A Waxwing high in treetops, Finland, May 2015
Originally shared by Peter Jones A Waxwing high in treetops, Finland, May 2015 https://youtu.be/9-_EQDjs_Oo
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A Waxwing high in treetops, Finland, May 2015
A Waxwing high in treetops, Finland, May 2015 https://youtu.be/9-_EQDjs_Oo
Lapland, May 2015:
Lapland, May 2015: A surprisingly good week in Lapland. Always a spectacular place, but often the wildlife can be very elusive. This trip I done fairly well, finding some Northern specialities along the way. Travelled via Ryanair to Skelleftea, then picked up a hire car. As I was planning to get to the Nrthernmost point, I didn't really factor in any hotels en route, choosing to sleep in the car when required! This worked well, and I got to a hotel near Nordkapp 3 days in for a couple of long sleeps, before the journey back to Skelleftea. It was quite easy to pick off good birding locations along the route. 3000km driven in the week! Weather was mixed. mostly ok, with showers, but Nordkapp was atrocious with poor visibility for 2 of the 3 days I was there. Highlights: The week got off to a very good start at Gammulstraviken near Lulea. Here, despite getting lost, and only finding a small lake, I got good views of Caspian Tern and Osprey, plus Tree Pipit and Pied Flycatcher. Petkula
Blue Tits are working hard feeding their young at the moment.
Blue Tits are working hard feeding their young at the moment. This nest box has been used every year since it was installed.
Here's to looking at you, big eyes!
Here's to looking at you, big eyes! A Spectacled Moth in the bathroom last night
Mandarin is one of our most spectacularly colourful birds.
Mandarin is one of our most spectacularly colourful birds.
I done it! 100 species in a day. (All within 20 miles of home and all self-found/identified!)
I done it! 100 species in a day. (All within 20 miles of home and all self-found/identified!) Started before dawn with a Woodcock and Tawny Owl, before heading North into farmland. Here Stone Curlew, Yellowhammer, and Corn Bunting were all pretty easy. Next stop was the New Forest where I knew that I needed to pick up the species list big time. Two or three hours at my favourite locations were well spent, and I had added most of the common woodland species plus Wood Warbler, Hawfinch, Crossbill, Siskin, Redstart, Firecrest, Woodlark and Tree Pipit. I was now over halfway, and hadn't seen any Wildfowl or Waders, so a trip to Blashford lakes and Keyhaven should have got me over the line fairly comfortably. Blashford was ok, but Keyhaven (despite having three Spoonbill resting at the back of a lagoon), gave me a fright when it appeared there wasn't a single Wader on either Pennington, Butt's or Fishtail lagoons. So I done the full lap, and eventually managed small numbers of R
I got up extremely early and headed to Hurst for a couple of hours before work.
I got up extremely early and headed to Hurst for a couple of hours before work. The strong winds from the previous days had died down which often results in an abrupt resumption of seabird movement, but this morning's early watch had very little to show. I say seawatching, and it is the prime piece of coast for Hampshire, but it never quite ticks the seawatching boxes for me.. More like Baywatching! The best of the birds seen were: Whimbrel, 1 flew West Common Scoter, 6-7 flying round the bay. Common, Little and Sandwich Tern all close to the shore, 2 Med Gulls high overhead, Raven, and a few Swallows over the water. Inland were a couple of Shelduck, Lapwing and that was pretty much it.
Spent the morning seawatching from Hurst in fairly calm conditions.
Spent the morning seawatching from Hurst in fairly calm conditions. An Arctic Skua was the highlight, with Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Little Tern Sandwich Tern Guillemot and Common Scoter also seen.
First time for a few years that Starlings are very noticeable breeding around the street.
First time for a few years that Starlings are very noticeable breeding around the street.
Spent the morning at Hurst, seawatching, then an hour at Pennington Marshes.
Spent the morning at Hurst, seawatching, then an hour at Pennington Marshes. Quite a few signs of Migrants on the move with a Wheatear, Sand Martin, Swift, Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit and Whimbrel all at Hurst, but very few seabirds, which is not unusual for me at this location. Just a few Gannet offshore, and Eider flying into the bay. A Rock Pipit landed close by for a couple of photos. Pennington was also fairly quiet, both for Birds and people. Little Terns, Common Tern, Dunlin, and Black-tailed Godwits the highlights.