number of people involved, the paper and the casual approach to car welfare. Yes, ticks all the boxes, the puzzle was solved. I continued on my merry way imagination on stand by mode.

With not many birds to photograph I've included a few shots of some of the moths around this week.

P.S. Lucky bugger of the week award goes to Steve Cawthray who had a Honey Buzzard fly over his head at Shustoke Res. this evening.

Woodcock at last

Monday 24th May 2010

At the fifth attempt I finally managed to see a roding Woodcock (153) at Bentley Woods. I go every year, stand in the same place, same time in mid May and watch and listen to the birds fly over. This year it was hard work, I dont know why, maybe the cold weather up till now. Anyway flushed with success I ventured forth to the Tame valley via various locations to look for Spotted Flycatchers. News of 4 wader type birds at the Drayton Bassett pits meant aborting the Flycatcher search and heading off north to the Badlands. At Middleton I dutifully followed the new Woodland trail before checking out the Fishers Mill pits. It didnt take long so I moved over the border to discover the delights of the North end of the RSPB reserve. I met Geoff Williams on the way who said there had been a 'fall' of waders on the Drayton Bassett pits. I must explain at this point that any number of birds over 1 is considered to be a fall in the Tame valley. So a total of new 12 birds of 3 different species must be considered a Mega fall. I was greeted by John Harris who had found one Sanderling and a Ruff. The Ruff was in fine breeding plummage but the Sanderling was proving elusive amonst the mounds of earth in the centre of the scrap. There were also several Ringed Plovers. We eventually pinned down the Sanderling.
Finally congratulations to Tom and Cheryl on the birth of their daughter today Best wishes to all the family.