Black-winged Pratincole, Bothal Pond 30th May 2015

News of a Black-winged Pratincole at Bothal Pond in Northumberland, found by local birder Dave Dack on Friday afternoon, had me setting off early-doors for the north-east on Saturday morning. I arrived on site mid-morning.

The tell-tale line of parked cars & line of tripods & 'scopes a moment later as I rounded the bend, indicated I was in the right place. The Black-winged Pratincole was immediately viewable & for the whole time I was there. However, it was rather distant on the far side of the pool. It spent most of the time hunkered down, even when the Lapwings were spooked a couple of times & flew off temporarily. It did wander around a bit providing reasonable 'scope views, but did not take flight while I was on site, as it had done the previous evening.

Greater Yellowlegs, Titchfield Haven 19th May 2015

Photo: courtesy Dave Carr @birdphotos007

After having dipped on Sardinian Warbler at Land's End the previous day & stayed overnight with an old friend near Exeter in Devon, news of the presence again of the Greater Yellowlegs at Titchfield Haven NNR in Hampshire the following morning had me traveling cross-country. I arrived on site mid-afternoon.

This very rare American vagrant had been seen on & off for several months sometimes disappearing for weeks & months at a time. The latest sighting was from the coastal approach road to the reserve, just a few hundred yards west of the Visitor Centre, but not since the morning. Having teamed up with another birder on site, who just happened to be walking past as I emerged from the car & who had already been to a number of hides, we covered the remaining hides & then checked out Posbrook Floods to the north of the reserve. All to no avail! This was the first time I'd visited Titchfield Haven & was very impressed with the reserve & surrounds. One thing I really enjoyed was hearing several Cetti's Warblers & having really good views of one bird in the open for a few minutes, which is prolonged for a Cetti's (part of their charm).

We made our way back to the reserve & managed to briefly check a couple of hides before the reserve closed at 5pm. I wandered back along the coast road as far as the river, chatting with several birders along the way. As I returned I recognised a birder I had spoken to previously who had seen the bird earlier. I asked him where exactly the bird had been. We crossed the road to the fence & while he was explaining where he'd seen it earlier a small flock of several Black-tailed Godwits flew in. As I started to scan the flock a shout went up, "It's there! On the right of the flock". It was immediately latched onto by everyone. I hadn't noticed, but there were now several birders next to us. The flock wheeled about the coastal pool several times before opting for an area within the reserve, which was now closed. Pretty good flight views, but most present wanted more.

Everyone spread out along the coast road to try & see if it was possible to view the pools on the reserve, but it wasn't possible. I headed back from the viewing platform towards the coastal pool which now had exposed mud as the tide receded. There was a small flock of Black-tailed Godwits feeding. Another small flock flew in & just as I was thinking, "Wouldn't it be great if..." the Greater Yellowlegs touched down. We were then treated to excellent, prolonged views as it wandered about the mud below us, at one point coming very close to the near bank.

In retrospect, perhaps it seems the Godwit flock were checking out a favoured feeding area in the coastal pool, which wasn't quite ready, so they hung out on a different pool for a while. Most of the Godwits were feeding very close together in an apparently rich, small area of the pool.

Photo: courtesy Dave Carr @birdphotos007

Balearic Woodchat Shrike, Wykeham 13th May 2015

Since I'd planned to travel back home from Norwich yesterday morning, the news of a Balearic Woodchat Shrike at Wykeham in Yorkshire was very timely.

I arrived on site mid-afternoon. Cars parked at the side of the road & birders with 'scopes & cameras poised, indicated I was in the right place. The bird soon appeared on top of the roadside hedge, then flitted over to the other side of the hedge. Carefully moving around the hedge provided excellent views. A first summer male Balearic Woodchat Shrike. For the hour or so I was there, he moved about both sides of the road, perching for lengthy periods in the open on top of the hedges, at times on the other side of the hedges, giving very good prolonged, repeated views (at one point snacking on a bee). Just what was required!

A couple of the features marking this bird out as the badius subspecies are visible in the photo above: the lack of white at the base of the primaries; narrow black band across the forehead. More info on this form by Brian Small. Further info from Birding Frontiers.

The previous evening in Norwich I'd spent a very pleasurable few hours in the company of a couple of very old friends I hadn't seen for yonks & ages. A couple of pints in The Fat Cat with Peter (who I've known since we were five years old, living on the same road & been in contact with, but not seen for several years), Clive (who I've been in contact with, but not seen for 18 years) & Rod (who I hadn't seen for 18 years), was great fun. The conversation inevitably & most entertainingly turned to foreign birding trips adventures/mishaps.

Video by Pete Hines

Montagu's Harrier, Blacktoft Sands 10th May 2015

Photo: courtesy Kenny Dummigan

A pair of Montagu's Harriers had been present at Blacktoft Sands RSPB reserve for a few weeks. During their stay they had performed very well including the sky-dancing courtship ritual. The opportunity to pop over to the East coast to see them presented itself when Kenny Dummigan phoned to say he & Mark Garner were going over to try for them & I would be most welcome to join them. Needless to say, I immediately took up the offer!

An early-ish start saw us arriving on site mid-morning. Fortunately, as we entered Singleton hide the male Montagu's Harrier was on view making his way over the reedbed in a south-easterly direction. Although I didn't have time to get the 'scope out, we did have excellent views for about five minutes before it disappeared behind the treeline bordering the reserve. However, that was not the end... Almost immediately the female floated up & proceeded to make her way back & forth across the reedbed, allowing prolonged 'scope views, periodically landing to pick up what looked like nesting material. She provided excellent views over a half hour or so until not floating back up after landing. At this point we departed.