Isle of Mull - Day 3 and Nightjars

I shall start with some food. I have been very busy the last couple of days, so no time to blog. By the way, Happy Fathers Day to all you Dad's out there! I was busy cooking all day yesterday, making a cracking Cheesecake for today and a Pizza for last nights supper.

Day 3 of Mull - Target Bird - Corncrake

We were heading to Iona today to hopefully connect with the Corncrakes. On the ferry, we saw Common and Arctic Tern, Gannet, Kittiwake, Shag, Razorbill and Guillemot. Someone reported a Mink but we didn't see it. We got over to Iona, and went to the fields at the back of the Fire Station. Straight away, a calling male was wandering below a gate.

He then came out into the open.

We got a couple of Sedge Warblers plus another Corncrake, and the Gannets were fishing out in the bay. We walked back round towards the ferry when we picked up a fourth Corncrake! Not showing very well, but you could see it's head.

We then moved on to Fidden, and we picked up about 25+ Whimbrel.

We then went to Uisken, and on the beach held Rock Pipit, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Turnstone and a couple of summer plumaged Sanderling.

Very Poor Light! Sanderling on far right.

We got a nice Yellowhammer, Mountain Hare, White-tailed Eagle, 4 Great Northern Diver, and Raven on the way back to the hotel.

Raven

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On Friday Night, Dad and I went on the guided Nightjar walk at Minsmere. They took us onto the Bridleway to the heath, not Westleton Heath like last year. We could hear a Nightjar churring as soon as we got to the heath. In about 10 mins, 2 males were flying about through the woods. And then, at about 9:35pm, 3 Nightjars were flying feet above our heads. I was using the White handkerchief trick to attract them, and it actually worked. Best views of Nightjar ever. Unfortunately, I left it too late for the camera. :(

Fantastic well done to Jonny Rankin for finding the Pacific Swift at Trimley. An amazing find. Pity we can't go and see it! 

Happy Birding!

Felixstowe and Levington Creek

Yesterday afternoon Mum and fitted in a few hours of birdwatching. We headed to Felixstowe to see the Waxwings that had been roaming there. We timed it just right because as we went down Glenfield Avenue, we saw a flock of 50+ Waxwing in a tree down Springfield Avenue. I say we timed it just right because after about 3 minutes of photos, they all departed away heading to Grove Wood.

Stunning Birds

We then headed to Levington Creek, which Mum and I had never been before, so it was a new experience. We parked at Levington Marina, and followed the footpath onto the Creek. I was astounded by the number of Reed Buntings were about. I reckon there was at least 15 birds present.

A nice pair

We then met a bloke who directed us to a Mediterranean Gull on the shore, nearly in summer plumage, but too far for a photo. We then followed the path along the bank towards the lagoon, and we saw 2 Little Egret, more Reed Buntings a Meadow Pipit, a very twitchy Rock Pipit, and a possible Water Pipit

Rock Pipit, Cheers Jim

We then reached the lagoon, and we were maybe hoping for the resident Spotted Redshank to be on the lagoon. The only things of note were a flushed Snipe and another Little Egret. We had lunch, and moved on to the gorse bushes. I spotted a fairly big long-legged wader flying right over us. It looked like a Spotted Redshank but I wasn't saying anything until it called. Our luck was in as it proved to be the Spotted Redshank as it called and landed on the lagoon. We snuck up on it, but it saw us and moved on out of site. It was a brilliant bird. We then moved back along the bank and we flushed the bird again a bit further down the lagoon. Typical! It then flew back out onto the mudflats. Other waders and ducks of note were Dunlin...

Curlew...

Wigeon...

Teal and Redshank..

Plus Grey Plover and Shelduck...

Shelduck

A great day with 4 new species taking the year total to 132. A brief visit to the patch on Wednesday afternoon didn't produce anything apart from a pair of Great-crested Grebes on both Needham and Bosmere. The Grebes were the only water birds at Bosmere apart from 3 Mallards. Disappointing :(

Happy Birding!