Thursday 22 September 2016

Lesser Grey Shrike...

This little beauty has been hanging around on Mount Batten Point near Plymouth for the last few days and finally proved too much of a temptation. A brief visit paid off with glorious weather and excellent views of the shrike, on one occasion as close as 10ft away! Dave Helliar got some fantastic photos of it whilst I managed to grab some video.

Close...Lesser Grey Shrike: Dave Helliar
Closer...Lesser Grey Shrike: Dave Helliar
Closest!...Lesser Grey Shrike: Dave Helliar
Adult Lesser Grey Shrike (video grab): R. Harris
Lesser Grey Shrike: R. Harris


Sunday 4 September 2016

Migrants on the move...

Thanks to Dave Helliar for sending in his photos from the past couple of weeks. A mammoth round-up of migrants - very much on the move starting  with some nice local waders at Seaton and on Dave's local Dorset patch:

Little Stint, Black Hole Marsh: D. Helliar
Little Stint, Black Hole Marsh: D. Helliar
Curlew Sandpiper, Black Hole Marsh: D. Helliar
Little-ringed Plover, Chard Res: D. Helliar
Green Sandpiper, Chard Res: D. Helliar
Redshank, a scarcer visitor at Chard Res: D. Helliar
Common Snadpiper, Chard Res: D. Helliar
Despite challenges from one US birder on Twitter that this was a Lesser Yellowlegs, it is definitely a Greenshank...and cracking pics too:
Greenshank, Chard Res: D. Helliar
Greenshank, Chard Res: D. Helliar
Wood Sandpiper, Black Hole Marsh: D. Helliar
Other birds were on offer too including...

Black Tern, always a good bird to see locally.
This one was at Chard Res briefly on 20th and 21st
of August: D. Helliar 
Black Tern, Chard Res: D. Helliar
Juv/1st Winter Med Gull: D. Helliar
Another scarce but regular visitor
on Chard Res LNR
West Bexington on the Dorset coast had a bit of a fall recently with large numbers of passerines to be found, including:
Tree Pipit, West Bexington: D. Helliar
Whinchat: D. Helliar
Whinchat: D. Helliar
One of at least two Wrynecks present
at the end of August: D. Helliar
Yellow Wagtail: D. Helliar
Whinchat, Blackdown Hills: D. Helliar
Whinchat, Blackdown Hills: D. Helliar
Great White Egret: D. Helliar
Still a rare bird outside the Somerset Levels.
This one graced Chard Res for 8 minutes!
Little Egret, Chard Res: D. Helliar
Little Egret, Chard Res: D. Helliar
Great sequence of shots of a Kingfisher swallowing its prey.

Kingfisher: D.Helliar
Going...: D.Helliar
Going...: D.Helliar
Gone...: D.Helliar

The local Grass Snakes have done well this year with good numbers seen basking on Dave's patch:

Grass Snake: D. Helliar
Grass Snake - this individual is close to
sloughing its skine: D. Helliar
Last but not least a couple of butterflies to finish on a bright note...

Small Copper: D. Helliar
Clouded Yellow - rare 'open wing' shot: D. Helliar
Thanks again to Dave for sharing his excellent photos.