Avez-Vous un Cuppa?

Yesterday morning I did a bit of  Vis-migging (Visible Migration) from the Mammoth at Watermead CP South. The scores on the doors included the first Meadow Pipits of the autumn moving south. However the highlight of the morning was two"probable" Honey Buzzards which flew south-west over the valley. The first was a dark-phase type at around 9.45am and then another juvenile pale phase type at around 10.15am. Although most people will think its bollocks to the sightings, but between the sightings I watched the regular Common Buzzards which breed in the area and the two birds looked totally different in shape and jizz to the other Buzzards! Also I have always wondered why Honey Buzzards are not recorded more in the county, as there seem to breed in nearby counties and regularly recorded on passage? Maybe these birds are just not on Leicestershire's birders radar? If you want to see the full list of species seen yesterday check out the link for the Trektellen site.

Well over the last week and since returning from Biscay I have finally added Wryneck  to my county list when I saw the long staying bird at Great Glen on the Sunday. After that I found a couple of good birds down the Soar Valley which pushed me past 140 target mark. These included a juvenile Marsh Harrier flying over Cossington Meadows LRWT, which John Hague just about twitched from London!?!, a nice looking adult winter Black Tern at Watermead CP South  and a "dodgy?" Cape Shelduck on Wanlip Meadows LRWT which was a Soar Valley tick for me! The Wryneck at Great Glen and the Cape Shelduck at Wanlip Meadows.

Here is a few shots of  my latest Biscay trip last week including some of the wildlife I saw in Santurzi, Bilbao and in the Bay itself! Birders and Whale watchers on the Pride of Bilbao! Wryneck on the hillside above Santurzi Mallow Skipper also on the hillside! Sunset over Biscay

Sightings courtesy of Company of Whales http://www.companyofwhales.co.uk/html/news/news_fr.htm This time last week I was on the Pride of Bilbao for my last trip in Biscay with the Company of Whales. Although the sea birds sightings were very quiet except for a few Sabine's Gulls, and 1 Sooty Shearwater , the cetaceans sightings on the other hand were excellent as the group recorded 9 species of Cetacean! The highlights of the trip for me was the sighting of a male Cuvier's Beaked Whale just 30 metres off the ship, large number of Pilot Whales , at least four Sperm Whales and hundreds of Tuna  seen in the southern bay. I would like to thank Mike Weedon and Brian Stone for being great company on the trip and also the guests of Company of Whales for such an enjoyable trip! A Reed Warbler hitching a lift on the Pride of Bilbao! Cuvier's Beaked Whale shots taken by Mike Weedon

The Kentish Plover twitch! Friday 27th August: Meeting up with John Hague at Cossington Meadows after a morning looking at the gulls at Shawell and seeing 3 Yellow-legged Gulls, we both hoping for some wader action or possibly a Redstart or Whinchat on the reserve. Scanning over the tern pool the only thing of note was a group of five Wigeons and six Shovelers, but not much else. Moving into the upper marsh section, we slowly scanned the marsh, when suddenly John shouted Spotted Crake , Fu*king Spotted Crake! Now as he said this I thought he was joking, but then realised that he wasn't!! After a couple of minutes of "heart in the mouth" situation the Crake showed again briefly as it ran along the shoreline, and then the celebrations began. We phoned out the news of the bird and then waited for the usual faces to appear.The Crake showed again briefly 10 minutes later but the bird wasn't playing ball. So after this the first birders started to appear, Jez Robson, Roge...

Over the last weekend I spent a couple of days at the British Birdfair and was great to meet and greet so many people around the fair. Just to name a few included David Lindo, Alan Davies and Ruth Millar, Tristan Reid,Tom McKinney, Mike Weedon, Dag and the Birdnet Team and Dave Cohen and Pete Asher (my mentors from my old YOC days). As usual with the Birdfair I spent a bit of money and bought myself a new head for my Manfrotto tripod. So now my tripod has got a Gitzo head on it!?! photo courtesy of the Drunkbirder aka John Hague!

Here is a few shots of the birds I co found and saw over the last couple of days! The events of weekend will appear shortly!?!