Pied-billed Grebe

I didn't go for the Pied-billed Grebe found just South of Berkley power station yesterday as timing was a little too tight.  I was working in Gloucestershire so locality was perfect but I was picking the kids up from Hereford and couldn't be late.  That said, I had 1.5 hours free so I decided to visit Wellington GP near.... well..... Wellington!

I haven't been here for years, not since I lived locally, you used to have to park at the GP reception and book in but there are a few public footpaths crossing the site affording some decent views.

I parked in a layby next to the big red arrow (which isn't actually there!)

The first thing I noticed was the number of Sand Martin over the first pit, must have been a few hundred, I managed to pick out a few Swallow but there weren't many.  There were a lot of Lesser Black-backed Gull on the opposite side.

It was a reasonably sunny day and this had brought the butterflies out, I had 4 year firsts:

Green-veined White

Holly Blue

Orange-tip

Peacock

I was hoping to catch up with the Yellow Wagtail and Wheatear that were on the recent sightings page of the Hereford Ornithological Club website.

I found singing Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and my first Whitethroat of the year flying up to catch bugs from the top of a tree.

I also managed to connect with a Wheatear on my way back to the car, I took a photo which I posted on Twitter but it was awful.  I was about to walk away content when my eyes focused beyond the Wheatear, there in a direct line behind it, sat atop a buoy was my first Common Tern of the year.

So I didn't get to twitch the Pied-billed Grebe but I did pick up 3 year ticks, I left happy, plus I saw the Pied-billed Grebe in 2013 when it was a lifer for me along with Ferruginous Duck and Ringed-neck Duck all on the same day...!

I only had the Friday night at home as today (Saturday) I had to travel to Southampton ready to run tomorrows 1/2 marathon.

Luckily the sky was overcast so my priority was to get the moth trap out, feeding the kids was on hold..

It turned out to be my best night of the year even though I only had 15 moths of 13 species.  I bagged 5 new species for the year (NFY) and a lifer with the impressive Mullein.

Trap List

 

2007 - Swallow Prominent

2221 - The Mullein

 

3 x Patch Ticks but Mothless

What an abysmal weekend for moths, the weather forecast looked great, overcast, no rain but that's not what materialised.  Thursday night started as forecast but the skies soon cleared and the temperatures started to drop.  Only 7 moths!

I visited Salford Priors GP on Saturday and had a pleasant 3 hours on site.  I met up with Neil Duggan at the entrance.

There wasn't anything of note on the Main Pit until Neil picked up a pair of Sand Martin skimming across the surface which was new species for the year and for Patchwork Challenge 2015.

Whilst searching the hedgerow to the east end of Snipe Field for the singing Blackcap, we were treated to our 1st although somewhat glimpsing view a Cuckoo, another new species for the year and for Patchwork Challenge 2015.

We checked the fields were Neil had found both Redstart and Hobby but of course these were only stop overs which were no longer present, although Neil then saw the Hobby again on Sunday whilst I was hung over in bed.

There were loads of Reed Bunting singing in the reed bed pool, it also held approx. 4 Sedge Warbler, one of which afforded us decent views.

Reed Bunting

Found 5 Little Ringed Plover on the Snipe Field, most I've seen together at Salford Priors GP, until later that day when I stopped for a quick look over Pophills where there was 7 Little Ringed Plover on the spit.

5 x Little Ringed Plover

Whilst watching a pair of Buzzard circling over the Snipe Field - probably eyeing up the LRP's for a snack, a Sparrowhawk came into view and afford me some great views as the sun reflected off it.

Sparrowhawk

Not much else to note, can't believe how many Sklyark the Snipe Field holds.

Skylark

Black-headed Gull

 

Canada Goose

Greylag Geese

Meadow Pipit

I put up the following nest boxes last year:

4 x House Sparrow
1 x Tit
1 x Starling
3 x House Martin
1 x Robin

None of them were used and it has been looking like none of them will take this year....... until I noticed a Robin flitting in and out of the bush holding the Robin nest box, the nest contains eggs, 2 of which I could.....  Success :o)

Robin - on the nest

Italian Lifers...

Just back from a long weekend in Italy visiting Venice and Rome, this wasn't a birding trip, I only had a small pair of 8x25's and never stopped for birding specifically.

That said I managed 3 lifers even though I only saw 22 species!

I started with a few days in Venice, very nice city and very easy to spend the day walking in circles.

I think the first bird I saw was Yellow-legged Gull and by the end of the weekend I understood why - they are everywhere..!

Yellow-legged Gull

Whilst on the train across to Venice I was gobsmacked by the number of summer plumaged Black-necked Grebe in the bay, must have been in excess of 20 within the Mallard.  I only had a 55mm lens so this is the best image I managed from a moving train.  Saw a flock of 9 Little Egret and a single Black-winged Stilt.

Black-necked Grebe

There were plenty of Italian Sparrow and Feral Pigeon around the market stalls.

Italian Sparrow

Got some amazing views (although crap photos) of summer plumaged Mediterranean Gull and Black-headed Gull down by the Arsenale di Venezia.

Mediterranean Gull

Next was a couple of days in Rome which seems pretty devoid of bird life at first glance.  Again there are Yellow-legged Gull just about everywhere, even on top of St Peter's Basilica and the Coliseum.

My 2nd lifer of the trip was Monk Parakeet in the trees around the Vatican along with Ring-necked Parakeet.

When visiting the Castel Sant' Angelo I again saw plenty of Yellow-legged Gull, Italian Sparrow and Feral Pigeon.  I also got my first close up view of a Hooded Crow which I expected to see everywhere.

Hooded Crow

 

There were loads of Eurasian Swift, Barn Swallow and House Martin flying up and down the river, all year firsts.  Also saw my only Collared Dove of the trip.

 

Collared Dove

 

It was a nice surprise to see Black Redstart and Blackcap at Largo di Torre Argentina although I wouldn't like to speculate how long they'll last as the ruin was home to about 8 cats.

 

Only other birds were a handful of Blackbird and Magpie.

 

I had read on the internet that Serin were abundant and I was sure I could hear them everywhere although I could never find one - until I was looking at Foro Romano when I heard one very close, it was actually under my nose but I didn't see it until it flew up, hence my usual amazing photograph, this was my 3rd lifer of the trip..

 

Serin

 

Only other species I saw was Greenfinch when waiting for the bus to the Airport