Paul's Birding Diary

Saturday 26th September 2009 At Slimbridge WWT this morning with Mark, the best birding to be had was from the Zeiss Hide, where the highlights were a Little Stint , seven Ruffs , 22 Snipe , a Water Rail , two Spotted Redshanks , 12 Redshanks and six Black-tailed Godwits . Another five Snipe were showing well from Martin Smith Hide (above and below) and a Cetti's Warbler was seen at Robbie Garnett Hide whilst another was heard within the grounds; three Swallows were seen over the Tack Piece; 21 Black-tailed Godwits were on South Lake. There wasn't much of note at Middle Point, four Ravens , a few Curlews , lots of Shelduck and a Little Egret , and the only migrants noted were a total of five Chiffchaffs between Robbie Garnett Hide and Middle Point. A pair of House Martins were still active at a nest on the centre building feeding three young (below) .

Saturday 19th - Sunday 20th September 2009 A trip to the GWT Lower Woods reserve on Saturday afternoon turned up some interesting wildlife including a Hornet (above) , a Grass Snake and a Long-winged Conehead (below); Also a Helophilus pendulus hoverfly: Mothing at Jake's in the evening on National Moth Night produced a few species before it started raining: Setaceous Hebrew Character Lesser Yellow Underwing Broad-bordered Underwing Large Yellow Underwing Common Marbled carpet Brimstone Ghost Moth Dusky Thorn (below) Highlights of a morning's birding with Andy on Sunday were: Fretherne/Saul Warth - A Little Stint , two Ringed Plovers , c10 Dunlins and a Wheatear ; Sharpness - Three Chiffchaffs , two Blackcaps and c70 Goldfinches .

Friday 18th September 2009 In the Forest of Dean, there was no sign of yesterday's Black-necked Grebe at Woorgreens this evening, but three Willow Tits and a Chiffchaff were with a mixed flock of Long-tailed , Coal , Great and Blue Tits . A Little Egret , a Snipe , a White Wagtail and two Ravens were at the lake. A Marsh Tit at Cannop Ponds on one of the stone works feeders completed the local Tit collection.

Thursday 10th September 2009 I made it just in time after work to glimpse the probable first-winter Marsh Warbler at Slimbridge WWT. Let's hope it gets accepted; that would make it two in one year after seeing my first at Otmoor RSPB, Oxfordhire, in July.

Sunday 6th Spetember 2009 Back at Slimbridge this morning there was a good selection of birds on the Top New Piece from Zeiss hide this morning including two Greenshanks , a Ruff , a Spotted Redshank , two Little Ringed Plovers , around 40 Lapwings including the leucistic individual, and three White Wagtails including an adult male.

Saturday 5th September 2009 Some excellent birding today with Andy started off at Frampton looking for the Cattle Egret on the 100-acre at Framton from Green Lane. It couldn't be seen so we decided to get down to Slimbridge WWT and book on the morning Safari. The Cattle Egret showed well late morning, by which time it was perched in a tree and was viewable from the 100-acre platforms in Green Lane. We got good views were later when it was feeding amongst the cattle in the Bull Ground (above and below) . Other highlights were a Wood Sandpiper , three Green Sandpipers , four Common Sandpipers , three Snipe , a Hobby , three Wheatears (bottom) , 14 Dunlin , three Sanderlings and a Ringed Plover . Also a Grass Snake and insects included Common Darter , Migrant Hawker and painted Lady . This Oak Bush Cricket was under the roof of the trailer:

Thursday 3rd September 2009 After having to leave last Thursday before it arrived, I made another trip to Upton Warren, Worcestershire, this evening to find the Sabine's Gull (above and below) had already come in for the evening. That was just after 7:00pm; I watched it for over an hour, savouring another lifer - I've had a bit of a run of lifers recently. A Black Tern was also present, and other species included Green Sandpipers , Little Ringed plover and Curlew .