Titchwell Marsh RSPB Nature Reserve, Norfolk, UK, 30-May-2011

12:15 PM - 1:45 PM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
Comments: Out with Kim & Ben for the usual stroll around Titchwell.
Weather: cloudy, drizzle, increasingly heavy rain, which eventually brought our day to a premature conclusion!
40 species

Greylag Goose X
Canada Goose X
Mute Swan X
Common Shelduck X
Gadwall X
Mallard X
Northern Pintail 4
Common Pochard X

Great Bittern 1 at 12:45pm as we walked the path, it flew low out over the Freshwater marsh near to the island hide & back into the reedbeds. Before we started out Ben had stated that he always saw bitterns & he is evidently very lucky as he has seen a couple at Titchwell now!

Grey Heron 4 flying over wildfowl marshes.
Little Egret X
Common Moorhen X
Eurasian Coot X
Eurasian Oystercatcher X
Pied Avocet X
Wood Sandpiper 1 near to the island hide.
Common Redshank X
Red Knot X
Black-headed Gull X
Herring Gull 50 +
Common Wood-Pigeon X
Common Swift X
Common Magpie X
Eurasian Jackdaw X
Carrion Crow X
Barn Swallow X
Common House-Martin X
Great Tit X
Long-tailed Tit X
Eurasian Wren X - heard.
Cetti's Warbler X - heard.
Sedge Warbler X
Eurasian Reed-Warbler X
Blackcap X - heard.
European Robin X
European Starling X
Pied Wagtail X
Meadow Pipit X
Common Chaffinch X
Common Linnet 2

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

Weeting Heath NNR, Norfolk, UK, 29-May-2011

9:40 AM - 11:15 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Comments: Continuing my early morning out in Breckland with a visit to a location near to Lakenheath.
Weather: cloudy but bright, windy (SW).
25 species

Stone-curlew 5 in total; at 10:15am one chased gulls & rooks then it flew to the fence (to the right from the hide); at 10:25am three chased each other left from the fence. Later, on the other side of the road, I spotted an adult with a juvenile, which it was feeding, in distant a part of the heath, after I had been looking at a roe deer out in the open.

Northern Lapwing X - on the bare heathland.
Lesser Black-backed Gull X - on the bare heathland.
Common Wood-Pigeon X
Common Swift X
Green Woodpecker 1 distantly across the heath, on the other side of the road.
Eurasian Jackdaw X
Rook X - on the bare heathland.
Skylark X - heard.

Marsh Tit 4 apparently - 1 adult, 3 juveniles. They were in low shrubs at the side of the path to the East hide allowing some nice views before they moved off.

Coal Tit 6 + in a family group.
Great Tit X
Blue Tit X
Eurasian Wren X
Willow Warbler 1 heard distantly from the other side of the road.
Common Chiffchaff X
Blackcap X - heard.
European Robin X
Eurasian Blackbird X - heard.
Mistle Thrush X - heard.
European Starling X
Dunnock X
Pied Wagtail 1
Common Chaffinch X
European Goldfinch X

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

Lakenheath Fen RSPB Reserve, Norfolk, UK, 29-May-2011

5:00 AM - 9:20 AM
Protocol: Traveling
4.0 mile(s)
Comments: Out as close to the dawn chorus as I could muster, hoping for as many of the wonderful species that reside at Lakenheath as possible, & I was not disappointed.
Weather: Overcast, blustery (SW).
50 species

Canada Goose X
Mute Swan X
Gadwall 1
Eurasian Wigeon 1 male on the reservoir.
Garganey 2 , a pair out of the water on the mud on the side of the reservoir. They settled down with heads tucked in but not before I got nice views & was able to point them out to a tour-lead group.
Tufted Duck 3 over.
Common Pheasant X
Little Grebe X
Great Crested Grebe X
Great Cormorant X

Great Bittern 3 flying around over the New Fen marshes. They were out in the open for a remarkably long time & went quite high up the air in some sort of display or dispute flight at times it resembled a dog-fight. Strange behaviour to observe in a normally secretive species but not completely unheard of apparently. A nearby chatty RSPB guide commented that he had seen it happen a few times, presumably as they establish territories & compete for mates. It was just after observing the bitterns that the golden oriole popped out on its branch causing quite a bit of excitement.

Grey Heron X
Eurasian Marsh-Harrier 1
Common Kestrel X
Common Moorhen X
Eurasian Coot X
Black-headed Gull X
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1 over.
Common Tern 1 only, on the reservoir.
Stock Dove 1 over.
Common Wood-Pigeon X
Common Cuckoo 2 heard at first from the car-park. Later a couple were flying around near the poplar copses & one obligingly perched at the top of a tree by the side of the path allowing excellent views & some good photos as I waited, with others, for a golden oriole.
Barn Owl 1 hunting over the marshes.
Common Swift 8 approx.
Great Spotted Woodpecker X
Green Woodpecker X

Eurasian Golden Oriole 1 finally seen after the usual frustrating search amongst the dense poplars. At 5:30-5:45am I heard that sounded very close, but I didn't see it. At 8:15pm as I begun to make my way out I hung around with a large-ish group loitering on the path at the Trial Wood plantation trying to find one. All of a sudden there was a flurry of excitement as a wonderful bright male had come out into the open. A few, including me, ran to the spot where it could be seen & I got a great view for about 30 seconds as it briefly preened, & I even got a couple of record shots. It then flew back to the poplar canopy. Easily my best view of this bird, & always well worth the effort & patience required to find one.

Eurasian Jay X
Common Magpie X
Eurasian Jackdaw X
Rook X
Carrion Crow X
Bearded Tit 1 male, perched close by on some phragmites allowing a good look at its neat bright plumage.
Sand Martin X
Common House-Martin X
Great Tit X - heard.
Eurasian Wren X - heard.
Common Chiffchaff X - heard.
Sedge Warbler X
Eurasian Reed-Warbler X
Blackcap X - heard.
Garden Warbler 1 heard - a nearby RSPB guide picked out the song from the more prevalent blackcap singing nearby.
Common Whitethroat X - heard.
Eurasian Blackbird X
Song Thrush X - heard.
Mistle Thrush 1 over, carrying food.
Pied Wagtail 2 , adult & juvenile.
Reed Bunting 1 singing male.
Common Chaffinch X
European Goldfinch X

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

Cley Marshes, Norfolk, UK, 28-May-2011

4:20 PM - 5:15 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.5 mile(s)
Comments: A quick visit, whilst Kim & mum waited in the visitors centre, on returning from a coast drive.
Weather: overcast, windy (W), rain showers.
38 species

Greylag Goose X
Mute Swan X
Common Shelduck X
Gadwall X
Mallard X
Northern Shoveler X
Common Pheasant X
Little Egret X
Common Moorhen X
Eurasian Coot X
Northern Lapwing X
Common Ringed Plover 6 +
Little Ringed Plover 3 approx.
Eurasian Oystercatcher X - over then 2 in field.
Pied Avocet X
Common Greenshank 1
Common Redshank X
Black-tailed Godwit X
Dunlin 6 +
Black-headed Gull X
Little Gull 3 juveniles & well worth the stop-off to view them, wading in the scrape & occasionally flying around as they fed.
Common Wood-Pigeon X
Common Swift X
Common Magpie X
Eurasian Jackdaw X
Carrion Crow X
Skylark X
Sand Martin X
Barn Swallow X
Common House-Martin X
Blue Tit X - one flew down to reeds where two sedge warblers briefly fought.
Sedge Warbler X
Eurasian Reed-Warbler X
European Starling X
Dunnock X
Pied Wagtail X
Reed Bunting X - heard.
European Goldfinch X

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

Sheringham Beach Front, Norfolk, UK, 28-May-2011

3:15 PM
Protocol: Incidental
Comments: Out for a drive up the coast with Kim, & a favourite stop-off point.
7 species

Northern Fulmar 2 along the coast at sea.
Great Cormorant X
Black-headed Gull X
Little Tern 1
Sandwich Tern 12 approx.
Common Swift X
Eurasian Jackdaw X

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

Wilstone Reservoir, Hertfordshire, UK, 21-May-2011

7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.5 mile(s)
Comments: An evening return to the reservoir in the hope of seeing a good gathering of hobbys. I was disappointed with the raptors but saw an impressive gathering of swifts.
Weather: bright & sunny, breeze (W).
30 species

Greylag Goose X
Canada Goose X
Mute Swan X
Gadwall X
Eurasian Wigeon 1 male - a complete surprise (escapee?)!
Mallard X
Common Pochard X
Tufted Duck X
Great Crested Grebe X
Great Cormorant X
Grey Heron X
Eurasian Hobby 1 amongst the swifts but not the congregation I was hoping for.
Eurasian Coot X
Lesser Black-backed Gull X
Common Tern X
Common Swift 100 + swirling above the reservoir.
Common Kingfisher 1
Common Magpie X
Eurasian Jackdaw X
Carrion Crow X
Great Tit X
Eurasian Wren X
Common Chiffchaff X - heard.
Eurasian Reed-Warbler X - heard.
Blackcap X - heard.
Eurasian Blackbird X
Dunnock X - heard.
Reed Bunting X
Common Chaffinch X
European Goldfinch X - heard.

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

Hampstead Cemetery & UCL Sports Ground, Enfield, UK, 21-May-2011

3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.5 mile(s)
Comments: After the success of autumn migration I wanted to give the patch a go during 'Magic May'.
Weather: bright, sunny, some clouds, breeze (SW).
21 species (+1 other taxa)

Feral Pigeon 50 ugh.
Stock Dove 3 on the sports fields, two on their own, one with wood-pigeons. A nice confirmation of an earlier site-tick from a brief sighting.
Common Wood-Pigeon X
Eurasian Collared-Dove 1 over. Another site-tick! One I had been hoping to see, it took a surprisingly long time to finally record it.
Common Swift X
Common Magpie X
Carrion Crow X
Coal Tit X - heard.
Great Tit 2 including one juvenile.
Blue Tit X
Long-tailed Tit X - heard.
Eurasian Wren X
Goldcrest X - heard.
Blackcap 2 , a pair.
European Robin X
Eurasian Blackbird X
Song Thrush X
European Starling X - over.
Dunnock X
Common Chaffinch X
European Greenfinch X
House Sparrow 1 female in central brambles.

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

Wilstone Reservoir, Hertfordshire, UK, 8-May-2011

9:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
Comments: Out to try to get 'Magic May' off to a start. I headed to Wilstone hoping to see hobbys & whether anything else had turned up.
Weather: bright, sunny, some clouds, breezey (W); rain early in the morning.
49 species

Greylag Goose X
Canada Goose X
Mute Swan X
Gadwall X
Mallard X
Common Pochard X
Tufted Duck X
Common Pheasant X
Great Crested Grebe X
Great Cormorant X
Grey Heron X
Red Kite 1 drifted over.
Common Buzzard 1 being mobbed by crows over distant Starstops reservoir.
Eurasian Hobby 3 hawking over the reedbeds.
Common Moorhen X
Eurasian Coot X
Common Tern X
Stock Dove 2
Common Wood-Pigeon X
Common Cuckoo 1 heard from the carpark.
Common Swift 2 at first then a good movement of 20+ later in the day.
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 heard.
Green Woodpecker 1 heard yaffling.
Common Magpie X
Eurasian Jackdaw X
Carrion Crow X
Skylark X - heard from agricultural fields.
Barn Swallow 2
Common House-Martin 1
Great Tit X
Blue Tit X
Long-tailed Tit X
Eurasian Wren X
Common Chiffchaff X - heard from the carpark.
Eurasian Reed-Warbler X - heard in the reeds around cemetery corner.
Blackcap X - heard from the carpark.
Common Whitethroat 1 singing overhead then into hedgerow.
Spotted Flycatcher 1 within trees at cemetery corner. Again I was tipped off it would be around, I heard its high-pitched, almost mammal-like, call before eventually connecting for a decent view. I soon moved on not wishing to disturb a potential nester.
European Robin X
Whinchat 1 seen on far hedgerow from reservoir. I left the reservoir's hide for a walk up the hill to the canal & was informed by another couple of birders that the whinchat was on a hedgerow in a field along the canal, in the opposite direction to which I normally walk. I took the path & soon connected with it & had a very nice view of it. It was not disturbed by the heavy machinery nearby which was working on the canal. A life-tick.
Eurasian Blackbird X
Song Thrush 2 , first heard, then seen around cemetery corner.
Western Yellow Wagtail 1 also on a fencepost near to the blue-headed.
Western Yellow Wagtail (Blue-headed) 1 on the same line of hedgerow as the whinchat but much more distant from the canal. However it was still fairly easy to pick up with its distinctive plumage & blue head - a first for me. It kept coming back to a fencepost within the thinned out hedge, right where the other birders said it would be (like the whinchat was too), but it seemed to take one last, longer flight which took it much further away.
Pied Wagtail X
Yellowhammer X - heard.
Common Chaffinch X
European Goldfinch X
House Sparrow 2 , a pair collecting nesting material.

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

Sheraton Krabi Beach Resort, Krabi, Thailand, 1-May-2011

6:50 AM - 8:50 AM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
Comments: Up & out early to have a proper look around the resort for birds rather than incidentally spotting them from the poolside.
Weather: overcast, hot & humid.
22 species (+1 other taxa)

Javan Pond-Heron X
White-breasted Waterhen 2
Common Sandpiper 2 again along the beach.
Spotted Dove 2
Peaceful Dove X

Black-bellied Malkoha 1 creeping up a tree just outside the room. Distinctive-looking with long tail, red-eye, pale head, bluish uppers, darker white-tipped tail.

Greater Coucal 2

swiftlet sp. X - several small, fast-flying individuals, one I picked out had a pale underbelly, but none allowed me to pin a definite identification.

Collared Kingfisher 4 on the side of a small off-shore island (Nak Amanda). Cobalt blue uppers including its head; white under with white neck ring. A life-tick.

Pied Kingfisher 1 in the mangroves on the resort, later in the day.
Indian Roller 1 atop a palm tree at the end of the resort. It was very nervous & soon flew off. I saw it, or another later from the beach.
Brown-capped Woodpecker (Sunda) 1 over, 'zee-zee' call & undulating flight.
Large-billed Crow X

Pacific Swallow X
Striated Swallow 1 amongst the swiftlets seen early on. It was distinctively larger & slower, with no red neck nape (unlike red-rumped).

Olive-winged Bulbul 1 with no obvious whiskers, churring call.
Common Tailorbird X
Oriental Magpie-Robin 2
Common Myna X
Olive-backed Sunbird X - frequent among the palms.

Oriental Pipit 1 on the garden between our room & the pool, seen later in the day after my initial walk. Long & lanky, walks on pale flesh/yellow legs - mini roadrunner - rufous upper, prominent supercilum, streaked head, lightly streaked chest, clean flanks & belly. A life-tick.

Tree Sparrow X
Nutmeg Mannikin 7 , initially 2 on a low shrub next to a path, then 5 later. Brown upper, streaked grey under, black face, with a bluish patch.

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