Fowlmere Warbler

Mid-morning, I received a text from Rob Jones, who was at Fowlmere doing his normal spring week-off-work everyday stint. He had briefly seen and heard an interesting all grey Warbler making a short ‘grating’ sound. After asking him for more details as to possible genus, of which he said probably a Sylvia, I suggested possibly a Dartford Warbler.

A few hours later he texted again to say he’d seen it again (it was on the Guilder Brook) and thought it may be Dartford. I immediately left what I was doing and joined him. After fifteen or so minutes, I suggested playing the call, and when I did, Rob wasn’t quite so sure that it matched, but said it was similar. There was no response from the bird. I tried another few calls (from Xeno-Canto), but still no joy.

After another fifteen minutes or so, without letting Rob know, I played the call of the Mamoroa’s Warbler. Rob immediately said “that’s it”. He was shocked when I told him what I had just played! And so was I when the bird started calling a few minutes later! We both got short glimpses of a shape, but nothing more.

Nothing further for a while and so we split up to try different parts of the hedgerow. After another twenty minutes or so, and still no more sightings I walked back to Rob to tell him I needed to go as I had work to do, and that I’d be back down later. But then the bird started calling again so we walked down to where it was and both got good, but completely silhouetted  views of the bird. It was clearly a Dartford-type of bird. Very small with a very long ‘spikey’ looking tail, that was held upright. It then disappeared from view so I played the Marmora's call  again and the bird flew closer into the top of a nearby Hawthorn. It was all grey and looked to me like a Marmora's!!! It disappeared as quickly as it arrived. And that was the last I saw of it.

Despite much searching by Rob in the afternoon (I had to leave) and several other observers, there was only one further sighting of a confirmed Dartford-type bird the rest of the day until dusk.

A fly-over Little Egret wasn’t much compensation.

Another Wood Sandpiper at Fowlmere

Early morning around Fowlmere. Quite cold and breezy, never good there, so wasn’t expecting much. But from the hide I quickly noticed a Wood Sandpiper. Or was it?! Views were poor, looking directly into the sun, and the bird was distant (I had no scope). Plumage wise it was obviously a Wood Sand’, but it looked short-legged and dumpy; most unlike a Wood Sand’. The bird didn’t move for fifteen minutes and I went through all the other possibilities (there were none really) but it was still obviously a Wood Sand’. Just one in an odd posture. Eventually it walked a bit closer, and looked more like a Wood Sandpiper. At that point I put news out to people, but it immediately flew off over the Mere hide heading West and calling as it went.

 

I returned briefly to the hide after heavy rain to see if anything had come in, but apart from a good number of hirrundines (including Sand Martins), there wasn’t anything to see.

Fowlmere
29 April 2015 07:22 - 09:15
Overcast 11C 13SW
Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Greater Canada Goose, Teal, Mallard, Pheasant, Buzzard, Moorhen, Coot, Lapwing, Wood Sandpiper, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Turtle Dove, Green Woodpecker (heard), Great Spotted Woodpecker, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest (heard), Blue Tit, Great Tit, Skylark, Swallow, House Martin, Long-tailed Tit, Chiffchaff (heard), Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat (heard), Sedge Warbler (heard), Reed Warbler, Wren (heard), Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Robin (heard), Dunnock (heard), Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch, Greenfinch (heard), Goldfinch, Linnet, Bullfinch (heard), Reed Bunting

Fowlmere
29 April 2015 18:16 - 18:55
Sunny after heavy rain 13C 9W
Greylag Goose, Greater Canada Goose, Teal, Mallard, Sparrowhawk, Moorhen, Coot, Lapwing, Woodpigeon, Turtle Dove (heard), Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit (heard), Great Tit (heard), Sand Martin, Swallow, House Martin, Chiffchaff (heard), Willow Warbler (heard), Blackcap, Sedge Warbler (heard), Reed Warbler (heard), Wren (heard), Blackbird, Robin (heard), Dunnock (heard), Linnet, Bullfinch (heard), Reed Bunting

Fowlmere

First Turtle Dove of the year perched high in a tree singing loudly. Also the first actual views (rather than heard) of Lesser Whitethroat and this Sedge Warbler…

 

A Red Kite flew over and a Swift (or two?) were heard whilst in the hide but weren’t seen.

Fowlmere
28 April 2015 13:44 - 15:00
Patchy cloud 11C 12SW
Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Greater Canada Goose, Teal, Mallard, Pheasant, Red Kite, Buzzard, Moorhen, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Turtle Dove, Barn Owl, Swift (heard), Green Woodpecker (heard), Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit (heard), Great Tit (heard), Swallow, House Martin, Long-tailed Tit, Chiffchaff (heard), Willow Warbler (heard), Blackcap (heard), Lesser Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler (heard), Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Robin (heard), Dunnock (heard), Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Linnet, Reed Bunting (heard)

An afternoon in the Fens

After Sam’s football at Somersham, I got him a lift home and stayed in the area. Started at Ouse Fen. Nice views of several Marsh Harriers, two booming Bitterns (and one seen in flight), plus a couple of exotics like Egyptian Goose and Black Swan! The first Cuckoo of the year was also heard, though not seen.

 

Then went to Fen Drayton were I just viewed from the North end of Ferry lagoon. Pretty good: A male Scaup (present for a few days) was found and a single Arctic Tern put in a brief performance amongst the Common Terns. Five species of Waders too: Two Dunlin, a single Common Sandpiper and Snipe, and Oystercatchers and Redshanks.

Ouse Fen
26 April 2015 12:40 - 14:15
Sunny 9C 6NW
Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Greater Canada Goose, Egyptian Goose, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Shoveler, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Pheasant, Cormorant, Bittern, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Marsh Harrier, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Common Tern, Black-headed Gull, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Cuckoo (heard), Green Woodpecker (heard), Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Skylark, Sand Martin, Swallow, House Martin, Chiffchaff (heard), Blackcap (heard), Sedge Warbler (heard), Reed Warbler (heard), Starling, Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Yellowhammer (heard), Reed Bunting, Black Swan

Fen Drayton
26 April 2015 14:40 - 16:15
Patch cloud 12C 6NE
Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Greater Canada Goose, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Shoveler, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Scaup, Pheasant (heard), Cormorant, Grey Heron, Great Crested Grebe, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Lapwing, Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, Redshank, Snipe, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Black-headed Gull, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove (heard), Green Woodpecker (heard), Great Spotted Woodpecker (heard), Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit (heard), Great Tit, Swallow, House Martin, Cetti's Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler (heard), Reed Warbler (heard), Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Robin (heard), Dunnock, House Sparrow, Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Linnet, Reed Bunting, Rabbit, Orange Tip, Speckled Wood

Wood Sandpiper at Fowlmere

Was just pulling into Fowlmere early morning, when I got a text from Ade Cooper to say that a Wood Sandpiper was on the mere. Handy! Third record apparently…

 

A sub-adult male Marsh Harrier was also present…

 

…at one point having an aerial battle with a Grey Heron…

An finally, the odd looking Blackbird was seen, so I took another out of focus photo…

In the evening I took a walk around Shepreth L-Moor. This was notable for a singing Reed Warbler (not common here) and a very late Fieldfare, my latest ever.

Fowlmere
23 April 2015 07:25 - 09:11
Overcast 7C 6E
Greylag Goose, Greater Canada Goose, Teal, Mallard, Pheasant, Grey Heron, Marsh Harrier, Kestrel (heard), Water Rail (heard), Moorhen, Coot, Lapwing, Wood Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Green Woodpecker (heard), Great Spotted Woodpecker (heard), Magpie, Jay (heard), Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Swallow, Long-tailed Tit, Chiffchaff (heard), Willow Warbler (heard), Blackcap, Sedge Warbler (heard), Reed Warbler, Wren, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin (heard), Dunnock, Chaffinch, Goldfinch (heard), Linnet, Reed Bunting, Corn Bunting, Grey Squirrel

Shepreth L-Moor
23 April 2015 18:13 - 19:05
Sunny 15C 4ESE
Mallard, Pheasant (heard), Buzzard, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Reed Warbler (heard), Wren (heard), Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Yellowhammer (heard), Rabbit, Red Admiral

Hobby

First bird as I looked out of the window this morning was a Hobby. First of the year. My bird coming to say hello?

GBH on the Isles of Scilly

Twitched the Isles of Scilly for the first time since 2004 and successfully connected with the Great Blue Heron on Bryher. It was only the third time I’d ever been on Bryher, the first being in 1996, and the last with a very young Tom in 1999, and on both previous occasions whilst I was staying on St. Mary’s.

Anyway, along with Mark Dowie I flew from Newquay and chartered the Falcon boat to take us directly there before the crowds arrived. From the top of the town we could see the Great Pool, where the Heron had been the previous couple of days and it was some relief when Mark picked up a Heron. Although we were quite some distance away I was convinced it was the Great Blue, and sure enough, when we eventually arrived at the Great Pool, it quite clearly was.

After watching for an hour or so I wandered around the island, picking up a Grasshopper Warbler (heard only), and a nice Wood Warbler. And also doing some general touristy photo snaps…

… of the Great Pool looking from Fraggle Rock campsite…

…and Tresco as viewed from our landing point…

 

We departed, along with three others who had made it across, in the same boat when it turned up with the arrivals from the Scillonian. An interesting departure as the low-tide meant we first got wet feet getting into a small rowing boat first. The journey back took quite a while as the tide was so low heading around the north end of the island before passing the Tresco gardens…

…and arriving at St. Mary’s.

I then had a great afternoon just doing some general birding and visiting some places I’d not been for many a year, concentrating on the Garrison picking up the distant long-staying Long-tailed Duck, then into then into Hugh Town for closer (although still distant views of the duck…

…then to Penninis (found a female Ring Ouzel)…

…before walking to Old Town, through Lower Moors, past the duck pond where we used to visit with the boys when they were toddlers to feed the ducks…

…and on the Porth Loo where I found a pristine male White Wagtail.

A great day! I then took some video of flight back to Newquay…

Bryher
20 April 2015 09:35 - 11:55
Sunny 14C 14E
Mallard, Shag, Great Blue Heron, Oystercatcher, Great Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Swallow, House Martin, Wood Warbler, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler (heard), Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin, Wheatear, Dunnock, Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Linnet

St. Mary's
20 April 2015 12:20 - 18:30
Sunny 14C 14E
Gadwall, Mallard, Long-tailed Duck, Fulmar, Shag, Grey Heron, Kestrel, Peregrine, Oystercatcher, Snipe, Razorbill, Black-headed Gull, Great Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Swallow, House Martin, Chiffchaff, Wren, Starling, Ring Ouzel, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin, Stonechat, Wheatear, Dunnock, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Rabbit, Common Rat. Holy Blue

Ring Ouzel at Fowlmere

A very quick visit to Fowlmere (didn’t even enter the reserve) to try for the Ring Ouzels. One male (rather distantly) present…

Dips and frustrations!

Got a text mid-afternoon to say there were three Redstarts along the Guilder Brook at Fowlmere. Then got another one to say there were two Ring Ouzels there too. Great, except I was rapidly trying to finish some work off as I’d just booked a flight from Land’s End to St. Mary’s to twitch the Great Blue Heron that had arrived yesterday evening and had just been re-found. Didn’t get my work completed until after 6pm, at which point I went straight to Fowlmere. Bumped into someone: All five birds showing. Five minutes later when I got there: No birds showing. Despite the efforts of four other people also looking, all I got was a few seconds of a female Redstart. Worse, the Heron had been flushed and hadn’t been found by nightfall, so I’ve now cancelled my trip, lost £100, and missed a few local birds!

A Lesser Whitethroat (heard only) was the only other bird of note whilst looking.

Bluethroat at Amwell

Downed work tools immediately and dashed to Amwell once a White-spotted Bluethroat was reported. Very elusive as it was feeding deep in the reedbed, but eventually got three good views.

 

Also caught up with the Black-necked Grebe pair that have been around for a few days as well as the year’s first Common Sandpiper and Common Terns. Other birds included a couple of Buzzards, a Red Kite, and several Redshank.

Ring Ouzel at Ouse Fen

Went to Ouse Fen (the Cell 1, Over side) for a couple of hours. Bittern heard booming, Marsh Harriers permanently in the air…

…the first Little-ringed Plovers of the year…

…and a nice photo of a Field Vole…

It then got better when a dog running and barking at me from Long Drove flushed a male Ring Ouzel from the hedgerow. I watched it in flight as it flew towards me, before circling back to the hedge where it landed, only to be flushed again (and not re-found) by the dog owners as they walked past.

Ouse Fen
11 April 2015 13:02 - 15:21
Mostly sunny 12C 12SW
Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Shelduck, Teal, Mallard, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Cormorant, Bittern (heard), Grey Heron, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Little Ringed Plover, Redshank, Black-headed Gull, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Green Woodpecker, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Skylark, Wren, Ring Ouzel, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Reed Bunting, Field Vole, Peacock

Ouse Fen

Decided to try somewhere different today, so took a long (3+ hours) walk around Ouse Fen with Michelle. Not too bad. A Bittern in flight for over a minute, five Marsh Harriers, and a pair of Mediterranean Gulls in with the Black-headed Gulls being the highlights.

 

Earlier in the day, five Buzzards were in the air fairly low over the Rec’ and churchyard, and a Holly Blue was on vegetation around the tennis courts.

Ouse Fen
06 April 2015 14:20 - 17:35
Patchy cloud 11C 12N
Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Greater Canada Goose, Shelduck, Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Shoveler, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Pheasant, Cormorant, Bittern, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Little Grebe (heard), Great Crested Grebe, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Green Woodpecker (heard), Great Spotted Woodpecker (heard), Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Skylark (heard), Cetti's Warbler (heard), Long-tailed Tit (heard), Chiffchaff (heard), Wren, Starling, Song Thrush (heard), Robin, Dunnock, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit (heard), Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Grey Squirrel, Brimstone

Spring?

Still very few migrants. Wind not helping.

Fowlmere
05 April 2015 16:04 - 17:25
Overcast 11C 6NE
Greylag Goose, Greater Canada Goose, Teal, Mallard, Grey Partridge, Pheasant (heard), Water Rail (heard), Moorhen, Coot, Lapwing, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Green Woodpecker (heard), Magpie, Jay, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chiffchaff, Wren (heard), Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Robin, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Linnet, Bullfinch (heard), Yellowhammer (heard), Reed Bunting (heard)

Shepreth L-Moor
05 April 2015 17:33 - 18:15
Overcast 11C 6NE
Mallard, Pheasant (heard), Buzzard (heard), Lapwing, Woodpigeon, Green Woodpecker, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit (heard), Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Bullfinch (heard), Yellowhammer, Rabbit

Fowlmere

Still very windy, but nothing like yesterday’s storm. A Red Kite was seen at Fowlmere, but the strong Westerlies still seem to be keeping other migrants out. Took a not bad photo of a Long-tailed Tit.

Fowlmere
01 April 2015 08:09 - 09:45
Sunny 9C 20W
Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Greater Canada Goose, Mallard, Pheasant, Red Kite, Sparrowhawk, Moorhen, Coot, Lapwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Green Woodpecker (heard), Magpie, Jay (heard), Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Chiffchaff, Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Fieldfare (heard), Song Thrush (heard), Robin, Dunnock (heard), Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Bullfinch, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Rabbit, Fallow Deer