Spring is here!

Yesterday, Dad and I went to Minsmere, in hope of some spring migrants. The day started off very well with our 2nd ever Blackcap singing and showing well in our garden.

We got to Minsmere, and the first birds were about 15 Sand Martins on the sand banks by the visitor center...

We then got a singing Willow Warbler outside North Hide which was a very early spring migrant for me. In North Hide, we got Avocet, Ruff and Common Snipe.

We saw a Stone-curlew in the usual place, but there was a heat haze and it wasn't moving, so not very exciting to watch. Out to sea, we got about 30 Red-throated Divers, which was a nice surprise, as we thought they would have gone by now. In East Hide, we got 3 Mediterranean Gull, Black-tailed Godwits, Oystercatchers, Ruff, Dunlin, Turnstone, Avocet, 3+ Caspian Gull, Pintail but no Spotted Redshank nor Grey Plover (as the were both reported)...

We then went up to South Levels, but didn't see the reported Short-eared Owl nor the Spoonbill. We carried on round the scrape, and didn't see Swallow nor House Martin (as the they were both reported too). We then got a very showy Cetti's Warbler outside South Hide.

We then went to Island Mere. But on the way, we got a few Adder in their usual place...

And a very showy Robin...

We got a cracking Jack Snipe by the hide, but not much else.

Dads

 Mine

In Bittern hide, we got a brief Bittern and Bearded Tit. Could have seen a lot more, but an enjoyable spring walk around the reserve.

Happy Birding!

I'm Back!

On Sunday afternoon I arrived back from my RSPB Phoenix Conservation Weekend at Minsmere. I was so tired, so I wasn't awake enough to update the blog in the afternoon. Today we have had the power down since 8am - 5pm, so I have only been able to update till now.

Friday Night
The conservation weekend was excellent. We arrived at Blaxhall Youth Hostel near Snape, and I went into my dormitory. A boy called Louie was in there, who had came from Hereforshire. We had a chat, then shortly after that, another boy turned up, and he was called Gethin. He was from Glamorgan in Wales. Then a boy called Miles and Sam turned up, both from Colchester in Essex. These were my "dormitory buddies." Gethin new a lot about birds, more than the others. He used to be a twitcher, and I think he was more nerdier than me!

We had dinner - Soup, Jacket Potato and Tuna, then Apple Crumble and Custard, yum yum - then had a quiz and a talk from Sarah Wood, a manager at Minsmere. Very good. We then done a moth trap over night. 12:30am, we went to bed.

Saturday
An 8am start was not difficult. We had breakfast - Full English - then looked at the moth trap. We caught a Red Green Carpet Moth, Angle Shades, Large Wainscot, Yellow-lined Quaker and several more. Then we left for Minsmere. We arrived at the discovery center, and were split into 2 groups. One was working in the woodland, and one was on the heath. I was in the wood in the morning, with Gethin, Sam and Stuart, and we were making a log circle for children. It turned out very well, considering we started off with a big pile of leaves and weeds. We had to make a path, then the log circle at the end. We then had lunch, and then went up onto the heath with warden Katie. We had to clear a dip full of weeds, big trees and big scrub bushes so that the scarce Antlion insect could recover from it's decline in the country, and so that Minsmere could be a strong hold once again for the Antlion. This was very fun, but hard working.

We then headed back tot he hostel for a meal, then back to Minsmere for a night walk to the beach. Very relaxing.

Sunday
Today, we were going to Minsmere to see the birds. We had breakfast, and left at 8:50am. We arrived at Minsmere, and we headed for Island Mere. Didn't see much here apart from Red Deer, and Marsh Harrier.

We then went to Bittern Hide, but before we entered the hide, we were treated to something very special. An elderly gentleman was cupping his hands and walking towards us. He had a Blue Tit in his hand!!! It had flown into the hide and had got a bit weary. He handed it over to Mark, our head of the weekend and trained ringer, and showed us the bird in detail. Pitty I didn't get better picks.

When we released it it nearly flew straight into my head. Delightful little thing anyhow. Not much in Bittern Hide, so we headed for the scrape. Not much in here either apart from about 10 Snipe and a possible Female Pintail. We then headed back to the hostel at 11:30am and had lunch, and then left for home.

It was a great weekend, and they think they will hold it at Leighton Moss RSPB in Lancashire, which is the venue of Autumnwatch this year, so there we go. I would have just liked more time looking at the birds.

Today at Lackford Lakes - LIFER

After the horrific storm we had this morning, Dad and I headed for Lackford Lakes. We looked on the sightings board to see that 2 Jack Snipe, 2 Common Snipe, 2 Goosanders and several Crossbill were around the reserve. We headed straight for Bernard's Hide, and a very kind gentlemen directed us to my first ever Jack Snipe!!!!!

We also got a flock of 5 Crossbill, and a Common Snipe too.

As the Jack Snipe wasn't feeding very much, just sitting there sleeping, we decided to move on. We went to the Double Decker Hide. We got the pair of redhead Goosander, and further Common Snipe.

We the back to Bernard's Hide, to see if the Jack Snipe was feeding. He was definitely a lot more active. He was definitely on his Pogo-stick, but not his motorbike, you know what I mean! He was bobbing up and down a lot, but not moving anywhere.

We then went home to finally reveal that the power was on.

Just thought I'd show you this image. It was our neighbours trampoline that had turned upside down in the storm.

It's Half Term now, so I will have golf tomorrow, Wednesday and Thursday, but hopefully I will be birding on Friday.

Happy Birding!

Jealousy!

Very jealous of Dad today. As  I was at school, Dad only went to Lackford Lakes and saw these 2 beauties....

Can you see it?

If you don't know what they are, they are Jack Snipes. Even me saying the bird's name makes my fists clench. I have never seen these birds before, and I they have been my target bird for ages. I'm just going to end this part of the post now, and move onto Landguard (well done Dad, not amused.)

Landguard

Dad and I went to Landguard on Saturday just gone. Our target bird was Ring Ouzel, but we were actually expecting a bird on the common, not flying over the road. Well, as we approached the Port of Felixstowe, on the A14, a Black bird with silver primaries and secondaries flew into the road side cover. Dad didn't see it because he was driving, but I had never seen a male blackbird have that much silver on it's wings in flight. It had to be a Ring Ouzel.

We arrived at Landguard, and spoke to one of the wardens. He had had 2 Leach's Petrels, 9 Ring Ouzel and a Bonxie earlier in the morning. This was now 12:30 pm. Most off the stuff had gone. He did say though that a Whinchat was at the southern most point. So we headed that way. Dad took to the sea - that's his aspect of birding - and I took to the migrant passerines - that's my aspect. I was on my own. I found myself 3 Wheatear....

Meadow Pipit for comparison.

I also find myself a flock of Linnet and Meadow Pipits, and then the Whinchat briefly. I only saw it once though, then it was gone. I then spoke to a gentlemen, and asked him if he had seen any Ring Ouzels. He said he had 3 in the bushes around the building about 30 mins ago. So, I went over there and had a look. Guess what I saw....................... NOTHING! I then headed back to the common, and came face to face with a Goldfinch perched nicely.

I then met back up with Dad on the beach. he didn't have anything, apart from a flock of Ducks sitting offshore. They were Common Scoters. He shew them to me, then a Red-throated Diver flew straight across my vision. It was distant, but I managed to show Dad. We then went back to the common, and I found a peculiar thrush on the ground. I went to investigate. It was a Redwing. I whistled Dad over, and we snapped away....

We then went back to the car park, and headed home.

My Sightings Today

• 70+ Redwing around Stowupland in separate flocks, including one briefly in garden!!!!!
• 10+ Long-tailed Tit's in Garden this afternoon.

Happy Birding!