A Top Day

Wasn’t actually planning on doing much birding but the day turned out differently. I took Sam to Royston for football training and whilst there, had a look around Therfield to look for migrants. Not a lot in evidence in a cold northerly wind, but a Raven went over and there were more Pasque Flowers than I’ve ever seen there before.

Whilst walking around I got a message to say that the Wood Warbler I had missed a few days ago was back. So after taking Sam home I made for there.
No sign and nobody looking but whilst waiting I found a Pied Flycatcher! Then, whilst watching that I heard the Wood Warbler and it was soon seen. Photos here by Jason Ward…

With those in the bag, I then made for Suffolk to see the Eastern Subalpine Warbler, a race I’d never seen before. This bird showed amazingly well down to a few yards. I watched for thirty minutes before heading home to the pub to celebrate an excellent day, but not before stopping just before I got there along Fowlmere Road to see two distant Wheatears.

Short-eared Owls

An afternoon visit to Fowlmere produced a singing Whitethroat and a female Marsh Harrier. Also several Peacock butterflies. No sign of the Redstart reported recently and no sign of the Wheatear reported on the way home reported along Fowlmere Road.

In the evening, whilst passing Fowlmere airfield at Flint Cross, I stumbled upon a pair of Short-eared Owls and had probably my best views of this species ever, with one perched right next to the car.

Spring?

My first day of Spring as I’ve been too busy to get out. At least seven Chiffchaffs, two Willow Warblers, two Blackcaps, a Sedge Warbler (briefly heard), and and several Swallows were the new arrivals. Apparently a Whitethroat and several Reed Warblers are also in.

At home, Starlings are nesting in the roof and Great Tits looking into the hole by the treehouse.

Titchwell

Visited my parents at their new house in Syderstone and took the boys and my father for a walk at Titchwell to see a few birds. Highlights were a male Bearded Tit, and a summer plumaged Spotted Redshank (there were also a couple of winter plumaged birds). On the way back, a Peregrine was seen close to Syderstone diving into a flock of Wood Pigeons.

Garganey

Twitched a pair of Garganey at Fowlmere!

Shai Hills

Helmeted Guineafowl, Double-spurred Francolin, Stone Partridge (1), African Harrier-Hawk, African Cuckoo-Hawk (1), Bateleur (1), Lizard Buzzard (1), Black Goshawk (1), Black Kite, Red-necked Buzzard (1), Wattled Lapwing (1), African Jacana, Red-eyed Dove, Laughing Dove, Black-billed Wood-Dove (2), African Green-Pigeon, Violet Turaco (3), Western Plantain-eater, Levaillant's Cuckoo (2), Mottled Spinetail (1), Common Swift, African Palm-Swift, African Pygmy-Kingfisher, Grey-headed Kingfisher (1), White-throated Bee-eater, Rufous-crowned Roller (1), Blue-bellied Roller (2), Broad-billed Roller, Green Woodhoopoe (1), African Pied Hornbill, African Grey Hornbill, Naked-faced Barbet, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird (1), Lesser Honeyguide (1), African Hobby (1), Lanner Falcon (1), Ring-necked Parakeet, Red-headed Lovebird (2), Senegal Parrot, Brown-throated Wattle-eye (2), Senegal Batis (1), White Helmetshrike, Northern Puffback (female), Black-crowned Tchagra, Common Gonolek, Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike (male), Yellow-billed Shrike, Fork-tailed Drongo, Piapiac, Pied Crow, Mosque Swallow (1), White-shouldered Black-Tit (1), Common Bulbul, Northern Crombec (1), Green-backed Camaroptera, Croaking Cisticola, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Red-winged Prinia (2), Senegal Eremomela, Blackcap Babbler, Brown Babbler, Spotted Flycatcher (1), Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat, Mocking Cliff-Chat (3), African Thrush, Lesser Blue-eared Glossy-Starling (1), Splendid Glossy-Starling, Splendid Sunbird (1), Tree Pipit (1), Plain-backed Pipit (1), Yellow-fronted Canary (1), Pin-tailed Whydah (1), Northern Red-billed  Hornbill (1), Yellow-throated Leaf-love (2), Vitelline Masked-Weaver (2), Serval, Olive Baboon, Buffon’s Kob

Atewea

Cattle Egret, African Harrier-Hawk, Black Kite, Red-eyed Dove, Tambourine Dove, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Black Bee-eater, White-throated Bee-eater, Many-colored Bushshrike, Shining Drongo, Black-headed Paradise-Flycatcher, Pied Crow, Forest Penduline Tit (1), Honeyguide Greenbul (1), Common Bulbul, Green Crombec (1), Wood Warbler (1), Sharpe's Apalis (1), Yellow-browed Camaroptera (1), Green Hylia, African Forest-Flycatcher (4), Ussher's Flycatcher, Little Flycatcher (pair), Fire-crested Alethe (2 adullts + 2 juveniles), Forest Scrub-Robin (1), Chestnut-winged Starling, Collared Sunbird, Buff-throated Sunbird, Maxwell's Black Weaver, Grey-headed Negrofinch, Chestnut-breasted Negrofinch, White-breasted Negrofinch

Ghana

Bobiri Butterfly Sanctuary
African Harrier-Hawk, Afep Pigeon (pair), Red-eyed Dove, African Green-Pigeon, Akun Eagle-Owl (1), Brown Nightjar (1), Forest Woodhoopoe (2), Black Dwarf Hornbill (2), African Pied Hornbill, Naked-faced Barbet, Purple-throated Cuckoo-shrike (female), Blue Cuckoo-shrike, Dusky Tit (1), Slender-billed Greenbul, Common Bulbul, Wood Warbler (1), Olive-green Camaroptera (1), Ussher's Flycatcher, Copper-tailed Glossy-Starling, Collared Sunbird, Western Olive Sunbird, Gray's Malimbe, Maxwell's Black Weaver, Preuss's Weaver (2), Black-and-white Mannikin, Magpie Mannikin, Fire-footed Rope Squirrel (1), Pel’s Flying Squirrel (1)

Atewa
African Harrier-Hawk, Black Kite, African Green-Pigeon, Klaas's Cuckoo, White-throated Bee-eater, Vieillot's Barbet (2), Pied Crow, Common Bulbul, Buff-throated Sunbird, Northern Grey-headed Sparrow (1), Black-necked Weaver, Vieillot's Weaver, Village Weaver, Maxwell's Black Weaver

Other Birds at various stop-offs etc.
Cattle Egret, Hooded Vulture, Common Swift, Little Swift, African Palm-Swift, African Pied Hornbill, Common Fiscal, Barn Swallow, Common Bulbul

Picathartes Day!

Kakum (Aboabo) 
African Harrier-Hawk, Black Goshawk (1), Black Kite, African Jacana, African Green-Pigeon, Yellowbill, Black-shouldered Nightjar (1), Cassin's Spinetail, Little Swift, African Palm-Swift, White-throated Bee-eater, White-headed Woodhoopoe (1), African Pied Hornbill, Naked-faced Barbet, Speckled Tinkerbird, Red-rumped Tinkerbird (1), African Piculet, Fire-bellied Woodpecker, Black-crowned Tchagra, Blue Cuckoo-shrike, Barn Swallow, Tit-hylia (1), Kemp's Longbill (1), Wood Warbler (1), Green Hylia, Ussher's Flycatcher, Dusky-blue Flycatcher, Copper-tailed Glossy-Starling, Collared Sunbird, Western Olive Sunbird, Superb Sunbird (1), Red-legged Sun Squirrel (1), Green Bush Squirrel (1)  

“Picathartes Site” 
Red-fronted Parrot, White-necked Rockfowl (4), Common Bulbul

Other Birds at various stop-offs etc.
Senegal Coucal (Black Morph), Common Swift, Common Fiscal, Northern Grey-headed Sparrow (1), Village Weaver 

Ghana

Ankasa
Crested Guineafowl, Red-chested Owlet, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher (1), African Pied Hornbill, Chestnut Wattle-eye, Blue-headed Crested-Flycatcher (pair), Square-tailed Sawwing, Green Hylia, Ussher's Flycatcher, Olive Sunbird, Superb Sunbird (1), Green Bush Squirrel (1)

Other birds at various stop-offs etc.
Great Cormorant (1), Grey Heron, Great Egret, Western Reef-Heron, Cattle Egret (ibis), Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, Greenshank, Whimbrel, Red-eyed Dove, Western Plantain-eater, Red-chested Owlet, Common Swift, Little Swift, White-throated Bee-eater, African Pied Hornbill, Black-crowned Tchagra, Common Fiscal, Pied Crow, Barn Swallow, Lesser Striped-Swallow, Red-faced Cisticola (1), Siffling Cisticola, Collared Sunbird, African Pied Wagtail (1), Village Weaver, Compact Weaver, Red-headed Quelea, Yellow-shouldered Widowbird, Orange-cheeked Waxbill, Black-rumped Waxbill, Red-billed Firefinch, Bar-breasted Firefinch, Bronze Mannikin

Kakum (Kumata)
Fraser’s Eagle-Owl (1)

 

Ankasa

Striated Heron, Congo Serpent-Eagle, African Finfoot (pair), Black Crake (1), African Jacana, Great Blue Turaco, Yellow-billed Turaco (1), Brown Nightjar (1), Cassin's Spinetail, Swift, Little Swift, Shining-blue Kingfisher (1), Woodland Kingfisher, White-throated Bee-eater, European Bee-eater, Black Dwarf Hornbill, African Pied Hornbill, Naked-faced Barbet, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Cassin's Honeyguide (1), Fire-crested Alethe (1), Black-headed Paradise-Flycatcher, Slender-billed Greenbul, Swamp Greenbul, Yellow-whiskered Greenbul (1), Icterine Greenbul (1), Blackcap Illadopsis (1), Rufous-winged Illadopsis (1), Puvel's Illadopsis (1), Pale-breasted Illadopsis (1), Brown Illadopsis (1), Finsch's Flycatcher-Thrush (1), Collared Sunbird, Eastern Olive Sunbird (2), Tiny Sunbird, Red-vented Malimbe, Crested Malimbe, Red-fronted Antpecker, Red-legged Sun Squirrel (1)

Ghana

Nsutu/Sekondi
African Harrier-Hawk, Red-necked Buzzard, Tambourine Dove, African Green-Pigeon, Black Bee-eater (1), White-throated Bee-eater, Blue-throated Roller (1), Black-throated Coucal, Forest Woodhoopoe (1), Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill (1), African Pied Hornbill, Speckled Tinkerbird, Red-fronted Parrot, Chestnut-bellied Helmetshrike, Velvet-mantled Drongo, Yellow-spotted Nicator (1), Square-tailed Sawwing, Golden Greenbul (1), Icterine Greenbul (1), Green Hylia, Ussher's Flycatcher, Dusky-blue Flycatcher, Collared Sunbird, Olive-bellied Sunbird (1)

Ankasa
Hartlaub's Duck (pair), Little Egret, Striated Heron, Spot-breasted Ibis (1), African Harrier-Hawk, Red-necked Buzzard, Grey-throated Rail (pair), African Wood-Owl (1), Shining-blue Kingfisher (1), White-bellied Kingfisher (pair), African Palm-Swift, White-throated Bee-eater, Black Dwarf Hornbill, African Pied Hornbill, Piping Hornbill (2), Brown-cheeked Hornbill, Collared Sunbird, Dwarf Crocodile, Nile Monitor
 

Other Birds at various stop-offs etc.
Purple Heron, Cattle Egret, Hooded Vulture, Ayres's Hawk-Eagle (1), African Jacana, Black Kite, African Palm-Swift, Common Fiscal, Pied Crow