Wood Warbler and More year Ticks :)

Had an excellent weekend on Saturday we headed to Staffordshire for the Wood Warblers, had my best views, last year was nice views but this was the most prolonged best views such stunning birds really yellow and a distinct song, just beautiful, feel so lucky to see this close and be able to photograph them, also had are first Spotted Flycatchers of the year :)

On the Sunday we headed to Otmoor in Oxon for the Turtle Dove as soon as we arrived we saw them and heard them but they wasn't as showy as last year but there was a lot of people about but still lovely to see, and had amazing views of Hobby's hunting I was just amazed by them managed to get a distant record shot, also had lot's of Red Kites just love them :) and also had an excellent Damselfly day with are first ones of the year, Red-eyed, Azure, Large Red and also unexpected several Emerald shame that we didn't get a photo because could be the earliest record but they were definitely Emerald Damselfly :) 

(Hobby)

(Hobby)

(Hobby)

Red-eyed Damselfly

(Large Red Damselfly)

(Red Kite)

Also really enjoyed my Insects this weekend I just love nature, amazing how many different species there are I thought Crane Fly's were just Crane Fly's but theres lot's of different types and its the same with all Insects there Just Fascinating :) 

I just love being out with the Birds, Butterflys, Moths and Insects and even the Flowers love it all :) 

Bank Holiday Weekend Birds

Also over the Bank Holiday we picked up some good Year Ticks and Migrants, Garden Warbler, Garganey and Whichat had my best views of Whinchat such lovely little birds I managed to get a record shot.
Also great views of Swifts there was loads at Middleton must of been 50+ :)
Also had nice views of Lesser Whitethroat and Cetti's Warbler even though I didn't realise intill it was too late lol he was showing of in the same tree as the Lesser Whitethroat managed to get a quick record shot but not very clear.
We also had a nice hour at Marsh Lane, the Black-tailed Godwit was still present but distant but my highlight was the Sand Martins perched up on the wire outside and viewable from hide there amazing birds love them :) Nice views of Redshank, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Commom terns and Mediterranean Gull.

Pied Flycatcher's - Ladywalk Nature Reserve and Seeswood Pool

What an Amazing couple of days on the Saturday we went for the Female Pied Flycatcher at Ladywalk, we walked up and down a few times before it was located but then had amazing views brief but nice views, such a pretty bird and a Warwickshire tick for me, always special when it's a local tick, even more special was the next day the Female Pied Flycatcher was still at Ladywalk
(Thankyou to Chris Doyle who put the news out that it was still present), so we decided to go for it again, had lovely views and got a record shot which was really nice, Dave had left his camera in the car I felt really bad hate getting a photo when he can't from now on i'm making sure he takes it with him lol
You would think the day couldn't get any better than this but then Dave got a message saying that there was a Male Pied Flycatcher at Seeswood pool, Daves Local Patch :)
We had been out all day and I was dying for a wee lol so we decided to go and have a quick check then go home, we checked all round but couldn't locate it so we headed home.
I went to the loo and then made coffees but didn't even get half way through my cuppa when Dave got a call of Steve Haynes saying he had found it, boots and coat back on and we rushed back to Seeswood, was quite distant at first but then it flew towards us and landed on the fence and fence posts and was going up and down the fence for awhile this was just amazing two Pied Flycatchers in one day and just a dream to see a Female and then a Male and have lovely views of both :)
I managed to get a record shot of the Male but it was late by this time and the light had gone so it hasn't come out well at all but just over the moon to have seen them :)
Big thank you to Danny Simmonds who found the Male Pied Flycatcher on Seeswood and also a big thank you to Steve Haynes who relocated it :)  

Tree Pipit - Cannock Chase

We headed to Cannock Chase today it appeared to be quite again when we first got there but then we were walking along and Dave said he could hear a Redstart so we walked into the woody area and soon located him, stunning bird and nice views through bins.
Then Dave had a female Cuckoo go over but I never saw it was a little dissapointed after hearing one last time and also hearing one on my local patch but just not having luck seeing one lol
On the walk back down the Path there was a Tree Pipit just sitting on the log not bothered by us at all so we went closer still no reaction so we took some photos then he even flew to the log right behind us then he flew into the grass feeding still not bothered by us we took the chance to get some more photos this was awesome to get photos of such a lovely bird and a bird that are usually not showy like this, Dave was over the moon as he has seen many Tree Pipits but never been able to photograph them like this before, we both had very big smiles :)
We then went back to the car and went to a different part of Cannock Chase to look for Wood Lark we decided to leave the cameras in the car lol
On the walk down we saw another Redstart which was lovely then we walked abit further and Dave went Cuckoo I went where where he said on the post over there, yeppy I was over the moon my first Cuckoo of the year :) As we walked round and closer he didn't move then we walked closer and he flew even closer to us lol my best ever views such a stunning bird we were both happy to just have views like this but a bit gutted we didn't take cameras lol
Had been a great day two year ticks at Cannock and great views of both :)

Warwickshire ticks - Grasshopper Warbler, Ring Ouzel and Black-tailed Godwit

Had an amazing weekend picking up year ticks and Warwickshire Ticks, After hearing Reed Warbler and Grasshopper Warbler last weekend it was a warm welcome to actually see them, had brief views of Reed Warbler at Middleton Lakes on saturday morning but then much better views at Seeswood on the evening :)
Sunday we had an early start to Middleton Lakes as soon as we got out of the car we could hear Grasshopper Warbler so we walked over and we managed to see him nice views but brief was an added bonus that it was on the Warwickshire side of Middleton so a Warwickshire tick for me :)
Also Dave flushed a Jack Snipe I couldn't believe it he almost stood on it lol was lovely to see shame we hadn't spotted him first would of been lovely to get a photo.
Walking back through Middleton we had lovely views of Chiffchaff and also took the chance to photograph some of the common birds, Great Tit which I hadn't got many photos of so was over the moon with him, also a very friendly Robin, Dave put his hand out and the Robin went straight onto it even though we had no seed, love moments like this getting close to nature is the best part of Birdwatching :)
We then headed to Ladywalk whilst there Dave got a phone call of Nick Barlow saying he has a Ring Ouzel at Little Packington, Big smile appeared on my face love this birds ( Thankyou Nick )
So of we went Dave got him in the scope straightaway a stunning Male I was over the moon made my day and another Warwickshire Tick, he was distant but great views through scope :)
We then headed to Marsh Lane Nature Reserve for the Black-tailed Godwit another Warwickshire tick and a stunning summer plumage bird it stayed quite distant but got a few record shots, and also had my best views of Common Snipe and Common Sandpiper and close views of Redshank, Lapwing and Oystercatcher and Little Ringed Plover.

 I just love days like this and really made me think this is what birding is all about it's not just about the rare birds but enjoying the common ones too, after all there the ones that got me into birding :)
Can't wait for next weekend Bank Holiday weekend hopefully lot's of birding.