Its time Brightside Birding had a moan. I don't know whether it was the excitement of three year ticks at Rutland last week or if its the crappy weather we're having, but I woke up Monday morning with tonsils the size of golfballs and feeling rotton. I struggled to work Mon and Tues but then realised I felt like total poo and couldn't face listening to other folks problems anymore. I retreated to bed after being diagnosed with a viral infection.
After being stuck indoors for three days I what I needed was fresh air, birds and rehabilitation, so got Max to take me birding yesterday. Not a lot to see, this time of year, but I'm trying to keep an eye on a couple of local patches - Upton Warren Flashes being one of these. Lots of Black Headed Gulls, 5 LBBG, Lapwings. One pair of LR Plover have now disappeared (having only one chick left last week), Redshanks all gone (after having better luck than the Plovers, raising four young successfully). Gadwall, lots of eclipse Mallard (I hate eclipse ducks!). Avocets all fledged now and starting to disappear I think. Reed Bunting, Linnet, flock of 20 Goldfinch. Stock Doves seem to be increasing lately. A fox was seen in the fields to the right of the hide. Common Terns over the Sailing Pool and Green Woody near there.
Today we popped out to Blithfield Reservoir in Staffs for a change, I like the Causeway here and Blithe Bay, but for some reason I'm not really feeling it for Tad Bay. There's a good potential for waders at the moment with the low waters, I think its just that I can get a lot closer to waders at some of the other places I visit and my eyes aren't the best so I'm more suited to compact patches. There were 9 Black Tailed Godwits in Tad, tons of Lapwings, quite a few Common Terns and Blackcaps in the woods, not much else though. We were back at the Causeway just in time to miss the Osprey, which sadly didn't reappear. Five Oystercatchers and some juv Pied Wagtails were noted.
On the way back we had a Kestrel over Aston Expressway, probably the nearest I've seen one to the City Centre.
Today we popped out to Blithfield Reservoir in Staffs for a change, I like the Causeway here and Blithe Bay, but for some reason I'm not really feeling it for Tad Bay. There's a good potential for waders at the moment with the low waters, I think its just that I can get a lot closer to waders at some of the other places I visit and my eyes aren't the best so I'm more suited to compact patches. There were 9 Black Tailed Godwits in Tad, tons of Lapwings, quite a few Common Terns and Blackcaps in the woods, not much else though. We were back at the Causeway just in time to miss the Osprey, which sadly didn't reappear. Five Oystercatchers and some juv Pied Wagtails were noted.
On the way back we had a Kestrel over Aston Expressway, probably the nearest I've seen one to the City Centre.
6 comments:
Unfortunatly we watched one of the LRP young at the Flashes get stuck head down in the mud and drown, not really something to brighten a birding day.
I read about that in the log book Chas. I was there a few days after and they appeared to lose another chick whilst we were there, although no one actually saw what happened.
I will add a link to your bird page of your website.
ah - That was my entry in the log book!
The linkage is very kind thankyou, I will add a link on my links page to here as well.
Thanks Chas :)
Ooh, what's the word for that plumber-style sucking your lips?
I'm not having that, Tad Bay is the best! As summer continues (apart from last year which was ridiculous), it will get lower and birds will get closer to the hide. Trust me!
As close as UW Flashes? ;)
Only joking Richard, it is a great place. The heat haze didn't help us much either that day.
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