Empidonax?

A text from birdguides saying an Empidonax sp at Dungeness with a Mega status got me thinking whats this. A quick look in my Collins bird book suggested an American flycatcher. A couple of minutes thought and I was off. On arriving at Dungeness point there were cars each side of the road from the lifeboat house to the new light house, and there was me thinking if I could find the location.

At least 150 birders were there, and within 5 minutes I was watching the first ever Acadian Flycatcher to be seen in Britain, the nearest being a dead bird found in Iceland in 1987. Having had good views in my bins I tried a photo, but then the rain set in I managed 1 shot and missed it.

What a nice water butt, but that's where it was. Although I didn't get a photo I was very happy with what I saw.

Wilsons Phalarope

Having reached the 300 species of UK birds last winter it is now hard to get more onto the list, so what a delight it was when I had a bird guides text telling me of a Wilsons Phalarope only down the road. After a 30 minute walk along the canal to panel valley there it was, but distant and the reeds at times hiding it. A couple of record shots heavily cropped.

Wilsons Phalarope

Thorney Island Tuesday 15th September

I met the usual group on a rainy windy morning having travelled 3 hours through the rush hours traffic to Thorney Island.
On arrival Paul had already found 2 Ospreys on The Deeps which gave great scope views.

One of 2 Ospreys

We set off in an anti clockwise direction for a change seeing 3 Kingfishers, 10 Greenshanks, 2 Stonechats, Black and Bar-tailed Godwits, Curlew, Whimbrel, Sanderling, Dunlin, and a couple of Winchat. Other raptors seen were Kestrel, Hobby, Common Buzzard and Peregrin. After seeing a few of the Spitfires and Hurricanes from the Battle of Britain fly past and seeing the Ospreys again  3 of us went to Pagham harbour Ferry Pool to twitch the Grey Phalarope which took all of 5 seconds to find. However the elusive Pec. Sandpiper took a bit longer like 10 minutes.

Grey Phalarope

 

Red-backed Shrike 4th September 2015

Its now about 6 years I have been birding and one I have always wanted to see is a Red-backed Shrike - I don't know why? but its always been high on the must see list. Despite a good search last year at the Birds Eye factory at Lowestoft where the bird had been seen daily for over a month I dipped. Then an adult male turned up at the Cuckmere while I was in Suffolk, cutting the holiday short by a day I came back to see it only to dip again. Then on Thursday while at Rye Harbour I got news of one there but couldn't find it. On Friday the one at Dungeness RSPB was reported in the am and showing well. So I set off with the dogs to Dunge not to see it. Stopping where it was supposed to be I scanned the bushes and blow me in 10 seconds I found it although quite a distance away and in poor light.

Come Saturday the shrike still being there I went back for another look, first stop however was at Dengemarsh gulley where I had 2 Wheatears, 4 Winchats, Kingfisher, Willow warblers, numerous Whitethroats, a couple of Sedge warblers and a Lesser Whitethroat, on arrival at the reserve quite a few birders were looking at the shrike and although better light it was further away than Friday, probably the noise from the crowd didn't help

Red-backed Shrike - a cracking bird for me

Greater Yellow-legs 18th July

With all current home projects up to date, weather and tides looking favourable I  set off to Titchfield Haven to see the Yellow Legs, sadly it wasn't on the river viewable from the road so paid the £4 to go onto the reserve where it was showing well although distant from Suffrern Hide. Despite it being present for several months now I was surprised to see several birders like me that hadn't seen it before.

Greater Yellow-legs

On the way home I stopped off at Wilmington to look for butterflies but on the top of the downs it was too windy, however in the sheltered track leading to the Long Man there were lots of Small Skippers and Marbled Whites and one Silver Washed Fritillery

Silver Washed Fritillery

Small Skipper

Marbled White

 

Hudsonion Whimbrel 28th June

My plan was to twitch the Hudsonion Whimbrel at Pagham and the Yellow legs at Titchfield, but the Yellow Legs went awol  the day before and didn't show again for 72 hours.

At Pagham harbour the Hudsonion Whimbrel was with 5 Eurasion Whimbrel and so the slight difference could be seen, however it was a long way out in the harbour so only scope views were had and I came away with a heavily cropped record shot.

Hudsonion Whimbrel

 On the ferry pool was a stunning summer plumaged Spotted Redshank but too far away to photograph. Arriving back home I was surprised to find this Green Woodpecker on our lawn, although often heard I think this is the first to come into the garden.

Green Woodpecker

Marquenterre 6th June

A day trip to the Somme Bay with Bob and Christine, proved hard work to find the birds in the strong breeze, however once at Marquenterre we had good views of Stilts, Spoonbills and Herons including youngsters on their nests.

Black-winged Stilt

Heronry

Spoonbill

White Stork

Storks not fledged