20th April

It really has been a pretty drab April here this year.

Through the overcast weather my nature activities have been a bit patchy but I did manage a nice few minutes watching a buzzard as it flew alongside me as I cycled, a close up of a stonechat from the car and, after hearing several scores of them over a couple of weeks, the year's first sighting of a chiffchaff.

As a result my attention has been drawn more by the flowers that are starting to spring up.  One I have been seeing virtually everywhere I go has been this little pink item.  It's not one I recall seeing in previous years.  Presumably it's very common but a quick run through my Book of Flowers has me unable to put a name to it.

Pink item

Another one I noticed was this strange looking bush with the bulbous fruits but I suspect it's not worth trying to find a name for, as it probably originated in someone's garden.

Bush

Yesterday was another dull and dreary day and not made any more attractive by a chilly wind.  I was somewhat surprised to see a swallow for the first time this Spring, though it didn't look any too happy trying to hold its position on a bouncing telephone wire.

Then on the way back from Kirkcudbright, the skies lightened and diffused sunlight nudged the temperature up a few degrees.  I saw another swallow and, at the bridge at Glenlochar, about half a dozen swooping around plus a grey wagtail amongst the rocks down in the river.

Then there was a complete surprise as a small white butterfly fluttered by briefly just South of Crossmichael, after I had decided there was no chance of seeing any kind of butterfly that day.

A couple of kites and buzzards also appeared as well as many goldfinches and, just after Kirkpatrick Durham I caught a male reed warbler in the binoculars.

It's amazing what a difference a bit of sunshine makes!

Thursday 19th May

It's amazing how interesting species can turn up all of a sudden in quick succession.

Last Wednesday I deliberately planned a bike route through Laurieston Forest that would give me a chance of seeing a cuckoo.  A couple of years ago one of the guys that cycle on Wednesday got a really good view of one just on the Forest edge.

Once up there, a cuckoo was about and easy enough to hear but obviously at a fair distance. On the way back from Twynholm I saw an orange tip butterfly for the second time (first was on a brief ride on the previous Sunday) plus a couple of goldfinches.

Bluebells at Castramon Woods

This Tuesday there were clear signs that the dry weather that had prevailed for over a week was on the way out, I decided on a trip to Castramon Woods in the hope of a pied flycatcher, wood warbler or redstart...

Frustratingly there was plenty of birdsong around but everything was up in the tree canopy and not really showing.  No wood warblers calling at all. Apart from various tits, the birds  I saw most were male blackcaps and interestingly in greater numbers than I've seen before and no females. The disappointment for the lack of sightings was partly made up for by the beautiful spread of bluebells that covered virtually the whole of the woods. Stunning!

On the point of leaving, I heard a cuckoo calling up the valley, but once again at some distance.

Yesterday's bike ride was to Crocketford.  To allow a bit of relaxation time, I decided on the shortest
way their via Lochfoot, not the most obvious choice for potential spottings.

But just after crossing the A75, I noticed a constant churring and grumbling sound coming from the hedgerow and stopped the bike parallel with what I fairly quickly worked out had to be a reed warbler, singing away twenty to the dozen. Of course it took fright when I made to get the camera out no more than three yards away but I was most surprised for it to turn up on agricultural land a good mile away from the loch.  Apparently newly arrived migrants can do this sometimes.

At the loch itself I saw a reed bunting in the reeds.  Although nothing new, it is a while since I saw one.

Part of the thinking in setting out late was to take time on the way back in an attempt to see a cuckoo coming through the Glenkilns where I saw one for the first time.  I duly stopped at the Craigadam Woodland, scene of my last success, and heard nothing.  Moving on to the eastern end of the Craigadam area, I stopped at the far track and found I could hear a cuckoo, again in the distance.  I stayed and it seemed to be geeting a bit nearer, though still back up the forest path.

Eventually moving on, I reckoned I could hear it again.  Looking up I saw a bird in flight that might well have been a cuckoo, probably moving round after the ladies.

Female Whinchat - honest!

At this point I stopped and happened to see another bird, playing around on the dead twigs in the moorland.  It looked very light in colour initially, so, discounting a pipit, I got the binoculars out for a closer look. It hung aroud, retiring to the fence posts and I noticed that it had a strong head pattern and a reddish breast that only showed when the light was on it.  So it dawned on me it was a whinchat, no rarity perhaps but not a common sighting either.

At this point, I heard cuckoo noises again and turned around just in time to see him, settling in a tree just down the road. It was only a brief sighting as it also fled quickly when I got the camera out, but it was a bit closer than when I've seen them before. All I had for a souvenir was a photo of the tree, but never mind...  

  

This tree had a cuckoo on it - honest!

Saturday 19th April

Away for the weekend at Kirkby Lonsdale with a girlfriend - trip to Leighton Moss where I have wanted to go for some while.  She saw a male marsh harrier before we even reached the car park.  I was somewhat sceptical but it proved to be correct as we saw it several times and once it flew more or less straight over us.  Also had an excellent view of a reed warbler singing in a bush right next to us and saw a male blackcap as well as numerous ducks including gadwall (a first I believe) and tufted ducks.  Listened for bearded tit but no sign and no avocets.  Did not see bittern.

16th June

Walberswick Common drew my attention as possible area for dartford warbler and green woodpecker.  Fortunate enough to meet a woman from Natural England awaiting a school group, who gave me a map and some directions so I could plan activities around the anticipated rainstorm, which lasted nearly three hours while I read in the car.

The main targets were not co-operating, even in spite of combing the woodland and getting a little lost right in the middle of dartford warbler heathland.  But two very pleasant walks led to jay, reed warbler, bearded tit (including a close-up of a female this time), marsh harrier, buzzard (not so common in Suffolk), cetti's warbler and several rather cocky reed buntings who absolutely refused to leave their favourite bushes when I walked right underneath them.  There were also some otter tracks near the old mill.

15th June

Minsmere on short break in East Anglia. An incredible visit, in that I sighted virtually every bird I wanted to see in the minimum amount of time.  Bearded tit, the main target appeared within 40 minutes of arriving, along with reed warbler.

I pretty much expected to see an avocet from the East hide but to see one ten yards out immediately on entering staggered me a bit.  Soon I added spoonbill and flamingo along with various others (that actually interested me less!) thanks to the guidance of one of the RSPB staff. These were: black tailed godwit, gadwall and spotted redshank.

I not only heard but saw cetti's warbler on the way to the bittern hide, where marsh harriers were in action. The occasional bittern was on the move and visible in flight. And then a squadron of hobbies moved in with a spectacular display to feed on the pond dragonflies.

I didn't see the little egret but on moving to the last reed hide, clearly heard a water rail.

Not much was happening in the woodland so I decided to return to the north wall to see if I could improve on the bearded tit sighting, and sure enough a male appeared briefly on the very edge of the reeds.

Many of these spots were aided by wardens and experienced watchers nearby, but eleven first sightings on the same outing has to be a bit special.