5-6-11, Croxall GP.

Working all day Saturday and with todays forecast wet I got up early and made the most of the dry morning and headed to Croxall to see what was about. Birds noted on the main side were Sedge Warbler, Goldfinch, Woodpigeon, Mallard, Garden Warbler, Reed Bunting, Swift, Blue Tit, Wren, Common Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Black Headed Gull, Robin, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, Carrion Crow, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Reed Warbler, Song Thrush, Coot, Pheasant, Swallow, Blackbird, Blackcap, Magpie, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Canada Geese and Gadwall. Through to the east side and I added Cormorant, Rook, Redshank, Mute Swan, Lapwing and Little Egret. There was very little showing from the east side so I soon headed back under the tunnel to go back to the car. On the way I added a single Common Tern and a single Greenfinch.

Whitemoor Haye.

With no rain clouds in sight I went to the usual patch to see what was about. I was also quite keen on hearing the Quail which has been present for a few weeks but which I have not yet heard let alone seen. The main reason for this is it has always been windy and with the noise from the hedgerows and trees its been difficult to make out a weak 'wet-my-lips'. Birds noted around the quarry pool were Yellowhammer, Chiffchaff, Black-headed Gull, Mallard, Canada Geese, Gadwall, Swallow, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Lapwing, Greylag Geese, Wren, Linnet, Skylark, Starling, Great Crested Grebe, Swift, Mute Swan, Carrion Crow, Oystercatcher, House Martin, Shelduck, Redshank and Buzzard. From there it was park the car up and head off round the lanes. Birds added were Blackbird, Tree Sparrow, Rook, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Jackdaw, Robin, Stock Dove, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Reed Bunting, Corn Bunting, Common Whitethroat, Sparrowhawk, Greenfinch, Magpie, Collared Dove, Garden Warbler, Blue Tit and Pied Wagtail. Not a bad haul of birds from Whitemoor considering the time of year it is.

5-6-11, Long-tailed Blue.

Do I have any fans of butterflies which read my blog? Reason being I found a butterfly in my kitchen tonight and the curious nature of me needed to know what it was. I photographed it, headed for my reference books and stumbled on Long-tailed Blue. More work on tinternet and it turns out to be a very rare butterfly which is mainly recorded from late July to September.

I managed to get the shot below for records and have emailed the local wildlife group so that a record could be made but if anyone knows who keeps records of moths and butterflies then I could get directly in touch with them.

Excitement over. I emailed Birdguides incase they wanted some insect news and they have replied saying the pupae most likely came from some vegatables and then turned into a butterfly in the house. Oh well, never mind.

31-5-11, Lesbos birding.

Hi. As 99% of my birding is done on my own I have been rather reluctant about going abroad. However, a recent chat with a fellow blogger has got me thinking about taking the plunge and booking a week in Lesbos next early May. I have been doing a bit of homework but if anyone has got any tips/hints/books/spare cash/anything which could help me on this epic voyage then it will be most appreciated.

30-5-11, Wet yet Wonderful.

After a great afternoon and evening out in Lichfield on the beer I was going to use Monday to catch up with blogs and other birding stuff. That was until I woke up, had a look at birdguides (pager is not working right at the moment) and noticed a Lesser Yellowlegs had been found at Uttoxeter gravel pits, a site I have never been to. There was no way I could drive in the morning so I caught up with this blog the about 12.30 I headed off to the quarry. I parked up, was given directions on where the footpath was and soon I was on site with a few other birders with the rain gently falling. Birds noted were Sand Martin, Shelduck, Mallard, Common Tern, Black Headed Gull, Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Lesser Yellowlegs, Wren, Chiffchaff, Goosander, Mute Swan, Goldfinch and Song Thrush. A cracking bird, well worth getting a bit wet for.

29-5-11, Croxall GP.

I was not going to bird today but the dog needed walking so off we went. I decided to check out Croxall first. Birds noted were Garden Warbler, Swift, Canada Geese, Mallard, Skylark, Cormorant, Oystercatcher, Blackbird, Moorhen, Chiffchaff, Great Crested Grebe, Coot, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Reed Bunting, Great Tit, Reed Warbler, Blue Tit, Black Headed Gull, Song Thrush, Goldfinch, Rook, Woodpigeon, Common Whitethroat, Greylag Geese, Carrion Crow, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Sand Martin, Common Sandpiper, Mute Swan, Lapwing, House Martin, Gadwall, Little Ringed Plover, Pied Wagtail, Pheasant and Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Whitemoor Haye.

Onto Whitemoor and a walk around the lanes produced Starling, Woodpigeon, Tree Sparrow, Magpie, Wren, Corn Bunting, Swallow, Rook, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Skylark, Oystercatcher, Reed Bunting, Common Whitethroat, Little Owl, Stock Dove, Mallard, Yellow Wagtail, Yellowhammer, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Dunnock, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Buzzard, Pheasant, Jackdaw, Grey Partridge and Blue Tit. On to the pool and I added Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, House Martin and Sand Martin.

28-5-11, Croxall GP.

Back to the grind and local patch birding. I headed to Croxall first thing to sit in the hide and see what was about. Birds noted were Common Whitethroat, Canada Geese, Blackcap, Swift, Shelduck, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Coot, Black Headed Gull, Sand Martin, Chaffinch, Pheasant, Lapwing, Common Tern, House Martin, Ringed Plover, Mallard, Pied Wagtail, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, Gadwall, Buzzard, Oystercatcher, Starling, Magpie, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Great Tit, Stock Dove, Goldfinch, Swallow, Rook, Song Thrush, Skylark, Dunnock, Little Ringed Plover, Mute Swan, Linnet, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Garden Warbler. Not a bad session but not too much activity on the mud.

Whitemoor Haye.

Just down the road to Whitemoor and a look over the quarry pool produced Stock Dove, Gadwall, Oystercatcher, Buzzard, Swift, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Black Headed Gull, Lapwing, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Redshank, Linnet, Skylark, Chiffchaff, Canada Geese and Wren. Pretty quiet and a walk around the lanes did not produce much either. I added Tree Sparrow, Rook, Woodpigeon, Corn Bunting, Reed Bunting, Cormorant, Common Whitethroat, Yellowhammer, Goldfinch, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Owl, Blackbird, Bullfinch, Kestrel and Pheasant.

27-5-11, Swanton Novers NNR.

It was time to head home so I deicded to visit a couple of sites on the way home but first I wanted another go at looking for Honey Buzzards. Swanton Novers raptop watchpoint is near to Great Ryburgh but the birds here are a lot trickier to see however they had been seen the previous day in the morning so I was slightly optomistic. Birds noted during two hours here were Pheasant, Skylark, Common Whitethroat, Sparrowhawk, Woodpigeon, Chaffinch, Carrion Crow, Goldfinch, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Yellowhammer, Swift, Linnet, Swallow and Black Headed Gull. Again another no show but thats birding I'm afraid.

Welney Wildfowl Trust.

I decided to have a look around this reserve. For sometime now a cracking White-spotted Bluethroat had been present. I had no news of this bird for sometime but I wasn't getting much news out of my pager anyway but it was worth a look. Birds noted were Goldfinch, Pheasant, Reed Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Swallow, Wren, Mallard, Lapwing, Avocet, Woodpigeon, Ringed Plover, Redshank, Great Tit, House Martin, Shelduck, Coot, Pochard, Little Ringed Plover, Pied Wagtail, Swift, Reed Bunting, Sedge Warbler, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Black Headed Gull, Starling, Black-tailed Godwit, Jackdaw, Mute Swan, Snipe, Whooper Swan, Little Egret, Corn Bunting, Blue Tit, Cuckoo and Grey Heron. Although I was not expecting to see the Bluethroat, I actually missed it by twenty seconds. I was walking up the path and was twenty metres from a small group when they started looking through their bins and then started waving me. A quick look through my bins got me nothing so I broke into a small jog but as I reached the group the bird flew away. Thats not the end of the story though as yet another caravan on the way to Welnet drove at 35 miles an hour along the roads and wouldnt let cars get passed. Thats two birds this year that I have missed due to caravans. Nuff said.

Rutland Water.

I didnt want to get stuck in bank holiday traffic so I headed to Rutland Water to spend a few hours before heading home early evening. I started in the Lyndon reserve with the main aim being seeing Osprey. Birds noted were Swift, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Dunnock, Sedge Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Blackbird, Mute Swan, Coot, Chaffinch, Cormorant, Red-legged Partridge, Robin, Chiffchaff, Carrion Crow, Great Tit, Hobby, Woodpigeon, Sand Martin, Shelduck, Lapwing, Osprey, Swallow, Mallard, Great Crested Grebe, House Martin, Egyptian Geese, Jackdaw, Black Headed Gull, Tufted Duck, Common Tern, Pied Wagtail, Goldeneye, Gadwall and Moorhen. From Lyndon it was on to theEgleton reserve and I added Rook, Ringed Plover, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Dunlin, Wigeon, Sanderling, Greylag Geese, Turnstone, Oystercatcher, Wren, Magpie, Song Thrush, Shoveler, Little Egret, Canada Geese, Bullfinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Long-tailed Tit. Not bad but I was dissapointed not to have seen the Temminks Stint that was on Lagoon 4 from the Dunlin hide. I was in there ages but failed to connect with it. After Rutland it was home time and the end of my mini trip to Norflok and back. It was a good trip with lots of good birds and I managed plenty of photos too. Nice.