Another visit to RSPB Frampton Marsh on 30th August, produced a Pectoral Sandpiper, 5 Curlew Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, the usual common waders, 38 Spoonbill, c60 Little Egret, 5 Pintail, a Turtle Dove, and for me, a new species of Odonata, 2 Willow Emerald.
On Monday 1st May 2023, a Grey-headed Lapwing was discovered on the wader scrape pools at Low-Newton-by-the-Sea, in Northumberland. Goodness knows what the birder must have thought, when he set eyes on this extremely attractive wader, that had decided to arrive on his local patch. If accepted by the BOU, it would be a new bird for Britain. The Grey-headed Lapwing is a lapwing species which breeds in northeast China and Japan. The Chinese population winters in northern Southeast Asia from northeastern India to Cambodia. The species has previously occurred as a vagrant in Western Europe, Russia, Australia and Sri […]
Early May always produces a good selection of waders and yesterday, 2nd May, was no exception at Frampton. There has been an influx of Black-winged Stilts into Britain these past few weeks, and no doubt some will be settling down to breed. A pair were at Frampton but were just a little distant, nevertheless showed well. Three Wood Sandpiper, a summer plumaged Spotted Redshank, small numbers of Ruff, including a few smartly dressed males, Little Ringed Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, Avocet, Lapwing, Curlew and Redshank were all supporting casts. Several Spoonbill on the main lagoons and a selection of migrant warblers, […]
The old oak woodlands of the Derbyshire Peak District hold a variety of special birds that are summer visitors to Britain. Sadly, they are becoming increasingly scarce, so these habitats are of vital importance. The Pied Flycatcher and Common Redstart are two migrants that arrive in late April, followed by Tree Pipit, Wood Warbler and Spotted Flycatcher later in May. The Wood Warbler is now by far the most scarce of these woodland birds. I paid a visit to one of the most popular areas in the Peak, for Pied Flycatcher, on 30th April, and at least 8 birds were […]