Three Counties Wildlife

Sunday, 27 September 2015

Buff-breasted Sandpiper...

While I was away in North America recently the American birds started turning up over here, including a smart Buff-breasted Sandpiper at White Nothe in Dorset, which Dave Helliar managed to see and get a few photos of:

Buff-breated Sandpiper: D. Helliar

Roesel's Bush Crickets Metrioptera roeselii were also found. This species has hugely expanded its range in the last decade or so, they are easily told from the similar Bog Bush Cricket Metrioptera brachyptera by their green face and cream border around the entire side of the thorax. I remember when I first saw this species back in the mid-eighties. They were really quite scarce then.

Roesel's Bush Cricket: . Helliar

Closer to Chard it's good to see so many insects still brightening up the day.

Hornet with prey: D. Helliar

Clouded Yellow: D. Helliar

Comma: D. Helliar

Harlequin Ladybird: D. Helliar

Comma: D. Helliar

Painted Lady: D. Helliar

Red Admiral: D. Helliar

Green Shield Bug: D. Helliar

A sure sign that Autumn is upon us, another Med Gull at Chard Res. This time an adult winter.

Med Gull: D. Helliar

Thanks to Dave for his photo round-up from the last couple of weeks.

Saturday, 19 September 2015

Prince Edward Island, Canada...

Not a birding break unfortunately but a very busy work jaunt. Nevertheless I scored a few birds as I travelled around this beautiful and very under-watched province of Canada and I got a few photos as a bonus. Saw quite a few Belted Kingfishers, which were always distant but great to see:

Belted Kingfisher: R. Harris

Bonaparte's Gulls were less common than American Herring and Ring-billed Gulls but there were still good flocks to be seen at times as well as a few individuals like this one below.

Bonaparte's Gull: R. Harris

First winter Common Tern: R. Harris

Double-crested Cormorants - part of a flock of 125: R. Harris

Double-crested Cormorant: R. Harris

Ring-billed Gull: R. Harris

I collected some shots of American Herring Gull - the variety in 1st CY plumage can be seen below.

1CY American Herring Gull: R. Harris

1CY American Herring Gull - dark individual: R. Harris

American Herring Gull: R. Harris

Gannets were flying past the hotel in Charlottetown
R. Harris

Black Guillemots: R. Harris

A group of Common Seals: R. Harris

Great Blue Herons are as common on PEI as
they are elsewhere in Canada: R. Harris

Great Blue Heron: R. Harris

Caspian Terns were seen frequently, usually three or four at a time together.

Caspian Tern: R. Harris

Best of all was this Greater Yellowlegs that not only hung on while I got out of the car but then walked closer much to the appreciation of my group, who also started snapping away.

Greater Yellowlegs, PEI Canada: R. Harris

I took a short hand-held video of it too but not easy to keep up with it.

Greater Yellowlegs, PEI, Canada

Passerines were a bit thin on the ground but you could always depend on Song Sparrows to pop up when you needed something to look at.

Song Sparrow (almost bald!): R. Harris

Song Sparrow: R. Harris

Lots of wild flowers still out over there too but my favourite is the insectivorous Pitcher Plant Sarracenia purpurea:

Pitcher Plant Sarracenia purpurea: R. Harris

Pitcher Plant flower: R. Harris

In addition to these I also had several Bald Eagles, Semi-palmated Plover, Semi-palmated Sandpiper, Sanderling, American kestrel, loads of Merlins, Hudsonian Whimbrel, Eastern Kingbird and American Goldfinch.

Tuesday, 8 September 2015

Wryneck...

Jynx torquilla. What a great name. It's English name Wryneck also aptly describes this wonderful little bird. Like most members of the woodpecker family this bird is a real contortionist and frequently twists its head around at seemingly bizarre angles.

This one has spent the last few days in the vicinity of the Pulpit Inn and the Observation quarry at Portland in Dorset and was photographed by Dave Helliar:

Wryneck: Dave Helliar

Reminded me that we had a very local bird near Chard at the same time two years ago, they are intriguing little birds to watch as they search for ants:

Wryneck near Chard from 2013: Roger Harris

Dave connected with a few other birds at Portland Obs, where had the opportunity to photograph a few in-the-hand shots of migrants about to leave our shores:

Young Swallow, Portland Bill Observatory:
Dave Helliar

Examining its gape: Dave Helliar

Willow Warbler: Dave Helliar

Last but not least Dave had a few insects still on the wing this week including a few Chalk Hill Blues, a Jersey Tiger and a Tree Bumblebee, Bombus Hypnorum:

Jersey Tiger moth: D. Helliar

Chalk Hill Blue: D. Helliar

Tree Bumblebee: D. Helliar

Thanks to Dave for his photos and round-up of the local wildlife this week. I'm off to Canada and will update the Blog on my return in a couple of weeks.

Wednesday, 2 September 2015

Spotted Crake...

Dave Helliar managed to catch up with a rather elusive Spotted Crake that was at Black Hole Marsh earlier in the week. Always fantastic birds to see. When this one finally showed, it at least showed well: