Tuesday 28 April 2015

American Warblers

Northern Parula and Common Yellowthroat were by far the commonest warbler's seen around my holiday patch, With both Palm and Pine seen in smaller numbers

In the second week Black & White warblers were numerous, as were Prairie, Black-throated blue & Black-throated green, and best of all a stunning Cape May which was a new species for me.



1yr male parula







adult male














black & white


















yellowthroat






Prairie




black-throated blue






black-throated green




Monday 27 April 2015

Disney Raptors

So just back from a fortnight in Disney, Florida. Of course a family holiday, but still managed to bird the disney parks and our surrounding holiday home in Kissimmee.

Here some of the Raptors that can be easily seen without to much searching.

Swallow-Tailed Kite has to be my favourite.










Bald Eagle





Turkey and Black Vultures.




Cooper's Hawk.









Short-tailed Hawk (dark morph ) think not to common.



Red-Shouldered Hawk (with snake)





Osprey.










Sunday 26 April 2015

Twenty one tick weekend.

Well, its been over a month since my last post, due to not much to post about, and a family holiday abroad (more on that later).

With most of the migrants in now, I was keen to get out and boost my patch year list.  Adding Swallow, Whitethroat, both Reed & sedge warblers, Wheatear, Hobby, Common Tern & Common sand on Friday afternoon.

Saturday morning while the family caught up on sleep - I caught up on Gropper and Sand Martin. With not much else doing I ditched the patch to twitch Tony Brown's stunning Wood Warbler on nearby Wanstead flats + stumbled on a cracking male Whinchat to help out my east London colleagues.



A Wanstead Whinchat





Saturday afternoon - back at Rainham adding Whimbrel (five of), Corn Bunting from the new path across the tip, and two Yellow wagtail on wennington.

Thanks to Shaunboy for putting me on a Red Kite on the east end of the tip.

This morning looked perfect for a river watch overcast, rain and a northerly.  Me and mo met up and after a couple of hours produced just 4 Arctic Tern! Still cant complain.

The woodland held both Willow Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, House Martin & Swift added over Purfleet scrape.

Star bird though went to a SHORT-EARED OWL picked up by phil over crayford marsh, viewed from the comfort of the balcony at the centre.

Cuckoo late evening was my final bird of the weekend.