Briantspuddle - Sat 21 Apr

A morning trip with Tristan down to some Dorset heathlands in the hope of adding Dartford Warbler to the year list with a visit to a site that produced this species on two visits last summer. Luck was not with us today though and we drew a blank. However, several Siskin were seen, including a very smart male.

A couple of Yellowhammers flew over and a Stonechat was also seen. The "usual" warblers were about and in song and three Linnets were also present. After a forty minute walk the rain started to fall so we hot-footed it back to the car and headed back home for lunch.

Ham Wall RSPB & Meare Heath NR - Mon 16 Apr

I was lucky enough to get driven around today again as my car was in the garage getting new brake disks and pads. Ellie took Tristan and I up to the Somerset Levels where we attempted a walk around Ham Wall RSPB reserve. However, Tristan seemed to have other plans and despite being nice and snug in his pram cried continually for the duration of the walk. That being said, there were not really any birds of note at Ham Wall anyway...so we didn't miss anything.
After a feed back at the car we tried again and this time headed out to Meare Heath where we had a bit more luck with both the birds and the baby! The long-staying Long-billed Dowitchers were still present, as was a Great White Egret, but a reported drake Garganey was nowhere to be seen. A large mixed flock of hirundines passed overhead.
Believe it or not the bird of the day was a Common Whitethroat seen singing in the car park, my only year tick of the day!
UK list for 2012 now at 172 species.

Arne RPSB - Sun 15 Apr

A knackered break pad meant my car was off the road today (and will be for tomorrow at least as well) but we still managed a family trip out as Ellie drove us all down to Arne RSPB reserve where we enjoyed a pleasant walk out to Shipstal Point. Despite the sun it was still quite chilly at times and there was quite a wind blowing...which put pay to seeing any heathland species.
The highlights of the walk included a pair of summer-plumaged Mediterranean Gulls that flew over and eight Sandwich Terns sat on a sand bar. On returning to the car Ellie and Tristan had a rest whilst I walked out on to Combe Heath.
Again I drew a blank with some of the speciality species I had hoped to see with the heather and gorse producing just a pair of Stonechats. However, the day was rescued by an Osprey that was sat on a perch in Middlebeare Channel. If you squint when you look at this shot I managed with my mobile and use a bit of imagination you can clearly see that it is indeed an Osprey.

So not much in the way of birds today, but a lovely day out with the family.

Winterbourne Downs RSPB & Langford Lakes - Sat 14 Apr

I awoke at 6.00am so decided to head off for a few hours birding, leaving Ellie and Tristan in bed. I drove straight up the A303 leaving the main road just east of Amesbury and heading out towards Newton Tony. I was pleased to see at least half a dozen Corn Buntings on the roadside bushes as I drove along, a few Skylarks were also seen. The reserve itself produced a few Red-legged Partridge, but little else...I was expecting as much as it was slightly too early in the season for the birds I had hoped to see.

So I retraced my steps and headed back west, leaving the A303 near Wylye and stopping off at Langford Lakes, a Wiltshire Wildlife Trust reserve that I had not visited before. I walked out to one of the hides and saw the bird I was after straightaway, a female Ferruginous Duck which was preening itself right in front of hide.

With the twitching done I spent another half an hour at the reserve adding House Martin to my year list as a mixed flock of hirundines fed over another of the lakes and a singing Sedge Warbler was another 2012 tick.

I started heading back home taking a bit of a detour across part of Salisbury Plain where I saw a couple more Corn Buntings and several more Red-legged Partridges...no sign of any of their grey cousins. So after a good few hours out and about I was back home in time for a mid-morning cup of tea!

Abbotsbury & Radipole RSPB - Fri 13 Apr

I had the day off work and Ellie had a hair appointment booked so I set off with Tristan down to the coast and a quick visit to Abbotsbury. I was really after just one thing, an adult male Black-winged Stilt. Fortunately the bird was still present when we arrived just before midday and showed well if somewhat distantly on the flooded field by the Swannery.

I had about ninety minutes before I needed to get Tristan home so I drove in to Weymouth to visit the RSPB shop at Radipole as I needed some more bird seed. Having parked up and paid for a parking ticket I noticed that the shop was still closed for refurbishment, despite it apparently being open in the Spring! So as I had already paid for an hours parking I took Tristan on to the reserve where we walked around the Buddleia Loop and back to the car. I heard three singing Reed Warblers, though only saw the one, so another new tick for the year, and several Cetti's Warblers were singing away, one of which was extremely confiding and showed very well just a couple of metres away from us. The tell-tale "pinking" call of Bearded Tits could be heard, though I only had a typical flight view as one darted over the reeds. A small flock of Sand Martins and Swallows passed by overhead and several Willow Warblers were also seen.

With time up we headed back home after a pretty successful trip.
Also today I saw my first Speckled Wood of the year and a few Peacock butterflies were also on the wing.
Year list for 2012 now at 165 species.

Sutton Bingham - Tue 10 Apr

A short visit late evening produced a few birds of interest. West Pool held two pairs of Tufted Duck, but there was nothing else of note at the northern end of the reservoir. From the hide a single Common Sandpiper was present and three Wigeon were still lingering. A total of four Swallows passed through.

Ham Wall RSPB & Meare Heath NR - Mon 9 Apr

Despite the drizzle Ellie, Tristan and I set off for an evening stroll up on the Levels. We popped Tristan in to his pram to protect him from the rain and walked out to the second viewing platform at Ham Wall RSPB reserve. Despite the weather there were still a few warblers singing and at least two Bitterns were booming away, a single Redshank was also present. However, there was not much else around so we retraced our steps to the car and took a walk out to Meare Heath NR.
We only walked out as far as the drained lagoon where a Great White Egret was present alongside thirty or so Black-tailed Godwits and a couple of Redshank flew in. The rain started to come down a bit more heavily so we decided to call it a day, especially as Tristan had also decided it was time to go home!