Birding limited to intermittent skywatching from the paxton balcony in baking hot conditions assisted by increased cloud cover post lunchtime enabling overflying birds to be more easily sighted...
Not surprisingly given the warm weather a few raptors were on the move with a very juvenile and 5 adult Common Buzzards over south-east; an adult Hobby ripped upstream took an Emperor dragonfly which it then dismantled and devoured on the wing; a stratospherically high ringtail Harrier had the jizz of Hen Harrier but could not be identified beyond doubt; large larids were also flying high and mostly due south with c 120 during the afternoon and given their height and direction it was tempting to assume that these are part of the regular influx from the continent rather than more local movements; 6 Yellow-legged Gulls flew towards Grafham in the early evening; 5 adult Common terns flew south along the Ouse; c 80 House Martins which have been lingering locally are becoming more excitable and garrulous by the day swarming up in excitable pre-migratory flights; a returning Spotted Flycatcher was in the weeping willow at the end of the garden. Six species of dragonfly added insect interest to proceedings...
Grafham Water - 15 August 2012
Strong south westerlies with afternoon rain made for an interesting evening session, two hours was just not enough time this evening....
The tern highlights were at least 19 Black Terns (9+ adults) I suspect that there were more, 1 adult Arctic Tern with 2 juveniles appeared over the Dam at 18.20 before heading off high north-east.
Otherwise 31 Yellow-legged Gulls; a single juvenile Mediterranean Gull over the dam heading in to the roost; 1 juvenile Turnstone arrived from the north at 1815 hrs, 1 Ringed Plover and 3 Common Sandpipers on the dam; a big increase in Yellow Wagtail numbers to 23 along the dam had doubtless dropped in during the rain as they do; c.20 Swifts and c.60 Swallows.
The tern highlights were at least 19 Black Terns (9+ adults) I suspect that there were more, 1 adult Arctic Tern with 2 juveniles appeared over the Dam at 18.20 before heading off high north-east.
Otherwise 31 Yellow-legged Gulls; a single juvenile Mediterranean Gull over the dam heading in to the roost; 1 juvenile Turnstone arrived from the north at 1815 hrs, 1 Ringed Plover and 3 Common Sandpipers on the dam; a big increase in Yellow Wagtail numbers to 23 along the dam had doubtless dropped in during the rain as they do; c.20 Swifts and c.60 Swallows.
Grafham Water - 13 August 2012
Spent a couple of hours early morning scanning the dam, lagoons and the western end, rather quiet and with higher water levels in most of the lagoons wader numbers were down to basic levels again...
The male Red-crested Pochard still in Dudney Creek; 4 Little Egrets; 1 Ringed Plover on the dam; 4 Green Sandpipers at the lagoons; 3 Common Sandpipers; c 23 Yellow-legged Gulls; c. 30 Common Gulls; c.40 Common Terns; c 50 Swallows; 5 Yellow Wagtails.
The male Red-crested Pochard still in Dudney Creek; 4 Little Egrets; 1 Ringed Plover on the dam; 4 Green Sandpipers at the lagoons; 3 Common Sandpipers; c 23 Yellow-legged Gulls; c. 30 Common Gulls; c.40 Common Terns; c 50 Swallows; 5 Yellow Wagtails.
Paxton Pits & Balcony birding 12 August 2012
A late afternoon visit to Paxton Pits delivered the following sightings:
1 Garganey on Pumphouse Pit; 2 Greenshanks; 2 Common Sandpipers; 2 Ringed Plovers; c32 Yellow-legged Gulls; 2 Caspian Gulls (a second calendar year and a third calendar year); c 40 Common Gulls; 2 juvenile Wheatears and a juvenile Whinchat.
Later from the balcony an evening of intermittent sky watching; 1 Common Snipe SE; 4 Crossbills low SE and a male Kingfisher feeding a well
grown juvenile...
1 Garganey on Pumphouse Pit; 2 Greenshanks; 2 Common Sandpipers; 2 Ringed Plovers; c32 Yellow-legged Gulls; 2 Caspian Gulls (a second calendar year and a third calendar year); c 40 Common Gulls; 2 juvenile Wheatears and a juvenile Whinchat.
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| Male Dark Bush Cricket in the garden |
grown juvenile...
Grafham Water 10 August 2012
A warm sunny morning in six hours covered the dam, lagoons and Dudney Bay areas, quite a slow start but ended up with a good tally by late morning...
33 Teal at the lagoons; 1 juv/female Common Scoter off the yacht club; 1 juv Garganey in Dudney Bay; 1 pale male RC Pochard; 10+ Little Egrets; 22 Green Sandpipers; 10 + Common Sandpipers; 3 Greenshank at the lagoons; 1 juv. Turnstone on the dam; 2 adult Sanderlings on the dam. An influx of Gulls raised the Yellow-legged Gull total to 23 and included 10 argentatus type Herring Gulls and included the striking fourth calendar year Caspian type bird photographed (see below). 2 Wheatears on the dam; 3 Yellow Wagtails; an influx of Willow Warblers with at least 30 between the Model Farm and the lagoons
A Roesel's Bush Cricket headed the insect sightings....
33 Teal at the lagoons; 1 juv/female Common Scoter off the yacht club; 1 juv Garganey in Dudney Bay; 1 pale male RC Pochard; 10+ Little Egrets; 22 Green Sandpipers; 10 + Common Sandpipers; 3 Greenshank at the lagoons; 1 juv. Turnstone on the dam; 2 adult Sanderlings on the dam. An influx of Gulls raised the Yellow-legged Gull total to 23 and included 10 argentatus type Herring Gulls and included the striking fourth calendar year Caspian type bird photographed (see below). 2 Wheatears on the dam; 3 Yellow Wagtails; an influx of Willow Warblers with at least 30 between the Model Farm and the lagoons
A Roesel's Bush Cricket headed the insect sightings....
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| Wheatear |
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| Roesel's Bush Cricket favouring the toilet block door! |
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| juvenile Turnstone |
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| Presumed sub adult male Caspian Gull or more likely Caspian x argentatus hybrid. Based on plumage and structure could have been an atypical argentatus, fortunately it gave the diagnostic long call and associated posture when perched on the gantry, the general structure, the head and bill shape look good for a large male Caspian with a parallel sided bill with minimal gonydal bulge. The neck streaking is atypical for Caspian though quite typical for argentatus At this age the upperpart grey colour can look paler than is typical for Caspian Gull. |
Grafham Water - 8 August 2012
After a few days in North Yorkshire searching for and watching such nesting specialities as Goshawk, Red Grouse, Golden Plover, Dipper and Ring Ouzel it was back to Grafham this morning in promising murky damp conditions which rather failed to deliver anything to raise the pulse despite spending seven hours covering most of the reservoir....
1 Red-crested Pochard a very pale aberrant male with the aythya rafts in Dudney Creek; 23 Teal on the lagoons;14 Little Egrets; 1 juvenile Marsh Harrier south at 10.20 am; 16 Green Sandpipers; 11 Common Sandpipers; 1 Dunlin on the dam; 11 Yellow-legged Gulls (3 adults, 2 juveniles, 2 first calendar years, 4 second calendar years); an adult Kittiwake with Black-headed Gulls in the middle of the reservoir flew off strongly north-west at 07:15 hrs; 4 Common Gulls (1 ad 3 juveniles); c.25 Common Terns; 3 Swifts; c.30 Barn Swallows; 2 Wheatears on the dam wall; c.80 Pied Wagtails; just 1 Yellow Wagtail a juvenile on the lagoons; a good total count of c. 47 Linnets; 13 Yellowhammers.
1 Red-crested Pochard a very pale aberrant male with the aythya rafts in Dudney Creek; 23 Teal on the lagoons;14 Little Egrets; 1 juvenile Marsh Harrier south at 10.20 am; 16 Green Sandpipers; 11 Common Sandpipers; 1 Dunlin on the dam; 11 Yellow-legged Gulls (3 adults, 2 juveniles, 2 first calendar years, 4 second calendar years); an adult Kittiwake with Black-headed Gulls in the middle of the reservoir flew off strongly north-west at 07:15 hrs; 4 Common Gulls (1 ad 3 juveniles); c.25 Common Terns; 3 Swifts; c.30 Barn Swallows; 2 Wheatears on the dam wall; c.80 Pied Wagtails; just 1 Yellow Wagtail a juvenile on the lagoons; a good total count of c. 47 Linnets; 13 Yellowhammers.
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| adult Little Egret one of 14 today |
Grafham Water - 4 August 2012
Early morning visit to the dam and lagoons areas....
4 Little Egrets; 1 Garganey seen distantly in the reed fringe to the west of the Plummer car park; c 40 Lapwings; 2 Dunlin on the dam; 8 Green Sandpipers (5 Lagoons, 3 Plummer CP); 2 Common Sandpipers; just 5 Yellow-legged Gulls this morning (2 ads, 2 juv's, 1 3rd calendar year); 6 Common Terns including a single juvenile; a single female Wheatear dropped onto the dam wall at 08:15 ish was on time for an early returning migrant.
4 Little Egrets; 1 Garganey seen distantly in the reed fringe to the west of the Plummer car park; c 40 Lapwings; 2 Dunlin on the dam; 8 Green Sandpipers (5 Lagoons, 3 Plummer CP); 2 Common Sandpipers; just 5 Yellow-legged Gulls this morning (2 ads, 2 juv's, 1 3rd calendar year); 6 Common Terns including a single juvenile; a single female Wheatear dropped onto the dam wall at 08:15 ish was on time for an early returning migrant.
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| juvenile Common Tern |
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