NON-STOP BIRDING HIGHLIGHTS OF 2018

Here's a few highlights from this year's trips away and adventures at LITTLE OAK GROUP

JANUARY :WINTER IN THE TROPICS - GHANA 

No better way than breaking up the Northern winter than with a trip to the tropics. Planning on setting up a small winter project in Ghana so in 2018 we did a recce to find a project area.

 Western Fantasia

 Chocolate-backed Kingfisher 

 Piping Hornbill 

Isaac and I on the Canopy Walkway

FEBRUARY: HAWFINCHES

The local Hawfinch invasion was a once in a lifetime spectacle.  For the full story see Steve's blog HERE

FEBRUARY- MARCH: THE BEAST FROM THE EAST

The infamous Beast from the East 2018 produced some excellent local birding.

Ice age at Beddington Farmlands 

Lapwing at Beddington- large numbers were displaced in the cold weather

Golden Plover- good numbers were also recorded with birds also on the deck, feeding amongst the excavators that were keeping unfrozen ground exposed 

Knot- one of the highlights of the hard weather movement 

Avocet on ice 

Pink-footed Geesse over Oxfordshire

MARCH: SPRING IN THE DESERT- WESTERN SAHARA

TRIP REPORT HERE

Jaffa and the Sahara 

Dunn's Lark

Cricket Warbler

'Desert' Lanner- amazing birds 

Wryneck on a pavement in the city 

Eurasian Bittern in the middle of the desert- the first sight record for the Western Sahara 

     Managed to get one of the best recordings of Golden Nightjar. Also availale to download from Xeno-canto HERE

APRIL: HOOPOE AT BEDDINGTON 

The first at Beddington in 40 years!

APRIL: BEDDINGTON FARMLANDS CAMPAIGN

The Beddington campaign rumbled along through 2018 with highlights including the May local councillor election where I stood as a Green Party candidate to highlight Beddington Farmlands and also the September Chris Packham People's March where we marched for a end to conservation organisation corruption at Beddington Farmlands.

May Elections 

The Amazing Magical Viridor Plan- our Spring campaign song 

The Royal Society for the Protection of Big Business- our autumn campaign song 

Sue, Andrew and myself meeting Sian Berry (Green Party co-leader) and Caroline Lucas (Green MP) 

SIGN THE PETITION

MAY: HERPING IN BULGARIA

Had an absolutely fantastic trip in May with Dylan and Anton herping in Bulgaria. We had 20 species of reptiles and amphibians in three days.

Dahl's Whip Snake

Sand Boa

Aesculapian Snake 

Glass Lizard

JUNE: EUROPEAN ROAD TRIP- SLOVENIA, CROATIA AND AUSTRIA IN SUMMER 

Absolutely incredible trip in the camper with the gang. The focus was on getting Rock Partridge for the WP list and then making a start on learning WP butterflies and moths. Guided in Slovenia by Domen BLOG HERE.

Rock Partridge in Croatia

Ural Owl in Slovenia 

Scarce Fritillary 

Purple Shaded Gem 

Narrow-bordered Bee Hawkmoth

Burnt-tip Orchid 

Carniolan Lily

Globe Orchid 

Alpine Marmot

View over Cerknica, Slovenia 

The Tyrol Alps in Austria 

Holly and Jacob in the Med (nice to drive there) 

JUNE: SPOTTED FLYCATCHERS AT THE OLD VICARAGE

Great to see the Spot Flys breeding again at Holly's.

SUMMER: CONSERVATION WORK 

Our wildlife friendly green space management goes on daily throughout the year SEE HERE. For more on works in 2018 see HERE/

JULY-AUGUST: THE LONG HOT INSECT SUMMER

Summer 2018 was long and dry and hot. Great for insects. Loads of new moths at the Beddington obs and an incredible influx of Southern Migrant Hawkers into the South.

Southern Migrant Hawker (above and below) , Oare Marshes 

Bulrush Veneer-at Beddington Farmlands. A local scarcity. There was a lot of displacement of insects through the summer particularly wetland species which were presumably moving around as their habitats dried up. 

Nephopterix angustella- one of many firsts for Beddington Farmlands through the period 

Gold Spot - a second for the farmlands 

Juniper Webber- a first for Beddington 

Presumably forced out by the dry conditions there were 12-15 Hedgehogs in the local area by late summer 

Had a couple of great days out with Steve Gale BLOG HERE out on the North Downs looking at botany and butterflies. This Small Teasle was one of the highlights. 

Beddington Farmlands in August- a parched landscape 

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER: AZORES PELAGIC 2018

SUMMARY HERE

Yet another great success on the Azores pelagic. This year led by David Monticelli with three separate Swinhoe's Petrel sightings and lots more: SEE HERE .

Monteiro's Storm Petrel

Swinhoe's Storm Petrel

AUGUST TO OCTOBER: AUTUMN RARITIES

The Richard's Pipit at Beddington was the local highlight of the autumn. The first since 1970 

Roger found some great local birds including Black Tern (above) and recording breaking numbers of Spoonbill (below) 

Despite several trips to Kent, didn't manage to find much although did see the usual Bonaparte's at Oare, Red-necked Phal there and some general great Thames Estuary birding 

'Bird ' of the autumn locally was this Beluga Whale in the Thames estuary. 

The great mothing season continued into the autumn with this Dusky Lemon Sallow in October- a first for the farmlands 

OCTOBER: AZORES AUTUMN 2018

What an autumn!- full article on Birdguides HERE

Blue Grosbeak- a first for the WP 

Yellow-throated Vireo- a dream WP bird 

Bay-breasted Warbler

Wood Thrush 

Wilson's Warbler

White-throated Sparrow 

Red-eyed Vireos 

Yellow-browed Warbler

Northern Parula- a self found bird 

A couple of publications from the team including two articles in Dutch Birding and the 2015 Azores Rare and Scarce Bird Report 

NOVEMBER : BULGARIA RECCE NOVEMBER 2018

Started an exciting new project in November with the plan to buy some land and set up a small nature reserve/observatory on the Black Sea in Bulgaria. Early days yet but the recce went really well.

Juvenile White-tailed Eagle

The Shipka Monastery- also visited the family while there in the beautiful Valley of the Roses 

Dimiter at one of the prospect areas

NOVEMBER: LOCAL REFERENDUM ON OUR LOCAL NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN
More HERE


DECEMBER: BEDDINGTON FARMANDS REPORT 2017

A good end to the year with managing to complete and get the Beddington Farmlands Report published. Another great team effort and amazing photography by Tomos WEBSITE HERE.