Willow Warbler

A quick visit to Mayesbrook Park this evening and discovered a family of Willow Warbler, with both adults busy feeding at least half a dozen young, was quite a nice surprise as i only remember a single singer in the spring.

 

 

 

Horse Fly's and Leopard skin Thongs.

A trip to Titchwell (aka dudeville central) for a leisurely stroll around one of north norfolk finest reserves always surprises me.

On walking to the beach good numbers of waders could be seen and amongst the Dunlin a fine moulting adult Curlew Sandpiper, at least half a dozen Spotted Redshanks, numbers of both Bar and Black-tailed godwits already starting to build up in good numbers.

Eight Spoonbills on the fresh marsh were unusually sleeping ! until a microlight put everything up on the reserve (surely there are low flying restrictions around these part's of the coast??)





                                                                       spoonbills
Onto the beach we had some fun photographing the usual sanderling, Knot, and several Little Terns were my first this year, as was a single Arctic Skua and several Eider.

                                                                      little terns (ad+juv)

                                                                          eider

                                                                           knot

                                                                         sanderling

The dunes held several Yellow Wagtails amongst the alba's and a juv Cuckoo was sure to be leaving soon, as so we did after being bitten by several horse fly's, if you haven't been bitten before by one of these, you sure will once have done..........(fuckin ouch!!)

                                                                              little egret

And finally you get all sorts at Titchwell and jono took a shine to this fella...........

Ok if u insist..........

Juv Med Gull

The first Juvenile Med Gull was in the bay this evening with a large increase in Black-heads, also 3 Common Gulls were new for the return passage.

 A great spot was a nice surprise find in the middle ditch (no real trees here!) and was my second of the year in the bay.

Olympic Torch

Olympic fever reaches Barking as the Torch passes our drum.

not sure who the dude was, but im sure his local.

old bill were out in force



The patch produced my first Whimbrel and Redshank of the autumn yesterday.

Now BBQ and Beer time, lets enjoy some nice weather while we can.



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Rainham this evening

A late evening stroll over RM produces the adult Spoonbill still on the target pools, also four Greenshank flew from here calling and headed towards the river, a sure sign autumn is well under way.

Some cracking views of Little Grebe from the MDZ (marshland discovery zone) and two adult Yellow-Legged Gull in aveley bay were noteworthy.

Rainham Spoonbill

Always nice to catch up on a local SPOONBILL, so today's adult no exception, having probably seen half a dozen at Rainham over the years, but probably still high on alot of London lister's.

Also of note were two Greenshank and a single Whimbrel in aveley bay before the heavens opened and it was time to abandon ship!!

these courting poplar hawk-moths were seen in a local garden.

On your Bike !!

Had a very enjoyable bike ride to Rainham RSPB this morning, stopping at Mayesbrook Park, Beam Parklands and the Ingrebourne Valley, now very tired, think i need a nap !!! lol

Some pics from this morning:

 

swift no's building up - c250 at mayesbrook this morning.

 

reed warbler - beam parklands

 

great crested grebe - beam parklands

grey seal - rainham - stone barges