17th May - RSPB Minsmere, Suffolk

It was back to RSPB Minsmere today, arriving the same time, but today the conditions were a lot warmer, the wind was more from the south west and much lighter and as a result as we walked to the Island Mere Hide there was plenty of bird song in the woods, including this male Blackcap.

We had decided to miss out the Bittern Hide this morning, the word was that the best views were being seen from the Island Mere, although a little later in the day we were told of a Bittern that fished in th epool in front of the Bittern Hide for about forty five minutes.  Such is life.

It wasn't too busy in the hide and the beauty of the hide is that it has wide, high windows, no leaning forward to look through a small opening, we both were suffering with our necks as a result.

There are great views across the tops of the reeds and of course there were Marsh Harriers, this one a male drifting past.

I had been hearing the calls of Bearded Tit from the moment we walked down the board walk, but they were staying low in the reeds until this male appeared on the edge of the reeds, low down, but showing well.

Some classic Bearded Tit poses in the reeds.

There were three others in the hide and as we looked out across the mere the call went out "Bittern" and one came from the left hand side of the hide, flying low in front of the hide across the cut reeds.  Wonderful, just what we had come for.

In the breeding season the males have a light blue patch around the eye and at the base of the bill.  This was a male bird.

The throat and belly plumage is what catches the eye, due to its ability to hide the Bittern in the reeds, but in flight you get to appreciate the stunning patterns on the wings and back, a truly beautiful bird.

The Camera just fired away as it passed and I couldn't make my mind up which one was the best so here are all of them.

Following a recent census the RSPB reckon that there are twelve breeding pairs around the reed bed, there was a nest to the left of the hide which is thought to now have chicks.

A little after the first Bittern flew past, another took off t=from the are in which we had briefly seen one on Friday.  It flew across the mere to the reeds on the far side.

We settled in once more to see if anymore would show and we did see two more distantly to the west of the hide.  But another surprise was a Common Crane that flew up from the area directly in front of us and behind the mere.

There were two birds and we could hear them calling, with that lovely wild bugling sound.  The pair have a nest and the thinking is that the chicks have hatched and are now being fed.  Another big success for Minsmere.  The adult birds would fly between the area in front of the hid to a spot distant to the west.

Quite a sight in flight with the wide wingspan and long legs extended beyond the wings.

A sedge Warbler was singing and bursting in the air with its display flight on the right hand side of the hide.

While on the left hand side this Reed Warbler seemed to prefer the small hawthorn bush to the reeds to sing in.

With the calmer conditions today the water of the mere was quite still and threw a nice reflection of the Cormorants resting on the wooden platform.

While a Common Tern fished out in the middle of the mere.

Then another surprise one of the Common Cranes took off from the nest area and flew towards us behind the hide.  I came out on to the boardwalk as it began circling to gain height.

Showing off the impressive wingspan and overall size of the bird.

Things quietened a little as we approached lunch time, so we walked back to the centre for a coffee and something to eat.  Sitting outside I couldn't resist the Sand Martins flying to and fro from their nest holes.

As I watched the Sand Martins I was reminded of the first time I came to Minsmere back in the late eighties when the Sand Martin Colony was the back drop for the car park.  That car park would never support the number of visitors the reserve gets today.

We decided to walk around the scrapes once one, coming up to the north wall a Reed Bunting sand from a single branch within the reeds.

There was always a chance of a heavy shower today, but fortunately we were lucky, this one passing to the south of us heading out to the north sea over Thorpeness.

We walked the board walk once again and then up and over into the dunes.  This Brent Goose was a surprise as it headed out to the sea from the scrape, a very late bird.

A Linnet in the gorse by the sluice.

We walked around to the South Hide, but before going in there is a small raised area where you can look over the scrape that can't be seen from the hide.  As I walked up to view all the Common Terns went up together

Kittiwakes nest on the platforms out at sea and come to the scrape to collect nest material.  Always an impressive bird when seen close up.

We went in to the South Hide, mainly to try and find a summer plumaged Grey Plover.  We found the plover but it was much to far away and the heat haze made a photograph, even a record shot a waste of time.

Another bonus though was a first summer Little Gull, however it is in quite a bit of moult with wing and tail feathers growing.

I couldn't leave Minsmere without a photograph of an Avocet and this one was feeding in the shallow water along with a nice reflection.

As we walked back to the car park through the woodland this little Wren sat up nicely on a fallen trunk.

Minsmere always delivers, but even more so at this time of year, the two days here provided some quality birds and and some great photo opportunities.  I mustn't leave it so long for the next visit.

7th April - Titchfield Haven, Hampshire

With no reports of the American Golden Plover at Warsash, Ian and I decided to head to the safety of Titchfield Haven following the morning at Browndown.  It was a clear bright day still, warm out of the moderate south easterly breeze, but if out in the open it was quite cool.

Surprisingly we were able to find a space along Cliff Road and then made our way around to the check in.  With the tide high and the breeze we decided to try the west side first.  The weather had brought out a lot of people to the beach and there wasn't any sign of the high tide roost, but below the bridge in the harbour a Great Crested Grebe was fishing and had once again caught a small flat fish.

After several shakes it was finally swallowed.

Not a lot of change from the Meon Shore hide, plenty of Black-headed Gulls, constant noise and colour.  A pair of Black-headed Gulls were standing in symmetry by the small island, that was now getting bigger, in front of the hide.

This Black-headed Gull was actually on the island.  It was a little different in that it had a white spot on the chin, have not seen that before, made it look a little distinctive.

With nothing out of the ordinary going on we decided to walk on.  Coming out of the hide there was a male Kestrel hunting over the reeds.

For those of you old enough to remember the YOC, the club set up by the RSPB to encourage young bird watchers this pose will be very familiar!

It was probably the male from the Knight's Bank hide and it frequently hunts around this reed bank and rough ground.

There had been a report of a Lesser Whitethroat singing near the hide, but when we arrived there wasn't any sign, but now as we walked by the cleared area on the track we heard the familiar rattle of the song.  It took a short search and we found the Lesser Whitethroat in a Willow tree where the leaves were just emerging.

I don't recall seeing Lesser Whitethroat before Common Whitethroat and this was my earliest ever sighting of Lesser Whitethroat.

After a quick (very quick) look in the West hide we stopped for a singing Blackcap around Darter's Dip.  Once again it was proving difficult to pin down.

We walked down to the Spurgin Hide, but it was dead, not even a Marsh Harrier showing.  It was time for the east side, leaving the west side a Linnet perched on a twig by the viewing platform.

PLenty of Brimstone along the boardwalk and at least one Comma.  The only butterfly to stop for me though was this Speckled Wood.

As we approached the Knight's Bank HIde a quick look through the fence revealed a Cattle Egret catching insects on the meadow.

Showing some signs of the orange-brown breeding plumages that appears on the crest and breast it was alone in that it wasn't following the cattle or ponies.  It seemed to be very successful as it was picking up a lot of bugs, maybe the flooding in February has improved the pasture.

The Kestrels hadn't appeared in the time I had, but on my walk back down the boardwalk I did manage to photograph my first Small White of the year.

So the end of a beautiful spring day, with the promise of it being even warmer tomorrow.