Grasshopper Warbler

The highlight of a quick run around the patch on Thursday morning was this smart Grasshopper Warbler in a field full of rush near Ginst Point. Also, present was the first few Whitethroats, 3 Sedge Warblers and a few White Wagtails

Northumberland

Over the Easter Holidays, we spent a week in Northumberland. Here's a few of the highlights from the week.

Barn Owl

Tree Sparrow

Whooper Swans

Eider

Avocet

Little Ringed Plover

Ruff (record shot)

Long-billed Dowitcher

Spring...

 Sand Martin

Wheatear

At Marloes yesterday afternoon there was evidence that spring is here. Firstly at Martin's Haven, lots of Mipits parachuting and several pairs of Stonechats were on the Deer Park. A walk through the gorse revealed a smart male Wheatear (my first of the spring). Over by Rath Cottage a further 9 Wheatear were present including 1 or 2 females, a single Swallow moved west over the Deer Park.
Back towards Marloes Mere a further 2 Swallows were seen and the highlight, a Merlin whizzed past me towards Martin's Haven. On the mere, there were a several pairs of Teal, 3 Shoveler and lots of Mallard. By Britton Hide a flock of hirundines gathered over the water. Mainly Sand Martins (19) with 4 Swallows mixed in. 2 Chiffchaffs were in the nearby scrub.   

The weekend- Firecrests, Yellow-browed, Black-throat and Eider

A great weekend birding in Pembrokeshire started with the female/imm Black Redstart in Amroth on Saturday morning. That afternoon I went to Monk Haven to see the Yellow-browed Warbler. In the Churchyard there were 2 stunning Firecrests and 2 Chiffchaffs. Unfortunately, after an 1 hour and half of looking I only had a very brief and frustrating glimpse of the Yellow-browed.
I managed another visit today and this time it showed great in the sunshine, I also heard it call on several occasions. It frequented the tall alders between the car park and the Church. The 2 Chiffchaffs were seen again today but no sign of any Firecrests. Afterwards, I had a quick look at the Gann. The only birds of note here were 13 Pale-bellied Brent Geese.
Later at Broad Haven: there were plenty of scoters out in the bay, 1 Red-throated Diver and the highlight was a smart *Black-throated Diver*. I watched it for a while as it foraged of the north end of the beach. A look at Druidston was rewarded with a fine drake Eider.

Yellow-browed Warbler

Gloucestershire Holiday

We spent a few days in Gloucestershire as a family holiday. Arriving just before mid day, I spent the rest of that day in WWT Slimbridge. A great selection of birds around the site with some of the highlights including, 130 Eurasian White-fronted Geese and amongst them, 5 *Greenland-white Fronts*. Also, form the Holden Tower, large numbers of Barnacle Geese, about 200 and Wigeon, 1000. 5 Cranes, including a pair displaying were seen from the Holden Tower as was, and a smart winter Little Stint on the scrape. On the Tack Piece, there were large numbers of ducks, Pintail, Wigeon, Shoveler, Teal, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Shelduck and Mallard were all recorded,  along with 86 Bewick's Swans, 600 Golden Plover, 200 Lapwing and about 200 Dunlin. Next to south lake where a Bar-tailed Godwit was roosting with 160 Black-tailed Godwit. Plenty of Pochards (20) and a drake Gadwall were the other birds of note here. And finally, I had some great views of the 2 immature female Scaups at the Rushy Pen along with a close Bewick's and great views of several drake Pintails.

Barnacle Geese

Little Stint (back) and Dunlin (front)

European White-fronted Geese

Greenland White-fronted Geese

The next day, we visited the Cotswolds Water Park. A family walk around pit 30 gave me the opportunity to check for Smew. A scan of the far end of the lake was rewarded with distant views of a pair of *Smew*. As we walked around the lake we got closer to them. I watched them for 20 minutes and had some cracking views of drake and duck as they fed together. As we continued our walk we heard 2 Green Woodpeckers calling nearby and 100+ Golden Plover flew west overhead.

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Smew

On the way home we made a quick stop at Cosmeston Lakes. Despite the heavy rain I managed a short time birding. A large gull roost on East lake including a very washed out 3rd winter Herring Gull. Another interesting gull was on the shore of east lake. A 4th winter, with the mantle colour intermediate between Lesser Black-backed and Herrin (similar to Yellow-legged) but the legs were pale pink, possibly a Lesser Black-backed X Herring Gull. I also had some good, but distant views of the smart drake Lesser Scaup with 15 Tufted Duck at the far end of East lake.

Landshipping and Chiffchaffs

Plenty of birds around Landshipping late this morning. Teal (100+), Redshank (30+), Snipe (25) and a Greenshank. Over towards Sprinkle Pill large numbers of Lapwing and Dunlin on the expose mud and Golden Plover flocks visible over the fields. 40+ Greylag geese flew down river, followed by a flock of about 50 Canada Geese. The highlight though was a Great Northern Diver. At first it was flying down river but it then landed just at the mouth of Sprinkle Pill. It stayed around for a while but I later lost it so I assume it carried on down stream.

Later at Milton, there was plenty of woodland birds along Paddock lane including at least 4 Chiffchaffs. 2 were clearly the nominate collybita and 1 look very good for *Siberian tristis* and another pale bird that look a little too olive for Siberian, abietinus?
I watched them for about an hour and a half and managed some good views. I played the call and song of Siberian Chiffchaff in the hope to get the bird to call back. Unfortunately, I couldn't get it to call but it did become very interested when the song was played. It would stop feeding and attempt to find the source of the song, this also included a wing quivering display. 

All the features of the bird seemed to point to Siberian Chiffchaff. The supercillium was buff/white, prominate and had no sign of any yellow tones. The upperparts were a buff- brown/grey and the underparts were whitish. Not obvious from photos but the sides of the breast appeared buffish almost forming a faint band. the tertials, secondaries and tail were thinly fringed with olive green and the rump was slightly olive too. The pale edges to the greater coverts formed a paler diffuse wing bar, that was obvious in good light and if the bird was side on. The ear coverts were brownish and slightly contrasted with the paler upperparts. The bare parts were black, contrasting with the pale body. The feet being slightly paler in bright light. The bill appeared slightly shorter than that of collybita and had a small pale base. A thoroughly enjoyable afternoon getting to grips with this taxa!

Siberian tristis Chiffchaff

abietinus(?) Chiffchaff

Common collybita Chiffchaff

Penduline Tits in Gloucester

A slight detour off the M5 allowed me to see the 2 Cracking male Penduline Tits at Horsbere Reserve in Gloucester. They showed very but would occasionally fly high into the reeds where they would disappear for a while. 40 Fieldfares and a Chiffchaff were nearby.

Penduline Tits