Some photo's by Jim Almond, my fellow VP year litsting competitor, who is also attempting to photo over 100 species of bird at VP this year (he's currently managed over 70 – well done Jim!!).
Here's one of the Lesser Whitethroat that I found.
22nd May 06. 08:45-10:30hrs Wet, rain. 12DegC.
Still very quiet with little being seen. The pair of Garganey have gone! Plenty of Sedge & Reed Warbler in the far phrags & reedbed (best viewed from main hide I find, although a scope is preferable). A few Little Ringed Plover, Green & Great Spotted Woodpecker (I've heard Lesser Spotted a few times now, incl. in the car park, just not been able to see it yet – definately got a nest hole over in the Cound Stank woodland!!). Willow Warbler, Common Whitethroat & Blackcap all seen/heard well this morning. Over c.200 Swift today.
Having started this blog 'mid-year', quite a bit to catch up with. Possibly a too quiet a year to have started this challenge, but hey, lets see!
Not really anything of any major note, but we've had a 'first' in the shape of an unusually elusive female Black Redstart on the 3rd April. Male Hen Harrier was also good on the 30th Jan plus I found a Common Redpoll on 20th March.
Just going back to the Black Redstart briefly, I'd took my mate to see it early the following morning and whilst we enjoyed far better views I also added another patch tick in the shape of a Barn Owl drifting over the pool….& we were the last to see the Black Redstart!!
I had another good find on the 7th April with a Bar-tailed Godwit, a good bird for VP & the first one since 2004!! Plus it remained for over 24hours, giving others a chance to 'tick' it.
Migrants all began arriving, I missed the only reported Osprey plus a 'fly-over' Shag, but did pick up Common Redstart & Ringed Plover and also found a very vocal & showy Lesser Whitethroat on the 22nd April.
Common Tern & Whimbrel both ticked on the 23rd April, with the remaining 'gettable' warblers all picked up in the next few visits.
Spotted Flycatcher was an excellent find on the 11th May (& I was the only one to see it!), and a pair of Garganey on the 14th May (still present to date).
Gripped back Arctic Tern on the 15th & a second ever for VP….2 Egyptian Goose on the 16th May.
Bring us pretty much up to date, my VP Year List is currently at 115 species, which aint bad but could've easily been more!
I've been very lucky in so much as that I 've got a couple of mates challenging me. Andy is keeping his cards close to his chest, but I'm pretty confident he's behind me, whilst Jim is far more open and is currently 5 species behind me. So far this year I've missed – Kingfisher, Black-tailed Godwit, Red Kite, Osprey, Hobby, Cuckoo & Shag! I'm also quite surprised that, so far at least, we've not had Black Tern, Green & Wood Sandpipers, Sanderling & no real 'surprise' birds (this time last year we'd had Ring-necked Duck, Pink-footed Goose & Woodlark!!).
My target for the year is 130+, but that is quite a way off yet! We really need a good Autumn & a few seriously good birds to turn up. In 2004 we had a real awesome August with Pectoral Sandpiper, Black-necked Grebe, Long-eared Owl, Little Stint & Goshawk all reported & seen by many observers!! We could do with another repeat of that. Last year was poor, with little wader movement, hardly any return Osprey passage & no Little Egret or, in winter, Bittern!!
I guess we'll see what happens soon? Thanks, more to follow soon!
Sunday 21st May. 06:00-07:45hrs. Cloudy & wet/rain. 9DegC.
Still proving very quiet at VP – seems to be a trend across most of the midlands at the moment though! 5 Little Ringed Plover present, with a large number of Swift over (100+), 2 Sedge Warbler & 3+ Reed Warbler feeding in the phrags. Common Whitethroat & Blackcap both singing in the vicinity of the car park & a Willow Warbler outside the main hide. No sign this am of the pair of Garganey, but they could easily have been feeding somewhere out of view. 3 Tawny Owl were reported early am yesterday – I need to put in a very early visit!!
Hope things pick up soon.