Tuesday 30/4

The first day of 2013 when going out was warm sunny and bright. A trip to the patch at Dungeness gave me 165 and 6 being a Sandwich and Common  Tern. At least 4 harbour Porpoises .Then on to the Reserve to check the notice board which stated Garganey and Cuckoo at Dengemarsh so went round there and did not find either of the two but Marsh Frogs calling and Greylag Goslings in the fields. A total of 40 birds today.

Monday 29-04

On one of my usual visits to Maidstone Hospital gave me the opportunity to visit the old patch for a short while. As I entered via Brook House I was hit with the singing of many Nightingales and one even perched just above my head within 5 feet and sung his  heart out ( of course no camera). Within minutes located a Blackcap but did not find Willow Warbler or heard/saw a Cuckoo. 5+ Slow worms in the usual area and noticed that rangers have put out clumps of logs presumable for invertibrates. A lovely sunny day and great to listen to so many Nightingales.   

SATURDAY 27/04 Has Spring Sprung ?

After 2 weeks in Scotland it was nice to be back in the Garden Of England. Two trips to the reserve at Dungeness today one mid morning and one mid afternoon the weather was bright and sunny but still cold in the wind.   33 species seen today making the annual total 131.
Spotted Redshank seen at end of ARC  and from hides Swallow/House Martin /Sand Martin then Sedge Warbler  adjacent toWillow trail.
The afternoon trip added yellow wagtail and Lesser Whitethroat finally as I was leaving the reserve. But to finish the day as driving home stopped to see a flight of Swifts (132)

Monday 22.04

Got up at 5pm for a Capercaille watch at RSPB Loch Garten arrived to find 20 cars already there ( so not only me is stupid) 2 Capers were visible on CCTV eventually one came into our view but due to height of heather only saw head and tail as he walked along in the heather. 2nd Caper never came within Scope or Bino vision. A Roe dear was present as well. Returned to Hotel for breakfast at 8am. Later in a trip to Farr via Findhorn Valley a glorious Black Grouse was seen. Day finished early so only other birds seen were Blackbird/Jackdaw/Carrion Crow/Rook/Raven/Mipit/Wheatear/Swallow/Buzzard on road kill?Black headed Gull/Pheasant/mallard and Chaffinch.Saw no Slav grebes at Ruthven RSPB but had 15 young Toads and later a Red Squirrel. 

Sunday 21/04

A new day and a new part of Scotland .First visit was the Osprey RSPB viewpoint to get Osprey and Crested Tit later we located Red Legged Partridge and Dipper complete list was Mallard/Lapwing/Crow/Jackdaw/Tufted Duck/Black Headed Gull/Great tit/Great Spotted Woodpecker/Siskin/Blue Tit/Chaffinch/Sparrow/Starling/Lapwing/Pheasant /Wood Pidgeon/Oyster catcher/Curlew/Grey Heron/Wheatear/Pied Wagtail/Mistle thrush and finally a Buzzard. Total Bird Count now 83.

 

 

Saturday 20/04

Last day on Mull catching the 10.30 ferry and then on to Grantown on Spey a 111 miles journey. Left the house early so gave us a chance to finish off with Eagles arrived at Killicrankin to see a Golden Eagle followed by Chaffinch , Great Tit then a White Tailed Eagle a great leaving viewing rest of birds were Curlew/Oystercatcher/Mipit/Swallow/Common Gull/Herring Gull/Crow/Blackbird/Jackdaw/Grey Lag Goose/Starling/Rook/Blackheaded Gull/Mallard and Lapwing. 

Friday 19/04

Wall to wall sunshine and a temperature to mach with no wind. Today decided to do the Sea Eagle feeding boat trip.Left Ulva at 10 and travelled up the lock to the Sea Eagle Nest site round the corner from our Holiday Home. The boat stopped and we all watched for the Eagle ,Within Minutes it could be seen flying towards us looking bigger and bigger as it came. It flew round the boat and then a small fish was thrown out the stern, the eagle swooped down and picked the fish off the water no more than 25 yards from boat, Eagle then flew back to his partner with the prize. The Eagle did this a total of 4 times before we set off out of the area. A truly amazing sight the size and strength was awesome.
The boat then cruised up the loch hoping for Dolphins and any other birds,
New birds for the total were House Martin/Razorbill/Guillimot and Common Scoter.
list for today was Collared Dove/Redwing/Chaffinch/Great Tit/Ble Tit/Siskin/Common Gull/Crow/Raven/Oystercatcher/C urlew/Shag/Skylark/Blackbird/White Tailed Sea Eagle/Golden Eagle/Great Northern Diver/Black Guillimot/Eider/Swallow/Buzzard/Herring Gull/Coal Tit/Wheatear/Jay/Common Sandpiper/Mipit/Grey Heron/Mallard/Shelduck and Pied Wagtail.
The puzzle of the day was when at sea a Diver was spotted and viewed at reasonable close range by all and the concensus was White Billed Diver. Much as I would like to believe this I expect it was a Great Northern Diver with a very light or white bill.
This makes a a total of 77 Birds in 6 days .