Draycote Water and Summer Migrants

Had a nice weekend at Draycote Water spending two days there walking round all of it both times and dipping on the Slav Grebe again, would of been lovely to see him as it would of been a Warwickshire tick, but it was still a nice couple of days, so enjoyable getting migrants, we got to see the beautiful Yellow Wagtails stunning birds, and also White Wagtail which Dave spent time explaining the differences between White and Pied after getting the chance to study them through bins you can clearly see the White Wagtail has a much cleaner look appearance very pale grey and paler wing pattern and looks more cleaner whiter underneath on the sides and a neater black bib whearas on the pied the bib extends more scruffy looking. I think hopefully in this plumage I would be able to pick one out now it's really nice learning I sometimes get frustrated because I don't see what Dave sees i'm like but the look the same but he makes sure I get there in the end and it's all part of the fun of bird watching being able to learn all the time and enjoy every minute of it as well :)
Never got a photo of the White Wagtail but can clearly see the image of him in my head and did get some photos of a Pied Wagtail which was nice with being able to see how different the pied Looks to the White Wagtail :)
Also got a record shot of the Great Northern Diver lol I know I know but i'm going to say it again I just love them lol just something about them :)

Monday Morning Dave took his car in for MOT, so we went for a nice walk round Seeswood had Wheatear and are first summer Common Sandpiper which was really nice.

Then news come through of Little Gulls and an Arctic Tern at Shustoke so we headed there in my car there was 3 Little Gulls which I just couldn't get onto in flight but then they were on the water so had lovely scope views they are so much smaller and the black head really stands out annoying that I couldn't pick one out in flight again I will get there the more bird I see the more I will get use to them and be able to pick them out. The Arctic Tern was still there got to see him sitting on the ball in the water and in flight stunning bird with those long tail streamers year tick for us both and another migrant a very enjoyable morning ( think Daves still recovering from my driving ) lmao 

Easter Week Birding !!! Bird Lifer and Moth Lifer's

A great week off work for Me and Dave lot's of birding but also just chilling out :)
We went to Farmoor for the Red-necked Grebe but he wasn't showing as well as last year but think that was down to a few plonkers there ;) but still lovely to see and got a couple of record shots.
Also we picked up are first Willow Warbler of the year and Common Tern which was great to get them in March and got to see the Great Northern Diver I just love them :)

1st of April we went to Draycote Water to try and get the Slav Grebe but it wasn't there I was very disappointed as it would of been lifer for me, so Dave took me to Rutland we saw the Osprey's which was amazing to be able to see the two Ospreys I had been watching on the camera online was brilliant also there was a Pergrine Falcon which was nice, then we saw a Red-necked Grebe then Dave was looking in the Scope and said I have a summer plumage Slav Grebe it was so stunning that bright orangy neck stands out even at a distant and the beautiful red eye and long ear coverts I was over the moon too distant for photos but so happy to of seen him love him :)

Also we saw lot's of Red kites which was a year tick for me, you could see all the detail on them flying quite low great to see :) 

The Next couple of Days were spent at Marsh Lane Nature Reserve got some photos of Lapwing which is nice as I hadn't really got any also got a record shot of Common Snipe.

The Highlight was an Osprey in flight Dave was looking in his bins then shouted Osprey Osprey it was so exciting to be able to watch one local in flight distant but still stunning feel very lucky two Osprey's at Rutland then the next day This one in flight as Marsh Lane just awesome :) 

Also over the Week I got two new Moths one that Dave found at Draycote on the wall Twin-spotted Quaker a new one for us both stunning Moth.

Then at Dave's We put the trap on and got Brindled Pug a new one for me, just love my Moths can't wait till I can get a Moth Trap. 

Summer Migrants 2016

Had a great few days picking up Migrants local we got Sand Martin, Swallow and House Martin all in the one day, the Swallows and House Martin were earlier than last year by about 11 days :) but the Sand Martins were later by about 11 days, Also we got Little Ringed Plover. (26/03/16) then the following day we picked up Wheatear (27/03/16)
On the (31/03/16) we got two more Migrants at Farmoor Res, Oxon, Common Tern and Willow Warbler excellent to get them in March :)

Ring-necked Duck - Chasewater, Staffordshire

Had a lovely day at Chasewater with the Ring-necked Duck my best views, such a beautiful Duck, at first I was struggling to see the difference between Tufted after Dave showing me all the differences it really does stand out and I was able to locate it when with bins :) The Ring-necked Duck has more of a peaked crown and more of a purple sheen and grey flanks with a white crescent and striking white markings on the bill. I managed to get a few record shots and Dave got a lovely photo :)  

Dave's stunning photo

Taken by Dave Hutton 

 My Record Shot's 

Whooper Swan - Middleton Lakes RSPB

Had a lovely morning started of at Shustoke where we had are first Spring migrant Chiffchaff, we then headed to Middleton Lakes where I picked up some year ticks, Avocet, Dunlin, Redshank and Whooper Swan which was really nice even though distant this was still my best ever views of Whooper, was great views through bins and got a few distant record shots, was a very enjoyable morning :)

Hoopoe 4th visit - Wall Heath, Kingswinford

We had a lovely morning with the Hoopoe at Wall Heath are 4th visit and last time we went he didn't show for us, so today was extra special as it showed straightaway when we got there a year tick for us both :) and managed to get a few more photos, really is an amazing bird beautiful in every way, it didn't show in the open for that long before disappearing into the long grass we then waited 2 hours and then it was relocated but more distant and hiding in the long grass, but was so happy it showed again as there was a family waiting for him and the man had waited years and years to see one he was over the moon bless him.  :)

Here's one of Dave's amazing photo's you can see more clearly just how beautiful and striking this bird is :)  

Taken By Dave Hutton

Penduline Tits at Horsbere Reserve, Gloucester

Headed to Gloucester again today our third visit :) After two hours waiting we were losing hope of seeing them but then Dave spotted them fly in they were in the reeds for awhile and I couldn't get any photos of them in there, I was getting frustrated lol when then all of a Sudden both of them flew over us into the roadside trees by the stream, I couldn't believe our luck much closer and brilliant views so nice seeing them close and hearing them sing was amazing, I got some Record shot's and Dave got some stunning shot's :)
They say its always third time lucky that was certainly true in this case i'm over the moon such beautiful little birds :)