Spurn Bird Observatory

 This was not a visit to Spurn for birding as such, and it was just as well. Persistent northerlies, complete with rainstorms all but ended any hope of significant migration. The ringing was a bust, Paul had already shut the nets by the time I dragged my hungover corpse out of bed. Still, it was lovely to see people who I not seen for almost a year, and the evening socials were more than sufficient compensation for the lack of birds. 
  The only species of note was a pair of European Jays that flew over the road when I was out counting dragonflies. Although normally uncommon at Spurn, this year seems to have a small number sticking around throughout the summer. Dragonflies were very quiet, with just a handful of species. Any hoped-for Red-veined Darters quite simply failed to materialise. 

  It was supposed to be a weeks visit to Spurn, with a wedding thrown in the middle, but in the end that idea all collapsed, and being home with Soil Hill and work seemed the better option. 

-Emperor Dragonfly

Species List: 

Spurn Bird Observatory: Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Common Shelduck, Mallard, Common Pheasant, Little Grebe, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Eurasian Oystercatcher, European Herring Gull, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Jay, Eurasian Magpie, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Sedge Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, White Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting, 

Soil Hill; Week 23rd May - 28th May

 Only a handful of visits to the patch during this week, while I attended to some other things. Still the four visits did produce a few birds, although nothing exceptional. Undoubtedly my last Wheatear of the Spring was on the 27th, feeding distantly on the bottom Cattle Fields. The Grasshopper Warbler that has taken up territory in the fields below Taylor Lane can still be heard occasionally, when the wind dropped enough to allow it. And the Grey Partridge pair was once again seen on the summit on the 24th. Otherwise the regular migrant contingent seems to be up to full again, with both Willow Warblers and Whitethroats up to their expected number. Blackcap was singing at one point in the week, but it was heard from a nearby plantation and was not either of the territories I would have expected. Sedge Warbler looks like its time on Soil Hill is done sadly, it would be very late for it to turn up now. Perhaps the highlight of the week however was when I stumbled on a Skylark nest. I grabbed a few photos and quickly moved off. Thankfully it was not near any of the ‘tracks’ so hopefully won’t suffer too much disturbance from dog walkers and quad bikers. Fingers crossed anyway. 

-Skylark nest

Species List:
Soil Hill:  Canada Goose, Mallard, Grey Partridge, Common Pheasant, Red-legged Partridge, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Common Snipe, Black-headed Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Kestrel, Little Owl, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Common Grasshopper Warbler, Barn Swallow, Willow Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Northern Wheatear, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Bullfinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting, 

Soil Hill; Week 16th May - 22nd May

Soil Hill

After a quiet previous week, this week there were a few more notable birds. The highlight of the week was on the 19th when a distant Shelduck flew north over Ovenden Moor and then continued over Thornton Moor Reservoir. Frustratingly I couldn't pick up the bird once I took my binoculars off it, and as such, I only managed to fluke a couple of record shots with my camera at the wrong settings. Still, this is my first patch tick for 18 months and is my 116th species for the Hill.

An evening visit on the 16th turned productive with a very mobile Cuckoo in the North Slope area, and also a pair of Grey Partridge on the Taylor Lane manure pile. Presumably, this pair was also on the summit the following day. My first Barn Owl of the year was hunting on the morning of the 19th, so its good to know they are still around. Otherwise the species remained very similar to last week, with no notable new arrivals of other migrants. Something seems to have prompted the Common Snipe population to begin breeding activities, with at least five birds displaying and many more residing in the fields below. Drumming snipe is one of my favourite sounds, so this is a very welcome development. 

-Common Shelduck

-Grey Partridge

-Common Cuckoo

Species List:

Soil Hill: Canada Goose, Common Shelduck, Mallard, Grey Partridge, Common Pheasant, Red-legged Partridge, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Cuckoo, Common Swift, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Common Snipe, Black-headed Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Western Barn Owl, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Common Grasshopper Warbler, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Willow Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Northern Wheatear, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting,

Soil Hill & Whiteholme; Week 8th May - 15th May

Soil Hill

The week has seen the weather improve somewhat and consequently, there have been more birds arriving, with both Willow Warblers and Whitethroats now up to what I would consider a typical number from the last three years. Notable others remain thin on the ground, with a small number of Wheatear (peaking at 8 on the 14th) present during the week, a couple of House Martins have been seen and a new Grasshopper Warbler reeling in the sedge below Taylor Lane for a few days. The bird can just be heard from my morning route, but it is really quite noticeable from my backyard. Otherwise, a group of five Black-headed Gulls that flew north on the 14th was probably the only exception to the norm this week.

-Goldfinch

-Oystercatcher

Whiteholme Reservoir

Just two visits this week, with there being little noticeable movement nationally to encourage me to make the journey up to the reservoir. That said BS reported a number of Dunlin arriving at Fly Flatts, and there was some movement of that type at Whiteholme when on the 10th May a flock of 7 flew low across the reservoir and then over the moor. On my other visit of the week, on the 13th, there were two Dunlin present. Otherwise it was all very much the same, with a few Swifts and House Martins passing through, as well as a dapper male Stonechat on the 13th.

-Stonechat

Species List:
Soil Hill: Canada Goose, Mallard, Common Pheasant, Red-legged Partridge, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Swift, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Common Snipe, Black-headed Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Common Grasshopper Warbler, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Willow Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Northern Wheatear, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting,
Whiteholme Reservoir: Canada Goose, Mallard, Red Grouse, European Golden Plover, Eurasian Curlew, Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Skylark, Common House Martin, Eurasian Wren, Northern Wheatear, European Stonechat, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Reed Bunting,

Hungary - Day 5

  Our final day birding in Hungary was spent visiting the Hortobágy National Park again. Our views of Great Bustard had been insufficient the previous day, so we tried another area where we hoped to find them. It initially looked like we would be drawing a blank again, but then Keiran spotted two males strutting their stuff in a distant field. Although far away, we were able to get brilliant views through the scopes.
  Next we returned to the Red-footed Falcon colony where we spent a few hours watching the birds. We wandered round to the far side of the colony where there was a tower built for birders to overlook the colony, but from there the birds were more distant and we ended up watching them from the woodland border as we had the previous day.
  For the rest of the day we birded the fishponds. This time we had time to explore all the lagoons, and we found the lagoons at the end of the site much more productive than those at the start, with many more species of waders, ducks and grebes. There were also large numbers of European Cranes, as well as numerous groups of Whiskered Terns, Little Gulls and Caspian Gulls all flying overhead. We left the site mid-afternoon to head back to Farm Lator, finishing off our brilliant birding in Hungary.
  We left the country the next day, but had no time for birding, leaving the Farm early in the morning for our lunchtime flight. I finally reached Halifax in the evening.

-Red-footed Falcon

-White-tailed Eagle

-Whiskered Tern

-Caspian Gull

-Red-necked Grebe

-White-spotted Bluethroat

-Little Gull

-Sand Lizard

-Eastern Green Lizard

-Weaver's Fritillary

-Southern Festoon

-Winter Damselfly

Species List:
Hortobágy National Park: Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Common Shelduck, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Eurasian Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Eurasian Teal, Red-crested Pochard, Common Pochard, Ferruginous Duck, Common Pheasant, Little Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Feral Pigeon, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Great Bustard, Common Cuckoo, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Common Crane, Black-winged Stilt, Pied Avocet, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff, Dunlin, Spotted Redshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Common Redshank, Black-headed Gull, Little Gull, Caspian Gull, White-winged Tern, Whiskered Tern, Common Tern, Black Stork, Pygmy Cormorant, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Great Egret, Little Egret, Squacco Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Eurasian Spoonbill, Western Marsh Harrier, Montagu's Harrier, White-tailed Eagle, Long-eared Owl, Eurasian Hoopoe, Common Kestrel, Red-footed Falcon, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Red-backed Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Hooded Crow, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Penduline Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Bearded Reedling, Moustached Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Savi's Warbler, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Wood Warbler, Willow Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Eurasian Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Common Nightingale, Bluethroat, Black Redstart, European Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, House Sparrow, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Western Yellow Wagtail, White Wagtail, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting, 

Hungary - Day 4

  We set out early today so that we would have enough time to properly bird the Hortobágy National Park, an area of open grassland with small wetlands and woodlands. We arrived reasonably early, bought a ticket and first headed to the ‘Old Lakes of Hortobágy fishponds’, an expanse of wetland in the center of the park. The birding here was truly excellent, with the bushes full of migrant birds and the wetlands full of different species. For me, there were two lifers with Pygmy Cormorant, followed by Moustached Warbler, which was much skulkier than I had anticipated. Other highlights included Spotted Redshank, Whiskered Tern, Savi’s Warbler, Squacco Heron and a flyover Red-throated Pipit.
  For lunch, we drove a little further to a rookery which also contained a breeding colony of Red-footed Falcons. It was an exceptional experience, watching multiple individuals of these stunning falcons as they circled low over the wood, stooping below the trees and calling together. In total we spent about two hours watching the birds, and it was well worth it.
  During the afternoon we visited a few different areas of pastures where we looked for Great Bustard. Although we did have a single individual flying in the distance, we never spotted any on the ground. There was still good birding to be had, however, with numerous Red-backed Shrikes, Bluethroats and Corn Buntings on offer. We also stopped off at another location where we had a Saker Falcon, but the haze was bad and it was difficult to make anything out on the birds.

-Pygmy Cormorant

-Moustached Warbler

-Common Crane

-Red-footed Falcon

-Marsh Frog

-Lesser Fiery Copper

-Pale Clouded Yellow

-Common Winter Damselfly

Species List:
Hortobágy National Park: Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Gadwall, Mallard, Common Pochard, Ferruginous Duck, Common Pheasant, Great Crested Grebe, Feral Pigeon, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Great Bustard, Common Cuckoo, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Common Crane, Black-winged Stilt, Northern Lapwing, Little Ringed Plover, Ruff, Temminck's Stint, Dunlin, Spotted Redshank, Wood Sandpiper, Common Redshank, Black-headed Gull, Little Gull, Caspian Gull, Black Tern, White-winged Tern, Whiskered Tern, Common Tern, Black Stork, White Stork, Pygmy Cormorant, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Great Egret, Little Egret, Squacco Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Eurasian Spoonbill, Western Marsh Harrier, White-tailed Eagle, Little Owl, Long-eared Owl, Eurasian Hoopoe, Syrian Woodpecker, Common Kestrel, Red-footed Falcon, Eurasian Hobby, Saker Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Eurasian Jay, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Hooded Crow, Great Tit, Eurasian Penduline Tit, Crested Lark, Bearded Reedling, Moustached Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Savi's Warbler, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Wood Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Common Starling, Spotted Flycatcher, Common Nightingale, Bluethroat, Black Redstart, House Sparrow, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Western Yellow Wagtail, White Wagtail, Red-throated Pipit, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Corn Bunting, Common Reed Bunting, 

Hungary - Day 3

  Today we also had Rob from Farm Lator with us, but we spent the day exploring the woods of the Bükki Nemzeti Park which the hostel sits next to. Rob knew the places to check for the woodpeckers and raptors we wanted, so having him with us was very useful. We very quickly found a pair of White-backed Woodpeckers showing well adjacent to the road. Other stops yielded nice birds such as Lesser Spotted Eagle, a singing male Barred Warbler which showed well at times but was generally elusive, the first Red-backed Shrikes and European Bee-Eaters of our trip and a Jack Snipe that flushed from an area of wet forest.
  Once again there were plenty of non-avian highlights. The undoubted of these was a very distant European Wild Cat which Tim picked out with the scope. Obviously, it was difficult to make out the details given the distance, but the sheer size and the bushy tail could both be made out which make it impossible to be a feral cat. There were butterflies as well, including my first Duke-of-Burgundy Fritillary, which is Europe’s only species of metalmark.
  During the afternoon there was some rainfall, so we spent the evening looking for Fire Salamander in an area of forest that Rob suggested for us. He did not seem so optimistic, but it did not take us long to find our first, and after an hour we had found no less than four of these stunning amphibians.

-White-backed Woodpecker

-Dingy Skipper

-Grizzled Skipper

-Wood White

-Map

-Duke-of-Burgundy Fritillary

-Agile Frog

-Eastern Short-tailed Blue

-Fire Salamander

Species List:
Bükki Nemzeti Park: Common Pheasant, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, European Turtle Dove, Common Cuckoo, Common Swift, Little Ringed Plover, Jack Snipe, Short-toed Snake Eagle, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Western Marsh Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, White-tailed Eagle, Common Buzzard, European Bee-eater, Eurasian Wryneck, Middle Spotted Woodpecker, White-backed Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey-headed Woodpecker, European Green Woodpecker, Black Woodpecker, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Hobby, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Red-backed Shrike, Eurasian Jay, Northern Raven, Marsh Tit, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Barn Swallow, Wood Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Eurasian Blackcap, Barred Warbler, Eurasian Nuthatch, Eurasian Treecreeper, Common Starling, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, Common Nightingale, Collared Flycatcher, Black Redstart, European Stonechat, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, White Wagtail, Common Chaffinch, Hawfinch, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Corn Bunting, Yellowhammer, Common Reed Bunting,