Nunnery Lakes and Lynford Arboretum + Bird Quiz - Week 10

On Thursday, Dad and I went back to Lynford Arboretum to try and get good pictures of the Two-barred Crossbills. First though, we visited Nunnery Lakes NR (permition only), to try and see the reported Ring ouzel. We got permission from the BTO HQ, and walked round. We didn't get the Ring Ouzel, but we did get Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Great-crested Grebes, common wildfowl and 2 collared Canada Geese. One was AA7, and the other was ACM.

Chiffchaff

 Cormorants

Hare

Holy Blue

Marsh Tit

Willow Warbler

We then went to Lynford. We got 3 Two-barred Crossbills, 2 males and 1 female. Also, 2 Hawfinch flew over, and a cracking Grey Wagtail was on the puddle, but no pics were taken of him/her.

Brimstone

Chaffinch

Common Crossbill

Orange Tip

Pied Wagtail

Siskin

Speckled Wood

Treecreeper

Two-barred Crossbills

Bird Quiz - Week 10

I tried to trick some of you guys with last weeks mystery bird by repeating it. It was indeed another Scaup, which I saw at Barton Broad a couple of years ago. Well done to Rob Stokes and Jim Bradley for getting the correct answers. Unlucky to those who got it wrong. Here's this weeks mystery bird.....

Just leave your answers in the comments, and I will reveal the correct entries next week.

Happy Birding and Good Luck!

Brecks

On Tuesday, Dad and I visited the Brecks before my dentist appointment in Bury St. Edmunds. We started off at an undisclosed site where we got brief view of a Goshawk (what we came for), but it was distant and all of about 30 seconds. We also got Nuthatch here, but not much else. We then went to Lynford Arboretum. We didn't get any Hawfinches, but we got Crossbill, common passerines and more Nuthatches.

Happy Birding!

Isle Of Mull - Day 1

Finally, I can get started on sharing our Holiday with you guys. On the journey up, we didn't get much apart from a couple of Raven and a couple of Tree Pipit. We stayed in the B&B called Avoncraig.

Where they had a massive cat that got very pally with me. LOL.

This place held a nice but brief male Bullfinch, Siskins, Lesser Redpolls and Linnets.

Siskin

Rock Dove or Feral Pigeon

The following morning we got the Oban Ferry at about 11:30am to Craignure. 

Sightings on the boat included new Black Guillemot and Razorbill plus a lone Kittiwake onto the year list. A mixed flock of Common and Arctic Tern was a good sighting.

We got off the ferry and headed to Grasspoint. Driving down the road to Grasspoint, Dad spotted a distant White-tailed Eagle on the top of a hill. On Lochdon, about 4 Whimbrel were still lingering to add to the year list, and plenty of Hooded Crows too. The afternoon was moving on, so we decided to move back towards the hotel. Driving through Glen More Mountain Range, one of the resident Golden Eagles put in a appearance - also new for the list. Going round Loch Scridain, at least 4 Great Northern Divers were about.

8 new species on this day, plus 2 on the drive up, so 10 newon's on the first couple of days.

The 2nd Day will be hopefully posted in a few days, possibly tomorrow.

Happy Birding!

I only wanted one, not 9!

I was with my Grandparents for a majority of the day, and in the morning, granddad took me to Christchurch Park. I was hoping to add Mandarin onto the year list, to make it 128. I had never seen a drake Mandarin before, and I wasn't expecting to see one. In total, we saw 6 Drakes with 3 Females. Incredible.

We have also never seen the resident female Tawny Owl, named "Mabel." We didn't even know where her tree was. We got directions, and found the tree, but she wasn't in, obviously skiving. LOL. Other birds about were Stock Dove, Siskin, Great-spotted Woodpecker and Jay.

I will update the Daily Sightings page after this post, sorry if you are frustrated about it not being updated. One of the highlights of the week so far was my first Tawny Owl of the year at Stowmarket Golf Club. It was on hole 17, where two birds were calling at 4pm, then one flew across the fairway. Not bad for a 127th specie for this year! Mum and I are going to Levington Creek this afternoon, and maybe a visit to Felixstowe to see if any Waxwing are around - 50 yesterday. 

Happy Birding!