At last the Easter results

At last my laptop is working well and I can get the half a dozen Easter birding challenge results up and running. Apologies again, all to do with an update from Adobe, which threw a spanner in the works, literally.

It's been a pretty busy weekend so far, as yesterday I went to Grand Designs Live at the ExCel Centre in London's East End, a fabulous, if a very long day, but made all the more better by seeing 2 Red Kites near Oxford. And if you are into Grand Designs here's you man Kevin spouting forth. Though we agreed George Clark's talk was very inspirational.

Then this afternoon and evening I've been at that well known birder Stephen Moss's 49th birthday birdwatch followed by beer and chilli at his gaff on the Levels. Thankfully the weather stayed dry even though all around it looked like rain. A great afternoon birding at Shapwick Heath on the Somerset Levels with about 30 assorted friends, family small children etc. Highlights 16 Hobby's (one below), Gadwall, Ruff, Black Tail Godwits in cinnamon plumage, and hundreds of Swifts.

Also this week out of the blue, Diana Moore came across one of my images of Jackdaws on a chimney and asked me if I'd allow the image to be used by her for a poem she'd written about Jackdaws. Which is great stuff and so I agreed. If you'd like to see the poem and the image, it can be found here.

AND SO TO THE EASTER RESULTS

Thanks for all of you who took part. Not as many as at Christmas but that doesn't matter, it's all about a bit of fun, as I appreciate Easter is a very busy time for most people. And so as in all things, in reverse order.

First off the block,

Alan at Tales of the Wild with 21

Very credible Alan. His highlights included Greater-spotted woodpecker and Garden warbler However Alan added his own rule. He actually had to see the birds. As he said in hindsight it's been such a great weekend for birdsong that was probably a mistake and I could have probably added at least another half-dozen to my score, but rules are rules!

Goosey at Snowgoosey blog with 22

Highlights here included Yellowhammer, Spotted Flycatcher and Oystercatcher

Good to see you take part Goosey, have you hit your 100 birds this year yet?

Then comes me with 48

Mainly from the north east and my Easter trip. My list is here.

Joe at Joe's wildlife Garden with a very respectable 54,

Highlights were,Gadwall, Red Kite, Mediterranean Gull, Swallow, plus a Fulvous Whistling Duck (a rare non-resident seen at the Titchfield Haven).

His commoner misses were Coal Tit, Pheasant and Kestrel.

Great to see young entries. Thanks for taking part Joe, your Easter Eggs looked great too.

Warren Baker at Pittsood Birds upped the anti with 61

All of which came from his local patch, which always makes Warrens blog worth a read and shows the value of knowing your local area very well.

ST up in Northumberland a very good 62

Good stuff ST, as you noted your low was still waiting for Wheatear (hope you have that now), but highlights were Garganey, Swallow, Yellow wagtail and my last bird was a first for the year, Sand Martin.

And finally the Easter Winner is.......... !!!!!

Pete at Sheffield Birds had the winner with 69

Some nice birds in there Blackcap, Treecreeper, Willow Warbler, Dipper, Stock Dove and Gadwall And a few he missed Great Spotted Woodpecker, Little Ringed Plover, Sand Martin, Stonechat and Sparrowhawk.

Well done Pete and thank you again to all of you for taking part, even those of you who maybe did but didn't submit results. It's just good to get out there.

Hobbies, every man needs one....

Saturday

With reports of Hobby’s now hoovering up the local insect populous on the Somerset Levels, I headed off there on Saturday for what became a whole day birding, rather then the brief visit planned. Good job I’d had a Full English in Sainsbury’s at 7.30 on the way down (saves washing up, and cooking), as didn’t get home until 5.30.

Via a brief stop at Catcott Bridge, which lifted up 29 Whimbrel from the banks, plus a Little Egret. I was at Catcott Heath by 8.30am. Walking the track to the hide, 3 Little Egret, 33 Mute Swan, and a Lapwing hassling a Buzzard were a highlight. From the hide, notable birds were small numbers of calling Reed (133), Sedge and Willow Warblers, plus all too briefly a Grasshopper Warbler (134) providing it’s weird metallic call. A Common Sandpiper by the main drain was a good find. Walking back down the track and into the Heath, first Cuckoo (135) of the year, 4-5 Cetti’s warblers singing close by including one in full view which was nice, plus female Sparrowhawk overhead, single Goldfinch, 20+ Swift (136), numerous Swallow, 3 Whitethroat, 3-4 Skylark singing their hearts out, a single Jay and a Roe Deer. A good number of Orange-Tip butterflies as well.

Then headed to Shapwick, via a quick stop at Birtle Long Pools. Buzzard being hassled by Carrion Crow, 2 Kestrel, more Cetti’s and 2 more Cuckoos. Strangely though no Hirundines, which was the reason I stopped there.

Prize winning photo of a Hobby !!

At Shapwick, I spied 2 Buzzards being set upon by about 50 Corvids in the field. A cracking bit of behaviour which left the Buzzard looking a little rattled and fleeing the mob. At the car park though a sign proclaimed “Hobby Watch”, run by Natural England, place was packed, so headed off in the opposite direction to Ham Wall, the RSPB part of the reserve. And glad I did, a Lesser Whitethroat (137) was a very welcome addition to the year list, and more Whitethroat and Cetti’s.

Another prize winning photo...Whitethroat!!

Sensing the crowds were beginning to lessen by early afternoon, ventured into the Heath itself. At Meare scrape, a very colourful Black Tailed Godwit (138) in its summer finery shone out like a beacon. Also in the scrape, 3 Greenshank (139), summer plumage Dunlin, 2 Redshank, about 50+ Swift overhead, a Pair of Shovler and Teal and then a threesome of Gargany (140).

No Hobby’s though, until I looked the other way where 6 were in view. In total I guess I saw a dozen Hobby’s (141), which later I read were mainly second year birds. Tried to take a photograph, which was pointless. As a guy said I met, if you get a photo of a Hobby, it’s probably a Kestrel…. Good advice that.

Other highlights were a Treecreeper, male Bullfinch. On the insect front hundreds of damselflies, a Green Veined White butterfly, Brimstone and Peacock.

Sunday

Not planning any more birding this weekend, saw me at 6am down at Sand Bay. The weather was overcast but not a breath of wind, lovely. Walking along the beach just the usual suspects were seen, before I noticed 12 Dunlin in summer plumage (below). While watching these, a Ring Plover caught my eye in the stones. Scanning back and forward revealed another 8 and in the middle what I initially thought was a 1st year Dunlin in non breeding plumage, but wasn’t. But I wasn’t sure exactly what it was, but though I had inkling. Anyway took some notes and rang top birder mate who confirmed (without seeing it obviously) as an almost probable Curlew Sandpiper (142), which is a first for me.

Went back in the evening to see if it was still there but as Sand Bay was host to “bikers” or more correctly The Bridgwater Chapter, Cider Rally, it was a bit busy down there. So as no sign of it went back on Monday morning briefly, still no sign, but a White Wagtail (143) was almost overlooked. Plus, good numbers of Swallows migrating in off the sea and 9 Whimbrel and a single Curlew.

Also clocked 5 Wheatears, one of which may have been a Greenland version but not entirely convinced. Plenty of Skylark singing, plus a very showy Reed Bunting and a couple of Whitethroats were the highlights, oh and a pair of Canada Geese flew over.

Away from birds, the hedgehog is now a regular visitor to his feed, no new photo’s as I’m trying not to disturb it too much and get the dish nearer the house. Management took this photo of a slow worm as it worked its way up the garden path after a rain storm. Where it was heading is anyone’s guess. And finally a single Holly Blue butterfly flitting around the garden was a pleasant splash of colour.

All in all a very relaxing weekend which had the added advantage of increasing my year count to 143. This is the first year I’ve ever kept decent records, mainly as this Blog forces me to be organised, so not bad seeing as I haven’t got any seabirds yet. Methinks a trip to Skomer soon is needed for a Gannet, Puffin Razorbill or two, but before that down in Devon tomorrow.