August 2014

31st. A wryneck at New Passage sat on a lawn for ages but was never easy to photograph.

30th. Some photos of the confiding juvenile wood sandpiper at Northwick Wharth. I also saw 2 whimbrel, a green sandpiper and at least 5 yellow wagtails. In the evening I watched the spotted crake at Heron's Green Bay, Chew Valley Lake, and saw 3 yellow wagtails at Heron's Green Pool.

26th-29th. Forest of Dean near Drybrook. Red kite over the campsite, 2 spotted flycatchers at Cannop Ponds, and peregrine calling at Symonds Yat. On the return journey I stopped off to see the juvenile MARSH SANDPIPER (with 7 ruff and at least 3 greenshank) at Splatt Bridge, Frampton on Severn.

17th. A pleasant walk on a sunny but windy day at Shapwick Heath and Ham Wall. I saw 2 great white egrets, the returning osprey, a marsh harrier, two hobbies, 4 common terns and a kingfisher. This bank vole was very tame and allowed me to photograph it with my iPhone.

16th. The eclipse drake lesser scaup showed closely at Burmah Road, Blagdon Lake. I didn't have my camera though.

8th. Last day we were allowed in the old Biological Sciences department on Woodland Road. As I left the building a raven landed, calling on the Wills Building and a peregrine flew around. Nice way to leave. I wonder what the new building will bring.

6th. I went to see the Isle of Wight BEE-EATERS near Niton. There are now 4 adults present plus chicks in a nest, which is hidden from view. We saw up to 3 adult birds together, two of which appeared to be doing little in terms of provisioning the brood. The bee-eaters caught mainly butterflies, a dragonfly and bees. Two birds repeatedly perched in a dead tree. Photography is very difficult, the birds are almost always backlit from the viewpoint, and if they fly over the views are fleeting and tracking is difficult with a big telephoto lens. The photos below show a bird with a red admiral butterfly. Other birds included whimbrel, common and Sandwich terns near Lymington, Mediterranean gull and the penguin at Yarmouth, and a flyover woodcock on the way home around the edge of the New Forest towards Salisbury.

2nd. 3 juvenile wood sandpipers at Pilning Wetlands.