Blackbirds

The one young Blackbird in the garden I know about still doing fine when I looked in the morning. Couldn't find it or the female when I came home later.

Blackbirds

Seemed to spend half the day looking after the two young Blackbirds that were nesting above the conservatory door, one of whom had come out of the nest way too early and the other being somewhat neglected by the lone female who was mainly concentrating on the one on the ground in the garden. In that there was a danger of losing both (one to the cat and the other to starvation), I made the decision to try to put the one on the ground back in the nest. Possibly not the best plan as when putting the one in, the other came out. After several goes, and with the birds becoming distressed, I thought it best to leave them, with just one in the nest (which later came out).

At the end of the day I was fairly sure she still had two, as the one I could see seemed to be attended to only about half her time. At dusk, the bird was safely roosting quite high in a tree and well hidden. I let the cat out for an hour after dark.

Blackbirds

The two Blackbirds nesting above the conservatory doing fine at the moment, thanks to the lone female.



Fowlmere first thing was fairly dull.

Fowlmere
29 July 2016 07:15 - 08:53
Patchy cloud 21C 11SW
Greylag Goose, Tufted Duck, Pheasant (heard), Little Grebe, Sparrowhawk, Water Rail (heard), Moorhen, Lapwing, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Turtle Dove, Barn Owl, Swift, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, House Martin, Long-tailed Tit, Blackcap, Treecreeper (heard), Wren, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Linnet, Bullfinch (heard), Reed Bunting, Corn Bunting, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Black-tailed Skimmer

Home

Found a Ruby Tiger in the bathroom. This was the very first moth I caught when I began trapping. A long time since I've seen one.



Swifts are still around but begining to reduce in number I think. House Sparrows have taken over the Swifts nest hole. Single-mum Blackbird has two chicks which seem to be doing fine at the moment.

Orchids in Norfolk

Went with Michelle  to Norfolk on a gloriously sunny day to look for Orchids. First stop was just just Santon Downham just on the Norfolk side of the border in Thetford Forest for Broad-leaved Helleborine. Just here by the railway underpass...





Then on to Holkham for Creeping Lady's Tresses. Managed to find it this year, thanks to a six figure grid reference and the plants being roped off!



Near by were Southern Marsh-orchids and (going over) Marsh Helleborines...



Then a quick look in at Titchwell where two Spotted Redshanks, a summer-plumaged Little Stint and five summer-plumaged Curlew Sandpipers were the  highlights among the numerous summer-plumaged Black-tailed Godwits and other waders. Five Bearded Tits and a Peregrine were also seen.

Santon Downham
24 July 2016 09:53 - 12:09
Sunny 27C 4S
Green Woodpecker, Blue Tit (heard), Great Tit (heard), Chiffchaff (heard), Blackcap (heard), Treecreeper, Chaffinch (heard), Greenfinch (heard), Linnet, Small Skipper, Large Skipper, Peacock, Comma, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Broad-leaved Helleborine

Holkham
24 July 2016 14:20 - 17:16
Sunny 27 4S
Cormorant, Little Egret, Sparrowhawk, Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon, Coal Tit (heard), Swallow, House Martin, Large White, Meadow Brown, Marsh Helleborine, Creeping Lady's-tresses, Southern Marsh-orchid

Titchwell
24 July 2016 17:52 - 19:15
Overcast 19C 4S
Greylag Goose, Shelduck, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Cormorant, Great Crested Grebe, Marsh Harrier, Peregrine, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Ringed Plover, Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Little Stint, Spotted Redshank, Redshank, Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Bearded Tit, Skylark, Swallow, Long-tailed Tit (heard), Starling, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Dunnock, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit (heard), Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Reed Bunting, Red Admiral, Canada Goose

Edit (25/07/2016): I think the Marsh Orchids (at least the one I photographed) is Early Marsh, not Southern.

Home

The single-mum Blackbird was busy feeding her young all day just above the conservatory door. Poor girl must be quite exhausted.



A Red Kite flew over and this Parhelophilus versicolor was seen...

Hot hot hot

To hot even for the cows at Fowlmere...



Birds very quiet as would be expected, but a disapointingly small number of dragonflies despite the sun (33C!) either at Fowlmere or in the Botanic Gardens earlier. Anecdotal, but I think they're really struggling this year.

Cambridge Botanic Gardens
19 July 2016 12:34 - 13:31
Sunny 33C 8S
Woodpigeon, Swift, Coal Tit (heard), Blackbird (heard), Robin (heard), Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Meadow Brown, Azure Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Brown Hawker, Emperor Dragonfly

Fowlmere
19 July 2016 17:05 - 18:40
Sunny 30C 8SSW
Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Tufted Duck, Grey Heron, Hobby, Moorhen, Lapwing, Woodpigeon, Turtle Dove (heard), Swift, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit (heard), Great Tit (heard), Swallow, Long-tailed Tit (heard), Chiffchaff (heard), Blackcap, Sedge Warbler (heard), Reed Warbler, Wren, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin (heard), Dunnock (heard), Pied Wagtail (heard), Chaffinch (heard), Linnet, Reed Bunting, Corn Bunting, Rabbit, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Banded Demoiselle, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Emperor Dragonfly, Black-tailed Skimmer

Bank Vole and Lesser Emperor Dip

Caught a Bank Vole in the garden this morning.

Went to Amwell in the evening to look for the Lesser Emperor that had been seen in the morning. I wasn't hopeful and had good reason not to be.

Amwell
18 July 2016 18:32 - 20:16
Sunny 29C 4SW
Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Egyptian Goose, Gadwall, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Cormorant, Little Egret, Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Lapwing, Common Tern, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove (heard), Magpie, Carrion Crow, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Chiffchaff (heard), Reed Warbler, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin, Large White, Small Tortoiseshell, Common Blue Damselfly, Brown Hawker, Emperor Dragonfly

Orchid Hunting

A second very hot day, and unlike yesterday when I lazed in the garden all day, I thought I'd try for some fairly local Helleborines: Violet and Broad-leaved at Sherradspark Woods in Welwyn and Danemead Wood in Broxbourne.

I'd never been to Sherardspark Woods before and it's pretty large. I had some vague directions as to where to find the orchids (the 'north section' and around the railway embankment) but despite several hours of looking, failed to locate any. Marbled White in a patch of meadow just outside the wood was the best sighting.

So on to Broxbourne woods. I'd spent way too long at the previous site so had to forgo my plans to search for Purple Emperor at the spot where I helped find it all those years ago, and concentrate on the orchids. I hadn't been to Danemead for a number of years, it used to be one of the favoured sites to take the boys when they were small as, after rain the woods flooded and we'd build bridges and race sticks! Very dry today. Again, I struggled with the orchids, finding one partly eaten plant that I'm guessing was Broad-leaved, but could have been Violet.

Not the most successful of afternoons, but that's the way it goes sometimes.

Sherrardspark Wood
17 July 2016 12:31 - 16:01
Sunny 23C 4WNW
Magpie, Jay (heard), Carrion Crow, Goldcrest (heard), Blue Tit (heard), Great Tit (heard), Long-tailed Tit (heard), Chiffchaff (heard), Blackcap (heard), Treecreeper (heard), Wren (heard), Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock (heard), Chaffinch (heard), Rabbit, Grey Squirrel, Bank Vole, Large White, Green-veined White, Speckled Wood, Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Brown Hawker

Broxbourne Wood
17 July 2016 16:34 - 18:00
Sunny 23C 4WNW
Magpie, Jay, Goldcrest (heard), Long-tailed Tit (heard), Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock, Rabbit, Grey Squirrel, Muntjac, Large White

Hedeghog

A young Hedgehog decided to come into the house for the evening!



A few Dragonflies were out earlier today in the Botanic Gardens, Cambridge, including the first Southern and Brown Hawkers for the year.

Cambridge Botanic Gardens 07 July 2016 12:15 - 12:59
Patchy cloud 22C 10NW
Mallard, Moorhen, Woodpigeon, Swift, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Coal Tit (heard), Wren (heard), Blackbird, Robin (heard), Chaffinch (heard), Large White, Green-veined White, Meadow Brown, Large Red Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Southern Hawker, Brown Hawker, Black-tailed Skimmer

Black Grouse

I'd pulled over the previous night at Carlisle services on the M6 as I thought it was a bit risky going two nights without sleep. I'd a sleeping bag anyway as I wasn't sure of my plans and slept well until just after 4am when it was already light. I splashed some water over my face and decided to try for Black Grouse at Langdon Beck.

The Pennines at dawn were majestic and I actually stumbled upon four Black Grouse actually on the road about half an hour away from my destination, just north of Brough.

Despite seeing these I decided to carry on to Langdon Beck partly because driving through the Pennines at this time of morning and partly becuase my Sat-Nav (almost certainly incorrectly) told me that heading north was the quickest way home.
Arriving at Langdon Beck I saw 14 birds, though not as close as the birds I'd seen earlier. A Curlew crossing the road just in front of the car (photo taken from inside) was an odd sight!

Brough
02 July 2016 05:10 - 05:30
Patchy cloud 10C 13W
Black Grouse, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Curlew, Song Thrush, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Rabbit

Langford Beck
02 July 2016 06:00 - 06:45
Patchy cloud 10C 13W
Black Grouse, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Curlew, Redshank, Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Meadow Pipit

White-winged Scoter etc.

My first chance to get away for the White-winged Scoter off Murcar golf course, Aberdeen. Very busy at work and didn't get away until 8pm meaning I arrived at dawn having not slept, but (unlike the other birders present who were sound asleep in their cars) decided to try to find it despite the heavy rain that had accompanied me for much of the journey. A couple of hours later there were about ten other birders present, but no White-winged Scoter. Just lots of Scoters...

 

Most of these were Common Scoter with a few Velvet Scoters thrown in. I was actually enjoying the views despite not seeing the target bird as they were probably the best views of either species I'd ever had. Normally I see them distantly off the North Norfolk coast (had reasonably close views off Vancouver a few years ago), but here they were really close, with some almost on the shore line. A summer plumaged Red-throated Diver was also present and lots of Eider. Eventually I found it and got other birders on it and then watched it on and off for the next few hours.

I then went to the nearby Ythan Estuary to try for the King Eider and American Wigeon. The Eider took a couple of visits as I didn't know the exact location of it. I'd actually scanned the flock it was with the first time, but not seen it. This wasn't surprising as it was asleep at the back of the flock and from where I'd been looking I wouldn't have seen it. It was asleep for the nearly the whole time I watched it. I really wanted to see it's head as I'd never seen a male at reasonably close range before. I waited and waited and waited. I gave myself a cut off time of 1pm as I'd been watching a sleeping bird for nearly 45 minutes! At 12:57, it got up and went for a quick walk and I saw the bird in all it's glory! Excellent. I moved on.

I drove into the Cairngorms. I was pretty tired by now and pulled over at a layby. This just happened to be overlooking Deeside Gliding Club and I watched a couple of planes take off before falling to sleep for an hour. When I woke up the two planes were coming into land which was quite exciting.

My eventual stop was at Linn O' Dee. This was supposed to be a good site for Scottish Crossbill with an outside chance of Cappercaillie and Black Grouse. Not at 4pm in July it wasn't. I hardly saw a bird, with the best sighting being of a Common Sandpiper on the river. However, I was also on the lookout for Orchids too, though I had no specific information. After a long walk through some stunning scenery I stumbled upon Heath Fragrant (a new one for me!) and Heath Spotted.

I'd thoroughly enjoyed the walk and had spent way longer here than what I'd originally intended, meaning that I didn't have time to do a planned walk at Glenshee to look for Ptarmigan. Instead I had a look from the car-park for an hour. Of course I didn't see any of bogie species (one flight view of one bird at Aviemore in 1995 and numerous dips since, including missing White-tailed at the "can't miss" sight in Jasper, Alberta). However, I did get good views of Mountain Hare, my first ever sightings outside of Ireland and so a potential new mammal species if Irish Hare is split. Red Grouse were present with young.

I'd planned to spend the night and look for Dragonflies if the weather improved (there were sunny spells but it was mostly cool). So I began the long drive home.

 
Murcar
01 July 2016 04:30 - 09:39
Heavy rain followed by sunshine 12C 7W
Eider, Common Scoter, Velvet Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Red-breasted Merganser, Pheasant, Red-throated Diver, Fulmar, Cormorant, Great Crested Grebe, Oystercatcher, Whimbrel, Guillemot, Arctic Tern, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Swift, Carrion Crow, Skylark, Sand Martin, Swallow, House Martin, Starling, Dunnock, Pied Wagtail, Tree Pipit, Grey Seal

Ythan Estuary
01 July 2016 10:15 - 13:20
Sunny with heavy rain and hail showers 14C 7W
Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Shelduck, Wigeon, American Wigeon, Mallard, Eider, King Eider, Goosander, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Curlew, Redshank, Little Tern, Sandwich Tern, Arctic Tern, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Swift, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Skylark, Sand Martin, Swallow, House Martin, Blackcap (heard), Wren (heard), Starling, Blackbird, Dunnock (heard), Meadow Pipit (heard), Linnet, Yellowhammer, Grey Seal

Linn O' Dee
01 July 2016 16:30 - 19:05
Sunny with showers 14C 7W
Red Grouse (heard), Common Sandpiper, Common Gull, Goldcrest (heard), Coal Tit, Willow Warbler (heard), Treecreeper (heard), Wren (heard), Redstart, Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch (heard), Heath Fragrant Orchid, Heath Spotted-orchid

Glenshee
01 July 2016 19:35 - 20:30
Sunny 8C 8W
Red Grouse, Peregrine, Chaffinch (heard), Linnet, Rabbit, Mountain Hare

Edit (06/07/2016): Some pictures and video of birds I saw taken by others (from RBA) can be found here:
White-winged Scoter video
White-winged Scoter photo
King Eider photo
American Wigeon photo