Sandpiper influx

20 species of wader at Rainham yesterday and a wader influx across London meant I was up at 0600 hrs to check the farmlands for waders. Not too bad; 1 Wood Sandpiper,  13 Common Sandpiper, 3 Green Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank, 1 Redshank, 2 LRP and the usual Lapwings. 

Dave, Kojak and Josh were on 100 acre ringing (revealing higher numbers of Reed Warbler than we knew of) and Glenn was doing the rounds. I did a bit of vis migging: 150+ Swallow, 100+ Swift, 1 House Martin, 2 Sand Martin and 1 Yellow Wagtail. Glenn also had a female Ring Ouzel in the south east corner. 

There was also a female Wheatear and the Iceland Gull was around too. 

 Wood Sandpiper on mitigation scrape 100 acre 

 Common Sandpipers on Southern Lake- a influx today of 13 birds. 

 First-summer Iceland Gull- what looks like a large Iceland Gull has been causing a bit of confusion lately. 

 Female Wheatear

Reed Warbler 

Beddington Farmlands Photo Collection 2013-2017

A few pics (click on album to view in facebook) 

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Black Redstart at the Obs

Another good spring day. Spent most of today working on the south lake with Tomos and the guys clearing willows and excess irises in the wet grassland area. Nice working with 30+ Swallows hawking low over the water.

After work I had a lightning tour of the farmlands on my bike and notched up an impressive eight species of waders and some migrants: 2 Dunlin, 5 LRP, 1 Snipe, 1 Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 8 Lapwing, 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Hobby, 1 Peregrine, 1 Pochard, 1 1st s Caspian Gull, 1 Wheatear, 1 Yellow Wagtail and 5 Sedge Warbler. 

I got home and Roger popped over. We were chatting by the obs window when I noticed a bird on the fence in the obs garden- a Black Redstart- a second calender year male? (females never show the white wing panel?) . A mini-twitch ensued with Frankie and Kojak coming over for a Beddington tick. A very rare patch bird, the first one I've seen in years and another one to add to the list of finds from the window: BIRDS FROM THE WINDOW  

 Black Redstart

 Dunlin (presumably schinzii) . Interesting variation in plumage in these two individuals. 

 Greenshank 

 Little Ringed Plover- one of five today 

 First-summer Caspian Gull- at least two birds around at the moment. Also the Glaucous Gull seen today and Iceland presumably still around too. 

View over the north lake with phacelia and lindseed in foreground 

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May Days

Spent yesterday morning at Otmoor and this morning at Farmoor. Here's a few pics, sounds and notes:

Farmoor

The second-calender year Bonaparte's Gull was present again this morning

Turnstone 

Common Sandpiper- one of three

Only one Black Tern left from the 17 that were present yesterday 

Juvenile Pied Wagtail- so far this year I've also seen Song Thrush, Blackbird, Mallard, Greylag and Canada Geese chicks with Starlings young squawking at the Old Vic. Seems the cool dry April hasn't slowed things down for the breeding birds?

Bonaparte's Gull 'finder's views'

This distinctive structure should set off alarm bells from hundreds of yards in poor light- the 'dwarf' structure, comparatively paddle-ish wings and translucency in the remiges should get the heart going on views like this 

The black edging to the primaries and translucency to the remiges is obvious even in poor light. The compact structure is distinctive.

Size comparison with Black-headed

Otmoor

Three Hobby on greenaways. 

At least two Cuckoos about. Also the Temminck's was still present. 

Fallow Deer on way to Otmoor 

A couple of sound recordings at Otmoor: How many species can you hear? There's at least Garden Warbler, Chiffchaff, Wren, Pheasant, Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Cuckoo and Willow Warbler in these two recordings.