Isle of Islay - Birding Day 1

At the start of the month, Mum, Dad and I all visited the Isle of Islay for a weeks birding holiday. As you may know, we usually go to the Isle of Mull, but we fancied a different vacation.

On the way up to Tarbert, I managed to get 4 year ticks, them being Gannet, Black Guillemot, Hooded Crow and Eider.

The first day on Islay was in the afternoon, where it was chucking it down. No birding on this day even if it was sunny though because we had to get some food, and get toured around our cottage, which was absolutely fantastic! I did get however get Stonechat and Raven onto the year list, making my 2014 total 196. We did also get about 20 Golden Plover in a field, which was a nice surprise.

Technically, Day 3 on Islay was actually Day 1, where our birding holiday now started!

We thought we would head up to the RSPB Loch Gruinart reserve, to get some advice about where to head for a week of birding. We were advised to go up to Ardnave Point, just off the RSPB reserve, and walk round the point, so that's what we did!

We parked the car, and immediately I heard the nazal call of the Chough, as one passed over our heads. We got further up, and there were about 20 Chough feeding on the grassy banks. An incredible LIFER for me!

Soon after Dad spotted a ringtail Hen Harrier flying low over the grassy fields smothered in breeds of Cow and Sheep...

Past the fields and onto the muddy tracks, I heard a twittering I wasn't familiar with in East Anglia, but was on Mull. These were a flock of Twite. Cracking fella's!

There were plenty of Skylarks up on the fields too, as well as a Silver Y moth too...

We then made it up to the point, and looked out across Nave Island, a small Island about 500 yards offshore. The Oystercatchers weren't happy by our presence...

Looking out to Nave Island, I saw 3 bulky brown birds flying over the hills, with white flashes on the wing tips. They had to be Great Skua's!

Plenty of Gannets moving offshore too, mainly going west...

On the way back, a Raven was kicking about, harassing the local Choughs...

On the way back to the cottage we called into Saligo Bay, on the west coast of Islay. Plenty of Gannets were moving offshore, as well as Manx Shearwaters which was really nice to see.

At the end of Day 1 (Day 3), my year list was on 200!

Happy Birding!!!

Painted Lady!!!

I visited my grandparents yesterday, and I wanted to get a look at their Buddlea plant. Last year, they had a Painted Lady on it, and I wanted to see if they had one this year. One quick glance and I could see a Painted Lady on it. Incredible...

Happy Birding!

A Wader Fest to Remember!

On Sunday, Dad and I visited Minsmere to catch up on some of the brilliant waders present on the scrape. We arrived at about 11:00, and headed to North Hide. We got 3 Greenshank, 3 Green Sandpiper and 2 Common Sandpiper from the hide on North Scrape. Nearly every wader we saw was really distant so that's the excuse of the poor picture quality.

I then thought I would scan East Scrape with my scope, and I picked out the COLLARED PRATINCOLE which was huddled against some tall weeds, so it wasn't visible from East Hide currently. We got some terrible record shots, but, its proof for when I get older and say "I never saw that!"

We then moved round to East Hide. On the way we got several Six-spotted Burnet moths and a range on Butterflies including Gatekeeper and Common Blue...

By the time East Hide, the COLLARED PRATINCOLE had slightly changed position, so it was now in view. Still very distant though!

The PRATINCOLE wasn't moving at all. However, there were several other  waders present on the scrape. A birder from in the hide said "I've never seen so many people ignore a Collared Pratincole!" Don't know your name mate, but loving the tone!

Other waders we got on the scrape were 2 Wood Sandpipers, Curlew Sandpiper, Little-ringed Plover, 12 Spotted Redshanks, 4 Greenshanks, 1 flyover Whimbrel, Snipe and loads of Dunlin, Lapwing, Redshanks and Ruff.

Curlew Sand and Dunlin

Green Sand

Little Ringed Plover

Snipe

Spotted Redshank

2 Spotted Redshanks, Lapwings and a Common Sand (top right of the pic)

Here is a terrible picture of one of the Wood Sands, taken on my phone from the back of my camera. It is truely shocking I grant you ;-)

There were about 53 Little Gulls present too...

And finally, plenty of Common Terns...

Well I'm now off for nearly 7 weeks now as its the...............................SUMMER HOLIDAYS!!! YIPEEEEEEEEEEEEE! 

I'm on the Isle of Islay for a week, and then at a wedding, and then staying in Norfolk for a birding weekend! Bring on the MEGA'S!!!!

HAPPY BIRDING FOLKS!

BIRD QUIZ - WEEK 19!!!!

Last weeks mystery butterfly was indeed a Grayling, which I saw at Minsmere a last year.

A big well done to David Walsh, Rob Stokes and Alan Reynolds. Got a feeling I have missed somebody, so if you did get it right, please let me know, and I will update the blog with your name. Sorry for the inconvenience if any!

Here's this weeks mystery bird...

If you know what it is, then you can leave your answers in the comments on the blog, or you can DM me  on Twitter to @MoysieBirder.

Good Luck folks!

One of my Most WANTED Birds Ticked off! Also BIRD QUIZ - WEEK 18!!!

Last Sunday, Dad and I visited Winterton Dunes in the pouring rain to try and get to see one of my favourite birds for the first time - a Red-backed Shrike.

Driving up, it was chucking it down. We didn't have any waterproofs, jumpers, nothing. Just shorts and T-shirts. We parked up in the car park, and it was still raining. We waited in the car for about 30 minutes for the rain to clear, and then we got out.

We didn't really know where the bird was, we just knew it was by the highest dune. We kept looking for a really high dune, but didn't really succeed. We did see a lifer butterfly in the dunes though, and that was a Dark Green Fritillary!

Eventually, we found a high dune with really good habitat, so we gave it a scan. There were no other birders, so it was just us and our eyes....

Dad shouted out "there it is!" and within seconds I was looking out my first ever Red-backed Shrike. We started to get a bit closer, to try and get some decent pics, but it flew into cover. After another 5 minutes, it still hadn't reappeared,so we walked round the clump of brambles. We returned to the front side, and it was so close to us. What a bird...

Sorry about the quality - it was sooo windy!

It then disappeared again, so we moved on. We thought we would go and have a look at how the Little Tern's were doing, from a sensible distance of course. We got fantastic views of these delightful birds, where they flew feet above our heads. A great spectacle...

BIRD QUIZ - WEEK 18!!!

Last weeks mystery bird was indeed a Golden Eagle, which is the only one in England, which I saw at Haweswater Lake, Lake District several years ago.

Well done to Rob Stokes and Ellis Lucas for getting the correct answer. Unlucky to those who got it wrong but many thanks for having a go.

This week is a bit different. I'm going to test your butterfly skills. Here it is...

If you want to have a go, you can leave your answers in the comments, or you can DM me at Twitter to @MoysieBirder. 

Good Luck!

I've got the real deal now!

I forgot to post about this trip....

On the 22nd June, we all went to Carlton Colville to catch up with the male Rose-coloured Starling. We got great views of it in the gardens and on the roofs of the houses of Pinewood Avenue and Breydon Way. It was a great bird, a lot better than the dull juvenile at Caister I saw last year...

We then went to Minsmere, to do a bit of Dragonfly and Butterfly spotting. It was a successful visit, as I saw my first ever Broad-bodied Chaser, a range of Damselflies, Southern Marsh Orchid, Four-spotted Chaser and a Southern Hawker...

Happy Birding!