Week 1 Serbia

Posted at 4:48 PM, Saturday, September 2, 2006

Day 1   25-07-06
Nothing much on arrival day, however there were plenty of  Tree and House Sparrows. On the way to a town called Zrenjanin where my family is, we saw Buzzard, Rook, Kestrel, Jackdaw.

 

Day 2   26-07-06
A hot day today so we went to the swimming pool for a short swim. The highlights were Green and Great spotted woodpeckers in a small park next to the pool.
We went to a small village called Muzlja, a part of Zrenjanin where my cousins and grandmother is. At night, we went for a bat hunt and saw a Barn owl over. They have a nest in the neighbours house, my cousins say.

Day 3   27-06-06
The usual species seen today.

 

Day 4   28-06-06
We went to an artificial lake called Peskara (sand quarry) for a swim in the morning. An exciting day as I saw my first new speces, Little Bittern, flying low over the water and into the reedbed. Other species seen were Marsh harrier, BHG, Grey heron and Sand martin.

 

Days 5-6 29-06-06______30-06-06
Usual species seen these days.

 

Day 7  31-06-06
A brilliant end to the first week of this trip as we took another trip to Peskara. A huge number of gulls were on the lake made up of YLGs, LBBGs and BHGs. Plenty of Little Bitterns were seen, I estimate that there were between 5-15 of these small herons. 1-2 Marsh harriers went over and suddenly new bird number 2 appeared, Squacco heron, flying over the water towards a patch of reed and landing. On the way back, a Crested lark showed.

Absence

Posted at 11:23 AM, Saturday, September 2, 2006

Sorry for my absence, I was in a birding trip/ meeting family at Serbia. However I will write what we saw.

Raptor ID

Posted at 8:19 PM, Tuesday, July 18, 2006

I know the one on the right is a Buzzard, but if you compare it to the picture on the left, you can see that the right picture is not a Buzzard. Any comments to what it is?

 

Left picture taken in hills, right in plains both in Serbia (by my dad).

 

Butterfly Walk at Holland Park 15-07-06

Posted at 9:19 PM, Monday, July 17, 2006

A butterfly walk at Holland park on a sunny, hot day produced 8 species of butterflies.

The first was a Comma found in the rose garden giving close-up views and photo opportunities. As we went into the woodland through the Kyoto gardens, Large White, Small White and Green veined white were all seen. There seemed to be a large amount of Speckled Woods in sunny areas on nettles.

But the real surprise was at the wildlife garden...

 

We saw the usual when a new member came along to join our group. Amongst the pebbles at the pond, she brilliantly spotted a Purple Hairstreak. It was showing only a few feet away but unfortunately it had its wings closed.

Through the wood, Holly Blue and Red Admiral were seen.

 

Total: 8 species.

 

Comma

 

 

Purple Hairstreak

 

 

Holly Blue

 

 

Red Admiral

 

 

Speckled Wood

Barnes wwt 08-07-06

Posted at 4:19 PM, Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Another glorious day where the highlights were 2 Avocets but sadly only 2 chicks. 4 were present before but 2 died due to high water levels.

Comma, Brimstone, meadow brown and Peacock were all seen

Barnes wwt 02-07-06

Posted at 4:14 PM, Monday, July 3, 2006

A hot day producing:

• 2 Greenshank
•  Redshank with Chicks
•  2 Avocets with its 4 chicks.

Barnes wwt 25-06-06

Posted at 8:29 PM, Monday, June 26, 2006

The wetlands looked at its best on a hot and sunny day as I walked past the visitor centre to look at the noticeboard. A number of interesting sightings included 4 Avocet chicks which recently hatched. An amazing record as it is only the 3rd breeding record of Avocets inland and the 2nd for London (Kempton Park). Other interesting sightings included Red Kite and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.As I walked to the peacock tower, a new bird for the patch year list was seen; a Hobby. A Kestrel also hovered searching for food.

A quick stop at WWF hide for scarce gulls but none seen.

Arriving at the tower, the 2 Avocet parents were showing but not the chicks. I finally spotted them hidden amongst some vegetation; 4 cute Avocet chicks.

 

Highlight: Avocet chicks

Butterflies: Meadow Brown, Small White, Red admiral and Painted Lady.

Year list/ UK List/ Life list

Posted at 12:04 PM, Monday, June 12, 2006

Due to the Stodmarsh trip on the 10th, my lists have gone up.

 

Year list: 143

UK list: 156

Life List: 169

Stodmarsh NNR 10.06.06

Posted at 9:33 PM, Saturday, June 10, 2006

A glorious day at Stodmarsh produced 59 species. Along the riverbank, my first new species  was seen; Turtle Dove. We then went across the road to the mound producing my second new species; a magical Spoonbill. Well, it wasn't that magical; it was asleep most of the time!

Other species at the mound were: Shelduck, Little Egret, Black tailed godwit, Lapwing, Common tern, Bearded tit, Reed Bunting, Hobby, Marsh Harrier, Linnet, Cetti's Warbler, Gadwall, Mallard and Ringed Plover.

Along the river, interesting wildlife included Peacock, Red Admiral butterflies, Red eyed Damselfly.

A Cuckoo,Blue tit, Stock dove, Feral pigeon, Woodpigeon and Jackdaw were also added.

At the Lake, there was: Greylag goose, Great Crested Grebe, BHG, Kingfisher and Cormorant. In the Woodland, there was a Chiffchaff. On the way to the Marsh hide, there was a superb Little Owl in farmland showing beautifully. The last birds of the day were House Sparrow, Pied Wagtail and Skylark.

 

Birds of the day: Turtle Dove

                          Spoonbill

                          Little Owl

 

 

 

Minsmere 03/06/06

Posted at 4:13 PM, Monday, June 5, 2006

90 species were seen on this glorious day at Minsmere. The highlights were:

• Bearded tit
• Cuckoo
• Little Tern (new species)
• Little Gull (new species)
• Sandwich Tern (new species)
• Arctic Tern (new species)
• Bittern flying

We missed a Roseate tern which was seen earlier in the day and the Spotted sandpiper was not present.

 

Wildlife included:

Small Copper-4 Spotted Chaser-Smooth newt-Speckled wood-Peacock.

 

Year list: 139

UK list: 153 (Little tern = 150th species)

Life list:166

Barnes wwt 28-29/05/06

Posted at 12:14 PM, Thursday, June 1, 2006

Non birding days with only a Painted lady the highlight.

The Avocet pair have a nest on a shingle island in the middle of the main lake.

Nothing much else was seen.

Lakenheath Fen 20/05/06 + Nunnery lakes

Posted at 5:12 PM, Sunday, May 21, 2006

TRIP WITH RSPB CENTRAL LONDON

 

Lakenheath fen

A rainy day to the RSPB reserve in Suffolk. There were Sedge and Reed warblers. Unfortunately, I didn't see any Golden Orioles but I heard them.  

5 Hobbies showed well with one sitting on a tree giving brilliant views. Only 1 Marsh harrier was seen. Redshank, Oystercatcher and Lapwing were seen.

 

Nunnery lakes

A couple of additions to the day list with Curlew, Canada goose, Egyptian geese and Red- legged Partridge.

 

Year list: 133

 

Barnes wwt 14-05-06

Posted at 6:46 PM, Sunday, May 14, 2006

My dad and I entered in the 6th annual bird race held at Barnes wwt. We won the family category last year and we hoped to win the team category this year. We got off to a good start with a Peregrine and a Common tern over. That was really about it!

We did manage to win however and we each received £20 gift vouchers. The final total was 49 species.

 

Year list: 132

Patch year list: 89

Nagshead 13-05-06

Posted at 6:38 PM, Sunday, May 14, 2006

A brilliant day with the LNHS. Pied flycatcher, Wood Warbler Goshawk and 3 Hawfinch (!) where the highlights. I couldn't take any photos as I forgot the camera!

Wildlife seen included Holly Blue, Green veined white and Speckled Wood.

 

Life list: 162

Year list: 131

UK list: 148

Bird(s) of the day: Hawfinch+Goshawk

Holland Park 04/05/06

Posted at 7:56 PM, Thursday, May 4, 2006

On the way there was Speckled Wood, Robin, Blackbird, Blue tit, Great tit, Starling, Wood and Feral Pigeons. The Swifts were still feeding and a Peacock butterfly was showing well.

Holland park 03/05/06

Posted at 11:29 AM, Thursday, May 4, 2006

There were some more swifts and a possible Cuckoo flew past.

Holland park 02/05/06

Posted at 8:57 PM, Tuesday, May 2, 2006

There 10+ Swifts at the football field ( I was going to train for cricket) and a Lapwing passed overhead.

I think it is a first for the site.

Buzzard (?) May 1st

Posted at 9:16 PM, Monday, May 1, 2006

A large raptor glided distantly overhead near my house. It was larger than a Sparrowhawk and had broader wings than a Gull. It didn't have a forked tail which lead to an only conclusion; Buzzard.

Barnes wwt 30/04/06

Posted at 5:07 PM, Sunday, April 30, 2006

An excellent day produced my first Swifts of the year. 2 Avocets brang hopes of possible breeding as they were seen for a week.

I also saw 1 Green sand and 1 Reed warbler.

There were a few disappointments though. I missed a Honey buzzard, 2 Hobbies and a Lesser whitethroat!

 

Year list: 127

Patch year list: 87

Richmond park 29/04/06

Posted at 5:05 PM, Sunday, April 30, 2006

A largely non birding day, but there were a few skylarks about.

Also seen were common lizard, speckled wood and small white.

Plants included Sweet violet, Cowslip, Dandelion and Lesser Celandine.