RSPB Minsmere

On Tuesday the 21st I went to RSPB Minsmere in hope of seeing the Semipalmated Sandpiper. I started by heading towards the pond were I saw a Water Vole. We then headed to the North Wall were a Golden Plover flying over as well as lots of Sand Martins that were flying over head. As I was walking towards the sea a great surprise was a pair of Great White Egrets flying out roughly behind the Wildlife Lookout which came as a shock for me as I was not expecting to see them there.

I then got to the beach were I had my first ever Graylings which is a small butterfly that has very good camouflage when its siting on the ground. As I was walking along I had my eyes to the sea were a flock of about twenty Wigeon went past then two Sandwich Terns flew through followed by a singular Oystercatcher there was also a lovely male Stonechat in the bushes

                                                                            Stonechat.
We then headed into East Hide were there was lots of Avocets, a few Snipe, a Common Sandpiper, a Hobby over the back, some Black Tailed Godwit and three Greenshanks that flew in calling. There was a few of the feral Barnacle Geese sitting on the scrape.

We then headed for the Sluice however there wasn't anything in the bushes but there was lots of House Martins and Swallow there was also four Kestrels flying around each other.

We then walked into the South Hide were I was put on to the Semipalmated Sandpiper within a minute. This was my 272th lifer I then meet David Walsh and his friend in the hide. Here he showed me the differences between Common and Spotted Redshank as there was lots of them around the scrape there was also a large group of Common Terns and Little Gulls with some juveniles in it.

                                                                     Semipalmated Sandpiper.

We then walked to Wildlife lookout where we had a Brown Hawker, a Migrant Hawker, a Marsh Harrier and a surprise Greater Silver Diving Beetle Larva which I almost stepped on. I wasn't sure what it was at first then David started telling us about it saying it is poisonous and squeaks if it is touched.

                                                          Greater Silver Diving Beetle Larva

                                                                  Migrant Hawker
We then walked into the Wildlife Lookout where there was some Green sandpipers, a Greenshank, Juvenile Great Black-backed Gulls, and a very odd Ruff that had a white head and brown body. this was a nice looking bird. Then a Great White Egret dropped in behind the hide however we were looking into the sun but it was still nice as it was a lot closer than the last two.

We left the hide and started walking to the North Wall to look for Bee Wolfs on the way we had four+ Willow Emerald Damselflies which David put in his scope that made them look incredible. We then walked to the North Wall were I saw my first Bee Wolfs. David told us that Bee Wolfs catch five Bees and drag them down there hole then once there is five they will lay one egg and they cover the hole over and leave the eggs to hatch and feed on the bees.

We then headed to Island Mere where we had another Great White Egret and some Bearded Tits.

                                                                 Great White Egret.

We then headed to Weselton Heath where we saw more Graylings six Stone Curlew four Woodlark and a Dartford Warbler.

Woodlark

                                                                             Grayling

                                                                       Dartford Warbler
 In total I saw 67 species of bird on a great day out Minsmere is definitely one of my favourite reserves.

                                                                 

RSPB Dungeness 7/8/18

Today I  went to RSPB Dungeness to see what I would be able to see.

We started by going into the visitor centre to see what had been seen recently because this was my first here. From the visitor centre there was a Common Sandpiper, Egyptian Goose and some juvenile Herring Gulls.

                                                     Common Sandpiper

We then went to the dipping pond where there was constant Common Tern flying over I also found my first ever Grass Snake and my first Marsh Frogs which there was lots of in the pond.

                                                     Common Tern

                                                                      Grass Snake.

Marsh Frog

 We then walked to the Firth Hide. Where two Black Terns were reported. I walked in and there was three Common Sandpiper, a Lesser-Black Backed Gull, a bunch of Common Terns, a distant Yellow Wagtail flew over and five Ringed Plover and a Lapwing. At one point all the terns and Gulls flew up and then when they all landed I found the Black Tern which must of flew in when all the gulls and terns were up. This was a year tick for me which put me at 201 for the year.

                                                                           Lapwing

                                                                           Ringed Plover

                                                                             Black Tern.                                                                    We then went to the next to hide however there wasn't much however there was a juvenile Water Vole by the door of the hide.
We then went to the Christmas Dell hide where there was just some Great Crested Grebe and a Little Grebe. On the way to the way to the Denge Marsh Hide I found a Lesser Emperor which was a new dragonfly species for me.
When we arrived at the Denge Marsh Hide there was a Blue Tailed Damselflies which was another new species for me. When we walked into the hide there was four Great White Egret about ten Common Snipe and a Green Sandpiper. After a few minutes another two Great White Egrets flew in and there was six sitting next to each other.
We then walked back round to the visitor centre and on the way I found another Grass Snake.
Thanks for reading. I highly encourage anyone who hasn't been to go to RSPB Dungeness in Kent.

Fudge Duck dip at Abberton Reservoir

Today I headed to Essex to hopefully see my first ever Ferruginous Duck because one had been seen from the Bay Hide. This was my first ever visit to Abberton Reservoir and as you can tell I was unsuccessful in seeing the Ferruginous Duck however it was still a fun trip. We started of by heading to the Island hide. We saw lots of Goldfinch on the way to the hide. When we arrived in the hide there was a large group of Starling in front of the hide there was also lots of Yellow Wagtail, a few Stock Doves, Cormorants, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Canada Goose and massive groups of unidentifiable wildfowl on the other side which were too far and in a heat haze which made them unidentifiable. As I was about to leave the hide a pair of Garganey flew past towards the Gwen Hide.

We then walked around to the Island Hide on the way I found a Common Whitethroat. As I walked in there was a large amount of people who thought they had it however it was just an odd Tufted Duck. There was not much in this hide but another Garganey flew around back to the Island hide. We then went around to the Gwen Hide on the way there someone pointed a Barnacle goose which would of most likely been a feral bird.

I the Gwen hide I saw all the usual bird that are on the reserve plus a year tick of an odd looking Red-Crested Pochard. This means my year list is now on 200 species. We also had Egyptian Goose and a surprise Pintail which were new for the day.

We then drove round to the causeway where the Great White Egrets are however we only saw Little Egret, Grey Heron, a Lapwing and a Lesser Black Backed Gull as well as the regulars.