Sunday 26 September 2010

Hampstead Cemetery & UCL Sports Ground, London, UK, 26-Sep-2010

11:45 - 13:00
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Comments: A patch visit after drawing inspiration from The Urban Birder to continue visiting even though I hadn't seen a great deal on previous visits.
Weather: cold, overcast but bright, N wind; spots of rain turning to drizzle.
14 species

Herring Gull X - over.
Common Wood-Pigeon X
Eurasian Jay X - heard.
Common Magpie X
Carrion Crow X
Common House-Martin 10 approximately, heading roughly NE.
Coal Tit 1
Great Tit X
Blue Tit X
Goldcrest X
Common Chiffchaff 1 calling juvenile.
European Robin X
Mistle Thrush X
European Starling X - over.

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Sunday 19 September 2010

Wanstead Flats Park, London, UK, 19-Sep-2010

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Protocol: Stationary
Comments: A stop-off on the way back from Rainham to twitch an autumn scarcity.
Weather: overcast & breezy.
1 species

Eurasian Wryneck 1 seen after easily finding the area it was frequenting. I joined a few other birders & waited patiently, optics fixed on a clump of burnt brambles & brush. After about 20 minutes it popped out & hopped around the anthills on the ground before flying into cover again. Strange little bird but great to see though an odd location because it was close to the road & in a busy London park.

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

Rainham Marshes RSPB Reserve, Essex, UK, 19-Sep-2010

10:45 AM - 2:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
Comments: Arriving at the reserve I saw an advertised walk with The Urban Birder about to start, so as an admirer of his work I hung about & joined the walk. I was able to chat to him a bit & he was a very nice guy as well as being knowledgeable & very passionate about patch birding in an urban setting.
Weather: bright but overcast, breezy (NW).
39 species

Greylag Goose X
Canada Goose X
Mute Swan X
Gadwall X
Mallard X
Northern Shoveler X
Northern Pintail X
Common Pochard X
Little Grebe X
Great Cormorant X
Grey Heron X
Little Egret X
Eurasian Hobby X
Common Moorhen X
Eurasian Coot X
Northern Lapwing X
Red Knot 2 up-river.
Black-headed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Lesser Black-backed Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Stock Dove X
Common Wood-Pigeon X
Eurasian Collared-Dove X
Great Spotted Woodpecker X
Common Magpie X
Carrion Crow X
Barn Swallow X
Common House-Martin X - over.
Great Tit X
Blue Tit X
Cetti's Warbler X
Common Chiffchaff X
Blackcap X - heard.
European Starling X
Western Yellow Wagtail 1 over.
European Greenfinch X
European Goldfinch X
House Sparrow X

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

Tuesday 7 September 2010

Sheraton Full Moon Resort & Spa, Maldives, 7-Sep-2010

Protocol: Incidental
Comments: Honeymoon stay at the tropical paradise of the Sheraton Resort near to Male. Not many birds about but a few seen on the atoll & during boat trips out snorkelling & dolphin-watching. The atoll also had resident fruit-bats.
Weather: very hot, mostly sunny, some heavy rain showers.
6 species

White-breasted Waterhen X - its weird call was heard first before seeing them wandering around the resort.
Brown Noddy X - seen during our boat-based excursions.
Fairy Tern X - seen most days flying at sea off the resort lagoon.
Black-naped Tern X - flying off the resort lagoon.
Asian Koel X - for a good few days I only heard its weird, persistent call before finally seeing one in flight. At first it seemed impossible to find one but soon I found a male singing from a tree near to our chalet, then I saw a spotted female near to the fruit-bat tree.
House Crow X

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

Monday 6 September 2010

Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Singapore, 6-Sep-2010

11:50 AM - 1:45 PM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
Comments: Honeymoon visit to a vestige of rainforest that once covered the whole of Singapore. Kim stayed at the bottom of the hill as I sweated my way up to the summit.
Weather: very hot & very humid.
5 species

White-bellied Sea-Eagle 1 perched atop the antenna positioned on the top of the hill. It stayed there for ages & allowed decent if distant views. Unfortunately it didn't take flight for me to appreciate it's no doubt impressive size.
Black-nest Swiftlet X
Black-naped Oriole 3 flew past as we waited for the bus up to the reserve.
Short-tailed Babbler 1 showed from the bottom of a low bush before skulking on the ground.
Eastern Crimson Sunbird 1 popped out from the dense canopy as I walked the path.

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

Sunday 5 September 2010

Singapore Zoological Garden, Singapore, 5-Sep-2010

1:00 PM
Protocol: Incidental
Comments: Honeymoon visit to the city's zoo, after a look around Chinatown.
Weather: rain at first, hot & humid after.
6 species

Black-nest Swiftlet X
Stork-billed Kingfisher 2 fishing on the ponds in a couple of the enclosures as dusk descended.
House Crow X
Olive-winged Bulbul 1 later identified from a photo I took at the zoo.
Javan Myna X
Common Myna X

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

Friday 3 September 2010

Tian Tan Buddha, Lantau Island, Hong Kong, 3-Sep-2010

12:30 PM
Protocol: Incidental
Comments: Honeymoon visit to the Big Buddha. 1230 to 1600.
Weather: humid, frequent heavy showers.
5 species

Great Egret X
Little Egret X
Spotted Dove X
Crested Myna X
Tree Sparrow X

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

Thursday 2 September 2010

Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2-Sep-2011

11:00 AM
Protocol: Incidental
Comments: Honeymoon trip around the city including a trip to Stanley on the tourist bus. Kowloon - Hong Kong Island - Stanley. 1100 to 1830.
Weather: hot & humid, a few showers.
10 species

Black Kite X - at Stanley.
Spotted Dove X
Black Drongo 1 sitting on wires around Imperial Park.
Barn Swallow X - at Stanley.
Red-whiskered Bulbul X
Light-vented Bulbul X
Oriental Magpie-Robin X
Crested Myna X
Common Myna X - at Stanley.
Tree Sparrow X

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)