Night Heron Twitch - Nottingham, Attenborough Nature Reserve

A very special twitch today for the Black-Crowned Night Heron at Attenborough Nature Reserve in Nottingham, my first Night Heron, and very special to see it with Dave as that's what brought us together, when we first started chatting was about the Night Heron at Seeswood but never got chance to see that one, so being able to see this wonderful bird with the love of my life was truly amazing.
Beautiful bird with it's Black Crown and Mantle and Red eye, Lovely views it was perched in the tree sleeping most of the time because as it's name suggests is Nocturnal but did lift it's head up a few times to have the opportunity to see his face and get a few snap's, spectacular to have seen this bird :)
Also at the Attenborough Reserve you could hear the Bitterns booming what a sound !!! and one I had longed to hear after hearing it so many times in documentary's but to hear it in real life just out of this world, the sound vibrates. :)
Had great views of Sedge Warbler too, such beautiful little birds pale supercilium but stands out so much with the dark crown sides also could hear Grasshopper Warbler but never saw them today but still nice to hear. When we were leaving there was two Egyptian Geese in the car park  my best views and nice to take a couple of photos of them :) such a lovely special day will never forget this day.

Weekend Lifers at Middleton and the Wyre Forest

While the rest of the Twitchers were racing down the Motorway like headless chickens to Somerset for the Hudsonian Godwit that had come all the way from South America, me and Dave opted for a more peaceful day, Dave had been working nights so had only had a couple of hours sleep, would of been dangerous to drive all that way to somerset and back, would of been a lifer for both of us of course being only the third bird in Britain and the first for 30 years but it's not all about the rarity of the bird, it's about enjoying the day which we did we had a lovely day in the Wyre Forest and I picked up a few lifers, and even though we never went for the Godwit was still nice because I had never heard of Hudsonian Godwit before so I was still learning about a new bird and looked up the differences between Hudsonian and Black- tailed Godwits.  
We started saturday morning at Middleton Lakes was fairly quite there, but then we heard a Cuckoo I thought it would be another heard but not seen but Dave quickly located it, my first ever cuckoo so happy to have finally seen one after hearing them quite a few times :)
We then headed to the Wyre forest were I picked up another lifer Pied Flycatcher such a beautiful little bird black and white plumage and nice song :)
Then another bird I had been waiting along time to see was Dipper, we searched all along the stream and no sign we were about to give up, we were just standing there and then Dave said there one !!!! he was so excited to get me Dipper, lovely feeling when you see a bird you've longed for, had really nice views, so pretty brown plumage with white throat and breast and a chestnut colour belly and crown this one's belly looked very chestnut.

The Sunday we went to Nottingham for the Night Heron dream bird I have written a separate blog for the Night Heron and other birds seen at Attenborough. :)
We then headed to Cannock Chase nice walk round but no new birds but still nice with the sun shining, we then headed back to Tame Valley and went to Shustoke, the Grey Wagtails were showing well so we took the chance to photograph them, also at Shustoke was 2 common Sandpipers and 2 Common Terns :)
We then headed home and checked Seeswood on the way, was two Common Terns showing well out of all the Common Terns I have seen these were my best views they landed on logs in the water was great seeing them close and taking photos, also saw another Cuckoo which Dave spotted it landed so got lovely views through bins amazing too see another cuckoo :)  

Whimbrel at Middleton Lakes

A Mid week bird tick, poor Dave was on nights and hadn't been in bed long, but he had told me to text him if anything came up, he picked me up because an Arctic Tern had been reported at Shustoke but there was no sign, I felt like crying because he'd got out of bed for nothing, just felt awful, we then headed to Middleton Lakes hoping the Whimbrel would still be there and they were :) lovely views through bins and scope, and a lifer for me, beautiful birds, happy I got to see them but still feel bad because Dave didn't gain anything because he had already seen Whimbrel this year, won't be waking him again unless it's a hoopoe ;) lmao

Stone Curlew, Ring Ouzel, Nightengale, Firecrest and more

An early start on Sunday for the Stone Curlews at Weeting Heath, Norfolk, lifer for me and so lucky because we got excellent views, Daves best views of them aswell was really nice to have the chance to see these birds and photograph them, the man that worked there was so nice and helpful :)
These birds are just out of this world, that big yellow eye, and beautiful brown patterned plumage and yellow beak, such eye catching birds :)
We then went to Paxton Pits in Cambridgeshire where I sore my first Nightengale lovely to see and hear we had walked all the way round and hadn't seen any but then as we were walking back up Dave heard one then we start there and it showed :)
Then as I thought we were heading home, but as we were driving I kept thinking none of these sign posts are saying midlands, then I saw the signpost for Mepal in Cambridgeshire and had read before that there was Ring Ouzel there, and I said are we going to see Ring Ouzel and Dave said yes bless him I had driven him crazy all weekend about Ring Ouzels lol, we got there and it was an old airfield and I was thinking I bet they won't be here, but Dave found them in no time, five of them just out of this world to finally see them, lovely views through scope, love these birds so much there's just something about them :) and it was extra special because Dave went out of his way to get them for me, best boyfriend in the world, and I promise not to moan again lmao all the birds today have been amazing but the Ring Ouzels really made my day :)
Also on today's travels I saw my first Firecrest at an undisclosed location, beautiful little bird so bright and cute :) so happy to have seen one.
Monday morning we popped to Middleton Lakes before Dave took me home, and got 2 more lifers Reed Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat that's 11 lifers this weekend unbelievable :)

     

Black-Winged Stilts at Middleton Lakes

Such an exciting day we started the day at Middleton Lakes picked up Grasshopper Warbler, love that reeling sound and such lovely birds.
We then decided to go to Cannock Chase we hadn't been driving long when Dave got a text saying there had been two Black-Winged Stilts reported at Middleton Lakes but as we had only just left there and they wern't there when we were there, we thought it might be someone who was mistaken, so we carried on to Cannock Chase, had only been at Cannock ten minutes and sore my first Common Redstart it was showing very well, had lovely views stunning bird with that orange rump and black face stands out so much, also had nice views through bins of Tree Pipit, we also heard a Cuckoo but never sore it, had a Moth lifer too, orange underwing, beautiful moth :)
Then Dave got another text saying that the Black-Winged Stilts were confirmed and still there, so we dashed back to car and drove back to Middleton Lakes such an exciting but nerve wracking experience worrying incase they had gone by the time we got there, but they were still there.
Totally amazing birds those long legs they look so elegant but so fragile, the male was black and white and the female more of a browny and white, feel so honoured to have seen them my first Local Twitch :)

Yellow Wagtails and Garden Warbler

Lovely afternoon with Dave, we went to Marsh Lane Nature Reserve and got my best views of Yellow Wagtail, stunning bright yellow and so nice to be able to view up close and take photos :)
We then went to Coton Lakes where I picked up a lifer my first Garden Warbler lovely views through bins :)

Trittiford Mill Pond update - Willow Warbler

Has been quite in recent weeks chiffchaff numbers increasing, Peacock Butterfly's, Brimestone and   Small Tortoiseshell's evrywhere round Trittiford and Scribbers Lane. Grey Wagtails at Priory Fields.
A bit more lively today although a sad start there was an injured coot at the Old Mill Pond last week limping and didn't appear to be able to fly he was sitting on the grass by the road so I managed to get  him to hop through the railings to safety, but then today sadly he was dead in the road, presuming it was the same one, there was another coot on the grass that appeared to be limping but was the other foot :(  very sad hate cars.
On a more pleasant note, Trittiford was thriving with birds, chiffchaffs everywhere and a Willow Warbler which is nice first one this year for Trittiford :) also Blackcap new in. Song Thrush near the bridge at Trittiford, Treecreepers and Nuthatches also present today.
Four Greenfinch's which is nice fingers crossed they will breed,the Mute Swan is on the island hidden presuming shes on eggs, also a coot still on nest, can't wait for all the babies lol
Great spotted Woodpecker at Trittiford and also one at The Dingles also a Kingfisher and another Kingfisher on Scribbers Lane.

Osprey at Brandon Marsh

Fabulous day !!!! We got up quite early to do some birding before the winds got up lucky we did so we were ready, Dave had gone to walk Max and he got back and said get your glad rags on there's an Osprey at Brandon Marsh, those words are so amazing I was so excited, few sips of my tea, coat and boots on and off we went got there nice and quick I kept thinking I bet it will be gone lol but it was still there quite distant sitting on top of the tree, stunning views through the scope I felt all emotional such a beautiful bird and a Dream bird and lifer for me, I was over the moon so happy and honored to be viewing such a wonderful bird :) Will never forget this moment.
A massive Thank you to my lovely boyfriend for taking me and to Dennis Woodward for letting us know it was there i'm so so grateful :)
Managed to get a photo not clear because it was distant but i'm just so happy to have seen him.
Also I picked up another lifer Yellow Wagtail also distant but even from that distance you could see how beautifully yellow he was :)
Had lovely close views of a Barnacle goose he was just walking around not wild but even still lovely to see him :)  

Migrant Birding day locally

Spent the day locally looking for spring/summer Migrants this time of year is so fun and exciting, We went to Shustoke there was lot's of Swallows and Sand Martins there, we then went onto Coton Lakes where we saw Willow Warbler which was a year tick love there song.
Then we headed to Kingsbury Water Park, where we picked up another year tick, 2 x common tern's.
Then Middleton Lakes a lovely showy Wheatear lovely to see up close these were my best views :)

Red Necked Grebe and 4 x Ring Necked Ducks

We spent Bank Holiday Monday in oxford area, we went back to Farmoor Reservoir for the Red Necked Grebe, didn't come as close as last time, but lovely to see in the sunlight really is a beautiful grebe. Also had nice views of a Wheatear, and Little Egret, we missed an Osprey fly over when we went back to the car for tea lol but got to see Brimstone Butterfly and photograph them there beautiful butterfly's.  
We then went onto on Standlake for the 4 Ring Necked Ducks, had nice views through Dave's Telescope and could see the white detail on the beaks, they look like tufted ducks but with a funny shape head, lovely ducks and an honour to see them.
Also had nice views of Red Kite get excited every time I see one :)

Easter Birds - Little Ringed Plover, Garganey, Lesser spotted woodpecker and more

Brilliant Birding over the Easter Break, full of lovely birds, lifers, local ticks, year ticks.
Good Friday we went to Rutland Water was quite there not much about had nice views of Great White Egret and Curlew, was hoping to see Osprey but they were not on the nest.
On the Saturday and Sunday we stayed local checking the local sites, finally got to see Lesser spotted Woodpecker at Middleton Lakes over the moon so nice when you have been waiting to see a bird and nice that now I have seen the three species of Woodpecker.
We checked Coton Lakes and saw swallows, sand martins and house martin, spring/summer finally here, so enjoyable watching all the birds come in.
We then went onto Marsh Lane, there a Wheatear and Little Ringed Plover at car park hide, the Wheatear stayed quite distant but still nice views through bins, the Little Ringed Plover came closer allowing a few photos, I have fallen in love with these birds thing there so little and cute and beautiful with that yellow ring round eye.
Dave got a message whilst we were at Marsh Lane saying there was 2 Garganey at Seeswood Pool which is Dave's local pool, it was all units go go go !!! lol got to Seeswood and located them but they were very nervy and kept flying, but had nice view through scope and better the next day, very exciting felt special knowing it's Dave's local :)
On the Sunday we went to Kingsbury Water Park and saw a 1st winter Little Gull, was flying all around disturbance from the speed boat didn't help but did fly very close and had nice views, and did settle for awhile so got to see in more detail through bins from a distant.