Variable Damselflies - 31/5/11

Variable Damselfly at Southease.

Selsey Bill, Duncton and Heyshott 30/5/11

Had a great day with Mick Davis today. We started off at Selsey Bill and it was fair to say it was poor. Just an Arctic Skua in 3 hours. No Storm Petrels though.

Next at Duncton Hill 7 Birds Nest Orchids were found along with 2 White Helleborines. Also a good number of Firecrests singing.

At a public site near Heyshott and good range of Orchid species were noted. 32+ Greater Butterfly Orchid; 11 Fly Orchid; 6 White Helleborine; 11 MUSK ORCHID; Common Spotted and Twayblades and some dead Early Purple Orchids. A Tree Pipit was also singing as were many Firecrest.

At Burton-no further Orchids but a good variety of Dragons and Damsels with the highlights being Scarce Chasers, Common Blue Damselfly and a teneral Blue-tailed Damselfly.

Norfolk Outing 22/5/11

Yet another superb day out in Norfolk with Jake clearing up on all of the targets. Targets were Norfolk Hawker and Swallowtail Butterfly.

We visited Strumpshaw Fen RSPB first and soon got 2 Chinese Water Deer, a first for both of us. Also a Bittern flew over and a couple of Marsh Harriers and a Bearded Tit were seen.

Then in a sheltered spot we found up to 5 Norfolk Hawkers soaking up the warmth from the sun. Also an Emerald and lots of Blue-tailed Damselflies and a handful of Hairy Dragonflies. Unfortunately no Swallowtails, yet!!!

Later on we moved round to a garden which is one of the best sites on the reserve for Swallowtails. As soon as we got there we spotted one, but it soon flew off, then presumably the same one came round again and started to land and some good photos were taken.

Other Dragons seen included a Scarce Chaser, Black-tailed Skimmer, Broad-bodied and Four Spotted Chaser and a couple of Large Red Damselflies as well.

We moved round to the North Norfolk Coast and visited Cley Marshes. The Shorelark put on a good performance and there were stacks of Avocets about.

No sign of the Montagu's Harrier at the favoured site, but a Stone Curlew was at Weeting Heath.

Norfolk Hawker, Swallowtail and Shore Lark in Norfolk.

Frog Firle 20/5/11

A good walk around Frog Firle late morning and early afternoon. A good range of butterflies included Small, Adonis and Common Blues, Green Hairstreaks and some Orange Tip caterpillars.

Birds of note included my first sighting of a Quail with a further 2 male singing. The Quail was only seen in flight. Also a pair of Hobbies and a Fulmar which circled the hollow at High and Over.

Adonis Blue, Grizzled Skipper and Small Blue along Frog Firle.

Quail 20/4/11

A Quail was calling this evening at Frog Firle in valley north of High and Over.

Seaford Head 19/5/11

A Spotted Flycatcher by the coastguards this morning was another yeartick. The Little Owl was also still around.

Seaford Head & Arlington 15/5/11

Yet again very quiet on the patch over the past couple of days. Just a single Yellow Wagtail, Tawny Owl and daily sightings of a Little Owl have been the only highlights.

A trip to Arlington after produced my first Turtle Dove of the year. Constantly calling by the hide, it was only seen in flight. Also a Nightingale showed very well in full song.

Also this moth hatched out in my garden the other day, im guessing its a Large Yellow Underwing??

Pulborough Brooks RSPB 12/5/11

Successfully twitched the Temminck's Stint at Pulborough Brooks today after deciding not to twitch the Great Snipe in Norfolk. Hopefully a wise decision!!!

The Stint was being reported from West Mead but no sign there (apparently being harrassed by breeding Lapwings soon sent it onto North Brooks) apart from two displaying Little Ringed Plovers.

Found out a little later the Temminck's was on North Brooks so i dashed round there and had prolonged, but semi-distant views. It was with a Ringed Plover for a time then 2 Avocets. Also about were 3 + Hobbies scattered around the reserve.

(Temminck's Stint just about visible between the 2 Avocets)

(Nightingale near the visitor centre)

Splash Point 05.00-19.00 Wind NE-SE

Yet another good Pom day bringing my overall total for the year to 162!!

Pomarine Skua - 35
Arctic Skua - 13
Black Tern - 1
Little Tern - 16
Commic Tern - 671 - mostly identified as Common.
Sandwich Tern - 33
Common Scoter - 57
Pintail - 2
Sanderling - 46
Whimbrel - 30
Bar-tailed Godwit - 111
Dunlin - 7
Knot - 61
Grey Plover - 7
Black-throated Diver - 1
Diver sp. - 2
Mediterranean Gull - 1
Little Gull -1
Shag - 1
Merlin - 1 in off

Splash Point 05.00-10.00 Wind SE 6/5/11

Pomarine Skua - 8
Arctic Skua - 3
Commic Tern - 189
Sandwich Tern - 55
Black Tern - 4
Little Tern - 6
Arctic Tern - 1
Manx Shearwater - 2
Common Scoter - 218
Bar-tailed Godwit - 7
Sanderling - 12
Whimbrel - 14
Common Sandpiper - 2 , hanging around the groyne
Little Gull - 2
Mediterranean Gull - 5
Diver sp. - 6
Black-throated Diver - 2
Red-throated Diver - 2
Shelduck - 3

My 2011 Pom total is now 125!!!

Splash Point 05.00-18.15 Wind E-SE

Pomarine Skua - 10
Arctic Skua - 37
Great Skua - 1
Little Tern - 140 !!! , my highest ever total here in one day
Commic Tern - 1330 !!!
Black Tern - 24
Arctic Tern - 3
Sandwich Tern - 174
Little Gull - 38
Mediterranean Gull -7 - mainly 1st winters
Manx Shearwater - 3
Common Scoter - 488
Velvet Scoter - 10 , 1 single flock
Red-breasted Merganser - 2
Teal - 1
Mallard - 8
Tufted Duck - 3
Black-throated Diver - 25 !!!
Red-throated Diver - 7
Diver sp. - 23
Bar-tailed Godwit - 90
Whimbrel - 99
Sanderling - 14
Dunlin - 17
Little-ringed Plover - 3 !!!
Grey Plover - 33
Avocet - 4
Brent Geese - 29
SPOTTED REDSHANK - 1 w/p with Whimbrel

Splash Point 05.15-09.15

A very cold north easterly breeze yielded totals of:

Pomarine Skua - 3 , a group of 2 and single.
Arctic Skua - 6
Manx Shearwater - 3 , small group flew close in heading east.
Little Gull - 33
Commic Tern - 180
Arctic Tern - 2
Black Tern - 4
Little Tern - 9
Sandwich Tern - 14
Common Scoter - 69
Bar-tailed Godwit - 64
Whimbrel - 24
Knot - 5
Sanderling - 1
Black-throated Diver - 1
Shelduck - 2
OSPREY - 1 flew in off constantly harrassed by the local Gulls.

Went down again late afternoon 16.45-18.15;

Bar-tailed Godwit - 89
Whimbrel - 9
Commic Tern - 159
Little Tern - 2
Little Gull - 1
Sandwich Tern - 1
Diver sp. - 3

Chichester Pits and Pulborough 3/5/11

An awesome morning twitching everything that came up on the pager. However it started poorly as there was no sign of the White-winged Black Tern on Ivy Lake or any of the surrounding pits. After a 2 hour wait i gave up and headed down to the North Wall.

A great surprise was in store however as a moulting Curlew Sandpiper was picked up in the channel with Dunlin. A good yeartick to get. Also present were some lovely summer plumaged Grey Plovers, Bar-tailed Godwits and Black-tailed Godwits.

Then a text from Paul James soon sent me in the direction of Pulborough Brooks RSPB for a Wryneck. Having dipped many of these i wasn't getting too excited.
A general look in the area with no sign wasn't surprising, howver a second look was rewarded with the WRYNECK feeding on the ground close to a hedge line. I walked closer and soon great views were had. Yet another good yeartick. Also out on the North Brooks were drake Garganey, 2 Egyptian Geese, but no waders.

Walking back to the car park ready to go home, i recieved a phonecall from Mick Davis to tell me he had refound the White-winged Black Tern on Westhampnett. Result!!!!
With time to spare before work i dashed back down there and soon arrived only to find the bird had flown off. Initially no sign but a quick walk across the A27 and a climb over a greasy fence to view a pit was rewarded with giood views of the superb adult WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN. It was truely stunning!!!!

Also on Westhampnett Pit were stacks of Swifts, 2 Little Gulls and a scattering of Common Terns.

Pictures to be uploaded later, working (hard) at the mo!!!

Wryneck and White-winged Black Tern

Splash Point, Seaford 05.15-18.15 1/5/11

Yet again the main highlight today were the Pomarine Skuas. They didn't get going till the afternoon. Flocks consisting of 6, 3 then 8 gave the best views. Totals are:

Pomarine Skua - 40 (most settled down on the sea throughout the day but eventually moved east)
Arctic Skua - 14
Great Skua - 2
Manx Shearwater - 4
Bar-tailed Godwit - 2124
Whimbrel - 73
Knot - 303 (mainly mixed in with the Barwits)
Sanderling - 13
Grey Plover - 14
Commic Tern - 153
Arctic Tern - 1
Little Tern - 5
Black Tern - 2
Sandwich Tern - 28
Shoveler - 19
Red-breasted Merganser - 3
Teal - 3
Shelduck - 5
Common Scoter - 115
Velvet Scoter - 2
Black-throated Diver - 5
Red-throated Diver - 4
Brent Geese - 3
Hobby - 1 in off

Flock of Barwits and Knot; Whimbrel and the Tope which was caught by the local fisherman.